With her delicate face and slender waist, the royal uncle lost control.

He forced a smile: "Nian'er, I don't know when it started, but you've become so distant from me."

Yun Nian lowered her head, staring at the tips of her shoes, and said in a calm voice, "Now that the young master has achieved his wish, there is no need to mention our past."

"Did you get what you wanted?"

Qin Senyao was stung by the hidden wound in his heart.

He remembered that day when his father led her away by the hand and announced on the spot that their wedding was canceled.

I heard that yesterday her father pleaded with the Emperor for her to have the privilege of deciding her own marriage.

There's definitely something wrong with these two people.

Thinking of this, Qin Senyao's tone suddenly became agitated, "How could I have gotten what I wanted? Nian'er, did your father force you? Did he have something on you and threaten you to leave me?"

"Your Highness,"

Yun Nian interrupted him, looked up and stared directly at him, "Our matter has nothing to do with anyone else, and no one forced me."

She paused, her voice tinged with helplessness, "You've never been sincere with me, you know that yourself. Why should we torture each other?"

"No!"

Qin Senyao stepped forward, grabbing her arm in a fit of emotion. "Nian'er, I love you. I've always loved you! Go tell Father that you're still willing to marry me, okay? I won't marry Xue'er anymore. I'll only marry you."

"Your Highness,"

Yun Nian struggled but couldn't break free. Her brows furrowed slightly. "I don't want to share a husband with someone else. I've said that before, and I don't want to."

"You're willing!"

Qin Senyao seemed deaf to everything, growing more and more agitated as he spoke, "You used to love me so much, you were so determined to marry me... Nian'er, let's go back to the way things were, okay?"

As he spoke, he tried to forcibly pull her into his arms.

Yun Nian's face turned pale, and she was about to struggle when suddenly...

Qin Senyao felt his body suddenly lighten, and he uncontrollably fell backward, crashing heavily to the ground with a "bang".

He turned around in astonishment, only to find Qin Jiuchen standing behind him, his face cold and his eyes sharp as knives.

Qin Jiuchen didn't even glance at him, but walked straight to Yun Nian's side and gently pulled her behind him.

"roll."

He uttered only one word, yet it carried the power of thunder.

Qin Senyao scrambled to his feet, meeting his father's icy gaze. A chill ran through him, and all his resentment and anger instantly turned into fear.

He opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing, and stumbled away from the courtyard.

The courtyard returned to silence, with only the lingering fragrance of osmanthus blossoms.

Qin Jiuchen turned around and looked down at Yun Nian.

Her face was still a little pale, and the hand he held was slightly cold.

"Were you startled?" he asked gently.

Yun Nian shook her head, looked up at him, and suddenly smiled: "Your Highness has arrived just in time."

The sunlight fell on her face again, and the panic she had just felt had dissipated, restoring a vibrant glow to her eyes and brows.

Qin Jiuchen raised his hand and gently brushed away the osmanthus petals from her hair: "If he bothers you again in the future, just have him kicked out."

"it is good."

Yun Nian obediently responded and took his hand in return, "Why has Your Highness come?"

"Just passing by," Qin Jiuchen said without changing his expression, "I smelled the fragrance of osmanthus and came to take a look."

Yun Nian smiled, not exposing how coincidental his "on the way" was.

She bent down and picked up the bamboo basket from the ground; it was already covered with a layer of golden petals.

"I picked some osmanthus flowers to make osmanthus cake for the prince."

She proudly held the basket up to him, exclaiming, "It smells wonderful!"

Seeing her bright, sparkling eyes, Qin Jiuchen's displeasure caused by Qin Senyao vanished.

He took the basket, and naturally took her hand with his other hand: "Okay, I'll wait."

The two walked into the house side by side, their shadows stretched long by the autumn sun, overlapping each other intimately.

Under the eaves, Qiluo quietly breathed a sigh of relief, a relieved smile appearing on her face.

-

That evening, Chen Sha was transferred by Qin Jiuchen to the courtyard where Yun Nian lived, specifically to be on guard duty.

When the news arrived, Qiluo was the happiest.

After dinner, night fell.

A bright moon hangs in the sky, its clear light spilling across the courtyard and casting shadowy patterns on the osmanthus tree.

Yun Nian sat on the soft couch by the window inside the house, and through the slightly ajar window crack, she saw two familiar figures in the courtyard.

Qiluo and Chensha stood under the osmanthus tree, a step apart.

The moonlight, like water, gently enveloped the two of them.

Qiluo lowered her head, twisting a handkerchief in her hand, saying something softly, her voice indistinct.

But she would occasionally glance at Chen Sha, then smile, revealing a shallow dimple.

Chen Sha stood tall and straight, his usually stern face softened considerably in the moonlight.

He listened to Qiluo speak with his head down, a faint smile playing on his lips, his eyes filled with a tenderness and focus she had never seen before.

The two stood there, one talking and the other listening, occasionally exchanging a smile.

Moonlight bathed their shoulders, a gentle breeze carried the delicate fragrance of osmanthus blossoms, and the scene was so beautiful that one hesitated to disturb it.

Yun Nian rested her chin on her hands, a smile curving her lips as she watched.

She grew up with Qiluo since childhood, and she knew the girl's thoughts all too well.

Seeing her get along so well with the person she likes makes me happy too.

Just as I was engrossed in watching, I suddenly heard a soft laugh behind me.

"Should I go talk to Chensha? Maybe we can take your little girl in?"

Yun Nian was startled and quickly put her hand down and turned around, only to see Qin Jiuchen leaning against the door at some point.

He changed into a moon-white casual outfit, tied his long hair up with a jade crown, crossed his arms in front of his chest, and looked at her with a smile.

Seeing her turn around, he stepped in and sat down naturally beside her.

Yun Nian didn't get up, but poured himself a cup of warm tea and pushed it in front of him: "Why didn't you say anything when you arrived, Your Highness?"

Qin Jiuchen picked up his teacup and drank it all in one gulp, a hint of weariness showing between his brows: "Seeing you looking so engrossed, I didn't want to disturb you."

He seemed unusually tired today, even his tea-drinking was more hurried than usual.

Yun Nian carefully examined him and then noticed that there were faint dark circles under his eyes, which must be because he had been busy with government affairs these past few days and had not had a proper rest.

A slight stirring in her heart, she stood up and walked behind him, gently placing her fingers on his temples.

"Is Your Highness tired?"

She asked softly, her fingertips already gently pressing.

Qin Jiuchen's body stiffened slightly, then relaxed, and he comfortably closed his eyes: "Hmm, there are some trivial matters in the court."

Her technique wasn't very skilled, but it was gentle enough.

She gently smoothed his furrowed brow with her fingertips.

The delicate fragrance of osmanthus wafted from her sleeves, mingling with her unique sweet scent, gradually easing his tense nerves.

But after a short while, Qin Jiuchen raised his hand and pressed down on her hand.

"Stop pressing it."

He gently pulled her in front of him, "My arms are tired."

Before Yun Nian could react, he had already pulled her into his arms and made her sit on his lap.

Her face flushed, but she didn't struggle. She simply wrapped her arms around his neck obediently, letting him hold her like that.

Qin Jiuchen buried his face in the crook of her neck, took a deep breath, and said in a muffled voice, "Just let me hold you for a little while."