The pregnant woman pressed down on the wife, and the cousin collapsed into the prince's arms.

Although Shen Yunshuang kept looking at the painting and never made eye contact with Pei Jingheng, she knew that his gaze was always on her.

Could it be that Pei Jingheng has feelings for her? This thought flashed through Shen Yunshuang's mind, and she panicked for a moment, after all, this was something she had never thought of before.

But after a while, she calmed down. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, it was impossible for her and Pei Jingheng to be together.

Pei Lingrong got her wish and studied it for quite a while before finally satisfying her craving.

Before leaving, Pei Jingheng took out a white glazed tea caddy and said, "Since I've eaten your pastries, I should return the favor. This Jade Dew Tea is suitable for women, so please accept it."

Shen Yunshuang hesitated only slightly before accepting the gift and calmly smiled, "Thank you very much, cousin. You've gone to so much trouble."

Even though Pei Lingrong's mind was still preoccupied with the painting "Four Plum Blossoms in Snow," she could now sense that her elder brother's feelings for Shen Yunshuang were different.

Is this being a little too friendly?

Her older brother rarely treated her with such kindness.

Her eyes kept glancing at the two of them, secretly thinking to herself that she had been careless. Yun Shuang was beautiful and charming; it was normal for her older brother to have feelings for her.

But when she thought about the families her mother had been trying to find a second wife for her eldest brother, and considering Yun Shuang's age and family background, Pei Lingrong felt that the matter was unlikely.

Not long after leaving Pei Jingheng's courtyard, Shen Yunshuang returned to her residence. As the carriage traveled along the road, a sudden downpour began. Inside the carriage, Shen Yunshuang could smell the mixture of mud and rainwater.

Because it was a sunny day when she came out, Shen Yunshuang did not bring an umbrella, and she inevitably got a little wet when she got out of the car.

They stopped at the side gate. In the past, the gatekeeper would have come up to inquire attentively, but today was different. The door to the duty room was ajar, and although a dim candlelight shone through, no one came out, and naturally, there were no umbrellas either.

A light drizzle was falling outside. Green Bud looked at her mistress's already soaked dress and knew that her mistress was frail. If she didn't go back quickly to take a hot bath, she might fall ill. So she said, "Miss, please wait here for me for a while. I'll go and find an umbrella."

Shen Yunshuang frowned, not wanting Lürui to get soaked, and said softly, "Let's wait here for a while, maybe the rain will stop soon."

Green Bud, however, was an impatient person. Ignoring Shen Yunshuang's attempts to stop her, she ran off in a flash, leaving her words in the wind: "I don't know when that will be. Miss, please wait here for a while, I'll be right back."

Once she left, only Shen Yunshuang remained. Fortunately, although there was no one at the gatehouse, it was still safe to take shelter from the rain.

She waited quietly for a while, the rain gradually seeping through her clothes, a chill spreading across her skin, and she couldn't help but pull her clothes tighter.

Just then, the sound of horses' hooves came from afar, breaking the silence of the rain. Shen Yunshuang turned around at the sound and saw Pei Jingnian.

He was dressed in a dark, patterned outfit that accentuated his slender and lean figure. He wore a matching oiled silk cloak, with raindrops falling down it. His eyes were deep-set, and his jawline was taut. Perhaps because he had just come from the rain, he exuded an aura that kept strangers at bay.

He had obviously seen Shen Yunshuang as well. As he approached, he saw that her hair was completely wet and raindrops were even sliding down her face, making her look much paler.

"Cousin, what are you doing here?"

He was in a bad mood, not because of the heavy rain, but because of official business. The imperial court had suddenly made personnel adjustments and needed to select someone to serve as the vice prefect of Yingzhou.

The dispute involved personal achievements and factional balance, and he was kept behind by his superiors for several rounds of discussions, but no conclusion was reached.

After becoming an official, he realized that not everything was black and white, which made him truly distressed.

Shen Yunshuang sensed the concern and anxiety in his tone, but she responded with a much colder and harder demeanor than usual.

Shen Yunshuang's voice was timid: "I...I went to the West Mansion to visit the Third Miss today. It rained on my way back, and Green Bud went to find an umbrella."

Her voice was very different from that of women in the capital, carrying the soft, gentle Wu dialect of the south. At this moment, her tone was light and soft, like a feather brushing against Pei Jingnian's heart.

Seeing his cousin's expression, Pei Jingnian calmed down. He had been a little anxious just now, and his tone might have been harsh, which had frightened his cousin.