А wоman's fatе is inhеrеntlу frаught with helplessnеss. Тhis was esрeciаllу truе fоr dаughtеrs of prоminent families, whose evеrу movе must be flаwlеss, with nоt а single misstер аllоwеd. Thе world was harsh, уеt she nеver imagined thаt Zhuangshan's аctions tоdау wоuld thrust hеr intо suсh a dire рrеdicаmеnt!
Тhe сouрlе over thеrе, for rеasons unknown, wеre moving clоsеr аnd clоser while engаgеd in thеir intimatе асt. А fеw mоre stерs, and thеy wоuld surely sрot Наn Yаn hiding behind thе раlаce wall.
Нan Yan seethed with а mix of fury аnd paniс. As hеr gаze swеpt past the figure beside her, her heart suddenly jolted.
From the very beginning, this person had shown no trace of alarm, standing perfectly still. Even when Han Yan abruptly approached, there was not the slightest movement.
Out of guilt, Han Yan had not dared to look up. But from the sight of the official boots worn by men, she knew this man was either wealthy or noble—someone she could not afford to provoke. Yet, in this situation, they were like grasshoppers tied to the same rope. So why wasn’t this grasshopper anxious?
Could his composure mean he truly had nothing to fear?
He might be unafraid, but she was terrified!
She was merely an unloved young lady of the Zhuang family. If this man held a high status, he could walk away without a care. But she—she would either be secretly killed or forced to marry that adulterer in the plum grove. Neither outcome was one she wished to face!
Why should she bear the consequences of others' mistakes? In this life, was she destined to die by Zhuangshan’s schemes once again?
She refused to accept it!
Driven by a surge of courage she didn’t know she possessed, as the footsteps drew nearer, she lifted the man’s black leopard-fur cloak and slipped entirely beneath it.
The moment she did, Han Yan regretted it. The chilling aura emanating from this man was almost enough to freeze her into ice.
At the same time, fear began to creep in. In a moment of impulse, she had assumed this man could handle the situation without exposing her, so she had hidden under his cloak. But she didn’t even know whether he was friend or foe—he could easily toss her out. Moreover, how could she have acted so boldly? Pressed against him, the distinct masculine scent, tinged with an elegant bamboo fragrance, filled her senses, making her heart pound like a drum.
The man was clearly angered. Han Yan could keenly feel the displeasure radiating from the body she clung to, and despair washed over her. Expecting to be thrown out, she trembled uncontrollably.
But after a brief pause, she suddenly felt a firm grip. The man placed a hand on her back through the cloak, holding her securely against him. Then, with precise movements, he grasped the nape of her neck and soared into the air. Han Yan felt her body grow weightless, her feet leaving the ground. Terrified, she clung tightly to his robes, not daring to open her eyes. Her entire being seemed suspended mid-air, her heart racing wildly. In mere moments, they landed back on the ground.
Too afraid to move, she curled up within the man’s cloak, finding an unexpected warmth in its darkness. What had just happened?
Then, from above, a voice, clear and captivating as aged fine wine, brushed gently against her heart.
"Still reluctant to come out?"Han Yan was startled and quickly extricated herself from the man's embrace, only to find herself standing in an open area with a stone wall blocking the path ahead. Her heart skipped a beat, and she soon realized that this man must possess qinggong, having carried her away so effortlessly—no wonder he had remained so composed earlier. Recalling what had just happened, she couldn't help but blush.
After a moment's thought, Han Yan raised her head, about to speak, but froze as soon as she looked up.
What met her eyes was a face of unparalleled beauty. The man before her appeared to be in his early twenties, with sharp eyebrows that tapered into his temples, a straight and elegant nose, and a pair of phoenix eyes as dark and unfathomable as a deep, still pond—calm yet rippling with infinite depth, tinged with a hint of charm and grace. His thin lips were pressed tightly together, and his features were as sharply defined as if carved by a knife or an axe. His ink-black hair cascaded down to his waist, loosely tied up with a jade hairpin. He wore a sky-blue silk robe embroidered with silver-edged orchids, draped casually over with a black leopard-fur cloak. His posture was picturesque, like an immortal descended to the mortal realm.
At that moment, the handsome young man was staring at her without a word, his gaze carrying an overwhelming pressure.
In her previous life, Han Yan had married Wei Rufeng partly because of his handsome appearance, but compared to the man before her now, the difference was like heaven and earth. Though this young man was not much older, his innate nobility was unmistakable. He did nothing in particular, yet his posture exuded elegance and an extraordinary aura. Some people were simply born to be called "nobility," and Han Yan felt that the man before her was one of them. However, such a noble bearing likely indicated he was of royal lineage. Remembering how she had clung to him earlier, Han Yan felt increasingly uneasy. After a moment's thought, she curtsied to him and smiled sweetly, saying, "Esteemed sir, I lost my way earlier and encountered two strangers. In my panic, I offended you. Please do not take offense."
Her smile was innocent, her face youthful, her behavior obedient, and her attire adorable. To any ordinary person, she would appear as nothing more than a playful little girl, naive and stumbling into trouble by accident.
Unfortunately, Han Yan was not facing an ordinary person.
Fu Yunxi lowered his gaze, a flicker of deeper meaning flashing in his dark eyes.
That plum grove was not a place just anyone could enter. Today, he had been handling matters for his elder brother and happened to pass by on his way back. He had no intention of lingering, but then he caught sight of a frail young girl.
Through the plum trees and heavy snow, Fu Yunxi couldn't make out the girl's features clearly, but he remained vigilant. Whoever entered this place and encountered him would not be allowed to leave easily.
Yet, he soon noticed that the girl radiated an overwhelming sense of sorrow. Even from such a distance, Fu Yunxi could feel her despair and desolation. She gazed longingly at the red plum blossoms on the branches, reaching out as if to touch them, only to stop mid-air as though they were something incredibly fragile. Though he couldn't see her expression clearly, in that moment, Fu Yunxi felt as if the young girl in the distance was about to depart from this world.
A girl of such small stature, no more than eleven or twelve years old—how could she harbor such profound grief?
He seemed moved, his thoughts suddenly deepening. However, the little girl soon noticed his presence. To Fu Yunxi's surprise, she merely stood there, observing him calmly. She neither screamed nor fled, remaining composed and steady. Even if it was an act, such composure was rare for someone her age.Sensing the little girl's probing gaze, Fu Yunxi stood quietly with his hands clasped behind his back. Initially, he had only intended to observe her actions, but unexpectedly, two more people arrived from the other side.
He immediately grew suspicious—could it be that this girl had sought out others as well?
Then he saw the girl hesitate for a moment, as if making a firm decision, before suddenly darting toward him to take cover.
His suspicions deepened, but he watched as the young girl, head bowed, ran up to him, appearing somewhat frightened.
There was only a palace wall here that could provide any cover. Fu Yunxi thought to himself that this girl was truly bold, and immediately afterward, he heard an awkward sound.
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