The setting sun painted the upturned eaves of the old Song residence in a shade of decadent rouge.
Song Nian and Jiang Mingyue stepped into the courtyard one after the other.
Song Nian's handsome face, which had been wearing a smile, froze the moment he saw the empty side hall.
He casually tossed his outer robe to the old steward who hurried over, his thick brows knitting tightly. "A-Luo hasn't returned yet?"
Earlier that day, he had chased after Song Luo but failed to catch up with her.
Only then did he remember that he had left Jiang Mingyue alone at the Treasure Pavilion.
Song Nian immediately turned back to look for her, only to find she had already left.
According to the shopkeeper: "That Miss Jiang left in quite a fury."
The moment Song Nian heard that Jiang Mingyue was angry, panic set in. He hastily pulled out silver and purchased all the jewelry Jiang Mingyue had admired.
When he arrived at the Jiang Residence, Jiang Mingyue indeed ignored him completely.
Song Nian coaxed her at the doorstep for a long while—offering gifts, apologizing profusely—until finally Jiang Mingyue's smile returned.
Only then did she agree to come back with him and sample the Jiangnan-style stir-fry dishes prepared by the newly hired chef.
The steward took the robe with trembling hands and lowered his head. "To answer the young master, the young lady went out early this morning and has not yet returned."
Song Nian felt a flicker of worry, but Song Luo had always been dependable since childhood—she never did anything out of line.
Even if she went out to play, she would always return before dinner.
Song Nian waved his hand to dismiss the steward and waited in the front hall for Song Luo to come home.
As the sun gradually set, the lamps were lit.
Still, there was no sign of Song Luo.
The unease in his heart began to swell.
He sat in the armchair in the front hall, waiting and waiting.
Three cups of tea had been replaced, and still Song Luo had not returned.
"This little girl is getting more and more undisciplined."
Song Nian stood up and paced back and forth, his mind uncontrollably conjuring images.
What if she ran into a ruffian, or got lost—what would she do then?
The more he thought, the less he could sit still. He couldn't wait any longer.
Song Nian called out toward the door: "Someone! Saddle my horse. I'm going out to find A-Luo myself."
Seeing that Song Nian truly intended to leave, Jiang Mingyue's heart plummeted.
Had this been any other time,
Let him go—she wouldn't have spared him a second glance, even welcoming the peace and quiet.
But not today.
She had come back with him because she wanted him to fetch that Xueyuanzhi for her.
Without getting what she needed, Duan Xingzhi wouldn't see her.
And as an unmarried young lady, she couldn't very well go loitering around Qiluo Pavilion every day to corner him.
If she wanted to attach herself to the Marquis of Liguo's household, to become the esteemed Madam Duan, that Xueyuanzhi was her only stepping stone.
Watching Song Nian stride out of the front hall, his tall figure radiating urgency,
He headed straight for the horses tethered in the courtyard, his hand already gripping the reins, poised to mount in the next instant.
"Brother Nian~"
Jiang Mingyue abandoned all pretense of reserve. She gathered her heavy skirts in both hands and dashed after him.
Just as Song Nian was about to swing himself onto the horse, Jiang Mingyue, in her desperation, lunged forward from behind and wrapped her slender arms tightly around his lean waist.
"Brother Nian, are you going to abandon me here alone?"
The fragrant scent of the young woman pressed against him instantly. Through the thin fabric of his clothing, Jiang Mingyue could clearly feel the powerful body beneath her hands tremble violently.
"Brother Nian, I don't want to stay alone in the general's residence. I'll be scared by myself."
Jiang Mingyue pressed her cheek against his back, her voice so aggrieved it sounded like she might cry.
"I haven't had dinner yet. Can you stay and eat with me?"
Jiang Mingyue had never been this forward with Song Nian before.
On ordinary days, she always kept herself aloof, treating even the slightest brush of her sleeve as a great favor granted.
But now, this sudden intimate embrace made Song Nian's body go completely rigid.
He didn't push her away immediately, but on his face, turned away from Jiang Mingyue, an undeniable look of hesitation and inner conflict surfaced.
Jiang Mingyue sensed his stiffness and secretly rejoiced, believing her initiative was working.
Her voice grew even more pitiful: "Brother Nian, I rushed over to find you and haven't had dinner yet. Can you bear to watch me go hungry?"
She deliberately made her tone as soft as possible, even adding a hint of pleading.
In the past, whenever she spoke in this tone, Song Nian would have given his very life for her, let alone simply stayed for a meal.
As long as he stayed, she was confident she could get him to agree to climb the cliff to pick the Xueyuanzhi over dinner.
However, after that brief stiffness, Song Nian's body gradually relaxed—but he did not turn around to return her embrace.
"Mingyue, let go."
The man's voice was low, yet carried an unmistakable firmness.
Jiang Mingyue was stunned.
He didn't turn his head, only slightly angled his face and said in a deep voice: "If you want to eat, go ahead and eat by yourself. I need to go find A-Luo."
Find A-Luo. Again, it was about finding Song Luo.
A blaze of nameless fury surged through Jiang Mingyue's heart, her fingers around his waist going stiff in an instant.
Reason told her she should let go right now.
She actually did not want to be this close to Song Nian at all, much less have others see her in such an intimate, tangled state with him. This household was full of people with watchful eyes—if any servant happened to catch sight of this and gossip spread,
then the pure and chaste image she had worked so hard to cultivate would be completely ruined.
Especially if such rumors ever reached Duan Xingzhi's ears, then she could forget about ever setting foot through the gates of the Duan family for the rest of her life.
Her scheme to attach herself to Duan Xingzhi would fall completely apart.