That afternoon, Xiao Jingyue sent someone to inform Yan Ningshuang to meet him at Guangyuan Gate during the hour of You, after which he would take her to Zhaoning Hall.
Upon hearing this, Yan Ningshuang immediately began bathing and changing, intending to freshen up and dress properly for the appointment.
Just as she emerged from the bathhouse, Zhao Yingqiu happened to come looking for her. Seeing her, Zhao Yingqiu asked, "Did Third Young Master Xiao also send someone to find you just now?"
"Yes," Yan Ningshuang nodded and sat before the dressing mirror, letting Ping'er comb her hair.
Zhao Yingqiu walked behind her, watching her get ready, and attempted to persuade her, "Ningshuang, maybe it's better not to go."
Yan Ningshuang frowned, "If you don't want to go, then don't."
Zhao Yingqiu sighed, "Since you insist, I'll still accompany you. I wouldn't feel at ease if you went alone."
Yan Ningshuang nodded, watching as Ping'er applied hair oil to her hair.
"This isn't the magnolia-scented one I usually use, is it?" Yan Ningshuang lifted the blue-and-white porcelain jar containing the hair oil to examine it, frowning.
Ping'er lowered her head and said softly, "The previous jar was used up. This one was sent by the steward of Yanbei Prince's Mansion—it's gardenia-scented."
Yan Ningshuang said unhappily, "I don't like the smell of gardenia; it's too strong. Go see if there are any other scents of hair oil."
Ping'er hesitated, "Miss, the steward only sent gardenia-scented hair oil; there aren't any others."
Zhao Yingqiu, standing nearby, said, "I still have a jar of magnolia-scented hair oil. If you want to use it, I can have my maid bring it over for you."
Having grown up pampered in the Yan family, Yan Ningshuang was quite particular about such details and thanked Zhao Yingqiu. Zhao Yingqiu instructed her maid to bring her hair oil for Yan Ningshuang.
After her hair was done, Yan Ningshuang still felt displeased and said to Ping'er, "Don't just put anything on my head in the future. Now the two scents of hair oil are mixed together, and it feels rather strange."
Yan Ningshuang still needed some time to finish dressing, so Zhao Yingqiu returned to her own room first.
As the hour of You approached, Zhao Yingqiu came to find Yan Ningshuang to go out together. Unexpectedly, before they even reached Guangyuan Gate, Zhao Yingqiu's maid suddenly gasped softly, then quickly leaned in to whisper something in Zhao Yingqiu's ear. Zhao Yingqiu froze for a moment, and her face immediately flushed red.
Yan Ningshuang looked at them suspiciously, "What's wrong?"
Zhao Yingqiu, blushing and feeling somewhat awkward, said, "N-nothing, Ningshuang, I need to go freshen up."
Yan Ningshuang glanced at Zhao Yingqiu and her maid's expressions and suddenly seemed to realize something, "Are you..." She wondered if Zhao Yingqiu had started her monthly cycle.
Zhao Yingqiu said in embarrassment, "I need to go back for a moment, Ningshuang... maybe you could wait here for me?"
They had already left close to the hour of You. If they waited for Zhao Yingqiu to go and come back, they would surely be late. Yan Ningshuang shook her head, "Since it's inconvenient for you, just go back first. I'll go by myself; you don't need to come."
Zhao Yingqiu had no choice but to hurriedly take her leave, adding, "I'll come find you later."
Yan Ningshuang didn't take Zhao Yingqiu's words to heart. She took her own maid and headed to Guangyuan Gate.When Yan Ningshuang arrived at Guangyuan Gate, Xiao Jingyue had not yet come. She stood waiting for a while and was beginning to suspect that Xiao Jingyue might break his promise when a soft chuckle came from behind her. Yan Ningshuang turned sharply and saw that Xiao Jingyue had already arrived at some point, standing behind her, the distance between them rather close.
Yan Ningshuang quickly stepped aside and bowed her head in greeting. "Third Young Master Xiao."
Xiao Jingyue looked at her with a smile. "Has Miss Yan been waiting long? My apologies, I was delayed by an unexpected matter."
Yan Ningshuang replied, "I just arrived myself."
Xiao Jingyue tapped his folding fan against his palm and gestured with a light laugh. "Then let's go."
Yan Ningshuang hurried forward to follow behind Xiao Jingyue. His strides were rather large, and Yan Ningshuang struggled to keep up. After walking for a while, she was somewhat out of breath and was about to ask Xiao Jingyue to slow down when he abruptly stopped without warning. Yan Ningshuang nearly collided with his back, unable to halt in time.
Xiao Jingyue let out a pleased laugh and whispered to Yan Ningshuang, "Miss Yan smells wonderful."
Yan Ningshuang realized she was being teased and grew angry. Without a word, she turned to leave.
Xiao Jingyue quickly apologized. "Hey, don't be angry. I was just joking. My second brother is really tending to his orchids in the greenhouse right now. Don't you want to come see?"
Yan Ningshuang, who had already begun to walk away, paused and glanced back at Xiao Jingyue.
Xiao Jingyue gave her a half-smile. "I won't tease you anymore, alright? Follow me." With that, he turned and walked away, not waiting to see if Yan Ningshuang would follow.
Yan Ningshuang hesitated for a moment but eventually followed Xiao Jingyue, careful to maintain a considerable distance between them.
Xiao Jingyue glanced back out of the corner of his eye, a roguish smile playing on his lips.
Xiao Jingyue led Yan Ningshuang around Zhaoning Hall.
Noticing they seemed to be moving farther away from Zhaoning Hall, Yan Ningshuang couldn't help but ask, "Aren't we going to Second Young Master Xiao's greenhouse?"
Xiao Jingyue waved his fan casually. "Who said the greenhouse is inside Zhaoning Hall? Look, isn't it right ahead?"
Yan Ningshuang looked up and saw a small garden not far ahead. However, this garden was filled only with trees and shrubs, unlike the flower-filled Ting Garden. Nestled among the lush greenery was a row of small greenhouse-like structures.
The place seemed somewhat mysterious—though not flashy, it appeared elegant from the outside. Yan Ningshuang had never been here before, and she now began to believe this was indeed Xiao Jingxi's greenhouse.
Yan Ningshuang quickened her pace to catch up with Xiao Jingyue. Just as they approached the greenhouse, two elderly women suddenly appeared and blocked their path.
Yan Ningshuang looked at Xiao Jingyue.
Xiao Jingyue shook his fan and reprimanded them lightly. "It's me. Step aside!"
The two women looked at Xiao Jingyue and Yan Ningshuang, then at the maid behind Yan Ningshuang. "Third Young Master, you and this young lady may enter, but the maids cannot."
Xiao Jingyue raised an eyebrow, about to say something, but Yan Ningshuang quickly interjected, "Let them wait outside."Xiao Jingyue said nothing more. Yan Ningshuang left her maid outside and followed Xiao Jingyue into the garden.
Xiao Jingyue led Yan Ningshuang to the row of greenhouses and pushed open the door of the middle one. Yan Ningshuang followed him inside and discovered it was indeed a flower room, filled with numerous orchids. However, after looking around, she did not see Xiao Jingxi anywhere.
Xiao Jingyue walked over to a soft couch inside and sat down, pouring himself a cup of fragrant tea and leisurely sipping it.
Yan Ningshuang approached and asked, "Third Young Master Xiao? Didn't you say Second Young Master Xiao was here? Why don't I see him?"
Hearing this, Xiao Jingyue let out a chuckle. Leaning back on the soft couch, he looked at Yan Ningshuang and said, "My second brother hasn't returned to the estate yet. Do you believe everything I say?"
Yan Ningshuang's expression changed, and she turned to leave. But Xiao Jingyue suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. With a startled cry, Yan Ningshuang fell into his arms.
"What are you doing? Let go of me!" Yan Ningshuang's face turned pale with fright as she struggled desperately. She had never expected Xiao Jingyue to be so shameless. The reason she had dared to follow him was that she knew his father's faction had some murky dealings with the court in secret. As someone aligned with the Empress Dowager, she believed Xiao Jingyue would never dare to do anything to her.
Xiao Jingyue was trained in martial arts, and restraining a defenseless woman was all too easy for him. He paid no heed to Yan Ningshuang's struggles. Instead, he lowered his head and took a deep breath near her hair, murmuring softly, "You smell so good. Just the scent of you makes me..."
His words were somewhat muffled, as if suppressed in his throat, carrying a heated intensity. Yan Ningshuang couldn't make out exactly what he said, but she knew it was nothing good.
Xiao Jingyue's face flushed with an unnatural redness. He hadn't originally intended to do anything to Yan Ningshuang here, but he found it difficult to suppress the impulses surging within him.
He flipped over, pinning Yan Ningshuang beneath him on the spacious soft couch, using his body to hold her down. As he continued to sniff lightly near her neck, he said, "Why struggle? If he can have you, why can't I? Don't you think we look alike? Just pretend I'm him."
Terrified, Yan Ningshuang's face drained of all color. She screamed, tried to evade him, and cried out for help, but her maid was left outside.
Her fierce struggles only fueled Xiao Jingyue's growing agitation. His breathing grew heavier, and his grip tightened uncontrollably. With a tearing sound, Yan Ningshuang's clothes ripped open, revealing a patch of fair skin below her neck and above her chest. Xiao Jingyue's eyes instantly reddened.
Tears finally streamed down Yan Ningshuang's face. Just as she was about to make a desperate attempt to bite Xiao Jingyue's ear, the door to the flower room was suddenly pushed open from the outside. Someone screamed upon seeing the scene inside.
Startled, the two on the soft couch froze. Xiao Jingyue's movements halted abruptly, while Yan Ningshuang stiffened, forgetting her intention to bite him.At this moment, Yan Ningshuang was pinned down by Xiao Jingyue on the soft couch. Her face was flushed, her hair disheveled, and especially her clothes had been torn, revealing the peach-red "dudou" underneath. Anyone could tell at a glance what these two had just been up to.
Xiao Jingyue reluctantly got up. Yan Ningshuang snapped back to reality, pushed Xiao Jingyue away, scrambled up from the soft couch, but accidentally tripped over the low table in front of it, falling to the ground in a clumsy heap.
Serious Declaration: In this chapter, the two merely tore their clothes accidentally while fighting, nothing more.
OpenNovel