Following his gaze, everyone saw two arrows suddenly shoot out from behind the bushes, clanging together mid-air. Then Shen Xi’s voice rang out, tinged with frustration: “That game counts as mine!”
Next came Yun Zhao’s cool voice—rarely carrying even a hint of emotion: “It counts as mine.”
“Why should it be yours?” Shen Xi’s voice grew more urgent, accompanied by the rustle of leaves as she presumably glared at him. “I had it aimed first—your arrow had to come crashing into mine!”
Yun Zhao seemed to take half a step forward, his voice carrying through the shadows with an almost imperceptible indulgence: “Mine landed first.”
“Believe me, I’ll break all your arrows!”
“If you break them, will you carve me new ones?”
“Aren’t they supposed to be on the same team…” Yun Zilan chuckled. “Why are they squabbling like this?”
“The Prince really doesn’t hold back—still as cold as ever, not even giving an inch to a young lady,” Yunxiao shook his head with a faint smile, his eyes passing over the two figures behind the bushes.
“Can’t say that,” Yun Zilan stroked his chin with a grin. “Only Miss Shen could handle this kind of stubbornness. Anyone else wouldn’t even get a proper word out of him.”
No sooner had he spoken than two streaks of cold light shot through the air, whooshing to embed themselves in the tree trunk beside Yuan Jingxian—barely half a foot from her shoulder, their fletchings humming with vibration.
Yuan Jingxian cried out, shrinking back toward Yunxiao as her face drained of all color. The handkerchief in her hand was twisted into a crumple.
“Wh-what is this…” Her voice trembled as she stared wide-eyed at the arrows, her fingertips cold as ice.
From the bushes came Shen Xi’s chagrined voice: “Oh no! Your Highness the Crown Prince, Fourth Highness, Sister Jingxian—I’m so sorry, so sorry! I didn’t see you there…”
“You—you did this on purpose!” Yuan Jingxian’s voice shook with anger, her face still pale as she forced herself to stand straight, her nails digging into her palm. “If His Highness hadn’t been here to protect me, I might have been…” Her voice trailed off as her eyes reddened with feigned distress.
Shen Xi’s grip on her bow tightened, a wave of helplessness washing over her.
She had clearly been aiming at a roe deer fleeing in the distance, but Yun Zhao’s arrow had collided with hers dead-on, sending both off course. She truly hadn’t seen anyone over here—who would have thought the Yuan sisters just had to get in the way of her arrows today?
Only then did Yun Zhao look up, his gaze passing through the bushes to rest on Yuan Jingxian. His tone was calm but carried weight: “It was an accident.”
Yuan Jingxian was left speechless by his casual dismissal.
When Yunxiao saw Shen Xi approaching, he subtly shifted half a step to the side, putting distance between himself and Yuan Jingxian before looking back at her pale face: “Miss Yuan, you’ve been frightened. Miss Shen didn’t mean it—her aim is so poor she’d probably miss a rabbit and hit a ditch on a normal day.”
Watching the distance Yunxiao had deliberately put between them, then hearing him defend Shen Xi, Yuan Jingxian felt something pierce her heart. The grievance she had been building up faded away, leaving only an indescribable bitterness.
Yun Zilan watched all this unfold, a faint smile playing at his lips.
“Oh! There’s game over there!” Shen Xi suddenly called out, turning and darting into the dense woods with her bow before her words had even faded—moving as fast as a whirlwind.
Yun Zhao followed almost immediately, his dark robes sweeping through the fallen leaves as he left only a crisp silhouette behind.
Only the three of them remained, looking somewhat disheveled…
Yun Zilan stepped forward to pull the two arrows from the tree, weighing them in his hand with a laugh: “Those two must have found our conversation a nuisance and made an excuse to leave. Though I’ll say this—their archery is no joke. Hitting the tree just half a foot from Miss Yuan—any closer and they’d have hurt her, any farther and it wouldn’t show their skill.”
Yuan Jingxian stared in the direction where the two had disappeared, absently rubbing her handkerchief without responding.
On the other side of the woods, Shen Xi finally stopped once she had plunged deep into the bushes, planting her hands on her hips to catch her breath.
Yun Zhao caught up, his eyes sweeping over the empty clearing before he spoke quietly: “Where’s the game?”
Shen Xi rolled her eyes, slinging her bow over her shoulder: “What game? If I hadn’t found an excuse to run, would I have stayed there listening to Yuan Jingxian carry on crying?”
Yun Zhao looked at her breathless state, his fingertips idly twisting the feathers of an arrow fletching before he said suddenly: “That arrow just now—your aim was conveniently off.”
“Convenient my foot! It was your blasted arrow that knocked mine off course!” She pushed a stray lock of wind-blown hair from her face, her cheeks flushed pink from running. She shot him an annoyed glance before turning to walk on ahead.
The forest floor was thick with soft fallen leaves, hiding the dips and hollows beneath.
After just two steps, her foot suddenly slipped into empty space. “Ah!” Her cry was cut short as she lost her balance and tumbled down—straight into a shallow pit hidden by vines.
I really have the worst luck whenever I’m with him!
Shen Xi landed with a jolt that numbed her backside. As she was about to push herself up against the pit wall, a shadow fell over her. Looking up, she saw Yun Zhao leaning over the edge, the hem of his dark robes brushing the grass like a mournful banner swaying above her.
He looked down at her, and his words nearly sent her into a rage: “One moment you’re there, the next you’re gone—did you get so upset you learned to vanish into the earth?”
“Vanish your head! Pull me up!” She scrabbled at the pit wall, only to slip and nearly sit back down again, growing even more frustrated.
Seeing her struggle, Yun Zhao finally held out his hand, palm up: “Hold on tight.”
She bit her lip, muttering curses under her breath before reluctantly placing her hand in his. She couldn’t very well stay in this wretched pit until dark…
The moment her fingertips touched his palm, a firm grip pulled her upward. Shen Xi felt her body lift lightly, like a leaf being scooped up. As she landed, her ankle twisted, sending her stumbling into him.
Yun Zhao let out a low grunt as he fell back, and Shen Xi tumbled atop him before she could react. Her nose bumped against his collarbone, sending a tingling, prickly sensation through her.
In her fluster, her hands landed on his chest, feeling the warmth of his body and the steady beat of his heart through his thin robes—each pulse echoing in her palm.
Yun Zhao’s hands had somehow circled her waist, not tight but like an invisible net holding her firmly in place.
The wind in the woods had stilled, leaving only their slightly ragged breathing to mingle in the air. Shen Xi looked up to find him gazing down at her—those eyes usually as cold and still as a deep pool now held tiny flecks of light, like stars fallen onto a lake’s surface. They were so close she could see the length and thickness of his eyelashes, even catch the clean, crisp scent of pine on him.
“Looks like vanishing into the earth didn’t work out—you learned to throw yourself at me first?”
His voice was lower than usual, the last syllables brushing gently against her ear like a feather, sending a cascade of tiny shivers down her neck.
“Wh-who threw myself at you!” Her eyes widened, her voice carrying an unsteady stutter she didn’t notice. “I tripped—it was an accident!”
Her face and ears were bright red. She tried to push herself up, but his hold on her waist didn’t budge.
“Then get up.” His voice gave nothing away, yet his hands loosened slightly to give her room.
Stung by his words, she pushed hard against his chest: “Fine, I will!”
She had barely lifted herself halfway when her leg gave out, sending her forward again. Her elbow struck his ribs hard, and she gasped in pain as he let out a grunted curse. She felt mortified beyond words…
“Hahaha—s-sorry…”
He looked down at her, his eyelashes casting soft shadows under his eyes, his brow still furrowed as he reached out to steady her arm and move her to the side.
Shen Xi used his support to finally stand, but just as she straightened up, he leaned forward. She flinched and squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for retaliation—only to hear him ask: “How’s your foot?”
She froze, her eyelashes fluttering before she dared open her eyes. His face was close enough to touch, his brow still furrowed but his eyes holding no anger—instead, there was a hint of something heavy she couldn’t decipher.
“Huh?” Only then did she look down to see her ankle already tinged red. The strength she’d used to push herself up had turned to a dull ache, and she swayed slightly where she stood.
“Sprained?” Yun Zhao’s gaze fixed on her ankle, his grip on her arm loosening unconsciously.
Afraid he’d mock her, Shen Xi puffed out her chest confidently: “I’m a martial artist—this little injury is nothing to me.” Before she could finish, a dull pain shot through the top of her foot, and she hissed through her teeth as her body swayed again.