"I should return to the palace."
Lin Tingwan's voice was very soft, as if she was afraid of being overheard.
She lowered her head, but her fingers secretly gripped the corner of Shen Huaixu's sleeve, her fingertips unconsciously rubbing the fine embroidery thread, as if reluctant to let go.
Shen Huaixu noticed a slight tug at his sleeve and lowered his eyes slightly.
The setting sun cast its light on his profile, softening even his usually hard features.
“I will escort the princess,” he said.
The bluestone slabs on the palace path, having been exposed to the sun all day, still retained some warmth.
The two shadows stretched long on the ground, sometimes close together, sometimes apart.
Shen Huaixu deliberately walked very slowly, listening to Lin Tingwan's footsteps beside him—light and delicate, like a kitten stepping on fallen leaves.
Her skirt occasionally brushed against his robe, making a soft rustling sound.
When they reached the palace gate, Lin Tingwan suddenly stopped.
The wind blew up the stray hairs by her temples, revealing a small red mole on her earlobe.
She turned around, looked up at Shen Huaixu, and the light of the setting sun shone in her eyes, making them incredibly bright.
"Shen Huaixu," she began, her voice lower than usual but exceptionally clear, "you will marry me, won't you?"
Shen Huaixu's breath hitched slightly, his fingers clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white, and he seemed lost in thought.
He looked at Lin Tingwan, his eyelashes trembling slightly, his lips pressed into a thin line, as if afraid of hearing a bad answer.
He paused for a moment, then finally nodded: "Yes."
Lin Tingwan's eyes lit up instantly, her lips curved into a small dimple, and a faint blush rose at the corners of her eyes, as if she had crushed the sunset in the sky into her eyes.
Her sudden smile made the twilight of the entire city pale in comparison.
——
The Shen family.
On a spring afternoon, the sunlight flowed slowly like melting honey, casting dappled light and shadow on the bluestone path through the layers of flowers and leaves in the Shen family's back garden.
The spots of light swayed gently in the breeze, like scattered gold dust, contrasting with the moss sprouting from the cracks in the stone slabs.
The air is filled with the sweet fragrance of crabapple blossoms, mixed with the fresh scent of earth and grass, making people unconsciously slow down their breathing.
Gu Zhixing's slender fingers gently enveloped Shen Jintang's hand, his thumb unconsciously caressing the back of her hand.
This habitual little gesture was formed when he first held her hand; it was like a kind of comforting ritual.
His gaze wandered among the flowers and trees, his thick eyelashes casting tiny shadows in the sunlight.
“If we keep going, we’ll reach the lotus pond.” Gu Zhixing stopped and gently squeezed Shen Jintang’s knuckles with his fingertips.
He wore an indigo-colored robe today, with a subtle pattern embroidered on the collar that shimmered faintly in the sunlight.
"Could it be that Shen Huaixu remembered the wrong place for the crabapple tree he mentioned?"
Although there were crabapple trees everywhere, he had searched for so long but had not found anything particularly special that would make people come all this way to see them.
Shen Jintang suddenly stopped, a half-smile curving her lips.
Her movement to pull her hand back was very light, yet it carried an irresistible force.
Sunlight filtered through the wisps of hair at her temples, casting dappled shadows on her cheeks.
She raised her hand and gently tapped Gu Zhixing's chest with her index finger, the pale pink nail polish on her fingernails gleaming like pearls in the sunlight.
“Your Highness,” her voice was like ice water mixed with honey, sweet yet cool, “are you truly confused or just pretending?”
She slightly raised her chin, an angle that allowed Gu Zhixing to clearly see the graceful lines of her neck. "Shen Huaixu's words were just a pretext to get the two of us out here."
Upon hearing this, Gu Zhixing paused for a moment, then chuckled softly.
The tenderness in his eyes was especially evident in the sunlight. He grasped Shen Jintang's fingers as she tried to pull them back, and the warmth from his palm was even more intense than the spring breeze.
Gu Zhixing took a step forward, his boot tip almost touching her embroidered shoe, the two of them so close that they could count each other's eyelashes.
"Whatever the excuse or the twists and turns, I don't care." His voice was deep, with a softness he rarely showed. "I only know that I'm very happy to be able to enjoy the flowers with you."
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the crabapple tree, casting dappled patterns of light on his sharply defined face, making his eyes appear even deeper and more profound.
The jade crown he wore to tie his hair today gleamed warmly in the sunlight, making him appear even more gentle.
Shen Jintang could smell the faint scent of agarwood on him, mixed with the smell of clothes dried in the sun.
She unconsciously held her breath and turned her head away from his overly intense gaze.
"You were joking around at the banquet today," her tone regained its usual calmness, as if discussing a trivial official matter, "did you sense that Shen Huaixu didn't want to get married and deliberately cover for him?"
She raised her hand to brush away a petal that had fallen on her shoulder.
Aside from this reason, she couldn't think of any other reason why Gu Zhixing would risk offending the princess to think of Shen Huaixu's best interests.
Gu Zhixing's expression visibly froze for a moment.
He released Shen Jintang's hand and instead stroked her cheek.
His hands were large, almost covering half of her face, and his thumb gently brushed against the faint dark circles under her eyes.
Shen Jintang could feel the calluses on his fingertips; the rough touch made her tremble involuntarily.
"Why should I care whether he wants to get married or not?" Gu Zhixing's voice suppressed a hint of anger, but his fingers were incredibly gentle. "Whether it's possible or not. I just—" His gaze fell on her slightly pale lips, and his Adam's apple bobbed, "I just don't want to see you tired."
A gust of wind blew by, and the crabapple petals fluttered down.
A few beads fell into Shen Jintang's hair, like specially placed embellishments.
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