In a moment of impulse, I forcibly kissed my brother's best friend.

Princess Yuzhen rolled her eyes speechlessly, then laughed in exasperation.

"He's afraid I'll eat you up. Get out of my way."

Xie Yige suppressed a laugh, gave a curtsy, and then turned and left the pavilion. As she exited the princess's residence, Bichun and Zhixia were already waiting outside, and they greeted her immediately. Xie Yige, however, went straight to another carriage—the driver of which was none other than Baoyu.

As she approached, the carriage curtain was lifted from the inside, and a pair of fair, slender hands with distinct knuckles reached out, grasped her soft waist, and lifted her up.

"Cui Yutang, are you robbing someone in the street?" Xie Yige exclaimed in surprise as he lifted her into the car and held her in his arms. Her heart was pounding, unsure whether she was frightened by him or something else.

Zhi Xia was shocked and was about to rush over to grab the person when Bi Chun pulled her down.

"Don't go over there," Bichun said in a low voice.

Bao Yu also looked at Zhi Xia warily, her hand on the hilt of the sword at her waist. The two stared at each other, wishing they could fight on the spot.

Inside the carriage, Cui Yutang's gaze swept over her from head to toe, making sure she was unharmed before returning to her puffed-up face, which was flushed with anger. Her beautiful eyes shone brightly, as if filled with starlight.

He smiled gently, like the first snow melting, his long eyelashes drooping, looking incredibly handsome.

Xie Yige's heart skipped a beat.

"Did Li Yuzhen make things difficult for you?" He reached out and poked her puffed-up cheeks, his eyes focused and serious.

"Her Highness didn't make things difficult for me." Xie Yige grabbed his fingers that were playing with her face. "She not only treated me to the finest Mengding Stone Flower tea, but also gave me a very beautiful 'Butterfly Dance in Gilded' headdress."

"Yes, you look absolutely stunning today." Cui Yutang's voice was deep, and his eyes darkened further.

Xie Yige's face immediately turned red, and she couldn't tell whether he was praising the person or the "Butterfly Dance in Gilded Jewelry" headdress.

"Why did you come to pick me up?"

"Yes, I'm worried about you. I'm afraid she'll bully you."

He hit a straight shot, and Xie Yige felt like her whole body was on fire. It was as if a whole bottle of honey had been spilled in her chest, so sweet it was cloying and sickening.

"Would you... like to visit my Chaoyi Villa?" Cui Yutang's lips were tightly pursed, and he looked at her with great trepidation. After thinking for a moment, he added, "There is a large pear orchard there, and it is extremely beautiful when in bloom."

Xie Yige's eyes lit up immediately. She quickly got up from him, lifted the carriage curtain, and waved for Bichun and Zhixia to come over.

"Bichun, go back and tell your family that I'm going to visit Seventeenth Sister. Zhixia, you stay here with me."

Bichun hesitated, her face full of helplessness. Ever since her young mistress met Cui Langjun, she had become even more blinded by lust than King Zhou of Shang. She had no choice but to get into the carriage they had come in and return to the Zhou residence alone to take the blame. Zhixia sat next to Baoyu, the two staring at each other, wishing they could fight.

After Xie Yige sat down again, she saw Cui Yutang looking at her with a half-smile. Thinking about how she had lied to her family to go out with him, she became angry and embarrassed.

"You're not allowed to look anymore, or I'll..."

"Be careful of what?"

"Watch out or I'll beat you up. I'm really fierce." After saying that, she grinned, showing off a row of small, white teeth, trying to make a fierce expression—but she looked more like a bluffing little white rabbit.

Cui Yutang looked at her, his throat tightening.

He rolled up his sleeves, revealing his fair and strong arms with slightly bulging veins, looking both powerful and alluring: "I'll give you a bite to calm you down."

Xie Yige's eyes darted away, yet she couldn't help but steal glances. The hand had distinct knuckles, long, slender fingers, and veins that snaked along the back of the hand into the sleeve, exuding an indescribable sensuality and a sense of restraint.

She swallowed hard, feeling that his hand was perfect for doing something shady, like...

Oops!

Stop it right now, she's out of her mind, it must be Seventeen's fault.

She quickly closed her eyes, turned to the window, and tried to calm the anger that had been stirred up inside her. Seeing that she didn't say anything, Cui Yutang silently withdrew his hand and sat quietly to the side, no longer daring to provoke her.

Before long, the carriage stopped in front of a quiet manor.

Xie Yige lifted the curtain and looked out. The first thing that caught her eye was the plaque above the door—its calligraphy was strong and elegant, quite ancient, and it was actually Cui Yutang's handwriting. The plaque read "Chaoyi Villa".

Her gaze lingered on the character "宜" for a moment, and a thought struck her.

It's the same character as "宜" in her name.

She couldn't help but glance at Cui Yutang, opened her mouth, but fearing she might be presumptuous, she didn't dare ask. Instead, she casually changed the subject: "Have you always lived here?"

"Yes, it's quiet here. I like it here." Cui Yutang glanced at her discreetly. Seeing that she didn't ask any questions about the name of the villa, he breathed a sigh of relief, but was also slightly disappointed.

When Xie Yige entered Chaoyi Villa, she couldn't help but be amazed by its elegance and artistic conception.

Unlike the opulent and complex capital, this place exudes a poetic beauty born from the principle of "simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." White walls and black tiles, the natural colors of wood and stone, all exude a warm and gentle charm without any artificial embellishment. The outlines of the buildings are mostly outlined with simple lines, and the layout of every plant and tree inside emphasizes "blank space," achieving harmony between man and nature, and showcasing the elegant taste of the homeowner in every aspect.

"Water as the boundary, distant mountains as the painting." Xie Yige turned to look at Cui Yutang with bright eyes. "This place is so beautiful. Did you design it yourself? I love it."

A string of praises poured from her lips. Cui Yutang secretly breathed a sigh of relief, his heart feeling full and swollen, as if surrounded by countless bubbles. She liked it here; it was wonderful. A smile overflowed from the corner of his eye, impossible to hide.

"The pear blossom grove is on the back hill; would you like to go see it now?"

"Yes, I'm really looking forward to it." With that, she lifted her skirt and followed Cui Yutang.

Just as we reached the halfway point of the mountain, the magnificent sight of pear blossoms came into view.

From afar, the entire mountaintop looked as if it were covered by a late spring snow, a vast expanse of white, making it impossible to distinguish between flowers and clouds. When the wind rose, the petals fell softly, like fine snowflakes falling from the sky, carrying the sweet, crisp fragrance of pear blossoms.

"My God, Cui Yutang, is this a fairyland?" Xie Yige excitedly ran forward a few steps.

"Ouch—" She kicked a rock and fell straight forward.

This time, no one helped her up.

She fell into Cui Yutang's arms—he became her human cushion, her back slamming heavily onto the flower-strewn grass.