Upon entering the changing room to put on riding attire, Susu said, "I think I'll skip changing—I don't know how to ride anyway." Mulan replied, "It's really easy and so much fun! I tried it last time and had a blast. For your first ride, I'll have someone hold the reins for you. After a couple of laps, you'll get the hang of it."
After changing, they emerged to find two gentle horses waiting, held by attendants. Xu Changning smiled and said, "I specially picked the two most obedient horses for you ladies." Mulan asked, "Where is Miss Xu?" Changning tilted his head, and Susu glimpsed a distant rider already far ahead under the sunlight, swift and dust-kicking in their grace.
Susu had never been close to a horse before and found the creature intimidatingly large, feeling both timid and fearful. Fortunately, the riding instructor was exceptionally patient. "Miss, please mount from the front left—never approach from behind, or you might get kicked," he advised. He then held the reins and taught her key mounting techniques. Thanks to her dance training, she gracefully swung onto the saddle. The instructor loosened the reins and led the horse at a slow walk, meticulously correcting her posture. By the time she completed two large laps, Mulan and Xu Changning had long vanished, likely off sharing private words elsewhere. The instructor, drenched in sweat under the blazing sun, caught her eye. Uneasy, she said, "Please take a break. I'll try walking a lap on my own." The young instructor, cheerful by nature, assumed she wanted to test her independence and replied with a smile, "Then do be careful," handing her the reins before heading back to the stables.
Susu felt no fear, letting the horse amble slowly south along the track. The wind rustled leaves beside her, and sunlight cast glittering, gold-flecked patterns on the nearby azure lake. The stables were now distant, their outlines barely visible. Silence enveloped the area, punctuated only by insect chirps from the grass. A faint unease crept into her heart. Just then, she faintly heard hoofbeats—rapid, growing louder and clearer. Peering up, she spotted a rider charging down the hillside. Alarmed by the speed, she tried to steer aside but fumbled, tugging the reins too hard and causing the horse to retreat two steps. Panic mounted, and she pulled the reins tighter. The horse, a purebred Holsteiner accustomed to pampering, reacted to the repeated pressure with a loud whinny and bolted forward. Caught off guard, Susu nearly tumbled off but managed to lean forward sharply, avoiding a fall. Yet the horse now raced wildly, careening straight toward the oncoming rider.
The other rider remained calm, spotting the danger and deftly guiding their horse aside to let her pass. In the split second they crossed paths, they swiftly grabbed her reins. Her horse whinnied again, struggling fiercely, and with a jolt, Susu lost balance and started to fall. In a flash, a pair of arms encircled her waist. Her braid came undone, cascading hair scattering in the wind like a dark, glossy fan. Dizzy and disoriented, she met a pair of eyes—deep and shadowy as the lake from earlier, shimmering with golden flecks in the sunlight—gazing intently at her.Heaven and earth fell silent, leaving only him and her. So close—she had never been this near to a man before, almost without any barrier between them. He carried a faint scent of tobacco and mint water, his arm still encircling her waist, the warmth of his body seeping through the fabric of her clothes. His forehead was ruffled by the wind, soft strands brushing against his clear brow as he asked, "Who are you?" She was terrified to the extreme, unsure how to explain everything, and even more uncertain of who he was. In her utter panic, she simply lowered her head, her flowing hair cascading down like water, as if trying to shield her vision for a sense of safety.
The sound of hurried hoofbeats approached as two or three riders descended the slope, all dressed in identical black riding attire. From a distance, they called out anxiously, "Third Young Master, is something wrong?"
He turned and replied, "It's nothing." Then, looking down at her, he asked, "Are you hurt?" She instinctively shook her head. The riders quickly caught up, dismounting before them, their expressions filled with uncertainty and suspicion as they stared at her. Her panic intensified, and she instinctively shrank back. Yet he naturally tightened his arm slightly, as if to comfort her, saying, "It's all right, everything is fine now."
His tone shifted abruptly as he turned to address the others, stern and severe. "This young lady doesn't know how to ride. Who allowed her to be alone in the riding grounds? Do you only care when something dangerous happens and an accident occurs?" His words immediately made the others lower their heads. Susu gradually calmed down and noticed two more riders approaching side by side—Mulan and Xu Changning. Seeing familiar faces, she felt a wave of relief, only then realizing she was still in his embrace. Blushing, she whispered, "Thank you, please let me down." Her voice was soft as a fly's hum, tinged with embarrassment and fear. Yet he heard her, dismounted, and without hesitation extended his hand. She hesitated for a moment before finally placing her hand in his, feeling herself lifted lightly, almost carried down from the horse.
As soon as she steadied herself, Mulan and Xu Changning galloped over. Xu Changning let out a surprised "Huh?" and, after dismounting, addressed him like the others, "Third Young Master." He smiled slightly and added, "I was just telling Chang Xuan that Jin Rui has arrived, and you might come too." Mulan also dismounted, rushing over to take her hand, asking in astonishment, "What happened?" Being very perceptive, she quickly grasped the situation and inquired further, "You didn't fall, did you?"Susu shook her head, only to see the Third Young Master casually tapping the spurs on his boots with his whip, when he unexpectedly turned to look at her. Just then, a gust of wind blew, and she smoothed her long hair with her hand, slowly lowering her head. She heard him say, "You're hosting guests here, yet you're not properly entertaining the young lady. If she were to fall, how would you handle it?" Xu Changning laughed, "Lucky you showed up in time." Susu was inwardly surprised; from his tone, it turned out he was the owner of this horse ranch. Such an exceptionally grand horse ranch—she never would have imagined its owner would be so young. Then she heard him say, "Changning, treat me to dinner tonight. Your family chef's crab meat lion's head has quite the authentic touch." Xu Changning beamed with delight, "With such praise from you, I'm truly flattered." The Third Young Master seemed to be on familiar terms with him, laughing, "As if you'd ever be flattered. It's settled then." A nearby attendant stepped forward and whispered something in his ear. The Third Young Master raised his eyebrows, and Xu Changning asked, "What is it?" He smiled and said, "I forgot—Father asked me to go to Mang Lake this afternoon to see the new airfield." He looked up, squinting at the sun, and added, "I'm already late anyway. I'll just have to lie about it later."
Xu Changning noticed the attendants all wore troubled expressions and laughed, "Look at your nerve—you're really embarrassing your Third Young Master. If he's not afraid, what are you scared of?" The Third Young Master chuckled, "Don't try to provoke me here. I keep my word—I'll definitely drop by your place tonight. I'll give Old Song a call later; if Father asks, he can cover for me."
Hearing this, Xu Changning was indeed pleased and suddenly remembered, "I haven't introduced the two young ladies yet." He then said, "Mulan, Miss Ren, this is the Third Young Master of the Murong family." But the Third Young Master interjected, "Spouting nonsense in front of others? I have a name—Murong Qingyi."
Mulan had already vaguely guessed from his conversation with Xu Changning that his status was unusual, and now she realized he was the renowned Third Young Master of the Murong family. He appeared to be only in his early twenties, idly playing with a python-skin whip. Though he wore an air of nonchalance, he truly carried an elegant and distinguished demeanor. Xu Changning, who was also quite handsome, paled in comparison. She thought to herself, So he takes after his mother—her photos often appeared in the newspapers, exuding grace and nobility.
Xu Changning promptly called home to arrange the dinner, and by evening, everything was ready. Susu had not wanted to go, but Mulan felt that visiting the Xu residence, even informally, was an unexpected delight and insisted she accompany her. With a mix of pleading and persuasion, she practically dragged Susu into the car.
Six
OpenNovel