Roof

The girl standing beside the table unconsciously grasped the corner of the table, and her fingertips moved.

The figure outside the window was looming but never moved. Her slender figure did not look like a maid from Xiangningxuan, but rather like a man.

Could it be my brother?

But it was so late, why did he come to Xiangningxuan to look for her and why didn't he say anything?

Mu An Ning looked confused, and was about to take a step forward to open the door, but suddenly stopped.

Weird things happened one after another today, so we should be more careful. The guards in the Marquis' Mansion are not very strict, and it would be bad if it was a bad guy.

Thinking of this, the girl lowered her eyes slightly and took out the medicine powder from the drawer under the table in case of emergency.

Just at this moment, the figure outside moved a few steps, which was a bit creepy in the dead of night.

Mu An Ning's breathing unconsciously paused, and he quickly put the packet of medicine powder in his hand into his sleeve.

The girl caught a glimpse of the amulet on the table. For some reason, she reached out and picked it up, quickly tying it around her waist.

Although the color of this thing is a bit strange, I don’t know if it’s just psychological effect, but it seems to be able to ward off disasters.

However, she hasn't worn it these days. After all, it was a gift from Gu Huaizhi.

The figure outside paused, and just when Mu An Ning thought he would not move anymore, he suddenly and slowly approached the door.

Mu An Ning felt nervous, her intuition told her that the person outside couldn't be Mu Guiling.

But it was already midnight, and she couldn't understand who would come to see her at this hour.

As the girl was in doubt and regretting that she did not put any self-defense items in the house, a cool breeze suddenly blew in from somewhere and blew open the window, extinguishing several candles on the table, leaving only one.

Mu An Ning was really scared now. There was no movement outside. Could it be that her maids were killed by this villain?

“Boom boom boom—”

The person who had been standing outside the door for a long time finally knocked on the door lightly.

Mu An Ning moved his lips but said nothing. He was guessing in his heart and felt a little uncertain.

Why would a thief knock on the door?

Seeing that she didn't answer, the person outside knocked on the door a few more times.

This time, the sound was much softer than before. If you didn't listen carefully, it sounded like the sound of wind blowing through the door frame.

"Aning."

When the clear voice reached his ears, Mu An Ning's pupils shrank slightly, and his eyes, which had not dared to look in that direction, gradually moved away.

The weirdo outside turned out to be Gu Huaizhi?

"Aning." The young man's voice was low and nasal. "I know you are in there. Let me see you, okay?"

Mu An Ning came back to his senses, and his tense heart gradually relaxed, along with his shoulders and neck.

She was overthinking it. She had never offended anyone, and there shouldn't be anyone trying to assassinate her.

However, why did Gu Huaizhi visit so late at night?

Perhaps she could take this opportunity to ask him to send someone to investigate the matter of Qiao Qingsheng.

Thinking of this, Mu An Ning casually straightened her wrinkled skirt, then walked forward and opened the door without hesitation.

What came into her sight was a young man in a long crimson gown, his back to the moonlight.

He still likes to tie his black hair up high, just like before.

But today, his jade-like face was stained with a faint red, which was very different from when I saw him in the teahouse that day.

Gu Huaizhi's hand was still in the air, as if he wanted to knock on the door again. When he saw her open the door, his dazed eyes fixed.

After a while, the young man finally raised the corners of his lips and raised his handsome eyebrows: "Aning, you are willing to see me."

He smiled happily, as if he had finally met the person he had been thinking about day and night.

Mu An Ning's eyes fell on the young man's face, but he couldn't help but sniff: "Prince, have you been drinking?"

Suddenly, she smelled the scent of peach blossoms, but there were no peach trees planted in her yard.

It was obvious that the fragrance came from the boy.

Gu Huaizhi's favorite wine in the past was peach blossom wine.

Gu Huaizhi's eyes fell on the girl, and he immediately shook his head to deny it, but then his eyebrows were dyed with a trace of expectation: "If I drink alcohol, will you still make sobering soup for me?"

Mu An Ning saw that the young man had obviously drunk some wine, but she did not want to cooperate. She just smiled distantly and said, "Sir, you can ask the servants in the mansion to do it for you."

Of course she knew that Gu Huaizhi couldn't drink much.

In the past, if they attended a banquet together, she would send someone to deliver sobering soup to the palace if she saw him drinking.

But it goes without saying that Gu Huaizhi definitely didn't drink it.

Seeing Gu Huaizhi lower his eyes and a look of disappointment emanating from his body, Mu Anning asked calmly, "What is the matter with your visit tonight, Prince?"

The girl thought that she would wait until she heard Gu Huaizhi's answer before deciding whether to ask him to help investigate Brother Qiao's case.

But today I'm afraid I really owe him a favor.

Gu Huaizhi tilted his head, as if he didn't quite understand what the girl was saying.

Just as Mu An Ning was about to ask again, the young man finally spoke in a low voice and answered irrelevantly: "An Ning, I had a dream last night."

dream?

Mu An Ning frowned slightly and just listened quietly, but the young man pursed his thin lips and didn't seem to intend to continue talking.

Mu An Ning had no choice but to continue asking patiently: "What did the prince dream about?"

So Gu Huaizhishen came to find her in the middle of the night just to tell her about his dream?

Well, he was drunk, so it was normal for him to act strangely.

However, she didn't expect that he could climb over the wall when he was not in a clear mind.

Gu Huaizhi came back to his senses, and his rippling peach blossom eyes drooped slightly. He no longer had the arrogance of the past, but instead seemed unusually docile.

After a while, the boy sniffed his red nose and said in a slightly choked voice, "Aning, please don't die, okay?"

After he finished speaking, he reached out and grabbed the girl's white sleeve, as if he was really afraid that she would die.

Mu An Ning lowered her eyes to look at the big hand holding her, her brows furrowed even tighter, but her voice was a little helpless: "...Prince, I am not dead."

Gu Huaizhi came over for no reason and said something like this, which made it seem like he was cursing her, which was really unlucky.

Seeing the girl pulling her sleeves back, Gu Huaizhi tightened his fingers again, as if the girl would disappear if he let go.

Mu An Ning knew that the young man was drunk, so he had to let him grab his sleeves. However, he unconsciously slowed down his speech and asked softly, "Does the prince have anything else to say?"

If not, then she would have to bring up the matter of Brother Qiao, but she didn't know if Gu Huaizhi would listen to her at this moment.

Gu Huaizhi shook his head, then frowned again, met the girl's gaze, and nodded seriously: "There's more."

"Well, please feel free to speak, Prince." Mu An Ning choked back the words that were on the tip of his tongue and could only nod in response.

The young man lowered his head, his throat rolled, and his voice became a little hoarse: "Aning, I'm sorry."

Mu An Ning was really stunned at this moment. She couldn't figure out why Gu Huaizhi apologized to her for no reason.

Gu Huaizhi shook the girl's sleeve and asked in a muffled voice, "Aning, please forgive me, okay?"

Mu An Ning blinked, not avoiding the boy's undisguised gaze.

The moonlight fell on him, as if coating him with a layer of light.

She suddenly realized that he was becoming less and less like before.

After a while, the girl asked sincerely, "What did the prince do wrong?"

In the past, Gu Huaizhi would never bow his head to apologize to others, but today, after drinking so much wine, he became a little confused.

What's more, she hadn't met Gu Huaizhi in the past few days, so how could there be any dispute between them?

Could it be that he had found the wrong person and came to apologize to her?

Gu Huaizhi's fingers that were pulling her sleeve tightened, and his mind became confused.

He had only one thought in his mind, which was to apologize to her sincerely.

He was afraid that he would never have another chance.

Gu Huaizhi seemed not to hear what the girl said, but said to himself: "Aning, it's okay if you don't forgive me."

There seemed to be a hint of grievance in that voice.

Mu An Ning was slightly stunned, and then she heard the young man plead earnestly, "Just, can you please not get married first?"

Mu An Ning felt an indescribable emotion in his heart, and then shook his head without hesitation: "Not good."

She was going to get married in half a month, and no one would like to hear Gu Huaizhi suddenly come over and say such a thing.

What's more, even if she didn't want to get married too early, the Marquis's Mansion would definitely not agree.

Gu Huaizhi seemed not to have heard the girl's reply, but continued to talk to himself: "Aning, do you want to see the stars?"

He remembered that she once said that she loved the night and the stars.

...like him too.

Mu An Ning subconsciously raised his eyes to look at the night sky. There was no cloud in the sky, only a crescent moon hanging in the sky.

Where do the stars come from?

But before she could answer, Mu An Ning felt her body lighten, and when she came to her senses, she was already in the arms of the young man.

Smelling the fragrance that permeated her nose, Mu An Ning closed her eyes and was silent for a moment. After calming down, she asked, "Where are you taking me, my Lord?"

She could feel that the boy seemed to be leading her upwards.

The young man did not answer, but Mu An Ning felt the sound of the wind whistling past his ears, and for a moment he was tense and dared not move.

After a while, his feet finally landed on the ground, but the boy still maintained his original posture.

"Prince, please let me go first." Mu An Ning glanced sideways and realized that she was now on the roof.

There was not a single star in the sky, but Gu Huaizhi not only wanted to look, he even went to the rooftop to look.

He was drunk and acted like a troubled child, but she didn't want to play with him.

The boy gulped, his voice full of nasal sounds: "No."

In the dream, he let go too early.

He really didn't want to experience that feeling again.

Gu Huaizhi curled his lips: "Unless you promise me not to get married first."

Mu An Ning was strangled by him and suddenly got angry. She raised her eyes and glared at him: "My Lord, I was willing to get married at the beginning, but now I have cancelled the engagement as you wished."

She was somewhat suspicious that Gu Huaizhi was probably just pretending to be drunk, otherwise how could his force be so strong that she couldn't get away.

She really doesn't like the feeling of being controlled.

"Why on earth is the prince still unwilling to let me go?" The girl's tone had lost its previous gentleness. Her voice became much louder, and she no longer cared about etiquette.

She even suspected that Gu Huaizhi just couldn't bear to see her succeed, so he repeatedly blocked her marriage.

Her marriage to Tan Wenhuai was a foregone conclusion, and even her wedding dress was almost ready, but she had no intention of regretting the marriage.

Gu Huaizhi lowered his eyes with a dazed look and was stunned for a moment.

The girl lowered her long eyelashes, but the anger on her fair face was very obvious, as if she wanted to settle an old score with him.

"...Aning, I have never thought of breaking off the engagement with you." Gu Huaizhi rubbed the top of the girl's head with his chin and said in a muffled voice.

He certainly didn't mention breaking off the engagement; he just didn't want to go through with the marriage at first.

Mu An Ning was so angry that he laughed instead. He couldn't help but question, mocking the boy as well as himself: "Does the prince think I'm stupid?"

It is said that people speak the truth when they are drunk, but when it comes to Gu Huaizhi, this conclusion is the opposite.

He was drunk but still managed to lie without batting an eyelid.

The stunned young man's fingers seemed to loosen, but the girl in his arms did not notice, and continued to speak: "Everyone in the capital knows that you are the person that Prince Gu hates the most..."

Mu An Ning took a deep breath and finally had the courage to face the past: "...it was his fiancée."

Even if she liked him very much, she still had to save face.

When they first got engaged, she could hear people talking about them whenever she went out.

Therefore, even though she knew that she would be scolded by Xu, she begged Xu not to take her out of the house to attend any banquets for the time being.

Gu Huaizhi opened his mouth, but before he could explain, the girl continued to tell him the words that had been buried in her heart all these years.

"I know. During the winter hunt when we got engaged, the prince left me alone on his horse, hoping that I would give up." Mu Anning paused, thinking of how silly she was at the time, her eyes became sour for a moment: "I was ignorant of manners. I should have called off the engagement with the prince at that time."

That winter hunt was the first time they met after they got engaged.

At first, she was forced by her foster mother to ride on the horse, but the princess specifically asked Gu Huaizhi to take her with him.

Gu Huaizhi knew since she was a child that she could not learn to ride a horse, so he agreed on the spot, which made her very happy.

Who would have thought that when they arrived at the hunting ground, he would simply leave her there and ride away with his friends.

I vaguely remember that the young man who was traveling with him asked him what kind of women he liked.

He said: "...This prince likes people who can ride horses."

The noble ladies and gentlemen who heard these words immediately began to whisper to each other, saying that she was actually being too attached to Gu Huaizhi.

But she was speechless.

Because, that's the truth.

She liked him, but she also knew clearly that he didn't like her.

After hearing what the girl said, Gu Huaizhi frowned and recalled the past with great difficulty.

It seems that this is indeed the case.

Gu Huaizhi could not think of anything else and quickly whispered, "Aning, I'm sorry."

The tears in Mu An Ning's eyes stopped. She didn't expect him to apologize directly without any excuses.

Gu Huaizhi closed his eyes, feeling his head a little heavy, but he finally remembered what he was thinking at the time.

"...At that time, I just wanted you to give up." Gu Huaizhi's throat was a little dry, but he explained word by word: "I know that you were forced by your mother."

He always thought that Muraning didn't really like him.

She had been obedient and strict since she was young and dared not disobey the orders of the Marquis' Mansion, including this marriage.

He felt that he disliked her, so once he was unconsciously attracted to her, he wanted to push her away even more.

And there was always a voice in his heart telling him that he shouldn't like Mu An Ning and that he should hate her.

After listening to the young man's explanation, Mu An Ning's eyelashes trembled.

She was indeed forced by the Xu family.

But over time, she gradually became willing.

Liking Gu Huaizhi seems to have become a habit.

But now that she had finally let it go, he came to remind her again.

"Aning, I know you don't want to believe me, but I really have never disliked you." Gu Huaizhi's eyes sparkled, and he slowly let go of the girl, saying intermittently: "I let you down first, but can you give me another chance?"

Gu Huaizhi's eyes were slightly red, and his heart was filled with nothing but regret: "Aning, I was wrong, I want to make amends..."

Mu An Ning didn't listen carefully, he just knew that the force loosened a little, so he immediately took the opportunity to take a step back.

But the girl seemed to have forgotten that she was on the roof at the moment. Her feet suddenly felt empty and she almost cried out in surprise.

Fortunately, Gu Huaizhi reacted quickly and embraced the girl's slender waist in an instant.

The moonlight was like a silver veil, illuminating the young boy and girl looking at each other on the roof.

Feeling the warmth around his waist, Mu An Ning's expression froze. He raised his eyes and met the boy's peach blossom eyes, which were particularly watery in the moonlight.

Gu Huaizhi's throat rolled with difficulty, and he pulled the girl closer to his arms, but he unconsciously stared at the girl's slightly pursed lips.

She seemed to have removed her lipstick, but her lips were still pink.

Will it taste the same as peach blossom brew?

Mu An Ning felt a little uncomfortable being stared at by those black eyes that were shining with water. He wanted to step back, but he couldn't move at all.

"Aning, I like you." Gu Huaizhi's voice was low and hoarse, but every word seemed to carry a heavy affection, "...I really like you. Can you try to like me again?"

Mu An Ning, who was surrounded by the aroma of wine, was stunned, and saw the young man in front of him slowly bend down.