Jiaojiao is getting married, and the male leads fall for her and fight over her.

Chapter 338 Xizhou Leaves the Capital
Li Yi was looking at the child, thinking he was quite handsome and resembled himself, when he saw Pei Xizhou wiping away tears. Seeing this, he sneered coldly, "Is this child yours? Even his own father isn't crying, so why are you crying?"

Pei Xizhou also felt that he was being ridiculous, but he was very excited because this was his cousin's child. He just acted as if the child had nothing to do with Pei Dongzhou, but was his and his cousin's child.

"I got some sand in my eye, why are you so concerned?" Pei Xizhou also stepped forward to look at the child, admiring him immensely. "This child is so beautiful."

Pei Shizi and Shen Shuyi, who were the biological father and mother, exchanged a glance, both expressing their doubts.

They had seen the child; he was red and ruddy, his features were all scrunched up, and he was incredibly ugly. Yet Pei Xizhou and Li Yi both said the child was good-looking. Were they blind?

The wet nurse only took the child away when the child started crying loudly.

Pei Dongzhou knew how difficult it was for Shen Shuyi to give birth, so he dismissed everyone.

Li Yi kept turning back every three steps until he could no longer see Shen Shuyi, then he sighed softly.

The woman he loved ultimately bore a child for another man; it's truly tragic and lamentable.

But it doesn't matter, his position as empress will still be reserved for his cousin Shen. Who knows what the future holds? Who knows, Pei Dongzhou might fall in love with someone else one day and meet someone new, wouldn't that be his chance to snatch up the opportunity?
With this hopeful expectation, he left the Pingyang Marquis's residence and returned to the cold and indifferent imperial palace.

After the baby's full-month celebration, Pei Xizhou came to Fusang Courtyard that day.

Shen Shuyi felt that Pei Xizhou looked different today. He was wearing a brightly colored new robe, and his hair looked particularly neat. At first glance, he gave people a very steady feeling.

She looked Pei Xizhou up and down: "Xizhou, is this a new outfit you're wearing today?"

Pei Xizhou saw that she had grasped the key point at a glance, and a smile flashed in his eyes.

"My cousin has a sharp eye," Pei Xizhou said, stepping forward. "May I hold the baby?"

Shen Shuyi handed the child to Pei Xizhou as instructed. Because they were close, Pei Xizhou could smell the faint scent of soap on her body, as well as the baby's milk scent. He felt his face flush and his heart pounded like crazy.

He had previously thought that his feelings for his cousin might gradually fade over time, but it seems the opposite is true; she can still easily stir his emotions.

He focused his attention on the child, looking at the child's rosy cheeks, and couldn't help but sigh, "The little guy is getting more and more beautiful."

Shen Shuyi gave the child the nickname Xiaobao. She leaned forward to take a look and smiled, replying, "He's a bit prettier than when he was born. But his features haven't fully developed yet. Maybe he'll be even prettier when he's six months old?"

"Does it take until a child is six months old for their facial features to fully develop?" Pei Xizhou remarked with some emotion.

Shen Shuyi looked at Pei Xizhou with a puzzled expression: "What kind of tone is that? By the way, I told you that you should call me sister-in-law from now on, and stop calling me cousin. I'm older than you."

Pei Xizhou pretended not to hear Shen Shuyi's nagging and quietly looked at the child with eyes full of reluctance.

Shen Shuyi then noticed that Pei Xizhou seemed a little off: "Is something on your mind?"

Pei Xizhou shook his head: "What could be on my mind? I'm just feeling a bit sentimental about the past."

Shen Shuyi felt that Pei Xizhou was showing signs of premature aging, starting to reminisce about the past at such a young age, until Pei Xizhou suddenly asked her: "If I had kept my cousin in Osmanthus Lane that night, would I have had a chance to marry her?"

Shen Shuyi was stunned, remembering that it was the night Pei Xizhou insisted on making her his mistress.

She carefully chose her words before saying, "Hypothetical scenarios have no outcome. Xizhou, the past is the past; you should look forward." In truth, no matter which path she took, she and Pei Xizhou would not have a future. That night, he wanted her to be his mistress, but in reality, she could never be any man's mistress.

Furthermore, even if Pei Xizhou discovered that she was Shen Shuyi that night, he would probably think that she was deliberately getting close to him, right?
People tend to romanticize the past because they can't have what they want, but she felt that she and Pei Xizhou were at odds from the beginning, and for a long time, Pei Xizhou didn't like her.

Pei Xizhou still couldn't forget her, perhaps because he had never been able to have her. Otherwise, how could there be so many so-called "white moonlight" in this world?

“My cousin is right, I should look forward. It’s rare for me to come to Fusang Institute, so may I have lunch here before I leave?” Pei Xizhou looked at Shen Shuyi earnestly.

Shen Shuyi didn't refuse. She didn't have many traditional views on the separation of men and women, and she considered Pei Xizhou as family. What was wrong with adding an extra pair of chopsticks and a bowl?

"Can I eat my cousin's cooking?" Pei Xizhou pressed his advantage, his gaze intense. "Just this once."

Shen Shuyi felt that Pei Xizhou seemed really strange today, but she didn't think much of it and agreed to cook.

When Pei Xizhou came to the small kitchen to help her and hold the baby, she suddenly remembered that she and Pei Nanzhou had the same experience last year.

She felt uneasy and absentmindedly cooked a few dishes.

During lunch, the two ate quietly, neither of them speaking.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Pei Xizhou kissed the child on the forehead before handing the child back to Shen Shuyi.

Shen Shuyi stared blankly at Pei Xizhou: "Xizhou, you..."

She wanted to ask him if he had come to say goodbye.

Seeing that Shen Shuyi seemed hesitant to speak, Pei Xizhou patted her head and said, "Cousin, just say what you want to say."

Shen Shuyi shook her head and looked down at the child in her arms.

"Then cousin, can you see me off?" Pei Xizhou's gaze fell on Shen Shuyi's face.

Shen Shuyi nodded silently, holding the child, and escorted Pei Xizhou to the entrance of Fusang Courtyard.

Pei Xizhou reached out and poked the child's rosy cheek, smiling with relief: "My cousin is so clever, she should have guessed that I've come to say goodbye, right?"

Shen Shuyi was surprised that she had guessed correctly; she wished it wasn't what she thought.

Did he decide to leave Beijing to avoid her?
She suddenly wondered what Pei Xizhou's ending was in the original novel, but she couldn't remember. She didn't remember if Pei Xizhou ended up with the female lead in the original novel, but she did remember that Pei Xizhou's business later became very successful, making him the richest man in Daqi.

Does that mean that Pei Xizhou can only become the richest man if he leaves the capital?

"You..." Shen Shuyi wanted to ask something, but in the end she couldn't bring herself to ask.

Pei Xizhou said calmly, "Cousin, please don't flatter yourself and think that I left the capital for your sake. I've been idle for so many years, I should do something meaningful. Think about it, even that纨绔 (wan ku, a spoiled and dissolute prince) prince Li Yi has become emperor and is doing a pretty good job. Shouldn't I, this纨绔公子 (wan ku, a spoiled and dissolute young master), also stop being so decadent and make something of myself?"

　It will be finished tomorrow.
　　(End of this chapter)