The prince longs for me every night after mastering thought-reading
Chapter 148 - 147: Caught sneaking instant noodles!

Chapter 148: Chapter 147: Caught sneaking instant noodles!

Xiao Jinyan entered and, glancing at the scene inside, directly took a seat next to Shen Chuwei.

The three people inside the Phoenix Carriage all turned to look at Xiao Jinyan in unison.

The Empress’s eyebrows knitted slightly as she cast a glance at the empty space beside Lady Liang, thinking, isn’t that spacious spot enough for you to sit in?

Xiao Jinyan: "..." It is, I just didn’t want to.

Lady Liang, seeing Xiao Jinyan sitting beside Shen Chuwei, appeared gracious and generous on the surface, but her heart was not at ease. She had deliberately saved a spot for His Highness, yet he chose to ignore it?

Looking again at Shen Chuwei, who was holding Xuetuan, the cat had changed its usual docility as if Shen Chuwei were its rightful owner.

Xiao Jinyan completely ignored Lady Liang’s silent complaints.

Shen Chuwei held Xuetuan and acted as if she were invisible, except that Xiao Jinyan sitting next to her made her as conspicuous as if she were wrapped in high beams of light.

She could feel the glares from the Empress and Lady Liang as if they wanted to devour her.

In her heart, she let out a mournful howl, being the Crown Prince’s concubine is so difficult!!!

Xiao Jinyan: "..." What’s difficult for you? What have you made me out to be?

As the Phoenix Carriage travelled for a while, the inside was so quiet that only the sound of the carriage wheels could be heard.

The Empress’s gaze shifted to the cat in Shen Chuwei’s arms, remarking with curiousity, "The cat in Lady Shen’s arms looks very much like the Crown Prince’s pet, Xuetuan."

Shen Chuwei respectfully answered, "To respond to Her Majesty the Empress, this is indeed His Highness’s pet, Xuetuan."

Surprise flickered in the depths of the Empress’s eyes at the response, so this was actually Xuetuan?

The Empress had first seen Xuetuan five years ago, the day Xiao Jinyan brought it back with him.

At that time, Xiao Jinyu was only eleven years old and knew from a young age he had an elder brother far away in another country.

Overjoyed by the news of his brother’s return, he could hardly contain himself.

When he saw the Xuetuan cradled in Xiao Jinyan’s arms, he wanted to hold it and play for a while.

But to his surprise, the usually gentle cat suddenly lashed out, scratching Xiao Jinyu.

She was heartbroken at the time and would have taken it out on Xuetuan.

Yet before she could get close, Xuetuan pounced towards her.

If Xiao Jinyan hadn’t promptly held Xuetuan, she would have been scratched by the cat as well.

Afterward, when Xiao Jinyu’s wounds had slightly healed, he came to her and said, "My brother’s cat is not used to strangers; only my brother can hold it, no one else can."

"It’s because I loved Xuetuan too much and tried to hold it without asking my brother, it’s not because my brother wanted Xuetuan to scratch me."

The Empress had kept cats herself, which are mostly very tame and wouldn’t scratch people on sight.

Only cats that had been trained could listen to their owner and actively attack people.

Now looking at Shen Chuwei holding Xuetuan, the cat didn’t show any intention of attacking her at all.

"Xuetuan cannot be held by strangers; it scratches anyone who touches it. Why is it so gentle with you?"

Lady Liang also wanted to know why Shen Chuwei could hold Xuetuan without being attacked by it.

She pricked up her ears, intending to learn and give it a try herself.

Xiao Jinyan was equally curious, but he had already asked last time, and the answer seemed somewhat far-fetched.

Shen Chuwei respectfully said, "To reply to Her Majesty the Empress, I do not know why, but the first time I held Xuetuan, it was just as gentle and did not attack me."

"Is that so? Why is it that others are attacked when they hold Xuetuan?" The Empress was clearly skeptical, she hadn’t been oblivious to witnessing Xuetuan attack people; Yuyu was the perfect testament to that.

Shen Chuwei lowered her brows and nodded, "In response to Her Majesty the Empress, I do not know."

The Empress’s phoenix eyes swept toward Xiao Jinyan, "Crown Prince, do you know the reason?"

Xiao Jinyan responded, "To answer Mother Empress, your son is also curious about the reason."

The Empress asked, "You don’t know either?"

Xiao Jinyan: "Yes, Mother Empress."

The Empress’s gaze turned back to Xuetuan in Shen Chuwei’s arms, and although she was puzzled, she did not pursue the matter further.

When they arrived at the White Horse Temple, it was time for the noon day meal.

The group took their vegetarian meal at the White Horse Temple.

The Empress, always particular about her food, found neither the dishes from the Imperial Kitchen nor the vegetarian meal to her taste and could not continue eating after a few bites.

Shen Chuwei, being a food lover and a foodie, found the vegetarian meal not to her liking at all.

She leaned closer to Xiao Jinyan and whispered in his ear, "Your Highness, my stomach feels a bit sore."

It was really just an excuse to slip away.

Xiao Jinyan heard this and asked in a low voice, "Why is your stomach sore? Did you catch a chill?"

Shen Chuwei shook her head, "I do not know."

Xiao Jinyan said, "I will call the Imperial Doctor to take your pulse and have a look."

An Imperial Doctor had been brought along for the trip in case of emergency.

"There’s no need, Your Highness, I just need a moment to relieve myself," Shen Chuwei declined.

Xiao Jinyan’s eyes stalled, he was in the midst of dining–

Shen Chuwei indicated, I didn’t want to spell it out so clearly, you insisted I say it.

Xiao Jinyan instructed, "Be quick and come back soon."

"I understand," Shen Chuwei said, then picking up her skirt, she excused herself and left.

She searched around the courtyard for a while before she finally saw a young monk sweeping the ground.

The young monk, around fifteen or sixteen, was about the height of Xiao Jinyu, with delicate features.

Shen Chuwei ran over with a grin, "Little monk, little monk, do you have hot water?"

The young monk looked up and saw a beautiful girl, taken aback for a moment before raising his hand, "We do, please wait a moment."

Setting down his broom, the young monk turned to fetch the water.

Shen Chuwei did not wait long when the young monk returned with hot water.

The young monk handed the hot water kettle to Shen Chuwei, reminding her, "Careful, it’s hot."

Shen Chuwei noticed not only that the young monk was attractive but he was also attentive, and she smiled, "Thank you, little monk."

"No need for thanks," replied the young monk, picking up his broom once again.

Shen Chuwei was about to leave with the water kettle when she noticed the monk’s tender face reddened by the cold wind. She thought for a moment, then took out a pack of disposable masks from her sleeve, actually using her thoughts to retrieve it from her Space.

These masks were specially for winter, designed to block the wind and keep warm.

She handed the mask to the young monk, "Here, this is for you."

The young monk hastily refused, "I can’t accept this, I have taken vows."

"It’s just a mask," said Shen Chuwei, fearing he wouldn’t know how to wear it, she took one out and demonstrated, "It’s worn like this."

The young monk’s clear eyes stayed fixed on Shen Chuwei, who wore the mask, revealing only a pair of clear eyes, more dazzling than the stars.

"Thank you for the hot water," Shen Chuwei pushed the mask into the young monk’s hands and quickly left with the hot water kettle.

The young monk looked after Shen Chuwei’s retreating pink form from afar, then looked down at the mask in his hands, standing in a daze for several seconds.

Shen Chuwei sneaked to a corner of the courtyard and took out a tub of Spicy Beef Noodles.

There were plenty of both cup and packet noodles in her Space, in several different flavors.

She tore open the packaging, adding the seasonings one by one, picked up the hot water, and was about to pour it in when a familiar female voice came from above.

"Lady Shen, what are you doing here?"

Isn’t that the voice of the Empress?