The sound... Chu Xingmo had been playing with it in his hands for a long time, so it was naturally familiar.

A complex emotion flashed in his eyes. Why had he softened his heart and agreed to give it to her?

Li Yunyan felt Chu Xingmo turn around and stare at her wrist.

She immediately covered the bracelet, saying pettily, "You can't take a liking to this bracelet! It's mine!"

Chu Xingmo chuckled, seeing how anxious she was! As the ruler of a nation, he wasn't so petty as to take back what he had given away!

He quickly looked away, and in addition to those eyes, another image flashed in his mind: a dazzlingly white wrist.

It's even whiter than a white jade bracelet.

Li Yunyan finished copying a Buddhist scripture at the end of the 5-7 PM.

She carefully put away the Xuan paper and took a few steps toward Chu Xingmo. Just before he frowned, she stopped and gave him a proper curtsy, "Brother Guard! I'm leaving."

She lifted her skirt, descended two steps, then turned back and smiled faintly at him, "Brother Guard! I'll come again tomorrow!"

After saying that, she skipped down the stairs, making Chu Xingmo frown.

He walked with his hands behind his back to the Xuan paper she had just laid out. Seeing the neat small characters on it, his brows relaxed slightly.

The handwriting is quite good!

Inside the Cining Palace.

The Empress Dowager asked Qiuyue, "Mo'er really didn't drive Li Yunyan out of Feihong Pavilion?"

Qiu Yue replied with a smile, "Your Majesty, it is absolutely true! His Majesty not only did not drive Miss Li out, but he also waited until Miss Li left before leaving Feihong Pavilion!"

"That's wonderful!"

A relieved smile spread across the Empress Dowager's face. "After all these years! Mo'er has finally allowed a woman to get close to him!"

Thinking of her son's calm expression, she said with amusement, "Just wait and see! Mo'er hasn't figured it out yet. By the time he does, he'll probably be deeply involved!"

*

The next day, Li Yunyan arrived at Feihong Pavilion carrying a food box, her figure swaying gracefully.

She went up to the third floor as if she knew the way well, placed the food box on a small table, and then began to grind ink.

When Chu Xingmo arrived, she had already copied three lines.

"Brother Guard! You've arrived!"

Li Yunyan raised her small face, her round eyes smiling into crescent shapes.

She pointed to the food box on the small table and said, "Brother guard! I brought some snacks. You've been working hard on guard duty, so you can have a little something to eat if you're hungry!"

Today, Chu Xingmo wore a dark blue brocade robe without any dark patterns.

He didn't know what he was thinking, but after taking a bath, when he saw the clothes embroidered with obvious dragon patterns, he told Liu Yuan to change into them.

He glanced at the unadorned food box, but did not open it. Instead, he walked to a bookshelf and took a book.

After Li Yunyan greeted him, she kept her head down and copied the text, which made Chu Xingmo feel that she was quite sensible.

If she continues to be so sensible, he wouldn't mind letting her stay in Feihong Pavilion indefinitely.

She seemed to have made thorough preparations today, taking a silk ribbon to tie up the right sleeve so that her left hand wouldn't have to keep pulling on the sleeve while she was copying.

But this only made the severed wrist even more conspicuous!

Chu Xingmo withdrew his gaze and focused on the book in his hands.

For a long time, not a single page was turned.

Just like yesterday, the two did not exchange any words. After Li Yunyan finished copying today's Buddhist scriptures, she stepped forward to bow to him and went down from the pavilion.

Li Yunyan's steps were graceful, a faint smile in her eyes. Chu Xingmo hadn't even noticed that she was half a step closer to him today than yesterday!

After watching her pale green figure walk away, Chu Xingmo stretched out two slender fingers and lifted the food box.

It was a pastry he had never seen before. The bottom of the pastry was pale yellow and very soft, with a layer of milky white paste on top. It smelled somewhat sweet.

He put it in his mouth and took a bite. The pastry was soft and fluffy, with a milky aroma. It was sweet but not cloying, and the taste was actually quite good!

Did she make this herself?

In the following days, Li Yunyan would bring a food box with her every time she came to Feihong Pavilion, filled with pastries she had made herself.

Aunt Jiang was very lenient with her. She could use the small kitchen in Chuxiu Palace at will, and whatever ingredients she needed, she would be provided with them as quickly as possible, ensuring that everything was readily available.

Li Yunyan generously showcased her excellent culinary skills, striving to win over both Chu Xingmo's heart and stomach!

She was secretly pleased. After spending these few days together, Chu Xingmo seemed to have let his guard down around her. She was now able to speak to him at a normal social distance!

She smiled, her eyes crinkling. It seemed it was time to add a little more heat!

While making pastries today, Li Yunyan deliberately "accidentally" cut her finger.

The wound was shallow, but it was several centimeters long, making it particularly conspicuous on her fair skin.

When Chu Xingmo came over, he frowned as he stared at her fingers.

How can you cut your finger while making a pastry?

Li Yunyan seemed oblivious to his gaze, continuing to copy Buddhist scriptures. However, the wound was on her finger, and she would inevitably aggravate it while writing, occasionally letting out a low gasp.

Chu Xingmo was extremely agitated. How could a minor injury hurt so much? She must have never suffered such a minor injury back in the Li family!

Thinking about this made him even more agitated!

If Li Bieshan knew that his daughter had been injured in the palace, wouldn't he think that their dignified imperial palace was not as good as the Li family?

He glanced up at her fingers again.

The girl's fingers were long, slender, and white, like scallions, clearly untouched by rough work. That long, red mark, like a crack carved into a fine piece of porcelain, was incredibly jarring!

Unfortunately, the owner of the wound was careless and did not treat it at all. The skin around the wound had already started to turn red, and if it was not treated in time, it might leave a scar!

Chu Xingmo irritably put down his book and went up to the fourth floor. When he came down, he was carrying a bottle of ointment and a piece of white cloth.

He placed the items on the table in front of her, then walked away, saying casually, "Take care of your hands! Don't interfere with copying the Buddhist scriptures!"

"Thank you very much, Brother Guard!"

Li Yunyan put down her pen, smiled gratefully at him, and then took the ointment and white cloth to the small table by the window.

She injured her right index finger and can only apply the medicine with her left hand now. After finally getting the medicine applied, she couldn't get any strength to bandage it!

She strained her hands for a long time, until a light sweat appeared on her forehead and the tip of her nose.

Finally, when that didn't work, she pouted, flung the white cloth aside, and said somewhat angrily, "Fine, I'm not wrapping it anymore! If you don't hurry up and copy it, I'll be home late tonight!"

Chu Xingmo kept a close eye on her movements.

When she couldn't get her bandages, his teeth were working hard for her.

How could you be so stupid?

She's got quite a temper, isn't she?!

For some reason, Chu Xingmo bent down, picked up the cloth, and walked towards her.