Chapter 27 Wanting to sink into the soft cloud named after her...

The moonlight shone like a bright pearl, and the stars shone brilliantly. A firework display quietly went off in Qian Yingyi's heart, leaving a lingering aftertaste. She slightly turned her head, seemingly staring at a star, but actually glancing at it out of the corner of her eye.

Because of my high vantage point, I could vaguely see the still bustling streets outside. In the distance, along the banks of the Qinhuai River, there was the sound of revelry and singing, people drinking and making merry.

The world before them was quiet, as if a woman and a man were about to gently tear open each other's hearts and find their true feelings.

They remained silent for a moment, then she let out a soft sigh, instinctively trying to ease her embarrassment, and nervously looked at him.

Huh? When did he get a cut on his lip? I hadn't noticed before.

So she fluttered her eyelashes and tilted her head slightly, "What happened to your injury?"

Her eyelashes were still wet. This glance, though seemingly insignificant, weighed a ton on Qin Lizheng's heart, threatening to overturn all the thoughts he had suppressed and accumulated.

He didn't avoid her gaze, but looked her in the eye. "I had something on my mind, so I wasn't watching where I was going and bumped into a pillar."

Qian Yingyi unconsciously started picking at a corner of the tile. After picking at some dust, she felt something in her hand and was immediately horrified. She frantically reached for her handkerchief to wipe it clean, exclaiming, "So dirty! So dirty!"

"Miss," his voice had somehow gotten closer to her, so close it felt like he was practically pressing his entire body against her back, "Aren't you going to ask me what's on my mind?"

Qian Yingyi's eyes darted back and forth between her fingertips a few times. She shrugged slightly and laughed awkwardly, "Ha...haha, what could possibly be on your mind? Aren't you very capable? If you have something on your mind, go and solve it yourself. Why are you telling me? I don't quite understand. Maybe you should talk to Xiao Daimao. You're both men, so you can probably share the burden."

She spoke in one breath without pausing, and the strange feeling in her heart became more and more obvious. She just wanted to leave this place that made her blood boil as soon as possible.

"Can I get down?" She was reluctant to turn around, so she reached out and poked him with her finger. The touch was warm and soft, which startled her, and she quickly withdrew her hand.

The person behind him hissed softly, and after a moment, said in a low voice, "It hurts."

Qian Yingyi quickly turned her head to look. He was covering his mouth with the back of his hand, his thick eyebrows slightly furrowed, as if her touch had really hurt him so much that he couldn't speak. She unconsciously pursed her lips and whispered in her defense, "I didn't use any force."

Seeing him close his eyes briefly, she asked suspiciously, "Does it really hurt?"

Qin Lizheng lowered his head in silence, nodded slightly, and said in a tone that seemed somewhat helpless, "I told you before, Miss has a strong grip."

Qian Yingyi tucked her hands into her sleeves, perhaps to avoid it. She looked somewhat embarrassed, like a child who had done something wrong, no longer as spoiled as before. "Then...then I'm sorry."

“Miss, you don’t need to say this to me,” Qin Lizheng replied quickly, his gaze fixed on her increasingly red earlobes. He suddenly grabbed her wrist and brought it to his face. “Just now, I sacrificed my clothes to wipe away your tears. If you do this, it’s even.”

Caught off guard, Qian Yingyi touched his face again, her panic causing her earring to sway wildly, as if trying to shake her heart out. Unable to break free, she could only curl her fingers, pressing her hard knuckles against his face.

Now she was really getting anxious and blurted out, "You grabbed my hand! You've got some nerve! Have you no shame?"

"It just hurts a little," he said, holding her hand tightly, his knuckles gently rubbing against his lips, his breath on her fingers sending a tingling sensation through him. "This will make it feel better."

Qian Yingyi felt that she and he had both gone mad. She stared blankly at him, but his eyes were no longer fixed on her as before. Instead, he lowered his eyelids and carefully used her hand to soothe his wounds...

"Qian Qiyu! What are you doing still not asleep! Are you not going to the academy tomorrow?"

In another courtyard, the second aunt was urging her younger brother to hurry up.

Qian Yingyi's mind went blank for a moment, and she suddenly came to her senses, forcefully pulling her hand out of his palm.

She turned her head to the side, her tone fierce but lacking confidence, "I used one of your clothes to wipe my tears, and you're being so petty, insisting on getting it back. Fine, I'll just buy you one, no, I'll buy you two!"

She desperately wanted to get down, but the roof was too high, and she didn't dare to jump. Furious, she glared at him fiercely, "Aren't you going to let me down?!"

"Why are you being so fierce?" Qin Lizheng seemed to still have that indifferent expression, but upon closer inspection, one could see a hint of a smile in his eyes.

He rose as if standing on flat ground, lowering his eyes to gaze at her, starting from her smooth forehead and tracing his gaze downwards inch by inch, a slight smile appearing on his face. "Miss, are you angry or afraid? Are you angry that I brought you up here to see the stars and won't let you down, or are you afraid that if we go down, we'll inevitably..."

"Shut up!" Qian Yingyi interrupted him with an "Ah," looking up at him with a slightly surprised expression, not understanding why he kept talking nonsense tonight.

Fearing that Xia Ling and the others would discover that she was on the roof with him and that it would lead to something unclear, she quickly lowered her voice, "Don't say another word, just get me down first."

Qin Lizheng nodded and spread his arms out to her.

Qian Yingyi frowned. "What do you mean?"

Qin Lizheng lazily spread his arms and said, "If Miss wants to go down, I'll have to carry her. You don't want to have any contact with me? Then Miss will have to choose for herself."

"Hands or waist," he laughed, "choose one."

A gust of wind rose, lifting the hem of his robe and scattering a stray lock of hair across his forehead. A carefree smile lingered on his lips, making Qian Yingyi increasingly flustered and filled with regret. Why had she ever said anything like wanting to see the stars?

But she had no choice but to reach out to him. He caught her quickly, grabbing her the instant she extended her hand.

Qian Yingyi gripped his arm tightly, inevitably pressing her entire body against him, and warned him, "If you dare make me fall, I'll kick you out right now."

Qin Lizheng smiled twice, and with her holding him, he landed steadily in the blink of an eye.

Qian Yingyi's swaying skirt suddenly returned to its place, and her heart returned as well. Instantly, she felt a surge of confidence and raised her hand to slap him. But as her palm approached his face, she noticed the injury on the corner of his mouth and changed her mind, pushing him instead.

"Miss, what are you doing?" Xia Ling peeked out from the side room of the west wing, looking at her from a distance with a suspicious tone.

Qian Yingyi glared fiercely at the guard, a strange mix of emotions churning within her, making her feel agitated. In the end, she could only say, "Nothing!"

He immediately turned around and locked himself in the main room.

The moon shone brightly, and dewdrops clung to the petals of the garden, falling one by one. Qian Qiyu, that mischievous monkey, finally fell asleep, and soon began to snore softly. The lights in Xu Jun's courtyard were turned off, and the four people who had returned home also fell into a deep sleep. Under the cover of night, the entire house became quiet.

Only Qian Yingyi lay tossing and turning in the tent.

Good heavens, what exactly is Lin Zheng trying to do? What does he mean? Qian Yingyi tossed and turned, unable to sleep because of his inappropriate actions, her bright eyes constantly glancing upwards. She knew he was there.

She suddenly felt a surge of resentment. "Hmph, why is it that she can't sleep? If she can't sleep, he can't either!"

Without thinking twice, she spoke directly: "Lin Zheng."

The roof was knocked twice.

Her cunning eyes flashed, deliberately making him think she wanted to see him. She figured he could only sit on the roof waiting, and she felt a surge of satisfaction. So she turned over and buried herself in the covers, patiently remaining silent.

After about half an incense stick's time, she revealed her face and called out to him again.

The voice rang out again quickly, as if he had been waiting for her all along.

Looking at this tall, imposing man, who was usually quiet and always had a stern face, as if someone owed him something, he was quite patient? Qian Yingyi pulled the quilt up a little more, only revealing her eyes and forehead, and suddenly remembered what he had said.

He doesn't seem to be that bad at talking; he's actually quite good at comforting people.

What did he say? Oh, he told her to take better care of herself, and about the mechanism on the hairpin. Why did he put that in her hairpin? She wanted to ask, but she was interrupted.

She often thought of herself too, but she also wanted to make up for some regrets. The death of her beloved sister Lian had always lingered in a corner of her heart, like a thin needle stuck in it; when pulled up, the pain was so intense that she couldn't even scream.

Sister Lian...

She misses her so much.

Qian Yingyi stared blankly at the pink canopy above her head, then suddenly called out, "Lin Zheng."

This time there was no movement from the roof. She waited for a moment, pursed her lips, and secretly scoffed at his patience. Thinking that his comfort had at least had some effect, she temporarily put aside her "contest" with him, turned over, and wanted to bury her whole face in the quilt.

"Squeak."

A soft sound came from the west wall, followed by light footsteps. Qian Yingyi sat up abruptly, staring intently at the slightly blurry figure through the gauze curtain.

Her heart, which had just calmed down, was forced to rise again.

"Lin Zheng," she whispered, "is that you?"

After a while, the figure walked closer to her, the beaded curtain was lifted on his shoulder, making a crisp sound as it clattered. "It's me."

Knowing it was him, not some petty thief, Qian Yingyi's heart sank. She was shocked that he had so abruptly barged into her boudoir. She hurriedly shooed him away, saying, "I called you and you came in? Are you stupid? This is outrageous! Get out of here!"

Unexpectedly, he took another step forward. "Miss, you called me three times. What is it?"

The fire inside was as small as a bean, illuminating his tall and straight figure. Through the hazy gauze curtain, Qian Yingyi noticed that his face seemed a little different, so she used her fingertips to lift a corner and peek out.

He stood there quietly, having apparently taken a bath and changed into a light blue, arrow-sleeved, round-necked robe. The leather belt around his waist was tightly fastened, making his waist appear very narrow. Looking further up, one could see a dark silk ribbon tied in front of his eyes, which made his nose appear even more prominent.

Qian Yingyi was suddenly speechless. After a long while, she finally spoke, her voice very soft: "Aren't you afraid of falling and bumping into something while tied up like this?"

Taking advantage of his inability to see, she lifted the gauze curtain a little more, her tone sounding very hesitant, "I called you because I'm a little craving rice cakes."

This is also a hidden flaw of hers. Whenever Sister Lian is mentioned, she really wants to eat rice cake. Rice cake is sweet, and it seems that eating it right now would make her feel better.

Qin Lizheng was silent for a moment, then softened his voice, as if coaxing her, "It's too late, Grandma has already closed up shop. I'll go buy it first thing tomorrow morning, okay?"

Strangely enough, just moments ago the cicadas were chirping one after another, and then the pattering of rain began, and Qian Yingyi suddenly realized that it was raining.

She glanced at him and knew he was always watching over her on the roof. Suddenly, she wondered if he would be foolish enough to stay on the roof if she kicked him out.

Something was churning inside her, and she could no longer contain herself, so she asked without any reason, "You weren't very brave before, so why are you blindfolded now?"

Qian Yingyi stared at his thin lips, and without even realizing it, her gaze held a hint of hope.

Perhaps not wanting to disturb anyone, Qin Lizheng lowered his voice, "This way, Miss will feel more at ease."

These words seemed to touch a sensitive nerve in Qian Yingyi. She suddenly closed the curtains, and after a moment realized that he couldn't see her at all, so what was she afraid of? So this time, she simply put on her shoes and got off the bed.

She couldn't describe the feeling; she only knew that if she kicked him out now, he would probably be soaking wet and filthy, just like when she first saw him—he was so dirty.

So she casually draped a cloak over her shoulders, letting her hair fall behind her head, and went to make herself some tea.

But she couldn't avoid ignoring his presence. She knew that if someone found him in her bedroom, she wouldn't be able to explain herself no matter how many mouths she had.

She opened her mouth, listening to the sound of rain falling on the ground outside, but she couldn't bring herself to say the words to send him away.

The warm tea made Qian Yingyi's voice even clearer, and she started making conversation, "Then let's buy it tomorrow. Hey, you're quite good at comforting people. Who taught you that? Do you often comfort others?"

The dim candlelight was almost extinguished. Qin Lizheng seemed to sense something and moved to a brighter spot. His smile was clearly seen by Qian Yingyi. "Didn't you think I was bad at talking?"

Qian Yingyi stared intently, then subconsciously replied, "I didn't dislike you, I just... I just..."

But what? Qian Yingyi closed her eyes, not daring to think about it any further. She felt a sudden fear, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was.

Her gaze swept down from his lips, across his waist, and involuntarily fell upon his hands.

This hand is the cause of all the trouble!

After taking a quick look, Qian Yingyi took two steps forward. Strange, weren't those two rings each worn on one hand before? Why were they both now wearing them on the same hand?

The sound of rain outside the window was intermittent, and there were occasional whispers outside, as if Xia Ling was teaching her diligent little maid how to make knots.

And the gently swaying candlelight suddenly went out.

Knowing he wouldn't remove the blindfold, Qian Yingyi approached him in the dim light and mustered her courage to stand in front of him.

A moment later, she gently took his hand, her fingers removing his ring, and muttered to herself, "Didn't I tell you to be tidy and orderly? You've been serving me for so long, don't you understand my habits?"

Her voice trembled slightly in the darkness, and her cool fingertips traced patterns on his knuckles, placing the rings on his index fingers.

Qin Lizheng held his breath and remained silent, afraid of disturbing her.

Her breath was so close, a scent of tonka bean wafted into his nostrils. He had seen her when she rested, her hair untied, wearing a thin nightgown, her arm clasped in his hand, softer than anything else.

Qin Lizheng restrained himself, took a deep breath to calm down, suppressed the urge to pull her into his arms, and let her hold his hand and manipulate him.

But I couldn't help but want to get a little closer to her, to sink into the soft cloud that was named after her.

Qian Yingyi used the light to peek at his silver rings. In fact, she had already arranged the pair of silver rings in the positions she wanted. She could have easily let go of his hand and moved away from him.

But his breath was already hovering above her head, giving her a strange feeling. If she raised her face, or moved even slightly at this moment, he would probably overstep his bounds again.

Qian Yingyi's sensitive nerves were pounding. Would he grab her hand again? Or would he do something even more outrageous?

They were so close that they could embrace with just a wave of their hands. She dared not think further, nor dared she move again.

They remained silent for a long time until Xia Ling's voice came from outside, "Alright, just tie the knot like this, go back and rest, I'll go tuck the blanket around Miss."

The next moment, you could hear Xia Ling's footsteps approaching.

At this point, Qian Yingyi couldn't think of anything else. She frantically pressed her hand against his chest, pushing him away and saying, "Hurry up and go," before rushing to the canopy bed in the dark.

He ran too fast and tripped on the bed railing, falling to the ground with a thud!

Xia Ling pushed open the door and entered, holding a silver lamp in her hand. She immediately saw Qian Yingyi lying on the ground and rushed forward to help her up. "Oh dear, Miss, why didn't you light a lamp when you got up? Did you fall anywhere?"

Qian Yingyi wasn't hurt when she fell, but feeling guilty, she looked up behind her and saw that the guard had disappeared. She breathed a sigh of relief and said with an embarrassed smile, "I...I forgot."

Xia Ling quickly took off her cloak, helped her lie down on the couch, tucked her in, and then changed the wick in the lampshade before leaving to close the door behind her.

Qian Yingyi was left alone, curled up in the quilt, sweating profusely. She didn't bother wiping it away, just staring blankly at herself, muttering, "Qian Yingyi, what's wrong with you...?"

The crickets' chirping ceased, and the flickering lamp went out and then lit again. The girl's thoughts, both hazy and confused, were gradually swallowed up by the pattering night rain.

After the rain, the wind picked up again, and after wading through water for several days, the sun finally broke through the clouds. It was late afternoon, and roses were climbing all over the west wall. Qian Yingyi remembered the small bed and had a servant carry it to Ren Yuqing's place.

Ren Yuqing was dozing in the shade of a tree when she opened her eyes and saw that it was her. She quickly got up to greet her, "Sister, come and sit down quickly."

"Sister-in-law, there's no need to get up!" Qian Yingyi quickly stopped her, smiling as she pressed her back into the chair, tilting her head to peek at her. "I see that you look much better, sister-in-law. Nanjing really is a good place to live. Has your appetite improved?"

Ren Yuqing smiled gently, "I'm feeling better. I wanted to eat some fish I caught from the river after my nap. Your brother just went out."

Qian Yingyi nodded, and although she was afraid that more small insects would fall from the tree, she still moved a bamboo chair to sit with her. "Brother can stay in Jinling for half a month before going to Yangzhou this time. By then, sister-in-law should be able to eat anything, and he can leave with peace of mind. Sister-in-law, do you want to have a boy or a girl?"

Ren Yuqing couldn't help but chuckle, "They're still so young, it's too early. I think either a boy or a girl is fine. If you were their aunt, would you prefer a nephew or a niece?"

"Of course I want a niece! The bed was even made in the style that girls like!" Qian Yingyi pointed to the small bed that the servant had brought over from under the tree, and then went to move the colorful ball hanging above it, laughing, "Girls are good, they're so well-behaved and obedient."

Ren Yuqing got up to stroke the small bed. She liked it and couldn't help but exclaim, "Yingyi, thank you. This small bed is really beautiful. It's truly the work of the craftsmen in Jinling."

Just then, a gust of wind blew by, and Qian Yingyi's voice, full of laughter, mingled with it, "It wasn't made by a craftsman, it was made by Lin Zheng, and I also think he did a good job."

She was just casually praising the guard, but it made Ren Yuqing steal a glance at her. She had never experienced love, but Ren Yuqing and Qian Linye were mutually in love, and she could immediately detect the slightest change in their feelings.

After a pause, Ren Yuqing smiled slightly, asking with a hint of probing, "Yingyi, you seem quite satisfied with this guard named Lin Zheng?"

Qian Yingyi was taken aback, her eyes immediately darting among the dense foliage. "Is...is there?"

Ren Yuqing observed her expression and, having considered the matter, naturally disapproved of her having any involvement with the family's guards, and wanted to say a few more words in a tactful manner.

Before she could even open her mouth, Qian Jiayuxing strode into her courtyard.

Qian Yuxing took a couple of deep breaths, drank two cups of tea in a row, then took a handkerchief to wipe her lips and asked, "What are you talking about?"

Because of her straightforward nature, Ren Yuqing was afraid that saying those words to remind Qian Yingyi would provoke her to act rashly, so she simply held back for now and only said, "Speaking of the bed that Yingyi gave to her little niece, where did you go?"

Qian Yuxing had been married for several years but had not conceived, but he was not in a hurry. So he just glanced at the small bed and said, "Oh, didn't a lady from outside invite me to admire the flowers yesterday? I went, intending to see if Guo Yue was there so I could teach her a lesson and make her not dare to bully my sister again."

"Hmph, with Guo Yue gone, I've heard some bad news," Qian Yuxing said. "The heir of Prince Rui is quite spoiled. He got up to relieve himself at the academy at night and actually broke his leg! Now I can't go looking for trouble with him anymore."

"Oh my, this is quite something. Didn't the Prince Rui's mansion cause any trouble?" Ren Yuqing asked hurriedly.

Qian Yuxing curled her lip and said, "What are you picking a fight for? He broke his own leg. Does the Prince Rui's mansion expect him to come to the mansion to learn theory?"

Qian Yingyi was also somewhat surprised, "I've never heard of someone breaking their leg from a fall. How unlucky is he?"

“I don’t know either,” Qian Yuxing replied casually. “I only found out about it when I heard others talking about it today.”

Although she disliked Yu Minsen, Qian Yingyi stopped after a few gloating remarks upon hearing that he had broken his leg. She then chatted with her sister and sister-in-law about everyday matters.

As the sun set and cast its golden glow, Qian Linye returned home carrying several still-alive river fish. He bumped into Yu Cheng at the door, and the two of them headed towards the backyard together.

With nothing to do at home, Xu Jun was preoccupied with Ren Yuqing's pregnancy. Upon hearing the news, she hurriedly sent two old women to fetch the fish.

They quickly simmered a pot of fresh fish soup and had the kitchen prepare some trendy dishes. When Qian Lanting returned home, the family sat in the small flower hall and happily ate their meal.

Yu Cheng has not visited the prefectural government office in the past few days, but has only been touring counties such as Jiangning and Shangyuan.

Just as he was politely accepting the fish soup from Xu Jun, he suddenly remembered something and said with a smile, "Speaking of which, when I came back from the Lantern Festival, I stumbled upon some excitement at Hongqiao. They said there's a temple fair tonight. If we take a carriage there, it's not far. Would you like to go?"

Qian Yuxing and Qian Yingyi were of the same ilk and loved such lively occasions. Qian Yuxing nodded excitedly and even put a piece of tofu on Yu Cheng's plate with a smile, her voice so soft it could envelop him, "My lord, please eat."

Yu Cheng glanced at the two elders who were eating with their heads down. Their ears were bright red. He glared at Qian Yuxing and then asked Qian Linye, "What about you? Your sister-in-law seems to be in good spirits lately. Would you like to go out for a walk?"

“That depends on whether your sister-in-law wants to go or not,” Qian Linye laughed. “If she wants to go, I’ll go with her; if she doesn’t want to go, then I won’t go either.”

Qian Yingyi buried her face in the bowl and chuckled to herself. After a while, she looked at Qian Lanting hesitantly and asked, "Grandpa, are you going or not?"

Qian Lanting ate slowly and carefully. After a while, he glanced at her and said, "The Ministry of Works is busy. The official in charge of the Water Conservancy Bureau has a strange illness. Grandpa leaves early and returns late every day. Even the wrinkles on his face have deepened. Today he finally came home early. Can you let Grandpa have some peace and let him rest properly?"

This was a humorous remark, and everyone burst into laughter. Ren Yuqing smiled and nodded, "Then I'll go too. I'm feeling much better."

After dinner, they each went back to their courtyards to change into lighter clothes, and then the group went out excitedly to head towards the Red Bridge.

They still traveled together in two carriages.

They arrived in the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn, and through the carriage curtain, they could hear the sounds of gongs and drums. As soon as the carriage stopped, Qian Yingyi hurriedly lifted the curtain.

Suddenly, a strong arm came towards her. She paused, glanced at the guard uncomfortably, but still took his arm and got out of the carriage.

It was indeed a temple fair. Although the crowds were not dense, it was still quite lively. The ground was still a bit wet, and the lanterns all over the street made the ground look like a painting. There were also quite a few people beating drums along the street.

Qian Yingyi immediately smiled, stepped forward and took Qian Yuxing's arm, pushing Yu Cheng aside, "Sister, let's go that way!"

Yu Cheng smiled helplessly and had no choice but to follow behind.

The two sisters then surrounded Ren Yuqing from both sides, taking meticulous care of her.

Seeing that there were quite a few people, Qin Lizheng unconsciously wanted to keep up with Qian Yingyi. He quickened his pace, and before long, Qian Linye suddenly appeared in his line of sight.

Qian Linye glanced at him and smiled, "Commander Qin, I'll keep an eye on my sister."

Qin Lizheng tilted his head slightly to peek at the familiar figure ahead, and said only, "Then please follow, there's no need to deliberately turn back to remind me."

Because of a previous grudge between the two in the capital, Qian Linye harbored a secret desire to oppose Qin Lizheng and always tried to pass by him when walking.

Just as they were secretly competing, they suddenly saw Qin Lizheng stop walking, his eyes turning slightly cold.

Qian Linye followed his gaze and saw that a handsome man had appeared in front of Qian Yingyi, smiling and talking to her.

"That's... Yan Sanlang?" Qian Linye guessed, squinting his eyes.

Qin Lizheng said calmly, "Aren't you going over there? If you're not going, then don't stop me."

After saying that, he bumped his shoulder aside and walked towards Qian Yingyi.

Qian Linye hurriedly followed, his tone less than friendly: "No need to trouble you! I'll go right away!"

Qian Yingyi was also slightly surprised to run into Yan Ruheng. Seeing that he was wearing an official robe, she guessed that he had returned from the Jiangning County government office and said with a smile, "What a coincidence!"

Qian Yuxing secretly glanced at Yan Ruheng's particularly handsome face. She didn't know what her father was plotting, but she knew that her younger sister liked this face, so she deliberately pulled Ren Yuqing aside to make way for her.

Yan Ruheng was also somewhat surprised. Although he had been scolded by his father these past few days, he was still very happy to see Qian Yingyi.

So he bowed to each of them and then walked forward side by side with Qian Yingyi. He smiled and said, "It is indeed a coincidence. I heard from the head of the yamen that there was a temple fair here. I thought that there might be some Fengyang snacks for sale, so I came to take a look."

This was the first time Qian Yingyi had heard him mention Fengyang. She had never been there, so she couldn't help but be curious. She turned her head and stared at him, "Are the pastries in Fengyang really that delicious?"

"It's alright," Yan Ruheng said with a nostalgic look on his face. "The years I spent in Fengyang were the most memorable days of my life, so the food was naturally better there."

Qian Yingyi took it as a casual remark and, being in a good mood, smiled and said, "Now that you mention it, I'm getting hungry. My sister-in-law is pregnant, and she might also crave it. I'll go with you to look for some."

Qian Linye rushed over, staring at the backs of the two walking ahead. He and Yu Cheng exchanged a glance, conveying a cautious look, before slowing their pace and walking alongside their respective wives.

It just so happens that my sister ran into Yan Sanlang today.

Bringing his sister back would be too abrupt, so to avoid arousing Yan Sanlang's suspicion, they could only follow her for the time being.

Qian Yingyi walked along the stone path, and was very interested in the lanterns sold by the vendors. So she asked Xia Ling to buy a rabbit-shaped hand-held lantern, which she twirled around in her hand.

Perhaps it was because Yan Ruheng was wearing official robes this time, or perhaps it was because of his unparalleled handsome face, but the people who passed by him would occasionally glance at him secretly and deliberately avoid him when walking.

After walking a little further, Yan Ruheng's eyes lit up, and he pointed to a small stall on the right and said, "There really is one, Yingyi, look."

Qian Yingyi craned her neck to look, but because she was shorter than him and there were two people blocking her view, she couldn't see clearly.

So she tiptoed, and held the hand that held the rabbit lantern across her forehead, wanting to see more clearly.

Unfortunately, the vendor had a small dog, which was probably a way for him to attract customers. The dog was cute but a bit mischievous. It was immediately drawn to the shiny rabbit lantern, barked twice, and then ran off towards it.

The drums and gongs were deafening, but Qian Yingyi still couldn't see clearly. She had no choice but to put her hand down. Just as she was about to speak to Yan Ruheng, she suddenly felt the rabbit lantern being pulled forward by something. She glanced at it with a smile, and her smile instantly froze.

The next moment, a scream escaped from her red lips. She panicked and ran in the opposite direction with her fists clenched!

The puppy thought she was playing with it and got excited, barking at her repeatedly. Qian Yingyi hurriedly circled around a stall, shouting, "Don't come any closer! Don't come any closer!"

Her voice was already tinged with panic. Xia Ling, who was following behind, snapped out of her daze and hurriedly chased after her, "Miss! Miss! You've lost the rabbit lantern! This dog isn't chasing you!"

Yan Ruheng was stunned by the scream just now, but he quickly came to his senses. He was nearby and saw that Qian Yingyi was about to throw the rabbit lantern, so he hurried over.

The vendor was also quite frightened by this scene. Seeing that Qian Yingyi was dressed in rich clothes, he was afraid that he could not afford to offend her, so he quickly put his finger to his lips and whistled.

The dog was overjoyed to receive the rabbit lantern. With the lantern in its mouth, it hopped away, swaying its plump hindquarters.

Qian Yingyi was so frightened that her legs went weak. She instinctively tried to support herself with something, but she ended up falling to the side!

Yan Ruheng had already passed Xia Ling and walked to her side. He could easily pull her into his arms and stop her there.

But just as his hand grasped half of her arm, a figure forcefully separated him.

Qian Linye shielded Qian Yingyi behind him and smiled at Yan Ruheng, "Is that the third son of the Yan family? I was behind you when you greeted me earlier. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Yingyi's brother. Thank you for your concern for her."

After exchanging polite greetings, Qian Linye turned to look at Qian Yingyi, his eyes showing some tension. He flicked her forehead with his finger, "How many times have I told you? Don't panic when you see a dog. If you run, the dog will run too. How can you outrun a dog? Are you alright?"

Seeing Qian Yingyi's pale face, Qian Linye pretended to go and settle accounts with the vendor, "Fine, I'll go ask and see who brought the dog out without a leash!"

Knowing he also had a short temper, Qian Yingyi quickly tugged at his sleeve, "Oh, I'm fine, can't I calm down a bit? Don't go looking for trouble. If you go over there so aggressively, you'll scare the person out of their wits!"

She rattled off her words in quick succession, and didn't seem scared out of her wits. Only then did Qian Linye relax, and he turned back around, saying, "What your brother taught you, you must remember next time, okay?"

Qian Yingyi nodded hurriedly.

"It's good that you're alright," Yan Ruheng suddenly took two steps forward, his eyes filled with concern. "Yingyi, I didn't know you were afraid of dogs. It was my fault, please forgive me."

After speaking, he bowed to her sincerely. His gentle tone and handsome face naturally attracted envious glances from some passersby.

Qian Yingyi felt uncomfortable all over because he had been holding her arm, so she stepped aside to let him pass.

Qian Linye naturally noticed those gazes, so he deliberately shielded Qian Yingyi from them.

"Alright, little sister, let's go back and find your sister-in-law and the others. I told them to wait where they are and not to worry them." Qian Linye's words reassured Qian Yingyi as always. He then said a few more words to say goodbye to Yan Ruheng.

But Qian Yingyi suddenly sensed something, and felt a gaze fixed on her. A chill ran down her spine.

She turned her head and looked around through the throng of people. Past her sister and sister-in-law, she saw the guards not far from her.

Qian Yingyi's heart skipped a beat. When she met his face, she felt inexplicably guilty.

The guard maintained his indifferent expression, but the coldness in his eyes seemed to freeze into ice. The surroundings were bustling, and the lanterns hanging in the air were dazzling. Yet he seemed to stand on a somewhat desolate dividing line, motionless, coldly watching her.

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Author's Note: She fled, he chased, but she couldn't escape.

The guards have completely turned to the dark side (literal meaning).