It was the height of summer, and Nanzhao was the most scorching place on the entire Longyuan continent. Yet Duku, thanks to its terrain and elevation, remained refreshingly cool.

By now, under Guxi’s careful arrangements, Duku had completely shed its former eerie, forbidding atmosphere, taking on instead a lively, festive air—like a joyous mountain stronghold.

Every single detail of the wedding was being handled by Guxi alone. The man was practically the ideal household manager—Baili Xiaosheng, in encountering Guxi, could be summed up in just two words: “good fortune.”

Ziqing and her family of four had traveled for several days and, thankfully, arrived just in time. Jun Beiyue didn’t head straight to Duku, choosing instead to visit the Nanzhao military camp first—he likely wouldn’t arrive until the next day.

By the time Ziqing and the others reached Duku, Situ Haonan and his group had already arrived days earlier. Yelu Qianqian and the Crown Prince of Xijing both had matters that kept them from getting away, so they’d sent Situ Haonan along with gifts and blessings. The wedding was set for the next day, and Guxi, after greeting everyone briefly, hurried off again to attend to business, leaving Baili Xiaosheng—who did nothing at all—to entertain the guests.

“Why are we still missing people?” Baili Xiaosheng surveyed the room full of guests, asking with great seriousness.

No sooner had she spoken than a clear, laughing voice came from outside the door, delightfully pleasant. “Right here! You swore back then you’d never let me off the hook—how could I dare not come?”

Following the sound, everyone saw the newcomer was a girl of sixteen or seventeen, striking and refined, lively and spirited, her big, watery eyes seemingly always brimming with laughter, radiating warmth like a spring breeze.

Beside her stood a woman in her thirties, dressed in white, carrying a certain charm that not every thirty-year-old woman could cultivate.

Everyone recognized this woman in her thirties as Meng Duo’er. And the one who’d come with Meng Duo’er—could it possibly be…

“Situ Jing’er!” Baili Xiaosheng suddenly realized. Back when she’d been captured in Nanzhao, she really had bickered with this troublesome girl. So the little thing still held a grudge!

“Heh heh, good thing you still remember this princess! This princess has brought you a big gift!” Situ Jing’er laughed with great delight—the kind of laughter that was infectious, making one wonder if this girl had ever known sorrow or worry in her life, always so cheerful.

“Let’s see it! If it’s not big enough, this lady won’t accept it!” Baili Xiaosheng’s tongue was even sharper than Situ Jing’er’s.

“What lady, not lady—starting tomorrow you’ll be calling yourself ‘this wife’!” Ziqing cut in, her gaze sweeping up and down Situ Jing’er.

It had been over six years since they’d last met, and she hadn’t expected this girl to grow into such a beauty. What surprised her even more was that the girl’s temperament remained just as simple, kind, and carefree as it had been in childhood—an eternal optimist.

Situ Jing’er personally went outside to fetch the gift, as if she really had brought something grand. Everyone watched with curiosity, and Jun Buli raised an eyebrow, a hint of playful interest in his eyes.

“Son, you remember this girl, don’t you?” Ziqing asked.

Jun Buli looked over, just about to answer, when Jun Yaotiao suddenly spoke up loudly. “I remember now! I know her!”

For a moment, everyone’s attention turned toward her. Jun Buli, seeming to realize what was coming, lunged to grab Jun Yaotiao and cover her mouth—but it was too late.

The girl spoke faster than anyone could react. “She’s the troublesome girl who bit Big Brother Emperor’s butt years ago!”

At those words, the whole room fell instantly silent, immediately followed by a loud crash from outside the door.

Had the person outside heard?

Had the gift been dropped?

Everyone’s gaze shifted from Jun Buli’s thoroughly mortified face toward the door, but for a long moment, there was no movement at all.

It wasn’t the gift that had fallen—it was Situ Jing’er herself, who had toppled off the five-foot-high steps into the flowerbed beside them, leaving Meng Duo’er staring in shock.

After a long moment, Meng Duo’er finally snapped out of it and hurried to help her up. By the time she pulled her up, Situ Jing’er’s hair and face were both a complete mess.

“Sister Duo’er, that little girl… who… who is she?” “Jun Yaotiao…” Meng Duo’er answered timidly.

“Are you sure?” Situ Jing’er asked, deadly serious.

Meng Duo’er nodded. The girl clinging to Ziqing’s shoulder had to be Little Princess Yaotiao.

“How does she know about that incident from back then!” If Situ Jing’er remembered correctly, only heaven, earth, and Jun Buli himself knew where exactly she’d bitten him that day!

Except that it was Jun Buli who’d let it slip!

Well, actually, it was the poison beasts who’d let it slip—back then, it was the poison beasts who’d helped apply medicine to Jun Buli’s wound. Situ Jing’er really hadn’t held back with that bite.

“So true what they say—a girl changes drastically as she grows up, not the least bit cute anymore!” Situ Jing’er said bitterly, recalling how, back when she’d first met Jun Yaotiao, the girl had been a silly, chubby little thing who only knew how to eat, drink, sleep, cry, and laugh. How adorable she’d been back then!

Meng Duo’er helped smooth her hair and clothing, a suppressed smile tugging at her lips. Over these years, she and Situ Jing’er hadn’t really spent much time in the Xijing palace, instead wandering the martial world together, robbing the rich to help the poor, righting wrongs wherever they found them—quite the free-spirited life.

This girl had never once lost her composure quite like this before. Meng Duo’er couldn’t help recalling how, years ago, when Situ Jing’er had been much younger, she and Jun Buli had practically locked horns the moment they met.

Now the girl had grown up, become a graceful young lady in her own right—an adult now. And Jun Buli was well into his twenties, a grown man in every sense. Surely these two wouldn’t end up like they had back then?

After straightening herself up, Situ Jing’er regained her composure.

Biting Jun Buli’s butt was nothing—everyone already knew about it, and she wasn’t afraid. Besides, she’d forgotten all about it anyway!

Situ Jing’er kept up her cheerful smile, hoisting a massive crate and striding into the room.

But the moment the whole room turned to stare at her in astonishment, her little face instantly flushed bright red, completely beyond her control.

Into the silence, Baili Xiaosheng spoke up thoughtfully, “Bit him on the butt? How exactly does one do that?”

At those words, Meng Duo’er beside Situ Jing’er was the first to burst out laughing, and immediately the whole room erupted into laughter.

How exactly does one do that? Indeed, a question worth pondering.

Situ Jing’er’s entire face turned as red as a monkey’s rear, while Jun Buli’s mouth twitched in embarrassment nonstop. He held Jun Yaotiao in his arms, one hand grabbing the back of her collar and yanking hard, half-wishing he could strangle this infuriating little girl.

He truly regretted not going with his father to the military camp. What business did a grown man have mixing with all these women?

Well, he’d completely forgotten about Situ Haonan sitting nearby, already doubled over laughing on the table. He’d never expected his daughter to have such a “glorious” achievement to her name.

He’d have to tell Yelu Qianqian about this later—that woman would probably get excited all over again and try to match their daughter with Jun Buli.

Who could blame Yelu Qianqian for having such a good impression of Jun Buli, anyway? Well, honestly, the reason Situ Jing’er kept sneaking out of the palace every day was probably also because her mother kept nagging in her ear about how wonderful Jun Buli was, day in and day out.

Jun Buli took a deep breath, about to make an excuse to leave, when Situ Jing’er turned to look at Jun Yaotiao. Though her face was still red, she put on an air of nonchalance and teased, “Little girl, it’s not right to say things carelessly. Something that never happened—if you go around shouting it like that, you’ll ruin your big sister’s reputation, you know? If your big sister can’t find a husband because of this, will you take responsibility?”

“My brother will take responsibility!” Jun Yaotiao blinked her big eyes, utterly serious.