Chapter 269 Not for That
Today is Shen Ning's birthday.
In fact, gifts had been delivered to the Princess's Mansion in Beihai Prefecture a few days ago. There was a cloak sewn by Xie Yunqing himself, a set of jeweled headwear that Shen Chengxi had painstakingly found, Aunt Xie Fei, Noble Lady Ma, and the Fourth Princess all sent gifts... as well as the Empress Dowager.
The Golden Eagle had sent some things over long ago, and even stayed for two days to eat roasted whole lamb, but Shen Ning never expected that Xiao Nanchen would come in person.
After all, he said in the letter that Emperor Jiaping was bedridden. In this situation, Shen Ning felt really uneasy if he was not in the capital.
Who knows if anyone will cause trouble.
But she couldn't deny that she was surprised the moment she saw Xiao Nanchen... and then she remembered how this person had left without saying goodbye.
His expression remained unchanged. Shen Ning retracted his gaze and continued forward, saying nonchalantly, “Where did this servant come from? Give him a reward.”
July was stunned.
Is this some kind of strange interest? She's too young to understand...
After saying "servant," Shen Ning walked forward on her own, as if she hadn't recognized Xiao Nanchen at all. His Royal Highness Prince Ding knew what was going on, so he coughed lightly and immediately stepped forward: "Thank you, Princess, for the reward. I'll help you in."
As soon as he stretched out his hand, he was slapped and pulled it back.
"How dare you! Who gave you the guts to do that? Don't you want your claws anymore?" Shen Ning sneered.
His Royal Highness Prince Ding was slapped on the hand, but it didn't hurt. Instead, it made him feel even more itchy... He followed the person into the house, and as soon as he closed the door, he rushed forward and hugged the person. Even when Shen Ning broke free and pinched him hard, he didn't let go.
"Ningning, don't be angry. I galloped for seven days, day and night, until five horses died of exhaustion, before I finally got to see you..."
Xiao Nanchen's tone was pitifully gloomy.
Shen Ning snorted and laughed: "Who taught you this?"
"I'm going to do it myself!"
Xiao Nanchen looked down at her. "Tomorrow is your eighteenth birthday... I wanted to see you, to be with you, so I rode here. Ningning, don't be angry. It was my fault last time... I wasn't conscious at the time, thinking I was forcing myself on you. I was so scared that I ran away in a panic."
His Royal Highness Prince Ding was in the wrong, so he was extremely cautious.
Shen Ning squinted at him: "Is the dignified Prince Ding still afraid?"
"Of course!"
Xiao Nanchen looked at her seriously. "I hadn't fully recovered at that time, and subconsciously felt that I shouldn't like you, but my heart and eyes were filled with you. I was afraid that you would hate me and despise me after waking up, and would never talk to me again... I didn't know how to turn things around and get your forgiveness, so I ran away in shame for the first time like that."
Without waiting for Chen Ning to speak, Xiao Nanchen continued, "But I recovered on the way. I know you are not angry, and I also know that you like me and are willing to be close to me. Ning Ning, I was so happy that I almost went crazy. I wanted to turn back to find you immediately, but I couldn't because of the situation.
Ningning, I really miss you."
After saying that, Xiao Nanchen hugged the person tightly in his arms and let out a satisfied sigh.
Shen Ning stepped on him: "Who likes it... um..."
Before she could finish her words, Xiao Nanchen couldn't wait to lower his head and kiss her.
After not seeing her for several months, Xiao Nanchen spent almost every day and night in heart-wrenching longing and love. Until this moment when he held her in his arms, it was like a long drought finally ending in rain, and he felt as if even his soul was soothed.
Even though he had washed and packed up as soon as he arrived at the Princess's Mansion, Shen Ning could still feel the hardship and hardships of his journey of thousands of miles. The annoyance she had originally felt was gone, and her waist soon softened after being kissed. Then Xiao Nanchen picked her up and sat her aside. He put her on his lap and kissed her again.
After a long while, the whole room seemed to become warmer, and she was finally released.
Leaning on Xiao Nanchen with some difficulty, Shen Ning asked him: "You are leaving like this, won't there be any problems in the capital?"
"It's okay, Chengying will pretend to be me and stay in the palace."
Shen Ning: ...
"I brought you some crab roe cakes that you like from the restaurant in Beijing."
Xiao Nanchen remembered something and took the box from the side. "That idiot won't let you see even the residue of this thing... The boss said that it won't go bad in seven or eight days even if it's frozen in the cold weather. You can have someone heat it up and try it."
It was at this moment that Shen Ning saw that the back of his outstretched hand was covered with red and swollen chilblains.
It was the coldest time of the year, and Shen Qingbai could not continue the construction of the city defense project at Liaodong Pass and had to return tomorrow... But in such weather, he rushed from the capital to Beihai Prefecture in seven days.
It goes without saying that he spent almost every day and night on horseback... for a full seven days.
For a moment, Shen Ning felt indescribably sore in her heart. She reached out and grabbed Xiao Nanchen's hand, covering it tightly with her palm.
Xiao Nanchen was slightly startled, and when he turned around, he saw the heartache in Shen Ning's eyes.
She felt sorry for him... She felt sorry for the insignificant frostbite on his hand, a veteran of hundreds of battles!
"It's okay. It doesn't hurt."
The hand held by Chen Ning seemed to suddenly become numb and tingling... It was the tingling pain that frostbite originally had. Before this moment, he seemed to have never felt the tingling and numbness.
Because he was already used to it.
But at this moment, wrapped in Chen Ning's warm palm, the stinging and itching from the frostbite that was insignificant to Xiao Nanchen seemed to pierce into his heart and itch to the bone.
He felt a little impatient and itchy, so he once again obeyed his heart and pressed the person into his arms and kissed her... He hugged her tightly, kissed her all over, but it still felt like it was not enough.
He seemed to be longing to be close to her all the time, always wanting to hold her tightly and never be separated...
Xiao Nanchen stayed in Beihai Mansion for three days. During these three days, except for Shen Ning's birthday, when everyone including Shen Qingbai and Yuanyue had a family dinner together, Xiao Nanchen spent almost the rest of the time with Shen Ning.
There were several times when Shen Ning almost thought she was going to lose her temper, but she didn't expect that every time at the last moment, His Royal Highness Prince Ding would force herself to stop with extraordinary self-control.
"I'm here to celebrate your birthday, Ningning... I don't want you to think I'm a frivolous, indulgent scoundrel. I'm definitely not here to see you for that."
Although he had clearly reached the limit of his patience, Xiao Nanchen said in a hoarse voice, "Knowing that you are willing to give it to me, that you trust me and are willing to be close to me, I am very happy..."
But the more this happened, the more he couldn't be frivolous and indulgent.
He is a man, but Chen Ning is a girl. The last time they detoxified the poison, the situation was special, but if this happened frequently before they got married... he was worried that others would look down on Chen Ning.
He wanted her, but he loved her more!
"Ningning, let's get married after spring, okay?"
Late at night, when everyone was asleep, the two of them sat by the brazier in front of the main hall, looking at the stars in the night sky and whispering to each other.
Xiao Nanchen held Shen Ning's hand: "The prince is already married. When father's health improves in the spring, we will get married, okay?"
Shen Ning turned her head and met Xiao Nanchen's focused and scorching gaze.
He will set off to return to Beijing tomorrow... Needless to say, he will have to travel day and night for several days.
She teased him with a smile, "Then Your Highness Prince Ding must make good preparations and decorate the palace beautifully..."
Xiao Nanchen held her hand tightly: "Okay, I'll decorate the palace and you can marry me. It's a deal!"
Shen Ning suddenly smiled: "Okay..."
The moonlit night was cold and chilly, but the moonlight shining through the porch onto the two people leaning against each other seemed to become soft and warm...
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