She wore an elegant, light purple silk spring dress, paired with a pale white pleated skirt. Her jet-black hair was adorned only with a single, plain silver butterfly hairpin inlaid with kingfisher feathers, nothing more. Her face was even paler and more translucent than when she had been seen at the palace banquet, almost devoid of any color, like the most delicate pear blossom on a spring branch, as if it might be blown away by the wind at any moment. Her once slightly chubby cheeks had thinned out, and her chin was now pointed, making her almond-shaped eyes appear even more strikingly large.
However, those once clear and innocent eyes, perhaps brimming with a young girl's charm, were now filled with something Xiao Chengjing knew all too well—a fear so intense it was like a nightmare reenacted! The fear was so pure, so intense, as if she had seen the most terrifying demon in the world! She didn't even dare to look him in the eye; her long eyelashes trembled wildly like startled butterfly wings, her gaze lowered, fixed on the gold-brick floor beneath her feet. Even with Madam Shen's seemingly supportive but actually forceful arm supporting her, her body still trembled slightly, like a leaf shivering in the cold wind.
She was afraid of him! Not the kind of awe and nervousness a subject should have towards the crown prince, but an extreme fear that came from the depths of her soul and could not be concealed, as if she were facing her natural enemy or death itself!
This fear was so similar to, or even more so than, the look in her eyes in his dream!
A chilling coldness instantly surged from the soles of Xiao Chengjing's feet, running up his spine to the top of his head! His fingers, gripping the teacup, cracked slightly from the pressure. His heart felt as if it were being squeezed tightly by an invisible hand, a dull, aching pain accompanied by a terrifying sense of having his most secret parts utterly pierced!
Why? Why was she so afraid of him? Was it merely because of his status as the Crown Prince? No! Absolutely not! Those young ladies who were meeting him for the first time, even if they were nervous and apprehensive, would mostly have eyes filled with awe, shyness, or admiration, never this kind of... death-defying fear, as if they were about to be devoured alive by him in the next second!
"Your subject...your subject daughter Shen Yuewei...kowtows...kowtows to Your Highness the Crown Prince..." A weak, trembling voice rang out. Under Madam Shen's almost desperate prompting, Shen Yuewei finally knelt, performing a stiff, precarious curtsy. Her head drooped even lower, as if trying to shrink into the ground, her slender, fragile neck exposed to the air, conveying a sense of utter despair and vulnerability.
The moment she bowed, her second brother, Shen Wenbai, who had been sitting anxiously to her side, could no longer contain himself. He strode forward, his movements so swift they almost created a gust of wind, subtly yet firmly positioning himself slightly in front of Shen Yuewei, using half of his body to subtly separate his sister from the cold, scrutinizing gaze of the person in the main seat. He didn't speak, only stood with his head bowed, but the taut lines of his shoulders and the slight tilt towards his sister silently conveyed a sense of protection.
Xiao Chengjing's gaze, like a needle chilled to ice, instantly pierced Shen Wenbai's seemingly unintentional deflection. A tiny crack finally appeared on that warm, jade-like mask. Deep within his eyes, a trace of offended, icy anger, mixed with an even deeper jealousy—one he himself was unaware of (why could he so naturally protect her?)—fleeted like a venomous snake.
The air in the hall seemed to freeze completely at that moment.
"No need for formalities." Xiao Chengjing finally spoke, his voice still gentle, even carrying a touch of just the right amount of concern. "Miss Shen looks unwell. Is your health not yet fully recovered? Springtime is unpredictable, so you need to take good care of yourself." He put down his teacup, his gaze seemingly casually sweeping over Shen Yuewei's pale, almost transparent face.
That gaze felt like a tangible icy blade scraping across her skin. Shen Yuewei shuddered violently, as if burned, and instinctively shrank back behind Shen Wenbai, her fingertips gripping the fabric of her second brother's lower back as if it were her only lifeline. A muffled whimper escaped her throat, but she couldn't utter a single word; her body trembled even more violently.
Madam Shen was terrified and quickly supported her daughter, her voice trembling as she answered for her, "Thank you... thank you for your inquiry, Your Highness! My daughter did catch a cold a few days ago, which disturbed her mind and has not yet fully recovered... I beg Your Highness's forgiveness for my rudeness!" As she spoke, she desperately signaled to Shen Wenbai with her eyes to calm her sister down.
Xiao Chengjing took in Shen Yuewei's startled, evasive movements and her tight grip on Shen Wenbai's clothes. A strange, dull ache and a chilling anger welled up inside him, growing larger like a snowball. His smile remained, even deepening, and his tone softened: "It's alright. I am deeply grateful for Madam Shen's love for her daughter." He then changed the subject, his gaze seemingly casually sweeping over Shen Wenbai's tense face. "Minister Shen mentioned earlier that a new bookstore has opened in the south of the city. I'm looking for some rare books. If you have the time, would you mind accompanying me?"
This sudden invitation caught both Shen Wenbai and Minister Shen off guard. Shen Wenbai glanced instinctively at his younger sister, who was practically slumped in his mother's arms, his eyes filled with worry and unease.
"Hmm?" Xiao Chengjing raised an eyebrow slightly, his gentle smile now carrying an undeniable air of authority. The air instantly became even more tense.
Shen Wenbai's heart skipped a beat, and he instantly sobered up. The man before him was the Crown Prince, who held the power of life and death! His instinctive protective action just now was already an overstepping of his bounds! Hesitating now would put his entire family in danger! He immediately bowed, his voice tense: "It is my honor to serve Your Highness!"
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