Chapter 517: Her Thoughtfulness
Shen Yueshan left early and returned late. Though father and daughter lived as neighbors, Shen Xihe couldn't encounter him unless she intentionally waited, let alone speak with him.
The happiest was undoubtedly Xiao Huayong, who took Shen Xihe hiking through mountains and streams, hunting and flower-seeking, ensuring she had no mood to worry about Shen Yueshan's arrangements in the northwest.
Four leisurely days passed like this. On this day, Shen Yueshan didn't go out but locked himself in his room, forbidding anyone from disturbing him.
Shen Xihe knew this meant he had reached a conclusion—and was utterly certain of the culprit's identity—which was why he appeared so despondent and heartbroken.
Rising early, Shen Xihe heard the news and stood silently outside Shen Yueshan's door. Xiao Huayong accompanied her. Unnoticed, the sun had risen, and Xiao Huayong took an umbrella from Moyu, holding it over Shen Xihe for the entire morning.
By noon, Shen Yueshan finally opened the door, clutching a wine jar. His eyes were bleak and sorrowful, his hair disheveled, giving him a rather disheveled and dejected appearance.
Upon seeing Shen Xihe, his raised arm holding the wine jar suddenly went limp. With a snap, the jar fell to the ground and shattered. The sound, perhaps due to the splashing wine, seemed unusually heavy.
He rushed toward Shen Xihe, wiping the wine from his mouth with his sleeve as he ran, hastily tidying his hair. By the time he stood before her, he had roughly straightened himself up, straining to widen his bloodshot eyes to appear more alert.
"It's Father's fault for making you stand in the sun so long," Shen Yueshan said with guilt and fluster. He wanted to reach out and touch his daughter's arm but, smelling the alcohol on himself and fearing Shen Xihe might dislike it, withdrew his hand. "Father will go bathe right away. Later, I'll take you hunting and accompany you horseback riding..."
"Father." Shen Xihe stepped forward, linking her arm with his. "Youyou wants to drink with you."
Shen Yueshan froze, then scowled. "Not allowed."
Afraid his tone had been too harsh and might have hurt her feelings, he quickly explained in a softer voice, "A young lady's body is delicate and shouldn't drink too much. You've just recovered—don't mistreat yourself."
Shen Xihe didn't insist but glanced at Xiao Huayong. "Your son-in-law wants to drink heartily with you."
"Him?" Shen Yueshan cast a skeptical, scrutinizing look at Xiao Huayong. "He can't either..."
"Father-in-law, this son-in-law can," Xiao Huayong stepped forward, interrupting Shen Yueshan.
Shen Yueshan needed to vent his pent-up frustrations and get thoroughly drunk. Drinking alone would only make him brood more, which wouldn't help him release his emotions. Since Xiao Huayong claimed he could handle it, Shen Yueshan decided to test his capacity. "Let's go."
With a wave, Shen Yueshan led Shen Xihe and Xiao Huayong into the room. The air inside was thick with the smell of alcohol, and several wine jars lay overturned. Only upon entering did Shen Yueshan remember the mess and turned to his daughter with an awkward, ingratiating smile. "Heh heh..."
"Moyu, take some people and clean this up," Shen Xihe instructed calmly. "Tianyuan, go to the village and ask which families have treasured good wine." Buy more and bring them back."
"Acknowledged," Moyu and Tianyuan replied in unison.
"Father, Youyou is married now, no longer a child. You're human too—you don't need to suppress, restrain, or force yourself in front of Youyou all the time," Shen Xihe whispered softly to Shen Yueshan.Shen Yueshan cherished Shen Xihe to the marrow of his bones. No matter how much displeasure and frustration he endured outside, or how severe the wounds and dangers he faced, whenever he came before Shen Xihe, he always appeared impeccably dressed and full of vigor.
Following the support of Shen Xihe’s hand, Shen Yueshan took a seat. He turned his head to look at his daughter, who had moved behind him, and revealed a gratified and heartfelt smile.
Shen Xihe picked up a comb, loosened Shen Yueshan’s hair, and gently combed it. Xiao Huayong had already conscientiously brought over hot water and a clean cloth.
Seeing this, Shen Xihe couldn’t help but glance at him. Their eyes met, and the light in his gaze warmed the depths of her pupils.
He was the Crown Prince. Even though he had once traveled far and wide, and at his most destitute had only needed to be self-reliant, he had likely never before served others in such a manner. He truly regarded everything about her as his own, treating it all with meticulous care.
Shen Yueshan was also slightly taken aback, but he did not stand on ceremony. After washing his hands and wiping his face, Shen Xihe helped him retie his hair into a topknot. He then stood up to freshen up further, and by the time he returned, several jars of wine had already been set out.
Shen Xihe lit a fire in the room’s fire pit, roasting meat while simultaneously simmering porridge.
Shen Yueshan and Xiao Huayong drank together. In high spirits, Shen Yueshan shared stories of Shen Xihe’s childhood, and even some of his own youthful recklessness. Xiao Huayong listened, occasionally asking a question or two. When Shen Xihe finished preparing the porridge, she served a bowl to each of them before leisurely eating her own.
After Shen Yueshan had downed two more jars of wine, Shen Xihe tossed a piece of fragrant spice into the fire pit. An intoxicating aroma slowly spread through the air. Xiao Huayong, who had been closely watching Shen Xihe’s every move, immediately began to breathe cautiously as soon as he saw her add the spice.
Sure enough, Shen Yueshan, who had remained sober despite drinking heavily, soon began to show signs of drunkenness and collapsed after just a few moments.
Xiao Huayong also felt dizzy—a sensation strikingly similar to the dizziness of drunkenness, even though he had barely drunk any wine…
Shen Xihe handed him a scent satchel. Xiao Huayong grabbed it and took two deep breaths, and the dizziness gradually faded away.
“This spice is made by repeatedly infusing it with the aroma of strong liquor, poured over and burned dry. Once ignited, the scent of the wine becomes intoxicating,” Shen Xihe explained.
Finally relieved, Xiao Huayong looked at Shen Yueshan, who had collapsed and was gently covered with a cloak by Shen Xihe, and couldn’t help but smile. “Youyou, you are exceedingly considerate toward those you hold dear.”
She had not admonished Shen Yueshan, nor had she stopped him from venting his emotions in this way. Instead, she had even encouraged him to indulge freely, while also worrying that excessive drinking might harm his health. At the appropriate moment, she had lit the spice, allowing Shen Yueshan to wake up having thoroughly drowned his sorrows in drunkenness.
The pent-up frustrations in his heart had likely dissipated like the wind. Moreover, Shen Xihe had added some medicinal powder to their porridge to counteract the effects of alcohol and had now replaced the spice with a calming fragrance for Shen Yueshan, sparing him the agony of a hangover upon waking.
“When one puts their heart into something, it naturally becomes meticulous,” Shen Xihe said. If she were not someone who paid attention with her heart, how could she have perceived Xiao Huayong’s devotion?
Xiao Huayong shook his head and smiled. This was not merely a matter of putting one’s heart into things—some people, despite their efforts, could still make a mess of everything.
“If one day I were to face a great upheaval and sought to vent my feelings in the same way, would Youyou permit it?” Xiao Huayong asked, looking at Shen Xihe with anticipation.
In this world, who could claim to sail through life without any hardships? Everyone encounters unexpected changes, and everyone accumulates frustrations that knot in their hearts.But the times are too difficult for a man to allow himself to sink into despondency, nor to let those close to him see...
"Human emotions are like floodwaters—if dammed without release, they will inevitably lead to disaster." Shen Xihe gazed at him. "Not only do I permit it, I will accompany you through it."
Next update at 1 PM.
(End of Chapter)
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