The three of them looked at him in disbelief, muttering to themselves, “How is this possible? We’re so badly injured, how could it be?”
“How could Gu Qinghan have such powerful means…”
As the three were taken away, the Minister of Dali Temple turned to Gu Qinghan and knelt in reverence.
“Greetings, Miss Gu.”
Gu Qinghan was also astonished, but she did not show it.
“I do not deserve such a grand gesture. Please rise.”
The Vice Minister of Dali Temple looked at her with admiration and said, “Miss Gu, there is no need to worry. Those three will receive the punishment they deserve.”
With that, he rose and took his leave. Before departing, he cast a cold glance at the remaining members of the Gu household, giving them a warning.
Gu Qinghan slowly made her way back to her courtyard, with no one daring to stop her.
Whose doing was this? The Vice Minister of Dali Temple—even her own parents would have to show him deference.
Returning to her room, she noticed several unfamiliar faces among the maids in the courtyard. They had seemed skilled earlier when intercepting the second branch of the family.
Observing their steady and powerful strides, they appeared to be trained martial artists.
As Gu Qinghan watched them, she finally realized whose handiwork this was.
“Ye Muyan…” The name lingered on the tip of her tongue. Gu Qinghan pressed a hand to her chest, quietly feeling her own heartbeat.
Clutching her handkerchief, she couldn’t help but let a sweet smile curl at the corners of her lips.
The tension that had gripped her all night finally eased, and she let out a long sigh.
So, he had been protecting her all along.
Late at night.
Gu Qinghan fell into a deep slumber, the room filled with a delicate, sweet fragrance.
Two large basins of ice were placed before the bed curtains, and a gentle incense burned on the table.
Yet, the summer night was still sweltering. With a soft murmur, she kicked off the cool quilt, revealing a goose-yellow undergarment. Moonlight shone on her delicate skin, making it gleam like smooth, creamy jade.
Suddenly, a faint, cool fragrance drifted into the room.
With the help of the maids he had arranged to place there, Ye Muyan gently pushed open the door and entered the chamber.
His spies had reported earlier that the second branch of the Gu family had cursed her parents in front of Qingqing and shamelessly demanded money from her.
Upon hearing the news brought by his spies, Ye Muyan immediately sought out the Vice Minister of Dali Temple to resolve the matter. He couldn’t bear the thought of Qingqing, such a delicate young lady, facing such filth alone.
Thinking of what Qingqing had endured that day, Ye Muyan found it unbearable.
He wanted to see her, to look at her, to know if she was sleeping well tonight… yet he feared frightening her.
Lost in his thoughts, he found himself inadvertently entering her bedchamber.
Surrounded by the scent of Gu Qinghan that filled the room, his entire body trembled.
Excitement, exhilaration… he could not remain calm, his dark eyes growing even more profound.
He slowly approached the bed and saw the young woman’s goose-yellow undergarment, apricot-colored trousers, and… her creamy, delicate form.
Tiny beads of sweat dotted her neck and chest, glistening faintly in the moonlight.
Ye Muyan’s throat tightened, his thoughts nearly scattering as he instinctively leaned closer. He stopped just an inch away from her soft form, gritting his teeth and forcing himself to pull back.
The delicate sweetness unique to Gu Qinghan lingered at the tip of his nose. Her rosy lips parted slightly, releasing warm, sweet breaths.
Ye Muyan fixed his gaze on her small face, tracing the lines of her brows and eyes over and over with his gaze, summoning every ounce of self-control he possessed to keep himself from touching her.
My Qingqing, my treasure, don’t let me taint you.
Just as he was about to rise, he accidentally brushed against the bed curtains, causing a soft rustle.
Almost simultaneously, Gu Qinghan drowsily opened her eyes.
Ye Muyan was momentarily at a loss for how to react. He feared that once Gu Qinghan regained her senses, she would loathe him and distance herself from him.
He couldn’t bear to imagine Gu Qinghan looking at him with eyes full of disgust. Just the thought of it made his heart ache as if it were about to shatter.
The panic in his heart was on the verge of overwhelming him.
Unexpectedly, the young woman showed no fear. With sleepy eyes, she gave him a sweet smile, her voice hoarse yet soft and sweet: “Hold me~”
Before his mind could process it, Ye Muyan’s body instinctively wrapped around the young woman.
His arms were filled with her fragrant, delicate softness, and in that moment, Ye Muyan’s heart felt complete. This was the real Qingqing—soft and sweet, her entire body so pliant it seemed boneless. He dared not hold her tighter, afraid he might bruise the delicate softness in his embrace.
Ye Muyan was still somewhat stunned. How had things escalated to this point?
His entire body was stiff, torn between fearing he might hurt Qingqing and dreading the look of disgust she might give upon waking.
Before he could think further, the sweet, soft voice sounded again from within his embrace.
“Hold Qingqing tighter~” The young woman in his arms murmured as if in a dream, her rosy lips pouting with dissatisfaction.
Ye Muyan tightened his arms, pressing their bodies together until there was not a sliver of space between them.
For the first time, he prayed to the heavens: Give me a little more time. Let this beautiful dream last a little longer. Just for this moment, let me pretend Qingqing belongs only to me.
His palm sank into Gu Qinghan’s flesh, the smooth, silky texture making his fingers twitch involuntarily. His knuckles were distinct, his fingers slightly cool, and his palm rough with calluses from years of martial arts training.
When his touch reached Gu Qinghan’s back, she immediately felt comforted and let out a soft, kitten-like murmur.
Ye Muyan gazed at her with longing, as if wanting to meld her into his very bones and blood. Unable to resist any longer, his thin lips brushed against the young woman’s temple. Her soft hair carried a sweet fragrance that made his lips tingle. Tentatively, his lips trailed downward, from her smooth forehead and thick lashes to her delicate nose, kissing gently along the way.
When he reached Gu Qinghan’s red lips, the small mouth exhaling sweet breaths, he paused.
His tall nose gently nuzzled against the tip of hers as he whispered softly, “Qingqing, next time, I won’t let you go.”
Gu Qinghan’s hair was disheveled, and her undergarment, pressed tightly against her body, was crumpled beyond recognition. She looked as though the two had just shared an intense, passionate kiss.
Seeing the sky outside the window beginning to brighten, Ye Muyan gently straightened Gu Qinghan’s clothes.
“Qingqing, have sweet dreams.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll clear all obstacles for you.”
“Qingqing, next time you see me, you mustn’t be afraid.”
His final kiss landed on the small mole beside the young woman’s neck.
Stepping out of the chamber, his entire demeanor shifted from tenderness to coldness.
He ordered in a low voice, “Prioritize Qingqing’s safety above all else. Those who appear by her side must find ways to make her happy.”
“Reward generously those who bring Qingqing joy.”
With that, he turned back and cast a deep glance at the chamber, his eyes overflowing with tenderness, followed swiftly by even greater pain.
Even after using his qinggong to leave the Gu residence, Ye Muyan couldn’t help but wonder: Who had Qingqing mistaken him for? Would she act this way toward Xiao Yinghuai as well?
At this thought, his fists clenched, veins bulging on his forehead.
Xiao Yinghuai, if Qingqing didn’t harbor even a shred of affection for you, you would have died ten thousand times over.
Does Qingqing’s performance today indicate that Gu Xu is not that important in her heart? Then what about Xiao Yinghuai—does Qingqing still hold some lingering affection for him?
“Qingqing, look at me, only at me.”
At the break of dawn, Ye Muyan murmured toward the direction of the Gu residence, his faint words vanishing into the air.
Gu Qinghan smiled sweetly in her dream—she had a good dream tonight.