"Smack!"
The shuttlecock hit someone, and a scream rang out, "Ah, which bastard was that?"
Xiao Yan sneered and was about to leave when the person who had been kicked by the shuttlecock had already pushed aside the flowering tree and walked over angrily.
"Which bastard smashed this on me?"
Xiao Yan, who was already in a bad mood, became even more annoyed after hearing this.
If he hadn't dodged quickly, that shuttlecock would have hit him. And the other person still had the nerve to curse at him?
He turned around, ready to teach the other person a lesson, but when he saw who it was, he froze. Because it was so unexpected, he looked shocked and tense, as if facing a formidable enemy.
"Huh, it's you?" Atuo Jianghua was taken aback when she saw him, then pouted, her anger finally dissipating, and asked, "Why is the Duke of Jingguo here too?" Thinking of something, she looked at him suspiciously, "So you were the one who kicked the shuttlecock back just now?"
As she spoke, she raised her hand and rubbed her forehead, which was covered in bumps.
It's clear that the other party used all their strength.
"The shuttlecock hit me." She said, her tone slightly annoyed. If it had been someone else, she would have definitely given them a good beating.
Xiao Yan snapped out of his daze, feeling extremely guilty. He avoided her gaze, not daring to look her in the eye, and stammered, "I...I have something to do and have to leave the palace. Let's talk another day."
"Wait!" Atuo Jianghua suddenly called out to him.
Xiao Yan didn't turn around, but his body tensed up.
What should we do? Could it be that Atuo Jianghua knows something?
Thinking of this, he held his breath, clenched his fists, and asked in a trembling voice, "W-what else do you want?"
Upon hearing this, A-Tuo Jiang Hua looked at him strangely, feeling that he was different today, as if he exuded something odd about him.
She was always outspoken, so she voiced her doubts, "Why is Duke Jing acting so strangely today? Are you trying to avoid seeing me?"
When did she offend him?
She was somewhat puzzled.
"No, Consort A-Tuo is overthinking it." Xiao Yan's forehead was sweating, but at the same time, he breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that she was still unaware.
That's right. Apart from Hengzhi, no one else knew what happened that night. He was overthinking it.
"Am I overthinking it?" A-Tuo Jiang Hua walked around to the front of him and looked him up and down. "Duke Jingguo wasn't like this before. Also, are you very hot? Why is your forehead covered in sweat?"
Xiao Yan broke out in a sweat after being scrutinized by her.
Strange, he had never felt so nervous and flustered when facing this woman before. Why did he feel so out of sorts when he saw her today?
Thinking it over, he wiped his sweat with his sleeve and said calmly, "It's almost June, the weather is getting hotter and hotter, aren't you hot?"
A-Tuo Jiang Hua shook her head. "It's not hot." She still looked at him strangely.
Xiao Yan felt extremely uncomfortable. He turned his body to the side to avoid her gaze and said impatiently, "If Consort A-Tuo has something to say, please say it as soon as possible. I'm in a hurry to leave the palace."
A Tuo Jiang Hua sighed and said listlessly, "I'm just bored staying in the palace. Could the Duke of Jingguo take me out to play?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan reacted as if facing a formidable enemy and immediately refused, "No way."
Atuo Jianghua looked at him in surprise, feeling that his reaction was a bit strange.
She frowned slightly.
If you don't want to, fine, but why are you so agitated?
She pursed her lips, looking disappointed. "I finally managed to run into an acquaintance like you, Duke Jingguo... Never mind, since you have other important matters to attend to, Duke Jingguo, you may leave. But could you please pass on a message to Nong Nong, asking her to come to the palace to play with me when she has time?"
Seeing the disappointed look on her face, Xiao Yan paused for a moment, and suddenly felt a pang of pity.
She was a foreign princess, all alone here, which was quite pitiful.
“Okay, I’ll pass on the message to her for you,” he said.
"Thank you, Duke Jingguo. I'll treat you to a drink next time we have the chance." A-Tuo Jianghua's earlier dejection vanished, replaced by a smile.
When she laughs, she is not as reserved as most women; her laughter is warm and bright, with the unique boldness of a woman from the grasslands.
Xiao Yan was stunned for a moment, then came to his senses and realized that he must be bewitched, otherwise why would he think that the barbarian princess looked so beautiful when she smiled?
He shook his head; it must be a side effect of finding out that the person from that night was her.
Looking at the smiling young girl in front of him, he didn't dare to stay any longer and hurriedly left the palace.
Seeing that he left in a hurry, as if someone was chasing him from behind, Atuo Jianghua shrugged and didn't think much of it.
After leaving the palace, Xiao Yan originally planned to return to his residence, but for some reason, the disappointed face of A Tuo Jiang Hua kept appearing in his mind.
He had no choice but to make a last-minute decision to go to the Regent's Palace.
He comforted himself, thinking that the reason he felt pity for Atuo and Jiang Hua must be because of guilt.
After all, that night, he almost...
Although they didn't go all the way, they did have physical intimacy.
Based on this, he also has a responsibility to others, although this responsibility cannot be spoken aloud, much less known to others.
He kept convincing himself this way, but when he arrived at the Regent's Palace, he learned that Wen Nongnong was not there.
"Where did she go?" He plopped down in a chair.
Gu Linchao glanced at him but did not answer his question. Instead, he asked, "Do you need to see her?"
"It wasn't me, it was..." Xiao Yan quickly stopped speaking, still unwilling to give up, and asked, "Where did she go, and when will she be back?"
Gu Linchao noticed his unusual behavior. "Since you weren't the one who sought her out, why ask so many questions?"
Xiao Yan choked for a moment, "Even if it wasn't me looking for her, I'm still an elder. What's wrong with asking where a junior is?"
Gu Linchao simply ignored him and lowered his head to review official documents.
Xiao Yan waited for a long time, but when he still ignored him, he lost his patience.
He got up and sauntered to the desk, his tone ingratiating, "Hengzhi, just tell me."
"Who's looking for her?" Gu Linchao asked without looking up.
Xiao Yan gritted his teeth, but there was nothing he could do. Moreover, he had promised to pass on a message to Wen Nongnong, and he couldn't break his promise.
“It’s Atuo Jianghua.” After a long pause, he awkwardly spoke.
Gu Linchao glanced at him, and seeing his uncomfortable expression, he paused and had to remind him, "Remember your place and keep your distance."
Xiao Yan said awkwardly, "What? You don't actually think I like her, do you? How could that be? I like fairies. Fairies only exist in my dreams; they don't exist in this world."
Gu Linchao's eye twitched slightly. "Then you should keep dreaming and don't mess with people you shouldn't."
Xiao Yan rolled his eyes. "My standards aren't that low. I can't afford someone like Atuo or Jiang Hua."
"You'd better remember what you said today and not go astray," Gu Linchao warned.
Xiao Yan pursed his lips. "Alright, alright, I've told you everything. Shouldn't you tell me where Nong Nong is now?"
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