Feng Yinan stared unblinking at the person in his arms. After a long while, he asked gently, “Is everything you said true?”

“Mm.” Yue Qinchun blinked her big eyes and nodded.

“Brother Feng, then do you like me? Do you want to spend your whole life with me?”

Feng Yinan looked at the small figure in his arms but didn’t nod—he let her go instead.

“You’re still young.” He turned, his back to her. “This matter can wait until you’re older.”

Feng Yinan felt that he and Yue Qinchun differed not just in status, but also too much in age.

He was a full seven years older than her.

“I’m not young.” Yue Qinchun went over and held onto his arm.

“Brother Feng, next month is my sixteenth birthday. When that time comes, I’ll ask you again—will you say yes to me?”

Feng Yinan composed himself and shook his head. “Then we’ll talk about it next month.”

Such a sudden confession had caught Feng Yinan completely off guard.

He had never once thought about marriage. He’d assumed that following Jiu’er for the rest of his life would be enough—he hadn’t expected this…

Feng Yinan wanted to walk away, but Yue Qinchun wouldn’t let go of him.

“Brother Feng.” She quickened her steps to keep up with him.

“Go tell my father and mother now that I want to head west with everyone.”

“As long as you promise to protect me, my parents will definitely agree.”

Seeing Feng Yinan walking faster and faster, Yue Qinchun grew anxious too.

She yanked at him hard and continued, “Brother Feng, you don’t want to be apart from me either, do you?”

“If I ignore you, you won’t be happy either, will you?”

“I know you like me too—you’ve just never thought you’d ever come to like someone, isn’t that right?”

“It doesn’t matter. There are plenty of things you don’t have to say—I’ll say them. Things you don’t do—I’ll do them.”

“I know I’m not a good girl, and I don’t know how to be reserved.”

“But if you like someone and don’t even dare say it, what use is being reserved?”

Feng Yinan finally stopped and turned to meet Yue Qinchun’s gaze.

The tears in Yue Qinchun’s eyes hadn’t yet dried. Her large eyes were watery, both lovely and a little pitiful.

Feng Yinan looked at her for a moment, then reached out with a long arm and pulled her into his embrace.

“Qinchun, wait for me. One day, I will prove to Master Yue and Madam Yue that I can give you happiness.”

“Mm.” Yue Qinchun buried her head in Feng Yinan’s chest, and her tears burst forth like a river breaking its banks.

“I know.” Her hoarse voice rang out. “I know Brother Feng will surely make it happen.”

Feng Yinan held the person in his arms gently, stroking her back for a good while before letting her go.

“Come, let’s go see Master Yue and Madam Yue together.”

“Mm.” Yue Qinchun wept tears of joy, streaming down freely.

Feng Yinan pulled a handkerchief from his robes and leaned down to gently wipe the tears from the corners of Yue Qinchun’s eyes.

“Waaah…” Yue Qinchun looked at the gentle man and burst into loud sobs.

“What’s wrong?” Feng Yinan asked, thick brows furrowed.

“I’m just so happy! Waaah…” Yue Qinchun threw out that one line and burst into loud tears again.

Feng Yinan wiped her tears again and pulled her into his arms.

“Don’t cry anymore.” He didn’t know how to comfort people.

But seeing her cry, his own heart ached too.

“Don’t cry. I’ll go with you to see Master Yue and Madam Yue—I’ll convince them.”

“Mm, mm-hm.” Yue Qinchun nodded fiercely against him.

“You have to convince them, or else you won’t be able to see me anymore.”

“I will.” Feng Yinan gently stroked Yue Qinchun’s back.

Once the girl’s breathing gradually steadied, he gently let her go.

Feng Yinan picked up the handkerchief again and wiped the corners of Yue Qinchun’s eyes.

As Yue Qinchun pouted, an unusually soft voice came from him, one he’d never used before: “Don’t cry!”

“When Master Yue and Madam Yue see your eyes swollen from crying, they’ll definitely suspect I bullied you.”

“What if they’re not comfortable letting you head west with us?”

Feng Yinan had long grown used to looking after this little girl—it was just that now, their relationship seemed to have changed.

“It’s because you bullied me!” Yue Qinchun pouted her lips but still held back her sobs.

Brother Feng was right—she couldn’t go see her parents with red eyes, or things would only get more complicated.

Feng Yinan’s hand paused for a moment before continuing to gently wipe her face.

“Mm.” He nodded. “It’s my fault.”

Yue Qinchun pressed her pink lips together, seemingly rather satisfied with Feng Yinan’s response.

After pursing her lips for a while, a faint smile spread across her face.

“Then tell me, where did you go wrong?” the girl asked softly.

Feng Yinan finally finished cleaning her little face and looked up to meet her eyes.

“I… was wrong.”

“This kind of thing shouldn’t have to be said by you. I’m the man—I shouldn’t avoid my own feelings.”

“Qinchun.” He took her small hand. “Thank you for giving me this chance.”

Yue Qinchun deliberately pursed her pink lips, but still couldn’t hide her delight.

She swayed the hand he was holding a little, without saying a word.

The corner of Feng Yinan’s mouth lifted slightly as he led the little girl forward. “Let’s go. Let’s go see Master Yue and Madam Yue.”

“Mm-hm.” Yue Qinchun nodded, pouting her small mouth.

That expression of hers was utterly adorable.

Meanwhile, Yu Jingfeng had come to stand outside Leng Xuepiao’s room and had already been standing there for quite a while.

Inside the room, three beds, and someone sitting on each of them.

Qingqing glanced outside, then looked back at Yue Qinchun—wait, actually, no—Qingqing looked outside, then looked back and said: “Qinchun, it’s your Lord Yu.”

Xiao Tian also looked at Yue Qinchun, a smile tugging at her mouth. “Qinchun, just go see him already. He’s been standing out there so long.”

Yue Qinchun sat on the bed, leaning against the headboard, still absorbed in the book in her hands.

She said nothing, showed no reaction, and no one thought her rude for it—everyone was used to it by now.

“Qinchun, are you really not going out?” Qingqing pressed, tentatively. “Maybe Lord Yu has a lot he wants to say to you.”

Jiu’er had said that Qinchun talking more with Lord Yu would be good for her condition.

Jiu’er had also said Qinchun wasn’t really sick—she was just a bit different from ordinary people, not good at expressing herself. Talking with her more would help.

“Qinchun, we set out tomorrow. I think Lord Yu really can’t bear to part with you.” Xiao Tian’s voice rang out again.

Still seeing no reaction from Yue Qinchun, Qingqing withdrew her gaze and looked at Xiao Tian across from her.

“Xiao Tian, I heard Lord Yu got hurt saving Qiao Mu. I also heard he hasn’t slept well these past two days from the pain.”

“That’s right.” Xiao Tian raised her brows and nodded. “Everyone’s seen his dark circles. He must not have been sleeping well.”

“Such a deep wound, and in this cold weather too—it must hurt so badly at night, how could he possibly sleep?” Qingqing sighed softly.

She turned her head to look toward the door and let out a sigh.

“It’s so cold out now—why hasn’t Lord Yu gone back to rest?”

“He probably doesn’t even dare knock on the door. Just standing there like that, letting the cold wind get into his body—he won’t be sleeping tonight either.”