Your Highness, your wife has had her virginity mark applied and married someone else.

Jade Dew Pavilion.

The pastries produced in a restaurant are something that money can't buy anywhere else.

The guests who come here are always from the top tier.

After the Shen family fell into decline, Shen Mingshu was no longer entitled to come. So, while Wei Ziye was spoiling her, she came to eat every day, determined to get tired of it and break off this obsession.

Later, after leaving the capital, when he was always hungry, his obsession backfired, and he missed the taste of the signature crab roe pastry even more.

Unexpectedly, after all the twists and turns, I've returned here again as a voyeur.

Seeing that Shen Mingshu always carried a package, the attendant kindly asked, "Miss, the private room has storage lockers, would you like a smaller one—"

Before she could finish speaking, Shen Mingshu immediately hid the package behind her back, shaking her head warily as if protecting her own life.

"Thank you, no need to trouble yourself."

Until the situation becomes clear, she must be prepared to sneak away at any time.

The attendant's smile froze for a moment, then he sensibly left the room and stood guard at the door.

Shen Mingshu looked around the private room window but didn't see Wei Yuan. She couldn't help but ask, "Where is he?"

Wei Ziye walked to her side at a leisurely pace and drew a layer of colorful light curtain from the window.

Subsequently, the entire lobby of Yuluxuan changed dramatically in Shen Mingshu's eyes.

The dazzling brilliance disappeared, and the sense of extravagance instantly transformed into a sense of antiquity and composure.

The wall opposite, which was originally perfectly sealed, suddenly appeared as if it had been hollowed out, revealing another private room out of thin air.

Inside was Wei Yuan, whom they hadn't seen for several days.

He had changed his faded blue cloth robe into a moon-white brocade robe, with elaborate dark cloud and crane patterns embroidered on the collar, which instantly made his youthful face appear more mature.

Her gentle gaze quickly gained a sharp edge in just a few days, carrying an indescribable air of nobility.

Indeed, wealth and luxury nourish people.

And she...

Shen Mingshu looked down at her shoes and trouser legs, which were still covered in mud from crawling through the dog hole yesterday, and couldn't help but feel annoyed.

I should have taken a shower before coming.

If she hadn't been with Wei Ziye, she probably would have been driven away as soon as she got close to Yuluxuan.

"I never imagined that Young Master Wei would drink so heartily! His drinking habits reflect his character; I admire him! Toast!"

"..."

There were several people among them who looked familiar to Shen Mingshu; they were all sons of high-ranking officials.

Wei Yuan accepted all the drinks offered, saying very little but chugging down one glass after another.

This momentum...

He's drowning his sorrows in alcohol.

Wei Ziye turned to look at Shen Mingshu, "Do you know why?"

Shen Mingshu dug her fingertips into her flesh, suppressing the dull pain in her heart, but dared not speak, afraid that her sobs would betray her.

Wei Ziye leaned close to Shen Mingshu's ear, looked into the tears in her eyes, and whispered.

"Because you want him to dump you himself."

"Get out of here!"

Shen Mingshu angrily pushed Wei Ziye away and walked out!

She couldn't bear to see Wei Yuan so ashamed of himself, and she couldn't stand seeing him suffer like this.

She was going to tell him that she supported him!

Whether forced or voluntary, she supported him!

As soon as the door opened, a petite "man" rushed into their private room, and like a mother protecting her chicks, he roared at Guan Weiyuan's men.

"Don't go too far! Is this how you force-feed people?!"

Those people seemed to recognize the 'man' and gave him some face, offering a fawning explanation.

Instead, Wei Yuan didn't appreciate it, pushed the "man" away, and continued to drink alone in silence.

Shen Mingshu stomped her foot at the 'man', then Wei Yuan poured her a glass, which she snatched.

He was determined to be the first to drink the bitterness that Wei Yuan wanted to taste.

Seeing this, the others didn't dare to linger and quickly made excuses to leave, giving the two of them some space.

At first, Shen Mingshu didn't recognize who the person was. It wasn't until Lu Yanzhi followed her in and tried to dissuade the 'man' that Shen Mingshu realized—it turned out that Wei Yuan's new fiancée was actually Lu Youyou.

The emperor suppressed the Wei family and promoted the Lu family, who were the top civil officials.

The Lu family, one of the four great families, has a future patriarch named Lu Yanzhi. His younger sister, Lu Youyou, is the only girl in the Lu family and also the most beloved little princess.

With a family of impeccable character and the Emperor's favor, if Wei Yuan could marry Lu Youyou, not only would he immediately eliminate the Emperor's intentional or unintentional suppression of the Wei family, but he would also rise rapidly in rank, surpassing Wei Ziye...

Shen Mingshu staggered back a step, no longer having the courage to leave the room.

Such an opportunity was a godsend, no wonder he made such a decisive choice.

If it were her, she wouldn't turn around either.

……

Lu Yanzhi: "Oh dear, the Second Young Master is already drunk. What's the point of your arguing?"

Lu Youyou's face was flushed from the drink, and she was already a little drunk. She tearfully complained to Lu Yanzhi, "Brother, does Brother A-Yuan not like me?"

"..." Lu Yanzhi retorted to Wei Yuan in an annoyed tone, "You tell me yourself."

Wei Yuan propped his forehead up, his vision blurred, and looked up at Lu Youyou.

I didn't recognize him at first.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Lu Youyou! Humph!"

Lu Youyou was so angry that she yelled in his ear. After yelling, she got up and tried to leave, but Wei Yuan grabbed her wrist.

"No, don't go..."

Wei Yuan lowered his head, holding her hand tightly as if grasping at a lifeline. Tears welled up instantly, hitting the ground with a crisp, broken sound.

"I'm sorry, don't go, don't leave me—"

"Okay, okay, I won't leave."

Lu Youyou softened again, squatted down, and hugged him to comfort him: "I'm here, I won't leave, Youyou will stay with you, okay?"

Lu Yanzhi clearly saw Wei Yuan's body stiffen for a moment, but he did not push Lu Youyou away, he just stopped crying and shouting randomly.

"Bang!"

Suddenly, a heavy slamming sound came from the opposite compartment.

Lu Yanzhi looked up and saw Wei Ziye by the window.

Wei Ziye turned to the side, seemingly looking at the doorway, his expression shifting unpredictably, making it impossible for Lu Yanzhi to discern his true feelings.

A moment later, Wei Ziye walked towards the door, but there was no movement at the door.

Lu Yanzhi tightened his grip; there were other people in the room.

—It's her.

……

Dusk fell.

Shen Mingshu cried herself to sleep, then curled up at the head of the bed, hugging her knees, her gaze blank, and suddenly spoke in a hoarse voice.

"A-Yuan's life was bought with the money of his younger sister."

Wei Ziye was sitting at his desk handling official business and didn't hear clearly for a moment: "What?"

Shen Mingshu: "Your mother resented that his mother had a son and a daughter, and wanted to poison A-Yuan. It was his younger sister who noticed something was wrong, snatched the pastry, and ate it."

Wei Ziqing put down the book, his eyes turned cold, and he warned: "Shen Mingshu, shut up."

Shen Mingshu slowly focused her gaze, wearily raising her eyes to meet the murderous intent in Wei Ziye's eyes.

He continued speaking calmly.

"A-Yuan identified the old servant who delivered the pastries as your mother's person, but your mother blamed the dereliction of duty on Yuan Shi and kicked him out of the house—uh!"

Wei Ziye appeared before Shen Mingshu in a flash and grabbed her neck tightly.

"I said shut up!"

Shen Mingshu closed her eyes in pain, two tears sliding down her cheeks, but a sense of vengeful pleasure welled up in her heart.

"Lost his daughter, abandoned by the Yuan family, left to wander the streets, cough cough... died without a complete corpse."

Shen Mingshu spoke through gritted teeth, her face flushed and swollen from being pinched.

She struggled to open her eyes, and seeing the veins bulging on Wei Ziye's forehead, a slow smile crept onto her lips.

You'll regret it.

When the two relied on each other for survival, they often had nightmares.

Shen Mingshu was sometimes even woken up by Wei Yuan, who was caught in a nightmare, and had to comfort him instead.

These things, when carried for too long, become obsessions that are hard to let go of.

Wei Ziye will regret bringing Wei Yuan into the Wei family sooner or later.