As Su Miaogang approached the guqin, Shen Changji grabbed her hand and pulled her directly into his arms.

Su Miao blushed instantly and glared at Shen Changji.

"Didn't you say you'd teach me how to play the piano?"

Her voice sounded impatient.

If she had known it was Shen Changji who was behind this, she wouldn't have come.

Judging from their current appearance, they hardly look like they're about to practice the piano properly.

Although her clothes covered her, the touch of the man's palm still made her fingertips tremble.

The main reason was because they were so close; her neck was pressed against the man's side, unconsciously rubbing against him gently, his hot breath hitting her ear without any obstruction.

"Actions speak louder than words, and I'm willing to teach you step by step."

As he spoke, his long, deep, and broad hand touched hers.

Because of her physique, Su Miao appeared exceptionally petite in front of Shen Changji.

Her hand, held by Shen Changji, looked even smaller.

"But I don't want to learn."

Su Miao spoke her mind very frankly.

“Study, and Grandma will check on you later.”

He casually uttered a lie without any change in expression.

It looks so real.

Only he himself knows whether his statement is true or false; outsiders won't notice much.

As expected, Su Miao was stunned upon hearing this.

"Since Grandmother would check up on me, she should have arranged a musician for me. How did it become you?"

Su Miao frowned and looked back at Chen Changji.

She tried to find signs on Shen Changji's face that he was lying.

But he remained silent and unchanged, and showed no sign of lying.

"Don't you see how late it is? I happened to have some free time, so I took on this job."

Su Miao: "..."

Thank you, but you didn't have to be so kind!

"If it were you, I wouldn't want to learn!"

Su Miao bluntly threw her words in Shen Changji's face once again.

Because she knew that Shen Changji was always concerned about his image and liked to maintain that facade, so she knew he would be unhappy if she said that.

If she's unhappy about it, she won't bother studying!

The fact that she doesn't need to learn means she can leave!

"Study hard, and you'll get a reward for mastering a piece of music."

Shen Changji held her hand, his voice softening slightly, with a hint of coaxing.

Although Su Miao couldn't see his expression clearly, she could sense the change in Chen Changji's demeanor.

This unusual behavior left her somewhat incredulous.

She could feel her heart pounding again.

Su Miao barely managed to maintain her composure. "Shen Changji, you really don't need to do this."

"Don't want to learn this? Then let's choose something else. Which do you want to learn: music, chess, calligraphy, or painting? I can teach you any of them."

Shen Changji continued her words.

Music, chess, calligraphy, painting...

Su Miao's gaze lingered for a moment, her thoughts somewhat disorganized.

"Why do I have to learn these things? Was it Grandma's idea?"

"Don't you think Meng Ying's skills are a perfect match for me? You don't need to envy others. She can play the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and so can you."

She is well-versed in the Four Books and Five Classics; I can teach you that too.

And you and I... could be a perfect match.

His deep, quiet voice carried a hint of doting affection that Su Miao could detect.

Her heart skipped a beat, and her breathing became rapid.

Especially the last sentence...

He and she could be a good match.

The string in Su Miao's mind snapped, and the restless emotions that had subsided in her heart reignited.

This feeling was completely foreign to her.

She felt so unfamiliar with the place that she wanted to escape... She felt confused, uncomfortable, and conflicted!

"I……"

“If you don’t want to learn tonight, we can learn tomorrow,” Shen Changji said again.

He had plenty of patience with her.

Su Miao turned around, met Chen Changji's burning gaze, and shook her head.

She doesn't want to study...

"Don't want to?" Shen Changji asked, looking at her.

"I don't want to!"

She made no attempt to hide it.

"I can let you go."

"Then would you still think she's a good match for me because she's skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and well-versed in the Four Books and Five Classics?"

Seeing the redness in Su Miao's eyes, Shen Changji couldn't help but lean down and press his head against hers, his eyes revealing a hint of warning.

"I wasn't wrong... She and you are indeed a perfect match, a good match in terms of social standing!"

Su Miao felt wronged.

Shen Changji originally intended to let her go, but upon hearing Su Miao's words, his gaze deepened.

Su Miao was forced to press down on the strings, and the guqin emitted a soft, mournful sound.

The unusual sound made Su Miao even more embarrassed.

"Su Miao, you really enjoy challenging me."

Shen Changji reached out and pinched her face.

Su Miao's ears were ringing and her shoulders were stiff.

She instinctively tried to break free from Chen Changji's embrace, but his next words instantly stopped her in her tracks.

"Liu Jiaojiao is still on her way."

Where is she?

"We're almost there. His Majesty has entrusted this matter to me."

Su Miao instantly understood the unspoken meaning in Chen Changji's words.

He noticed Su Miao's emotions but didn't make things difficult for her.

"Stay here tonight."

"I need to pay my respects to my grandmother tomorrow."

"Grandmother is not feeling well, so you may skip the greetings tomorrow."

Su Miao hesitated for a moment, but finally agreed.

Shen Changji didn't do anything to her. When Su Miao returned to her room, she felt that Shen Changji seemed... alright.

But as night fell, Su Miao immediately took back everything she had said!

The man's arms were slightly bulging, with smooth and eye-catching muscle lines, and the way they wrapped around her waist added an ambiguous atmosphere that she couldn't ignore.

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