"You're not even worthy of eating shit." Cui Yunchu's voice was soft, but she shot Shen Xiabai a vicious glare.
Cui Yunli's voice drifted over. "Yunchu, if you like them, just have the waiter bring another plate."
He was afraid that she might, in the next moment, shove that meatball straight into her mouth.
Cui Yunchu glanced down at her hand, then flung the meatball onto the table with force. The cook's craftsmanship was decent—the ball was springy, bouncing a few times before landing by Xiao Lan's side.
Cui Yunchu seemed even more irritated, and said in a sarcastic tone, "Well, well, it sure knows its way around, doesn't it? Knows exactly who ate its wife."
"..."
"What a pity." She tilted her head with a lazy, nonchalant air, wiping her hands vigorously with a handkerchief.
Shen Xiabai had reached the end of his patience. "There were over twenty meatballs on the plate, and you ate so many of them. Why wasn't it its wife that you ate?"
"I ate that many, but you never once picked one up for me," Cui Yunchu said, hands on her hips like a shrew. "Those last two I didn't touch because they were a couple."
It was because Xiao Lan had eaten one, so he went to pick up the other, wanting to pair himself with Xiao Lan as a duo.
"..." In all his life, Shen Xiabai never expected to be slandered and accused because of two meatballs, with some baseless romance being pinned on him.
Even less did he expect that eating a single meatball would lead to a fight with Cui Yunchu.
This is what people mean—when she's got it in for you, even your breathing is a mistake.
Cui Yunchu stood up, dragged her stool over, and sat down beside Cui Yunli.
The table was huge, with plenty of space even between the four of them, but now he and Cui Yunchu were separated by what felt like a whole galaxy—neither stretch of hand nor leg could reach the other.
As for Cui Yunchu and Cui Yunli, not even a dog could squeeze between them.
Shen Xiabai had never been so full of nothing but rage in his entire life.
Cui Yunli's gaze darted between the two of them, and finally he ate his meal in silence.
For the rest of the meal, anything that came in pairs or as a matching set, Shen Xiabai didn't touch—though the teapot beside him was emptied several times.
As the meal drew to a close, Cui Yunchu suddenly noticed that Shen Xiabai and Xiao Lan were using cups different from theirs.
She stared death at those cups for a long while, then shot Shen Xiabai a scalding glare.
This bastard really knows no shame—in full view of her, his mistress's rival, he doesn't even bother to be discreet.
Shen Xiabai, who had been treading on eggshells all this time, noticed her gaze and discovered the situation with the cups as well. The corners of his mouth, which he had been desperately trying to keep upturned, finally sank completely.
A bone-chilling look was directed at Yu Feng, who stood nearby.
And on the other side, from a brief exchange with Xiao Lan, Cui Yunchu learned of her identity as a princess.
Second Princess.
She didn't remember there being a Second Princess in the royal family.
No wonder. "Little nun," indeed. Ten to one it was just a cover-up for their affair. She'd never thought Shen Xiabai had such a devious streak in him.
A princess, huh? Cui Yunchu felt an inexplicable pang of sourness.
Who wouldn't be charmed by that? So what if she's a bit older? She knows how to dote on a man.
Those two really are having an affair.
Cui Yunchu sat there expressionlessly, face wooden.
The waiter brought over the bill, and Cui Yunli reached for his money, but Cui Yunchu blocked him. "Lord Shen is rolling in money. Let him pay."
Yu Feng internally cried out, "Mistress, have you lost your mind? Your husband's money will one day be yours anyway!"
Shen Xiabai looked at the way Cui Yunchu was sheltering Cui Yunli, and frowned. A brother who had just returned held more weight in her eyes than he did. Clearly, that showed exactly where he stood in her heart.
Leaving the restaurant, Xiao Lan was the first to get on the carriage.
Cui Yunli bowed to Shen Xiabai with clasped hands. "Thank you Lord Shen for your hospitality today."
Cui Yunchu followed with a bow, speaking with contrived sincerity, "Thank you, Consort Shen."
After saying this, she turned and hopped onto the carriage, instructing the driver, "Hurry back. I want to eat meatballs that come in pairs at home."
Shen Xiabai: "..."
The innuendo was not subtle in the slightest.
Yu Feng lounged against the side of the carriage, chewing on a straw of unknown origin. "Master, do you think Eldest Miss Cui saw you with the Second Princess and misunderstood something? Is she jealous?"
"Didn't she already pry that meatball out of my mouth?" Shen Xiabai said, fuming.
Yu Feng gave a silly laugh.
It wasn't that he was laughing at his master—it was just that Eldest Miss Cui was too amusing for him to hold it in.
Shen Xiabai shot him a cold glare, and Yu Feng immediately shrank back, stifling his smile.
"Master, actually, if Eldest Miss Cui truly is jealous, that's a good thing. It means she has you in her heart."
Xiao Lan's voice suddenly came through. "He's right."
Xiao Lan lifted the carriage curtain, her gaze resting on Shen Xiabai, a faint smile on her lips. "Girls love to say the opposite of what they mean. If you want her to realize her own feelings, making her jealous, making her care—that might be a good way."
"No need." Shen Xiabai's tone was flat. "She is not an ordinary girl."
The ability he now had to approach her without restraint that, was earned through a price.
He knew the feeling all too well—just like every time he saw Prince An and the Crown Prince, the envy, the smoldering anger, the urge to stomp them into the dirt.
Achu's experiences were not those of the typical young woman. When such emotions surfaced in her, she would only cut them out and flee.
It would all have been for nothing.
He would never let her sink into such feelings, turning over and over in torment, questioning her own heart.
A person like her, even if she came to understand her own feelings, would never bow her head, never admit it.
Yu Feng said, "Master makes a point too—different monkeys, different tying-down methods."
He'd also heard the conversation between his master and the young lord back then.
Only... Yu Feng looked up pitifully. "Master, when Eldest Miss Cui left, she told me to wait for her."
His heart was in his throat.
Shen Xiabai kicked him. "Who are you calling a monkey?"
"..."
"Go sit inside the carriage."
Yu Feng blinked in bewilderment. "Master, you're going to drive the carriage yourself?"
Shen Xiabai grunted in assent.
And so, Lord Shen personally drove the carriage back to the capital and headed for the palace. The guards at the palace gate were utterly stunned by the sight.
Especially when Yu Feng jumped down from the carriage.
"Talk about turning the world upside down," someone murmured. "Who's the master here, really?"
"Following Lord Shen, Sir Yu has truly hit the jackpot."
Yu Feng smiled amiably, opened the carriage door, and helped Xiao Lan down. The moment Xiao Lan appeared before everyone's eyes, all talk ceased at once.
Just then, a young eunuch came running out, gasping for breath, and said, "Lord Shen, Second Princess, you're finally back. The Empress Dowager has been waiting a long time. Come with me, quickly."
In the Empress Dowager's hall, maids and eunuchs were already waiting. As soon as Xiao Lan and Shen Xiabai appeared, they were promptly escorted inside.
"Mother." Xiao Lan fell to her knees with a thud.
The Empress Dowager's face was streaked with tears. "My dear Lan'er, we've finally brought you home."
Mother and daughter embraced each other, weeping. Shen Xiabai, after paying his respects, stood off to the side, head slightly bowed, repeatedly rubbing the teeth marks on his wrist.
Her teeth were a little sparse, it seemed. But today, when she was chewing on those meatballs, she was fast enough.
"Lan'er, it was not easy to persuade your imperial brother to let you return to the capital. Now that you're back, you must behave yourself. And as for your imperial brother, do not provoke his anger again. You two are brother and sister after all. If you treat him with respect and closeness on ordinary days, how could he treat you badly?"
"Learn more from your eldest sister in the future."
Her eldest daughter had managed to maintain a good relationship with the Emperor and the Empress. Both inside and outside the palace, she was honored as the Grand Princess, enjoying wealth and splendor. Wasn't that a life well lived?
Xiao Lan lowered her eyes and replied, "Mother, rest assured. In these past few years at Anshan Temple, I have long come to my senses."
Even as a princess, without power and influence, one had no voice. Only by being useful could one truly prevail.
Her gaze swept briefly over Shen Xiabai, who stood to one side.
To have killed Gu Xuan and yet remain unscathed—such a person was no ordinary man.
After her daughter finished speaking, the Empress Dowager turned to Shen Xiabai. "Regarding Xuan'er's matter, I have said what I would do, and I will not hold it against you any longer. But from this day forward, if you so much as lay a finger on my Gu family again, I will show you no mercy."
"Mother," Xiao Lan said softly, "Shen Daren has already explained the matter of Gu Xuan to me. In Yi'er's residence, he dared to harass the daughters of officials—such audacity was truly excessive."
"It was you and my maternal uncle who spoiled him. In the end, when the court officials attacked him all at once, did that not prove the point?"
"In my opinion, Shen Daren, as a senior minister of the Great Liang, did nothing wrong. In fact, he rid the Gu family of a cankerous worm. Otherwise, who knows how many more troubles would have been brought upon the family."
Shen Xiabai glanced at Xiao Lan, then swallowed back the words he had been about to say.
The Empress Dowager poked Xiao Lan's forehead. "You child, why is your elbow always bent outward?"
Xiao Lan smiled and cast a look at Shen Xiabai.
His expression remained indifferent.
As they left the Empress Dowager's palace, Xiao Lan offered to escort him. "I was able to return from Anshan Temple all thanks to you, Shen Daren."
Shen Xiabai nodded faintly. "In truth, Your Highness need not have spoken those words on my behalf before the Empress Dowager. Words that serve no purpose are but a waste of breath."
With that, Shen Xiabai took his leave.
Xiao Lan's expression briefly stilled as she watched his retreating figure, standing motionless.
"Your Highness, you were kind enough to speak up for him, yet that Shen Daren knows not how to appreciate kindness. The way he spoke was simply too rude." Xiao Lan's maidservant said with a frown.
