A brief silence fell over the tent, broken only by the ticking of the water clock.

Shen Jintang's voice was slightly languid and hoarse, as if it were a whisper slowly overflowing from the bottom of her heart: "He is extremely handsome."

Her fingertips gently twirled a strand of hair that fell over her shoulder, the movement soft and slow, as if she were soothing her thoughts.

Moonlight streamed through the gauze curtains, flowing across her porcelain-white skin, as if gilding her contours with a soft silver glow.

Indeed, Gu Zhixing's face was extremely to her liking.

His sword-like eyebrows slanted upwards towards his temples, and his phoenix eyes exuded a natural charm as they turned. Yet, his features were also sharp and angular, making him unforgettable.

If it weren't for her appearance, she probably would have killed Gu Zhixing the first time they met, and there wouldn't have been so many things that happened later.

Shen Jintang thought to herself, a faint smile playing on her lips.

Gu Zhixing, standing under the eaves, silently curled the corners of his lips. The moonlight in his eyes shattered into tiny starlight fragments, as if hiding countless unspoken secrets.

He subconsciously touched his face and suddenly felt that his appearance wasn't entirely useless; it even had some merits.

"Oh dear!" Shen Youyi stamped her feet in frustration, crumpling the quilt into a ball as if to vent her anxiety. "Who asked this!"

She leaned closer to Shen Jintang, her eyes shining brightly like two twinkling stars. "I'm asking... what do you think of your brother-in-law?"

Anyone with eyes can see what looks like, so that's not what she was asking.

Shen Jintang was slightly taken aback, then blurted out, "That's a bit childish."

Her fingertips unconsciously twirled around the ends of her hair, a gesture that seemed to conceal her inner unease.

She was stunned as soon as she said it.

The intimacy hidden in those words startled even herself.

She subconsciously tightened her fingers, as if trying to hold onto that unexpected emotion.

Outside the window, Gu Zhixing's ear tips turned red at a visible speed, as if they had been burned.

He raised his hand and touched his burning ears, his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily, as if he were suppressing some complex emotions.

"childish?"

Shen Youyi suddenly sat up, the moonlight reflecting a cunning glint in her eyes. Like a little fox spotting its prey, she leaned closer to her sister, her voice tinged with teasing: "Since you say so, sister, you must have someone in mind to compare. Tell me, who is more mature and steady than brother-in-law?"

Reference point?

Shen Jintang's fingertips suddenly tightened around the brocade quilt, the silk fabric making a soft rustling sound in her palm, as if responding to her inner unease.

In the darkness, a pair of eyes suddenly appeared—eyes as deep and unfathomable as a cold pool, always looking at people with three parts scrutiny and seven parts aloofness, as if they could see through the deepest secrets in people's hearts.

She abruptly closed her eyes, her eyelashes casting uneasy shadows beneath them, like a startled butterfly.

Why did I suddenly think of him?

That person was terrifyingly rational, utterly devoid of emotion, and the first person in her life to frighten her.

"Knock knock knock—"

The knocking abruptly interrupted my reverie, sounding as if it came from a distant place, yet so clear as to be impossible to ignore.

Just as Shen Youyi was about to ask further, she saw that Shen Jintang was already looking towards the door.

A long, dark shadow was cast there, and even the shadow itself seemed impatient.

Shen Jintang's lips curved almost imperceptibly, as if she were smiling silently.

Without even turning on the lights, just by looking at the slight tilt of the shadow's head, you could tell that Gu Zhixing was getting impatient waiting outside the door.

She whispered to Shen Youyi, "Go to sleep."

She gently gathered the collar of her plain white nightgown with her fingertips. The soft silk slipped from her shoulders, covering half of her jade-like collarbone. Moonlight shone on it, making it look as if it were coated with a layer of light frost.

She bent down to put on her embroidered shoes, a strand of her dark hair falling down, gleaming softly in the moonlight.

She stepped outside, and moonlight streamed in through the gaps in the window lattice, following her slender ankles and casting soft shadows, as if guiding her.

Just as her fingertips touched the carved door, Shen Youyi's low chuckle came from behind her: "Sister just now said I was childish, but now you're answering my calls so readily..."

Shen Jintang turned around and glared at her, only to see that Shen Youyi had already rolled to the inside of the bed wrapped in a quilt, with only her fluffy hair showing, like a naughty little animal.

"Squeak—"

The moment the door opened slightly, the night breeze carried the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms.

She squinted instinctively, a few stray strands of hair were blown by the wind, brushing against her slightly flushed cheeks and bringing a touch of coolness.

The moonlight cascaded down like a silver waterfall, washing the bluestone slabs under the corridor until they shone, making every stone pattern clearly visible.

The distant pond reflected the stars, which were broken into countless points of light by the night wind, like scattered starlight.

A petal of osmanthus blossom swirled and landed on her lapel, its sweet fragrance instantly filling her nostrils.

Shen Jintang unconsciously took a deep breath and suddenly realized that her heart was beating unusually fast.

She raised her hand to her chest, and through the thin fabric, she could clearly feel it beating rapidly—just like the feeling she had when she first wielded a sword many years ago, filled with intense nervousness.

People who speak ill of others behind their backs are always afraid of being overheard. I wonder when Gu Zhixing arrived?

The night dew dampened the stone steps, which shimmered like pearls under the moonlight, adding a touch of liveliness to the night.

She stared at the elongated shadow on the ground, and suddenly remembered what Shen Youyi had just said. Her ears involuntarily burned.

Gu Zhixing leaned lazily against the door frame, his black outer robe half-open, revealing his snow-white inner garment. The hem of his robe fluttered gently in the night breeze, as if it were about to be carried away by the wind at any moment.

This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!