Yun Wang disembarked from the boat and was slightly taken aback upon seeing Yan Jin Chao. "You... you..."
"I am Yan Jin Chao," Yan Jin Chao stated calmly.
Yun Wei Hai frowned slightly, but seeing Yan Jin Chao's composed demeanor, he didn't suspect it was intentional. Could there truly be two people who looked exactly alike in this world?
"Prince Yun..." Yan Jin Chao spoke up, noticing Yun Wei Hai seemed lost in thought.
Yun Wei Hai snapped back to attention. "This prince merely found Young Master Yan to resemble a departed acquaintance. It might have been a mistake. Young Master Yan, please do not take offense."
"I will not," Yan Jin Chao replied softly.
If appearances could be identical, what about expressions and bearing? Why did he feel this was the true Xue Jing Yun?
However, Yun Wei Hai did not pursue the topic, deciding to find a more suitable opportunity to probe further.
"Prince Yun, please..." Yan Jin Chao gestured.
Yun Wei Hai nodded, about to walk towards the carriage behind Yan Jin Chao. Suddenly, he stopped, his gaze falling upon the maid beside Yan Jin Chao, and he froze.
"Prince Yun?" Yan Jin Chao looked at Yun Wei Hai. Upon seeing Yun Wei Hai's eyes fixed on A Ning, he felt a strange displeasure. He took a step forward, shielding A Ning behind him.
Unable to see those familiar, clear eyes, Yun Wei Hai realized his lapse in composure.
He cleared his throat to cover his awkwardness and stepped towards the carriage.
Xue Zi Ning knew Yun Wei Hai must be harboring suspicions about her.
But he hadn't voiced them, likely out of consideration for her identity. If she could create an opportunity, perhaps Yun Wei Hai would seek her out. She simply had to wait patiently.
"Sit in the rear carriage with me," Yan Jin Chao said calmly, his voice brooking no argument.
Xue Zi Ning, thinking there was no rush, nodded. "Yes, Young Master."
Once settled in the carriage, before Xue Zi Ning could fully sit, Yan Jin Chao handed her a box. She blinked. "Young Master, what is this..."
"I don't like eating it, you have it!" Yan Jin Chao said, then closed his eyes to rest, no longer looking at her.
Xue Zi Ning paused for a moment, then opened the box. Her gaze faltered. Inside were pastries; they were peach blossom cakes, her favorite.
In the past, she would have thought Yan Zhao had brought them incidentally. Only now did she realize Yan Zhao had prepared them deliberately, because Yan Zhao disliked peach blossom cakes.
Even though he had lost his memory of her, he still remembered to bring her peach blossom cakes.
Her eyes became a little blurry.
"Thank you, Young Master!" Xue Zi Ning said, her voice hoarse.
Yan Jin Chao opened his eyes and looked at the woman immersed in the peach blossom cakes. A slight curve touched his lips.
An hour later, the carriage stopped outside the Northern Frontier King's manor. Yan Jin Chao alighted, followed by Xue Zi Ning. The Northern Frontier King had already appeared outside the manor.
Yun Wei Hai walked forward. "Northern Frontier King, long time no see!"
The Northern Frontier King smiled. "Indeed, it has been a long time. Prince Yun, please..."
The two men entered the manor.
Yan Jin Chao turned to Xue Zi Ning. "Return to the manor."
Xue Zi Ning blinked. "Young Master, aren't you going in?"
"No," he replied, and then turned and walked back towards the carriage.
Although she desperately wanted to go inside and hear what Yun Wei Hai and the Northern Frontier King were discussing, at this moment, she could only leave.
Getting into the carriage, Xue Zi Ning was beyond the King's realm.
Suddenly, the carriage stopped. Yan Jin Chao opened his eyes. "Alight from the carriage."
Xue Zi Ning blinked. Yan Jin Chao had already stepped out, so she had no choice but to follow.
The moment she stepped out, she was captivated by the scenery before her. A vast expanse of flowers was in full bloom. It was truly rare to see so many flowers blooming in what was about to be winter.
"Young Master, these flowers..."
"They will be sent into the city tomorrow. Today, I am conducting my routine inspection," Yan Jin Chao said.
Regardless of the reason, Xue Zi Ning was already deeply impressed. A single flower might not be so astonishing, but thousands, tens of thousands, that was truly extraordinary.
"You can have half an hour to admire them. I will rest in the carriage for a while," Yan Jin Chao said, then turned and returned to the carriage.
Xue Zi Ning wandered among the flowers, her mood inexplicably lifted.
Yan Jin Chao, peering through a gap in the carriage, watched the girl amidst the flowers, like a sprite, and his lips curved upwards.
For some reason, the more he interacted with her, the more her joys and sorrows tugged at him. Seeing her happy made him happy, and her unhappiness made him unhappy. This empathy left him bewildered.
"Miss, this is the place where the flowers prepared for sending into the city tomorrow are," Xiao Huan said excitedly, pointing to the sea of flowers not far away.
Jiang Yu Li nodded, feeling a sense of awe. "It's truly rare to have so many flowers at this season."
Xiao Huan giggled, covering her mouth. "Miss, if you want to praise Young Master Yan, you can do so boldly!"
Jiang Yu Li's previously bright smile slowly dimmed. "But he doesn't care."
He doesn't care about the little things she's done.
"Miss, look, why is someone over there?" Xiao Huan exclaimed.
Jiang Yu Li followed Xiao Huan's pointing finger. Indeed, there was a person in the flowers, a woman, moving through them. "Go see who it is."
Xiao Huan nodded. "Yes."
She then instructed the servants behind them to investigate who this person was.
Jiang Yu Li watched the woman from afar and suddenly said, "Xiao Huan, doesn't that person look like Miss Feng?"
Xiao Huan squinted. "Miss, you're right, she really does."
Jiang Yu Li said, "Let's go take a look."
Xiao Huan followed Jiang Yu Li closer. Upon seeing the person in the flowers clearly, she couldn't help but exclaim, "Miss Feng, why are you here?"
Xue Zi Ning looked up at Jiang Yu Li, with only a few words crossing her mind: "Enemies meet on a narrow road."
She stepped out and curtsied slightly. "Greetings, Miss Jiang."
"Miss Feng, what are you doing?" Jiang Yu Li asked, frowning.
"Miss Jiang has mistaken me. I am a maid beside Young Master Yan, not Miss Feng."
"How could that be? You clearly are..."
"Xiao Huan..." Jiang Yu Li interrupted Xiao Huan and looked at Xue Zi Ning. "Is Young Master Yan also here?"
Xue Zi Ning nodded and pointed to the carriage not far away. "Young Master is in that carriage."
Jiang Yu Li nodded. "Alright, I understand. I'll go say hello to Young Master Yan."
Saying this, Jiang Yu Li led Xiao Huan towards the carriage.
Arriving outside the carriage, Jiang Yu Li curtsied. "Young Master Yan."
After a long while with no reply, Jiang Yu Li called out again. "Young Master Yan..."
Xiao Huan said, "Young Master Yan, my miss..."
"Xiao Huan..." Jiang Yu Li interrupted Yan Gongzi.
"The Young Master might be resting. I'll go wake him," Xue Zi Ning said, walking over from behind. She went to the carriage and directly lifted the curtain, pausing slightly as she saw his sleeping face.
Jiang Yu Li couldn't help but peer into the carriage as well. That refined and handsome face appeared before her.
His eyes were closed, his long eyelashes quivering slightly, like butterfly wings in flight.
For a moment, she felt as if time had stood still, peaceful and beautiful.