Shen Yun pondered for a long time before finally asking, "Does my wife truly like it?"
Seeing Shen Yun bring up the jade pendant repeatedly, Su Xiaoqi knew he was suspicious. She quickly shook her head and denied it vehemently.
"I don't, I didn't, I don't like it..."
"It's made of mutton-fat jade, it looks quite valuable!" Shen Yun said with a smile.
Su Xiaoqi tugged at the corner of her mouth and reminded him with a forced smile, "We don't lack money right now. If my husband likes it, I'll go ask for it. I'm sure he'll be very happy for me to return."
Shen Yun turned his head and said, "Good."
Good… good, what's good about it?
Su Xiaoqi was aghast. She gently pushed Shen Yun and said, "Hey, husband, can you please be more lucid? If I accept the jade pendant, it means you and I acknowledge his status, and you'll have to return to the Prince's manor. Don't tell me you don't know this."
Su Xiaoqi really wanted to grab Shen Yun's sleeve and shake him awake. She strongly suspected that he had drunk too much tea earlier when he was with Prince Ning because he was too awkward, and it had flowed back into his brain. He had always been indifferent to Shen Zhongwen. How could his attitude change so suddenly?
Su Xiaoqi said, "It's not for the sake of that jade pendant, is it? It can't be, it really can't be." It couldn't be that Shen Yun would sell himself for it! She had ways to get it if she wanted it.
Shen Yun, however, said, "If the heir of Prince Ning had not met with misfortune, then of course it would be best if I didn't return. But now, the entire Prince Ning's manor is within reach, why shouldn't I take it?"
Shen Yun said this with a calm expression, as if he were asking Su Xiaoqi what to eat today.
Shen Yun's calm and detached demeanor truly shocked Su Xiaoqi. Looking at Shen Yun, she felt as if she were looking at a stranger. She felt as if she had never truly known him.
Shen Yun hadn't expected that by telling Su Xiaoqi the truth, he had actually frightened her. He became somewhat anxious and grabbed Su Xiaoqi's hand, saying, "Wife, are you scared?" Scared of him, who was so scheming and calculating?
Su Xiaoqi wanted to nod, but she felt it would hurt Shen Yun too much. So she evasively and delicately replied, "No, no. It's not… actually…" She couldn't continue. Although she felt that there were many annoying people in Prince Ning's manor, it was understandable to scheme against them. However, she recalled that Shen Yun had always emphasized to Prince Ning that he wouldn't return, yet now he was telling her that they should take what they could from Prince Ning's manor. These two statements were clearly a paradox. If Shen Yun refused to return, he wouldn't get anything from Prince Ning's manor. To obtain everything in Prince Ning's manor, he would have to return. This meant he would abandon Madam Zhao, Mingzhu, and possibly even her. Although things hadn't reached that point yet, Su Xiaoqi knew that once Shen Yun returned to Prince Ning's manor, they would surely look down on her due to her background. Shen Yun could be the heir of Prince Ning's manor, but she could never be the heir's consort! Of course, she wasn't interested in the so-called heir's consort. She just didn't want her life trajectory to be controlled by others.
Su Xiaoqi thought a great deal, and the more she thought, the more uneasy she felt. If Shen Yun's choice was Prince Ning's manor, she felt she would have to make another choice. She wouldn't go into the manor with him. No matter how well that manor was built or how exquisitely it was decorated, it housed so many people she disliked. From a distance, she could pretend to ignore them. But if she were to live there, she was sure that even with her psychology background, she would be driven to despair.
Su Xiaoqi was so engrossed in her thoughts that Shen Yun called out to her several times without a response. He was startled and quickly cupped her cheeks, gently stroking them, and softly called out, "Wife, come back, don't overthink things."
"Ah… I, I can't help but overthink," Su Xiaoqi's mind was in a mess, and she hadn't managed to suppress those chaotic thoughts. She tried her best to pretend that nothing had happened, but the expression on her face fully indicated that she was thinking too far ahead. So far that she couldn't retract her thoughts for a moment.
"Wife, Mother, Mingzhu, and Zhao Ge'er, you are all indispensable people in my life. I would give up anything but you all." Status, fame, power were all external possessions. If he had to abandon the four most important people in his life for these things, he would rather not have them. Therefore, his statement about obtaining everything in Prince Ning's manor did not mean he would abandon them.
Su Xiaoqi's eyes lit up, and she hesitated, "However, Prince Ning's manor would not allow you to act according to your own wishes." Prince Ning was alright; he seemed to be the most reasonable among them. But the old Prince Ning had prevented Shen Yun's father, Shen Zhongwen, once sixteen years ago. Sixteen years later, as long as he wished, he could still prevent Shen Yun once. He had lived for so long and had led Prince Ning's manor to its peak. He was already a seasoned elder. Although Shen Yun was also very capable, he was still a junior in front of the old Prince Ning. The elder had a natural seniority over him. If Shen Yun obeyed him, it would be a happy occasion in his eyes. But if he disobeyed, a show of anger and the pressure of filial piety would be enough for Shen Yun to handle. Therefore, it wasn't that Su Xiaoqi lacked confidence in Shen Yun, but that Shen Yun did not possess the hard power to deal with him.
Shen Yun embraced Su Xiaoqi tightly after hearing her concerns. "You've worried my wife," Shen Yun said comfortingly. "My wife, rest assured, if Prince Ning's manor can be taken, I'll take it. If not, even if I take a step back, I am still your husband, Mother's son, and Mingzhu and Zhao Ge'er's elder brother." Shen Yun's voice was low when he said this, but his words were firm. Su Xiaoqi could hear his resolve. She softly hummed in response. She proactively hugged Shen Yun, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed his chin. Her lips were soft and tender, moist and yielding, making Shen Yun's heart tremble. He quickly lowered his head to find her lips. Their lips met, like golden wind and jade dew meeting, surpassing countless encounters in the mortal world. Just as they were entwined and unable to part, footsteps sounded in the courtyard. Su Xiaoqi heard them and quickly pushed Shen Yun away. Her cheeks were flushed, her ears faintly red, and her eyes were full of allure. Shen Yun looked at her, and before she could react, he lowered his head and kissed her forehead. At this moment, the person outside the door had already barged in. It was Shen Mingzhu. She glanced at the two who appeared as if nothing had happened, then retreated to look at the courtyard, and finally turned back to the door. "Uh, Big Brother, Big Sister-in-law, I, the door wasn't closed, I thought…" Although she hadn't seen anything, her Big Brother and Big Sister-in-law were so close. Thinking about it, they must have been doing something intimate just now. She lowered her head shyly. Su Xiaoqi glared at Shen Yun, calling him a rogue. Shen Yun helplessly rubbed his nose and conveyed with his eyes, "It seems my wife made the first move just now, er, no, it should be the first kiss!"