Liu Qingping said with a beaming smile, “Your Highness, I will certainly prepare the finest tea leaves and send someone to deliver them to you.”

Jingrong patted his shoulder. “Good boy!”

Speechless!

That scene was absurd enough.

And before Ji Yinshu boarded the carriage, Li Qingping sidled up again and said quietly, “Those fruits in the carriage—you eat them yourself. Don’t you dare share them with others.”

“I know.”

“Then be careful on your journey to the Yuguo residence. On your return trip, you’ll definitely pass through here again. I’ll prepare more fruit for you then.”

She looked him up and down, saying earnestly, “Once you get that official seal back, you must be a good magistrate.”

Li Qingping nodded emphatically!

Then he watched as the group boarded their carriages and horses and departed.

His heart was reluctant to let go, and he secretly wiped away tears.

Not far away, Ji Wanxin hid by a wall, watching as they boarded the carriages and left. In her curved almond eyes was both envy and unwillingness. Her five fingers pressed against the mottled brick wall, tightening bit by bit into a powerless fist.

The maid beside her, worried about her catching cold, said, “Second Miss, let’s return to the residence. Third Miss has already left.”

She continued watching.

“Second Miss?”

Her eyes narrowed slightly. “It won’t be long before Yunshu and I… meet again in the capital.”

At the corner of her mouth appeared a strange smile.

The maid asked no more questions and said nothing further.

Ji Wanxin had been standing there for quite some time. Pressing her chest, she coughed uncomfortably several times, as if about to cough up blood, then let the maid beside her support her as she returned.

…

The carriage moved slowly along the road out of the city, but Ji Yinshu was distracted, head bowed, her gaze unfocused and vacant.

Jingrong knew what was on her mind!

So he reached out and grasped her cold hand.

Comforting her, “We’ll come back to get him very soon.”

Ji Yinshu’s palm trembled slightly, probably warmed by the heat from his palm.

After a moment, she raised her head and looked at Jingrong. “I know.”

The next moment, Jingrong drew her into his embrace, holding her thin shoulders, his chin resting lightly on her head.

And she, like an obedient child, nestled against his broad and comfortable chest. Her beautiful eyes fluttered a few times along with her eyelashes before gently closing.

Just then—

“Shu’er.”

Hearing the voice, she suddenly opened her eyes, pulled away from Jingrong’s embrace, and immediately lifted the carriage curtain to look back.

She saw Wei Yi chasing after the carriage!

Running and calling her name at the same time.

“Stop the carriage!” she shouted to the driver.

After just a few steps, the carriage stopped!

She immediately gathered her robes and descended from the carriage, running toward Wei Yi’s direction.

The two stood facing each other, he looking down at her, she looking up at him.

At this moment, Wei Yi’s face was flushed red, running so hard he was out of breath, but at the corners of his mouth, he still wore that sunny smile of a big boy. His clear eyes, clean and pure, gazed at Ji Yinshu with intense affection and reluctance to part.

“How did you come?”

Her voice was somewhat choked.

“I came to see Shu’er off.” As he spoke, Wei Yi thrust something before her. “For you.”

Hmm?

It was a letter folded neatly.

She took it and was just about to open it when he stopped her.

Wei Yi reached out, pressing down on the letter. “Wait until Shu’er is on the road before reading it.”

Her fingertips holding the letter tightened, but she didn’t ask more. She nodded and tucked the letter into her sleeve.

The next moment, Wei Yi spread his arms and embraced her, closing his eyes and burying his head against her delicate neck.

“Shu’er, I want to hold you once more.”

As he spoke, his arms tightened even more!

Ji Yinshu only felt her chest tremble, then let him hold her.

Everything around them seemed to become very quiet at this moment.

Everyone’s gazes turned this way. Two grown men embracing—it was truly explosive. If there were cameras, they really should capture this. Who knows, it might even stir up some buzz and make some money.

Because the carriage had stopped for quite a while, Tang Si was puzzled, muttering, “Why aren’t we moving?”

Muruo was resting with his arms crossed in the carriage, slowly drawling out, “Wolves ahead, pursuers behind.”

Huh?

Such words could probably only be understood by those scholarly literati.

Tang Si frowned, then simply stuck her head out to investigate.

Better not to look—one look and she got a shock.

“My A’Ji is actually embracing Wei Yi. Are you kidding me? Two grown men, how shameless.” She was so angry she clenched her fists.

Muruo snickered on the side.

Tang Si had half her body hanging out the carriage window, her sharp eyes fixed on that pair of “fine gentlemen” embracing each other.

After a long while, she finally saw Wei Yi release Ji Yinshu.

He still smiled. “Shu’er, you must remember to come back for me. I promise you, I’ll study writing and poetry well with Uncle Fu. I’ll keep getting better too.”

She felt deeply gratified, reaching out to stroke his head.

“During the time I’m away, you must take good care of yourself and listen well to Uncle Fu, understand?”

“I understand.”

“Good boy!”

“Shu’er too—you must take care of yourself on the road. At night, wear more clothes, don’t catch cold, otherwise when you cough it lasts a long time. Also, you don’t like eating fish with scallions added, so don’t eat it anymore. When you come back, I’ll have Uncle Fu make it for you. You’ll definitely like the fish he makes. Oh, and…”

In short, he rattled on about a whole bunch of things.

Ji Yinshu didn’t stop him, letting him continue speaking. Hearing him to the end, she couldn’t help crying, tears flowing down her cheeks to her jaw and neck.

She parted her lips. “Wei Yi, thank you.”

He shook his head, reaching out to wipe away her tears, saying as he did, “Shu’er, don’t cry. I’ll be fine.”

She bit her lip. “I’m leaving now.”

“Take care on your journey.”

She nodded lightly, finally gritting her teeth, steeling her heart, and turning to leave.

Wei Yi stood rooted in place, watching that slender figure from behind. His mouth moved, but in the end he didn’t call out to her again. Only after watching her board the carriage did he sniff and softly call “Shu’er” to the air.

The smile on his face also stiffened, and in his expression appeared an emotion difficult to penetrate.

He watched helplessly as the carriage procession moved off, growing more and more distant in his vision.

Bit by bit, it disappeared!

…

Inside the carriage, Ji Yinshu tried hard to maintain her composure, forcing down the sadness in her heart. Only after the carriage had traveled some distance did she lift the curtain to look back.

But Wei Yi’s figure was already gone.

Seeing her like this, Jingrong felt heartbroken, but could only silently accompany her without disturbing her.

The carriage procession left Jinjiang City and continued traveling north. All along the way, Ji Yinshu didn’t say a word, her expression vacant, as if she’d lost her soul.

And on this journey without hearing Wei Yi’s voice, those guards felt somewhat unaccustomed.

Someone said, “Tell me, why did Master Ji leave Young Master Wei at the Wei residence?”

“You don’t even know this? Master Ji is worried Young Master Wei might get injured again, so he didn’t bring him along.”

“Speaking of which, that Young Master Wei really is loyal and righteous. When that arrow came flying, he didn’t even think before blocking it for Master Ji, not even caring about his own life. Usually he seems timid and cautious, but at the critical moment he was so brave.”

They all felt they couldn’t measure up!