Quick Transmigration: The Control Group in Sweet Novels

Shen Hengzhi put down the book in his hand very gently, but Qi Yang's heart skipped a beat.

"What's your name?"

Qi Yang looked bewildered. "Huh?"

What does "幺" mean?

Shen Hengzhi asked again, "What's his name?"

Qi Yang then realized that Shen Hengzhi was asking about the neighbor she mentioned, and she replied, confused, "Liu... Liu Chunsheng."

How big?

Qi Yang found the conversation utterly inexplicable, but she still answered truthfully, "He's two years older than me, about nineteen."

Fortunately, although she didn't participate in the conversation between Zhou and the others at the dinner table, she gained a good understanding of Liu Chunsheng over the meal.

"What do you do?"

"...My family runs a carpentry shop."

Shen Hengzhi was silent for a moment, then gave a curt reply, "You're certainly enthusiastic."

Qi Yang couldn't tell whether the words were a compliment or an insult, so she cautiously hummed in agreement and didn't dare to say anything more.

Another silence followed.

Shen Hengzhi picked up the half-cold tea cup on the table, glanced at it, didn't drink it, and put it down again. The sound of the tea cup being placed on the table was a bit heavier than usual.

Even if Qi Yang was slow to notice, she could tell that something was wrong at this moment.

She quickly went through what she had just said in her mind, and a chill ran down her spine. Could it be that Shen Hengzhi had found out about her going back to find a partner?

Although she worked as a maid in the Marquis's mansion, she had a flexible contract, which meant she could leave after two more years and then marry whomever she wanted.

But no matter what, you can't tell your master that you're planning to resign in the future.

Qi Yang thought she had committed a major taboo.

She secretly glanced at Shen Hengzhi's expression.

He leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on a spot on his desk. His jawline was slightly tense, and his expression was neither cold nor as gentle as usual.

Qi Yang's heart began to pound.

Before she could think of a solution, Shen Hengzhi suddenly spoke again.

"come over."

Qi Yang did as she was told and took a few steps closer.

"Come a little closer."

Qi Yang obediently took two more steps, this time only an arm's length away from him. She lowered her eyes and smelled the faint scent of bamboo on him, a scent she had grown accustomed to these past few days, mixed with the damp smell of rain. It inexplicably made her feel at ease, yet inexplicably made her nervous.

Shen Hengzhi raised his hand, and his slender, clean fingertips touched her sleeve.

Her cuffs were wet.

Shen Hengzhi frowned. "Didn't you change your clothes?"

Qi Yang nodded.

Seeing Cheng'an's ghostly appearance, she didn't dare to change her clothes first, and hurriedly came over to pay her respects.

Shen Hengzhi pursed his lips, his gaze shifting from her sleeve to her face. Having braved the rain all the way back, her face was somewhat pale, the tip of her nose slightly red, and her lips less vibrant than usual, giving her a pitiful look.

His gaze lingered there for a moment, then moved away.

"You may leave."

Qi Yang was taken aback. Before she could reply, she heard him say, "Go downstairs and change your clothes so you don't have to keep asking for leave if you get sick."

Upon hearing this, Qi Yang looked over and saw that Shen Hengzhi had already looked away and picked up his book again. She thought to herself that this meant he didn't intend to hold it against him.

Qi Yang felt a warmth in her heart and curtsied to Shen Hengzhi, "Thank you, Your Highness. This servant will take her leave."

Before leaving, Qi Yang paused, noticed the cup of tea that had gone cold, reached out and removed it, then added fresh tea before turning and leaving.

The door closed gently, and the study fell silent once more.

Shen Hengzhi put down the book and closed his eyes.

Then she remembered what Qi Yang had said earlier, nineteen years old... that age was indeed suitable for her.

As he thought about it, a very faint smile appeared on his lips, as if he were mocking himself.

The scene he witnessed under the eaves was still vividly etched in his mind: she jumped off the cart, turned around to thank the man, her eyes crinkling, her smile remarkably natural.

The man stood in the rain looking at her, and Shen Hengzhi could see the meaning in his eyes at a glance.

After all... no one understands that emotion better than him.

Shen Hengzhi opened his eyes, picked up the cup of fresh tea, and drank it all in one gulp. The tea was warm, but it burned a strange, inexplicable fire in his heart.

After a long while, he called someone in.

*

Qi Yang left the study and returned to the side room. She saw that her roommate Yun'er had already washed up and was snuggled in bed reading a storybook she had borrowed from somewhere. When she saw Qi Yang come in, she raised her eyebrows and said with a grin, "Didn't you ask for leave? You're back so soon?"

"I have to be on duty tomorrow," Qi Yang said, taking out a change of clothes from the closet and walking towards the bathroom.

The rain that had been falling all day finally stopped, but the weather was still chilly. She had been caught in the rain and had been traveling all day, so she was exhausted.

After taking a bath, Qi Yang dried her hair with a cloth and walked out of her shop.

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

It was A-Qiu, who also served in the prince's courtyard. She smiled and said, "Miss A-Yang, the prince asked me to bring you a few things."

Qi Yang and Yun'er both looked over curiously.

Ah Qiu brought over several hot water bottles, a charcoal brazier and several brand-new charcoal embers, as well as a food box.

A-Qiu explained, "This is ginger soup that the young master ordered the kitchen to make. He said that Miss A-Yang got caught in the rain today, and drinking it while it's hot will help her ward off the cold."

Qi Yang accepted it and thanked her.

After A Qiu left, Qi Yang reached out and touched the charcoal. It was still silver charcoal, smokeless and odorless, and only gave off a faint warmth when burned.

The Marquis's mansion was considerate of its servants. Although the servants' rooms were usually lit with charcoal, this kind of silver thread charcoal was generally reserved for the master of the house. Even the head maids who entered the courtyard might not be able to get any.

She brought out the bowl of ginger soup again, steam still rising from the rim, clearly delivered at the perfect time.

Qi Yang stood there, still clutching the towel she used to dry her hair, momentarily at a loss for words.

Yun'er looked at these things in surprise, her face full of envy. "A-Yang, the young master is so good to you."

Qi Yang also felt that Shen Hengzhi was being excessively generous. After thinking for a moment, she said in a low voice, "The young master has always been considerate of his servants."

Yun'er thought about it and agreed.

The Crown Prince treats his servants very well, and his daily rewards are usually very generous, but this time he went a little too far, providing both ginger soup and charcoal.

This is hardly the treatment one would expect from a servant.

The charcoal fire was lit, and the room became warm and cozy. Yun'er, holding the hot water bottle, couldn't help but feel fortunate. "Ayang, it's so nice to live in the same room as you."

Ah Yang was a favorite of the Crown Prince, and unexpectedly, she also benefited from his good fortune.

Qi Yang was amused by her satisfied expression, and smiled slightly without saying anything.

She picked up the bowl of ginger soup, took a sip, and could taste a hint of sweetness, perhaps because some brown sugar had been added. The spiciness was diluted considerably, and the soup warmed her from her throat all the way to her stomach.

After drinking the ginger soup, Qi Yang cleared away the bowls and chopsticks. Her hair had already been dried by the charcoal fire. She climbed into bed, and Yun'er was already asleep beside her with her back to her.