Chu Junyi smiled contentedly. Looking into those infatuated and hazy eyes, he tenderly kissed them, then traced along her cheek, down to her neck, and landed on her collarbone.
Li Xinyue let out a soft moan. Her body tensed involuntarily. Her heart pounded like a drum, and she felt as if floating on clouds.
But the next moment, a mischievous hand had already untied her belt. Her clothes fluttered down like petals. Shyly, she tightened her legs and turned her head away.
"Yue'er, you're so beautiful!"
The corner of Chu Junyi's mouth curled up into a smile as he carefully admired the beauty hidden beneath her clothes.
"Don't talk!"
Li Xinyue shyly covered his mouth with her hand, but her palm was gently nibbled, which made her feel ticklish and distracted.
"Your wound... is it healed?"
"Yeah. If Yue'er doesn't believe me, you can check."
Yue'er, "...No!"
Chu Junyi didn't care whether she wanted to or not. He picked her up with one hand, straddled her on his lap, and buried his head in her neck, moving downwards.
Li Xinyue was forced to tilt her head back. The numb feeling made her involuntarily let out a few shy tremors, which she quickly bit back, silently allowing his indulgence.
He smiled. He knew she was gentle.
He had witnessed it that night at the inn.
Her Royal Highness, Princess Yuanyang, was aggressive in public but gentle as water in private.
However, her gentle side needed patience. Only when she let down her guard and truly accepted someone would it be revealed.
He had never seen such a gentle girl. Her gentleness could melt people.
Just like now, the way she allowed herself to be plucked and bullied, so obedient that it was almost tempting one to commit a crime. He really wanted to merge with her.
The carriage arrived at the estate. When the people on the estate saw that it was the carriage from the princess's mansion, they let it pass directly without asking why there was no coachman, nor were they curious.
"Then which way should we go?" Chu Junyi raised his head and gently bit her ear.
Li Xinyue let out a soft groan. Coming back to her senses, she said, "Don't worry. This horse is very smart. It knows where to stop."
There was a bamboo forest on the estate. Deep in the bamboo forest, there was a bamboo cottage. It was the place where she went for outings, took short breaks, or escaped the summer heat.
The people in the estate all knew her rules, so no one dared to come here without permission.
The carriage stopped on the path in the bamboo forest. Chu Junyi came back to his senses, covered her with his outer robe, carried her into the bamboo cottage, and gently laid her on the couch.
Li Xinyue closed her eyes and let him do as he pleased.
The evening breeze blew, the tree shadows swayed, and the petals fluttered from the branches.
"The osmanthus flowers are blooming so beautifully and smell so fragrant. If they were brewed into osmanthus wine, it must be a rare good wine," Yuan Xirou sniffed the fragrance of the flowers in her palm, then tilted her head and looked at Murong Xiu, who stood there with his hands behind his back, motionless.
His gaze passed lightly through the branches and looked at the estate across the wall. In his calm eyes like flowing water, there was a hint of emotion that was not easily detectable.
If she guessed correctly, the estate across must belong to Princess Yuanyang.
He still couldn't let her go after all.
But since the two of them were in love, why didn't they end up together? What had happened in between?
They should be in love, right?
On the day of the outing, even an outsider like her could tell Princess Yuanyang's feelings for Young Master Murong.
Later, when the princess was going to marry into a foreign land, the young master even pleaded with the emperor in front of everyone, wanting to marry the princess. So it seemed that they were in love. Then why didn't they end up together?
Could it be that Lord Chu had taken the lead?
She had also seen Lord Chu's feelings that day.
But even if Lord Chu wanted to take the lead, the princess had to be willing. Could it be that in the end, the princess had fallen in love with Lord Chu and thus abandoned Young Master Murong?
Alas!
She actually felt heartache for him.
Oh—
What was she daydreaming about? It had nothing to do with her. She was here to find her younger brother.
Just now, her younger brother had gotten drunk and said he wanted to go to the toilet. But he didn't come back for a long time.
So she had chased after him to look for him. Unexpectedly, she saw Murong Xiu first, staring blankly at the wall.
She had just come up to say hello out of politeness.
Now that the greeting was over, it was time to leave.
Just as Yuan Xirou turned around.
Murong Xiu came back to his senses, gathering up all those chaotic and entangled thoughts. He politely nodded to Yuan Xirou and said, "If Miss Yuan likes osmanthus wine, I'll send someone to deliver it to your mansion later."
"I don't like wine."
But the person could be considered.
However, she probably didn't have a chance, so she didn't ask.
She turned her back to him and gave a bitter smile.
She was laughing at herself for getting involved too. Knowing that the relationship among the three of them was so complicated, she still fell into it.
"I don't know where my younger brother has gone. I'll go look for him again. Thank you, Young Master and Miss Murong, for your hospitality tonight. Another day, we'll invite you guys to come and play."
After Yuan Xirou finished speaking, she slipped out of the osmanthus grove and fled in a hurry under the moonlight.
"Ouch, sister, be gentle, be gentle. This is a human ear, not a pig ear!"
"Yuan Shaojie, you still have the nerve to say! You got dead drunk at someone else's mansion and then accidentally fell into the lotus pond. You made such a mess of yourself. Why weren't you drowned?"
"I'm not drunk. I just... just walked too fast and accidentally stepped on empty space."
"Alright, alright, stop talking. It's so embarrassing."
Hearing this, Murong Xiu turned around. In his sight, outside the clusters of osmanthus branches, the sister was tugging at her younger brother's ear while using the other hand to wipe the mud off his body in disgust.
The younger brother was begging for mercy while lowering his head to wring out his clothes.
The two of them walked in a hurry, and the wooden bridge under their feet creaked.
When they reached the osmanthus grove, the sister suddenly let go of her hand and put on that gentle and dignified expression again. Her steps also became smaller.
The younger brother also straightened his back, with one hand behind his back, looking elegant, although water was dripping from his body.
The sister paused for a moment and looked over here nervously.
Murong Xiu stepped to the side and hid behind a thick old osmanthus tree.
When Yuan Xirou's gaze swept over, there was only an empty osmanthus grove shining silver in the moonlight. When the wind blew, there was only the sound of petals falling. There was no sign of the person just now.
She let out a relieved sigh, but at the same time, she felt a sour sense of loss.
"Tell Young Master and Miss Murong that we're going home. It's getting late."
"Okay."
Murong Xiu didn't come out of the osmanthus grove until the siblings had left. Recalling Miss Yuan just now and thinking of the proper and generous Miss Yuan on normal days, if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, who would have believed that it was the same person?
Did all girls have a side that no one knew about?
He suddenly remembered Li Xinyue when she was young, that cute and mischievous little girl.
Miss Yuan could match the princess. No wonder the two of them could get along so well.
Murong Xiu lowered his eyes and smiled, then shook his head helplessly. Then he went to the main hall.
Murong Jia had someone clean up the mess. When she turned her head, she saw Murong Xiu coming in in a great mood. She was slightly surprised.
He asked, "When Young Master Yuan accidentally fell into the water and they were leaving, did you ask someone to prepare clean clothes for him to change into?"
Murong Jia nodded. "I took your clothes for Young Master Yuan to use in an emergency."
Murong Xiu let out a relieved sigh. At least they hadn't been impolite.