The wind blew, rustling branches outside the car window, accompanied by the chirping of cicadas and insects.
Ye Luan was held so tightly by him that she could barely breathe.
“Let go, please. I need to go back and see my grandmother.”
Xiao Chizhan’s eyes were closed, his breathing deep and greedy in the crook of her neck.
“Then when will you be willing to come back with me?”
“Don’t push your luck.”
She knew it, this dog. He was always pushing his luck; give him a broken pole and he’d climb right up it.
Xiao Chizhan murmured, “I really don’t want to let you go. My heart panics at the thought of not seeing you.”
Ye Luan, irritated by him, flared up, “Stop pretending. Get up.”
He didn’t move, instead lifting her more forcefully, gripping her waist and making her straddle his hips.
The movement was smooth, catching her completely off guard.
Ye Luan was furious, twisting her waist and struggling.
“Can you not live without bothering someone for a single day?”
Xiao Chizhan remained silent, pressing down heavily on her waist, making contact through the thin fabric.
Ye Luan blushed, “Are you sick?”
“I missed you. It’s been a long time.”
“Shut up!”
Xiao Chizhan said, “What are you angry about? This is perfectly normal—”
Ye Luan, refusing to listen to his outrageous talk, quickly covered his mouth, threatening fiercely, “Try saying one more nonsensical thing.”
He fell silent.
Seeing this, Ye Luan released her hand and pushed him away, intending to get up.
“Then can I have a kiss?”
He tightened his grip on her waist, forcing her to fall back into his arms.
Ye Luan nearly twisted her ankle due to his strong grip, glaring at him angrily, “Is all you think about is kissing? Don’t you have official duties to attend to?”
“No, I also want to do… it.”
“---”
Ye Luan, not wanting to be provoked by him anymore, said coldly, “One last time, let go.”
Seeing that she was truly angry, Xiao Chizhan reluctantly loosened his grip, saying, “Can’t I hold you for a while?”
“It seems like you don’t hold me enough any day.”
Ye Luan shot back, then pushed him away, picking up Snowball beside her, ready to disembark.
“Luan Luan.”
Xiao Chizhan reached out to pull her again.
Ye Luan glared at him furiously, “Stop this nonsense and go back to your manor to rest.”
“You care about me?”
She was too annoyed to bother with him, pushing open the car door and leaping out.
Bai Muheng was waiting at the manor entrance. Seeing her finally get down, his expression was meaningful.
“A’Luan, you and the Prince—”
“Don’t mention him.”
Hearing this, Bai Muheng wisely said no more and led her into the manor.
The Old Madam preferred quiet and lived in Songxiang Garden.
As the two approached, they saw maids chatting idly under the eaves at the entrance.
“Greetings, Young Master.”
“Has Grandmother woken up?”
Nanny Li bowed and said, “The Old Madam is in the inner room. The Madam is accompanying her.”
Hearing this, Bai Muheng gestured behind him, “A’Luan, come in with me.”
Ye Luan’s body paused. Seeing that he had already lifted the bead curtain and entered, she followed him in.
“A’Luan?!”
The Old Madam, leaning weakly against a jade pillow, her cloudy eyes instantly brightened upon seeing the two enter.
“Am I seeing things?”
Ye Luan hurried forward to pay her respects, “Grandmother, Aunt.”
Madam Bai, who was sitting on a stool serving the Old Madam, was surprised by their arrival. After a moment, she glanced at them closely and then indifferently turned her head away.
If it weren't for this girl, her husband wouldn't have been so severely injured, lying in bed for a long period.
“Quickly, come here, let Grandmother have a look. You’ve lost weight, you’ve really lost weight—”
The Old Madam hurriedly sat up, pulling the approaching Ye Luan to examine her, tears glistening in her eyes.
“Good, it’s good that you’re alive.”
Bai Muheng knew that the Old Madam had always thought A’Luan might be dead, her anxiety causing her illness. Now, seeing her return, she was overcome with emotion.
Ye Luan, her hand held tightly by the Old Madam, quickly put Snowball down and said with a smile, “Grandmother, I’m fine.”
“Fine, it’s good that you’re fine.”
“Mother, don’t worry, she’s definitely fine. Otherwise, why would the Prince of Dingbei let us go? It’s just a pity that our husband was stabbed in the shoulder by the Prince, and it still aches sometimes.”
“Shut up!”
Ye Luan’s heart tightened. What did she mean by that?
The Old Madam glared at Madam Bai and then patted Ye Luan’s hand to comfort her, “A’Luan, don’t listen to your aunt’s nonsense. We are all well. Come, sit down, and tell Grandmother properly where you’ve been. The manor sent many people to look for you, but they couldn’t find you.”
As she spoke, she quickly ordered those outside to prepare a meal and tidy the room.
Seeing their young cousin arrive, the Old Madam’s spirits perked up, and the maids and nannies serving in Songxiang Garden breathed a sigh of relief and hurried off to attend to their tasks.
“Grandmother, please don’t trouble yourself. I won’t be staying here.”
“What are you saying, child? That Ye family is a den of man-eaters; don’t go back. You’ll live here from now on. As long as your grandmother is alive, this is your home.”
Bai Muheng also smiled, “That’s right. This manor is full of unruly boys. With A’Luan here, we won’t have to see them causing trouble.”
The Old Madam listened with pleasure, her face breaking into a smile as she pulled Ye Luan down to sit.
“Just listen to Grandmother and stay here properly.” She then glanced meaningfully at Madam Bai, who was serving nearby, “If anyone has any objections, speak to me.”
Madam Bai understood the implication and stood up awkwardly.
“Mother, I’ll go ask someone to tidy up Yue Ge for A’Luan to stay in. It’s hot now, and Yue Ge is cool.”
“Mm, go ahead.”
As soon as Madam Bai left, the Old Madam began talking to Ye Luan again. Whatever her grandmother asked, Ye Luan answered obediently, offering polite but vague responses.
Of course, she wouldn’t tell the Old Madam about her real experiences, lest she become so angry she fainted.
Speaking of her experiences, the Old Madam’s eyes welled up again.
“It’s a pity your mother left too soon, leaving you alone. Your father only cared about getting promoted, never about your life or death—”
“Oh dear, Grandmother, why are you mentioning Aunt again? My ears are getting calluses.”
“You little rascal, why are you interrupting?”
Bai Muheng chuckled softly, “A’Luan has been traveling all day and is hungry. Let’s go to the dining hall to eat first.”
The Old Madam felt distressed hearing this.
“Then, let’s eat first.”
—
Meanwhile.
As soon as Xiao Chizhan returned to his manor, he found Tantai Ye lounging lazily on a small couch in his study.
“Why are you here again?”
Tantai Ye scoffed at his impatient tone.
“Do you think I want to be here? I’ve brought you memorials. Hurry and approve them. There’s been a riot in the Jingnan area, and troops need to be dispatched.” He then added with a smile, “Ye Luan didn’t come back with you, did she?”
Seeing his schadenfreude, Xiao Chizhan cast a cold glance at him and, with a somber expression, sat down at his desk, picking up the pile of official documents.
“Recently, I’ve acquired a new medicine. Do you want to try it on her? I guarantee you’ll win the beauty’s heart this time.”
Xiao Chizhan ignored him, silently processing the memorials.
“This is the most potent soul-losing medicine from the Southern Borders. It can make one forget all past pain and only remember you.”
Seeing that he was still unresponsive, Tantai Ye stopped talking.
“Aren’t you leaving?”
Hearing his cold tone, it was clear he had been rejected by Ye Luan.
Tantai Ye felt like mocking him a few more times, but thinking of his own situation, he was too weary to do so and rubbed his forehead.
“Just let me have some peace here. My family is driving me crazy. I don’t know what has gotten into the Old Madam, she suddenly wants me to marry, nagging incessantly.”
“Who?”
“The Princess of Qinghe.”