She stepped forward, glanced at the messy table, and saw several crumpled pieces of paper carelessly tossed aside. It wasn't hard to see the owner's annoyance. A gentle smile curved her lips.
"Even if you are busy with official duties, you must not harm your health. I noticed that you didn't seem to have much of an appetite at dinner, so I asked the kitchen to stew a bowl of bird's nest porridge to at least fill your stomach."
Chi Yan reached out and took the bowl, a smile unconsciously appearing on her face: "You're so thoughtful."
He had only taken two sips when he suddenly found it difficult to swallow.
She treated him with gentleness and care in every way, which made him feel increasingly guilty and uneasy.
Shen Tangning was extremely perceptive. Seeing his slightly unwell expression and recalling his unusual behavior today, she guessed that he was preoccupied with something: "Is there some trouble in the court? If it doesn't involve military secrets, I can help you solve your problem."
Unlike others, Chi Yan never shied away from discussing matters of the court with her.
He did not believe that women should obediently serve their husbands and raise their children, and should not interfere in politics.
On the contrary, Shen Tangning is quick-witted and can always offer unique insights on some issues, providing him with inspiration.
Today, however, he was unusually hesitant. He suddenly grabbed her hand, pulled her onto his lap, and looked up at her intently.
"Ah Ning, do you believe me?"
Shen Tangning was slightly taken aback, and looked at him with amusement: "Why are you suddenly bringing this up?"
He tightened his grip on her hand, his dark, moist eyes gazing at her expectantly, his voice tinged with urgency: "I am your husband, and no matter what, I will never hurt you."
The smile on her lips faded slightly, and she hesitated in her voice: "Is what you're worried about related to me?"
Chi Yan pursed her lips even more, her expression becoming somewhat unnaturally tense.
His thoughts were so easy to guess; they were practically laid bare before her. She thought to herself, "This man truly doesn't lie."
Shen Tangning raised her hand to smooth out the creases between his brows, and slowly said, "Of course I believe you. We've been together for so long, and I believe you wouldn't hurt me. So, Ayan, can you tell me what happened?"
His eyelashes trembled, and his throat bobbed involuntarily.
Seeing his hesitation, she smiled and said, "It's okay if you don't want to talk about it. I'll be all ears whenever you're ready to speak."
Shen Tangning stood up and gently reminded her as always, "It's getting late, get some rest."
She turned and went out the door, her figure disappearing into the night.
“Ah Ning…”
Chi Yan closed his eyes. Hesitation would only lead to more trouble.
——
The next day, Chi Yan went to court.
Shen Tangning caught a glimpse of Ba Liang coming out of the study, carrying a wastebasket and preparing to throw it away, and said, "Wait."
Ba Liang looked puzzled, but stopped anyway and asked with a smile, "What are your orders, young mistress?"
"This is fine with me." She glanced at what he was holding and smiled.
"Ah! Okay." Ba Liang, without any suspicion, obediently handed over the wastebasket.
She reached out and took it, then lowered her eyes to hide the deep thought in them.
She rarely pried into Chi Yan's privacy, and this time it wasn't because she didn't trust him, but simply because she was not used to being in a passive position.
Reaching out to tear open a crumpled piece of paper, Shen Tangning's expression froze, and the object in her hand instantly fell to the ground.
"..."
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