Noble Son-in-Law - Chapter 57.1

Chapter 57.1

In the stillness of the night, Li Zhi shifted on the large dragon bed. Through the sheer curtain, he noticed Shen Qingqing sitting by the table. Her small frame resembled that of a child.

He summoned the empress to share his bed, but if Shen Qingqing decided to leave in the middle of the night, it would definitely stir up a commotion in the capital.

Although Shen Qingqing didn’t leave, she refused to share a bed with the man. Despite the man’s promise that he would not touch her, she insisted on staying in the chair all night. Li Zhi offered her the bed while he took the chair, but she didn’t seem to appreciate his gesture.

How could he possibly sleep with her sitting there?

Thinking she might be awake too, Li Zhi stayed still, quietly observing her.

Perhaps it was the sight of her in such a miserable position that his thoughts went back to their past days.

On their wedding night, she wouldn’t even let him remove her clothes. Even though he tried to be gentle, she was in so much pain that she didn’t know how to react. Unable to hold back, she eventually curled up in the quilt and cried out loud. Seeing her so distressed made Li Zhi feel worse than a monster.

During the heavy downpour on the grasslands, the sky was dark and ominous, as it was a ferocious creature ready to swallow everything in its path. At that time she looked up trembling, and took refuge in his embrace while tearfully expressing her desire to return home. Eventually, they reached the palace, but the rough journey had left her delicate legs sore and injured. Li Zhi tenderly applied medicine to her wounds, and her beautiful almond-shaped eyes brimmed with tears. That night, she fell ill, burning with fever, and the flush on her cheeks broke his heart.

When she was pregnant, she craved candied haws but held back, fearing it might lead to a miscarriage. He bought some for her, but she only dared to take a tiny bite. It was impressive how sensible she was at such a young age, prioritising their child.

As for childbirth, when he entered her room that night, she lay weakly on the bed, looking as if she had lost a part of herself. Emperor Qingde was gravely ill and Li Zhi was scheming a rebellion, yet he kept her in the dark until everything was settled down. Although she was clearly reluctant to leave her family in the capital, she reassured him that as long as she was with him and their daughter, she would face any challenge without fear.

The more Li Zhi recalled the past, the deeper his feelings of pity and guilt grew. He had promised her that he would not let her face any hardships, yet here he was breaking it. Now he was the one who caused her the most pain. She was so hurt that she couldn’t even bear to look at him, and the thought of having a child with him—potentially the future emperor—was something she rejected entirely.

He didn’t have to go through with the beauty contest, but he thought that picking someone could help ease some of his issues. Li Zhi figured it was a fair trade, so he went along with his grandmother’s wishes and even tried to convince Shen Qingqing to accept his plans with some twisted logic.

Now, he realised that while the talent show might lighten his load, it would also break her heart. What mattered more? After scheming for most of his life, only Shen Qingqing, besides his biological sister, had truly found a place in his heart. Therefore, he didn’t want to become a stranger to her.

Li Zhi gently pushed aside the gauzy curtain and made his way over to his little wife, who was sitting in a chair.

Shen Qingqing was still awake. She was used to being pampered so she found it hard to sleep on a chair, let alone in this kind of situation.

As she heard his footsteps approaching, Shen Qingqing looked up.

Li Zhi hesitated for a moment but then continued his steps toward her.

She frowned, stood up defensively, and asked coldly, “What do you want?”

Li Zhi halted, gazing into her cold expression with his sharp eyes, and softly replied, “Grandmother’s birthday is in eight days. After that, I’ll tell her there’s no need to discuss the selection anymore.”

Shen Qingqing’s eyelashes fluttered briefly before they fully shut.

Li Zhi approached her again, speaking earnestly, “Qingqing, I was really lost a few days ago…” He trailed off, noticing his young wife had fallen into her own thoughts.

Turning to him, Shen Qingqing replied calmly, “You’re the emperor. If you don’t choose today, you’ll have to make one eventually. Why put yourself through this for me? It’s better to fulfil my grandmother’s wishes than to provoke her…”

Li Zhi quickly cut her off, saying, “If I say I won’t choose, then I won’t. You don’t need to question that.”

Shen Qingqing smiled at him and said, “Honestly, you don’t have to participate in the beauty contest, but picking someone could easily resolve some of your issues. What we had was just you whispering sweet nothings while I naively fell for you. You may have charmed me into love, but you have no idea what it feels like to be hurt by it, do you?”

The dim lights in the inner hall cast a soft glow, and her eyes sparkled with clarity as if she could see right through his thoughts.

Li Zhi fell silent.

He truly didn’t grasp the pain that love could bring.

“I…”

“Don’t say another word. If you do, I’ll walk away right now.” Shen Qingqing turned her back, not wanting to hear him anymore.

Li Zhi lowered his gaze and pressed his lips together.

That night, Shen Qingqing stayed up sitting on the chair while Li Zhi stood watching her.

Have a nice day!