Shanghai:
Yuan Shun was smothering her. Ever since Shi Yen received that terrible gash on her left shoulder, he's behaved overly cautious, protective. She wasn't sure what Yuan Shun saw, but it must have been a ghastly sight to see his wife bleed out, pale, and then pass out altogether. And she knew it affected him gravely.
Though she appreciated him looking after her, even becoming domestic around the house than usual, she only wanted to regain normalcy. Shi Yen returned to work early despite the doctor's warnings and Yuan Shun's protests, but she needed to stop reliving the last week. She needed to stop worrying about Shi Ailin and Luo Wanting's safety, and she needed to leave the house.
Since the confrontation with Shi Ma, Shi Yen managed to relax a bit, as she no longer faced the looming feeling of impending death. Shi Ma was dead, and the Emperor—Yuan Ning—was Emperor no more. He was a normal man again, a son and a brother.
