Chapter 6, Everyone who goes out is a flower admirer

After Shen Qi got into the carriage, he lay down on the table and paid no attention to Han Chen

Shen Qi looked at Han Chen, and could even imagine his answer, "I just like her, but you used despicable means to tear us apart. If you could turn a blind eye, we could still get along; otherwise..." Shen Qi did not dare to think further. At this moment, she did not have the courage to ask, and after enduring such great grievances, she could not even question him.

Upon returning to the Wangfu, Shen Qi was clearly awake, yet she feigned sleep in Han Chen's embrace, allowing him to carry her down from the horse and then back to her room.

Han Chen lightly tapped her lips and said, "Don't worry, are you afraid that Gu won't be able to catch any prey and leave you hungry?" Han Chen helped Shen Qi out of the car, "Are you riding together with Gu or riding alone?"

Du Shi followed closely behind her, feeling dejected

"Are you leaving?" There was a sense of reluctance in Mei Ruohan's voice

"I am not cold, Fifth Brother," Shen Qijiao pouted.

Mei Ruohan bent down and found an excuse to leave first. Du Shi spat behind her and said: "I don't understand why men are so fond of her type. What is interesting about someone who can be blown over by a gust of wind"

"You, he, you..." Shen Qi is a refined young lady, having never encountered such a rough man, naturally finds it unbearable. If it were not for being beside Han Chan, she would have likely sent her servant to beat that man long ago. However, now in front of Han Chan, she only feels wronged, and tears well up in her eyes.

Huang and Su also sighed, estimating that they had encountered similar issues. "Men are all like this; the novelty lasts only a few days, and you are the one who has truly entered the ancestral hall after death."

Shen Qi's mind had already begun to wonder what Han Chen would do next, could it be that he was going to meet Mei Ruohan in private? Therefore, throughout the meal, she hardly ate anything. As soon as the meal was over, she hurriedly left to find Han Chen

Shen Qi naturally noticed it early on, but was not as quick-tongued or lacking in discernment as the Huang and Su families

"Nonsense, look at your hands, they are so cold." Shen Qingqiu held Shen Qi's hands, an action that was originally inappropriate, but since he had a good relationship with Shen Qi since childhood, everyone was used to it.

If you like it, just take it

"Qiqi, are you late today?" As Shen Qiqi was about to step into the Huaxue Hall, she saw her fifth brother waving at her

Shen Qi frowned, looking at the dark, shiny tables and chairs, unwilling to sit down. "Have you eaten here before?"

"Not ugly, not ugly. If you are all ugly, then there would be no beautiful women in the world." Han Chen said with a smile as he pulled down Shen Qi's hand

"Sister Mei," Shen Qitian called out sweetly

Shen Qi followed Han Chan's men, who had already brought hunting dogs waiting nearby, indicating that he was indeed prepared for the hunt. The group arrived at the forested area on the outskirts, where the young servant rode a horse, leading the hunting dogs to drive the prey towards Han Chan's location. He drew arrows from the quiver on his back, hitting every target without fail. It is no wonder that even though it was getting late, he was so confident in his ability to secure enough game.

When the game dish was served, the aroma was enticing, and Shen Qi's appetite was quite stimulated, consuming half a bowl more rice than usual. "Delicious, isn't it? You seem to enjoy your meal more than usual," Han Chen said as he wiped the corner of Shen Qi's mouth.

The last time was merely a stroke of luck for me; Brother Five need not take it to heart. I have some matters to attend to shortly, and I fear I cannot accompany Brother Five to enjoy himself fully.

"Have you cried enough? Are you hungry from crying?" Han Chen spoke up as Shen Qi's sobs began to subside, lifting her face to wipe away her tears

Shen Qi wished she could be like Mei Ruohan, delicate and fragile, evoking sympathy. However, since childhood, her parents had cherished her dearly, placing all kinds of precious supplements in her bowl, and she had hardly been ill throughout her life. "Say a few less words, let's go. If you can't manage your own man, who else can you blame but yourself"

I am going to have a meal now, Fifth Brother. " Shen Qi withdrew his gaze, pulled his hand back, and turned his head, no longer looking at Han Chen. All that could be heard was Shen Qingqiu speaking to Han Chen from behind: "Your Highness, after we finish our meal, how about we have another game of polo? I was not satisfied with the last match.

"Princess, what are you so engrossed in?" Du's voice sounded from behind Shen Qi.

Indeed, those who appear aloof and proud on the surface often possess the most seductive nature; which man can resist their allure? You all need to be cautious.

After Han Chen left, another person slowly approached from that direction, and it was Mei Ruohan.

Shen Qingqiu reached out and touched Shen Qi's forehead, saying, "Why are you dressed so lightly on such a cold day?" Shen Qingqiu frowned as he looked at Shen Qi, unfastened his fox fur coat, and draped it over Shen Qi's greatcoat. "Wuxiu, go fetch a hand warmer for Miss Qi." Wuxiu was Shen Qingqiu's young servant.

Shen Qi could no longer pretend, "Who said I was pretending to sleep?" She kicked her feet, "I was just woken up by Qian'er a moment ago"

"Who is bold enough to provoke your anger?" Han Chen embraced Shen Qi from behind

Du's eyes were filled with tears, and she could only think this way

"Hmm, I felt a bit unwell when I got up this morning." Shen Qi stepped over, as her fifth brother was the most fond of her in the Shen family

Upon seeing Shen Qi return, Qian'er immediately approached. When she discovered that Shen Qi was nestled asleep in Han Chen's embrace, she quickly hushed her voice, fearing to disturb her

Mei Ruohan seemed to be startled, almost losing her balance, "Oh, it is the younger sister of the Shen family."

Han Chen took off the large cloak from outside and spread it on the bench, "Please sit down. If we are to eat game, Old Wang's skills here are the best."

Shen Qi originally intended to ignore Han Chen, but upon hearing his words, she felt even more uneasy and had no choice but to follow him to bid farewell to their master

Hunting, now?" Shen Qi opened his eyes wide

Thus, Shen Qi lay on the desk again, tears dripping down onto the surface of the desk.

Han Chen smiled and said, "Then I won't scare my beloved consort today; let's go have a meal." After saying this, he urged his horse and took Shen Qi back along the road, stopping in front of a seemingly inconspicuous small wine stall by the roadside.

Thank you very much then. Shen Qi turned around and smiled brightly at Du Shi.

You, this person is praising your beauty, why get angry about it? Han Chen did not take this matter to heart

Your daughter is quite thoughtful, and these snacks are unique. Shen Qi glanced at the food on the plates, all marked with the character for plum, including crispy plum petals, pickled plums with a plum flavor, and even the sunflower seeds were flavored with plum.

Sister Mei, please come to our residence when you have time in the future" Shen Qi said with a smile, as she had something on her mind, her face showing even more warmth.

Shen Qi used to feel indifferent, but ever since she got married and had not seen Shen Qingqiu for a long time, she suddenly felt a bit unaccustomed when he held her hand like that. She secretly glanced at Han Chen, only to find him looking at her as well, with a contemplative expression and a hint of a smile that was rich in irony at the corners of his mouth

"Oh, this young lady is truly beautiful," a coarse male voice came from the next table. "In my whole life, I have never seen such a handsome young lady."

"It is already afternoon, how much longer can we hunt?" Shen Qi pouted.

Why are you angry again? You are truly a miser. I am about to leave; does my beloved want to leave with me?

Shen Qiben was originally skilled at horseback riding, and one could even say her equestrian skills were quite good, but she suddenly recalled Mei Ruohan's frailty and said, "I cannot ride a horse"

After the maid was sent away, Shen Qi said: "What are you making a scene for? Miss Mei hasn't offended you. If you have the ability, why don't you go back and deal with that woman?" Shen Qi could not stand seeing these women being bullied elsewhere, yet taking it out on unrelated people.

Ah, among us, you need not worry about that person with the surname Mei at all. She is not even worth a single finger of yours. Just look at how well the prince treats you, even personally going to buy clothes for you

As for the matter of Han Chan buying clothes for Shen Qi, Shen Qi did not know who had spread the news. However, at this moment, it was also quite good for people to see her and Han Chan as a loving couple. Sometimes, even though this layer of illusion is tightly woven, it cannot be torn apart. "Is it time to have a meal?"

Indeed, I originally intended to bring you here this morning, but you insisted on going to that Meihua Society. Although the dishes are exquisite, one cannot possibly fill their stomach in such an environment

Shen Qi and her companions began to walk out. Near the Huaxue Hall, Shen Qi saw Han Chen suddenly coming around the corner. She intended to greet him, but recalling the earlier scene, she abruptly halted her steps. To her surprise, as Han Chen passed by their group, he merely cast a faint glance at them and nodded slightly before moving on. Shen Qi slightly parted her lips but could not call out. This was solely because the glance Han Chen had given her was too indifferent, as if she were merely a blade of grass by the roadside, completely unworthy of his attention.

Shen Qi twisted her body, turned her head to stare at Han Chen, ready to ask a question, but saw him looking at her with a warm smile. Yet that smile seemed like a mere veil; as soon as she asked, it would vanish. His eyes were fixed on her, as if urging her to speak, to say something. Shen Qi had a strong intuition that once she voiced her thoughts, everything might change, and it would be irreversible.

"Hehe, let's go hunting; only by hunting can we have something to eat." Han Chen halted the carriage

Upon hearing his words, Shen Qi felt as if everything was her fault. If it had not been for her insistence on going to the Plum Blossom Society, perhaps he and Mei Ruohan would not have had those incidents.

Shen Qishuang covered her face with both hands and said, "Don't look, I must look terrible." Shen Qi didn't even need to look to know that her eyes were definitely swollen like peaches.

Shen Qi smiled a little shyly; she was still not accustomed to such intimacy in front of others. However, seeing Han Chen show no hesitation in expressing his affection for her in front of outsiders, she felt a sweet warmth in her heart. The earlier unpleasantness had long been forgotten.

Shen Qi now understands why Du Shi never favored Mei Ruohan from the beginning. It seems that this Du San is also under the charm of Mei Ruohan, and he is quite infatuated. For the sake of a concubine who bears only a slight resemblance, he has cast aside his legitimate wife. "Are you just going to let that woman ride over you?" Shen Qi glanced at Du Shi.

Seeing Han Chen in such good spirits, Shen Qi felt it was inappropriate to say anything. However, she had never eaten in such a humble place before and could not understand how Han Chen, being a prince, ended up being brought to such a location.

"You look the best when you are angry." Han Chan did not feel embarrassed at all; he truly had the air of a seasoned player in the realm of romance.

Shen Qi was about to get angry upon hearing this, glaring at Han Chen, but he showed no reaction. "What are you..." Shen Qi kicked Han Chen under the table.

Shen Qi saw Mei Ruohan looking guilty and immediately understood what was going on. It was likely that during the previous period, she and Han Chen had been inseparable. Shen Qi was aware of Han Chen's private affections, which made her feel a pang of jealousy.

Then your ... ... '' Shen Qi originally wanted to quickly say, "Isn't your Mei girl beautiful as well?" But in the end, she held back. She couldn't speak such petty words like Du Shi and the others, causing men to feel frustrated. What she needed was to find her own shortcomings. "I am actually a bit hungry." Shen Qi quickly changed the subject.

Yes, they just came to invite us to the Huaxue Hall

"Since you are awake, why haven't you come down yet?" Han Chen smiled as he glanced at Shen Qihuan's arm resting on his neck

Hmm

Shen Qi saw Han Chan's heroic demeanor and was initially eager to try. However, upon reflecting on the bloodiness of hunting, she felt that learning it would diminish her feminine softness, leading her to think later that she had become heartless, which would not be worth it. She could only say: "No, it's too frightening."

Shen Qi, blushing, finally released her hand and jumped down from Han Chen's embrace, "Qian'er, attend to my grooming." Shen Qi almost fled in a panic, leaving Han Chen behind her, laughing heartily. Qian'er, on the other hand, covered her mouth, afraid to laugh out loud.

Shen Qi felt very wronged, and with his actions, she felt even more aggrieved, bursting into tears with a "Wow." Han Chen merely patted her back to comfort her, no longer asking questions, as if he understood everything in his heart.

Hmm. Mei Ruohan turned her head away from Shen Qi, as she still held a grudge against him.

Shen Qi had no idea that she would see Mei Ruohan, the hostess who had not appeared for a long time today, through the telescope. In the plum grove, there was also a man wearing a purple robe, someone Shen Qi was extremely familiar with

"Why are you crying again? No wonder people say that daughters from the south are made of water. I think you must be made of snow, as you start to melt as soon as it gets warm." Han Chen cupped Shen Qi's face and wiped away her tears

"Old Wang, please send a basin of the game we just prepared to those gentlemen as well, and thank them for their compliments to my wife," Han Chen said loudly

However, in Shen Qi's eyes, this meant that Han Chen did not care about her. She was his wife, being teased by others, yet he remained indifferent.

"Old Wang, take these game meats and prepare a feast for us." As soon as Bian Zhuo dismounted, he threw the wild game to the owner of the wine stall.

Shen Qi glanced and could hardly imagine a day when Han Chen would be like this; she just thought that she must not resign herself to fate like Du Shi and the others. Feeling a bit of a sense of shared sorrow, Shen Qi took a telescope to the railing, using the opportunity to look around and escape the resentment emanating from Du Shi. Du Shi and Su Huang were still discussing matters inside the house.

The several men repeatedly expressed their gratitude; they were indeed sincere individuals. They merely felt that Shen Qi was exceedingly beautiful, which prompted them to speak a few extra words. However, their demeanor did not convey any intention to approach and offend her.

Although Shen Qi could not see Mei Ruohan's eyes clearly through the telescope, she could imagine how captivating they must be. The two merely gazed at each other, their expressions filled with a poignant longing as if they were about to hold hands and weep. Shen Qi saw Mei Ruohan suddenly leap into Han Chen's embrace; Han Chen was momentarily taken aback before gently pushing her away. Shen Qi felt a slight sense of comfort, but then noticed that Han Chen seemed to glance in her direction. Instinctively, she stepped back, only to remember that she was at a height and a distance where Han Chen could not possibly have noticed her, which steadied her heart. The next scene made her feel as if her heart was being twisted and fried in hot oil. Shen Qi stared at the two who were embracing and kissing, unsure of how to react.

"Dealing with that woman? You have no idea how much Du San treasures her. Just by looking at her a little longer, Du San is afraid I might devour her." Du's heart was filled with bitterness, and tears were already welling up in his eyes.

Han Chen suddenly pecked at Shen Qi's lips with a grin, startling her so much that she quickly covered her mouth and immediately buried her head in Han Chen's embrace, "How could you..."

Shen Qi's body stiffened, deliberately ignoring Han Chen, "Hmph."

Du looked visibly upset and said, "We won't eat, we won't eat. Are we reincarnated starving ghosts, thinking about food all day long?"

"It doesn't matter, she is just pretending to be asleep," Han Chen said with a smile to Qian Er

Shen Qi is now naturally unable to get angry, her face flushed as she lowers her head, and no one dares to look at her

Han Chen turned over and mounted the horse, extending his hand to Shen Qi, "Come." With a gentle pull, he brought Shen Qi into his embrace. Shen Qi leaned against his chest, a triumphant smile spreading across her face

"It's nothing, I just find this little thing quite interesting, so I am looking around." Shen Qi was not surprised by the calmness in her voice; she did not want anyone to witness the scene from earlier. Because none of this would last, she would eventually have to put an end to Mei Ruohan's thoughts, so there was no need for Du and the others to know about her predicament.

Do you want to learn, my beloved consort

Just as this was said, a maidservant entered to attend to them, saying, "My young lady has sent me to bring some snacks for the ladies."

"Is the beloved consort looking for me?" Han Chen's voice suddenly came from Shen Qi's ear