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

Shen Shiyan paused, looking at the cunning glint in the girl's eyes. He knew exactly what she was up to. A low chuckle escaped his throat: "Alright, how about it?"

Liu Yunshu stood up from the swing and pulled him by the hand to make him sit down.

She gracefully straddled his lap, wrapped her arms around his neck, and nuzzled her nose against his chin.

"That's how you make it interesting! That's how they do it in movies!"

Xiao Ba wandered around this secret base for a while, and upon hearing this, he thought quite deeply: When it comes to swinging, this person is the most experienced!

She gently swayed her body, and the swing carried the two of them as they slowly began to swing. The locust leaves rustled, and sunlight filtered through the gaps in the branches, falling warmly on them.

Shen Shiyan had one arm around her slender waist and the other hand playing with the roses beside her, the petals trembling gently in the breeze.

"Baby, shall I teach you what the 'Hoeing the fields at noon, sweat dripping onto the soil' really means today?"

Liu Yunshu's ears turned bright red instantly, and she deliberately snuggled closer to him.

"No, my brother's explanation last time was not easy to understand at all."

Shen Shiyan chuckled softly, tightening his grip on her waist to pull her closer until there was no gap between them.

His warm breath brushed against her reddened earlobe: "Then let's try a practical teaching method this time. I guarantee you'll understand it in no time."

Practical teaching? Does this mean they have to farm themselves? Are they really going all in?

This woman has never farmed before! I hope she doesn't get hurt. Xiao Ba looked at Liu Yunshu with some concern.

As soon as he finished speaking, he pushed off with his feet, and the swing suddenly swung half a point higher. Liu Yunshu instinctively hugged his neck and exclaimed in surprise, but he held her firmly in his arms.

The locust leaves rustled down into their hair. Just as she was about to scold him, his lips were gently captured in hers.

Unlike the hasty interruption last time, this kiss carried the warmth of the afternoon sun, gentle and tender.

Liu Yunshu's eyelashes trembled slightly as she slowly closed her eyes, her arms tightening around herself.

The swing was still swaying gently, casting the shadows of the two people on the bluestone slabs, creating shimmering spots of light.

After what seemed like an eternity, Shen Shiyan slowly released her, his fingertips tracing her flushed lips, his eyes full of amusement: "Now you understand?"

Xiao Ba: ¯_(ツ)_/¯ I was being presumptuous! I'm such an idiot!

"I still don't understand. Why don't we try a different approach?" With that, Liu Yunshu reached out and picked up the watering can from the ground.

Holding a watering can in one hand and the swing rope in the other, he stood up shakily on the swing board.

Startled, Shen Shiyan quickly reached out to support her slender waist.

"You little brat, do you know how dangerous that was! The swing was still swinging, and you dared to stand up! What if you had fallen!"

She added with lingering fear, "If I had gotten hurt, I would have been heartbroken."

Xiao Ba: Don't worry! She won't fall even if someone else does! She's very experienced!

The swing swayed again with the two of them, and some water spilled from the watering can in Liu Yunshu's hand, dripping onto Chen Shiyan's hands and clothes.

"Oh dear, brother, your clothes are wet!"

"What are you thinking about clothes for now! Get down here!"

"Brother~ We haven't been back for so long, and no one has watered the flowers here. Let's water them today~"

Shen Shiyan looked at the girl's barely concealed cunning and felt both angry and amused.

This little girl clearly put all her energy into "watering" elsewhere.

He tightened his grip on her waist, almost locking her firmly in his arms to prevent her from swaying any further.

"Get down first," his voice was a little hoarse, his fingertips gently brushing against her reddened earlobe. "You dare to act recklessly if you can't stand properly. If you fall, I won't just feel sorry for the flower."

Liu Yunshu refused to listen and bent down to pick a pink rose from beside the swing.

This sudden bend almost startled Shen Shiyan, who braced himself on the ground with his feet and held her waist firmly with his hands.

"Liu! Yun! Shu!"

"What's wrong, brother? Look!"

Liu Yunshu sprayed water on the pink rose with a watering can. The petals, covered with water droplets, sparkled in the sunlight, like they were sprinkled with crushed diamonds.

Looking at the pink roses covered in dew, Shen Shiyan's tension instantly melted into a helpless yet indulgent smile.

"nice."

Hearing this, Liu Yunshu smiled even more broadly. She held the pink rose to Chen Shiyan's lips, "If brother likes it, then it's yours!"

As Shen Shiyan looked at the flower offered to his lips, his nose first caught the sweet, dewy fragrance of the flower.

He didn't take it. Instead, he lowered his head slightly, gently touched the petals, and looked at her intently: "The flowers are beautiful, but the person who gave them is even more beautiful."

"Brother, do you know about the romantic 'flower activities' of the Song Dynasty?"

"Is it about planting flowers, appreciating flowers, savoring flowers, painting flowers, and giving flowers as gifts?"

"Yes! Let's give it a try today."

Liu Yunshu's fingertips were still holding the flower stem. Upon hearing this, her eyes curved into sly crescents, and she pushed the rose closer to his lips.

Shen Shiyan's Adam's apple bobbed, and he opened his mouth and ate the flower in her hand.

"Brother, how does it taste? Is it sweet or...?"

He chewed the flower carefully, the sweet fragrance mixed with a slightly astringent taste spreading on his tongue.

His gaze remained fixed on her, a low, husky laugh escaping his throat: "Sweet, but not as sweet as you."

Before he finished speaking, he tightened his grip on her waist, causing her to fall completely into his arms.

With his other hand, he gently pinched her chin, lowered his head and leaned closer, his warm breath brushing against her reddened lips.

"Didn't you say you wanted to try the flower activity? It's not enough for just me to try it."

Liu Yunshu's cheeks flushed, but she deliberately turned her head away and waved the watering can in front of him.

"No, we need to water the flowers first, or they'll die of thirst."

As she was about to get up to water the succulents next to her, Shen Shiyan firmly held her down.

"No rush," he said, his fingertips gently stroking her waist, his eyes full of indulgent smiles.

Before Liu Yunshu could react, he lowered his head and covered her lips with his. This kiss was sweet with floral scents, yet more passionate than before.

The watering can in Liu Yunshu's hand kept spraying water as the swing swayed.

The flowers and succulents around the swing were nourished by the sprinkled water droplets, their leaves unfurling and petals trembling slightly, as if they too were enjoying the gentle afternoon.

Xiao Ba: This way of watering flowers is really unique!

It was already evening when the two of them came out of the secret base. Shen Shiyan carried Liu Yunshu, who was clinging to him, on the way home.

Liu Yunshu's cheeks were still flushed, and she rested her chin on his neck, rubbing against his warm skin.

"Brother, let's come here again next time, okay?"

Shen Shiyan looked down at the clingy little girl in his arms, slowed his pace, and chuckled softly, "Alright, you can come anytime you want."

As they passed the dessert shop at the alley entrance, Liu Yunshu's eyes lit up. She tugged at his collar and shook it, saying, "I want red bean soup, with double the taro balls!"

Shen Shiyan pinched her cheek with a mixture of helplessness and affection: "You were making a ruckus inside for so long, weren't you 'eaten' enough?"

Despite saying that, he still carried her to the shop, found a seat by the window, and said, "Boss, a bowl of red bean soup, with extra taro balls and sugar."

Liu Yunshu held the warm bowl of sweet soup and ate it in small bites. The taro balls were soft and chewy, and the red bean paste was sweet but not cloying.

She scooped up a taro ball and held it to Shen Shiyan's lips: "Brother, try some too, it's super delicious."

Shen Shiyan opened his mouth to catch it, the sweetness spreading on his tongue. He looked into the girl's bright eyes, his smile deepening: "Hmm, it is quite sweet."

It's not just the sugar water that's sweet, but also the people around you.

After paying the bill, Shen Shiyan naturally carried her forward.

Just as I turned the corner, I saw Liu's father's car parked on the side of the road. He was leaning against the car door, holding a hand warmer in his hand, with a stern face.

His eyes softened the moment he saw Liu Yunshu, but when he caught a glimpse of her clinging to Shen Shiyan, he deliberately straightened his face and coughed lightly.

"Who did you just call to say you were coming home for dinner? It's so late, and you're still wandering around outside."

Liu's father stepped forward and reached out to pull Liu Yunshu down, "Get down, you're so old, why are you still being carried? What kind of behavior is this?"

Liu Yunshu stuck out her tongue, and instead of getting down, she snuggled closer to Chen Shiyan, swinging her legs and acting coquettishly: "Dad, my legs are sore, brother can carry me more steadily."

Shen Shiyan lifted the person up slightly and smiled politely at Liu's father: "Uncle, we just came back from the old courtyard. We walked a bit, and Yunshu is indeed tired."

Liu's father glared at him, but he wasn't really angry. He just took a hand warmer out of his pocket and handed it to Liu Yunshu.

"Here, it's still warm. It's windy outside, don't get cold."

"Thank you, Dad!" Liu Yunshu took the hand warmer, leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, saying sweetly, "Dad still loves me the most."

Mr. Liu beamed at the kiss, his stern face instantly crumbling, though he still stubbornly said, "You're so good at sweet-talking people."

As she spoke, she glared at Chen Shiyan again, "You brat, hold on tight, don't drop my daughter."

"Don't worry, Uncle." Shen Shiyan's eyes were full of smiles as he carried Liu Yunshu and followed in Liu's father's footsteps.

The setting sun cast long shadows of the three of them. Liu Yunshu leaned against Shen Shiyan's chest, clutching a hand warmer in one hand and gently waving the other, humming an off-key tune.

The evening breeze carried the sweet aroma of the dessert shop. She looked up at Chen Shiyan and met his gentle gaze. They smiled at each other, and even the air was filled with a sweet warmth.

Liu's father walked ahead, secretly glancing back at the two people who were sticking together, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up.

Oh well, as long as my daughter is happy, this brat doesn't seem so bothersome.