Upon hearing this, Shen Xihe smiled faintly, neither refuting nor reiterating her remarks about the fickleness of human hearts. She rose to her feet: "Since Your Highness is unharmed, Zhaoning will take her leave."
At this moment, she neither trusted nor distrusted Xiao Huayong—she neither rejected him nor endorsed him.
"Youyou..." Xiao Huayong clearly didn’t want her to leave. "Would you stay and sit with me for a while?"
Shen Xihe pondered briefly before sitting back down, yet she remained silent. If he wished for her company, then she would simply sit with him.
Since she did not speak, Xiao Huayong took the initiative: "Youyou said I am deep and calculating, but you are no less so. The scheme involving Yangling and Munuha—your layout was exquisite, each step seamlessly connected. I genuinely admire it immensely."
Shen Xihe’s approach differed from his.
He preferred to kill multiple birds with one stone, maximizing utility and securing the greatest long-term benefits.
Shen Xihe, however, prioritized stability, avoiding unnecessary complications and never prolonging matters. Yet, when she did act, she left no room for her prey to escape.
Xiao Huayong had to admit, he was fortunate that Shen Xihe had chosen him. Otherwise, facing an opponent like her, he would have to exercise extreme caution. If Shen Xihe truly targeted him, he might not be able to break free.
"I cannot compare to Your Highness’s foresight," Shen Xihe replied, not out of modesty.
"In truth, Youyou and I are a match made in heaven," Xiao Huayong’s smile deepened. "You are meticulous and thorough, while I plan with depth and vision. Together, we would be invincible."
"I naturally hope to walk hand in hand with Your Highness for a lifetime," Shen Xihe said with sincerity.
As long as Xiao Huayong posed no threat to the Northwest, even if he later grew cold and distant toward her personally, they could still remain companions for life.
Xiao Huayong understood Shen Xihe’s meaning, yet he beamed with radiance: "All I heard was Youyou’s adoration for me."
"If that brings Your Highness joy, then consider it adoration," Shen Xihe didn’t mind how he interpreted it.
"Since we are to walk hand in hand for a lifetime, and I am injured and bedridden, shouldn’t Youyou show me some tenderness?" Xiao Huayong immediately put on a frail, pitiful expression, feigning need for care.
Shen Xihe: ...
"Your Highness, stop pretending." They both knew perfectly well whether he was injured or not. Was he the type to resort to a self-inflicted injury ruse to frame others?
If he hadn’t already injured his eyes beforehand, would he have truly used them in such a scheme? But the injury to his eyes...
Shen Xihe understood. The Crown Prince wanted her to remember why his eyes were injured—was it not for her Snow Lotus? Yet, she had already used the Snow Lotus and couldn’t return it to him.
She had no choice but to resign herself: "What does Your Highness desire?"
Having achieved his goal, regardless of whether it was exploiting a debt of gratitude, Xiao Huayong’s eyes lit up with a peculiar glow: "Anything I want?"
"Your Highness, speak your mind," Shen Xihe guessed that whatever he had in mind was likely improper.
"Youyou... would you hold me? Let me sleep peacefully in your embrace?" Xiao Huayong shamelessly proposed.
Shen Xihe wore an expression of speechless disbelief. How could he utter such bold words with such a solemn tone?
"After we are wed, if Your Highness makes such a request then, I will certainly oblige," Shen Xihe declined with a faint smile.
Her principle was: act according to one’s position.
As long as she was not the Crown Princess, she could not be so intimate and unrestrained with Xiao Huayong.
Just as, as long as she remained Shen Xihe, she would always consider her father, brother, and the Northwest—the same logic applied."After our grand wedding, I shall not be content with just this." Xiao Huayong's suggestive gaze swept over Shen Xihe from head to toe.
Since being exposed by Shen Xihe, he had completely shed his original facade. Whatever elegance, propriety, or majestic dignity - those were merely postures assumed and masks worn for others as the Crown Prince.
Before Shen Xihe, his identity was never that of the Crown Prince, but rather her man!
"Xiao Beichen!" Shen Xihe called his name with implicit warning.
"Youyou, do you know the feeling of falling from the peak of vast snow-capped mountains? Do you understand the torment when heaven and earth are reduced to only black, white, and gray?" Casting aside all pretense, Xiao Huayong employed whatever tactics could soften her heart. "Ah... if Youyou believes I'm going of my own accord, not at your request, I'll accept that. Who made me unable to bear seeing you suffer even the slightest injury..."
Shen Xihe felt she should immediately stand up and leave without looking back. In fact, she did rise abruptly, her face turning cold, which made Xiao Huayong's expression stiffen and his eyes flicker with momentary panic, instantly abandoning his playful demeanor.
Witnessing such a reaction, even with her iron-willed heart, Shen Xihe found her feet rooted to the spot.
After a moment of hesitation and internal struggle: "Zhenzhu, you may withdraw."
Zhenzhu acknowledged with a bow and retreated.
Under Xiao Huayong's somewhat cautious gaze, Shen Xihe approached and sat at the edge of the bed.
Xiao Huayong's eyes immediately softened. Without needing further words from Shen Xihe, he shifted to rest his head on her lap, looking up with eyes sparkling like starlight and fireworks, not daring to speak more, obediently closing his eyes.
The upturned corners of his lips revealed just how delighted he was. In truth, he had deliberately spoken that way and intentionally revealed that expression in that moment - he wanted to test her boundaries with him.
The results were gratifying. Her tolerance toward him ran deeper than he had anticipated.
His deeply beloved one would never realize what a profoundly loyal and righteous person she was. He clearly understood that her current feelings for him weren't romantic love. Two reasons led her to tolerate him like this:
First, she knew gratitude and repaid kindness.
Second, she was determined to marry him.
Both were indispensable. Given her character, without the former it would be impossible; given her upbringing, without the latter it wouldn't happen either.
She carried a unique fragrance about her - cool yet not cold, refreshing and comfortable. Xiao Huayong had originally thought he wouldn't be able to sleep, but resting his head on her lap brought him such peace that he let down all his defenses.
Over the years, no matter how strong he had become, the vigilance formed from his earliest days had always followed him like a shadow. Never had anyone been able to make him relax so completely, to let him fall into sweet dreams so quickly.
Shen Xihe had also thought Xiao Huayong meant to pester her further or say more improper words to provoke her. She had prepared herself to push him away if he tried to overstep further, but unexpectedly, within mere blinks of an eye, he had fallen into deep sleep.
His long, steady breaths, completely unguarded and peaceful, made Shen Xihe pause slightly.
They were both people born into such complex environments, with caution etched into their very bones. For vigilant individuals like them, it was impossible to trust someone so completely, not even their closest confidants.
Yet Xiao Huayong had entrusted his life to her with such ease. She felt that if she were to pull the trigger on her wrist mechanism now, she could easily end Xiao Huayong's life.Shen Xihe, who had originally intended to gently move him aside and leave, lowered her head to look at him for a moment before letting her hand fall: "After all, I treat you differently from others."
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