Quick Transmigration: The Control Group in Sweet Novels

"What?!" Xie slammed her hand on the table, the mahogany surface making a dull thud. The coldness in her eyes was almost icy. "This Lin Mingyuan has some nerve!"

Shen Hengzhi briefly explained the whole story: Lin Mingyuan had bribed servants at the Hundred Flowers Banquet to drug his wine, intending to embarrass him in front of all the distinguished guests in the capital. Shen Hengzhi spoke calmly, but Xie Shi's expression grew increasingly cold as she listened.

Shen Hengzhi said calmly, "The person has been captured, Mother need not worry."

Upon hearing this, Xie's tense expression did not relax. She leaned back in her chair, her face still grim. Even though Shen Hengzhi was sitting in front of her perfectly fine, she was still shaken.

"Do you need me to go to the palace...?"

Before Xie could finish speaking, Shen Hengzhi interrupted her, saying, "No need, I will handle it properly."

Madam Xie's gaze was complex. She knew Shen Hengzhi's personality; he arranged everything perfectly, never letting her worry about a thing. But it was precisely this calm and collected nature that made it impossible for her, as his mother, to guess what he was thinking.

"Now that we've got the person, you can do whatever you want with her." Madam Xie didn't interfere further, then remembered something, "By the way, what do you plan to do with that maid?"

Shen Hengzhi's fingertips paused on the edge of the teacup.

Seeing his silence, Xie assumed he was considering his options. Since only the mother and son were in the flower hall, she continued speaking, "Although last night's events were an accident, it's still... not good to just leave it like this."

Shen Hengzhi lowered his eyelashes, his tone calm yet unquestionable, "I will make my own decisions about her affairs."

Madam Xie stared at him for two seconds. Seeing that his expression remained normal and that he seemed to have indeed made a decision, she didn't press him further. She nodded and said casually, "Alright, as long as you know what you're doing."

She thought Shen Hengzhi meant to elevate her to the position of a concubine.

Shen Hengzhi did not linger any longer and soon got up to take his leave. As he walked out of the flower hall, the light fell on his shoulders, casting his long shadow on the pillars.

As Xie watched his retreating figure, she inexplicably sensed a hint of urgency in his expression.

*

When Shen Hengzhi returned to the courtyard, the house was so quiet it was as if no one was there.

He stood in the corridor for a moment, his fingers tightened, and then he pushed the door open and went inside.

On the small table in the outer room, half of the meal had already been eaten. Qi Yang was sitting at the table, holding a piece of osmanthus cake in her hand, taking small bites.

The light purple dress accentuated the girl's slender waist, making her resemble a newly blossoming wisteria, elegant and charming with a touch of delicate beauty.

Shen Hengzhi leaned against the door frame for a while, and for some reason felt a little relieved.

He was the one who dragged her into yesterday's events.

He walked in, leaned down behind her, rested his chin on her shoulder, and loosely wrapped his arms around her waist, gently holding her on his lap.

Qi Yang froze, and the osmanthus cake almost fell from her hand.

"Your Highness, Your Highness!" Qi Yang cried out in a panic. Why was this person like a ghost, walking without making a sound?

Shen Hengzhi didn't respond. Instead, he buried his face in the girl's neck, his nose brushing against the delicate skin behind her ear, his breath warm and sticky as he inhaled her scent.

"Yangyang..."

His breath was warm, carrying an almost satisfied sigh.

Qi Yang was completely devastated.

Since breaking through the last line of defense yesterday, Shen Hengzhi has become this terrifying figure, clinging to him like a satiated beast at all times.

His chest pressed against mine, the heat through the thin spring shirt felt like a ball of fire.

Qi Yang tried to move forward, her voice tinged with embarrassment and annoyance, "Young Master, could you please get up first?"

His voice was tinged with emotion, "You eat yours, I'll hold mine."

"I can't eat like this," she said, somewhat annoyed.

What else should we eat?

As the two were entangled, the osmanthus cake had long since fallen into some corner.

She twisted her body slightly, trying to break free from his clingy embrace, but the moment she did, she felt something pressing firmly against her waist.

Qi Yang was completely too scared to move.

Shen Hengzhi felt the stiffness in the person in his arms, and finally raised his head to look at her from the side.

The girl's profile was soft, and her earlobes were as red as if they had been dipped in rouge. His gaze fell on the crumb of pastry at the corner of her mouth, his eyes darkened, and he reached out and gently wiped it away with his fingertips.

Qi Yang was slightly taken aback and subconsciously turned her head to avoid it.

"Don't move, or I'll stop using my hands."

Qi Yang indeed dared not move.

Shen Hengzhi was satisfied.

Then he picked up the chopsticks she had used, and naturally picked up a piece of pastry, putting it into his mouth.

Qi Yang watched, furious but unable to speak out.

She waited for a while and saw that he seemed to have really just sat down to eat and didn't do anything out of line, so she breathed a sigh of relief.

The porridge in the bowl had gone cold, and she had no appetite to eat anymore. She hesitated for a long time, clutching her sleeve, before finally mustering the courage to speak, "Young Master, this servant should return to the side courtyard."

As she spoke, she was about to stand up, her fingertips gripping the hem of her skirt, when she heard Shen Hengzhi say, "No need. Your things have already been moved out and placed in the side room."

The girl froze.

A side room is a room next to the main room.

"You don't need to go back to the side courtyard from now on; you can stay here."

Qi Yang opened her mouth, wanting to say that this was against the rules, but then she remembered that Shen Hengzhi was in charge of everything in the mansion, and no one dared to disobey his orders, so she swallowed her words.

This evil capital.

Qi Yang's voice was muffled, "Your Highness, I'm feeling a little unwell and would like to go back to my side room to rest."

She wasn't lying; she had barely slept all night, and even now, sitting here, her calves were trembling.

Shen Hengzhi stared at her for a few seconds, seemingly having considered this as well, and then agreed, "Okay."

No further questions were asked.

Qi Yang was stunned for a moment, and before she could react, she felt her hand being covered by him.

Shen Hengzhi held her hand and gently stroked the back of her hand with his thumb, as if to soothe her with tenderness.

"I can give you time."

Qi Yang lowered her head, the warmth of her palm seeping through her skin little by little, burning her fingertips until they curled slightly.

"But I hope you won't let me down."

A complex emotion suddenly welled up in her heart, and she couldn't even tell what it was.

She pursed her lips, remained silent for a few seconds, and then softly hummed in agreement.

I don't know if I agreed or not.

Shen Hengzhi slowly released her hand. "Go."

Qi Yang quickly got up and fled as if escaping a famine.

Shen Hengzhi remained seated, quietly watching her disappear. The afternoon light fell on his shoulders, yet it carried a strange sense of desolation.

The moment the door closed, Qi Yang leaned against the door and took a few deep breaths.

The plot has fallen apart.

The plot twists that she encountered made her even more anxious than the original book.