The steward’s office had already prepared the gifts for Qin Shuying’s return visit to her natal family, with everything ready including the carriage and guards.

Qin Shuying and Liang Zhe boarded the carriage, which was spacious, luxurious, and comfortable.

Qin Shuying and Liang Zhe sat side by side in the inner compartment, while Ziteng and Lu Ye sat in the outer compartment, with a curtain separating them.

Sitting alongside Liang Zhe, though he sat very steadily, the road inevitably had bumps. Qin Shuying, lacking his skill, would sway back and forth, occasionally bumping into him.

At such times, Qin Shuying would feel extremely embarrassed, while Liang Zhe remained unmoved, sitting boldly upright with a calm expression.

When Liang Zhe didn’t speak, Qin Shuying felt somewhat awkward and coughed lightly: “Ziyu, this carriage is so spacious—who in the manor uses it?”

She was making conversation for lack of anything better to say. Liang Zhe had already had Liang Yanjun create a registry of household affairs for her review. Though not exhaustively detailed, she wasn’t completely ignorant about carriage usage.

Actually, Liang Zhe wasn’t as calm as he appeared but was somewhat at a loss.

He wanted to steady Qin Shuying, but she quickly straightened herself.

He cleared his throat: “This carriage is used when our generation has important outings. The old madam, father, and Luo Meixiang each have their own regulation vehicles when going out. If it were the heir apparent and his wife, their carriage would be different again, with corresponding regulations that the Ministry of Rites would send people to inspect.”

Qin Shuying made a soft sound of acknowledgment, gazing at the streets and pedestrians beyond the gauze curtains.

Liang Zhe sat upright looking straight ahead, but her faint fragrance swirled in his nostrils while his mind churned like boiling water, making it nearly impossible to sit still.

She said this carriage was spacious?

It wasn’t spacious at all! Her body fragrance kept drilling into his nostrils, making him feel like he was floating on clouds. His nose itched constantly—was he going to have another nosebleed?

How embarrassing that would be…

Why wasn’t she talking anymore?

If she talked, it would be a distraction—this silence was torturous.

Yet he clearly enjoyed this torture. What should he do?

From the corner of his eye, Liang Zhe glanced at Qin Shuying. She was tilting her head slightly to look outside, her long eyelashes like fans, her gentle face still carrying youthful baby fat…

Liang Zhe froze.

His hand moved involuntarily, gently pinching her cheek.

Qin Shuying’s eyes went wide as she froze in place, not daring to turn around.

He… pinched my face?

Liang Zhe’s hand also froze in position.

What was he doing?

“Cough cough… there was a small bug.” Liang Zhe quickly improvised, hurrying to cover up.

Qin Shuying didn’t expose his lie and turned back with a smile: “Thank you, Ziyu. You know I’m afraid of bugs.”

When she smiled like this, her eyes were like black lacquer and her face like autumn frost, ethereally beautiful as autumn chrysanthemums yet warm as bright sunshine. Liang Zhe’s heart skipped a beat, the itch in his nose intensified, and a stream of blood flowed out.

“Oh dear…”

Qin Shuying panicked and hurriedly searched for her handkerchief, but in her urgency couldn’t remember where it was.

She lowered her head to search through her sleeves. When she found it and looked up, Liang Zhe’s nose was already plugged with a handkerchief.

Liang Zhe’s face bore a smile… and some happiness.

Qin Shuying’s sharp eyes immediately recognized the handkerchief he’d used to plug his nose—it was clearly the same one she’d given him during his previous nosebleed. He’d walked away with it then, and she’d forgotten to ask for it back afterward.

This handkerchief was snow-white—where were any traces of having been stained with blood?

Could it be that he had washed it?

And then continued to carry it with him?

Qin Shuying’s face instantly flushed red.

He looked at her with a brilliant smile, radiating noble bearing, heroic and handsome like a bright moon.

Her heart pounded wildly as she quickly turned away, not daring to look at him anymore.

Couldn’t he be a little less handsome?

Looking at her and smiling like that was truly unbearable…

Seeing her turn away, her hair slightly swaying and her slender form making her appear even more charming with that girlish shyness, Liang Zhe felt the blood in his nose flow even more freely.

“Shuying…”

Unable to restrain himself, Liang Zhe grasped her hand.

Qin Shuying’s hand stiffened. She wanted to pull it back, but Liang Zhe held it tightly and she couldn’t withdraw it.

“Ziyu…”

Qin Shuying felt both shy and annoyed—annoyed with herself for being moved time and again. Hadn’t they agreed they were just allies?

With Ziteng and Lu Ye sitting in front, Qin Shuying kept her voice very low.

But this low voice, falling on Liang Zhe’s ears, created an entirely different sensation.

Soft and gentle, like a feather brushing his heart, carrying hints of coquettish reproach and charm…

He gripped her hand even tighter.

He should be more proactive. These past few days they’d treated each other so politely that things felt distant.

He didn’t want distance from her.

He wanted to be closer to her.

Shuying was young, but he was no longer a boy—naturally he should take the initiative in some matters.

Liang Zhe moved closer to Qin Shuying, coughed, and said: “Let’s discuss some business.”

Qin Shuying indeed turned toward him, looking at him with focused attention.

Liang Zhe smiled inwardly. Liang Yanjun was right—whenever serious matters were mentioned, Shuying would always take the bait.

Liang Zhe said seriously: “You mentioned last time that Liu Gongshan came to the Qin Manor to see you, making a detour before Liu Junqing’s wedding?”

“Yes.”

“Shuying, don’t you think he had absolutely no need to stick his face out for you to slap?”

“That’s exactly what puzzles me.”

“But he did just that. He simply didn’t expect you to be so rude, Shuying.”

Qin Shuying smiled slightly, frowned in thought, then said: “I think he’ll find opportunities to approach me again.”

“I have the same feeling. If not him personally, then it will be Madam Liu, or… someone else.”

The two exchanged smiles, both seeing the hint of scheming in the other’s eyes.

When this topic ended, Qin Shuying was startled to discover she was sitting very close to Liang Zhe, almost pressed against his clothing.

Liang Zhe seemed not to notice anything unusual and continued discussing his serious matters with great eloquence.

Qin Shuying suddenly had an ominous feeling.

She calculated on her fingers—her birthday was in January, just four months away, when she would reach the age of maturity.

As Liang Zhe occasionally lowered his head to smile at her, her ominous feeling grew stronger.

The journey from the Pingxi Marquis Manor to the Qin Manor took half an hour.

The carriage from the Pingxi Marquis Manor was extremely luxurious in design, beautifully decorated, and exceptionally spacious.

Four guards on horseback led the way. This display could only belong to a family of tremendous power and influence, so people wisely made way.

This made the journey even faster.

In less than two incense sticks’ time, the carriage had stopped steadily at the Qin Manor’s main gate.

Today at the Qin Manor, the main gates were wide open. Qin Yongtao, Lady Dong, and Qin Kaiyu stood at the entrance, personally welcoming Qin Shuying’s return visit.

Liang Zhe alighted from the carriage first, then Qin Shuying stepped to the carriage entrance and, supporting herself on Liang Zhe’s hand, descended the special steps—the carriage was not only tall, spacious, and luxuriously extravagant, but also had steps specially designed for ladies’ use.

Qin Yongtao observed this, nodding repeatedly—Seventh Daughter, what excellent methods!