“Ah Yu…”
“I’m not listening! I’m not listening!”
Jiang Yu covered her ears stubbornly. “I’m going anyway.”
She had set up so many arguments earlier, all for this one thing—no matter what, she needed him to agree.
When firmness failed, she switched to soft tactics, clutching his sleeve and pouting.
“I really want to go. Just let me, please. I promise I won’t run off. If you really don’t trust me, Ling Qi can go with me, or you can come along too.”
In the end, Xiao Lingzhou surrendered.
With a reluctant sigh, he asked, “When will you leave, and when will you return?”
Seeing his question, Jiang Yu knew he had relented. She immediately replied, “In six days, for three days.”
Xiao Lingzhou’s brows knitted. “That long?”
It wasn’t just concern for her safety—he also wasn’t used to being apart from her for that length of time.
“It’s not long,” she said, counting on her fingers: “One day for each stage: preliminaries, semi-finals, and finals. That makes three days.”
He had intended to refuse, but looking into her clear, bright eyes, his heart softened.
“Fine, but Ling Qi must stay with you every step of the way. When the competition ends, return immediately. If anything happens, Ling Qi must send me a message.”
He considered that once she returned to the capital, she might not have another chance to do what she loved. Granting her request now was better than denying it.
“You… agreed?” Her eyes sparkled.
“Yes.” His cold, stern expression softened as he nodded.
She hugged his neck happily and kissed his cheek. “I knew you were the best!”
Feeling the softness of her touch, Xiao Lingzhou’s lips curved, and he held her closer.
“Did you remember everything I just said?” he asked.
“Remembered! Remembered!” She clung half-limply to him, nodding repeatedly.
“That’s good.”
He paused, then lifted his eyelids slightly, fingers brushing her hair and adjusting the peach-blossom-shaped hairpin adorned with gold and jewels.
“When you return, I have something important to tell you.”
“What is it?”
“Not yet.”
Jiang Yu groaned inwardly… another tease with no answer.
But she didn’t care—she was planning her escape. Whatever he wanted to say wasn’t important.
Six days remained until the makeup competition. She would spend these days resting and gathering energy.
After all, escaping silently under Xiao Lingzhou’s watchful eyes would require careful planning and effort.
Shifting the topic, she asked, “The day after tomorrow is your birthday. What gift would you like?”
He took her hand, leading her toward their quarters. “I want your handmade pumpkin cakes and longevity noodles.”
“That’s your idea of a gift?” She was in high spirits, willing to indulge him. Hooking her arms around his neck, she teased, “Isn’t there something special you really want?”
“Something special…” His gaze fell on the small portion of her exposed wrist, eyes darkening. “Do you remember last year’s birthday?”
“Why bring that up now?” Jiang Yu felt unexpectedly guilty, cheeks heating.
Could it be that he remembered when she pretended to be drunk to tease him?
Xiao Lingzhou’s throat moved as he curved his lips into a smile: “Ah Yu, you wanted to give me a birthday gift, right?”
He leaned close to her ear, warm breath brushing against her skin. “To me, no gift is as good as what you said that night.”
Jiang Yu blinked, confused. “What night?”
It had been a year. People forget the details.
“You really forgot?” His tone carried a hint of disappointment.
“No matter. I’ll help you recall it,” he said, scooping her up horizontally.
As he pressed her onto the bed, Jiang Yu knew tonight was destined to be sleepless.
…
After Xiao Lingzhou’s “efforts” throughout the night, she finally recalled her own mischievous words from the previous year.
Back then, she had insisted on finding out his birthday early.
On the day itself, with not-so-innocent intentions, she brought several jars of wine to him, claiming that he would feel lonely otherwise.
They say a woman’s three parts drunk is enough to influence a man’s heart.
That night, Xiao Lingzhou blushed and raced with excitement, and the next day his gaze softened toward her.
Her plan succeeded, and she promptly forgot the whole episode.
Yet Xiao Lingzhou remembered, vividly.
To him, that night, she tried to get him drunk but ended up intoxicated herself.
She insisted on going to the roof to admire the moon. Unable to bear her clinging, he reluctantly followed her.
Unexpectedly, after a while, she complained of being hot and began removing her outer layers.
It was late summer; she had only worn two or three layers in total.
Before he could react, she had removed her outer thin shirt, revealing a light purple embroidered inner garment that hugged a soft, pale curve.
He had never been so close to a woman before; his mind blanked.
When he tried to look away and stop her, she pressed him down, drunkenly entangling him atop the thatched roof.
Half-closed eyes, smiling: “Xiao Lingzhou, there’s something on your face.”
He tried to push her away, but her strength and persistence held him tight.
Resigned and fearful they might fall from the roof, he stayed still, hand at her waist, heart pounding.
“What is it?” he asked, mesmerized.
She cupped his face, forcing him to look at her, inching close, stopping just a finger’s width away. Her radiant, fair face brushed his features.
With a mischievous, seductive smile, she whispered: “Guess.”
Locking eyes with her as she shimmered like a lotus, imbued with the scent of wine, he swallowed instinctively.
“……I don’t know,” he replied, face burning.
Her finger pressed against his thin lips, eyes tracing every contour of his sharp features, making him shiver.
“You’re so silly—it’s my gaze,” she said, laughing heartily. “My gaze is stuck on your face. I can’t take it away.”
Her voice was soft, sweet, like a cat purring, making his heart skip beats.
Especially when she spoke so close.
So close that if he tilted his head slightly, their lips could meet.
Yet, a gentleman, he refrained.
Turning away in embarrassment, he controlled his racing heart. “You’re drunk.”
“I’m not! I’m not!”
She flailed her arms stubbornly. “I drink well—I won’t… won’t get drunk so easily!”
To him, her slurred speech betrayed the truth—she was very, very drunk.
He drew a deep breath, tried to sit up while holding her waist, but her weight pressed him firmly down.
“Xiao Lingzhou, I really want to…”
With her bold and scandalous words whispering in his ear, Xiao Lingzhou’s face flushed completely.