Xue Zi Ning returned to the Yan Manor. It was already night when she heard from the household servants that the Northern Frontier King had summoned her urgently.
For some reason, she felt a sense of unease.
"Sister. Just returned?" Xue Zi Xuan walked out, looking at her and asking.
Xue Zi Ning nodded. "Yes."
"Sister went to the Northern Frontier King's manor?"
Xue Zi Ning was slightly startled. She looked up at Xue Zi Xuan and asked, "How did you know?"
Upon hearing this, Xue Zi Xuan smiled faintly. "Given your temper and disposition, I guessed."
Xue Zi Ning looked at the young man beside her. Despite all he had been through, he still managed to maintain such an innocent heart, which was truly commendable.
"Zi Xuan, have you ever thought about leaving this court one day, being with the one you love, and traveling through thousands of miles of rivers and mountains, never caring about the world's troubles again?"
Xue Zi Xuan was slightly taken aback. After a long pause, he smiled. "I never thought about it before, but after being in the water prison this time, I've thought a lot. If there comes a day when the world is peaceful and stable, I wish to take Mother Consort to a paradise, then marry someone I love, and live a happy life together."
Xue Zi Ning turned her head, looking at the young man who was taller than her, and smiled. "Then I'll try my best to help you achieve that sooner, alright?"
Xue Zi Xuan nodded, his expression seeming a little conflicted. After a long while, he said, "But I don't want to be too far from Sister. Sister, am I too greedy? Do I want too much?"
"Not greedy. At that time, the world will be peaceful, and I also want to travel around. Shall we go together then?"
Upon hearing this, Xue Zi Xuan chuckled lightly. "Alright, Sister, it's a deal."
"It's a deal."
Xue Zi Ning would never have imagined that this wish of hers would ultimately never be realized.
"What are you talking about that makes you so happy?" Wen Yu Xi's voice came from behind.
Xue Zi Xuan turned around, saw Wen Yu Xi, and smiled. "I'm imagining the future with Sister."
"The future..." Wen Yu Xi walked over, gazing at the night sky, and slowly said, "Traveling through mountains and rivers sounds good. Why don't you take me along?"
"Alright, at that time we'll take a large ship and travel by sea," Xue Zi Ning said slowly.
That night, Xue Zi Ning would never forget. The few of them were here, envisioning their future.
Later, their conversation wasn't enough, so they started drinking.
As Xue Zi Ning felt tipsy, she was picked up. "Wen Yu Xi, is that you?"
For some reason, she felt a chill from head to toe. In her muddled state, she saw a face of astonishing beauty, refined and handsome. "You... how can you be so handsome?"
She reached out to touch his face. He turned his head away and said coldly, "A Ning, you're drunk..."
She was stunned. "Drunk? Then I must be dreaming?"
He seemed helpless and said nothing.
"Since it's a dream, then whatever I do is fine, right?"
He was startled, not understanding the meaning of her words.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, suddenly stood up, and placed her lips precisely on his. The icy touch made her sober up a little. She then saw that she had touched Yan Jin Chao's face, lip to lip. She was stunned. What... what was she doing?
Yan Jin Chao froze. She had actually kissed him...
Xue Zi Ning quickly jumped out of his embrace, throwing out a sentence, "I... I'm going back to my room to rest." Without looking back, she left.
Back in her room, her heart was still pounding. She patted her face. What on earth was she doing?
She must have drunk too much, too much. Wen Yu Xi and Xue Zi Xuan were also to blame. How could they have let Yan Jin Chao carry her away? Later, she was too sleepy to think about these things anymore. She didn't know when she fell asleep.
The next day, when Xue Zi Ning woke up, her head was splitting with pain.
She didn't dare to go out for breakfast. Only after Yan Jin Chao had finished his breakfast did she dare to go out. When she arrived, only Wen Yu Xi and Xue Zi Xuan were there. She breathed a sigh of relief. Otherwise, if she encountered Yan Jin Chao now, she would only feel awkward.
"Sister, you're up so late today," Xue Zi Xuan said.
Xue Zi Ning's lips twitched. "I drank too much last night, and my head still hurts a bit."
Wen Yu Xi looked up at her and said, "It's normal for His Majesty to wake up late after drinking. Young Master Yan didn't drink much either. Why is he late too?"
As Xue Zi Ning was about to eat her porridge, she heard Wen Yu Xi say this and her heart skipped a beat. Yan Jin Chao was here?
She didn't turn around, but she could feel someone walking up behind her and sitting beside her.
The clean, refreshing scent was as pleasant as last night. She couldn't help but involuntarily recall his lips, which were soft but very cold.
"Sister, why is your face red? Are you still not completely sober from the wine?" Xue Zi Xuan suddenly spoke.
"Eat your food," Xue Zi Ning said angrily. She thought Xue Zi Xuan was deliberately bringing up the most sensitive topic.
Xue Zi Xuan pouted and said, "I was just concerned about Sister."
Concerned now, but not before, Xue Zi Ning felt that Xue Zi Xuan was doing this on purpose.
"Young Master Yan, why are you also late today?" Wen Yu Xi asked.
Xue Zi Ning raised her eyes and glared fiercely at Wen Yu Xi. Wen Yu Xi pretended not to see and continued to ask, "Thank you, Young Master Yan, for escorting A Ning back to her room last night."
With a clatter, Xue Zi Ning's chopsticks fell to the floor. "My chopsticks dropped."
As she said this, she quickly went to pick them up. However, a slender hand had already picked up the chopsticks before hers, wiped them clean, and handed them to her.
Xue Zi Ning was stunned for a moment, then, steeling herself, she accepted them.
"Young Master Yan, did the Northern Frontier King summon you in a hurry for a reason?" Wen Yu Xi asked.
Hearing Wen Yu Xi's words, Xue Zi Ning also became serious.
Yan Jin Chao saw the person beside him also seemed to have a serious expression and said faintly, "Mr. Feng was attacked yesterday. The Northern Frontier King has decided to thoroughly search Beijiang City, leaving no chance for the assassins to escape. I am mainly responsible for apprehending the assassins."
As an assassin herself, Xue Zi Ning smiled awkwardly. The assassin was her.
And he was dining with the assassin, how ironic.
"A Ning, eat more..." Yan Jin Chao suddenly placed some food into her bowl.
Xue Zi Ning was startled and subconsciously looked up, meeting his eyes, which were as bright as stars, exceptionally beautiful.
She quickly lowered her gaze, not daring to look at those dazzling eyes.
Her heart began to race uncontrollably.
In that moment, how she wished her Yan Zhao had returned.
After breakfast, Yan Jin Chao left.
Xue Zi Ning finally breathed a sigh of relief. Wen Yu Xi walked over and said, "Your Majesty, I see he has feelings for you."
"Wen Yu Xi, I will handle my own affairs. Don't do this next time."
Wen Yu Xi smiled upon hearing this. "Aren't I just anxious?"
"Anxiety won't help," Xue Zi Ning said.
Wen Yu Xi suddenly lowered his voice. "Your Majesty, the army is almost here. We can catch them all at once then."