That afternoon, Xiao Jingyue sent someone to tell Yan Ningshuang to wait for him at Guangyuan Gate at the hour of the rooster, when he would take her to Zhaoning Hall.

Upon hearing this, Yan Ningshuang began bathing and changing clothes, planning to groom herself properly for the appointment.

When she emerged from the bathroom, Zhao Yingqiu happened to come looking for her. Seeing her, she asked: “Did Third Young Master Xiao also send someone to find you just now?”

“Yes,” Yan Ningshuang nodded, sitting before her dressing mirror to have Ping’er arrange her hair.

Zhao Yingqiu walked behind her to watch her grooming and tried to persuade her: “Ningshuang, perhaps we shouldn’t go after all.”

Yan Ningshuang frowned: “If you don’t want to go, then don’t.”

Zhao Yingqiu sighed: “Since you insist, I’ll still accompany you. I’m not comfortable with you going alone.”

Yan Ningshuang nodded, watching as Ping’er applied hair oil to her head.

“This isn’t the magnolia-scented one I usually use?” Yan Ningshuang opened the blue and white porcelain jar containing the hair oil and frowned.

Ping’er lowered her head and said softly, “The previous jar ran out. This was sent by the mansion’s steward – it’s gardenia-scented.”

Yan Ningshuang said, displeasedly: “I don’t like the scent of gardenia – it’s too strong. Go see if there are any other fragrances available.”

Ping’er said with difficulty, “Miss, the steward only sent gardenia-scented hair oil. There are no others.”

Zhao Yingqiu nearby, said: “I happen to have a jar of magnolia-scented oil. If you want to use it, I’ll have my maid bring it over right away.”

Yan Ningshuang had been pampered since childhood in the Yan family and was particular about such details, so she thanked Zhao Yingqiu. Zhao Yingqiu instructed her maid to bring her hair oil to Yan Ningshuang.

After finishing her hair, Yan Ningshuang said to Ping’er with some displeasure: “Don’t just apply anything to my head in the future. Now with two different hair oils mixed, the scent is rather strange.”

Since Yan Ningshuang’s grooming would take some time, Zhao Yingqiu returned to her room first.

When it was nearly the hour of the rooster, Zhao Yingqiu came to find Yan Ningshuang so they could leave together. However, before they reached Guangyuan Gate, Zhao Yingqiu’s maid suddenly gasped softly, then quickly whispered something in Zhao Yingqiu’s ear. Zhao Yingqiu froze, then her face immediately reddened.

Yan Ningshuang looked at them suspiciously: “What’s wrong?”

Zhao Yingqiu said somewhat uncomfortably with a red face: “Nothing, nothing. Ningshuang, I need to change clothes.”

Looking at Zhao Yingqiu and her maid’s expressions, Yan Ningshuang suddenly seemed to understand something: “Are you having your…” She wondered if Zhao Yingqiu’s monthly cycle had arrived.

Zhao Yingqiu said bashfully, “I need to go back first. Ningshuang… could you wait here for me?”

They had already left late, nearly at the hour of the rooster. If they waited for Zhao Yingqiu to make a round trip, they would be late. Yan Ningshuang shook her head: “Since you’re indisposed, go back first. I can go by myself. You don’t need to come.”

Zhao Yingqiu had to hurriedly bid farewell and leave, saying as she went: “I’ll come find you later.”

Yan Ningshuang didn’t take Zhao Yingqiu’s words seriously and went to Guangyuan Gate with her maid.

When Yan Ningshuang reached Guangyuan Gate, Xiao Jingyue hadn’t arrived yet. After waiting for a while and beginning to wonder if Xiao Jingyue would break his promise, a soft laugh came from behind her. Yan Ningshuang spun around to see that Xiao Jingyue had arrived at some unknown time and was standing behind her, quite close.

Yan Ningshuang quickly stepped aside and bowed her head in greeting: “Third Young Master Xiao.”

Xiao Jingyue looked at her with a smile: “Has Miss Yan been waiting long? I apologize – I was delayed by some urgent matters.”

Yan Ningshuang replied: “I just arrived as well.”

Xiao Jingyue tapped his folding fan against his palm and made a courteous gesture with a light laugh: “Then let’s go.”

Yan Ningshuang quickly stepped forward to follow behind Xiao Jingyue. His strides were rather large, making it difficult for Yan Ningshuang to keep up. After walking for some distance, she was somewhat out of breath. Just as she was about to ask Xiao Jingyue to slow down, he stopped abruptly without warning. Yan Ningshuang couldn’t stop in time and nearly crashed into his back.

Xiao Jingyue let out a pleased laugh, looking at Yan Ningshuang and saying in a low voice: “Miss Yan smells so fragrant.”

Realizing she was being toyed with, Yan Ningshuang became angry and turned to leave without another word.

Xiao Jingyue quickly apologized: “Hey, don’t be angry. I was just making a little joke. My second brother is in the flower house, tending to his orchids right now. Won’t you come with me to see?”

Yan Ningshuang’s steps, which had been heading back, stopped again. She turned to glance at Xiao Jingyue.

Xiao Jingyue looked at her with an ambiguous smile: “I won’t tease you anymore, alright? Come with me.” With that, regardless of whether Yan Ningshuang would follow, he turned and walked away.

Yan Ningshuang hesitated briefly in place, then ultimately followed Xiao Jingyue, though she maintained a considerable distance from him.

Xiao Jingyue glanced back from the corner of his eye, his lips curving in a roguish smile.

Xiao Jingyue led Yan Ningshuang around Zhaoning Hall.

Seeing that they seemed to be getting farther from Zhaoning Hall, Yan Ningshuang couldn’t help saying: “Aren’t we going to Second Young Master Xiao’s flower house?”

Xiao Jingyue waved his fan casually: “Who said the flower house was inside Zhaoning Hall? Look, isn’t that ahead?”

Yan Ningshuang looked up and indeed saw a very small garden not far ahead. However, this little garden contained only trees and shrubs, not the profusion of flowers like Ding Garden. Among the greenery throughout the garden stood a row of small buildings that looked like greenhouses.

This place appeared rather mysterious. Though not flashy, it looked very elegant from the outside. Yan Ningshuang had never been here before, and now she somewhat believed this was Xiao Jingxi’s flower house.

Yan Ningshuang quickened her pace to catch up with Xiao Jingyue. As they neared the greenhouse, two women suddenly appeared and blocked their path.

Yan Ningshuang looked toward Xiao Jingyue questioningly.

Xiao Jingyue waved his fan and said in a light, reproving tone: “It’s me. Stand aside!”

The two women looked at Xiao Jingyue and Yan Ningshuang, then at the maid behind Yan Ningshuang: “Third Young Master, you and this young lady may enter, but the maids cannot.”

Xiao Jingyue raised an eyebrow as if to say something, but Yan Ningshuang quickly said, “Let them wait outside.”

Xiao Jingyue said nothing more. Yan Ningshuang left her maid outside and followed Xiao Jingyue into the garden.

Xiao Jingyue led Yan Ningshuang to the row of greenhouses and pushed open the door to the middle room. Following him inside, Yan Ningshuang discovered this was indeed a flower house, filled with many orchids. However, looking around, she didn’t see Xiao Jingxi anywhere.

Xiao Jingyue walked leisurely to a soft couch inside and sat down, pouring himself a cup of fragrant tea to drink unhurriedly.

Yan Ningshuang approached and asked: “Third Young Master Xiao? Didn’t you say Second Young Master Xiao was here? Why don’t I see him?”

Hearing this, Xiao Jingyue chuckled and lounged against the soft couch, looking at Yan Ningshuang: “My second brother hasn’t returned to the mansion yet. You believe everything I say?”

Yan Ningshuang’s expression changed, and she turned to leave, but Xiao Jingyue suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled. Yan Ningshuang cried out in alarm and fell into Xiao Jingyue’s embrace.

“What are you doing! Let me go!” Yan Ningshuang’s face went pale with fright as she struggled desperately. She hadn’t expected Xiao Jingyue to be so shameless. She had dared come with him because she knew his father’s branch had some unclear connections with the court, and she was Empress Dowager’s person – Xiao Jingyue absolutely wouldn’t dare do anything to her.

Xiao Jingyue also practiced martial arts, making it too easy for him to restrain a defenseless woman. He completely disregarded Yan Ningshuang’s struggles and instead lowered his head to inhale deeply at her hair, murmuring in a low voice: “You smell so good. Just breathing in your scent makes me…”

Xiao Jingyue’s words were somewhat unclear, as if suppressed in his throat, carrying heated breath. Though Yan Ningshuang didn’t hear clearly, she knew it was nothing good.

Xiao Jingyue’s face showed some unnatural flush. He hadn’t originally planned to do anything to Yan Ningshuang here, but found himself unable to suppress the impulse within his body.

He simply rolled over, pressing Yan Ningshuang down on the spacious soft couch, using his body to pin her down while continuing to sniff lightly at her neck, saying: “Why are you struggling? If he can, why can’t I? Don’t you think we’re alike? Just pretend I’m him.”

Yan Ningshuang was so frightened that all color drained from her face. She screamed and tried to dodge while crying for help, but unfortunately, she had left her maid outside.

Xiao Jingyue was aroused by her violent struggle, his breathing becoming somewhat heavy. Unable to control the force in his hands, there was a “ripping” sound as Yan Ningshuang’s clothing tore, exposing the white skin of her chest below her neck. Xiao Jingyue’s eyes instantly reddened.

Now Yan Ningshuang truly began to cry. Just as she was about to desperately try biting Xiao Jingyue’s ear, the flower house door was suddenly pushed open from outside. Someone saw the scene inside and screamed.

The two on the soft couch were startled. Xiao Jingyue’s movements paused involuntarily, while Yan Ningshuang froze, forgetting to bite Xiao Jingyue.

At this moment, Yan Ningshuang was pinned beneath Xiao Jingyue on the soft couch. Her face was flushed, her hair disheveled, and especially her torn clothing exposed her peach-colored undergarment beneath, making it obvious to anyone what these two had been doing.

Xiao Jingyue rose with some regret. Yan Ningshuang came to her senses, shoved Xiao Jingyue away, and scrambled from the soft couch, but accidentally tripped over the low table in front of it and fell to the ground in embarrassment.