Deep in the night, when all was still, a figure slipped silently out of the palace.

Situ Jing’er figured this would be the best time to go—fewer people around, and less chance of running into Aunt Qing and the others on her way to find Jun Buli.

She crept quietly toward the most secluded palace hall, peering over the wall for a long while to make sure no one was around before finally climbing over and heading toward Jun Buli’s chambers.

In a nearby room, Ziqing and Jun Beiyue opened their eyes at almost the exact same moment, while little Yaotiao slept soundly between them, snoring softly.

“Someone’s out there,” Ziqing whispered.

“Heading toward Buli’s place,” Jun Beiyue whispered back just as quietly.

The couple exchanged a glance, but neither made any move to get up. Whatever was going on with their son, he could handle it himself—whether it was theft, robbery, or assassination, their son could handle anything.

And so, the couple settled closer around Yaotiao and drifted back to sleep.

Outside, Situ Jing’er crept around suspiciously, hesitating outside a firmly shut window for a moment. Just as she was about to knock, an icy voice suddenly dropped down from above.

“What are you doing?”

Situ Jing’er jumped, startled, and quickly stepped out from beneath the eaves. Looking up, she saw Jun Buli sitting right there on the rooftop, with Baili Weisheng seated beside him, both of them looking down at her now, wearing wicked grins.

“Heh heh, evening, you two,” Situ Jing’er said with a sheepish laugh.

“You two carry on, I’m off,” Baili Weisheng said, rising to his feet.

Jun Buli seemed like he wanted to say something, but when he turned to look, all he did was wave, saying nothing at all.

Situ Jing’er’s mind was entirely fixed on Jun Buli. Seeing Baili Weisheng wave at her, she stupidly waved back too, watching him leave.

“It’s late. You need something?” Jun Buli said coldly, no different from usual, as if that day’s incident had never happened at all.

Situ Jing’er kept up her sheepish smile, leaping up onto the roof to sit beside Jun Buli.

“Mm, my father mentioned… you’re all leaving tomorrow?” Situ Jing’er asked. “Mm,” Jun Buli replied simply.

“That…” Situ Jing’er began stammering, “actually… these past few days…”

She stammered and stuttered for a long while, still unable to get the words out, her head lowered, her face flushing red before she could even speak.

“Can you just get to the point?” Jun Buli asked.

Situ Jing’er took a deep breath. “Fine. I came to apologize. That day… that day, it was my fault. I… because I couldn’t remember what happened in the bloodline clan’s tomb, so… I misunderstood.”

As she spoke, she quickly stood and bowed a full ninety degrees. “I’m sorry!”

But the moment she finished speaking, her foot slipped, and she began tumbling downward. “Ahh…” Jun Buli quickly caught her hand, yanking her back sharply, then immediately clamped a hand over her mouth. “Shut up!”

Situ Jing’er froze in shock, not daring to make a sound.

Meanwhile, in the nearby room, even Yaotiao stirred groggily awake. “Mommy, was that Sister Jing’er’s voice?”

“Shh, sweetheart, you heard wrong. Go to sleep.” Ziqing pulled Yaotiao into her arms, gently soothing her.

Jun Beiyue turned over lazily, saying nothing, drifting back to sleep.

On the rooftop, Jun Buli let out a long, weary sigh and released Situ Jing’er.

Situ Jing’er sat sulkily beside him, her apology finished, unsure what else to say. After a long moment, it was Jun Buli who finally spoke. “That day… did you really forget everything?”

Situ Jing’er nodded very seriously. “I just remember you lunging at me, and then I fainted.”

Lunging?

“Ahem…” Jun Buli coughed lightly. “Sorry for scaring you.”

Situ Jing’er’s head snapped around to look at him—this man, actually apologizing?

She suddenly brightened, generously forgiving him at once. “It’s fine. You didn’t actually bite me, after all.”

“At the time, I nearly did. But then afterward…” Jun Buli trailed off, hesitating.

Situ Jing’er grew curious. “And then?”

“Then you said…” Jun Buli paused there, and suddenly gave a soft laugh, lying back with his hands pillowed behind his head, smiling but saying nothing more.

Situ Jing’er grew suspicious, turning to look at him. “Go on, say it—I really don’t remember.”

“Coward. Scared unconscious,” Jun Buli said, rolling his eyes at her.

Situ Jing’er pursed her lips, lying down on her side, propping her head up with one hand. “Hey, are you going to tell me or not? What exactly happened? I keep feeling like… well, I keep feeling like there’s no way I would’ve said something like that out of nowhere, that I wanted to marry you.”

Jun Buli glanced sideways at her, then turned back to gaze up at the stars, saying flatly, “You said that if I didn’t bite you, you’d marry me.”

Situ Jing’er froze, staring at Jun Buli’s strikingly handsome profile, unable to speak for a long moment.

But then Jun Buli slowly leaned in closer, so close, his faint, familiar scent washing over her, and Situ Jing’er suddenly felt as though she were dreaming.

Their eyes met, and only then did she notice how deep and beautiful his eyes were—the kind that pulled you in without you even realizing it, and once you were in, you didn’t want to leave.

But just as Situ Jing’er found herself sinking helplessly into that gaze, Jun Buli spoke up, asking flatly, “Princess Jing—do you keep your word?”

“I… I…” Situ Jing’er desperately wanted to answer, but somehow, no matter what, the words wouldn’t come out.

No, it wasn’t that she couldn’t get the words out—it was that she had no idea how to answer.

Watching Situ Jing’er’s flustered, embarrassed expression, Jun Buli suddenly burst out laughing. “Princess Jing, I’ll give you three months to think it over. If you don’t keep your promise… then, when that time comes…”

As he spoke, he suddenly leaned in close, his lips resting right against her neck, teeth grazing lightly against her skin, murmuring, “When that time comes, I really will bite you.”

With that, he pulled back and left at once, leaving Situ Jing’er frozen on the rooftop, utterly baffled for a long while, unable to make sense of what he’d meant!

Keeping her promise—what promise? Marrying him?

At the thought, Situ Jing’er nearly toppled right off the roof in shock. She scrambled up hastily, not even noticing that her face and neck had turned entirely crimson, as if scorched by fire…

That night, she stumbled back to her chambers in a daze, lying on her bed, eyes wide open, unable to sleep a wink all night.

The more she thought about it, the more unsettled she became; the more she thought about it, the redder her face grew.

Jun Buli… that scoundrel, actually teasing her like that.

The next morning, Situ Jing’er had finally worn herself out and was just about to fall asleep when a flustered announcement suddenly rang out. “Princess! Princess, your Sister Duo’er has come to say goodbye!”

“Goodbye? Where’s she going?” Situ Jing’er rolled over lazily, then suddenly realized something was wrong and bolted upright, about to get out of bed, when Meng Duo’er walked in, a bundle already slung over her shoulder.

Situ Jing’er immediately sensed something was off, remembering seeing Baili Weisheng the night before. “Sister Duo’er, did the wretched scholar leave again?”

Meng Duo’er nodded with a smile, perfectly calm, sitting down and pouring herself a cup of tea.

Situ Jing’er, however, couldn’t stay calm at all, hurriedly grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the door. “Go after him! When did he leave!”

“It’s all right, sit down. I came to say goodbye. I’m leaving too,” Meng Duo’er said with a faint smile.

Situ Jing’er sat down, brow furrowed, staring at her. “What exactly is going on?”

“Nothing’s wrong. Didn’t you say yourself he’d definitely leave? You were right. But he came to say goodbye to me last night,” Meng Duo’er said flatly.