Because of this rare happy occasion, the two brothers drank quite a bit of alcohol.
The wine jars lay askew on the ground. Xue Heng, perhaps a little tipsy, grabbed Xue Shen's hand and began reminiscing about the past.
His tall frame was slightly hunched, and his eyes were a little red. "Yuan Jin, I really miss those old days." Because he had drunk too much, his tongue was a little tied, and he stammered, "If I could go back to the past, I would rather not be the crown prince..."
Xue Shen was also drunk and it was unclear whether he heard what he was saying. He just closed his eyes and leaned back in his wheelchair, as if he was already unconscious.
Xue Heng continued talking: "Back then, although I was just a prince, I was happier than I am now. If... if you hadn't had that accident, I might have become a great general guarding a region..."
Xue Shen remained motionless.
Seeing that he was very drunk and his words were becoming increasingly incoherent, Jiang Yun could only apologize to Shen Youying, saying, "I'm sorry to have made you laugh. He likes to talk nonsense when he's drunk."
He showed no reverence for the Crown Prince in his words, but rather appeared quite affectionate.
Shen Youying smiled, but then worried about her pregnancy, so she suggested, "The Crown Prince is very drunk. I'll have Wang Deshun take you home. Sister-in-law, don't overexert yourself, lest you harm the fetus."
“We have men with us, they’re waiting outside.” Jiang Yun declined her offer and called in a maid, instructing her to summon the guards secretly protecting the drunken prince.
A moment later, two strong guards came and helped the drunken crown prince out. Jiang Yun, supported by a maid, followed behind, walking very slowly. Shen Youying escorted her to the door and, seeing that she had safely boarded the carriage, smiled and bid her farewell.
"If you have nothing else to do, sister-in-law, please come to the East Palace often to keep me company. We're all family, so don't be too formal with me." As she was leaving, Jiang Yun lifted the curtain and peeked out again.
Shen Youying also felt a connection with her, so she smiled and agreed: "I will bother you in the future, please don't mind me, sister-in-law."
Jiang Yun was amused by her, waved to her again, and then left first.
After seeing the two off, Shen Youying turned back.
Xue Shen, who was drunk, was leaning back in his wheelchair and looked as if he had fallen asleep.
Unlike the Crown Prince, who was drunk and emotionally expressive, Xue Shen was unexpectedly quiet and reserved. He sat there with his eyes closed, the shadow of the candlelight enveloping him. Unlike his aggressive demeanor during the day, he seemed somewhat dejected and listless.
Shen Youying recalled Jiang Yun's words of comfort and felt a slight stirring in her heart.
Jiang Yun was right. She had already married into the Qin Prince's mansion and would likely spend the rest of her life with Xue Shen. She didn't expect a perfect, loving marriage, but if they could respect each other and support each other until old age, that would be good enough.
Whether those rumors are true or false, she can honestly say that since their marriage, Xue Shen has always treated her with utmost respect and has even defended her on many occasions.
Shen Youying was not a pretentious person; after thinking it over, she made a decision. Instead of waking the sleeping man, she asked Bai Luo to bring the cloak she had brought and gently covered Xue Shen with it.
But as she tucked in the corners of her cloak and prepared to get up, she discovered that Xue Shen had woken up at some point, his long, narrow, upturned phoenix eyes fixed on her, his gaze dark and unfathomable.
The two were standing too close at this moment. Shen Youying felt her face flush and her heart race under his gaze. She also felt a little embarrassed and wanted to back away uncomfortably.
At that moment, Xue Shen grabbed her waist and suddenly pulled her towards him.
Shen Youying was startled and instinctively grabbed the armrests on both sides of the wheelchair to avoid falling directly onto him.
Xue Shen continued to scrutinize her with that dark, ambiguous gaze. Even if Shen Youying was slow to notice, she realized that something was wrong with him.
The heat on her face subsided slightly, and she looked at Xue Shen hesitantly: "Your Highness?"
Xue Shen remained silent, raised his hand and touched her cheek, his fingertips tracing her delicate chin. After a long while, he asked, "Do you think those rumors about me outside are true or false?"
Shen Youying was puzzled; this wasn't the first time Xue Shen had asked a similar question.
She looked at the other person, her eyelashes fluttering slightly, and honestly shook her head: "I don't know."
Sometimes she felt the rumors were untrue and exaggerated. Other times, however, she felt that the rumors were not entirely unfounded.
Xue Shen was such an unpredictable person, like a sudden gust of wind, making him hard to fathom.
“It’s all true.” Xue Shen stared at her, a wicked smile slowly curving his lips. “Those people outside say I’m ruthless and cruel, and it’s all true.”
Gazing at Shen Youying's slightly panicked face, Xue Shen brushed his thumb across her lips, then forcefully pressed her towards him and bit her lip hard.
Shen Youying let out a painful groan and tried to struggle in a panic, but her strength was no match for Xue Shen's iron-like arms. Xue Shen held her waist with one hand and grabbed her wrist with the other, and she was like a lamb trapped in a trap, unable to move.
Shen Youying had never been treated so roughly before. Her eyes reddened with fear, and she couldn't understand why Xue Shen had suddenly become so violent.
Xue Shen felt the trembling in his palm and coldly watched her panic and struggle.
After a long while, he finally took pity on her and released her.
Seeing Shen Youying retreat far away like a frightened kitten, looking at him warily and anxiously, Xue Shen then twirled his fingertips and turned his wheelchair to the window.
The night outside the window was deep, and thick clouds obscured the stars and moon; only the red lanterns along the street swayed gently in the wind.
Tomorrow should be cloudy, and it might even rain, Xue Shen thought.
After a long while, he turned to look at Shen Youying, who was breathing heavily: "Those rumors have not revealed even a fraction of my evil. If you are afraid, then do not do anything unnecessary. As long as you behave yourself, I will keep you safe."
This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
