TSWRLM -Chapter 83 I Know You’re Not Interested in Me

“Your guess is correct. After the flood, many refugees did enter the city. But to maintain order, I opened several charitable halls in town to shelter them. Even the beggars crowded in to eat and sleep. Tomorrow, I’ll take you around the city to have a look.”

Liang Weimin explained this, pouring a cup of wine for Shen Qingyuan and casually adding, “Xuzhou’s climate is mild, and its rivers and waterways are plentiful. If it weren’t for the floods, it would be a rich, fertile land. I’ve been here all these years yet have found no way to completely eliminate the water hazards. Master Shen, you topped the imperial exams at seventeen. I wonder if you might have some insight?”

Liang Weimin was nearing fifty, making him a senior official relative to Shen Qingyuan, yet he didn’t care about saving face. He openly admitted his incompetence and praised Shen Qingyuan’s talent, humbly asking for guidance—a behavior more like a genuinely conscientious official.

Shen Qingyuan immediately engaged Liang Weimin in a lively discussion on flood management techniques.

Liang Weimin played along enthusiastically. Whatever Shen Qingyuan said, he applauded, slammed the table in approval, and praised him as a prodigy in flood control.

The meal lasted a full hour. Eventually, Shen Qingyuan was escorted out of Liang’s residence with Chen Xi and Qing Shu.

The moment they left, the smile vanished from Liang’s face. His aide emerged from the shadows, curiously asking, “Master, were Shen’s methods for flood control really that good?”

Liang Weimin curled his lips in a mocking smile. “It’s all rote knowledge, the empty learning of a bookworm. No wonder he hasn’t been promoted in ten years at Jingzhao Prefecture. Just find some scapegoat to report back to the capital.”

Meanwhile, in the carriage, Shen Qingyuan sneered. “That old fox thinks I’m an idiot.”

Qing Shu had never seen her master like this and shivered at the sight.

He had just been jovial with the prefect, and now he suddenly insulted him?

Chen Xi, having experience with Shen Qingyuan, was not too surprised. She only noticed that his tolerance for alcohol seemed… a little low.

Today he drank far less than when Wei Lingze had deliberately forced him to drink, yet he still seemed drunk.

Perhaps knowing Xuzhou was no safe place, Shen Qingyuan restrained himself this time and didn’t make any overly intimate moves toward Chen Xi in the carriage.

Upon returning to the post station, officials immediately brought hangover soup and hot water.

After drinking the soup, Shen Qingyuan went to bathe.

Chen Xi laid out a clean set of clothes for him. Just as she placed them on the rack, she heard him say: “I forgive you.”

Huh???

The words came out of nowhere. Chen Xi froze, confused. Shen Qingyuan added, “For the slap you gave me last time, I forgive you.”

Chen Xi: “……”

So he doesn’t remember what happened when he was drunk, but once drunk again, he can recall it?

It was the first time Chen Xi had encountered this, and she found it a little novel. She went along with him: “I really didn’t do it on purpose. I’m so glad you forgive me.”

Shen Qingyuan said proudly, “I’ve never been petty. And you are my wife. Of course I must treat you well.”

After days of travel, Shen Qingyuan’s skin had tanned, yet his body remained fair. Sitting in the bath now, steam rising around his shoulders and neck, his skin reddened, giving off an oddly vulnerable impression.

Chen Xi couldn’t help but recall their previous touch.

His chest… was so firm.

No sooner had the thought appeared than Shen Qingyuan’s voice cut through: “What are you thinking about?”

“I’m not! I wasn’t!”

Chen Xi instinctively shook her head, her face heating up, heart pounding.

She swore she had only remembered, not taken advantage.

“Oh.”

Shen Qingyuan nodded, seemingly believing her, and didn’t probe further.

Chen Xi relaxed and tried to change the topic. Then, the sound of rushing water filled the room as Shen Qingyuan stood up in the tub, unguarded.

Chen Xi spun around—but the fleeting image seemed etched into her mind.

The steaming water flowed down his sculpted body, which looked even more muscular than usual.

And beneath the water, contrary to his usually stern face, was raw, rugged…

“……”!!!

Cao Chen Xi, stop thinking about this!

You saw nothing!

She struggled to clear her thoughts, already imagining how to handle it if Shen Qingyuan suddenly made a move. Then she heard a rustle behind her.

Mustering courage, she turned: Shen Qingyuan had dressed and lay on the bed, speaking low: “I know you’re not interested in me. Don’t worry, I won’t do that to you again.”

Not that she wasn’t interested—just that he was a little intimidating.

Recalling what she had just seen, Chen Xi swallowed the comforting words she wanted to say.

With his natural talent and the influence of alcohol, she certainly couldn’t handle him.

Besides, he wouldn’t remember what happened while drunk, so feeling uneasy for a moment was nothing.

She couldn’t suffer just because she cared for him.

Chen Xi pressed her lips together, saying nothing. Shen Qingyuan shot her a glare full of grievance, then turned his back and slept.

Once he was truly asleep, Chen Xi quietly cleaned herself and went to bed.

The next morning, at Shen Qingyuan’s slightest movement, she woke immediately.

Feeling guilty, she diligently helped straighten his collar and tentatively asked: “Master, you drank again last night. Do you remember what happened?”

Shen Qingyuan’s eyes were cold and clear again. He recalled, “I remember everything that happened at Liang’s residence. After returning to the post station, I’m not so clear. Why?”

“No, nothing,” Chen Xi quickly shook her head. Then she added, “I think your tolerance for alcohol isn’t very good. It’s better to drink less in the future, in case someone exploits this weakness.”

Shen Qingyuan, who had few friends and rarely attended banquets, wasn’t very aware of his limits. But knowing that drinking could cause trouble, he nodded: “Alright, I’ll be careful in the future.”

As long as he didn’t get drunk, what happened last night would remain unknown.

Chen Xi finally relaxed. As she did, her gaze couldn’t help but wander below Shen Qingyuan’s waist.

How could someone so serious-looking act so… wild?

Shen Qingyuan, highly perceptive, quickly noticed her gaze and asked: “What’s wrong? Something bothering you?”

He spread his hands and turned, openly displaying today’s attire.

Chen Xi hurriedly put away her thoughts, shaking her head: “Nothing, Master. You look exceptionally handsome and distinguished today!”