Shen Xihe was feeling irritable – she had gotten her monthly cycle, and the first two days were always like this. The scorching heat and inability to use ice made her even more listless.
This wasn’t something she could explain to Crown Prince Xiao Huayong, yet this man had no perception and kept pressing the matter, even reaching out his hand to feel her forehead.
In the hot weather, she was most susceptible to heat. Before his hand could even touch her forehead, she already felt a wave of warmth approaching. County Princess Shen Xihe disregarded propriety and everything else, raising her hand to swat away Crown Prince Xiao Huayong’s hand: “I told you, I’m fine.”
Her slight anger and annoyance made Crown Prince Xiao Huayong’s heart stutter. He felt somewhat at a loss and inexplicably wronged, with mixed emotions swirling in his heart. His expression was complex, yet he didn’t know how to speak.
He silently sat half a step away from her, carefully watching her with confused and worried eyes.
County Princess Shen Xihe felt inexplicably disturbed – she just wanted to be alone, with no one bothering her. At this moment, merely seeing Crown Prince Xiao Huayong made her feel as if someone was beside her; even without him speaking, his mere presence disturbed the air around her.
Since when had she become so unreasonable?
County Princess Shen Xihe was frightened by her aggressive side, and her expression grew even worse.
Crown Prince Xiao Huayong, constantly watching her expression, noticed her growing displeasure. After some thought, he could only say softly: “There are some matters at the Eastern Palace, I’ll take my leave first.”
“Mm.” County Princess Shen Xihe responded faintly, feeling relieved in her heart.
Now that he was leaving, would she be able to control herself?
Crown Prince Xiao Huayong noticed that upon hearing he would leave, her expression indeed relaxed slightly, which made him feel even more hurt and pained. He turned and left without looking back.
Zhenzhu, who had been sent by County Princess Shen Xihe to stand guard outside, saw Crown Prince Xiao Huayong leaving with a stiff face and unusually large strides, clearly sulking. She brought a bowl of warm white fungus and lotus seed soup to County Princess Shen Xihe: “County Princess, did you quarrel with His Highness?”
County Princess Shen Xihe gave her an inexplicable look: “No.”
“His Highness seemed somewhat displeased,” Zhenzhu carefully reminded.
County Princess Shen Xihe took a sip of the white fungus soup and then stopped, setting down the bowl. After thinking about what had just happened, she realized she might have indeed gone too far: “I don’t know why, but I just felt irritated, didn’t want to talk, didn’t want to deal with him, and couldn’t help but lose my manners.”
Zhenzhu was startled for a moment. Their County Princess was the model of grace and elegance, rarely angered, and would never throw tantrums without reason. Even with the Prince and Young Master, though occasionally proud, she was never unreasonable.
Yet today, she couldn’t contain her temper in front of the Crown Prince.
After understanding the reason, Zhenzhu’s expression became even more complex: “County Princess, you… you’re taking him for granted…”
“Hmm?” When had she taken him for granted?
“People’s true nature often only shows itself to those they trust and are close to. The closer the relationship, the more uninhibited and unrestricted they become,” Zhenzhu chose her words carefully.
County Princess Shen Xihe unconsciously furrowed her brows.
“County Princess, perhaps consider this – if it wasn’t His Highness who came just now, but someone else, would you have acted the same way?” Zhenzhu guided gently.
“If it was someone else, I wouldn’t have seen them at all,” County Princess Shen Xihe replied.
Crown Prince Xiao Huayong could enter because he came so frequently that he had bypassed the announcement procedure. The gatekeepers would let him in directly upon seeing him, and unless County Princess Shen Xihe was in her private chambers, even Zhenzhu, and the others wouldn’t stop Crown Prince Xiao Huayong.
“What if it was someone you had to see? For example, an inner court servant sent by His Majesty?” Zhenzhu offered another example, “Would County Princess treat them this way?”
Of course not, but that would be because they carried imperial orders, and County Princess Shen Xihe would naturally show them courtesy.
She didn’t argue, but instead thought about how Crown Prince Xiao Huayong was the Crown Prince, even more noble than those carrying imperial orders. Yet somehow, she had gradually forgotten that he was the Crown Prince.
Her treatment of him had become casual, without the distance and respect of formal etiquette. She had fewer and fewer restraints with him.
“What you say is correct…” County Princess Shen Xihe was never one to be stubborn or refuse to admit her faults. Zhenzhu’s words indeed made sense. “I was somewhat presumptuous with the Crown Prince earlier. Is that why he was displeased?”
“This servant doesn’t think so. His Highness hopes you will be less distant with him and show more of your true nature. However, His Highness probably doesn’t understand why you were annoyed with him. County Princess usually maintains a neither distant nor close relationship with His Highness, always making His Highness feel insecure, which is why His Highness would be… frustrated.
The frustration isn’t from County Princess’s cold treatment, but from not knowing what he did to displease County Princess.”
“Is that so?” County Princess Shen Xihe felt something was off but couldn’t pinpoint what.
If their positions were reversed, she wouldn’t have reflected on herself, and would probably never look at that person again. Thinking about it this way made her feel even more that her earlier behavior was inappropriate: “In a couple of days, I’ll go apologize to him.”
It wasn’t that she couldn’t bring herself to do it, but that she truly wasn’t feeling well and worried that going to apologize now might lead to another argument instead.
“County Princess doesn’t need to wait for another day. His Highness will surely come again tomorrow,” Zhenzhu assured with conviction.
County Princess Shen Xihe was skeptical, thinking it unlikely.
Zhenzhu just smiled without speaking further.
At this moment, Crown Prince Xiao Huayong had gotten into his carriage. Tianyuan sensed that His Highness was emanating an aura of displeasure. Usually when visiting the County Princess’s residence, His Highness would always stay until just before the palace gates closed at night, but today he had left so soon after arriving…
This was not good, very not good.
“Tianyuan, go investigate if I have done anything improper lately?” Crown Prince Xiao Huayong suddenly spoke.
Tianyuan cautiously asked: “Your Highness means… in what regard?”
Dark pupils swept over, as Crown Prince Xiao Huayong expressionlessly stared at Tianyuan.
Tianyuan immediately understood: “Your Highness, regarding the County Princess, you have done nothing improper, or perhaps…”
Crown Prince Xiao Huayong, already somewhat displeased, saw Tianyuan’s hesitant manner and became even more unhappy: “Playing coy before your master now?”
“Your servant wouldn’t dare.” Tianyuan’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he said, “If the County Princess is angry with Your Highness, it can only be because Your Highness’s words were… offensive.”
The word “offensive” was as soft as a mosquito’s buzz, but Crown Prince Xiao Huayong heard it. Today he had only spoken ordinary words, nothing worth mentioning compared to usual. County Princess Shen Xihe had never reacted this way before, so why would she today?
“That’s not it,” Crown Prince Xiao Huayong was certain it wasn’t this reason.
Tianyuan was so anxious that sweat beaded on his forehead. Under Crown Prince Xiao Huayong’s tiger-like stare, he could only speak without thinking: “This… this servant also doesn’t know why the County Princess was angry. Perhaps it wasn’t because of Your Highness at all, just that she was angry and had no one else to vent to, so she took it out on Your Highness?”
After speaking, Tianyuan wished he could bite off his tongue. Why did you have to speak ill of the County Princess again?
However, after hearing this, Crown Prince Xiao Huayong gradually retracted his gloomy aura, his lips involuntarily curving upward: “You’re right, it must be that someone else angered her, which is why she vented at me.”
Tianyuan, completely confused, couldn’t understand why His Highness, who had just been snubbed, was now so happy.
“She would vent at me because she no longer sees me as an outsider. She must have feelings for me.” Crown Prince Xiao Huayong’s heart suddenly bloomed with joy.
Tianyuan: …