Chapter 496: Chapter 496

Tangyuan had no idea that someone could like her looking the way she did, let alone a prince.

She had planned to stay single her whole life and had never considered men.

It wasn’t until she noticed that Rong Heng’s mental state was getting worse that she began to realize something.

Because they were still in Prefecture City where the epidemic wasn’t fully under control, they usually stayed indoors. But Rong Heng needed medicine for his illness, and he needed good food. The farm didn’t have much fresh meat, so she had to go outside to buy it, but now the common folks were too scared to set up stalls. So what to do?

That’s why, whenever she went out, she would transfer some meat from her "space" because, amid the epidemic, the freshness of the purchased meat was uncertain.

For everyone’s health, she chose this healthier and quicker method.

Normally, it wasn’t her turn to do the purchasing, it was managed by the manor’s steward to buy uniformly for the twenty or so people living there. But she wanted to get out and learn about the conditions under the epidemic. So, she specifically mentioned this to Rong Heng, and they decided she would handle their groceries herself.

However, ever since that day he pinned her against the wall, he seemed to be off, basically following her wherever she went.

How could that work? Normally, she could easily step out, choose whatever she wanted from the "space" and buy. But with this burden, how could she shop? Would she have to go around villages asking door to door?

Though this era didn’t know about locking down villages or counties, and the common folks didn’t have the strong sense of self-protection of later generations, they still had to live. Those who were brave enough went to the markets anyway, and the timid ones only came out once in a while. Of course, if you could find their village to buy from, prices could be much cheaper.

Rong Heng stubbornly followed her, what could she do but bring him along?

"You don’t want to ride horses? Not even the horse carriage? Are you planning on walking?"

Just outside the door, a certain gentleman was surprised, seeing Tangyuan carrying a basket, dressed leisurely like she was out for a walk, which shocked Rong Heng.

"Oh, I just wanted to exercise. Look, the scenery along the way is great, so I’ve always walked there. If you think it’s too tiring, we could ride horses?"

On hearing this, Rong Heng quickly said, "No, no need. Walking is good too, I’ll come with you."

As they left, he naturally took the basket from Tangyuan’s hands, a gentlemanly gesture that made Tangyuan respect him more. In ancient times, noble men never carried anything when they went out, always surrounded by others. When was it their turn to carry a basket? But Rong Heng just took it naturally, which indeed surprised her.

However, she did not refuse his kindness, only her expression became somewhat confused when his hand reached towards her. This text is hosted at novel⸺fire.net

Rong Heng, with an air of it being only natural, said, "There’s a mud pit, I’m just lending you a hand to avoid you slipping and falling face-first, which would be rather embarrassing!"

Tangyuan glanced at the mud pit, which was still a good distance ahead, and suddenly thought that he might be neurotic.

But since he had already extended his hand, rejecting it might seem inappropriate.

Thus, she resolutely placed her hand in his, unaware that as she turned away, at an angle she couldn’t see, the corner of someone’s mouth curled into a triumphant, sly grin.