Chapter 156 I Just Want to Stay at Yuheng Residence
"yes."
Shen Qingnian's voice was as light as willow catkins. Feeling guilty, she wanted to lower her head, but then, thinking that Xie Yanzhi might be unhappy, she raised her head a little higher and looked at him timidly.
"So, do you really want to be my concubine?" Xie Yanzhi stroked the jade pendant at his waist, his tone carrying a hint of inquiry.
Shen Qingnian paused, bit her lip, and slowly uttered a few words.
"Yes...it's true."
Upon hearing this, Xie Yanzhi knew that she had been forced by him and that she was not telling the truth.
But seeing the misty tears in her almond-shaped eyes and her trembling shoulders from the cold, he decided to spare her this time.
Well, at least she knows how to please him, that's enough.
Xie Yanzhi bent down and picked up Shen Qingnian, placing her on the bed.
He bent down and picked up the blanket that he had just thrown on the ground, covering her completely with it to make sure no part of her body was exposed, before turning around and slowly walking towards the door.
Only when she heard his footsteps moving further away from the bed did Shen Qingnian's heart finally settle down.
From then on, she dared not provoke Xie Yanzhi anymore; he truly meant what he said.
Thinking of what had just happened, Shen Qingnian shrank further under the covers, her whole body trembling uncontrollably.
Xie Yanzhi walked over, opened the door, and took the food box from Yuan Qing's hand.
"Go down first."
After glancing at Xie Yan, Yuan Qing lowered his head and didn't dare to look into the room for even a moment.
The master only needed to call out to have him bring the food box inside, but now he's coming to take the box himself.
The reason for this was simply that he didn't want anyone to disturb him and Aunt Qing.
Upon hearing Xie Yanzhi's words, he obediently responded and turned to leave quickly.
When Xie Yanzhi returned to the room with the food box, he saw Shen Qingnian still nestled in the quilt, only her watery eyes showing, looking at him with some timidity.
He placed the food box on the pear wood table beside the bed, strode over to the bedside, and softened his voice: "Get up and eat."
Shen Qingnian glanced at the clothes at the foot of the bed, then at Xie Yanzhi, and lowered her head.
Xie Yanzhi understood, and he didn't care about her embarrassed appearance as she clutched the blanket tightly.
He turned around, walked to the corner of the bed, picked up a moon-white undershirt, and then reached out to pull the blanket off her.
Shen Qingnian immediately tensed up, her voice carrying a hint of pleading: "Your Highness, I can do it myself."
As she spoke, she stretched an arm out from under the covers, trying to take the undergarment.
Xie Yanzhi seized the opportunity to grab her wrist and gently pulled her to his side, his tone carrying an unyielding force: "Which part of your body haven't I seen before?"
As he spoke, he pressed the small garment against Shen Qingnian's chest, then bent down and lifted up Shen Qingnian's long hair from behind, intending to tie it with the two thin ribbons.
But I noticed a dark bruise on her smooth, fair back, clearly from being hit with a hard object.
Xie Yanzhi's eyes were dark. After gently tying the ribbon for her, he dressed her and asked, "Who inflicted the injury on your back?"
There was a barely perceptible chill in his voice.
Shen Qingnian looked up at him and said, "I don't know who it was either." There were many maids present at the time, and she was hit from behind, so she had no idea who it was.
Xie Yanzhi picked her up and placed her on a stool by the table: "It's alright, I'll figure it out myself."
He wanted to see who dared to lay a hand on his people. In this Marquis's mansion, no one could bully his concubine under his nose. Shen Qingnian had just sat down when she saw Xie Yanzhi open the food box and take out dishes of food one by one.
The food was served on delicate white porcelain plates, unlike usual.
Shen Qingnian knew that it must be because Xie Yanzhi was going to dine at Yuheng Residence that it had been decorated so exquisitely.
Xie Yanzhi ladled out a bowl of angelica and turtle soup and gently pushed it in front of her: "Drink more to nourish your body."
Shen Qingnian picked up a spoon, scooped up a spoonful of soup and put it in her mouth. The taste was delicious, and the warm soup warmed her up a lot.
She glanced at Xie Yanzhi out of the corner of her eye and saw him looking at her with a hint of tenderness in his eyes.
It was as if he wasn't the one who had just threatened her, humiliated her, and tried to kick her out.
She quickly lowered her head and sipped the soup slowly.
Xie Yanzhi's attitude changed too quickly, so quickly that she found it difficult to adapt.
However, after today's experience, she realized that if she wanted to survive in this Marquis's mansion, she needed Xie Yanzhi's protection.
Therefore, Xie Yanzhi could only flatter and go along with it. As for leaving, she could only plan for the long term.
Seeing that she was only drinking soup and not touching her chopsticks much, Xie Yanzhi picked up a piece of dried tangerine peel duck and held it to her lips: "Don't just drink soup, try something else too."
Shen Qingnian looked at the oily and sticky tangerine peel duck on his chopsticks, opened her mouth, and gently took a bite.
She hadn't eaten all day, and was indeed quite hungry.
More importantly, she has survived and can now sit here peacefully to eat, so naturally everything she eats tastes delicious.
Seeing that she was eating obediently and contentedly, Xie Yanzhi put some more jade mushrooms into her bowl.
Shen Qingnian looked down at the ever-growing pile of food in her bowl, then couldn't help but look up and say, "Young Master, you should eat too."
Xie Yanzhi frowned, his voice deepening: "What did you call me?"
Shen Qingnian then came to her senses and called out, "Husband."
A hint of a smile finally appeared in Xie Yanzhi's eyes. He picked up his chopsticks, took a bite of food, and slowly began to eat.
After washing up that evening, Xie Yan held Shen Qingnian in one arm and gently stroked the bruises with the other hand through the thin gauze dress.
He seemed to be deep in thought.
Shen Qingnian was exhausted today. When Xie Yanzhi held her, it was very warm and she felt sleepy. Before Xie Yanzhi fell asleep, she was already fast asleep.
Only a small lamp was left on in the room. Xie Yanzhi listened to the soft breathing of the person in his arms. He leaned closer, glanced at her face, and then gently touched her long eyelashes with his finger.
Finally, he touched her delicate nose and red lips again before lying back down on his pillow, hugging Shen Qingnian again, and smelling her familiar and comforting scent.
At this moment, the person beside him seemed to feel cold, turned around and shrank into his arms, pressing her forehead against his chest.
His heart softened again.
Since his birth mother passed away when he was young, he has never shared a bed with anyone.
Tonight is probably the most peaceful night Shen Qingnian has had in a long time.
This was the first time the two had embraced so tenderly since Shen Qingnian became his concubine.
She craved his warmth so much, and lay obediently beside him, making him feel that he finally had his own cozy days.
He looked down at the sleeping face of the person in his arms, and a thought suddenly came to mind: even if he had a mistress in the future, he would probably only want to stay in this Yuheng Residence.
The choice of a mistress must be carefully considered; she must not be someone who is jealous and disturbs his and her peace.
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