Host! I told you to do a task! I didn't tell you to bbb.

The chrysanthemum appreciation banquet has officially begun.

Princess Jin Yi stood up, clapped her hands lightly, and led everyone toward the main banquet pavilion.

The waterside pavilion overlooks the chrysanthemum pond, which is filled with various famous chrysanthemums. The black chrysanthemums are like splashed ink, and the green clouds are like solidified emeralds. When the wind blows, they ripple with waves of flowers, and the fragrance is refreshing.

"Thank you all for gracing us with your presence today. This first toast is for you all; may you enjoy the chrysanthemum viewing to the fullest!"

Princess Jin Yi raised her wine cup, her smile gentle. Everyone else raised their cups in response, and the soft clinking of cups filled the banquet.

Liu Yunshu sat down next to Wen Zhimiao and, seeing that his wine glass was untouched, gently nudged him with her elbow: "Brother, why aren't you drinking?"

Wen Zhimiao glanced down at the wine in her glass, tapped the glass lightly with her fingertips, and said in a flat tone, "I have to go back to Dali Temple to review the case files later, so it's inconvenient for me to drink."

Liu Yunshu nodded immediately, reached out and picked up the wine glass in front of him, and drank it down in one gulp.

The liquor was smooth on the palate, with a slightly sweet aftertaste. Liu Yunshu smacked her lips and said, "The taste is not bad, it's a pity you can't drink it, brother."

Wen Zhimiao glanced at the small wine stain on the corner of her mouth, her Adam's apple bobbing slightly. She reached out and handed her a handkerchief, her tone carrying a barely perceptible hint of indulgence: "Wipe it clean."

Liu Yunshu took the handkerchief and wiped her mouth, about to speak.

Princess Jin Yi walked over with a wine cup in her hand, her gaze falling on Wen Zhimiao.

"Young Master Wen, this is the manor's special brew, 'Chrysanthemum Dew Spring.' It's made by aging freshly picked chrysanthemums in cellars for six months. It's smooth and has a good flavor. Why don't you give it a try?"

Before he could answer, Liu Yunshu immediately stood up, smiling as she stepped in front of Wen Zhimiao and took the wine cup from Princess Jinyi's hand.

"We appreciate your kindness, Princess! However, my brother truly has official duties to attend to, and drinking might cause him to jeopardize his work. I will drink this cup for him. Thank you for the fine wine, Princess!"

With that, she tilted her head back and drank the wine in one gulp. As she put down the empty cup, she shook her wrist and said, "It truly lives up to its reputation; it's even more refreshing than the last cup."

Princess Jin Yi tightened her grip on the wine pot slightly, but the smile on her face didn't fade. She said helplessly, "Yun Shu is quite straightforward. Since the Junior Tutor has official business, I won't force him."

She gave Wen Zhimiao a deep look before turning to greet the other guests.

After the princess had walked away, Wen Zhimiao tugged at Liu Yunshu's sleeve, gesturing for her to sit down. Her tone was slightly reproachful but full of concern: "Don't drink so much, or you'll get dizzy."

"I'm fine, this little bit of alcohol is nothing."

Liu Yunshu waved her hand dismissively and put another piece of crab roe tofu on his plate. "Brother, eat this. You've gotten so thin lately."

Wen Zhimiao looked at the tofu on the plate, then at her bright eyes, picked up her chopsticks and slowly chewed, the coldness in her eyes completely melting away.

Xiao Ce, who was not far away, walked over with a wine cup in his hand and teased with a smile: "Qinglan, your sister is really protective of you. Just now, the princess's look was clearly aimed at you. It's all thanks to Sister Yunshu who came out of the predicament."

Wen Zhimiao glanced at him sideways, but didn't reply. She simply handed Liu Yunshu a cup of tea: "Drink some tea to sober up."

Liu Yunshu took the tea and drank a sip. Suddenly, her eyes lit up, and she pointed to the stage by the pond: "Brother, look! They're about to put on a play!"

All eyes turned to the stage, where actors dressed in brightly colored costumes took to the stage to the sound of gongs and drums.

The song was "Autumn River," and the melodious singing drew cheers from the audience.

Liu Yunshu was engrossed in watching, her fingers tapping lightly on the table in time with the rhythm.

Wen Zhimiao didn't look at the stage; his gaze was fixed on her profile. He noticed her occasionally furrowing her brows and occasionally smiling with her eyes crinkling, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously curled up as well.

By the time the chrysanthemum appreciation banquet ended, the sun was already setting in the west.

The two sat in the carriage. Liu Yunshu leaned against the soft couch, her cheeks flushed with the light red of wine, and her eyes were somewhat unfocused.

She stood up unsteadily, reaching for the jade pendant hanging on the carriage wall, but her foot slipped, and she fell straight onto Wen Zhimiao.

Wen Zhimiao reacted quickly, reaching out to catch her steadily. His palm rested on her waist, touching something warm and soft.

His heart tightened, and he instinctively tightened his arms, his tone urgent: "Stand still, don't move."

Liu Yunshu didn't respond, but instead snuggled closer to him, the faint scent of ink and snow pine lingering around her nose, and sighed contentedly.

She raised her watery eyes, staring intently at Wen Zhimiao's jawline, her voice soft and indistinct: "Brother, you smell so good..."

Wen Zhimiao's Adam's apple bobbed violently, and the arm holding her stiffened, but she didn't push her away.

He could feel her warm breath brushing against the side of his neck, making his skin tingle and his heartbeat erratic.

"Stop fooling around, sit up straight."

He spoke in a low voice, but his tone lacked its usual authority and instead carried a hint of barely perceptible panic.

Liu Yunshu ignored him and instead took advantage of the situation, reaching out to wrap her arms around his neck and sniffing him intensely.

"It smells so good... even better than the sandalwood in the maternal courtyard."

Wen Zhimiao's body tensed up instantly, the temperature of her palm almost burning through her clothes.

He looked down at the flushed cheeks, slightly parted lips, and teary, completely dependent eyes of the person in his arms.

My heart was pounding like a drum, and I even slowed my breathing.

"Yun Shu, stop fooling around."

His voice was slightly hoarse. He wanted to raise his hand to pull her hand away, but he was afraid of hurting her if he used too much force.

"Huh? What's this?"

Wen Zhimiao: ...

"What?"

Wen Zhimiao suddenly grabbed her hand, her fingertips touching the cool temperature of her fingertips, and her heart pounded even harder.

"Don't move!"

Why?

She blinked her teary eyes and looked at him with a wronged expression.

Wen Zhimiao's ears turned bright red, almost bleeding. She pressed her palm firmly against her hand, but with very light pressure, as if afraid of hurting her.

His Adam's apple bobbed again, and he looked away in a hoarse voice: "It's nothing, just behave yourself in the car."

As he spoke, he carefully supported her waist and led her to the soft couch next to him.

But Liu Yunshu wouldn't have it, clinging to him like a koala, her little bottom wiggling restlessly.

Wen Zhimiao tensed up, and beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. She held her waist even tighter and dared not exert any more force, only coaxing in a hoarse voice, "Be good, sit still, or you'll fall."

Liu Yunshu seemed not to hear him, and nuzzled her head against his neck again, saying indistinctly, "No, it's warmer in your arms, brother."

She was completely unaware of how inappropriate her actions were, her fingertips unconsciously hooking the buttons on his official robe.

"Brother, why are you staring at me all day? I saw it when we were watching the play."

Wen Zhimiao's heart skipped a beat. She turned her head away from her breath, not daring to look into her clear eyes, and said with a forced smile, "Nonsense, I was watching the play."

"No way!" Liu Yunshu puffed out her cheeks, reached out and turned his face towards her, forcing him to look at her. "You were clearly looking at me!"

Her fingertips, still warm from the alcohol, touched his chin, and Wen Zhimiao's breath caught in his throat.

"Hey? Bro, you have wine on your face!" She said, licking his face. "This wine tastes weird!"

The sudden, warm touch sent a jolt through Wen Zhimiao, who froze on the spot as if struck by lightning.

He looked down at the bewildered, blinking eyes of the person in his arms, his throat tightened, he forgot his breathing rhythm, and his ears turned so red they were almost bleeding.

"Don't, don't touch me!" he said hoarsely, reaching out to gently press the back of her neck and push her head away from his neck slightly.

Liu Yunshu tilted her head slightly as he pushed her, her eyes welling up with tears, and she pouted, looking aggrieved: "Brother, are you being mean to me?"

She still had her arms around his neck, and snuggled closer to him. "I just wanted to taste it..."

Looking at her flushed cheeks and innocent eyes, Wen Zhimiao felt all the rebuke stuck in her throat.

His Adam's apple bobbed violently, and his voice softened even more: "I'm not being mean to you, it's just... don't be silly."

The carriage suddenly rolled over some pebbles on the road and lurched slightly.

Following the momentum, Liu Yunshu pressed her lips to his, and then licked them. "It's cool, is it milk pudding?"

This light touch drove Wen Zhimiao even more out of control than the previous lick. The warmth of their lips still lingered, his heart pounded so hard it felt like it would shatter his chest, and the blush spread from his ears to his jawline.

"Yun Shu!" he called out in a hoarse voice, his tone filled with panicked restraint. He reached out and gently pressed her shoulder, trying to push her away slightly.

Liu Yunshu thought he was trying to stop her from eating the milk jelly, so she angrily reached out to hold his head, but instead pressed herself against him even harder.

In her shock, Wen Zhimiao forgot to push her away.

"Ugh..." He groaned unconsciously, his reason tugs wildly between "pushing her away" and "indulging in it".

She was the younger sister he cherished and protected, and this inappropriate behavior should have been stopped immediately.

But the warmth of the person in his arms, the faint smell of alcohol mixed with the fragrance of chrysanthemums, and that unguarded dependence made him feel as if all his strength had been drained away.

Just as he was lost in thought, the coachman's voice suddenly came from outside the carriage: "Young master, young lady, we've arrived at the manor!"

This reminder jolted Wen Zhimiao awake like a thunderclap.

He snapped back to his senses, and with all his might gently pressed down on Liu Yunshu's shoulder, pulling her away from him.

Wen Zhimiao took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.

He dared not look at her face again, reached out to straighten his slightly disheveled clothes, and then carried her out of the car.

At this moment, Liu Yunshu had already fallen asleep in his arms.