Minghe didn't think there was anything wrong with what she said, so although she hesitated a bit, she still said it.

Xiao Jingying looked at him and immediately laughed in anger.

Several years?!

Seeing how angry he was, Minghe lowered her head. "A few years, three years if it's fast, four or five... six, seven, eight or nine years if it's slow."

Xiao Jingying immediately lifted the curtain.

As soon as she got back, before Minghe could even say a word, Xiao Jingying grabbed her by the collar and threw her onto the bed.

Just as Minghe was about to get up, Xiao Jingying pressed down on him.

In broad daylight, he was thoroughly ravaged and left in a terrible state.

Minghe was so afraid she wouldn't be able to get out of bed that she cried until her voice became hoarse.

He's in pain...

It hurts so much.

"If you don't pass the exam..." Xiao Jingying didn't finish his sentence.

But Minghe knew all of this.

After messing with Minghe, Xiao Jingying seemed to regret it a bit. He personally brought over the medicine, hugged him, and fed him the medicine spoonful by spoonful.

Minghe spilled the medicine, but Xiao Jingying didn't blame him. Instead, he just held him in his arms, swaying gently.

He called him, "Brother..."

Minghe felt a chill run down her spine, a sense of dread and eeriness washing over her, but she couldn't help but think back to when Xiao Jingying was still a child.

"Minghe, do you like me calling you that?" Xiao Jingying nuzzled his cheek.

Minghe was speechless and could only turn her face away.

"Will you focus on the imperial examination?" Xiao Jingying coaxed him gently. "That way you can stay by my side, Minghe... I can't bear to part with you."

Minghe was extremely weak, but upon hearing these words, her eyelashes trembled involuntarily.

He thought to himself, "I came here to do a mission, and I'm already halfway through... It doesn't make sense for me to give up because of this."

Minghe wavered somewhat.

Over the next few days, Xiao Jingying personally tutored him every day, and his serious demeanor sometimes made Minghe feel a little lost in thought.

And so, with such patience, towards a dull-witted lackey like him.

It seems... he really is a very good person.

But Minghe also knew that most of the time, Xiao Jingying was just holding back from calling him stupid.

Minghe didn't want to go against him, so she put in her best effort to deal with what he taught her.

Perhaps it was because he saw Minghe's hard work that Xiao Jingying finally found out.

Minghe wasn't trying to oppose him; she was just plain stupid.

For Minghe, the only solace was braised pig's trotters.

Minghe liked to eat, so Xiao Jinying let him eat it every meal.

Xiao Jingying really had no idea what was so delicious about this thing.

"You don't understand!" Minghe said slyly, gnawing on a braised pig's trotter.

Xiao Jingying didn't understand, but he also didn't want to understand.

Minghe, who was gnawing on a pig's trotter, understood what he meant.

Minghe looked at him sideways, blinked once, then blinked again.

Xiao Jingying frowned.

Minghe, looking rather hesitant, moved closer.

Seeing Minghe's messy eating habits, Xiao Jinying looked disgusted.

But suddenly, Minghe leaned in and kissed him on the lips.

Minghe asked, "Does it smell good?"

"..." Xiao Jingying's hand gripping the armrest, veins bulging.

Seeing that he didn't react at all, Minghe felt it was rather boring, so she silently sat back down and continued to gnaw on her pig's trotter.

Xiao Jingying looked at Minghe, his eyes dark and frightening.

It doesn't smell good.

It's a sweet little something in my heart.

He had already experienced unbridled lust, so why was it that just one kiss now...

Minghe felt that Xiao Jinying had been much kinder to her, letting her go to sleep early.

This was the first time in a long time that Minghe had been able to go to bed so early and sleep so soundly.

Xiao Jingying held Minghe in his arms, looking at his face, which was still showing signs of exhaustion even in his sleep, due to the torment he had been under for the imperial examination. A strange feeling arose in his heart.

He lowered his head and kissed Minghe's tense eyebrows and eyes.

He took Minghe's hand in his own and stroked it gently with his large hand, his fingers enveloping Minghe's fingers, and his body embraced Minghe's.

He held Minghe in his arms like that, as if he didn't want to let go.

Minghe was particularly afraid of dawn, because as soon as it got light, she would have to start studying hard.

But for some reason, Xiao Jingying had become increasingly gentle with him during this period.

Knowing his gentleness, Minghe began to push her luck, asking him, "What if I don't pass the exam?"

Xiao Jingying spoke as if it were nothing serious: "Then I'll use my connections and pull some strings behind the scenes to get you on the list directly."

Upon hearing this, Minghe was so frightened that she almost fell off her chair.

Seeing his strong reaction, Xiao Jingying smiled and asked him, "What's wrong?"

"No! No way!" Minghe refused outright.

Xiao Jingying looked at him and deliberately asked, "Why can't it work?"

"This is favoritism and corruption!" Minghe said righteously. "It could even be called collusion between officials! This is terrible! If it gets serious, the Emperor could chop off our heads!"

Xiao Jingying found it amusing and laughed, a dark and unclear laugh, then hugged him and asked, "Are you afraid I'll get my head chopped off?"

“…” Minghe hesitated for a moment, but still admitted it, “Hmm…”

[Ding! Xiao Jinying's Antisocial Index: 27.4%!]

Upon hearing this, Minghe suddenly looked at Xiao Jingying.

Xiao Jingying kissed Minghe deeply on the lips. In the heat of the moment, he unconsciously lifted Minghe onto the table and kissed him until Minghe could hardly breathe before releasing him.

After letting go, Xiao Jingying gave him a light peck on the lips, then his eyes darkened again.

[Ding! Xiao Jin's Antisocial Index: 99.9%!]

"Don't worry." Xiao Jingying pressed his forehead against his, his voice incredibly affectionate.

Minghe was terrified.

Xiao Jingying closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead against his, "If I die, I'll definitely drag you down with me."

Minghe, with a pained expression, lay on the table, desperately trying to read.

Xiao Jingying told him to go to sleep, but he wouldn't.

So sleepy she couldn't stay awake any longer, Minghe found a needle and pricked herself in the buttocks.

Xiao Jingying couldn't stand it anymore and kept telling him to get some rest.

Xiao Jingying's words were useless. A few days later, Minghe, who really couldn't find a needle, found a rope and tied it to his hair. Whenever he was slightly sleepy, his head would droop, and he could pull himself awake.

The day before the exam, Minghe, who was already exhausted, asked Xiao Jingying, "You...you didn't cheat, did you?"

"..." Xiao Jingying looked at him with dark eyes and said, "No."