Chapter 188
Chapter 188
Ji Hanyi seemed to have asked this question before. Back then, Shen Si had said that she was the only woman by his side.
But Ji Hanyi knew she clearly wasn’t the most suitable choice. If Shen Si chose someone else, they wouldn’t have to face everyone’s disapproval.
Choosing her only seemed to make things harder for both of them.
Shen Si paused and withdrew his hand. “Are you starting to regret it?”
Ji Hanyi froze, then shook her head. “I promised Lord Shen that I wouldn’t regret it.”
Shen Si gave a low chuckle. “Anyone else would never make it past the Grand Princess.”
Ji Hanyi fell silent for a moment, then muttered, “What if someone could?”
Shen Si arched a brow. His eyes gradually darkened, and after a moment, he said slowly, “Hanyi, you’re the most suitable.”
Ji Hanyi froze. Shen Si’s voice was cool and distant. Though she couldn’t see his expression clearly, she could imagine how serious he looked right now.
All the fight went out of her.
She had already given him her word, so why had she asked again? Shen Si must think she shouldn’t have brought it up either.
She gave an obedient little hum of agreement.
Shen Si caught the faint trace of unhappiness in Ji Hanyi’s voice. It was understandable. She had been treated coldly today and had likely endured a few grievances while visiting the Empress as well. A little sulking was only natural.
In his eyes, Ji Hanyi was sometimes still the same little girl she had once been – fond of food, soft and sweet-natured.
That little girl seemed to have suffered a little by following him, so naturally, he had to make it up to her.
His lips curved again. “Pinzhen Restaurant has some new dishes. Would you like to try them?”
Ji Hanyi looked up at Shen Si. Seeing that his gaze was fixed entirely on her, she asked, “What new dishes?”
Shen Si smiled. “You’ll find out when we get there.”
The carriage turned around. Instead of returning home, it headed straight to Pinzhen Restaurant.
Ji Hanyi stared in astonishment at the table crowded with dishes.
Shen Si leisurely took a pair of wooden chopsticks from Wen’an and placed them in Ji Hanyi’s hand.
Ji Hanyi accepted them, then paused. The chopsticks bore the character Shen. They were the very pair Shen Si normally used.
The bottom of the small celadon bowl before her also bore the character Shen. It was Shen Si’s usual bowl as well.
After Wen’an finished laying everything out, he hugged the case to his chest and quietly withdrew.
Ji Hanyi hesitated at first. These were the things Shen Si used every day. Would he mind if she used them?
But then she saw Shen Si, seated opposite her, placing food into her bowl. She swallowed her question and began eating without another qualm.
Watching from the corner, Wen’an thought about how the Marquis had turned down His Majesty the Emperor’s palace banquet and left early just to take Miss Ji to a restaurant. Wasn’t it all so she wouldn’t have to remain at that tedious banquet and suffer even the slightest grievance? The Marquis rarely visited restaurants, after all.
Still, the Marquis had smiled more lately than he had in the entire previous year. That alone made it worthwhile.
Every dish on the table was one of Ji Hanyi’s favorites. Once she had eaten her fill, the last trace of grievance in her heart disappeared.
Shen Si watched her quietly the entire time. The way she ate had hardly changed since childhood. At the very least, she would never let herself go hungry, and she was never overly polite when it came to her favorite foods.
She had been a little round as a child, and even now, she was hardly frail. It seemed that even though life with the Xie Family had not treated her well, she had never lost her appetite or allowed herself to go hungry.
At the thought, a faint smile touched Shen Si’s lips.
Ji Hanyi carefully rinsed her mouth. She felt a little embarrassed doing it in front of Shen Si, so she raised her sleeve to hide herself from his view.
In the end, she was still rather shy. When she lowered her sleeve, she dabbed at her lips with her handkerchief, not daring to look at Shen Si’s face.
Shen Si watched her shy expression, captivated by how lovely she looked. He couldn’t help leaning closer and murmuring, “I still have to enter the palace for a while. I’ll come back early this afternoon and take you out for a stroll.”
Ji Hanyi was about to say there was no need, but Shen Si had already come to her side and taken her hand, leading her outside.
Ji Hanyi tucked her hand behind her back, trying to hide it, but she could not escape Shen Si’s grasp. At last, she asked softly, “Lord Shen, do we have to hold hands even here?”
The hand in his palm was small and soft, seemingly boneless beneath his touch. Shen Si held it tightly, unwilling to loosen his grip in the slightest.
He lowered his eyes to her and chuckled. “You’re still not used to it?”
Ji Hanyi could feel her palm growing warm. Yet Shen Si looked so perfectly at ease, as if she were the only one nervous and self-conscious about it. She instinctively denied it. “No…”
Shen Si smiled and led her downstairs by the hand.
When they reached the residence, Shen Si helped Ji Hanyi down from the carriage, still holding her hand.
Standing beside the carriage, he said, “I had some drawing paper sent to you. It arrived this morning. Go take a look and see if it’s to your liking.”
Ji Hanyi had not even had the chance to use the drawing paper Gu Yan had sent her last time, and now Shen Si had sent her more. At this rate, she would not need to buy any for the rest of the year.
She could not help wondering why they both kept giving her drawing paper.
Late that afternoon, just as darkness was falling, Shen Si really did come.
Ji Hanyi had assumed he would probably be busy and would not come that evening.
When she stepped outside, Shen Si was not waiting inside the carriage as usual. Instead, he stood beside it, quietly watching her approach. The moment she drew near, he reached out, took her hand, and helped her into the carriage.
Aside from her father, Ji Hanyi had never known what it felt like to be cared for so thoroughly and considerately by a man.
Just before she passed through the carriage curtain, she could not help looking back at Shen Si.
In the bright lantern light, his features appeared refined and aristocratic. His quiet eyes still held that distant, unattainable coolness. She remained a little nervous around him, but for one fleeting moment, she found herself thinking how wonderful it was to have him there.
Though she had long since stopped hoping for love, the thought of spending the rest of her life with Shen Si made her feel secure. She did not regret her decision in the slightest.
Ji Hanyi stared at him in a daze. When she noticed Shen Si looking back at her, she quickly bit her lip, turned away, and hurried into the carriage.
Shen Si watched her retreating figure, then climbed in after her.
He took Ji Hanyi to North Avenue.
Ji Hanyi wore a veiled hat as they walked side by side. Shen Si possessed an imposing air that made it obvious at a glance he was no ordinary man, so most approaching pedestrians moved aside for them. Though the two of them walked slowly, their path remained unobstructed.
Shen Si took Ji Hanyi to stand by the river. Below them, people were setting floating lanterns onto the water. Interest sparked in Ji Hanyi’s eyes, and just as she was about to speak, Shen Si placed a lantern in her hands.
Ji Hanyi accepted it, momentarily startled. Shen Si always seemed to reach out a hand just when she needed one most.
The river breeze carried the warmth and bustle of the city. She looked at Shen Si beside her – tall and silent, his face forever solemn and stern. Yet somehow, he no longer seemed quite so unapproachable.
She crouched down and carefully set the lantern afloat, praying that everything would go smoothly for both her and Shen Si from this day forward.
Afterward, Shen Si took her to several shops and bought her all sorts of things. She merely lingered on a bolt of fabric for an extra moment, and Shen Si immediately ordered someone to purchase it. Trays upon trays of jewelry were brought out for her to choose from as well.
Finally, to her astonishment, Shen Si brought Ji Hanyi to Baoshan Tower. He placed a box in her hands and told her to open it.
Ji Hanyi lifted the lid curiously, only to discover the deed to Baoshan Tower inside.
Her eyes widened as she stared at Shen Si. Baoshan Tower belonged to the Shen Family?!
Shen Si lowered his gaze to her stunned face. “My father established Baoshan Tower when he was young. Later, he no longer had the time to oversee it, so he entrusted its management to others. Very few outsiders know about this.”
As he spoke, Shen Si looked into Ji Hanyi’s eyes and lowered his voice.
“Now, it’s yours.”
“This is my betrothal gift to you.”