Chapter 9 An Unexpected Incident Leads to Sitting...
Even after boarding the carriage to return home, Shang Xu was still frowning and pondering what kind of thank-you gift to give.
The wheels rumbled and groaned, but the carriage was eerily quiet. From the moment one entered, it felt as if one had entered a frozen space, as if the warm scene at the Shang residence had been nothing but an illusion.
Yan Yize casually rested her chin on her hand, tilted her head, and stared blankly at the scene outside through the thin curtain. Her brows were slightly furrowed, as if she was somewhat puzzled. Her behavior today was really unlike her usual self.
First, she injured the person who hit him, then she applied medicine for him, and what puzzled her even more was that she asked him for a thank-you gift. These were things that Yan Yize would never have done before.
She was completely baffled, but in the end she concluded that it was an act of justice. After all, he was her rightful husband, and hitting him was tantamount to slapping her face. Since she had seen it, how could she ignore it?
Yan Yize nodded slightly. Yes, that's exactly it. It's not because he's soft-hearted.
When Shang Xu left the Shang residence, he took nothing but a pot of Cymbidium goeringii. He looked down at the Cymbidium goeringii in his arms with a rare smile in his eyes. He had raised it a few years ago. It was not a rare variety, but he had raised it for many years. It was a comfort in his impoverished years.
Perhaps the scene outside was too boring, Yan Yize turned his head, and this action made her notice him. He was sitting upright with his head down, his black hair hanging down neatly, as if he was always so quiet no matter what.
Unexpectedly, his wet, red eyes suddenly appeared before her eyes, a certain spot on the back of her hand suddenly felt hot, and a strange feeling flashed through her mind so quickly that she didn't even have time to notice it.
"You like orchids?"
After she finished speaking, Yan Yize was also taken aback, wondering why she had asked the question, but it wasn't a big deal, and she quickly composed herself.
The sound echoed in the empty carriage. Shang Xu paused for a moment, slowly raised his head, thought for two seconds, and under her gaze, hesitated before nodding and then shaking his head.
He quickly realized his mistake and hurriedly explained, "I only like Cymbidium goeringii."
Shang Xu lowered his head again, pursed his lips, and remained silent. What he didn't say was that he had only ever raised Cymbidium goeringii.
His mother loved flowers, so there were actually many different varieties of orchids in the Shang mansion, but he was not allowed to get close to them; he would be scolded even for glancing at them.
A sadness welled up in his eyes. Shang Xu had never been able to understand one thing: he had never done anything immoral or immoral, so why did his parents dislike him? If they didn't like him, why did they give birth to him in the first place?
Yan Yize didn't reply. She lowered her eyes, seemingly lost in thought. The carriage fell silent once more. Outside the window, the clatter of hooves and the creaking of the wooden planks added a touch of fun to the otherwise tedious journey.
The accident happened at that moment. Suddenly, with a loud "bang," the carriage tilted violently before Shang Xu could react. The unexpected accident left him no time to grab onto anything. He tried to steady himself, but to no avail, and he fell straight forward.
Shang Xu's eyes widened in terror. He instinctively hugged Chun Jianlan tightly in his arms. Just as they were about to crash into the cold, hard car wall, he closed his eyes with a death wish, waiting for the pain to come.
A long arm reached out and wrapped it securely around his waist. With a quick pull, Shang Xu, who should have fallen, was forced to turn around. Instead of the expected pain, he found himself in a warm embrace.
With a "bang," Shang Xu slammed into her arms while holding Chun Jianlan. The huge impact made Yan Yize groan involuntarily. Clearly, the impact was quite severe, but she did not let go of his hand.
Shang Xu's cheek bumped into her chest, a cool and delicate fragrance wafting into his nostrils. He felt a strange softness, her body heat penetrating through the thin fabric. His chest vibrated, and he felt her strong heartbeat, one after another, steady and clear, impossible to ignore. Her heartbeat pierced his eardrums, and he heard his own heartbeat, thump-thump-thump, in sync with hers.
The carriage was still swaying, but he felt a sense of peace.
Finally, the swaying stopped. Yan Yize lowered his eyes and saw the person quietly nestled in his arms. He was probably frightened. His breathing was rapid, and his warm breath sprayed onto his chest, through the thin clothing, and onto her skin. The scalding temperature spread to his chest, and his heart trembled slightly.
Yan Yize stiffened, her throat dry. She couldn't help but tighten her grip on his waist, pressing him tightly against her body until a soft groan of pain snapped her back to reality. She abruptly released her grip on his waist, supporting him, her voice low and pleasant, "I'm sorry, I hurt you."
Shang Xu took a half step back, glanced at her quickly, then lowered his head and gently shook his head, "Your Highness is also trying to help me."
As he looked down, his gaze inadvertently swept across her front, and the memory of her fragrance and softness suddenly came rushing back. Shang Xu realized something, froze instantly, his mind went blank, and he completely lost the ability to think. With a "boom," something seemed to explode in his head, his blood rushed to his head, and a buzzing sound filled his ears. A blush spread rapidly throughout his body like a drop of ink falling into clear water.
Because of the swaying just now, the brass bells hanging from the eaves of the carriage were ringing, and the clear sound of the bells, like a babbling brook in the mountains and forests, flowed slowly through his heart.
"This humble servant has failed in his duty, Your Highness, please punish me." Hui Xue knelt heavily on the ground with a thud, snow water spreading at her knees. Her powerful voice pierced through the curtains, breaking the idyllic atmosphere inside the carriage.
Yan Yize glanced at Shang Xu, a dark glint flashing in her deep eyes. She sat back down, her voice unreadable, "This is the last time."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
With a neigh, the carriage slowly moved forward again. Having learned from the previous experience, Huixue was on high alert and dared not make any more mistakes.
Shang Xu had already sat down again, quietly, as if the accident had not bothered him at all. He lowered his head, his gaze focused on the Spring Sword Orchid in his arms. For some reason, Yan Yize felt a little irritated looking at this scene.
Although his gaze was fixed on Chun Jianlan, his heart had already flown elsewhere. Shang Xu's heart was pounding wildly, and his face flushed like rouge spreading across his cheeks. His Highness was the first woman to be so intimate with him, and a sudden wave of melancholy washed over him. What about him? Would he be the first man to be so intimate with His Highness?
It couldn't be that his mood suddenly plummeted for no reason.
——
The carriage came to a smooth stop at the gate of the mansion. Yan Yize got off the carriage first, but this time, she did not help him.
Shang Xu stepped down from the carriage and watched her departing figure. A slight sense of loss welled up in his heart, but he quickly composed himself and hurried after her.
They walked in silence until they reached a fork in the road. They stopped at the same time. Since they didn't live together, they naturally had to go their separate ways here.
"If there's nothing else, go back." Fearing he might misunderstand, Yan Yize added calmly, "If you need anything, you can come find me."
As Shang Xu recalled what had happened that day, his grip on Chun Jianlan tightened involuntarily. His father and Shang Jue had both scolded him for being useless, and their mocking voices still echoed in his ears. Perhaps it was because she had been too gentle today that he suddenly regained his courage.
"Your Highness, would you like to have dinner at my place?"
Shang Xu lowered his eyes, feeling a surge of unease, like a prisoner facing execution, nervously awaiting her verdict.
Yan Yize glanced at him, then calmly looked away. She had been behaving very strangely today and needed to be alone with him.
"Next time."
Shang Xu was deeply disappointed, having been rejected once again.
Is it because she doesn't like him to begin with, or is it because she met Shang Jue today?
A note from the author:
----------------------
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com