Yun Zhao wanted to pretend to be asleep.
Yan Nantian, however, used his long, calloused fingers to gently comb through her hair, one stroke at a time, unhurriedly. His fingertips were slightly cool and firm, pressing against her head just right. It was too comfortable.
Yun Zhao felt like a cat being petted. She struggled not to fall asleep, but her eyelids just wouldn't cooperate.
‘I’m not going to let him lull me to sleep… hmm…’
She drifted off, and he remained by the bed, gently stroking her hair.
This girl, with her snow-white profile and slightly pouting red lips, embodied all the world’s charm and liveliness.
She was the girl he held dearest to his heart.
Yan Nantian lowered his eyes and smiled faintly, as if he intended to sit by her bedside until the end of time.
Until a guard outside the window signaled.
*
Yun Zhao woke up in the middle of the night, inexplicably startled.
“Yan Gege…”
She called out instinctively, but received no response.
The hall was silent, and by the hourglass, it was probably the second watch of the night.
Yun Zhao got up, put on her outer robe, and stormed out while fuming, “Yan Nantian! Didn’t you hear me calling you?!”
As she passed by the crystal tank containing the gossamer, her drowsy mind cleared a little.
Through the water’s surface, Yun Zhao gazed at it with complex emotions.
May we hold hands and grow old together, until our hair turns white.
His handwriting was truly beautiful.
This should have been a cherished token of affection, now left alone here… and even poisoned.
‘Yan Nantian, it’s all your fault!’
She thought bitterly, her teeth itching and her heart aching.
She averted her gaze and marched straight into the side hall where he slept, “Yan Nantian!”
When she lifted the curtain, the bed was cold and empty.
The bedding was neatly piled, and when she touched it, there was no warmth at all.
He hadn’t slept here.
He hadn’t slept here?!
Yun Zhao was momentarily stunned. Before her brain could process it, her heart was already racing, “thump thump thump,” pounding painfully in her chest.
A strange, intense excitement surged through her.
It felt a bit like anger, a bit like nervousness, and a bit like excitement.
… It was the feeling described in those romance novels when “catching someone in the act.”
Yun Zhao took a deep breath and stormed out of the main hall, standing on the high steps in front of the palace, glaring around with a fierce look.
Even at night, the Eastern Palace had guards on duty. They were well-trained, standing silently like statues in their positions.
As Yun Zhao passed by, the guards bowed.
She crossed the central courtyard and headed straight for the west hall.
Sure enough, from a distance, she could see that the west hall was no longer dimly lit—it now glowed with warm yellow palace lanterns.
Yun Zhao couldn’t help but sneer.
She shouted loudly, “Yan Nantian, get out here!”
A familiar guard suddenly appeared like a ghost in front of her and whispered, “Miss Yun, the prince isn’t here.”
Yun Zhao snapped, “Get out of my way!”
The guard, looking helpless, tried to persuade her, “The prince really isn’t in the west hall, Miss Yun, please go back.”
“I said, get out of my way!”
“The prince instructed…”
Yun Zhao suddenly narrowed her eyes.
She pushed past the guard and stomped down the corridor, her gaze fixed on a large carved wooden window.
The candlelight in the west hall cast vivid shadows on the paper.
Though just shadows of ordinary objects, Yun Zhao, sharp as she was, immediately noticed the teacup on the low table by the window that Yan Nantian had used.
That man always left the lid of his teacup in a precarious position after drinking.
Just by the shadow, she could tell.
Through the window, Yun Zhao stared at the teacup.
The night dew was cold, and soon soaked her clothes, making her feel like a wet statue, about to melt away.
In her daze, she seemed to understand something—this was what it felt like to truly “catch someone in the act.”
The fire in her chest, like a burning desire to destroy everything, was the fire that would consume their feelings.
“Yan Nantian!”
Yun Zhao’s voice was hoarse, her volume lower, but her momentum remained. “Get out here!”
She charged toward the hall door, ready to barge in.
She didn’t believe these guards would dare touch her.
The guards indeed didn’t dare, but a row of palace maids had quietly blocked the entrance to the west hall.
They bowed their heads and pursed their lips, standing firm as if ready to take any abuse.
Yun Zhao laughed coldly, “Don’t think I won’t kill!”
She reached for her knife, but it was gone, along with her dagger.
Frustrated, she stomped her feet.
The older palace maid even snickered beside her, her expression indulgent, as if watching a mischievous child.
Yun Zhao was furious.
Just as things were getting chaotic, the hall door “creaked” open from inside.
The scene instantly fell silent.
The warm candlelight from within spilled out, illuminating the ground.
In the glow stood a person.
“Miss Yun…” The jasmine-like woman in white nervously twisted her hands, timidly lifting her eyes, “You’ve misunderstood, Yan Gege didn’t come to me tonight.”
Yun Zhao coldly scrutinized her.
This woman, with her delicate appearance, didn’t resemble her father at all.
How could the daughter of a great general be so pretentious?
Perhaps it was preconceived bias, but hearing the other woman speak like that, Yun Zhao felt a surge of malicious anger—she couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was wrong, but everything felt off!
“The prince is a very good person,” Wen Nuannuan bit her lip, her fingers clutching her dress, “Miss Yun, you can’t just accuse us like this.”
Yun Zhao: “Accuse? You? Hah, you two dogs!”
Wen Nuannuan’s eyes instantly welled up with tears, “How can you curse like that?”
Yun Zhao sneered, “I don’t just curse, I’ll kill…”
“Ahem.”
A low cough came from behind.
Yun Zhao turned to look, and saw the palace doors slowly opening to either side. Yan Nantian stood at the entrance, draped in night dew, his tall figure imposing.
He rubbed his temple with two fingers, gazing at her from a distance with a look of helplessness.
Yun Zhao: “…”
Yun Zhao: “Don’t think you’re off the hook just because you’re not inside!”
Yan Nantian strode toward her.
Even before he got close, a chill swept over her.
Up close, his black cloak was soaked through, every strand of fur drenched.
Without a word, it was clear he had been out all night.
Yun Zhao wasn’t the least bit guilty. She raised her chin and glared at him coldly.
“Yan Gege,” Wen Nuannuan’s eyes reddened again, her voice trembling with tears, “I’ve explained, but Miss Yun doesn’t believe me.”
Yan Nantian didn’t even look at her.
He lowered his eyes, gazing at Yun Zhao with a faint, amused smile.
He said, “Our Ah Zhao is hard to coax. Not just any words will do.”
Yun Zhao: “?”
For a moment, she couldn’t tell if he was praising her or mocking her.
Yan Nantian smiled and rubbed his hands together, warming them before pressing them against her ears.
He did it so naturally, as if no one else was around.
“It’s my fault,” he lowered his head, patiently coaxing her, “I shouldn’t have let Ah Zhao wake up and not find me.”
Yun Zhao: “Hmph.”
Wen Nuannuan looked astonished.
This seemingly gentle and approachable man, whose thoughts ran deep, would actually tease people like an older brother next door.
Yun Zhao, however, was used to it. She impatiently shook her head, trying to shake him off.
He infused his palms with warm energy.
In no time, the cold, wet statue that she was had been warmed up.
She didn’t feel like moving anymore.
“It was sudden, next time I won’t let it happen,” Yan Nantian said, taking advantage of the moment. “You’re wearing too little, let’s go back to the sleeping quarters first, okay?”
Yun Zhao indifferently: “Mmm.”
He instinctively put his arm around her shoulders—careful to flip his cold cloak to the side, so as not to chill her.
He led her toward the main hall, his brows and eyes vibrant: “Our Ah Zhao, only I can coax her well.”
Looking quite satisfied with himself.
Yun Zhao: “…”
She felt this Yan Nantian had somehow taken the wrong script—as if Wen Nuannuan was his rival, and he was deliberately showing off by holding Yun Zhao.
*
Yun Zhao was wrapped up by Yan Nantian in blankets.
Like a little snowball, she sat piled up on the bed.
He had also changed into a set of clothes, a light blue brocade robe, his hair tied with a silver crown, looking pure and clear.
He sat by the bed, his eyebrows and eyes hiding a smile.
“What are you laughing at!”
“What,” he slightly narrowed his eyes, “my fiancée cares about me, gets jealous and causes a ruckus in the Eastern Palace, and I can’t secretly rejoice?”
Yun Zhao: “Get lost!”
Yan Nantian didn’t leave; instead, he hugged her and laughed.
Even a round, bundled-up ball of blankets, he could still hold.
As he laughed, he said, “Earlier, I went to clean up after your mother.”
Yun Zhao: “Hmm?”
Yan Nantian's pale amber eyes gleamed with a touch of coldness. "The assassin had evidence that your mother had ordered him to assassinate someone in the Eastern Palace. He intended to go to the Forbidden City to inform on her. You know, such matters can be taken seriously or lightly."
Yun Zhao's drowsiness instantly vanished, her eyes burning with intensity as she stared at him.
Yan Nantian didn't beat around the bush. "After some...persuasion, he confessed. He was a spy from Fang Jianyi, having infiltrated the Yun family for over three years."
Yun Zhao nodded. "That sly fox, Fang Jianyi!"
He was her father's arch-nemesis.
"Then my mother's order..."
"It's all been returned to the Yun residence. Don't worry."
"Oh."
He was always meticulous in his work, leaving no loose ends.
By the bright light of the candles in the hall, she glanced at him briefly.
He was already quite frail, and this late-night excursion had further drained him, making his lips even paler. His entire face lacked color, almost translucent.
"Zhao..." He raised his hand to gently ruffle her hair.
Yun Zhao looked away. "What is it?"
"You know, after Father fell ill, his suspicions grew heavier," Yan Nantian said softly. "In the future, we may need to be even more cautious."
Yun Zhao dismissed it with a casual, "Oh."
Yan Nantian sighed. "You have such a hot temper. You need to rein it in when you're outside. Just look at today—how many times did you wrongly accuse me because of your impulsiveness?"
Yun Zhao retorted, "Who told you to not speak up sooner!"
Yan Nantian patiently explained, "Earlier today, at the palace gates, there were too many people around. It wasn't the right time to go into details. I asked you to come in, but you refused."
Yun Zhao: "..."
He continued gently, "You'll understand why I lost my energy once you see that scroll. Yet you ran off and shouted about breaking off the engagement so loudly that everyone on the Nine Peaks could hear it."
Yun Zhao: "..."
He feigned a look of utter despair. "Your mother sent assassins to my palace, and not only did I cover it up for her, but I also let the entire palace see me humiliated. They're probably still laughing at me right now."
Yun Zhao: "..."
Yun Zhao had never bowed her head to anyone in her life.
She pouted, hesitating for a moment, before mumbling, "Three times."
Yan Nantian: "What?"
She took a deep breath. "I wrongly accused you three times."
This was her response to his earlier question.
"Mm," Yan Nantian gently rubbed her head. "It's fine. I wasn't angry; in fact, I was quite happy. So, Zhao, you don't need to feel sorry."
"Oh."
"In the future, trust me a little more, okay? When you have doubts, at least give me a little time to explain." He gazed earnestly into her eyes. "Just wait for me. Once I have the strength, I'll always catch up to you."