"Miss Shen the Second," Pei Yu seemed to have discovered something interesting. "You seem... quite afraid of seeing this prince?"
Shen Cuiyu's lips twitched imperceptibly.
Afraid?
Of course she was!
But what she was afraid of wasn't Pei Yu himself. She was afraid that the absurd red thread of fated lovers would entangle them even more tightly. She was afraid that one day, Pei Yu might suddenly lose his mind and really be led by fate to fall in love with her...
But could she say these words? If she did, she was afraid that this unpredictable young prince would treat her as a madwoman and throw her out!
"Why would Your Highness say such a thing?"
Shen Cuiyu blinked her clear almond-shaped eyes, looking extremely innocent. "Your Highness personally came to testify for me that day. You've been kind to me. I'm grateful beyond words. How could there be any fear?"
Pei Yu smiled. He didn't believe a single word of what Shen Cuiyu had said.
"This prince has never offended Miss Shen the Second. Why do you avoid me like the plague? Could it be that..." Pei Yu remembered the panicked look in Shen Cuiyu's eyes when she had looked at him that day. He slowly spoke, his tone tinged with an inexplicable anticipation. "Is this prince also haunted by a ghost?"
"Your Highness is overthinking," Shen Cuiyu was slightly surprised but still answered truthfully. "Your Highness has an extremely prosperous fate and will enjoy wealth and honor throughout your life. Ordinary evil spirits wouldn't dare to get close to you."
"Humph, an extremely prosperous fate?"
Pei Yu suddenly let out a rather ambiguous sneer. The arrogance and mockery in his eyes merged at that moment, inexplicably making him seem a bit sad.
Shen Cuiyu looked at Pei Yu, as if she could see through his thoughts. She slowly added, "It's just that a fate too blessed with wealth and honor might attract villains."
Pei Yu was slightly stunned upon hearing this. He composed his features and scrutinized Shen Cuiyu's face. When he spoke again, his voice was cold.
"Then why do you run away when you see this prince?"
Why were they back to this again?!
Shen Cuiyu had a splitting headache. She found Pei Yu extremely difficult to deal with!
"That's because... because..." Shen Cuiyu stammered. Pei Yu, not far away, wasn't in a hurry. He just watched her leisurely.
In a flash, Shen Cuiyu suddenly remembered the rumor about Pei Yu - he had once personally told the emperor that he only fancied women who didn't like him!
That meant he didn't like those noble ladies who flocked to him. Instead, he preferred women who were cold and aloof towards him?!
Pei Yu's preference sounded extremely strange at first, but upon closer inspection, it seemed reasonable.
A person of such high status, who had been adored since childhood, must be thoroughly sick of flattery. Naturally, he would appreciate those women who didn't show him any false courtesy and even avoided him!
After all, that's how it was written in the storybooks. It was either a wealthy young lady falling in love with a proud and poor scholar or a noble young master infatuated with a cold and proud fisherman's daughter...
Suddenly, everything clicked in her mind. No wonder Pei Yu had been questioning her several times. It turned out that her previous actions of avoiding him had hit the mark!
Shen Cuiyu regretted it!
At the same time, she also felt a bit more at ease. Since Pei Yu liked cold and aloof women, she would do the opposite. She would be passionate and become the type that Pei Yu detested the most!
Under Pei Yu's puzzled gaze, Shen Cuiyu suddenly lowered her head. A slender and fair section of her neck was exposed. Her voice was soft, tinged with a bit of a young girl's shyness. "A Cui has been mentally unstable since childhood. Although her parents doted on her, she has experienced the vicissitudes of life. You're the first person who isn't related to me but was willing to testify for me! It's just that A Cui is stupid and doesn't know how to express her gratitude, which is why she lost her composure. It wasn't intentional avoidance." As if mustering up all her courage, Shen Cuiyu blurted out these words in one breath. Finally, she dared to look up. Her almond-shaped eyes were bright and sincere. "A Cui... is very happy to see Your Highness."
These words were sincere, but they also contained a fair amount of flattery. Even Shen Cuiyu felt like vomiting when she heard them. But thinking that there was someone who felt even more nauseous than her, she mustered up the courage to add another sentence.
"Your Highness is so wise, valiant, and discerning. A Cui truly admires you."
A look of surprise flashed across Pei Yu's usually calm face.
He had grown up in the deep palace. He had heard countless flatteries and had become numb to them. But the innocence and sincerity in the eyes of the woman in front of him somehow made this over-the-top flattery... seem a bit sincere.
Pei Yu gave Shen Cuiyu a rather strange look and, surprisingly, didn't reply immediately.
Shen Cuiyu stole a glance at his reaction and was certain that Pei Yu was disgusted by her!
She let out a sigh of relief. It seemed that although this move was risky, it was indeed effective. Pei Yu didn't even want to talk to her!
The atmosphere between them became a bit strange for a moment. Shen Cuiyu stared at her nose and then her heart, thinking about how to slip away.
But Pei Yu suddenly spoke up and asked a rather random question. "Can you really see ghosts?"
Shen Cuiyu was taken aback. Pei Yu served in the Supreme Court. He was known for his swift and decisive actions, and his various methods were extremely intimidating. Logically, a person like him should be the least likely to believe in ghosts and gods. She didn't expect that he would be curious about matters of the occult...
Was he just purely curious, or was it a deeper kind of probe...
Shen Cuiyu temporarily suppressed her thoughts and replied seriously. "All things have spirits. Their gathering, dispersing, birth, and death all follow the Heavenly Dao. The so-called ghosts and evil spirits are actually the spiritual bodies of living beings who, after death, remain in the mortal world because their obsessions haven't faded and their karmas aren't resolved. They also have emotions and can be troubled. But when their obsessions are too deep, they might disrupt the balance between yin and yang, causing harm to both humans and ghosts." She paused for a moment. Her gaze was clear, and her voice was calm. "That's why there are celestial masters who can communicate between yin and yang to help ghosts dispel their obsessions. As for me..."
Shen Cuiyu faced Pei Yu's inquisitive gaze calmly. "I was born with a special constitution and can indeed see ghosts."
Every word she said was true. In her previous life, as a celestial master, she had to practice spiritual power hard to be able to cross into the netherworld and communicate with spirits. However, after being reborn, with all her three souls intact, she was surprised to find that this body had a unique talent - without relying on spiritual power, she could directly peer into the netherworld and communicate with ghosts and gods!
This was the so-called yin-yang eyes, a physique that could cross into the netherworld and communicate with spirits, one in ten thousand!
That's why, after being reborn, Shen Cuiyu didn't focus on improving her spiritual power like in her previous life. Instead, she focused on cultivating her will and mental strength.
After listening, Pei Yu nodded slightly. The usual lazy smile on his face gradually faded. His gaze was fixed on the curling incense in the distance. His eyes became faraway, as if he had traveled through the current hustle and bustle and fallen into a long-sealed memory. He was completely different from his usual cynical self.
"Perhaps one day, you can help me..."
Shen Cuiyu looked at him and suddenly felt that there seemed to be a heavy burden on the heart of this fated person of hers. Like her, he was carrying unknown secrets.
Shen Cuiyu politely bowed and turned to leave. After walking a few steps, a painting of a young woman came into view. With just a quick glance, Shen Cuiyu suddenly stopped.
There seemed to be the aura of a dead person on this painting.