Chapter 202 Xiao Qingyuan's Dream
Xiao Qingyuan seemed to have also fallen asleep and his legs were numb. He was holding Huayi's shoulder and walking stiffly toward Xinghe Courtyard.
Chu Yanluo's eyes immediately welled up with tears when she saw Xiao Qingyuan and Huayi being so intimate.
Ignoring her leg pain, she rushed to Xiao Qingyuan and grabbed his arm, saying, "Your Highness, you're finally out. It seems I didn't spend the whole night kneeling before the Prince for nothing."
Xiao Qingyuan was taken aback: "You knelt before my father for my sake?"
"Yes, otherwise how could the young master have been released so quickly? The prince was also moved by my sincerity."
Before she could finish speaking, Ye Lingyun squeezed in again: "Your Highness, there's me too! I also went to the Prince to plead for you! Thank you so much for taking me in, Your Highness. I will serve you like a slave for the rest of my life!"
Chu Yanlu hurriedly said, "Your Highness, I was the one who went to ask the Prince first. I originally wanted to take the punishment for Your Highness, but the Prince did not agree."
The two of them took turns vying for credit, and every now and then they tried to push Huayi away from Xiao Qingyuan.
Hua Yi remained motionless. She supported Xiao Qingyuan, acting as his human cane, and said softly, "Young Master, are you hungry? Why don't you go back to your courtyard and have something to eat?"
Surrounded by three women, all of whom cared about him, Xiao Qingyuan felt a sense of warmth.
Fortunately, his good deeds were rewarded, and they all knew how to be grateful.
Outside the woodshed, at the end of the stone path, Shen Wantang stood there, watching Xiao Qingyuan surrounded by three women, and gently raised an eyebrow.
In the past, she actually thought highly of Xiao Qingyuan, not for any other reason than that in his previous life, he deeply loved Chu Yanluo, and not only did he only have her for his entire life, but he even jumped into the river to die for love after avenging her.
In some ways, he is a rare and devoted man.
Therefore, after being reborn, Shen Mingxuan wanted to change the marriage arrangement and let her marry into the Ning Prince's Mansion, and she did not object at all.
Marrying a devoted man is always better than marrying a philandering and irresponsible one. Even if the man isn't devoted to her, at least there will be fewer people in the household and less trouble.
But now, Shen Wantang has overturned her impression of Xiao Qingyuan from his previous life.
He once said she was a vulgar person who liked gold and silver, but now it seems he was also a fickle vulgar person.
Xiao Qingyuan was helped by Hua Yi and the other two to walk up to Shen Wantang. He clearly saw Shen Wantang's indifferent expression and the coldness in her eyes.
He couldn't help but frown. Everyone else was showing him concern and care, and some even knelt down to beg their father for his sake, but Shen Wantang, the Crown Princess, showed him no interest at all.
"Your Highness."
Shen Wantang's voice was calm, but her tone lacked the gentleness of before and was more indifferent: "Your mother feels sorry for you, so she pleaded with your father on your behalf. Remember to find a suitable time to have a good talk with your mother. She is the person who loves you the most in this world."
Xiao Qingyuan was taken aback. So it was his mother who spoke up for him that led to his early release? Wasn't it Chu Yanluo and Ye Lingyun who pleaded for him?
"Sinking..."
He had barely uttered a single word when Shen Wantang walked past him and left with her maid.
The rest of the words were stuck in his throat, unable to come up or down, causing him great discomfort.
He couldn't help but turn around to look at Shen Wantang. Her back view exuded a sense of aloofness and coldness. Even the begonia-red cloak she wore seemed to emanate a refined and otherworldly feeling because of her.
Strange, isn't this begonia red the most tacky color? Why does he find it elegant and beautiful today?
Snowflakes suddenly began to fall from the sky, one by one, one by one, fluttering down.
That figure in crimson begonia walked through the snow like a proud, icy plum blossom, blooming alone amidst the ice and snow.
Xiao Qingyuan stared at her for a very long time until her figure disappeared, only then did he withdraw his gaze.
He suspected that he had fallen back into his old habit—the more indifferent and dismissive a woman was to him, the more attractive she became.
The reason he fell in love with Chu Yanluo at first sight was because she was different from other women. Everyone else was eager to have their way with him, the heir of the Prince of Ning, but she alone looked down on him.
Now, Shen Wantang gave him the same feeling, or even a stronger one.
He didn't know how he got back to Xinghe Courtyard, nor could he hear the three women surrounding him chattering away; he just thought they were too noisy.
His arms were being grabbed by one person and then another, pulling on them and causing him pain.
Someone fed him a sip of hot tea, which almost scalded his tongue.
He didn't know how he had taken off his coat, and he was also missing one shoe. There was no charcoal fire in the room, and he was shivering from the cold.
Why did I go back to my own yard? It was more comfortable staying in the woodshed.
When he first came out of the woodshed, he felt warm from the three of them calling him, but now he only felt annoyed.
After a while, he finally lost his temper: "Enough! Get out, all of you!"
As a result, none of the three women went out. They were not afraid of him at all and continued to pull him along as they pleased.
Xiao Qingyuan's face darkened: "Fine, so my words don't carry any weight now, huh? Mo Ji, come in!"
The ink-pressing machine standing outside responded and entered: "Sir, what are your orders?"
Xiao Qingyuan felt a surge of inexplicable emotion. Thankfully, Mo Ji still knew to listen to him.
"Get all three of them out of here, they're so noisy!"
Mo Ji immediately carried out his order, driving the three of them out of the house, while he himself stood guard at the door, waiting for Xiao Qingyuan's next command.
But Xiao Qingyuan didn't say anything more. He went into the inner room, lay down on the bed, wrapped himself in the quilt, and stared blankly out the window.
The window was open, and snowflakes drifted in, reminding him of the aloof Shen Wantang.
It's strange, she gives him such a different feeling today.
Where is Shen Wantang, who always greets him with a warm smile? Where did she go? Has she stopped pretending?
He drifted off to sleep as he pondered these thoughts.
Then, he had a strange dream.
In his dream, his crown princess was not Shen Wantang, but Shen Wantang's elder sister, Shen Mingxuan.
Moreover, because Shen Mingxuan was always causing trouble, the Ning Prince's Mansion was in chaos, far from the peaceful and tranquil place it is now.
One day, Chu Yanluo was tricked by Shen Mingxuan into falling into the water and his body was never found. Heartbroken, he also jumped into the river.
Upon learning of his death, his mother coughed up blood and became bedridden. His father's hair turned white overnight, and he became old and haggard. The entire Ning Prince's Mansion fell into ruin overnight.
The dream was so real and cruel that an indescribable pain welled up in his heart.
That shouldn't be the case, why would he jump into the river?
He remained sliver of consciousness within the cruel dream, vaguely sensing that the dream was somewhat different from reality.
When he first met Chu Yanluo, he was so infatuated that he lost himself and was indeed capable of dying for her. But now, it's not that bad. After experiencing some messy things, he doesn't like her as much anymore!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
