Shen Yueshan left early and returned late each day. Though father and daughter lived next door to each other, Shen Xihe could not meet him unless she deliberately waited, let alone have a conversation with him.

Xiao Huayong was the most delighted by this situation. He took Shen Xihe hunting in the mountains and searching for flowers, keeping her too occupied to worry about Shen Yueshan’s arrangements in the Northwest.

After four such pleasant days, Shen Yueshan didn’t go out one day, instead shutting himself in his room and refusing to let anyone disturb him.

Shen Xihe knew there must be results, and she was quite certain she knew who was involved, for Shen Yueshan to be in such a melancholy state.

Rising early that morning, Shen Xihe heard this news and stood silently outside Shen Yueshan’s chamber. Xiao Huayong accompanied her. As the sun rose without their notice, Xiao Huayong took an umbrella from Moyu’s hands and held it over Shen Xihe, maintaining this position throughout the morning.

It wasn’t until noon that Shen Yueshan finally opened his door, a wine jar in hand, his eyes distant and sorrowful, his hair disheveled, appearing rather dejected and dispirited.

Opening the door to find Shen Xihe there, his raised arm holding the wine jar suddenly lost its grip. With a crash, the jar shattered on the ground, the sound seeming particularly heavy as the wine splashed outward.

He rushed toward Shen Xihe, not forgetting to wipe his mouth with his sleeve and hastily arrange his hair as he came. By the time he stood before Shen Xihe, he had roughly tidied himself, straining to open his bloodshot eyes to appear more alert.

“It’s Father’s fault for making you stand in the sun so long.” Shen Yueshan was both guilty and flustered. He wanted to reach out and touch his daughter’s arm but caught the smell of wine on himself and withdrew, fearing Shen Xihe would dislike it. “Father will go bathe right away, and then take you hunting and horseback riding…”

“Father,” Shen Xihe stepped forward and took his arm. “Youyou wants to drink with you.”

Shen Yueshan froze, then darkened his expression: “Absolutely not.”

Seemingly afraid his tone was too harsh and might hurt her feelings, he quickly explained in a soft voice: “A young lady’s constitution is delicate, and shouldn’t drink too much. You’ve only just recovered your health, you mustn’t abuse it.”

Shen Xihe didn’t insist, instead glancing at Xiao Huayong: “Your son-in-law wishes to drink heartily with you.”

“Him?” Shen Yueshan cast a questioning, scrutinizing look at Xiao Huayong. “He can’t either…”

“Father-in-law, I can handle it,” Xiao Huayong stepped forward, interrupting Shen Yueshan.

Shen Yueshan needed to relieve his pent-up emotions and drink himself into a stupor, but drinking alone would only make him brood more, which wouldn’t help him vent. Since Xiao Huayong claimed he could handle it, Shen Yueshan wanted to test his alcohol tolerance: “Come then.”

With a wave of his hand, Shen Yueshan led Shen Xihe and Xiao Huayong into the room. The air inside was heavy with the smell of wine, with several overturned wine jars. Upon entering, Shen Yueshan suddenly remembered the state of the room and sheepishly grinned at his daughter: “Hehe…”

“Moyu, lead others to clean this up,” Shen Xihe commanded without changing expression. “Tianyuan, go to the village and ask who has good wine in their collection, bring back plenty.”

“Yes,” Moyu and Tianyuan acknowledged in unison.

“Father, Youyou is married now, no longer a child. Father is human too, you needn’t always restrain and suppress yourself before Youyou,” Shen Xihe turned and said softly to Shen Yueshan.

Shen Yueshan loved Shen Xihe to his very core. No matter how much displeasure and depression he endured outside, no matter how much injury and danger he faced, whenever he came before Shen Xihe, he always appeared properly dressed and spirited.

Following Shen Xihe’s guiding support, Shen Yueshan sat down, turning his head to look at his daughter standing behind him, showing a gratified and heartwarming smile.

Shen Xihe picked up a comb, loosened Shen Yueshan’s hair, and began gently combing it. Xiao Huayong had already conscientiously brought over hot water and clean towels.

Seeing this, Shen Xihe couldn’t help but look at him. Their eyes met, and her pupils were warmed by the light in his eyes.

He was the Crown Prince, after all. Even though he had once traveled far and wide across the realm, at worst he had only been self-sufficient. He likely had never had precedent for serving others like this. He truly treated everything of hers as his own to care for meticulously.

Shen Yueshan was also slightly startled, but he didn’t stand on ceremony. After washing his hands and wiping his face, Shen Xihe helped him retie his hair. He stood up to freshen himself and returned to find several jars of wine already set out.

Shen Xihe lit a fire in the room’s fire pit, roasting meat while also cooking porridge.

Shen Yueshan and Xiao Huayong drank together. In his good mood, Shen Yueshan told Xiao Huayong stories of Shen Xihe’s childhood, even including tales of his wild youth. Xiao Huayong listened, occasionally asking a question or two. When Shen Xihe finished cooking the porridge, she gave each of them a bowl before leisurely starting on her own.

After Shen Yueshan had drunk two more jars of wine, Shen Xihe tossed some incense into the fire pit. As the intoxicating fragrance slowly spread, Xiao Huayong, who had been closely watching Shen Xihe’s every move, immediately began breathing carefully when he saw her add the incense.

Sure enough, Shen Yueshan, who had remained steady despite drinking heavily, suddenly began showing signs of intoxication and soon passed out.

Xiao Huayong also felt dizzy, dizziness very similar to being drunk, though he had barely drunk anything…

Shen Xihe passed him a fragrance pouch. Xiao Huayong grabbed it and took two deep breaths, and the dizziness gradually dissipated.

“This incense is dried with strong wine repeatedly to absorb the wine’s fragrance. Once burned, the wine’s aroma becomes intoxicating,” Shen Xihe explained.

Finally relaxing, Xiao Huayong watched as Shen Xihe gently covered the collapsed Shen Yueshan with a cloak. He couldn’t help but smile: “Youyou, you are exceptionally understanding toward those you care about.”

She hadn’t tried to dissuade Shen Yueshan or prevent him from venting like this; she had even encouraged him to let go, while still worrying about his health from drinking too much. She had burned the incense at just the right moment. When Shen Yueshan woke, he would feel as if he had had a satisfying drinking session.

His mental burden would likely have dissipated with the wind, and Shen Xihe had added sobering medicine powder to their porridge, now replacing it with calming incense, sparing him the suffering of a hangover when he woke.

“When one puts their heart into something, naturally they become attentive to detail,” Shen Xihe said. If she weren’t someone who put her heart into things, how could she have perceived Xiao Huayong’s thoughtfulness?

Xiao Huayong shook his head and smiled. This wasn’t simply a matter of putting one’s heart into something – some people could put their hearts into things and still make a mess of everything.

“If one day I face great changes and need to vent like this, would Youyou allow it?” Xiao Huayong looked at Shen Xihe expectantly.

In this world, who could sail through life smoothly? Everyone encounters misfortune, everyone accumulates worries.

But time is too difficult for men of ambition; they cannot allow themselves to wallow in depression, cannot let those close to them see…

“Human emotions are like floods – blocking without channeling will surely lead to disaster,” Shen Xihe looked at him. “Not only would I allow it, I would stay by your side.”