After leaving that hillside, they arrived at a small village.

Surprisingly, there was even a restaurant there — something neither of them had expected.

Mu Mu was in no hurry, walking as though he hadn’t the slightest concern about being caught.

Jiu’er had grown more alert. She couldn’t tell whether Mu Mu’s unhurried pace concealed some other purpose.

Was he truly unconcerned about pursuit? Or was everything that had happened today yet another scheme?

Once the heart develops a crack, it can never return to its former wholeness. Trust, too, had been chipped away.

“What is it? Is the food not agreeable?” Seeing that she hadn’t touched her chopsticks and was only gazing at the surroundings, Mu Mu pushed his own bowl in front of her.

“Mine is beef noodles. Yours is cured meat noodles. Try both first — whichever you don’t like, give to me.”

Whichever she didn’t like, give to him. If Mu Mu were the one her heart was bound to, how sweet this moment between them might have been.

“I still prefer the beef.” Jiu’er took back her own bowl and bent her head to eat.

By now it was fully bright, and everything around them was clear. In the distance, a group of people passed by — dressed in a manner that looked remarkably like the palace guards of the imperial city.

Jiu’er instinctively lowered her head, raising her hand as she ate to shield her face.

Mu Mu turned aside, as if reaching for something — keeping his face out of sight as well.

That group turned into an alleyway not far ahead. Before long, they would come back out and begin searching in this direction.

Jiu’er took a few casual bites, then set down her chopsticks: “I’m full. Let’s go.”

But Mu Mu appeared at ease: “There are only a few of them — they’re no threat to us. I don’t want to rush you through your meal. Eat properly first.”

Properly — not just full. Not the way she was now, bolting down a few mouthfuls and calling it done.

“I’m truly full.” Jiu’er pushed her bowl forward.

Mu Mu said no more. He bent his head and ate. After some time, that group of men emerged from a different lane.

Mu Mu grabbed Jiu’er’s hand: “Let’s go.”

Just as Feng Jiu’er rose to her feet, a sharp shout came from the guards’ direction: “Stop! They’re over there!”

“They should be the Ninth Imperial Uncle’s men — don’t hurt them.” Jiu’er glanced at Mu Mu.

Mu Mu said nothing. He took her hand and quickened their pace toward their horses. Just as the guards were closing in, he pulled Jiu’er up into the saddle and rode toward the village entrance. “Go!”

“Give chase!”

They didn’t ride fast — just an easy, wandering pace, stopping and starting — and the guards behind them were having a truly miserable time of it.

If there had been no hope at all, they could at least go back and report: they’d spotted Miss Jiu’er, but couldn’t catch up. That way, though the task was unfulfilled, at least it wouldn’t be quite so exhausting.

But the two people ahead of them were absolutely insufferable. Every time the guards were on the verge of giving up hope, the pair would suddenly reappear right in front of them — and the guards, seeing that flicker of hope, would immediately pour everything into the chase.

Only for the two to suddenly surge ahead the instant they were about to be caught, vanishing into the distance in a blink.

Blast it all! Were they being toyed with? It was agonizing!

The entire day passed in this stop-and-start chase. At one point, Mu Mu and Feng Jiu’er even took the time to sit down for a proper, leisurely meal — and by the time they’d eaten their fill, the guards had caught up again.

Mu Mu and Feng Jiu’er had eaten well and were content. The guards, arriving to find nothing but their leftover scraps cooling on the table, didn’t quite know whether to feel envious or resentful.

They were starving — having run the whole morning, they were ready to drop!

And now, right before their eyes, the two were sauntering away again. Could they not give chase?

No! They absolutely had to! If they went back and told the Prince that the quarry had walked right past them and they hadn’t pursued — ten heads between them wouldn’t be enough to pay for it.

So — chase again. And the other two — run again.

By evening, Mu Mu had brought Feng Jiu’er to another tavern, where they enjoyed another satisfying meal.

“Leave something out for them.” Jiu’er was starting to feel a twinge of pity. They’d been walking and stopping all day, yet the guards behind them hadn’t stopped once.

Mu Mu called a server over: “Bring another spread. Leave it here.”

And so, when the guards finally caught up, they were greeted by a table of fine food and good wine.

“Are we eating?”

Someone’s stomach let out a very audible growl before anyone could ask.

The guard captain rubbed his belly. He hadn’t eaten a thing all day. He was hungry enough to pass out.

But the server had said — this was left specifically for them?

Blast it all! Mu Mu had truly played them for fools! He’d literally been toying with them all along!

But — to eat or not to eat? They were so terribly hungry. Not eat? They were on the verge of collapse. Eat? What if the food had been drugged?

“Rest assured, good sirs. The young lady herself said the food is perfectly safe.”

“Eat!” If Miss Jiu’er said it was safe, then it was safe. Miss Jiu’er would never harm them.

Only — no matter how they looked at it, Miss Jiu’er didn’t seem like someone who’d been seized by Mu Mu by force. If anything, she looked entirely willing to be with him. Could it be that Miss Jiu’er truly hadn’t been taken against her will?

They had even seen with their own eyes Miss Jiu’er laughing brightly, seemingly mocking them alongside Mu Mu… Ah, this was a truly wretched meal.

“Eat up — and then keep chasing!”

But after that meal, no matter what they did, they couldn’t catch up to Mu Mu and Feng Jiu’er again.

From the time they left the tavern until deep into the night, not a trace of either of them was seen.

So the entire day’s chase had amounted to nothing more than the pair letting themselves be caught — toying with them like monkeys for sport.

When they truly didn’t want to be caught, they simply weren’t.

By now, Mu Mu and Feng Jiu’er were in a room in a small village. After pressing a silver ingot into the owner’s hands, the comfortable room was theirs for the night.

In the evening, after bathing and changing clothes, Jiu’er sat on the bed looking through her needle pouch.

Mu Mu, as was his custom, sat in the chair reading.

The two had gotten along well all day — remarkably easy with each other, without a single conflict.

Only tonight, the atmosphere was plainly a little different.

Mu Mu set down his book and walked toward the bed.

Feng Jiu’er seemed still absorbed in her needle pouch and hadn’t noticed him approaching — not until he spoke, and there was no avoiding it.

“Jiu’er, it’s getting late. Let’s rest.”

Feng Jiu’er’s heart was in a mild state of disorder. There were certain things she hadn’t yet decided.

But Mu Mu had already sat down on the bed, reached out his large hand and taken hold of hers: “There’s something I want to say to you… Why are your hands so cold?”

“Maybe it’s a bit chilly tonight.” Though her mind was still full of unresolved things, Feng Jiu’er put away her needle pouch and tucked it back into the bag she kept close at hand.

She looked up at Mu Mu, hadn’t yet managed to speak, when Mu Mu said: “Since you’ve already made up your mind to stay with me — tonight, let us wed.”