Shen Changyin's expression vanished in an instant, quickly returning to calm—still as water.
Xie Yu thought she must have imagined it.
She pointed toward the pastry on the pale blue plate and mouthed, "Eat quickly."
Shen Changyin sat straight-backed and gave a slight nod.
Relieved, Xie Yu turned her attention back to the second pastry on her own plate.
Beside her, Shen Liuzhen picked up a bird's nest pastry, took one bite, and immediately frowned. "This is awful."
Xie Yu, who had been hesitating to eat her last piece, paused.
"I'm not eating it," Shen Liuzhen said.
General Shen glanced at her. "This is blood-swallow bird's nest—extremely rare and expensive. Don't spit it out. Don't waste food."
With the pastry still in her mouth, Shen Liuzhen endured it. Clearly afraid of her mother, she could only chew with her mouth closed and force it down.
Only then did General Shen nod in satisfaction, finish the pastry on her own plate, and stand up to continue speaking with other officials. Before leaving, she added,
"Eat both pieces."
Shen Liuzhen nodded obediently, holding the mostly uneaten pastry in her hand, with another whole one still on her plate.
As soon as General Shen left, she shoved the pastry toward Xie Yu. "Help me eat it."
Xie Yu said flatly, "If you're losing your mind, don't drag me into it."
Shen Liuzhen glanced at Shen Changyin. "What, scared she'll get mad and ignore you?"
Xie Yu replied, "Scared she'll get mad and kill you."
Feeling that she had clearly crossed into a different category from single people, Xie Yu said sincerely,
"Do you even know what boundaries are?"
Shen Liuzhen shook her head righteously. "Don't want to know."
She stuffed the remaining half of the pastry into her own mouth, chewed for a long time, swallowed painfully, and said,
"Haven't you ever shared a bowl of food with friends? This is totally normal. Why are you being so awkward?"
Without waiting for a reply, she pushed the plate with the untouched pastry toward Xie Yu.
"Here. If you don't want to eat something I've bitten, fine. I haven't touched this one. You can help me finish it, right?"
"I gave you such a great repeating crossbow. At least repay me a little."
She was so frank that Xie Yu didn't know how to respond.
Honestly, if the pastry had been offered by Jiang Fang or Old Jin, Xie Yu would've eaten it without a second thought.
But Shen Liuzhen's identity was different—she was Xie Yu's former fiancée.
Even though Shen Changyin looked calm and composed today, Xie Yu still had to consider her feelings.
Shen Liuzhen simply placed the plate on Xie Yu's table. "Just eat it. I know you like this."
Suddenly, a fair hand reached in from the side and placed an entire untouched plate of pastries in front of Xie Yu, then returned Shen Liuzhen's plate to her.
Shen Changyin naturally sat down beside Xie Yu—between her and Shen Liuzhen.
"Thank you, Miss Shen, for your concern," she said gently. "But she doesn't need it now."
Xie Yu glanced at the pastries. "Aren't you eating?"
Shen Changyin replied softly, "If you like them, eat more. In a couple of days, I'll transfer this chef to our residence."
Xie Yu froze. "But this pastry uses that special bird's nest, right? Didn't they say it's extremely rare?"
Shen Changyin poured her a cup of tea to go with the dessert and nudged the plate closer.
"If you like it, then it isn't rare."
"I'll just have someone take it from my private stores."
Xie Yu paused for two seconds, pressed both hands to her chest, and murmured shyly, "…Okay."
She felt a little embarrassed.
She pushed her own plate—with one remaining pastry—toward Shen Changyin and said quietly,
"At least eat one."
Shen Liuzhen watched everything in silence, saying nothing more.
She didn't speak again until the banquet ended. Outside the palace, she watched Shen Changyin and Xie Yu board their carriage, then turned and returned to the residence prepared for her.
It was specially arranged by the empress—carefully designed in every detail.
General Shen had already returned and was soaking her feet. Seeing her come in, she asked, "How was it?"
Shen Liuzhen sat down at the table, her expression icy calm.
"I thought someone like Shen Changyin should have shattered long ago—full of cracks, easy to provoke emotionally."
She had understood a truth early on. Books always said that suffering tempers the will and strengthens a person.
But reality was the opposite.
The more suffering someone endured, the easier they were to break. Wounds never became armor—wounds only became greater weaknesses.
Like a bone that's been broken once: it doesn't become stronger. It becomes easier to fracture again.
Those who've lost loved ones are easily provoked by talk of "losing someone again."
Those who once had nothing remain hypersensitive to words like "you don't deserve what you have," even after gaining everything.
Especially suffering in childhood—it leaves scars that never fade. Like shattered porcelain pieces: even if repaired into a whole vase, the cracks never disappear.
By all logic, Shen Changyin's emotions should be easy to stir. She should have been consumed by jealousy and anger today, attacking either her or Xie Yu.
But she didn't.
Shen Changyin showed extraordinary restraint and composure today.
Shen Liuzhen sneered. "She actually managed to knead herself back together—pieced together a complete human shape."
General Shen looked at her. "Don't tell me you can't do it. You already made a promise to Her Majesty."
Shen Liuzhen replied, "I said it would be difficult. Did I ever say I couldn't do it?"
"Everyone has weaknesses. And both of them have very obvious ones."
She glanced at General Shen. "Tomorrow, report back to Her Majesty for me. Tell her I already have a countermeasure and will definitely fulfill her request."
—
Early the next morning, Xie Yu once again got to eat that bird's nest pastry.
Because the bird's nest in Shen Changyin's possession was of higher quality and greater quantity, the head chef even changed the recipe—removing the adzuki beans that had been added to cut costs, making the filling far purer and more refined.
Xie Yu ate to her heart's content.
Shen Changyin only ate one or two pieces. The rest of the time, she simply drank tea while watching Xie Yu eat.
Not long after, the steward hurried in to report, "Third Highness, someone is asking to see you at the front gate. She says she's here to deliver something… a repeating cross—"
The repeating crossbow manual!
Xie Yu jumped to her feet and hurried toward the entrance.
The visitor turned out to be Shen Liuzhen herself.
"You came in person?"
Shen Liuzhen smiled slyly. "I wouldn't trust just any random person to deliver my things. That repeating crossbow is my life's work. You don't have to return it, but I need to personally tell you the key points for maintaining it."
"Fine, then come in and talk."
Xie Yu stepped aside. Only then did the two of them notice Shen Changyin also emerging unhurriedly from the rear courtyard.
The three of them sat down in the main hall.
"The repeating crossbow is in my bedroom. I'll go get it." Xie Yu left in a hurry.
A freshly brewed cup of pu'er tea sent up slow curls of steam. Shen Liuzhen was silent for a moment, then suddenly sighed.
"Elder sister, you're too anxious."
She smiled lightly. "Whether it was today or yesterday at the banquet, no matter what she and I were doing, you always rushed over. It's like you couldn't be at ease for even a moment letting us be alone."
"Is this what the common folk call the harmonious pairing of the Regent and the Crown Princess?"
"How my relationship with her is isn't something you have the standing to comment on," Shen Changyin replied flatly.
"But anyone with eyes can see it. You're afraid of her being alone with me." Shen Liuzhen tilted her head. "Elder sister, you know it yourself—you think that if she ever had another option, she would never choose you."
"You're with her only because you forcibly occupy her time, leaving her no chance to develop anything with anyone else."
Shen Liuzhen propped her cheek with one hand. The little bit of flesh on her face formed a soft, endearing curve.
"My poor elder sister. You finally found someone you love, yet you're so insecure."
"Nonsense." Shen Changyin took a sip of pu'er tea and clearly didn't want to continue the conversation.
Xie Yu soon returned with the repeating crossbow. Shen Liuzhen explained several key points of maintenance, and the two of them discussed its usage for a while.
Shen Changyin remained silent the entire time.
"Minister Shen, Third Highness and I are going to the range to test the accuracy of this repeating crossbow. Would you like to come along?" Shen Liuzhen invited her.
Xie Yu nodded enthusiastically. "Shen Changyin, come with me. You can see how amazing I am."
Shen Changyin lifted her eyes, naturally meeting Xie Yu's expectant gaze—and Shen Liuzhen's smiling face.
She paused for a moment. "I won't go. Have fun."
Shen Liuzhen's expression turned complicated, as if she hadn't expected this response.
—
But once they went out, Shen Liuzhen quickly understood where Shen Changyin's confidence came from.
Xie Yu wasn't a hard person to get close to—Shen Liuzhen had already proven that through personal experience.
But Xie Yu also wasn't someone without boundaries.
Shen Liuzhen used the excuse of strolling through the capital's markets to extend their time alone, carefully testing Xie Yu's limits step by step.
Whether in words or actions, the moment she showed even a hint of intimacy, Xie Yu would instinctively pull back a little, never allowing the conversation to drift toward ambiguity.
Along the way, Xie Yu bought quite a few fresh little trinkets for Shen Changyin.
It was obvious that even when Shen Changyin wasn't by her side, Xie Yu still kept her in mind.
Shen Liuzhen maintained her gentle outward expression, feeling a little emotional inside, and sighed silently.
You and Shen Changyin are actually quite well matched. It's just a pity—I have to break you apart.
Soon, five or six people on horseback burst into the bustling city streets where riding was forbidden. They charged recklessly forward, heading straight toward Xie Yu, who was standing by a street stall picking out a bracelet for Shen Changyin.
Xie Yu looked up and saw them, just about to dodge, when someone suddenly shoved her hard from the side.
She stumbled into the stall. When she turned back, she realized Shen Liuzhen had pushed her out of the way and saved her.
Shen Liuzhen herself was slammed by the horse and rolled on the ground twice.
Putting her injuries aside for the moment, she staggered as she struggled back to her feet.
Seeing that she had hit someone, the rider wasn't frightened at all—she was furious instead.
"You short-lived nuisance!"
She raised the whip high in her hand.
Xie Yu's pupils shrank. She reached out and shouted, "Watch out!"
Her words and actions weren't fast enough to save Shen Liuzhen.
The next instant, that refined, cool-featured woman—like the moon among mortals—had her flawless face torn by a bleeding whip mark that cut from her forehead across her eye and down her cheek.
She instinctively looked toward Xie Yu. Before her brain could process the pain, her eyes filled with clear, involuntary tears that flowed down together with the blood.
Xie Yu's mind buzzed.
—
T/N: If you're enjoying this translation, feel free to check out my Patreon. If you're unable to support financially, you can still subscribe for free and receive chapters two hours earlier, along with updates and announcements. Paid tiers offer early access and daily chapters.
Thank you so much for reading!
patreon.com/Baenz