Zheng Yun held Ling Ai’s hand and walked all the way out of the school gate, the noise and commotion fading behind them.

It was only when Zheng Yun finally stopped that Ling Ai realized he had been holding her hand this whole time. His palm was dry and warm — a warmth that put the heart at ease. Being held like this, she felt a profound sense of safety wash over her.

“Zheng Yun.” Now that they were beyond the school gate and Qian Wei and the others were long out of sight, she gave her hand a gentle tug.

To her surprise, Zheng Yun not only didn’t let go, but tightened his grip slightly.

Ling Ai looked up, her bright eyes carrying a trace of puzzlement, along with a hint of nervous anticipation.

Zheng Yun didn’t avoid her gaze. Instead, he said softly, “Ling Ai.”

“Mm?” Ling Ai’s heart felt as though it were about to leap out of her chest, and a faint flush crept across her delicate earlobes.

“Will you let me hold your hand?”

His voice was beautiful — so beautiful it was impossible to refuse.

Ling Ai stared at him in a daze, momentarily forgetting how to respond.

“If you’re willing, just nod. If you’re not, I’ll let go immediately.” Zheng Yun gazed into her eyes, trying to look past that gentle surface and into her heart.

Ling Ai’s heart was thrown into complete turmoil by his words, as though countless ripples were spreading outward across a still lake. Her pulse quickened, her palms grew damp, and she was almost unable to think.

Seeing Ling Ai staring at him blankly without reacting or speaking, Zheng Yun moved to release her hand—

“I’m willing.” The moment she felt his grip loosening, Ling Ai blurted it out without a second thought.

The moment the words left her mouth, she realized just how carried away she had been — with none of the composure a girl ought to have.

Mortified, Ling Ai felt herself overcome with exasperation, and she wanted nothing more than to shake free of Zheng Yun’s hand and flee.

But Zheng Yun smiled, and with a gentle sweep of his left arm, he drew her into his embrace, holding her close.

Her cheek rested against his chest, and beneath the thin fabric, she could feel his strong, steady heartbeat. The scent of him was intoxicating, filling her with a deep and helpless longing.

His embrace also mercifully concealed her embarrassment. Like a little quail, she buried her face against his chest, as though if he couldn’t see her face, he wouldn’t know how mortified she was.

“There… there are people watching,” Ling Ai murmured, her eyes darting nervously around them.

“Right, then let’s go shopping.” Zheng Yun gently released her, though one hand still held hers. She felt the warmth of his palm — so familiar, so comfortable.

“It’s not far, actually. We can walk.” With no longer anything to hide behind, Ling Ai’s face had turned completely red. She couldn’t help but touch her cheek — it was almost hot enough to scorch her fingers.

Zheng Yun turned to look at her with a smile. “You’re blushing so hard.”

Ling Ai shot him a glare, but the moment she met his warm gaze, she immediately looked down again. “How come you’re not blushing at all? Is it because you hold girls’ hands all the time?”

She had meant it as a passing remark without much thought, but Zheng Yun suddenly stopped walking, his handsome lips curving upward slightly.

“Why did you stop?” Ling Ai asked, puzzled.

Zheng Yun said with quiet seriousness, “This is the first time I’ve ever held a girl’s hand. You are the first girl I have ever liked.”

“Then why don’t you blush?” Ling Ai admitted to herself that hearing those words had flooded her heart with deep joy.

So she wasn’t the only one experiencing this for the first time — Zheng Yun was the same.

To be each other’s very first — what incredible luck. What extraordinary fate.

“I’m blushing on the inside,” Zheng Yun said with perfect solemnity. “You just can’t see it.”

Ling Ai laughed. “Do you think I’ll believe that?”

Zheng Yun laughed too. “My face isn’t red, but my heart is racing. Just now when I held you, my mind went completely blank for a moment.”

Hearing him speak so naturally about holding her, Ling Ai felt like she could sink into the ground from embarrassment.

“How did you manage to knock all those people down just now? It didn’t even look like you moved,” she said quickly, desperately steering the conversation elsewhere before her face burned right off her.

“Those few weren’t even worth my real effort.”

Ling Ai had heard Yan Qing say that Zheng Yun was the best fighter in the Military Police Division — even Shi Ting couldn’t match him.

Not only was he skilled, he also practiced diligently every day. You could tell just by looking at that long spear of his.

A man who was talented and outstanding, yet worked harder than ordinary people — of course he was exceptional. Who else would be, if not him?

Zheng Yun tightened his hold on her hand slightly. “Whenever you have time, I’ll teach you a few moves — not so you can overpower anyone, just enough to defend yourself and get away.”

“I can shoot,” Ling Ai said with a touch of pride. “The master who taught me said my marksmanship was quite decent.”

“What kind of gun do you use?”

“A small custom pistol my father made for me — very small, the kind you can hide on your person.” Ling Ai smiled cheerfully. “Although I’ve already given it to Yan Qing.”

The two walked and talked as they went, and though they covered quite a long distance, it felt as though only a few minutes had passed.

“There’s a flower shop just over there — they sell flowers and medicinal herbs.” Ling Ai glanced down at their intertwined hands and gave them a gentle little swing.

There had been few people on the road earlier, so Zheng Yun had dared to hold her hand so openly. But now that they were heading to the flower shop, it would naturally not do for them to go on walking hand in hand. After all, even in this era of free courtship, things hadn’t become quite so open yet.

The two bought the medicinal herbs and returned to Zheng Yun’s residence.

Ling Ai sprayed the herbal medicine on the peonies according to the dosage, then carefully fertilized them. Only when she had finished all of it did she let out a long, relieved breath.

“I hope they can be saved. If they recover, I’d like to propagate them too.”

“Have some water.” Zheng Yun walked up behind her holding a cup.

“My hands are filthy.” Ling Ai looked down at her soil-covered hands.

“That’s all right.” Zheng Yun simply brought the cup to her lips himself. “Drink.”

Ling Ai hadn’t expected Zheng Yun to be so straightforward, feeding her water with his own hands. She was a little flustered, but she was no shrinking violet either, so she leaned in and drank several big gulps.

“Stay for dinner before you go. I’ll make a couple of my specialties.” Zheng Yun took the cup back. Noticing a drop of water at the corner of her mouth, he naturally raised a finger and gently wiped it away.

His hand was slightly cool, and when it touched her skin, it felt as though a tiny current had sparked at the tip of her heart.

Just as she was in the midst of that small flutter, he had already withdrawn his hand. “My room has books — would you like to read one to pass the time?”

Ling Ai shook her head. “Whatever you’re making, I’ll help you in the kitchen.”

“Just watch. I don’t want you getting your clothes dirty.”

“I’m not worried. I’m quite handy.”

Zheng Yun laughed and ruffled her head. “All right then.”

The two entered the kitchen, and Zheng Yun took out two potatoes. Ling Ai quickly reached out for them. “You want them washed? I can do that.”

“They need to be peeled first.” Zheng Yun took the potatoes back. “That requires skill — I’ll handle it.”

He picked up a small knife and peeled the two potatoes with nimble, practiced hands, then handed them to Ling Ai once he was done. “Now you can wash them.”

Ling Ai happily went to wash the potatoes.

“What did you eat when you were in Di Guo?” Zheng Yun picked up the cleaver and gave it a few strokes against the whetstone. “Did you eat potatoes there too?”

“Yes, but we didn’t cook them in nearly as many ways as you do here.” Ling Ai handed the washed potatoes over. “We usually fried them, or sometimes made soup.”

“Have you ever thought about going back to Di Guo?”

“I used to, but not anymore.” Ling Ai shook her head. “My family is in Xin Guo, and I’ve lived here for so many years — I’ve long since come to think of it as home.”

Zheng Yun knew that Di Guo was an ambitious nation, constantly encroaching upon Xin Guo piece by piece. War between the two countries was inevitable.

But what of it? Both he and Ling Ai were ordinary people. Their being together had nothing to do with matters of nation and state.

“What are you making?”

“Shredded potato stir-fry.”

“I love that dish.” Ling Ai swallowed. “Can you add extra chili peppers?”

“You like spicy food?”

“I love it.”

“What a coincidence — so do I.”

“I don’t like sour things.”

“I can’t stand the smell of vinegar either.”

Ling Ai giggled. “We have such similar tastes.”

“Does that count as being made for each other?”

Ling Ai hadn’t expected Zheng Yun, who usually kept such a cool expression, to have a playful side. Some people appeared cold and unfeeling because they simply hadn’t yet met the person who could open their heart.

Ling Ai felt very fortunate to see this other side of Zheng Yun.

“There’s also a soup.” Zheng Yun produced a fish. “I raised this one myself.”

“You raised it? I didn’t see any fish pond.”

“Someone gave it to me a few days ago, and I’ve been keeping it in a water bucket. I think it’s grown quite a bit.”

“Fish don’t grow that fast.” Ling Ai refused to believe it.

“You caught me.” Zheng Yun gave a small shrug. “I thought I could fool you.”

Ling Ai poked his arm in exasperation. “You’re terrible.”

Zheng Yun laughed, then reached into the bucket and fished the fish out.

“Zheng Yun.” Ling Ai watched his back, lightly biting her lip. “Do you think we might have met before?”

“You’ve seen me before?” Zheng Yun grabbed the fish.

Ling Ai shook her head. “It’s just that I always feel so familiar with you, as though we’ve known each other for a very long time.”

Some things, some gestures — she hadn’t even consciously chosen them. Her body had just acted on instinct.

“Same for me.” Zheng Yun felt a jolt in his chest. What Ling Ai described was exactly how he felt too.

They hadn’t known each other very long. They had only just started. Yet when they were together, it all felt effortlessly, naturally familiar — as though they had known each other for ages.

“Oh no, your fish!” Ling Ai suddenly let out a sharp cry. The fish in Zheng Yun’s hand had slipped free and crashed to the floor with a heavy thud.

Zheng Yun quickly crouched down to grab it. At the same time, Ling Ai also reached down for it, and their foreheads collided with a resounding knock.

Both of them ended up sitting on the floor. When they came back to their senses, they looked at each other and couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

—