A subtle fragrance filled the room, instantly creating a romantic and ambiguous atmosphere.
Xiao Huaijin's eyes were filled with turbulent emotions as he lowered his head and kissed Shen Yunjiao's lips.
Shen Yunjiao was startled at first, then silently turned her face away, his hot breath falling on her cheek and the back of her neck.
Shen Yunjiao felt both hot and itchy, and her body immediately became hot. She was startled and, for a moment, pushed his shoulder in embarrassment and indignation.
"I'm tired, you can go now. I have a lot of things to take care of tomorrow."
Xiao Huaijin ignored her and gently kissed Shen Yunjiao's face after turning her face towards him.
He lingered wantonly on Shen Yunjiao's lips, while his hands remained obediently on her shoulders.
After the kiss, both of them were breathing rapidly and erratically.
Shen Yunjiao sat up, saw Xiao Huaijin's moist lips, and then turned her face away.
Her rosy cheeks betrayed her.
Seeing Shen Yunjiao's expression, Xiao Huaijin knew she must be shy. His heart softened, and he suddenly pulled her into his arms.
Shen Yunjiao's entire back was pressed down by Xiao Huaijin. She swallowed hard and said, "Xiao Huaijin, why do you always like to hug people so easily?"
Shen Yunjiao even suspected that he had some kind of skin hunger disorder.
Every time they met, Shen Yunjiao would be hugged by him several times.
Xiao Huaijin's eyes flickered slightly, and after a long while, he whispered in her ear, "Shen Yunjiao, I like to hold you, so that I can be sure you're by my side."
He hugged Shen Yunjiao tighter, "I'm afraid you'll leave, you know? From childhood to adulthood, I've never been wanted by anyone."
Shen Yunjiao was somewhat surprised. She pulled away from Xiao Huaijin's embrace and looked at his handsome features.
He was born into privilege, so how could he be the one who was abandoned?
Shen Yunjiao asked all her questions without missing a single word.
Seeing her disbelieving look, Xiao Huaijin brushed some hair from his forehead and gave a bitter smile, his tone somewhat sour: "Shen Yunjiao, I really didn't lie to you."
“When I was born, the entire Dayong Nine Provinces suffered a drought unseen in a century. My father ordered the Imperial Astronomical Bureau to examine the stars, but they calculated that I was the ominous star radiating an ominous light.” Xiao Huaijin slowly narrowed his eyes, lost in memories. “They said that my mother suffered a massive hemorrhage during my birth and died in childbirth, but in reality, she was killed by me. My father listened to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau’s words and concluded that I was an ominous sign.”
"The Imperial Observatory told my father that in order to secure his throne, I could not return to the palace before I turned ten. So he left me at the Imperial Spring Palace and had me live with some hostages from enemy countries. That's when I met Loran."
Shen Yunjiao's eyes were wide open, and she listened intently without saying a word.
Xiao Huaijin continued, “The winters in the palace are extremely cold. Sometimes, it snows heavily for half a month straight, with particularly heavy snowfall and biting winds. In the winter when I was five years old, Yu Meiren gave birth to a princess. This was my father’s second child, and the whole country was celebrating. Only I was in the palace, enduring the mockery of the palace maids and eunuchs. They would tease me by making me deliberately search for food in the snow. At that time, I wondered why I was born into this world.” Xiao Huaijin smiled self-deprecatingly as he said this, “I lost my mother, and my father abandoned me because he listened to slander. No one cared about me.”
"Xiao Huaijin..." Shen Yunjiao couldn't help but pat Xiao Huaijin's hand to comfort him.
That Emperor Zhaowu is a real scoundrel!
Xiao Huaijin gently squeezed her palm and then slowly said, "Later, my father was unable to have a son, so the Empress Dowager suggested to Consort Shu, who was the most favored concubine in the palace but had no children, that I be brought to the palace to be raised. I was already ten years old at that time. Consort Shu treated me very well, as if she were my own mother." He paused and then smiled bitterly, "I always thought so, until I discovered that she had secretly poisoned my food. I realized that she had always hated me, and I suspect that the assassinations I suffered were her doing."
Shen Yunjiao knew that Consort Shu had once sent someone to assassinate the Crown Prince. When she saw Xiao Huaijin by the river, he was seriously injured. If she had arrived a moment later, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Xiao Huaijin said softly, "However, if it weren't for that assassination attempt, I wouldn't have met you. I guess I've turned misfortune into blessing."
Shen Yunjiao felt a pang of pity as she listened to Xiao Huaijin's words. "I had no idea that Your Highness had such a miserable childhood. But since Consort Shu treated Your Highness so badly, why doesn't Your Highness expose her crimes to the world?"
Xiao Huaijin reached out and gently patted Shen Yunjiao's head: "Do you think it's that easy? Consort Shu is cautious and careful, and she hasn't given anything away. She and Father Emperor are now closely connected, so why would Father Emperor believe me?"
His eyes were deep as he thought about the current state of the imperial court.
What he didn't tell Shen Yunjiao was that the current Emperor Zhaowu was full of murderous intent towards him.
Perhaps the emperor disliked Xiao Huaijin because of his beloved concubine, or perhaps because his mother died because of him, or more likely because he believed that he could live forever after taking the elixir and feared that Xiao Huaijin would become too powerful and one day suddenly seize power and usurp the throne.
Any malicious speculation could push Hsiao Huai-chin's future into a dark abyss.
Fortunately, Xiao Huaijin is no longer a child who can be easily manipulated. If his father really wants to abandon him and take his life, he cannot sit idly by and wait for death.
However, after personally experiencing the indifference of his blood relatives, Xiao Huaijin always felt a chill run through his body and felt utterly disheartened whenever he thought about it.
Shen Yunjiao, like a ray of light, shone into his world and became the only thing in his life that he wanted to hold onto tightly.
Xiao Huaijin lowered his eyes, the candlelight flickering on his profile, making him look very lonely.
Shen Yunjiao didn't know how to comfort him, so she could only stay by his side silently.
She suddenly remembered the lychee wine she had secretly hidden in the cabinet under her desk.
Shen Yunjiao immediately stood up, and under Xiao Huaijin's questioning gaze, she took out the wine and put it into a white jade pot.
Shen Yunjiao slowly walked to the Crown Prince's side, shook the white jade pot in her hand, and said, "A good drink can dispel a thousand sorrows. Let me have a few drinks with Your Highness. Don't think about those sad and upsetting things."
Xiao Huaijin looked up and saw Shen Yunjiao looking at him with a half-smile. Her beautiful eyes flickered with two clusters of expectant light in the candlelight. He smiled helplessly and said, "I'm not sad. I'm telling you this so that you can feel sorry for me."
Shen Yunjiao was stunned. If the Crown Prince didn't drink, it wouldn't be very interesting for her to drink alone.
So she took a small sip, placed the wine pot on the small table beside the bed, and turned her head to look at him again.
Xiao Huaijin looked really lonely.
The lychee wine flavor slowly filled Shen Yunjiao's mouth. She took a deep breath, turned her head to Xiao Huaijin and said, "This lychee wine tastes very sweet. Don't you really want to try a sip?"
Before Xiao Huaijin could say anything, his clothes were suddenly pulled by a force, forcing his handsome face to lean against Shen Yunjiao.
Under his astonished gaze, Shen Yunjiao tilted her head back and gave the Crown Prince a kiss filled with the flavor of lychee.
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