She looked down at the hand.
Its joints were distinct, and each finger was shaped beautifully.
Beautiful in a way that had taken root in her heart.
Having drunk a little too much, she felt a bit disoriented, unable to tell if she was hallucinating.
Yet, she could clearly sense her own clarity, making hallucinations impossible.
The grip on her hand was firm, holding her tightly, allowing her to feel the warmth of his palm, a warmth that could scorch her heart.
Her throat moved. She once possessed the courage to defy heaven, but at this moment, for reasons unknown, she became a coward, afraid to look up at the person holding her wrist.
She feared that if she looked, it would all turn out to be a dream, a mere reflection in the water.
And she would hate herself for her own weakness.
"Yi Qing."
The man's voice was damnably pleasant, so familiar, a voice that haunted her dreams at midnight, a voice that could make her lose all reason the moment it spoke.
She blinked her slightly sore eyes.
Could this wine be fake again?
Were even the wines in the taverns fake now?
She fiercely shook her wrist, trying to break free from the hand holding her.
But despite the strong shake, she couldn't break free.
Qin Yi Qing grew a little angry.
The hallucination from the fake wine was too real!
Even if it wasn't a dream, if it were truly that person holding her wrist, she would have easily shaken him off with a light flick. That man would never be so shameless, and he was currently happily with his newly wedded bride, so how could he possibly be here?
"This dream is too bothersome!"
She cursed impatiently.
She prepared to pick up the chopsticks beside her to swat away the hand.
However, the hand gripping her wrist suddenly stiffened.
And from above her head, he spoke again, "Yi Qing, this is not a dream. It's me."
Qin Yi Qing's body went rigid. She abruptly looked up.
Reflected clearly in her eyes was Ji Rong's face, the face that made her heart flutter unstably and her spirit waver.
Everything around them seemed to freeze.
She looked at Ji Rong with disbelief.
"You..."
Why was he here?
Was it truly not a dream?
Ji Rong looked at Qin Yi Qing, who was slightly tipsy, his voice laced with a hint of helplessness, but more so with indulgence, "I came to find you."
Qin Yi Qing was stunned, her mind feeling sluggish.
She had been drowning her sorrows almost every day for the past two days.
But she hadn't gotten drunk.
She had almost decided to marry Meng Xiao and be done with it.
Yet, for some reason, she couldn't make that decision. Meng Xiao didn't want a fake marriage with her.
And Meng Xiao...
"Why are you here to find me? Didn't we already make things clear? You should go according to the Ji family's arrangements, get married as planned. I am a jinx, inherently incompatible with you, and will bring you all sorts of danger. If you are with me, you will lose all honor and whatever else is considered important."
"I am about to get engaged now, about to marry another man. Please stay far away from me, and I will stay far away from you. Won't it be better for us to go our separate ways?"
"Ji Rong, I am truly getting married."
The last sentence was spoken to Ji Rong, but also to herself. She would marry Meng Xiao.
Hearing this, Ji Rong's eyes, as deep as the ocean, revealed a hint of anger in his usually calm and detached demeanor, "Qin Yi Qing, you've provoked me for so long, and now you want to let go? Did you ask for my consent?"
Qin Yi Qing felt guilty under his gaze and dared not look at him.
But her heart ached terribly.
It ached in a way she dared not delve too deeply into.
"I... I... you are already married, why do you care so much? Besides, what's past is past. We both need to look forward. Constantly dwelling on the beginning of things is so unyielding. Even I, a woman, don't mind anymore, so you shouldn't either."
Qin Yi Qing's mind was truly a mess. She didn't quite understand what she was saying in the end.
She was simply speaking from her subconscious.
Everything tumbled out in one go.
Ji Rong's gaze, tinged with exhaustion, flickered with helplessness.
"Yi Qing, let's go out first," Ji Rong said softly.
Qin Yi Qing blinked, her mind still a bit fuzzy, and obediently nodded as she always did, "Okay."
When she stood up and was led out by Ji Rong holding her hand, she finally came to her senses.
Why was she so obedient, following him as soon as he said to go?
Qin Yi Qing tugged at her hand but couldn't break free.
She could only stare blankly at Ji Rong's retreating back, noticing some dust on his shoulder.
He was a germaphobe, very clean. She had rarely seen him with dust on him. Had he rushed here without resting?
Thinking of certain things, Qin Yi Qing froze.
She had originally wanted to say something, but she couldn't utter a word, only following Ji Rong out blankly.
The people in the tavern were all watching them. She didn't care. She had never cared about others' gazes before, let alone now when her mind was slow from the alcohol, and with Ji Rong by her side, she cared even less.
She just felt an indescribable emotion looking at Ji Rong like this.
A certain part of her heart ached, feeling lost.
Just as they were about to leave the tavern, a tall figure suddenly blocked their path.
Seeing the person blocking their way, Qin Yi Qing's hazy consciousness returned.
"Young Master Meng?"
Meng Xiao's icy gaze fell on the wrist Ji Rong was holding, and three words escaped his tightly pursed lips: "Let go of her."
Ji Rong's indifferent eyes seemed to disdain all living beings, "Get out of the way."
Qin Yi Qing watched the scene unfold, her brain seemingly frozen.
Not far away, Ruan Xi, witnessing this, twitched his lips and clicked his tongue, "Damn, what's going on? That Qin Yi Qing woman is actually being fought over like this?"
Though Ruan Xi spoke flippantly, his eyes were fixed on Meng Xiao.
Based on the information he had gathered, Meng Xiao was a man of extreme self-control and was not easily moved by women. Once he desired something, he was like a hunter who had spotted his prey, never letting go easily.
This time, Ji Rong had truly met his match.
This is not good, truly not good.
...
Li De returned from the palace and, before he could attend to matters in his study, was intercepted by his wife.
Before Madam Li could speak, he said, "The Emperor is hosting a banquet the day after tomorrow. Inform the Night Princess to prepare for the imperial banquet."
Madam Li frowned deeply and said, "That Night Princess is truly difficult to deal with. You don't know what just happened..."
After listening to Madam Li's description, Li De's face completely darkened, "Such actions are truly audacious and reckless."
"Indeed, sir. I wonder how long she intends to stay in our residence. Can we ask her to stay elsewhere? Sir, you don't know, but your three sons are solely focused on catching a glimpse of the Night Princess. She's a real vixen," Madam Li said resentfully.