Chapter 102: Chapter 101: How Could You Lose the Love Token?

Chapter 102: Chapter 101: How Could You Lose the Love Token?

Xiao Jinyan didn’t answer but countered with a question, “Why are you suddenly asking about this?”

Shen Chuwei curved her brows and eyes, “This concubine is just curious.”

“In my study room,” Xiao Jinyan said with a clear, cold voice.

Shen Chuwei was stunned for a moment.

Xiao Jinyan didn’t eat it?

And he even put it in the study room…

At this moment, Shen Chuwei was even more thankful she had resisted eating the dough figurine; what if Xiao Jinyan asked for it?

Where would she get an identical one for him?

She guiltily placed the dough figurine back into the white jade vase; it really was quite cute, after all.

Xiao Jinyan placed the cage on the table, beckoning her to come and open it, “Come, see what this is?”

“Alright.” Shen Chuwei moved to the table with light steps, lifted the black cloth, and saw six ducklings.

It was like seeing a flock of ducks~

She joyfully put the cloth down, looking up at Xiao Jinyan, “Your Highness, where did you find these?”

Seeing her delight, Xiao Jinyan internally praised himself.

His brother had a knack for picking things out.

“Jinyu sent them over, I don’t know where he picked them up from.”

“King Jinyu has a good eye.” Shen Chuwei didn’t skimp on her praise and said while looking at the ducklings, “Six ducklings will make perfect companions for the six chicks.”

Xiao Jinyan paused then asked uncertainly, “What did you say?

These are ducklings?”

Shen Chuwei nodded, “Yes, they are ducklings when they’re young; they grow bigger than chickens.”

“…” Xiao Jinyan then asked, “And the last six were chickens?”

Shen Chuwei still nodded, her confusion apparent as she stared at Xiao Jinyan, “Your Highness doesn’t know they are chicks and ducklings?”

Xiao Jinyan was at a loss; he had never seen chicks or ducklings before, naturally, he didn’t recognize them.

Shen Chuwei touched her nose.

A grand Crown Prince like him, where would he have seen poultry?

She tugged at Xiao Jinyan’s dark-colored sleeve and asked, “Your Highness, do you want to see the chicks?”

Xiao Jinyan hadn’t seen the six little ones for quite some time, so he nodded, “Mhm.”

Shen Chuwei led Xiao Jinyan to the chicken coop.

On the way there, passing the Fish Pond, Xiao Jinyan glanced around with curiosity, thinking Shen Chuwei wanted to grow lotuses herself, so he didn’t think much of it.

Reaching the chicken coop, the first thing Xiao Jinyan saw was a fence made of wicker sticks.

As he approached, he glanced inside and didn’t see the six distinctively colored little ones but saw six creatures he didn’t recognize.

It wasn’t hard to guess these were the little ones he had brought over before.

A foul smell hit him as Shen Chuwei covered her nose and asked, “Are these the same six you gave me before?”

Shen Chuwei replied, “Yes, the chicks have grown, the down feathers have fallen off, and this is what they look like now.”

Xiao Jinyan’s brows tightened as he turned and left the chicken coop.

If he had known those six little ones would grow up and look like this, he definitely wouldn’t have sent them to Xiyun Pavilion.

Don’t worry, Your Highness, Little Guizi and the others clean it every day, and it doesn’t smell that bad,” Shen Chuwei thought it was quite alright, probably because Xiao Jinyan was a clean freak.

Even a bit of a smell would seem magnified to him.

Having thought it over, upon returning indoors, Xiao Jinyan made a decision, “You can’t keep these things at Xiyun Pavilion, what would it look like?

Get someone to take those chicks out later.”

Upon hearing Xiao Jinyan intended to take away the chicks, and the newly arrived ducklings likely couldn’t be saved either, Shen Chuwei was so agitated that she grabbed his hand, crying pitifully.

“Your Highness, you gave these to this concubine; how can you just take them away like this?”

Xiao Jinyan had made up his mind, “Who keeps these things at home?

They must be taken away.”

Shen Chuwei desperately squeezed out two tears, “Your Highness, all of these are love tokens you gave to this concubine, how can you take them away?”

Xiao Jinyan was taken aback, “Love Token?”

Shen Chuwei batted her pretty eyes, “Aren’t they?”

Xiao Jinyan looked at Shen Chuwei’s eyes, moist with two glistening droplets clinging to her lashes, about to fall, her appearance the epitome of aggrieved.

He had initially just wanted to give her something for fun; how did it turn into a love token?

“Your Highness, can we not send them away, please?

Look how cute they are!” Shen Chuwei said while pointing at the six ducklings on the table.

Xiao Jinyan looked at the small ducklings in the cage; they didn’t look bad now, but who knew what they would grow into?

“Your Highness, there’s no reason to reclaim a gift sent out.

Even if it’s not a love token, it was given to this concubine by Your Highness, and this concubine loves it a lot,” Shen Chuwei argued pitifully.

Xiao Jinyan felt like calling Xiao Jinyu over for a scolding right then; what was he thinking sending these things over?

A dignified Lady, growing vegetables was enough, but raising chickens and ducks?

“They are going to grow up one day,” he implied, cuteness is only temporary.

Shen Chuwei responded, “Once they’re grown, we can eat them.”

Xiao Jinyan thought about it for a moment.

Once grown and eaten, wouldn’t that be the end of it?

No more of them, and he would strictly forbid anyone from bringing such things to Xiyun Pavilion.

He coughed lightly, “You may only keep these, but from now on, no one is allowed to send such things.”

Shen Chuwei smiled with her brows and eyes happily bent, “Thank you, Your Highness.”

As long as she had them, she would have an endless supply of chickens and ducks, so sending them or not didn’t matter anymore.

Later though, Xiao Jinyan discovered that no matter how much he ate, the chickens and ducks in the coop never seemed to end.

Often, in the middle of the night, when his spirits were high, the sole rooster would crow heedlessly, disturbing his mood.

If it weren’t for Shen Chuwei’s intervention, Xiao Jinyan would have wielded his sword long ago to turn that sole rooster into a dish to accompany his drink.

If the rooster were gone, that would be the end of the line.

Shen Chuwei would save it at all costs!

Xiao Jinyan watched her face go from stormy to sunny; it was just a few chickens, what’s the big deal?

“You must be nearly through with the books by now, right?

I’ll have Liu Xi bring the rest over tomorrow,” he remarked.

The smile that had just appeared on Shen Chuwei’s face slowly faded.

She thought Xiao Jinyan had forgotten about it, but he remembered, huh?

“Your Highness, aren’t you afraid I won’t handle it well?”

Xiao Jinyan said, “What’s there to be afraid of with me here?”

Shen Chuwei slumped her shoulders, envisioning her future life.

When has a salted fish been forced to turn over?

Xiao Jinyan didn’t catch on to Shen Chuwei’s loss of interest but said, “In this East Palace, you are the most suitable, understand?”

So many women by his side, not one to his liking.

Only Shen Chuwei, in front of him, was different from them all.

She really doesn’t hustle or fight, nor has she cursed him.

…Even if she did, he wouldn’t know~

In any case, no one is more suitable than her to help him manage the affairs of the East Palace.

Shen Chuwei showed a polite yet awkward smile, Crown Prince, I really don’t understand~

With so many women in the East Palace, why pick me?

If you tell me what’s wrong, can’t I change it?

Seeing her so worried, Xiao Jinyan considered a possibility, “Are you afraid of the Empress?

Afraid that she will pressure you?”

Shen Chuwei’s eyes lit up.

She was struggling for an excuse, and he had thought of one for her.

She nodded in agreement, not forgetting to pay a compliment, “Your Highness is wise, this concubine knows she is not smart enough to be favored and loved by the Empress Mother.”