Chapter 1.6 Shen Qi
"..........."
It was a fine day to wander outside—the kind of day when the air felt light and the streets seemed alive with possibility.
Shen Qi strolled along the bustling market road, her eyes wide with wonder. Every stall she passed seemed to hold a small universe: bright silk scarves fluttering like captured rainbows, skewers of roasted chestnuts sending up curls of fragrant smoke, trinkets that glittered as though they had secrets to tell.
She leaned in closer, studying each item as if it were the most extraordinary treasure she had ever laid eyes on.
She looked at all of it with so much interest; she looked at it like it were the most interesting thing she had seen in her whole lifetime!
It's the best thing ever!! \(||>.>)/
"......."
Mu Xuan, who walked beside her, shifted uneasily from one foot to the other. His fingers toyed with the edge of his sleeve, betraying the restlessness he tried to hide.
He prided himself a good General who could slay his enemies into two without batting an eye, but he looked like a child who had done wrong whenever the two of them walk together.
The silence between them stretched thin, and the air seemed to hum with an awkwardness neither of them dared to break.
« (<.<)] [(>.>) » \(||>.>)/
As you had guessed, today is the promise day.
Shen Qi, being the 'kind' person that she is, as if! Stand true to her promise and accompany Mu Xuan, her SP!! *0*
She just suddenly appeared in front of Mu Xuan without a warning and claimed that her "Second brother", the Second Prince, sent her there to "accompany" him!
So that was why they ended up in this awkward situation, Shen Qi marveling at trinkets while Mu Xuan shifted like he'd rather be anywhere else.
"Uhmm... how about we go and eat first, what do you think?"
Shen Qi who was trying to busy herself in another world, looked at Mu Xuan when he suddenly spoke.
She could only nod her head in agreement, not knowing more what to say in this awkward situation.
Then she quickly looked away not wanting to hold the others gaze in hers, she just felt that the way he looked at her back is awkward in itself.
'Why do I feel awkward? This can't do! How can I capture him if I can't even look him in the eye without feeling like running away!'
Mu Xuan could only bitterly sigh.
The two of them stepped into the Fragrant Restaurant, its carved wooden doors opening to the warm glow of lantern light and the soft murmur of diners.
The Second Prince had already arranged everything in advance, a private room reserved just for them, so all that remained was to sit down and enjoy the meal prepared in their honor.
But despite the good atmosphere and food, the two ate in silence.
In the private room, the only sound was the faint clink of utensils against porcelain, each note echoing louder than words left unsaid.
Neither Shen Qi nor Mu Xuan dared to break the silence, and so the meal passed swiftly, swallowed more out of duty than appetite.
When the last dish was cleared away, they rose almost in unison and slipped back into the street, resuming their stroll.
"Can you wait here for a moment? I just need to buy something."
The awkward atmosphere was first broken by Mu Xuan.
When Shen Qi nods in agreement, Mu Xuan took it as a sign to leave and quickly disappeared from her sight.
His whereabouts unknown.
"Tsk. If only I knew what truly happened between the two of them... then I wouldn't be forced to just go with the flow and look like an idiot. Still, from the clues that I've pieced together, I've managed to somehow form a conjecture. And if that's true, then..."
Shen Qi's thoughts spiraled, her brows knitting as she sank deeper into her own deductions to what truly had happened.
But before she could finish the thread of her reasoning, a voice cut through the air—sharp, familiar, and belonging to the very person she least wished to encounter.
"Hoho.. if this isn't her highness!"
A female voice rang out, laced with mockery, each word dripping with the kind of disdain that made Shen Qi's eyes roll.
The sound made her stand in her place—sharp, familiar, and impossible to ignore.
The loud, mocking voice carried through the street, drawing curious glances from every direction.
One by one, people began to gather, their footsteps quickening as if sensing drama in the air.
Soon, a small crowd had formed, eyes gleaming with anticipation, their hushed whispers weaving together into a restless murmur—everyone waiting for the spectacle to unfold.
"Wow, is that the famed princess?"
"She is so beautiful!"
"Her beauty is comparable to the late Queen, no, she is more beautiful!"
"A beauty that could cause a nation's downfall!!"
"Well, well, well, if this isn't the oh so famed talented third miss of the An Household. By the way, is your face still hurting from last night?"
Shen Qi only answered with a soft smile, as though her tone and words were not mocking. On the surface, the words might have sounded like concern, almost gentle in their phrasing—but beneath that concern lay barbed implications, sharp enough for everyone listening to catch.
"Wow, she's not only beautiful but also has such a sharp tongue!"
It was unknown who said this, but it was someone among the crowd.
The sight of Shen Qi's calm smile was like salt on an open wound.
In an instant, Feng An felt the sting of that night's humiliation flare back to life, her anger surging so fiercely it threatened to spill over.
"I heard that the princess is interested in someone; it's been going around quite a lot recently around the kingdom. I heard that it was the genius young General Li."
Feng An acted unaffected by Shen Qi's words and even smiled kindly to her, but the meaning behind her words was deadly sharp.
The crowd gasped at the revelation, their voices rising in a flurry of excitement. Some praised her boldly, admiring her for having such discerning eyes, while others hissed in disapproval, condemning her shamelessness for daring to covet another's fiancé.
Whispers tangled with laughter and scoffs, the air thick with judgment and curiosity as the onlookers fed hungrily like sharks on blood on the drama before them.
In the Qi Kingdom, it was no secret that the brilliant young General had long been betrothed to the An Household's gifted third miss.
Because of this, whispers quickly turned sharp, and many among the crowd could not help but cast disdainful glances her way, as though she had already overstepped a sacred boundary.
"Princess, I don't blame you. I know that General Li, my fiancée, is such a charming individual."
Feng An curved her lips into a smile, her expression serene and knowing—like a saint bestowing forgiveness upon a sinner, a pure lotus blooming unsullied in the mud.
Yet beneath that gentle facade, her eyes gleamed with the satisfaction of someone savoring another's discomfort.
"I know that you like him, but --"
Shen Qi wanted to applaud at this female lead's b*llsh*t and roll her eyes at the same time for turning white to black and black to white.
No longer willing to endure Feng An's sh*t, Shen Qi lifted her lips into a calm, unshaken smile. With that simple gesture, she cut her off—gracefully, yet with a finality that left no room for further mockery.
"Feng An, I believe you are mistaken,"
Shen Qi's voice was gentle, calm, yet firm.
"This princess has never harbored any feelings for General Li. I do not like him in the slightest, so you may rest assured. In truth, this princess does not even place him in her eyes, so how could I possibly be unaware of feelings that do not exist? You must be jesting. Feng An, one should not put faith in rumors so easily, for rumors are never to be trusted."
Shen Qi's words carried the weight of sincerity, her smile soft and kind. Yet beneath that serene facade, Shen Qi was laughing to herself, thoroughly entertained by the absurdity of it all.
Humiliation burned across Feng An's face, her cheeks flushed crimson as she opened her mouth to retort. But before the words could leave her lips, a certain figure appeared at the doorway—one whose presence made her entire body stiffen.
In an instant, the memories of that night came rushing back, carved deep into her bones. The sharp sting of the blow, the swelling that had left her cheeks tender for days, the shame of being unable to even eat without wincing, it all returned with brutal clarity.
Almost without thinking, Feng An raised her hands to shield both sides of her face, as though bracing for another strike.
And then, cutting through the thick silence, came a voice—steady, commanding, impossible to ignore.
"What's going on here?"