A gentle breeze stirred, and flower petals fluttered down from the tree overhead. Yuanxi’s face was still streaked with tears when she suddenly tumbled into his embrace, leaving her momentarily confused about the situation.

It was nearly evening now, the busiest time for the household servants. The servant women and young men stared wide-eyed as they watched the Marquis walking toward the main courtyard with a stern expression, yet carrying in his arms the lady who was rumored to have fallen from favor. Each of them suppressed their excitement at discovering this gossip, waiting until the couple had walked far away before whispering excitedly among themselves.

Feeling the gazes from all directions, Yuanxi suddenly remembered that she had been crying for a long time and must look terrible now. Feeling both grieved and annoyed, she simply turned her head and wiped all her tears and snot clean on his lapel.

Xiao Du felt her face rubbing around on his chest and looked down in puzzlement. When he realized what she was doing, his face darkened even more, and he growled in a low voice, “Move around again and I’ll drop you!”

Yuanxi was startled and quickly clutched his lapel tightly. Her head was tilted against his solid chest, the familiar ambergris scent swirling around her face, carrying his distinctive masculine aura that made her feel comfortable and secure. Having been emotionally exhausted from the ups and downs earlier, she now relaxed in his arms and felt her eyelids growing heavy, almost drifting off to sleep in her drowsy state.

But this path… Yuanxi secretly peered out from his embrace, her heart beginning to flutter nervously again: In broad daylight, why was he carrying her to his room!

As soon as Xiao Du stepped into the main courtyard, the maids and servants, seeing this scene, all exchanged knowing glances with suppressed smiles. Xiao Du couldn’t be bothered with them and carried Yuanxi straight into the bedroom. Before he could speak, the servant who had opened the door and led the way quickly lit the incense in the brazier, lowered the bamboo curtains around the bed, then ran out swiftly, not forgetting to turn back and close the door tightly.

Xiao Du raised an eyebrow, marveling at how extraordinarily efficient the servant was today. He bent down slightly and gently placed Yuanxi on the bed, then removed her shoes and socks before turning around and tossing out a sentence: “You’ll have to handle the rest yourself.”

Yuanxi stared dumbfounded as he removed his outer robe and rummaged through a cabinet looking for something. Her heart felt like it was jumping to her throat. Steeling herself with the thought that this would have to happen sooner or later anyway, she began resignedly unfastening her buttons.

Xiao Du had just changed his clothes and found a box of medicinal ointment. When he turned around, he discovered Yuanxi with a completely flushed face, reluctantly hanging her head as she had already unfastened half her buttons. He stared in stunned silence for a moment, then finally couldn’t help but laugh out loud, saying, “I asked you to roll up your pant legs yourself so I could apply medicine to you. What on earth are you thinking!”

Yuanxi felt like she was going to lose all the face she had left in her entire lifetime today. She let out a muffled grunt, pulled over a brocade quilt to cover herself from head to toe, and refused to face him no matter what.

She kept her face tightly covered, her heart still carrying the aftershock of her earlier fright. Although she understood she was deceiving herself like an ostrich, she couldn’t think of any other solution at the moment. Then she felt warm and cool sensations at her ankle, followed by a burning pain that finally made her cry out with a sharp “hiss.”

Xiao Du frowned and asked, “Does it hurt badly?”

Yuanxi poked half her face out from under the quilt, grimacing as she shook her head. Seeing the tears still lingering in her eyes while her face bore a faint blush, Xiao Du suddenly felt that no matter how angry he was, he couldn’t stay mad. While continuing to massage her ankle, he said gently, “Bear with it a little longer. This ointment was brought back from the Western Regions – it’s extremely effective. I need to work out the blood clots now so it will heal faster.”

Yuanxi clutched a corner of the brocade quilt and slowly sat up straight. Seeing him so attentively massaging her swollen ankle, warmth surged through her heart while her eyes also felt somewhat sour. She sniffled and hesitated for a long time, still not knowing how to begin speaking.

Outside the window lattice, birds sang in melodious trills. Inside the incense burner, the blue smoke from the storax rose in graceful spirals, like a young woman’s thoughts – winding and elusive. Yuanxi gathered her courage and finally spoke softly: “Before the young master came to the school, I was always very lonely.”

Xiao Du’s hand paused briefly, but his gaze didn’t waver as he continued massaging her ankle. Yuanxi looked at his focused profile and tugged at the corner of her mouth, saying, “You surely don’t know how many icicles can form under the eaves in winter.” Her eyes dimmed as she continued, “But I know. Every New Year, the brothers and sisters in the household would pair up in groups of two or three to build snowmen and set off firecrackers, but none of them wanted to play with me. I had no mother, and only during the New Year feast could I catch a distant glimpse of father. Although Seventh Concubine would try to keep me company, she had her own work to do. Sometimes when I really felt too bored, I would sit on the steps and count the icicles hanging from the eaves for entertainment. I still remember – one year there were one hundred fifty-three, one year there were one hundred twenty, and one year when the most formed, there were one hundred seventy-six.”

Xiao Du’s movements slowed, and he felt an inexplicable dull ache in his heart. He imagined that small, lonely figure amid the lively sounds of firecrackers and laughter, wondering what kind of mood she must have had while counting icicles one by one to pass the time.

Recalling the past, Yuanxi’s eyes reddened again. She sniffled and said, “Later, when I went with the household sisters to audit classes at the Imperial Academy, I met the young master. He was very good to me, telling me about places he’d been and interesting things he’d seen. Only then did I understand that the outside world was so vast, with so many things to learn. Later he gave me many books, and I read them over and over with fascination. Only then did my days become less unbearable.” She paused and continued, “I didn’t want to throw away those books not because of him, but because those books accompanied me through many difficult days. To me, they’re more important than anything else.”

Xiao Du’s heart had already softened, but hearing the phrase “more important than anything else,” he couldn’t help frowning again, jealousy churning in his heart as he finally spoke: “Since they’re so important to you, does that mean you’ll keep thinking about him?”

Yuanxi quickly shook her head, staring at him firmly: “Since I married you, I sincerely want to be your wife. I want to share fortune and misfortune with you, to give you my whole heart. Though I haven’t completely forgotten the past, I will definitely work hard to let it go. Will you… believe me?”

Xiao Du couldn’t help but smile again. She was just so straightforward by nature – she couldn’t even make a pretty oath. By now, Yuanxi’s ankle was no longer so swollen. He pulled down her pant leg and turned around to see her looking at him with tear-filled eyes, nervously awaiting his reply. He took out a silk handkerchief to wipe his hands, seeming to think seriously for a moment before saying, “Kiss me once, and I’ll forgive you.”

Yuanxi was stunned, not understanding why the topic had shifted so quickly, but he was staring at her intently and didn’t seem to be joking. A blush crept up her face. After struggling internally for a long time, she finally leaned over and quickly pecked his lips.

Xiao Du’s heart felt like it had been lightly scratched by something – tingly and itchy, yet leaving him deeply unsatisfied. He touched his lips and revealed a cunning smile: “Just that doesn’t count.”

Having just performed the boldest act of her life, Yuanxi was blushing with her heart pounding like a drum, barely able to catch her breath. Hearing that he wouldn’t accept it, she immediately protested indignantly: “Then how would it count?”

She quickly regretted asking, because warm lips soon pressed down on hers. Unlike the previous gentle taste, this kiss was fiery hot. He pressed her against the corner of the bed, his hand threading through her hair as he continuously sucked and nibbled at her lips with a somewhat frightening possessive intensity, as if he wanted to swallow her whole. She felt her breathing stop for a moment, her mind spinning dizzily, all her senses concentrated on the four lips pressed tightly together. But this feeling wasn’t too unpleasant – it was even somewhat intoxicating.

After entangling for a long while, Xiao Du finally released her slightly. Supporting himself up, he looked at her and said hoarsely with a laugh, “Remember, it has to be like this to count.”

But this look made him suddenly lose his composure. Her fair face still bore a delicate flush, her large eyes seemed veiled with mist, and her beautiful red lips were slightly swollen from being kissed, giving her an indescribable alluring charm.

The few buttons she had unfastened on her chest had never been refastened, and from his angle, he could see the spring scenery faintly revealed within. The snow-white skin filled his vision, and a flame shot up from his abdomen, nearly making him lose control.

Yuanxi was frightened by his gaze. Following his line of sight downward, she was immediately both ashamed and alarmed, quickly reaching to fasten her buttons. But he caught her hand and gently brushed it aside. Leaning close to her ear, he said in a husky voice, “Let me help you.”

Though it was an ordinary sentence, it sounded extremely seductive at this moment. Yuanxi felt his hand placed on her chest, slowly caressing the buttons while also stroking the skin of her chest through the thin silk garment. Suddenly, she felt her whole body trembling, gripping his wrist tightly and nearly embedding her nails into his flesh.

Xiao Du was very dissatisfied with her resistance and simply found her lips again, kissing her fiercely. This time he was no longer content to linger only on her lips but took advantage of her unpreparedness to slip his tongue inside. Yuanxi was startled and tried to push him out, but it was too late – she could only be led by him, turning and losing direction.

The two people, tasting this for the first time, became lost and intoxicated. The hand that had remained on the buttons unconsciously changed from fastening to unfastening, instinctively exploring inward. Only then did Yuanxi somewhat awaken, using all her strength to push him away as she whispered, “It’s still broad daylight!”

Xiao Du frowned, very dissatisfied at being forcibly interrupted. “Who says daytime doesn’t work!”

Yuanxi was both angry and anxious, using hands and feet to try pushing him off, but accidentally touched her ankle and sharply inhaled from the pain.

Xiao Du was startled and quickly pulled back to check her injury. Looking up, he saw her hastily fastening her buttons and couldn’t help but feel both annoyed and amused. Thinking it over, since this was her first time, he couldn’t be so rash as to make her endure it while injured. He could only sigh inwardly, unsatisfiedly ravaging her lips once more before laughing: “Then I’ll collect some interest this time. Sooner or later, I’ll have you repay me with principal and interest.”