The prince longs for me every night after mastering thought-reading-Chapter 25 - Loathe
Chapter 25: Chapter 25: Loathe?
Chapter 25 -25: Loathe?
“You may all rise.”
Xiao Jinyan’s gaze lingered on Shen Chuwei for quite some time before he withdrew his eyes and strode inside.
Eunuch Liu said to Chun Xi, “Hurry and serve the meal.
His Highness hasn’t eaten a bit of his lunch today, and must be hungry by now.”
“Right away, this servant will go prepare it.” Chun Xi walked briskly toward the small kitchen,
and Eunuch Liu ordered two young eunuchs to help her.
Tao Chenghui, full of anticipation, followed His Highness inside with small, quick steps.
This was her first time being so close to His Highness since entering the palace, which made her nervous.
“Your Highness, allow your concubine to brew tea for you,” Tao Chenghui said, somewhat flustered as she started to look for tea leaves.
Xiao Jinyan coldly refused, “No need.” freёnovelkiss.com
Tao Chenghui responded and then stood to the side, waiting.
Shen Chuwei walked in at a leisurely pace, tidying her clothes.
She glanced at Xiao Jinyan, whose handsome features and noble temperament were impossible to ignore.
Yet, he also seemed difficult to approach.
She consciously stood aside to wait.
Chun Xi brought each dish to the table one by one, six dishes and one soup, all appealing in color, aroma, and flavor.
Xiao Jinyan scanned the dishes on the table.
Although he didn’t recognize some of them, they made him hungry, and he looked up at Shen Chuwei, “You all sit as well.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
Tao Chenghui originally wanted to sit next to Xiao Jinyan, but seeing Shen Chuwei sitting far away, she moved her seat next to Shen’s, feeling that it was always safe to be near her.
Chun Xi brought three bowls of steaming rice and placed them in front of the three masters, then stepped aside to wait.
Xiao Jinyan picked up a silver chopstick and took a bite of potato, which melted in his mouth and was quite delicious.
Shen Chuwei kept her eyes on Xiao Jinyan, only picking up her chopsticks to eat after seeing him do so; all the dishes were her favorites.
Tao Chenghui picked up her chopsticks and gave Shen Chuwei a glance, noticing that she was eating quite happily.
Though her eating manners weren’t ugly, they lacked any ladylike refinement.
Ugh!
Isn’t Shen Fengyi afraid that His Highness will dislike her way of eating?
Xiao Jinyan heard this and lifted his eyes to Shen Chuwei.
Indeed, her eating manners were far from ladylike, but not to the point of being off-putting.
When Tao Chenghui looked over, Xiao Jinyan had already looked away, seemingly unconcerned about whether Shen Chuwei’s eating manners were proper.
She picked up a piece of eggplant and put it in her mouth, intending just to eat a couple of polite bites, but found the dish surprisingly delicious, much better than what the Imperial Kitchen prepared.
Seeing that Xiao Jinyan was serving himself a second bowl of rice, Shen Chuwei specially picked up some stir-fried beef for him and placed it in the dish in front of him, “Your Highness, please eat slowly.”
Eunuch Liu saw this and wanted to remind Shen Fengyi that His Highness didn’t eat spicy food, but before he could speak, he saw His Highness pick up the beef and began to eat it leisurely.
Ah, this must be the rumored willingness of His Highness to do anything for his favored concubine.
After realizing what was happening, Eunuch Liu brought a cup of warm water and placed it at His Highness’s right hand.
Xiao Jinyan unobtrusively picked up the cup and took a few sips, then looked up at Shen Chuwei, noticing her non-stop eating, he warned coldly, “Eat slower, be careful of indigestion.”
Tao Chenghui thought His Highness was reminding her, and quickly replied for fear of being too late, “Thank you for the reminder, Your Highness, your concubine will remember.”
In her heart, she was overjoyed.
His Highness was truly the best!
Xiao Jinyan: “…” Was I talking to you?
Shen Chuwei slightly lifted her head, realized the remark wasn’t directed at her, and reassuredly continued eating.
She intended to eat her fill before His Highness finished his meal.
As Xiao Jinyan looked at Shen Chuwei, he found her still devouring her food, having eaten more than half of the stir-fried beef dish without so much as sipping any water.
The tender little mouth turned rosy and vibrant after eating the chili, as if it had been brushed with rouge.
Xiao Jinyan realized he had been staring a bit too long and unnaturally withdrew his gaze, continuing to eat his meal.
Tao Chenghui ate her food in small bites, occasionally glancing up at His Highness.
The exquisite and handsome features of his face, exuding a cold detachment that seemed to keep others at a thousand-mile distance, dissuaded her from attempting to speak.
Usually on a diet and content with just one bowl, tonight she couldn’t resist serving herself a second, mainly because the dishes were so enjoyable.
After eating two bowls of rice, Xiao Jinyan set his chopsticks down, and Chun Xi immediately handed him a wet handkerchief.
Tao Chenghui had only eaten a third of her second bowl when she saw His Highness had already put down his bowl and chopsticks, so she reluctantly did the same.
Shen Chuwei, seeing the rice left in Tao Chenghui’s bowl, was glad she had eaten quickly, otherwise, she would have ended up like Tao Chenghui—
Feeling satisfied, she set her chopsticks down and wiped her mouth with the wet handkerchief Chun Xi handed her.
After finishing the meal, Tao Chenghui didn’t stay long at Xiyun Pavilion and left soon after finding an excuse.
On the way back, Ding Xiang asked in confusion, “Young mistress, His Highness did not ask you to leave; why the rush to go?”
Tao Chenghui explained with a smile, “That’s because you don’t understand.
One must know when to be content.
Look, I’ve been in the East Palace for so long, but only today did I have a close encounter with His Highness and a chance to speak with him.
If I shamelessly stayed longer, I would make myself disliked.”
Ding Xiang suddenly understood, “As the mistress says, it’s the servant who’s foolish.”
“However, the food at Xiyun Pavilion is genuinely delicious.” Though Tao Chenghui felt it was a pity, she knew there would be plenty of opportunities to freeload meals in the future.
*
Seeing Tao Chenghui leaving so abruptly, Shen Chuwei then looked at Xiao Jinyan, who was still seated on the throne, drinking the fresh tea Chun Xi had brewed, with no intention of leaving.
Don’t tell me he plans to stay overnight?
Xiao Jinyan set down his tea cup and said indifferently, “Shen Fengyi, you should rest now.
I will return to my palace.”
Upon hearing this, Shen Chuwei’s eyes sparkled.
She smiled and curtsied, “I respectfully see off Your Highness.”
As Xiao Jinyan stood and passed by Shen Chuwei, he cast his gaze down at her, and even with her head bowed, he could see the upward curve of her lips.
Was she that happy he wasn’t staying overnight?
“Shen Fengyi.”
Shen Chuwei: “Your Highness, your concubine is here.”
Xiao Jinyan: “Tomorrow, accompany me to the welcome banquet for the eldest prince.”
Shen Chuwei only heard the words “welcome banquet” and instantly thought of the many delicacies that would be there, not quite clear on whose welcome it was.
“I have noted it.”
Xiao Jinyan watched her for a moment before finally leaving Xiyun Pavilion.
After His Highness had gone, Chun Xi ran over and asked with confusion, “Young mistress, why didn’t you ask His Highness to stay?”
Shen Chuwei looked back at her with equal confusion, “Why should I have?”
Chun Xi laughed mischievously, “Ah, if His Highness had stayed, you could’ve slept in his service, and then we might have had a little master soon, right?”
Shen Chuwei shook her head, “Sleeping with His Highness is bothersome and tiring; sleeping alone is much more comfortable and relaxing.”
Having shared the bed twice, both times she was terrified to the core, afraid that Xiao Jinyan might pounce on her in a fit of passion.
She couldn’t fight back either, not unless she yearned for a shorter life.
A salted fish takes comfort as it comes.
At those words, Chun Xi’s thoughts raced toward more colorful imaginings.
She covered her face with her hands, “Young mistress, how can you say such things to a servant?
It’s embarrassing me to death.”
Shen Chuwei saw Chun Xi’s blushing face and realized that she had misunderstood the implication of her words, thinking of them in a risqué manner instead.
She didn’t bother explaining; when it comes to a man and a woman sharing a bed, even a jump into the Yellow River couldn’t wash away the implications.
