An unprecedented sense of suffocation swept over Nie Linyuan. His body trembled, his face turned ash-gray, and he realized there was truly no escape. Princess Zhaoyang, in high spirits, continued to wander through the gardens, admiring the flowers. Nie Linyuan followed behind like a marionette, not uttering another word.
At lunch, Xie Zhixue remained hidden in her room, as did Ping'an. After the meal, Princess Zhaoyang still refused to let Nie Linyuan be, dragging him out to shop for more items. Nie Linyuan tried to decline, claiming he had much work to do, but the Princess acted as if she hadn't heard a word. She had always been this way—concerned only with her own amusement, never sparing a thought for the well-being of others. Poor Nie Linyuan had never interacted with Princess Zhaoyang before; how could he have imagined she would be so overbearing and unreasonable?
It was evening by the time Nie Linyuan finally returned. Instead of heading to his own quarters, he went to where Xie Zhixue was staying. She had prepared a small meal for Ping'an and was feeding him. Seeing Nie Linyuan arrive, she hurriedly set down the bowl and chopsticks.
Chapter 147