Shen Jintang gently patted Gu Zhixing's shoulder, a signal for him to let go.

Gu Zhixing was a little reluctant to let go, his fingers tightened slightly, but he eventually let go slowly, though his eyes remained fixed on her, unwilling to look away even for a moment.

"Go back and wait for me, okay?"

Shen Jintang looked up at him. Gu Zhixing was tall, so she had to look up to see his expression.

"not good."

Gu Zhixing stared at Shen Jintang, his eyes full of hurt.

His face was exceptionally clear in the moonlight, and his eyes were filled with resentment and grievance.

Shen Jintang looked at him, and her heart softened slightly.

His face was already handsome, but now that he had softened his attitude, his eyes were filled with a hint of grievance, as if he was about to cry and was trying to coax her. That look really put Shen Jintang in a difficult position.

But he was only a little hesitant; he quickly hardened his heart.

"I'll be back soon." Shen Jintang gently cupped Gu Zhixing's face in her hands, her voice soft, as if she were coaxing a wronged child. "Aren't you going to take the imperial examination? I'm waiting for you to come back with the top score. Don't forget the imperial decree you promised me; I haven't received it yet!"

Gu Zhixing, who had been frowning and looking unhappy, was stunned when he heard the second half of Shen Jintang's sentence.

His eyes were full of confusion, as if he was trying to figure out the meaning behind her words: "Imperial consort?"

Top scholar, imperial decree?

If he becomes the top scholar in the imperial examination, Shen Jintang will receive an imperial decree.

Doesn't this mean...?

"You mean we've made up?"

Gu Zhixing's eyes lit up immediately, his face full of surprise.

Looking at his anxious expression, Shen Jintang couldn't help but curl the corners of her lips: "We've broken up?"

She countered his question with a hint of teasing.

"No!"

Gu Zhixing quickly shook his head, a happy smile on his face: "We have never broken up."

With just a few simple words from Shen Jintang, all the worries he had been carrying for days vanished instantly.

The moonlight, like water, shone on Shen Jintang's face, making her skin appear fair and translucent, as if covered with a thin layer of silver frost.

Gu Zhixing looked at her, his gaze gradually becoming intense. He asked, somewhat absentmindedly, "May I kiss you?"

Shen Jintang was stunned for a moment, and before she could answer, Gu Zhixing had already leaned down and gently placed his lips on hers.

Under the moonlight, the kiss was cautious and delicate.

His lips were soft, with a hint of coolness, as if afraid of startling her. His movements were extremely gentle, carrying a hint of joy at something lost and found again.

But soon, Gu Zhixing became assertive.

His arms gently encircled Shen Jintang's waist, pulling her closer to him, and his kisses deepened, leaving her no room to refuse.

Shen Jintang was slightly taken aback, but quickly relaxed and let him take control of the kiss.

Her eyes were slightly closed, and moonlight streamed in through the gaps in her eyelashes, as if casting a halo over her face.

At that moment, everything around them seemed to stand still, leaving only their breathing and heartbeats.

After the kiss, Gu Zhixing loosened his grip slightly, but his arms were still gently wrapped around her waist, reluctant to let go completely.

His eyes were full of tenderness, and his voice was low and slightly hoarse: "Don't worry, I will study hard and earn you an official title."

"Hmm." Shen Jintang nodded slightly, looked up at Gu Zhixing, and said in an unquestionable tone, "Then you should go back to Kyoto now and study hard. Leave tonight."

Shen Jintang's tone didn't sound like she was discussing something with him, but rather like she was informing him.

A hint of reluctance flashed in Gu Zhixing's eyes.

"You just said you'd listen to me, and now you're going back on your word?" Shen Jintang reached out and poked his chest, pushing him back.

Gu Zhixing opened his mouth to refute, but he clearly said he wouldn't press her for answers, not that he had to listen to her in everything.

However, he wisely refrained from asking, because he knew that Shen Jintang was definitely waiting to set a trap for him!

The more you say, the more mistakes you make, and the more you regret it.

I've suffered quite a few losses before.

He's not that stupid to keep jumping into the pit!

Moreover, he knew that even if he didn't want to go back, Shen Jintang had a hundred ways to get him back.

Rather than making her angry, it's better to listen to her.

“Okay, I’ll go back, but you need to come back as soon as possible.” Gu Zhixing stared intently at Shen Jintang, waiting for her answer.

Shen Jintang understood what he meant and assured him, "I will go back. At the latest, I will be back on the day the results are announced."

"I want to see you win the championship!"

Shen Jintang smiled and added another sentence.

Gu Zhixing could only reluctantly let go, the warm, soft touch of his hand still lingering on his fingertips.

He lowered his eyes slightly, his gaze falling on his empty palm, as if he could still feel the warmth from just now, the warmth that belonged to her.

"How about we leave tomorrow morning?" Gu Zhixing suggested to her.

He still has some things to do!

Thinking of this, Gu Zhixing's eyes turned slightly cold.

"Let's go now." Shen Jintang didn't budge an inch. She stepped forward, cupped Gu Zhixing's cheeks, made him look at her, and said, "Take back the thoughts in your head. Don't do anything."

Gu Zhixing's eyes flickered slightly. How did she know what he wanted to do?

Could it be roundworms in my stomach?

Seeing that Gu Zhixing did not respond, Shen Jintang sighed slightly and explained, "I still have a use for him now. You are not allowed to touch him, understand?"

"I won't kill him, I'll just give him a beating." Gu Zhixing's tone was somewhat cold.

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