The bamboo house had already fallen into night. The entire bamboo house glowed with bright red lamplight, appearing unique and distinctive under the surrounding darkness. Looking out, the translucent bamboo house stood isolated in the mountain forest, like the only violet flower blooming in winter, gorgeous and radiant, or like a giant beacon standing in the forest.

A restless cold wind rolled through the bamboo forest at night, wildly rushing about, scraping the leaves with rustling sounds. The sounds didn’t echo but entered the ears eerily and terrifyingly. The mottled bamboo leaves cast shadows on the bamboo house walls, swaying back and forth, yet creating another kind of pleasant beautiful scenery. At this moment, Ji Yunshu had moved the four treasures of the study from the courtyard into the hall. Her painting was essentially complete. On the white paper she had painted Jingrong’s figure standing under the corridor. Although it was only a side profile, one could still see his three-dimensional features—handsome and distinguished, with an elegant bearing. His body seemed to naturally emanate an aura that made people afraid to approach… Yet even though this painting was excellent, Ji Yunshu didn’t seem satisfied. She continued lifting her brush to refine and add color, until she was finally satisfied before setting down the brush. Looking at the person in the painting, the corners of her mouth couldn’t help but turn up in a slight smile. Only then did she raise her head to look at Jingrong, who was still standing outside the door.

After they had eaten dinner, Jingrong had stood there like a statue, completely motionless, his gaze looking into the distance, appearing quite melancholy with heavy thoughts. It was precisely because of this that his normally tightly furrowed brow carried several degrees more melancholy. Yet it seemed no one could tell what he was thinking or what he was looking at.

This version of him seemed even more captivating!

Ji Yunshu would lose herself in thought whenever she looked at him like this…

After a while, she picked up the completed painting and gently fanned it up and down. After the ink and pigments had dried, only then did she roll up the painting and walk toward Jingrong.

The corners of her mouth still held a trace of a smile, like a bashful young woman first tasting the fruit of love.

Jingrong sensed her walking toward him. For some reason, his body uncontrollably wanted to flee.

His expression suddenly darkened, and he was about to take a step to leave—

But unexpectedly, he was still a step slower than Ji Yunshu.

Ji Yunshu quickly blocked his path, her small body standing straight before him.

Making it impossible for him to move forward even half a step.

He could only retreat!

But when he had this thought, Ji Yunshu perceived it first. She immediately reached out to grab his clothing, looked up at him in confusion, and asked, “Are you very afraid of me?”

“Of course not!” He denied it immediately.

He wasn’t so pathetic as to be afraid of a woman! Ji Yunshu’s delicate willow-leaf eyebrows arched upward. Her red lips parted slightly as she continued questioning, “If you’re not afraid, then why are you always avoiding me? From Nansai to here, you hide whenever you see me, as if I’m a hot potato. But now we’ve already laid everything out—about your identity, our feelings for each other—we’ve discussed it all in such detail. Yet you still want to hide. What, does being in contact with me make you that uncomfortable?”

“No!” He still denied it immediately.

He wasn’t uncomfortable, rather… he didn’t know how to face her.

The truth was too sudden for him, and it was such a shocking truth. Even though he had prepared himself, he still couldn’t digest it all at once.

His heart went up and down, left and right, unable to settle.

Ji Yunshu asked him again, “Am I ugly?”

Pfft—

Jingrong was momentarily speechless at her strange question. He lowered his gaze to look at her.

Where was this woman ugly?

She was clearly beautiful as a celestial being!

Like an unstained blue lotus, clean and pure, incomparably gorgeous. Looking at Ji Yunshu’s face, he lost himself in a daze for a moment. When he came to his senses, he immediately turned his body to the side. An extremely brief flash of panic crossed his face, almost imperceptible. He also instinctively avoided Ji Yunshu’s topic just now and asked instead, “You asked me to stay and protect you, and I’ve agreed to stay. What more do you want now?”

“I want you to look at me once.”

“…” “If you truly have no feelings for me in your heart, then look at me carefully, look into my eyes, and prove that you truly don’t have me in your heart. Otherwise, I’ll be certain that you do have me in your heart.” She was like a stubborn child, the corners of her mouth carrying a trace of a wicked smile, her tone more or less carrying a hint of goading.

She knew that forcing him to remember past events was impossible. Better to try a different method—perhaps it would work!

After hearing her words, Jingrong’s hand gripping his sword tightened several degrees.

Actually, he could very well just ignore everything and leave directly. But if he left, wouldn’t that be admitting he truly had feelings for her?

Thinking of this, his feet stuck to the ground, unable to move. To prove that he truly didn’t have her in his heart, he had no choice but to forcibly place his cold gaze upon Ji Yunshu’s.

Their eyes met, all four gazing at each other.

Ji Yunshu’s beautiful eyes held a luminous glow, like stars twinkling in the night sky, so crystal clear and bright, black and white distinct. Anyone who looked at them would seem to gradually sink in, tightly drawn by her deep gaze. And no matter how cold, icy, and austere Jingrong’s eyes were, when meeting such a pair of eyes, they slowly and involuntarily became gentle, like ice melting into a powerless mass of cotton. All the coldness and hardness, all the heartlessness—everything was broken down bit by bit.

Ji Yunshu deliberately blinked her eyes playfully. Upon confirming the subtle change in Jingrong’s gaze, she was certain…

He did have her in his heart!

So—

She suddenly stood on tiptoe, grabbed the clothing at Jingrong’s waist with one hand, looked up and kissed his cold lips.

Without any hesitation.

When their lips touched, it was like ice and fire gradually merging together.

Jingrong was completely stunned, his pupils widening abruptly.

He hadn’t expected Ji Yunshu would suddenly make such an unexpected move! At this moment, he suddenly remembered that when he fell into the water at Ning’an Mountain Villa, in his dazed and confused state, it seemed to be just like now—Ji Yunshu had suddenly kissed him. Only that time his consciousness wasn’t complete. He only felt ice-cold water pouring into his body, so he didn’t have too deep an impression of that kiss. By the time he woke up, he had already forgotten it. Only now did he suddenly remember.

Unlike that previous kiss, this time the feeling was more real, more clear. He could deeply feel Ji Yunshu’s lips pressed against his own. A fresh fragrance flowed from her mouth and teeth, lingering around his nose.

Faintly, he actually became somewhat greedy! But when a cold wind from the courtyard blew over and scraped against his body, only then did he suddenly wake up. He pushed Ji Yunshu away with force. At the same time, a trace of light anger rose in his eyes, as if he wanted to use this to cover up the stirring heart beneath his flesh and skin.

“What are you doing!” He rebuked in a low voice, but his eyes didn’t look at Ji Yunshu.

Ji Yunshu pressed her lips together. Her eyes bloomed with flowers as if a spring breeze had passed through, colored with joy. She smiled like a young girl, looked up proudly and told him triumphantly, “What am I doing, you ask? Of course I’m kissing you!”

“…”

He didn’t know whether to be angry or what to do.

Ji Yunshu leaned her body forward, moved close to him, and asked, “Well? Did you remember?”

“No!” He threw down these words and prepared to leave.

But Ji Yunshu was like sticky taffy. She grabbed his arm again, blocked his path, and said, “Don’t leave yet. I have something to show you!”

Jingrong turned his gaze away. “Not interested.”

“Just one look.”

“Let go!”

“Won’t let go!”

“You…”

This kind of dialogue was too familiar. Back then, Jingrong had also stubbornly grabbed her like this, refusing to let go no matter what she said.

“Your martial arts are so advanced—if you truly wanted to leave, whether I let go or not couldn’t stop you. This shows that you fundamentally don’t want to leave and can’t bear to leave.” Ji Yunshu looked as if she had seen through him.

A chill rose again in Jingrong’s eyes. He shook his arm and strode away.

And at the moment he shook off his arm, with a “bang” sound, Ji Yunshu’s entire body was flung to the ground.

The portrait in her hand also fell to the ground in an instant.

Upon hearing that bang, Jingrong stopped in his tracks. He turned his head and saw Ji Yunshu’s entire body prostrate on the ground. He took several steps forward and crouched down, his face showing concern as he asked, “Are you injured?” “Mm, my hand is injured.” Ji Yunshu spread open her palm to show him. Fine small bloody marks had been scraped across her palm. Although they weren’t bleeding, they hurt particularly severely. Her beautiful brow furrowed slightly as she looked pitifully at the man before her, hoping he would feel sorry for her. Jingrong’s heart did indeed ache for a moment.