Chapter 10. Parting on bad terms You only need to smile at me, and I would give you my heart…

“Please invite her to the hall.” Shen Yuan was just worrying about not finding someone to teach him, and now Gu Zhi had come to his door herself.

His face immediately lit up with a smile, very much like the joy he used to show when Gu Zhi came before she was betrothed. He picked up the book he had been reading all morning from the desk and was about to leave the room.

“Young master, the Fifth Princess is here to visit you because you’re ill,” A Liang reminded him cautiously. “If you go out like this…”

“What’s the matter? She’s Gu Zhi, not someone else,” Shen Yuan said carelessly. At worst, he could just pretend to look sickly when he got there.

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, A Liang’s round eyes became even more melancholic.

He thought of how Fifth Princess Gu Zhi had been taught by Shen Meng since childhood, often playing together with Shen Yuan. When they were young and didn’t know shame, they imitated adults playing wedding ceremonies, their small figures looking extremely pleasing and well-matched.

Indeed, these two had also argued until their faces turned red over who ate more snacks, and quarreled over whose kite flew higher.

But every time they had a cold war, it never lasted more than three days before they made up. True childhood sweethearts, innocent in their friendship.

They played together, yet were both silly and naive.

Later, when the Phoenix Empress chose a pair of personal attendants for Gu Zhi, she finally became aware. Every time she saw Shen Yuan after that, her eyes were full of affection, turning all those past times into tender memories wrapped around her finger.

Sweet words and solemn vows.

Even he, standing by, felt extremely envious. The Fifth Princess’s words were truly too sweet, too skillful.

But his own young master was still the same as when he was little. Let alone being moved, he hadn’t even become aware.

A Liang sighed, but his eyes suddenly brightened again.

That’s not quite right.

After the spring outing with the Fifth Princess a few days ago, didn’t the young master become aware? It’s just that his young master had always been a bit slow in these matters, and probably hadn’t realized it himself yet, but he had ultimately developed feelings for the Fifth Princess.

A Liang’s thoughts turned a thousand times, and a rare look of kindness appeared on his face.

“What kind of look is that?!” Shen Yuan felt a chill down his spine from A Liang’s gaze, but at this moment his enthusiasm for learning was at its peak, and he had no time to bother with him.

As he lifted his foot, his sleeve was tightly grabbed by the persistent A Liang. “Young master!”

A Liang’s round eyes were anxious and fiery. “Even if the Fifth Princess is familiar, you should still wash the ink off your face before going, shouldn’t you?”

The saying ‘a gentleman adorns himself for those who appreciate him’ isn’t about pretense. Those pair of attendants by the Fifth Princess’s side were bewitchingly charming, always knowing how to act coquettishly and unreasonably.

Not to mention Young Master Liu’s appearance was also outstanding in the capital.

If the young master didn’t appear more ethereal, how could he keep the Fifth Princess’s heart?

Saying he would wash off the ink, A Liang later coaxed and pressured him into tying up his hair and changing into new clothes.

When he saw A Liang mysteriously produce a jar of rouge from somewhere, Shen Yuan frowned and reached out to stop A Liang’s finger that was about to dab it on him. “This is not allowed!”

Ever since Liu Ming became famous at the poetry gathering last year, the young gentlemen in the capital have been following his example.

Liu Ming had rosy cheeks, so rouge suddenly became popular in the capital.

Liu Ming sipped fragrant tea, so tea leaves in the capital sold out in an instant.

“Young master, this is the most fashionable rouge right now. Not only do all the young gentlemen have one, even some beauty-loving ladies secretly dab it on their cheeks. Just try it, I guarantee it will make the Fifth Princess unable to take her eyes off you.”

“Nonsense again. What do I care about what’s fashionable in the capital?”

Shen Yuan stood up, dipped his finger in the rouge and dotted it on A Liang’s forehead. “Moreover, the Fifth Princess got engaged last year. Even if I have some childhood affection for her, I should avoid suspicion. How could I make her unable to take her eyes off me?”

Look at that, this is his naturally silly young master with a handsome face and kind heart. If it wasn’t for his deep-rooted feelings for the Fifth Princess, how could he be so considerate of her?

A Liang felt increasingly upset. Watching Shen Yuan’s light, quick steps as he walked into the Qingjing Hall, he couldn’t help but silently redden the corners of his eyes.

Sure enough, the young master was just putting on a tough front while being soft-hearted inside. Such joy, if not to see his sweetheart, what else could it be?