Qi Rong had always been a man of decisive action. Once he made a decision, he would follow it through to the end without hesitation or procrastination.
However, when it came to matters concerning Yun Xi, he couldn't be as straightforward as usual.
On one hand, he was desperate to ensure Yun Xi's safety. He constantly adjusted her position, trying to keep all potential dangers at bay.
On the other hand, seeing Yun Xi hurt by his deliberate coldness made his heart ache. That was why he was so conflicted!
As Qi Rong recounted, Yun Xi couldn't help but shiver at the thought of those people. She blurted out instinctively, "I don't want to be targeted!"
Just some time ago, Yu Xueming had broken into her courtyard. If the Empress Dowager and the Emperor were added to the mix, she would surely be doomed!
But after deciphering the hidden meaning in Qi Rong's words, Yun Xi finally understood why his mood could change so quickly.
So he was just afraid that she would be targeted?!
Although she was timid and didn't want to be the defenseless lamb surrounded by wolves, for some reason, knowing Qi Rong's true intentions made her feel a bit happy.
She just wouldn't tell him that!
"I'll protect you from harm!"
For the first time since their marriage, Qi Rong confided his feelings to Yun Xi. He sighed, hooked his arm around her waist, and pulled her into his embrace as he solemnly vowed.
Enveloped in Qi Rong's broad and warm chest, Yun Xi couldn't help but feel a bit greedy for the moment. Her hands that were about to push him away eventually dropped.
She bit her lip and mumbled softly, "As long as you don't hurt me."
Sometimes, Qi Rong could be the most hateful!
Others could only hurt her body, but Qi Rong could wound her heart.
Wounds on the body were easy to heal. As long as she was alive, time would eventually mend them. But once the heart was hurt, it could never fully recover. It might even haunt her for the rest of her life!
"Your Highness, we've arrived at the place you mentioned."
Earlier, at Qi Rong's order, Zhan Feng had led the others back to the prince's mansion. Only the coachman remained to drive the carriage with the two of them.
Hearing the coachman's voice, Yun Xi, who had fallen asleep at some point, suddenly woke up. Her sleepy eyes turned blankly to Qi Rong, who was holding her in his arms. "Where are we?"
Yun Xi had been worried about Qi Rong getting hurt in the competition that day, so she had suffered from insomnia the previous night. She had only managed to sleep for an hour just before dawn before Yu Zhu had dragged her out of bed.
Looking at Yun Xi's slightly exhausted face, Qi Rong gently ran his long, calloused fingers across the faint bluish circles under her eyes. His voice was soft. "If you're tired, you can sleep a bit more. There's no rush."
Judging from the situation, he could more or less guess that Yun Xi hadn't slept well last night. As for the reason, it wasn't hard to figure out.
Sitting up from Qi Rong's embrace, Yun Xi felt that she was sweating all over. She thought that it was only natural for them to be sweating in such a hot summer when they were so close to each other.
Rubbing her growling stomach, Yun Xi smacked her lips. "No, let's finish your business quickly. I'm eager to go back and have something to eat!"
She had been too nervous while watching Qi Rong's competition. Even though Qi Rong had ordered Zhan Feng to prepare a lot of food for her, she hadn't been able to eat a single bite.
Now that her nerves had relaxed, her appetite had returned.
Looking at Yun Xi's cute and innocent look, Qi Rong smiled and tapped the tip of her nose affectionately. "I brought you here this time for a special treat. I'm sure they've already started roasting."
"Roasting? What are they roasting?!"
Hearing something related to food, Yun Xi's eyes immediately lit up, and all her drowsiness vanished.
Yun Xi couldn't wait to lift the curtain of the carriage. She saw that the carriage had stopped at a manor on the outskirts of the city. Looking at the beautiful scenery around, with the mountains and rivers nearby and the green farmlands, she asked, "Is this your manor? What delicious food is there inside?"
In response to Yun Xi's series of questions, Qi Rong just smiled mysteriously. He hooked his arm around her waist and directly carried her out of the carriage. His deep, black eyes stared at her tenderly. "Go in and you'll know."
This was the manor he had bought after he met Yun Xi. After a year, it was finally time to see the results!
The steward of the manor, Wang Gui, had received Qi Rong's order last night and had been waiting at the door early. When he saw Qi Rong approaching, he quickly stepped forward with a smile. "Your servant, Wang Gui, welcomes Your Highness and the princess!"
Seeing someone bowing in greeting, Yun Xi quickly got out of Qi Rong's arms and nodded at him with a smile.
Yun Xi was as beautiful as a celestial being, and her charming smile was like a flower in full bloom. Wang Gui was momentarily stunned. But when he felt the cold aura emanating from Qi Rong, he immediately broke out in a cold sweat and quickly lowered his head. He said respectfully, "Your Highness, the princess, this way please!"
Wang Gui led the way in front, while Qi Rong casually put his arm around Yun Xi's slender waist. No matter how embarrassed she was and how hard she tried to push him away, his arm was like an iron hook that tightly clasped her waist.
It was a blatant display of ownership! His imposing manner was so intimidating that no one in the entire manor dared to cast a second glance at Yun Xi.
As they walked deeper into the manor, Yun Xi could smell a very alluring aroma from afar. It was as if she had been captured by the ghosts of death. Her whole heart was drawn by the aroma, and her steps quickened involuntarily.
"What is this? It smells so good!"
Yun Xi couldn't help but swallow her saliva and eagerly asked the steward, Wang Gui, who was leading the way.
Hearing Yun Xi's question, Wang Gui kept his eyes straight ahead and replied respectfully, "Your servant reports to the princess. This is the whole roasted lamb ordered by His Highness yesterday, as well as some wild rabbits and pheasants hunted from the mountains last night. They were just marinated this morning and have been roasting for half a day. You can enjoy them in another half an hour!"
Wang Gui's words made Yun Xi show a surprised expression. She looked at Qi Rong and said uncertainly, "You planned to bring me here today yesterday?"
No way! She had been tossing and turning all night because of today's competition, while Qi Rong had already planned a "victory feast" in advance?
How confident was this man in himself?!
Moreover, since it was a victory feast, why did he only bring her here and not call Zhan Feng and Wushuang?
Thinking of this, Yun Xi didn't dare to think further. She was afraid that she would have unrealistic expectations...
Looking at Yun Xi's wandering eyes, Qi Rong hooked his lips into a smile. His eyes were deep and gentle. "To be precise, it wasn't yesterday. It was last year."
When he saw her daring to scheme against him for a meal, looking as sly as a little fox, an idea of "caging" her had suddenly popped up in his mind.
He thought that if he couldn't capture her heart, could he at least tie her down with delicious food?
At that time, the idea seemed extremely strange to him, but it had taken root and grown out of control. So he had specifically found this manor.
He wanted to keep his little fox tightly by his side, never wanting her to go anywhere else!