Noble Son-in-Law - Chapter 29.2

Chapter 29.2

Carriages were all set up outside the Li Mansion. The one at the front was for the couple, while the one at the back held all the essentials for Shen Qingqing’s return ceremony after the wedding.

Once they settled in, the carriage took off.

Shen Qingqing huddled into a corner of the carriage while looking outside from the tiny crack in the window as if something fascinating was happening outside.

Li Zhi, recalling her bashful expression in front of his grandmother, complimented her softly. “Miss Shen, you’re quite the actress. For a moment, I thought you might actually like me.”

Shen Qingqing shot him an angry look and retorted, “Master Li knows I’m just playing a part, right?”

Li Zhi just smiled without replying.

She really was skilled at acting. When Cao Xiong from Koizumi Temple tossed her into the lake, Shen Qingqing flailed around, calling for help, fooling both Cao Xiong and Li Zhi into thinking she couldn’t swim. Before this, Li Zhi had seen her as just another high-society lady who was pretty but ultimately unremarkable. But after realising she could swim, he admired her quick thinking and began to notice her striking beauty and charming personality.

Since they both had decided to act as a loving couple, they worked seamlessly together when they reached the Shen family, making Shen Tingwen and Mrs. Chen believe that their daughter had fallen for Li Zhi.

Mrs. Song, however, was more in the know. As Shen Qushenge’s concubine, she couldn’t greet her grandson-in-law or witness the couple’s performance, so she was sceptical about Shen Qingqing’s claims. Unfortunately, with Shen Qingqing leaving soon, Mrs. Song didn’t have the chance to dig deeper.

“Grandma, I’ll come back to visit you next time,” Shen Qingqing said, hugging her grandmother just before they were set to leave.

Mrs. Song gently stroked her granddaughter’s cheek and replied. “No matter what, remember that there are grandparents at home to support you.”

It was hard to say if Mrs. Song had faced any injustices in her life, but she definitely didn’t want her granddaughter to feel that way forever. 

She came from a wealthy yet modest background. As the daughter of a prominent family, her granddaughter should have a happier life than what Mrs. Song experienced.

Shen Qingqing nodded enthusiastically.

After bidding farewell to her family, the newlyweds got on the carriage.

On the way to the Li Mansion, Shen Qingqing looked drained, lacking the excitement and joy she had when she arrived home in the morning.

Li Zhi kept her company in silence the whole way.

Later that night, after taking a bath and settling in, Shen Qingqing was curled up in bed, wrapped in her quilt, looking quite vulnerable.

Li Zhi joined her on the bed, lifting the quilt to lie down beside her.

As the maids dimmed the lights and left the room, Li Zhi turned to face her back and said, “Honestly, I really want to marry you. If you’re on board, we could truly be a loving couple.”

There wasn’t any deep connection between them. Like the sea, it would remain unchanged until the end. Li Zhi didn’t grasp that concept and wasn’t interested in it either. To him, fame and wealth mattered far more than intangible feelings. Still, he knew he would eventually marry and have kids, and Shen Qingqing was the first girl who made him feel okay about that. With the pressure of the draft looming and the imperial concubine’s sister pushing him, Li Zhi decided to go ahead with the marriage.

Now that he was married to Shen Qingqing, who had a lovely personality and a captivating presence, Li Zhi planned to treat her well.

His voice was soft and soothing, but before he spoke, Shen Qingqing’s thoughts were consumed with whether Li Zhi had just finished bathing…

So, his unexpectedly tender words didn’t resonate with her at all.

After a brief silence, the mood shifted, and Shen Qingqing quietly replied, “The Marquis has promised that we won’t interfere with each other when I give birth to a legitimate son.”

As for Li Zhi’s love words, Shen Qingqing would not believe him.

When the affectionate proposal was rejected, Li Zhi smiled, turned over, and pressed towards her.

‘The legitimate son… the legitimate son… Since she only thinks about the legitimate son, let her give birth for me!’

End of chapter 29

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