Blind Box
Zhao Fanghua yawned and let the maids play with her hair.
Since crossing over here, Zhao Fanghua has lived a life of ease and comfort. Not only does he sleep until he wakes up naturally, but his storeroom is also filled with countless gold, silver, and jewelry. He can eat and drink whatever he wants, and although there's no takeout, he can always order his servants to get it.
If there was one regret, it would probably be not having a cell phone. However, because there was no electricity and using candles at night was bad for the eyes, Zhao Fanghua went to bed early and woke up late every day, making up for the sleep she had missed from working overtime after her internship.
If you live like this for too long, you will inevitably become a little decadent.
Zhao Fanghua yawned again, looked at herself in the mirror, dressed up extraordinarily brightly, and asked, "Hey, what day is it today? Why are you dressed so prettily?"
The two maids, Peihuan and Yingluo, who were serving closely beside them, suppressed their laughter. Finally, Shuyu smiled and said, "Your Highness forgot that today is the day when Shen Tanhua returns to the capital."
"Oh." Zhao Fanghua nodded, then her eyes suddenly widened. Did that mean her talented, handsome, and top-ranked fiancé was about to come back?!
Upon hearing the news, Zhao Fanghua felt like she was living a year in the morning, wishing she could immediately jump back to noon. Shuyu and the others laughed at her eagerness for love, but Zhao Fanghua knew in her heart that this was her husband, assigned to her by time travel, and she couldn't wait to open the blind box.
At noon, Zhao Fanghua was waiting at the gate of the princess's mansion.
Near noon, a carriage slowly stopped in front of the princess's mansion. Compared with the carriage Zhao Fanghua used, the carriage was much more shabby. The body of the carriage was made of ordinary wood and had no carvings. The two old horses seemed a little exhausted, probably because the journey was too long.
A slender and clean hand lifted the brown car curtain from the inside, and Zhao Fanghua's heart instantly rose to her throat. It must be a handsome guy, it must be a handsome guy, it must be a handsome guy. It's important to make this wish three times.
Then a graceful face appeared in front of Zhao Fanghua. The man did not linger on Zhao Fanghua's surprised expression, but turned around and got off the carriage, leaving Zhao Fanghua with only a slender back.
The accompanying servant lifted the carriage curtain, and a woman in her forties or fifties slowly got off the carriage with the help of a man. These two people were Zhao Fanghua's husband Shen Xiujing and Shen Xiujing's mother Ruan.
Shen Xiujin wore a navy blue gown with a bleached hem, her hair tied in a matching headband. Her face was as handsome as a jade, her elegance tinged with a touch of indifference. Ruan Shi must have had a difficult life. Though only forty, her hair was already silver, her face wrinkled, and her white powder stood out against the wrinkles. She clutched a string of Buddhist beads and chanted "Amitabha."
Zhao Fanghua had already been deeply attracted by Shen Xiujin's face. She froze in place, not knowing how to react. She knew that to be the male lead, he must be handsome, but she hadn't expected him to be this handsome! He looked to be in his early twenties, in the prime of his health, especially with his slender figure. Based on her experience surfing the Internet, he must be quite capable...
Shuyu gently tugged at the corner of Zhao Fanghua's clothes, pulling her out of her fantasy and into reality.
Zhao Fanghua hesitated whether she should go forward to receive the guests, say hello, or ask for their greetings. But then she thought, she is the eldest princess, and the son-in-law is lower than her. Even her mother-in-law is of the same generation as her.
Not to mention that the two of them have not yet married, and their current relationship is purely that of a monarch and his subject. It is already a great honor for them that she can personally stand at the door to greet them. She doesn't want to kowtow and please them.
Thinking of this, Zhao Fanghua stood motionless at the door. Instead, Shen Xiujin bowed respectfully to Zhao Fanghua and said, "This humble official greets the eldest princess."
Upon hearing this, Ruan also bent her knees slightly, but her expression seemed reluctant.
But they were all minor problems, so Zhao Fanghua didn't care.
Zhao Fanghua waved his hand and said casually, "No need to be polite, come in."
Shen Xiujin continued, "Princess, mother must be exhausted from the long journey. I'll help her back to her room to rest first."
Zhao Fanghua nodded quickly: "Go ahead."
After nodding, she realized something was wrong. Aren't they married yet? Why is he living in her house?
Seeing Zhao Fanghua's puzzled expression, Shuyu hurriedly explained in a low voice: "Your Highness originally saw that Shen Tanhua's temporary residence in Beijing was too messy, so he invited the old lady to live in the mansion."
Ah, this...
Zhao Fanghua was puzzled. Even in 2025, moving into someone's home before marriage would be considered a lack of propriety and sense of boundaries, not to mention moving in with one's parents. How could it work here?
Zhao Fanghua was puzzled by himself and naturally did not notice that Ruan rolled her eyes secretly when she passed by Zhao Fanghua.
Inside the Fushou Hall.
Ruan waved away the servants, and only Ruan and Shen Xiujing were left in the room.
The more Ruan thought about it, the angrier she became. The veins on her hand that was holding the Buddhist beads bulged. She sat on the high hall and reached out to take a teacup. Seeing that the tea was cold, she threw the cup to the ground angrily.
"Zhao Fanghua is going too far! Is there any daughter-in-law like her? It's fine that she didn't go out to greet my mother-in-law when she came home, but when she got home she only gave me cold tea!"
Shen Xiujin stood aside, bowing slightly, lowering his head, and whispered soothingly: "She is the eldest princess, the monarch, and we are the subjects, the people. There is no need to go out to greet her. She is very good to come to the gate of the mansion. Besides, we are not married yet. As for the tea, it is just the servants..."
"Bullshit!" Ruan spat. "I don't care if she's the eldest princess or the youngest princess. Since she's my daughter-in-law, even if she's from heaven, she has to kneel down and serve me tea!"
Seeing that Shen Xiujin didn't say anything, Ruan pointed at him and said harshly, "You shouldn't have married this unlucky girl. I heard that her mother died not long after she was born. She might be a star of misfortune."
Shen Xiujin lowered his eyelids, as if he was already accustomed to his mother's accusations. He simply said, "Mother, please be careful when speaking about matters concerning the royal family."
Shen Xiujin raised his head slightly and said, "My son's marriage to the eldest princess was originally a marriage granted to him. I have no right to refuse."
"Okay, okay," Ruan said three times in a row. "I'm an old woman who grew up in the countryside and makes a living by washing clothes. Naturally, I can't be as eloquent as you, a distinguished scholar. People say that when you get a wife, you forget your mother. I think this is true. You're so supportive of her before she even gets married. Once she gets married, won't she kick me out? I've raised this son in vain. I might as well have a dog. At least it would wag its tail at me."
Shen Xiujin didn't dare to say anything more, but just buried his head even lower.
After a while, Ruan waved her hand and said, "Forget it, forget it. I don't want to argue with you any more. There's only one thing, Jiaojiao, you have to take good care of her. Choose an auspicious time and bring her into the mansion."
Shen Xiujin's pupils shrank, and the fingers hidden in his sleeves tightly grasped the edge of his clothes.
Ruan Shi didn't notice Shen Xiujin's strange behavior and continued to talk to herself: "Jiaojiao is also a miserable child. She lost her mother when she was young, and she has been taking care of you personally for the past ten years." Ruan Shi sighed and continued, "She is your uncle's only bloodline, and she is also your cousin. Now she is pregnant with your child. She must be a concubine..."
"Mother!" Shen Xiujin raised his head and interrupted Ruan's words sharply. The two looked at each other. Before Ruan's face changed, Shen Xiujin immediately lowered his head and softened his tone. "Mother, I'm afraid the princess won't agree to this."
"Why would I care whether she agrees or not?" Ruan scolded harshly, "As a woman, does she really want to go beyond a man?"
Shen Xiujin said earnestly, "Mother, the eldest princess and I haven't married yet, but I've already had a child with someone else. The eldest princess doesn't like this. If I rashly let my cousin into the house at this time, it will only deepen the eldest princess's dislike of my cousin... Mother!"
Another teacup came straight at Shen Xiujin's head, but fortunately he reacted quickly and dodged it sideways.
"You, you, you!" Ruan covered her chest with one hand and pointed at Shen Xiujin with the other. Her face became a little ferocious because of anger, "Unfilial son! White-eyed wolf! That's your cousin! She's pregnant with your child!"
Shen Xiujin wanted to say something else, but the voice of the maid outside the door interrupted him.
"Madam, Mr. Shen. His Highness has prepared a welcoming banquet in the front hall. Please ask Madam and Mr. Shen to move to the front hall."
Shen Xiujin raised his voice and said clearly, "I understand. Please report this to His Highness first, and we will be there shortly."
Seeing the maid's figure disappear from sight through the window lattice, Shen Xiujin turned around and said to Ruan: "Mother, you have worked hard on this journey. Let's go and have dinner first."
Ruan snorted coldly, leaned back in her chair, and said disdainfully, "I won't go. I can't stand a daughter-in-law who doesn't serve her mother-in-law and still sits at the table to eat. I can't eat such food!"
Chen Xiujin closed his eyes, bowed and clasped his fists, saying, "Since that's the case, I won't force you anymore. I'll have the maid bring some noodles over later."
After Shen Xiujin finished speaking, he no longer looked at Ruan's reaction and turned and left the room. As soon as he stepped out of the room, he let out a long breath and walked straight to the front hall.
And just after he left, Ruan angrily threw the blue and white porcelain on the table to the ground, even though the value of this blue and white porcelain was something she could not afford even if she went without food or drink and washed clothes day and night for twenty years.
Shen Xiu Jin walked through the corridor and before entering the front hall, the aroma of food hit him. He took a deep breath, then stopped and looked around. Seeing that there was no one around and no one saw him, he let out an awkward sigh of relief.
As soon as I entered the front hall, I saw Zhao Fanghua sitting in the main seat, humming an unknown tune, with one hand supporting her chin and the other hand like a jade onion playing with rosewood carved chopsticks. She crossed her legs, and one foot wearing Shu embroidered shoes was exposed under her gold embroidered skirt, swaying gently.
Shen Xiujin didn't know why his mind was also gently swaying with the little foot.
Seeing Shen Xiujin looking over, Zhao Fanghua's eyes lit up, and she quickly put down her chopsticks and called out, "Hey, Shen Xiujin! Come and eat."
Shen Xiujin restrained his expression and came to sit next to Zhao Fanghua. He swallowed his saliva and said, "Your Highness, can you send the food directly to Fushou Hall from now on? Mother..."
Zhao Fanghua immediately said, "Okay!"
Shen Xiujin was stunned when he heard this. He was worried that Zhao Fanghua would change her attitude when she heard this. He thought of several reasons along the way to explain why Ruan did not come to the front hall for dinner, but he did not expect her to agree so readily.
Zhao Fanghua was more than happy to be able to spend some time alone with Ruan to strengthen their relationship without having to eat together.
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