As soon as Fu Chengyan parked the car, Wen Ci sent a message to have several horses brought out.
“The area in front of the ranch is the equestrian club, where professional instructors teach people how to ride. But we came in through a small path, so you didn’t see it.”
Xu Zhizhi walked beside him, curious. “Are we going there?”
If they were, could they drive? It was so far.
“We’re not going there.” After walking with her for a few minutes and reaching the vicinity of the stable, Xu Zhizhi saw three neatly lined-up horses.
She grew excited. “The white one!”
Xiao Bai and Xiao Saimi were both white, but Xiao Bai was pure white, while Saimi had a hint of apricot color. Only Douzi was a black horse.
As the two approached, Fu Chengyan stroked Douzi’s coat. “He’s been washed quite clean.”
Xu Zhizhi sniffed and exclaimed in surprise, “They have a sweet, peachy scent on them.”
Fu Chengyan paused for a moment, suddenly feeling that the tall and majestic Douzi seemed a bit too delicate.
“Try sitting on him.”
Xu Zhizhi was tempted, but after looking at the tall Douzi, her expression turned troubled. “I can’t climb up.”
“Forgive the intrusion.” With that, Fu Chengyan gripped the young girl’s waist and lifted her up, settling her securely onto the horse’s back.
Xu Zhizhi sat stiffly, her hands tightly gripping the saddle’s handle.
It was too high.
As soon as the horse moved, she grew nervous and flustered, looking helplessly at Fu Chengyan.
“Don’t be afraid. Relax your body and hold the handle tightly.” Fu Chengyan took the reins and led Douzi toward the racecourse.
“Will I fall off?” she asked cautiously.
“No,” Fu Chengyan reassured her. “I’m holding the reins. I won’t let Douzi jostle you.”
“Is his name Douzi?”
Why would such a tall and cool horse have a name like that?
“The day we brought him back, Wen Ci cooked some edamame, and he caught the scent, sneaking off to eat half a bowl.” Fu Chengyan still found it amusing when he recalled it. “So we gave him that name.”
“He likes eating beans?”
“He likes everything. He’s not picky at all and is very easy to care for.”
It just takes a bit of time when bathing him.
“What about the other two horses?”
“The larger pure white one is called Xiao Bai, and the smaller apricot-colored one is Xiao Saimi.”
“Xiao Bai, Xiao Saimi…” Xu Zhizhi repeated the names. “They sound nice.”
Fu Chengyan chuckled lightly. “The horses at the ranch all have simple names, and some are even named by the customers themselves.”
It’s quite laid-back. If customers think a name sounds good and get used to it, the staff follows along. Fu Chengyan doesn’t mind either way.
Everyone comes here to have fun, so they do whatever the customers say.
They soon arrived at the spot. Fu Chengyan loosened the reins slightly, creating a bit of distance between himself and Douzi. Unexpectedly, Xu Zhizhi immediately panicked. “Don’t let go. I don’t know how to ride. I’ll fall off.”
“I’m not letting go completely. I’ll hold the reins and lead you around.”
The young girl kept her eyes fixed on his hands. “Then stay closer.”
He teased her with a smile. “How close? Should I get on and take you for a run?”
Xu Zhizhi thought for two seconds and nodded. “That’s fine.”
Fu Chengyan froze.
“But don’t run too fast,” she said softly. “I’m a bit scared sitting up here.”
With only the handle to hold onto, she felt no sense of security at all, as if she could fall off at any moment. Her heart was filled with panic and unease.
Fu Chengyan didn’t move. Xu Zhizhi thought she had taken up too much space, so she braced herself and scooted forward a little, her voice trembling. “You… you can get on now.”
“Xu Zhizhi,” the man said softly, “you’re too naive.”
“What?” His voice was too low for her to hear clearly.
“Nothing.”
Fu Chengyan swung himself onto the horse in one clean, fluid motion. His posture was upright, his spirit high. As his warm presence drew near, Xu Zhizhi relaxed a little.
She swung her legs slightly and glanced at Fu Chengyan’s long legs, feeling a bit disheartened.
“Your legs are so long.”
Fu Chengyan truly couldn’t tell whether she was being innocent or subtly teasing him.
But the girl’s tone was pure, her eyes clear, as if she were simply making an innocent remark.
Unintentionally alluring.
“Eat more meat, drink more milk, and do more stretching exercises. You’ll grow taller too.”
“You’re lying to me,” Xu Zhizhi said. “I tried that before, and I didn’t grow at all.”
From the age of sixteen until now, she hadn’t grown a single centimeter.
“How tall do you want to be?”
“One meter seventy,” she replied. That way, her legs would be long, her stature tall, and she’d look great.
“Your current height is just fine. Why aim so high? It’d just waste fabric.”
“…” Xu Zhizhi told him, “Clothes for one meter sixty-five and one meter seventy cost the same.”
“But making clothes saves fabric.”
“Oh, right.”
That was true. Xu Zhizhi rarely agreed with him, but this was one advantage she could acknowledge.
Fu Chengyan tugged the reins, and Douzi began to trot.
“Hey, hey, hey—” Xu Zhizhi cried out in fear.
“Don’t be afraid. It won’t go too fast.”
Even if it wasn’t too fast, it was still much quicker than walking. Xu Zhizhi, jostled by the motion, grew a little scared. She turned sideways, grabbed Fu Chengyan’s arm, and pulled it close to her chest.
“Can we go a little slower?”
“Still scared?”
After all, it was her first time riding a horse. Beginners were always like this—fearful and anxious, often giving up within minutes.
“My butt hurts,” she said.
Fu Chengyan froze, quickly pulling the reins to bring Douzi to a stop.
“I’ll get you a cushion when we go back.”
“No need.”
“Why not?”
“We’ve already come quite far. Going back would be too much trouble.” She was just uncomfortable at first; she was sure she’d get used to it soon. “Let’s go, let’s keep moving forward.”
Fu Chengyan slowed the pace even more. Douzi wanted to run after just a few steps, but with Fu Chengyan holding the reins, it could only walk briskly.
Xu Zhizhi could sense the horse’s frustration and tightened her grip on his arm. “Let him run. I’ll hold on tight.”
Fu Chengyan cleared his throat. “You… that doesn’t hurt anymore?”
As soon as he finished speaking, his ears flushed bright red, and his gaze drifted away. He leaned back slightly, and even the slight brush of his clothes against the girl’s made his heart race inexplicably.
“It was just a bit uncomfortable from the jostling earlier.”
Fu Chengyan’s face turned red. “Then hold on tight. I’ll let you feel the speed of the wind.”
He shook the reins, one arm tightly protecting the girl, and squeezed the horse’s sides with his legs. Douzi excitedly pawed the ground and shot forward at a gallop.
Not only was Douzi excited, but the girl was too, kicking her legs in delight. “Wow, wow, wow~ So fast!”
Even though her butt hurt even more now, she was so caught up in the excitement that she completely forgot about the discomfort.
Whenever Fu Chengyan heard her speak, his mind would wander. Her words were just too ambiguous.
Or was it just his own dirty thoughts?
“I’m… I’m going to fall off,” she stammered, swaying to the side from the jostling.
Fu Chengyan steadied her waist. “Don’t be afraid. Lean back. I’ve got you.”
Xu Zhizhi obediently leaned back, pressing close against the man.
However, she was dressed too thickly to feel anything at all. Only Fu Chengyan’s heart raced, his cheeks flushed, and his mind fluttered with nervous excitement.