The mistress who remarried has returned.

Thinking of this, Qin Huai quickly told himself not to overthink it, lest he misunderstand and put himself in an embarrassing situation. "I haven't made you suffer any grievances, and I don't care what your expectations are. There's really nothing else to talk about."

Su Yunxi recalled the scene four years ago when he called out Xue Wenying's name on that drunken night, and her eyes turned desolate.

Her expectation was that he was sincere towards her during those seven years, and that she would build a family with him, with him as the husband and her as the wife, living the most ordinary life.

But she knew that, given her lowly status, she had been indulging in wishful thinking for years. His wife would never be like her.

"I have other things to do," Qin Huai said in a distant tone.

Su Yunxi knew they had finished their brief conversation and he had other matters to attend to, so she should let go of his sleeve. However, she held onto it tightly without making a sound. She couldn't tell if it was for Empress Xiao's sake or just a reason or excuse to get closer to him. In any case, she didn't want to let go. Perhaps she was simply upset because she had messed up and wanted to stay with him to make amends.

After all, her initial intention was to offer him some comfort on this unhappy day, not to infuriate him...

Qin Huai raised his hand to tug at his sleeve, but Su Yunxi reached out and slipped her fingers through his belt, her fingers closing to grasp his belt.

Qin Huai looked at her slender fingers, where his belt had left shallow marks. Her clingy appearance displeased him. "You'd better not bother me today. I can't always control myself from hurting you. Don't bother me with what you're scheming about."

Su Yunxi took a breath, and after a long while, she said in a hoarse voice, "It's not entirely because of that matter."

Qin Huai's arm trembled slightly. He shouldn't have been aroused by her sweet words, but human nature dictated that he was genuinely curious to see what tricks she was up to, what schemes she would use to lure him to the Eastern Palace for her own benefit. "The birthday banquet won't end for quite a while. After the banquet, I still need to go to the Master's study to give some feedback. Why don't you go back first, and we can arrange another time to bother me? When I have the time, I'll have a go at you, you vixen."

Su Yunxi lowered her head and gently touched the thin, cool fabric of his sleeve. His sleeve swayed slightly because of her subtle movement. "I don't want to reschedule. You go ahead with your work. No matter how late it is, I'll wait for you here."

"Does it have to be today?"

"Yes."

Qin Huai couldn't tell if she was worried that Empress Xiao's health wouldn't allow them to reschedule, or if she wanted to suffer through this day with him. He disliked being emotionally manipulated by her, yet she stubbornly, even obsessively, clung to his sleeve, refusing to let go. "Wait if you want. I probably can't come. Lord Qin needs to speak with me."

Su Yunxi loosened his sleeve, and as the hand tucked into his belt withdrew, she swiftly removed the token from his waist that allowed him to mobilize troops.

Qin Huai's expression tightened. "Don't try to mess with me with your military token, Su Yunxi!"

As he spoke, he reached out for the token. If his parents found out that the military order was missing again today, he would really be driven crazy by this little girl.

Su Yunxi opened her robe and swiftly placed Qin Huai's token inside. The weight of the military order weighed down her robe, causing it to droop slightly. She quickly pulled her cloak over herself and said demurely, "Young Master, please have some self-respect. There are many eyes and ears around. It's inappropriate for you to put your hand on my robe. Besides, I will call for indecent assault."

The moment Qin Huai's fingertips touched the fabric of Su Yunxi's clothes, he paused to avoid suspicion, his brows furrowed and his teeth clenched: "How can you have such a hateful personality! If you like waiting, then wait. Even if I come, I'll kill you with my own hands."

Su Yunxi glanced at him, then went to the sheltered spot by the artificial hill and sat down on an inconspicuous stone bench. Her knees, which had been frozen in the outdoor banquet hall of Yingtian Pavilion all day, were too cold, and her old injuries were acting up again, causing her to feel a pain that she couldn't ignore when she walked.

Qin Huai disliked the feeling of being lured like prey. Did she think he would let her succeed and continue serving the Crown Prince? He ignored her hands covering her knees to keep them warm, turned around and went to the banquet, deliberately tightening his cloak, which she had cut into tatters, to hide the emptiness around his waist.

***

Qin Huai returned to the banquet and sat down with a serious expression.

While Qin Huai was absent, Shen Shu diligently helped Qin Huai entertain the table full of princes and nobles. Seeing Qin Huai return, he breathed a sigh of relief, "Anyone who didn't know better would think it was my father's birthday. Look how busy I've been! Entertaining this person, entertaining that person—my flattery skills have improved by leaps and bounds tonight!"

Zhou Qiu was not very interested at the table, and kept looking at Qin Huai with longing. He was very unwilling to eat such a big piece of fresh meat.

After catching the adulterer, Qin Huai felt parched, so he poured himself a large glass of wine, drank it all in one gulp, then put the glass on the table and looked at Shen Shu, "My father wants to talk to me about something later, you'll come with me."

Shen Shu nodded. Sharing joys and sorrows with brothers is a basic principle. "Alright."

After speaking, the two exchanged a glance, their gazes then simultaneously falling on the wine glass in Qin Huai's hand.

"Your dad wants to talk to you about something?"

"yes......"

Shen Shu asked in surprise, "What's wrong with you today? You said you were going to talk to your father, but you drank a whole cup of wine. Didn't Lord Qin tell you not to drink today?"

Qin Huai glanced at the wine glass in front of him. He had been too bothered by Su Yunxi, and the image of Su Yunxi flirting with Lin Enxiao kept flashing through his mind. He hadn't noticed and had drunk a glass of wine without thinking. He realized that this was not a long-term solution and that he had to make a clean break.

"It's nothing," Qin Huai said.

Shen Shu stared at Qin Huai suspiciously. Qin Huai had already lost his composure and become so absent-minded, yet he still hadn't said anything. A glance at Qin Huai's waist startled him, and he was speechless for a moment before asking softly, "Where's your order?"

Qin Huai tightened his cloak and said to Shen Shu, "Shout louder."

Shen Shu immediately calmed himself down. His usually composed friend was behaving very strangely today. Who could have made him act so unusually? He was incredibly curious.

After the banquet, Qin Huai and Shen Shu went to Qin Lanzhang's study.

Qin Lanzhang and his retainers were talking in the study when they saw his son and his son's confidant Shen Shu coming over. He pointed to a chair and asked the two to sit down.

Qin Huai sat down opposite his father, while Shen Shu sat down next to Qin Huai.

Qin Lanzhang smelled a strong odor of alcohol, and his face darkened with displeasure. He frowned and said, "I remember telling you not to drink today, so as not to cause any trouble."