Xiao Yan said with a forced smile, "You can say that if you want."
Upon hearing this, Atuo Jianghua had an expression that said, "I knew it."
Xiao Yan paused, "What are you trying to say?"
"You still say you don't have designs on me?" Atuo Jianghua gave him a disdainful look. "But you should just give up on that idea. There's no possibility between us."
Hearing this, Xiao Yan was so angry he laughed, and gave her a sharp rap on the head. "What are you dreaming about? You're a guest, so quickly pour me a glass of water."
A-Tuo Jiang Hua was stunned when he tapped her.
When Xiao Yan saw that she was stunned after he knocked her, he immediately reflected on himself. Had he knocked her too hard and made her stupid?
He looked closer with surprise and saw large tears rolling down her cheeks.
Xiao Yan was taken aback and said helplessly, "I didn't knock very hard! Why are you crying?"
"Waaah..." Atuo Jianghua suddenly burst into tears, "I miss my brother!"
Xiao Yan's brain nearly turned to mush.
I don't understand why she started thinking about her brother after I tapped her.
Seeing her tears flowing like a burst dam, he quickly said, "Hey, hey, hey, please stop crying, okay? I'll let you knock it back if you want." As he spoke, he brought his head close to hers.
A-Tuo Jianghua's crying stopped abruptly. She reached out and touched his head, then couldn't help but reach out and hug his neck, choking back tears as she said, "You're making me miss my brother and my father even more..."
Xiao Yan's body was as stiff as a stone, and his mouth twitched violently after hearing her words.
He didn't understand what he did that made her suddenly think of her family. Couldn't he just change?
After a long while, he extended his index finger and placed it on her shoulder. "Is that enough? If it is, let go of me now."
A-Tuo Jiang Hua wiped away her tears and nodded, "That's enough."
Seeing that she had straightened up, Xiao Yan decisively took two steps back to keep his distance from her.
“I know I’m mature and steady, and I’m kind of person, which makes people think of my elders, but you don’t have to be so casual, do you?” He patted his chest and said.
A-Tuo Jiang Hua glanced at him, and this time, unusually, she didn't argue with him. Instead, she quietly went to pour him a glass of water.
Seeing this, Xiao Yan glanced at the water in the cup and asked, "You didn't poison the water, did you?" Her sudden behavior really made him feel uncomfortable.
Upon hearing this, Atuo Jianghua glared at him and said, "If you want to drink, then drink. If not, give it to me. Why all the nonsense?"
Seeing that she had returned to normal, Xiao Yan was relieved and drank the cup in one gulp.
When he put down the cup, he saw that Atuo Jianghua was already squatting by the stone brick in front of the bed.
He had already moved the bricks back before the maid came in, so now it looks exactly the same as usual.
After squatting there for a while, Atuo Jianghua stood up, squinted, and questioned, "Why did you dig this tunnel?"
"Of course, I came to your palace to drink water. Didn't you say that earlier?" Xiao Yan said calmly, sitting on the chair next to him.
A-Tuo Jiang Hua scoffed, "Do you really think I'm that stupid? Tell me, what kind of ulterior motive do you have?"
Xiao Yan stared at her for a while, then suddenly said, "A-Tuo Jiang Hua, can I trust you?"
Feeling uncomfortable under his serious gaze, Atuo Jianghua stammered, "What?"
Xiao Yan sighed, "I didn't originally intend to dig here, but the plan went wrong and I ended up digging here instead."
After thinking for a moment, Atuo Jianghua asked, "Did you originally plan to dig up Jingci Palace?"
Seeing that she had guessed, Xiao Yan didn't hide it from her. "Yes." He paused, then added, "You're close to Nongnong, you wouldn't betray me, right?"
Atuo Jianghua shook her head. "I'll pretend I didn't see it."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan finally felt relieved, but still said, "How about this, you keep this secret for me. When I take the Empress Dowager away, I will take you with me."
A-Tuo Jiang Hua was stunned. "Take me with you?"
"Hmm." Xiao Yan nodded. "Haven't you always wanted to leave the palace? Don't worry, as long as you keep my secret, I'll take you away from here as a condition."
Upon hearing this, A-Tuo Jiang Hua was overjoyed. In her excitement, she grabbed his hand and looked at him intently, "Really?"
Xiao Yan paused for a moment, then awkwardly pushed her hand away and stood up. "Of course it's true. I won't go back on my word once I've said it."
Atuo Jianghua was overjoyed, "Thank you, Duke Jingguo, you are such a kind person."
Xiao Yan's eye twitched slightly. "Don't thank me yet. Before that, you must keep your mouth shut and don't let anyone discover this tunnel."
"Don't worry, in my palace, apart from me and my two maids, almost no one else ever sets foot here," Atuo Jianghua assured her.
"That's good. I only came in today to scout things out. Now that I've explained things to you, I'll be leaving now." Xiao Yan said, squatting down and moving the stone brick away.
Seeing this, Atuo Jianghua quickly said, "Duke Jingguo, I'm so bored staying in this palace. Could you take me out for a walk?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan refused decisively, "No way." After saying that, he jumped down into the tunnel.
But just as he was about to leave, he saw the woman standing there, looking distressed and pitiful. His heart softened, and he said before he could think, "It's still early. I'll come pick you up later."
He was surprised when he finished speaking.
He secretly patted his thigh.
When did he become so unprincipled?
Atuo Jianghua was overjoyed. She squatted down by the roadside and said eagerly, "Then I will wait for the Duke of Jingguo to come and pick me up."
Xiao Yan opened his lips, about to say something, but suddenly everything went dark, and the entrance was covered by A Tuo Jiang Hua.
Xiao Yan: "..."
He slapped his own mouth.
Why would he invite such trouble upon himself?
He sighed and picked up the luminous pearl embedded in the stone wall, then continued forward.
By the time we emerged from the tunnel, it was completely dark.
By this time, the city gates were already closed, and considering that he would have to pick up Atuo Jianghua later, he had no choice but to give up the idea of returning to the city.
He worried that entering and leaving the city gates too frequently would arouse Gu Heng's suspicion.
Zhou Jun, who had been waiting in the shadows, rushed to greet him when he came out, "Isn't the Duke going back to his residence?"
"I'll go back tomorrow morning," Xiao Yan said.
Zhou Jun, puzzled, asked, "Does the Duke have some kind of plan?"
“There’s no plan, but there’s a problem,” Xiao Yan said.
"What trouble?" Zhou Jun asked quickly. "Do you need me to handle it?"
"No need, you can't solve this. I got myself into this mess," Xiao Yan sighed.
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