Chapter 53 If you don't drink the contraceptive soup, I say no…
Shen Jizhao's gaze was almost glued to Jiang Shuifu; he stared at her inch by inch.
Her face slowly turned away from him, and he stared at her waist, which he had gripped so tightly that it was all wrinkled. He thought of smoothing it out for her, but only for a moment did his gaze darken.
In short, he was happy to see her, but also a little nervous. He moved his hands a few times, and soon the curtain on the hull was completely pulled down.
In an instant, the small space was reduced to just a man and a woman, completely isolated from the outside world.
Jiang Shuifu walked inside, and only halfway there did she realize that the inside of the boat was getting darker and darker, as if no sunlight could penetrate.
She had to turn around. One glance, and she rushed to him, snatched the curtain beads from his hand, and was about to pull it open to let in the light again. At the same time, she spat at him:
"Disgusting! I never imagined that His Highness the Crown Prince, who appears so dignified and refined in public, would be so shameless and despicable in private! Not content with being alone with a woman in a room, he even went so far as to draw the curtains! What are you trying to do?"
She didn't kick him out because she knew he was stubborn and that if she didn't give him a chance to say something suggestive, he would always find another opportunity to pester her. However, she never expected him to pull this stunt.
She was both angry and disgusted. What did he mean by this behavior? In broad daylight, he invaded her small boat without her permission. She could tolerate it, but in such a confined space, he actually tried to create a dark and ambiguous atmosphere!
Shen Jizhao released the curtain beads from his hand and immediately turned to face her to explain:
"It's not what you think. I just want you to listen to me talk. I don't care if outsiders see it, but I feel you might not like it."
He knew she didn't want others to see her in the same room as him, and besides, it wouldn't be good for her reputation.
Jiang Shuifu didn't believe his explanation. She knew him better than anyone else; he only cared about himself and never considered others.
He married her before for his own future, and now he has traveled thousands of miles to Suyang to force her to satisfy his own selfish desires.
She pulled the curtain up slightly, but didn't let the light in completely.
Because he was right about one thing: she didn't want others to see her, and she felt ashamed to spend every moment with him.
When Shen Jizhao saw that the person he had been longing for had chosen a place far away from him to sit down and drink tea, he knew that she was waiting for him to speak.
He tidied his words; he had thought a lot these past few days and had so much to say to her.
But when she was actually standing in front of him, the words in his mind scattered, and he could only utter one sentence that had been lingering in his heart for a long time:
"I've come to seek peace, Shui Fu. I was terribly wrong about what happened before. Please don't hold a grudge against me anymore, okay?"
Jiang Shuifu almost spat out her tea. It was too funny. Did he think that all the effort she put into getting a divorce and traveling thousands of miles was just to spite him?
"Shen Jizhao! Have you been the Crown Prince for too long and think everyone should revolve around you? I'm angry with you, but to be honest, you're no longer worthy!"
Shen Jizhao's heart clenched at her cold mockery, but he was not discouraged. He felt extremely uncomfortable, straightened his sleeves, and poured out the words that had been hidden in his heart for a long time:
"Shuifu, ever since you left me, I haven't been able to sleep well day or night. I miss you so much. Please come back! I'll give you anything you want! I will never break my promise!"
Jiang Shuifu slammed down her teacup and scoffed:
"Peace and tranquility? In the past, when was there ever a peaceful day in the Eastern Palace? What, you're not at peace, so I have to come back to your side to comfort you? My peace and tranquility now is for you to get far, far away!"
Shen Jizhao clenched his fists. He knew it was his fault, everything was his fault, but he was sure he could make amends.
His fingertips were sore from clenching his fists that they turned white, then he softened his tone and said tenderly:
"I've come here today with the utmost sincerity to apologize and make peace with you. Give me a chance, and I will definitely change. From now on, I will put you first in everything. It's okay if you hate me now; I'll pursue you again. I've heard that women love passionate love. Would you be happy if I pursued you?"
She shook her head and laughed heartily, as if she had heard a huge joke.
"When did you ever pursue me, Your Highness? There's no question of 're-pursuing' you!"
Shen Jizhao was speechless at her words and remained motionless for a long time. Yes, he had never pursued her; she had always been the one chasing after him.
Jiang Shuifu's smile faded as she smiled, her lips turning down slightly, as if recalling some embarrassing past event. She straightened her expression and couldn't help but scoff:
"Do you know how to pursue someone? Do you know how much time and effort it takes to pursue someone? Have you ever waited for him until dark with something you had carefully prepared, only to have him still not see you? Have you ever finally given him something, only to have him carelessly toss it to his servants without even glancing at it? Have you ever smiled at him every day just to get a single word from him? Have you ever done any of these things, Your Highness the Crown Prince?!"
As Shen Jizhao was bombarded with her questions, his face grew darker and darker. His fists loosened, and his fingers began to fiddle with the corner of the table.
He was extremely uneasy, extremely distressed, and extremely remorseful and self-reproachful!
Because he had never experienced any of the things she mentioned!
He never pursued her, and even when she pursued him, he never took her feelings seriously! He never gave her a kind look!
He couldn't imagine how she got through those days, why she still loved him so much and was willing to wait for him every day!
He actually missed out on a girl who loved him so much!
Taking advantage of Shen Jizhao's momentary lapse in concentration, Jiang Shuifu raised her eyes, then lifted her arm to pour a cup of tea, continuously pouring the tea into the teacup.
She didn't stop, and the tea overflowed, soon spilling all over the floor and wetting his boots.
She continued recounting her experiences slowly and deliberately, without any further fluctuation, as if she were merely an observer talking about the past with a stranger:
“I used to follow you around every day, you were the only thing in my world, and you only had disgust for me. But I can’t really blame you. Now that I think about it, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have shamelessly chased after you. Any pursuit that only cares about oneself and not the wishes of others is harassment and should be condemned. When water is full, it overflows. In the end, there will be nothing left, and it’s impossible to recover what’s done!”
Shen Jizhao understood her implication: his current pursuit was harassment, coercion, and something she would despise; she didn't want it!
The damage is irreversible between them!
But he couldn't do it, and he wouldn't accept such an explanation. He abruptly lifted the curtain beads, pointed to the vast expanse of green leaves and red flowers, and gently raised his noble head:
"Water Lily, do you see all these lotus flowers in the garden? Do you know why they are blooming all over the garden even though it's not lotus season?"
Jiang Shuifu looked at the lotus flowers in full bloom, but did not reply to him.
Shen Jizhao straightened his chest, his tone tinged with a hint of assertiveness and anxiety:
"That's because of me. Whenever I want you to see them, they will bloom! Others may not be able to do it, but you know me, Shui Fu, whatever you want, even the moon in the sky, I can pluck it for you! As for the saying 'spilled water cannot be gathered up,' that's nonsense. If you want, I can draw up all the lakes in Suyang and the capital and give them to you again!"
He lowered the curtain beads, his expression returning to normal. His words hadn't convinced her, but they had given him some confidence. He was determined to have her. He returned to the main point:
"So! No matter how you treat me, whether you hit me or scold me, I will still pester you for the rest of my life! I won't force you to come back to the capital with me, but I will still continue to pester you! I don't have many wishes, just that you stay by my side!"
Jiang Shuifu's temper slowly flared up; it was like talking to a brick wall! What right did he have to demand things from her and order her around so confidently? She was no longer the Crown Princess who used to obey him at all costs!
She gritted her teeth in anger, her cheeks puffing out, but the next moment, she released them and nodded defiantly:
"Alright, Your Highness, I can go back to the capital with you!"
Shen Jizhao was overjoyed and leaned forward, wishing he could immediately take her hand and make her say again that she was willing.
But before he could even catch his breath in his joy, she curled her lips in disdain: "I wonder if His Highness the Crown Prince has a child?"
Shen Jizhao was stunned. What was she saying? What child?
Suddenly, a cold voice flashed through his mind, swirling in his ears:
"This humble woman is willing to leave the capital for three years, until His Highness the Crown Prince remarries, and until the Eastern Palace has a new mistress!"
So that's what kind of child he is!
She was asking him if he had had children with other women!
She always cared whether he had other women, and he knew it!
He immediately smiled and hurriedly explained, "No, I only have you! I won't be with anyone else..."
Jiang Shuifu didn't want to hear what he was saying, instantly freezing his joyful expression:
"Then there's nothing I can do. If Your Highness doesn't work hard, how can I possibly set foot in the capital!"
Shen Jizhao froze, his whole body stiffened. So, she meant that he had to have a child with another woman and fulfill his promise before she would return to the capital!
Returning to Beijing wasn't to get back to his side!
Her words were like a knife plunged into his heart, and as if that wasn't enough, she twisted it a few more times to make him suffer unbearable pain!
But he would endure it. As long as she could forgive him, what did it matter if she really stabbed him with a knife?
Shen Jizhao's eyes were bloodshot, and his gaze flickered incessantly, revealing a dull, pearly luster upon closer inspection. He clenched his fist again and gave a self-deprecating laugh:
"If you hadn't drunk the contraceptive soup, I might have actually had a lovely child!"
Jiang Shuifu didn't know how he had the nerve to talk about this kind of topic with a woman he had divorced long ago and who now had no relation to him whatsoever!
She immediately stood up, walked to the other side of the table, glanced down at him, and spoke with absolute firmness:
"Because my child will not have the surname Shen! Never!"
Shen Jizhao seemed to be stung by her words of severing ties. The blood vessels in his eyes spread and multiplied rapidly, growing from the bottom of his eyes all the way to his entire eye socket, connecting and mixing with the bulging blue veins at the corners of his eyes.
He looked extremely angry.
Jiang Shuifu knew that he was very domineering. He had been furious when she took the contraceptive soup, and what she said now would only make him angrier.
But she insisted that she had nothing to do with him anymore, so why should he care whose surname her child would take?
"It's not that I don't like children, it's that I hate that you're the father of my child! I'll still have children in the future, but they will never have the surname Shen!"
Shen Jizhao was genuinely furious. His eyes were bloodshot as he stared intently at her. What had she said? She wanted to have a child? But the child had nothing to do with him!
He slowly stood up and walked towards her step by step. Although the distance between them was already very close, the small boat could barely accommodate both of them, and they could touch each other with a stretch of their hands.
Perhaps his steps were too forceful; the small boat swayed a few times as if it couldn't bear the weight of his movements, not even an inch closer to her.
When he took his third step, the small boat began to rock as if it were about to tip over, and Jiang Shuifu's body swayed along with it.
As luck would have it, a small boat bumped into us just then.
She leaned to one side instantly, having been gripping the windowsill tightly, but the impact caused the ship to lose its balance and tilt completely.
Just as the boat was about to capsize, Shen Jizhao swiftly grabbed her hands and pulled her into his arms.
They both quickly stepped back a few paces and, quite unexpectedly, bumped into each other.
Because of the timely rescue, the capsized boat tilted back onto the water, but Jiang Shuifu was stunned and didn't speak for a long time.
Until the man who was very close to her breathed a warm breath and spoke in a soft voice:
"I'll take your surname!"
It doesn't have to be surnamed Shen; Jiang is fine too!
She immediately widened her eyes, her gaze as round as drums, but she had no mood to rebuke him for what he had said.
Her mind was filled with disbelief, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
Jiang Shuifu slowly raised her eyes and looked at the man above her. She saw a faint smile on his lips. She finally came to her senses, immediately moved away from him, and even slapped him in a fit of anger!
Shen Jizhao had already released her before she left his side. He didn't do it on purpose, but he didn't expect to lose control like this.
To be honest, he was stunned the moment he touched her, which is why he didn't push her away in time.
"I just...missed you so much. I didn't mean it. I'm sorry, I was such a beast!"
His apology was very sincere; he knew that he couldn't help himself whenever he saw her.
He was caught off guard and slapped, and he deserved it!
She was furious, and one slap was not enough to vent her anger. Her eyes instantly turned red, and she was breathing heavily through her nose. Suddenly, she glared at him fiercely and pushed him away with both hands.
"Bang!"
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Author's Note: Shen Gouzi is so awful, so domineering! When will he ever win his wife back?
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