The two were lost in their sweet affection, drawing many onlookers to stop and stare.
Fortunately, it was within the official compound, with not too many idle people around.
Everyone prided themselves on being scholars and naturally wouldn't stare intently like gossiping women from the marketplace.
Envy was envy, but it was merely a few more glances directed at Shen Yun.
Especially when colleagues from the Hanlin Academy, who had gone out to eat at restaurants, returned and passed by them, they couldn't help but take another look.
Shen Yun's meal, however, became a singular affair.
"Husband, please go in and eat quickly. We won't delay you," Su Xiaoqi urged softly.
Though the people coming and going were not numerous, they were not few either, and she feared drawing gossip about Shen Yun.
But Shen Yun paid it no mind, and even comforted her, "Does my wife not want to know where Chai Zilin is?"
Su Xiaoqi's heart stirred, and she instinctively asked, "Where is he?"
Shen Yun's eye twitched, "My wife cares about him more than she cares about her husband."
Su Xiaoqi shot him a glare, chiding, "I was entrusted by someone, and I must see it through."
Shen Yun knew she was referring to the message previously sent via Zhang Yu.
"He escaped and wasn't caught," Shen Yun said.
"Though he isn't caught now, we don't know about a few days from now," Shen Yun added leisurely.
"Husband, could you help him?" Su Xiaoqi asked tentatively.
Shen Yun frowned, realizing Su Xiaoqi was serious. He said, "Do you know that the Prince Ning's mansion has offered a reward for his capture? If caught, he will surely die."
Shen Yun said this to let Su Xiaoqi know that this person was difficult to protect.
One had to remember that the Grand Princess had not had a certain victory when contending with the Prince Ning's mansion.
Moreover, given their current status and position, they were no match for the Prince Ning's mansion.
"But he did this merely to seek justice," Su Xiaoqi tried to defend the man, but as she spoke, she felt her own arguments were weak.
Regardless of why Chai Zilin acted, he had severed Shen Fu's lineage.
For him, he had avenged Ziling.
But for Shen Fu and the Shen family, he had incurred a debt of vengeance.
Thus, when does retribution ever cease?
Of course, Su Xiaoqi's thoughts did not mean she entirely agreed with this notion.
Although revenge never truly stopped, some grievances still needed to be addressed. Otherwise, some people would think the world belonged to them and they could do as they pleased.
Someone had to come forward to uphold a so-called justice and make them realize that the world was not theirs to exploit at will.
It was just that Chai Zilin's chosen method made it rather difficult for Su Xiaoqi to speak of.
Perhaps he could have planned more strategically, at least to extricate himself.
Look at him now, seeking swift justice, but causing those who cared for him to worry incessantly.
Although Ziling said nothing, seeing her swollen eyes from crying, Su Xiaoqi could imagine her constant worry for him each day.
Su Xiaoqi sighed softly and asked Shen Yun how he could be saved.
"Why does my wife insist on saving him?" Shen Yun didn't say it aloud, nor did he show it on his face, but he felt a pang of jealousy.
Chai Zilin was an outsider, and why should his little wife worry about him so much?
"Husband, are you jealous?" Su Xiaoqi suddenly understood, looking at Shen Yun with her large, luminous peach blossom eyes.
As they spent more time together, she felt she could basically see through the mask on Shen Yun's face.
Just like now, although his expression was calm, a layer of unyielding gloom was etched around his eyes.
His narrowed eyes flickered with a dim light, showing that he was displeased.
Shen Yun leaned closer to Su Xiaoqi, using the carriage's body for cover, caressing her chin, and sighed softly:
"Since my wife is so concerned about others, why not be more concerned about your husband."
"Husband, for some reason, I always feel that this Shen Fu is not of the same path as us.
No, based on his actions, he definitely won't walk the same path as us.
But he might become our formidable rival in the future."
Su Xiaoqi couldn't quite explain why, but she suddenly thought of this.
"He's not worthy yet," Shen Yun's tone was light, but Su Xiaoqi heard it as heavy as a thousand pounds.
Perhaps Shen Yun didn't truly look down on Shen Fu.
But in the depths of his heart, he chose to despise him.
Su Xiaoqi knew he genuinely disliked him.
Without any need for a reason, perhaps Shen Yun, like her, felt the pressure Shen Fu exerted on them.
"Husband, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Let's save him. Perhaps he will help us one day."
Su Xiaoqi thought of the words "good karma" that Zhao Xiaohua loved to quote.
Su Xiaoqi acted coquettishly, her voice soft and sweet, and Shen Yun was already moved.
He said, "To save him, he must disappear from this world."
Su Xiaoqi, upon hearing this, thought Shen Yun was teasing her.
Saving him and making him disappear from this world were contradictory.
If he disappeared, would there still be a need to save him?
"No, you mean..." Su Xiaoqi murmured, and then suddenly understood.
"That's right, it's exactly what my wife is thinking.
I've come up with the idea, now it's up to my wife." Shen Yun spread his hands.
"Okay, I understand." Su Xiaoqi became delighted, stood on tiptoe, and lightly brushed Shen Yun's chin before leaning in to kiss his lips.
Shen Yun's heart stirred, and his hands instinctively tightened around her slender waist.
The carriage curtain fell, obscuring their figures and blocking prying eyes.
"Hey, is that Brother Shen's carriage up ahead?" a rough voice called out.
Su Xiaoqi was startled and quickly struggled out of Shen Yun's embrace.
Shen Yun chuckled, pointing to the curtain covering them, implying they were completely hidden, and that no one had seen what they had just done.
"Husband..." Su Xiaoqi playfully writhed in his arms, feigning annoyance.
"My wife, you are truly a vixen. We'll talk about this when we get back." Shen Yun felt that some things that should have been done long ago needed to be put on the agenda.
"Brother Shen, it is indeed you. Have you eaten?" Chang Wanqing walked up and, seeing Shen Yun from the side, greeted him enthusiastically.
Shen Yun tidied Su Xiaoqi's messy hair from her forehead, smiled, and shook his head, saying he hadn't.
"Then it's a coincidence. We haven't eaten either. Yuebin Tower is full, so we've packed some dishes to eat. Why don't we go in and eat together."
Shen Yun nodded and asked him to go in first, saying he would be there shortly.
"Oh, isn't this sister-in-law? Is she bringing you food?" Chang Wanqing, with a look of a simpleton, looked at the servant standing not far from the carriage, holding a red lacquered food box.
Shen Yun nodded.
Su Xiaoqi had also calmed her emotions and curtsied to Chang Wanqing.
Unexpectedly, she saw Xi Jianzhi.
He stood beside Chang Wanqing, and when he saw her, an unutterable emotion flashed in his eyes, but he quickly drew closer, nodded at her, and cupped his hands in greeting.