The prince longs for me every night after mastering thought-reading
Chapter 185 - 184: The Vinegar Jar is Overturned

Chapter 185: Chapter 184: The Vinegar Jar is Overturned

Shen Chuwei was at a loss for words.

The entire East Palace belonged to Xiao Jinyan, what did it matter if a concubine’s waist was looked at?

Although true, it felt different when it happened to oneself.

Xiao Jinyan asked, "Hungry?"

"Hungry," Shen Chuwei touched her empty stomach and said, "I haven’t eaten in six meals, how could I not be?"

Xiao Jinyan instructed, "Chun Xi, prepare some food."

"This servant will prepare it right away." Chun Xi ran into the small kitchen. With Gui Xiang’s little rabbit helping out, a sumptuous meal was quickly ready.

Shen Chuwei, looking at the three dishes and one soup in front of her, smelling the aroma of the food, felt even hungrier.

She picked up the chopsticks and was about to start eating when she raised her eyes to Xiao Jinyan sitting opposite her and asked with curiosity, "Your Highness, aren’t you eating?"

Xiao Jinyan replied, "This palace has already eaten lunch."

"Then this concubine will eat," Shen Chuwei eagerly started on the braised ribs, accompanied by the fragrant rice, it was especially delicious.

She loved everything that was braised.

Xiao Jinyan leisurely sipped his tea, watching Shen Chuwei eat. Somehow, the more he watched, the more he found it pleasing to the eye.

Xiao Jinyan set down his teacup, "Lu Zhaoyan has found a way to lift the curse, and it has just been lifted."

"Lord Lu is so impressive; he can read palms and even lift curses," Shen Chuwei said with admiration in her face.

Xiao Jinyan’s eyes darkened for a moment, his voice deepened, "Since when have you been so sweet-tongued?"

Shen Chuwei was unmodest, "Born with it."

"..." Xiao Jinyan pressed, "How do you know he’s that impressive?"

Shen Chuwei replied, "This concubine has had her palm read by him, and it was incredibly accurate."

Xiao Jinyan became interested, "What did he say?"

"He said this concubine would face a rough destiny, that at a young age she would experience such a tragic fate. However, Lord Lu said I am also a person with good fortune and will never have to worry about food and clothing in the future."

Shen Chuwei did not tell the truth. After all, she had traveled from the modern world. If Xiao Jinyan knew that, he might think she was possessed by a ghost and call a Daoist to exorcise her, wouldn’t he?

Xiao Jinyan nodded in agreement, indeed, one could only possess a body if dead, which is certainly a rough fate. It’s no lie that she’s fortunate, with him around, she won’t have to worry about needs.

"Didn’t he say anything else?"

Shen Chuwei’s chewing paused, then she shook her head.

It was strange, Lord Lu liked to calculate people’s marital fate, how could he possibly not calculate Shen Chuwei’s?

Xiao Jinyan, although curious, did not ask further, "Do you feel unwell in any way?"

Shen Chuwei took a moment to assess herself. Although her waist felt sore from sleeping too much, after eating two bowls of rice, she felt nothing else.

She shook her head, "This concubine feels no discomfort."

Xiao Jinyan felt slightly relieved, "Then that’s good."

Shen Chuwei had been recuperating for two days and was recovering well.

Concubine Xu had been restless and finally came to visit.

Upon entering Hehuan Hall, before Concubine Xu even appeared, her voice was already heard.

"Finally, I can come in. I’ve been turned away twice; I even suspected you were quarantined."

Shen Chuwei asked Chun Xi to prepare tea and melon seeds to entertain Concubine Xu.

Concubine Xu wasn’t picky, grabbing the melon seeds and cracking them open.

Shen Chuwei had spent these days mostly in a sleepy haze, only aware of Xiao Jinyan’s restrictions because Chun Xi told her.

"I’ve been unwell these past few days, resting continuously."

"It’s understandable. His Highness is also at fault, even if unwell there was no need to block us. We had no idea about your condition. The whole East Palace was spreading rumors that you wouldn’t live long, and I almost believed them," complained Concubine Xu unabashedly.

Shen Chuwei’s mouth twitched. In just a few days, things had escalated to this?

"Day after day, I can’t see His Highness, and I can’t see you either. Can’t even play a game of Fight the Landlord to pass the time," Concubine Xu truly was frustrated, seizing the opportunity to vent her complaints.

Shen Chuwei, munching on melon seeds, listened to Concubine Xu’s complaints, still puzzled why she couldn’t see His Highness every day.

Could it be that His Highness wasn’t distributing his attention equally?

Concubine Xu, originally suffocating with boredom, came to drink some tea, crack some melon seeds, vent some complaints, and then left.

When Lady Shen was around, Concubine Xu could go and brawl with her to relieve boredom, but now that she’s been sent to the Cold Palace, even the joy of bickering was gone.

The news that Shen Chuwei was not only fine but also in good spirits began to spread once more.

"Little Master, I heard that Lady Shen in Hehuan Hall has fully recovered, and Concubine Xu even went to visit," Huai Xiang immediately told her master upon hearing the news.

Lady Chang’s tea drinking paused, lifting her eyes in disbelief toward Huai Xiang, "Are you certain you didn’t hear wrong?"

"This servant did not hear wrong, Concubine Xu just came out from Hehuan Hall," Huai Xiang affirmed with confidence.

Lady Chang lost her appetite for tea, with the eagerly anticipated events turning out contrary to her hopes, how could she not feel disappointed?

Shen Chuwei was too lucky. How could she turn danger into safety?

She gripped the handkerchief in her hand tightly, thought for a long time, and then whispered to Huai Xiang, "Prepare some pastries, I’ll write a letter to my mother, and you send it out of the palace along with them."

"Yes, this servant will go prepare at once." Huai Xiang went to the small kitchen.

Huai Xiang was quick, preparing a plate of pastries and placing them into a food container.

Lady Chang also finished writing her letter, slipped it into an envelope, and handed it to Huai Xiang, "Make sure no one sees the letter, understand?"

"This servant understands." Huai Xiang left Xinlan Hall carrying the food container.

Lady Chang scoffed, "Lady Shen, I have the Empress backing me, I have the support of my family, and you have nothing, why should you compete with me for the position of Crown Princess?"

*

Perhaps because she had slept too much in the past few days, she was no longer sleepy when nap time arrived.

Shen Chuwei lifted her skirt and crouched in the corner, looking at the little gray rabbit. She had not been paying much attention to it these past days and had now noticed it had gotten fatter.

It was originally a wild rabbit, but now it was all fleshed out, and probably couldn’t run as fast anymore.

"Confess to me honestly, did you put on all this belly fat just so your master would have a few more bites of meat?"

Xiao Jinyan had just entered when he heard this remark; he knew Shen Chuwei had been thinking about rabbit meat but hadn’t expected her to want it so soon.

This rabbit was only four months old, not yet fully grown.

His gaze fell on the gray rabbit’s body, and if he didn’t say it was a wild rabbit, no one would be able to tell. It was plump and round, squatting by the flowers, it was just a lump with sluggish limbs.

In the imperial hunting grounds, wild rabbits had strong limbs and could jump and run.

Imperial Doctor Wen peeked out from behind, glanced at the rabbit, and, hearing Lady Shen’s words, found it quite endearing.

Shen Chuwei poked at the rabbit’s soft belly, her tone full of threat, "If you don’t slim down, I might have to roast you."

Xiao Jinyan cleared his throat, "Lady Shen."

Upon hearing his voice, Shen Chuwei looked up to find Xiao Jinyan standing behind her. She gathered her skirt and bowed, "Your Highness."

Xiao Jinyan said, "I have instructed Imperial Doctor Wen to take your pulse and see how your recovery is progressing."

Shen Chuwei was taken aback for a moment. She hadn’t forgotten Xiao Jinyan’s words about serving him once her body was well.

She just hadn’t expected Xiao Jinyan to be so eager to have Imperial Doctor Wen check her health.

If the check-up revealed no problems, did that mean they would proceed with her serving him in bed...