The eldest princess went to great lengths to bring the two together, hoping that her good nephew could seize the opportunity.

"Alright, it's getting late, and I'm a little tired, so I'll head back to my residence to rest."

"Anning, come with me. I have something I want to tell you." The princess secretly gave Zhou Xingzhi a meaningful look, then, without saying another word, took the Duchess's hand, got into the carriage, and drove away.

"Then I'll be going now." Ling Wushuang reluctantly let go of Song Zhiyu's hand, bid her farewell, and turned to get into another carriage.

Song Zhiyu watched the two carriages drive away, then turned her head and bumped straight into a wall of flesh. The man's hard chest made her forehead turn red.

"Why hasn't Your Highness left yet?" Song Zhiyu asked, rubbing her flushed forehead with a resentful tone.

If you're not going to leave, fine, but what's the point of standing silently behind her?

Song Zhiyu was unaware of how natural her tone was; her soft and gentle voice stirred ripples in Zhou Xingzhi's heart that lingered for a long time.

"Did it hurt?" Zhou Xingzhi raised his hand and touched the red mark on Song Zhiyu's forehead, his long, well-defined fingers gently rubbing it, a hint of regret flashing in his eyes.

"I'm sorry I hurt you." His tone was heavy, his face tense, and his brows furrowed with disappointment and regret, as if she had suffered some terrible injury.

The cool touch of his fingertips on her skin sent a shiver through Song Zhiyu's heart.

When Song Zhiyu looked up, she could see Zhou Xingzhi's sharp and flawless face, his cold eyes filled with her image.

At this moment, he was earnestly rubbing the red mark on her forehead. The two were very close, their behavior ambiguous, and they were surrounded by a tender and affectionate aura. To outsiders, they seemed to be a perfect match.

"It's nothing serious." Song Zhiyu realized what was happening and quickly took two steps back to distance herself from Zhou Xingzhi.

Zhou Xingzhi's hand froze in mid-air, the soft touch beneath his fingertips vanishing instantly.

He smiled nonchalantly and withdrew his hand. "It's good that you're alright. If Yu'er were injured because of me, and I had no other choice, I would have to repay her with my body."

Song Zhiyu's smile froze, and he couldn't help but think to himself, "He's offering himself to me again."

"Your Highness is of noble birth, it's really not worth it for you to be with me." She chuckled and quietly took two steps back, distancing herself from Zhou Xingzhi.

Zhou Xingzhi is not as gentle and harmless as he appears; he is a paranoid madman.

Once you get involved with this kind of person, it's a lifelong problem; she'd better stay away from them.

“I think we’re quite a good match. Why does Yu’er always avoid me?” Zhou Xingzhi moved, taking a long stride that shortened the distance between them.

His gaze was intense, fixed on Song Zhiyu, his deep, dark eyes filled with a terrifying madness and obsession, as well as profound incomprehension.

Love arises from nowhere, yet it runs deep and unwavering.

From the moment he first saw Song Zhiyu and was saved by her, it felt like an eternity, and his cold and lonely heart began to warm up.

If it were the Zhou Xingzhi of the past, he would never have imagined that such a dramatic thing as falling in love at first sight would happen to him.

But he was poisoned by someone named Song Zhiyu, and he found it sweet.

The thought of her fills him with joy and excitement.

He orchestrated all sorts of coincidences to meet her, just to exchange a few words with her.

He originally intended to win Song Zhiyu's heart by slowly infiltrating her mind like boiling a frog in lukewarm water, so that their relationship would naturally progress.

The actions of the Kelian family disrupted his plans and shattered his carefully constructed facade of gentleness.

Upon seeing her injured, Zhou Xingzhi nearly lost control of his violent and murderous intent.

Clearly, he overestimated his self-control, and his gloomy and crazy thoughts ran rampant.

When he couldn't have the person he loved, he even considered forcibly taking her and imprisoning her.

He held her captive in his arms, with no way to escape.

But in the end, seeing Song Zhiyu's bright smile, he forcibly suppressed the dark side in his heart.

"Your Highness, what exactly do you like about me? Gratitude and affection cannot be confused..." Song Zhiyu lowered her eyelids, thinking that Zhou Xingzhi had confused the two.

Zhou Xingzhi interrupted her, his sharp, eagle-like eyes fixed on Song Zhiyu, "I know that feelings are different from gratitude, can't you really see that?"

"What are you afraid of?" Zhou Xingzhi could sense that Song Zhiyu treated him differently, but she had been avoiding these feelings.

“I…” Song Zhiyu opened her mouth, but found herself unable to refute.

Regardless of any gratitude, her feelings for Zhou Xingzhi were indeed complex, containing both gratitude and subtle stirrings of emotion.

But the painful lessons of her past life taught her not to give her heart away easily.

But now, it seems she can't escape it anymore, and Zhou Xingzhi won't allow her to hide any longer; she has to face it.

"Your Highness, please give me some more time. I will give you an answer." Song Zhiyu took a deep breath and finally spoke after a long silence.

She needs time to sort out her thoughts and face this relationship squarely.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xingzhi's brows relaxed instantly, and his expression visibly brightened. "Alright."

As long as Song Zhiyu is willing to take the first step, he has enough patience to continue waiting.

Once the arrow is released, there's no turning back; the person will be his sooner or later.

Having received Song Zhiyu's confirmation, the smile in his eyes deepened. He leaned close to Song Zhiyu's ear and whispered, "Just please don't keep me waiting too long, Yu'er."

A warm breath gently brushed against Song Zhiyu's ear, and the soft touch on her neck made her stiffen. A blush crept onto her fair cheeks, adding to her allure.

Zhou Xingzhi's eyes darkened, his Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily, and the corners of his lips curled up slightly. Although he really wanted to pull the person into his arms, he was mindful of the occasion and did not cross any boundaries.

*

Night falls at Songxi Courtyard.

After seeing everyone off, it was already dark when Song Zhiyu returned to Songxi Courtyard.

The first thing you see is a courtyard full of boxes, all of which are congratulatory gifts from the three princesses.

As soon as the box was opened, revealing its contents, Lu Bai's eyes widened in astonishment, her mouth agape. "Miss, so many jewels and ornaments!"

"Take whatever you like," Song Zhiyu said with a smile, turning to look at the other boxes filled with medicinal herbs.

"Lu Bai, send someone to deliver these boxes of herbs and medical manuals to my pharmacy."

With these precious herbs, she was able to make more antidote pills and fragrance pills.

Although the princess's illness had been cured, the years of suffering had taken a toll on her health. With the Ningxiang Pill, her blood and energy could gradually recover, replenishing the deficiencies and prolonging her life.

She also needs to send some Ningxiang Pills to Old Madam Ling and Ling Yuan.

Both of them suffered numerous hidden injuries on the battlefield, which, if accumulated over time, would be difficult to cure completely and would require careful recuperation.

However, she is still missing one herb to make this fragrant pill.