Conquer the other worlds with abandon, they've fallen in love with me!

.....

On the way home—

Arya walked ahead, her steps noticeably lighter.

The sunflowers lining both sides of the village road were mostly in bloom, their golden heads facing the sun, swaying in the breeze.

Her skirt fluttered beside the flowers, the light blue and golden yellow colors creating a cheerful and uplifting scene.

Lin Yu followed behind, carrying the basket, watching her back.

Her ponytail was tied high today, revealing a section of her fair nape.

When the sunlight shines on it, you can see the tiny downy hairs.

After taking a few steps, Arya smiled.

Lin Yu quickened his pace to walk alongside her, and asked softly, "What's wrong?"

Arya bit her lip and shook her head, but her eyes curved into crescents, filled with light.

"It's nothing."

"Why are you laughing like that if there's nothing wrong?"

Arya glanced at Lin Yu, then quickly turned back.

Her face was flushed, all the way down to her ears, and the tips of her ears glowed pink in the sunlight.

"I'm just... happy."

"What's there to be happy about?"

Arya didn't answer, her fingers gripping the hem of her skirt.

She didn't stop walking, but her body leaned slightly towards Lin Yu, her shoulder almost touching his arm.

Lin Yu didn't ask any more questions.

He switched the basket to his left hand, and his right hand naturally wrapped around her waist.

Arya's body stiffened for a moment, then softened, leaning against him with her head tilted to the side, resting on his shoulder.

The two walked on like that, neither of them saying a word.

After walking for a while, Lin Yu stopped.

Arya stopped too and looked up at him.

"What's wrong?"

Lin Yu looked down at her, a smile playing on his lips: "You haven't answered the question from earlier."

"What's the problem?"

"What's there to be happy about?"

Arya's eyelashes trembled, and her gaze drifted elsewhere.

"It's...it's Aunt Martha..." Her voice was very soft, almost carried away by the wind.

She said you're my man~

"Um."

"She approves of you..."

Arya bit her lip, looked up at Lin Yu, her eyes glistening with tears.

"So I'm very happy."

Lin Yu looked at Arya as well, then leaned in close to her.

Arya could feel Lin Yu's hot breath on her face, itchy and burning.

"Oh, I see. My Arya is so cute." Lin Yu's voice was low, with a smile.

Arya turned her head away, trying to avoid him, but Lin Yu's face was right next to hers, following her wherever she went.

She clutched the hem of her skirt and said in a very soft voice, "Lin Yu...we're on the way..."

"What happened on the way?"

"Someone will see..."

Before Arya could finish speaking, Lin Yu turned his head and kissed her on the cheek.

Arya's eyelashes trembled the instant her lips touched her skin.

The touch was very light, like a petal falling on the water, but the temperature was real, hot.

She froze on the spot, stunned for a second, then lowered her head and buried her face in her hands.

"You..." Her voice was muffled in her palm, both anxious and ashamed, "What if someone sees us..."

"So what if I saw it?" Lin Yu said matter-of-factly, continuing to walk forward: "Can't I kiss my woman?"

Arya peeked at Lin Yu through her fingers, then quickly closed them again.

My heart was pounding like crazy.

She took several deep breaths before lowering her hand. The redness on her face hadn't completely faded, but the curve of her lips was even wider than before.

She quickened her pace to catch up with Lin Yu, followed half a step behind him, and gently tugged at the hem of his clothes.

"Lin Yu."

"Um."

"Let's kiss when we get home~" she said softly, then turned her face away.

Lin Yu turned around and glanced at her.

Arya kept her eyes downcast, her fingers still clutching the hem of his clothes.

"Okay." Lin Yu smiled, turned around and continued walking.

Arya followed behind him, the corners of her mouth curving into crescent moons.

Her hand slid down from the hem of her clothes and hung at her side, her little finger hooking around Lin Yu's little finger.

The two of them walked along the village road, their fingers intertwined.

The sunlight shone down from above, shrinking the two people's shadows into one, imprinted on the dirt road, making it impossible to tell who was who.

......

Once home, Arya went to change her clothes.

When she came out of the room, she was wearing a light blue cotton dress with floral embroidery on the collar and cuffs. The skirt was wide and swayed gently as she walked.

Her hair had been combed again and tied up with a wooden hairpin, with a few stray strands hanging down beside her ears. She had applied a little powder to her face and a touch of color to her lips, so light that it was barely noticeable unless you looked closely.

She stood in front of Lin Yu, clutching the hem of her skirt, a little nervous: "Does it look good?"

Lin Yu looked at it for two seconds: "It's beautiful."

Arya's lips curved into a smile.

The two went out the door, Lin Yu mounted his horse, and reached out to pull Arya up.

Arya sat behind Lin Yu, wrapped her arms around his waist, and pressed her face against his back.

Her chest pressed against his back through the fabric of her skirt; it was soft and warm.

"Hold on tight," Lin Yu said.

"Hmm." Arya tightened her grip on Arya's arm.

With a squeeze of its flanks, the horse began to run.

The road to El Village passes by Bell's farm, and you can see the fenced yard and the few low houses inside from afar.

Bell was standing in the yard, holding a wooden bucket and pouring water into the trough.

Hearing the sound of horses' hooves, she looked up.

Lin Yu rode his horse past the farm gate at breakneck speed, without stopping or even glancing in their direction.

But behind him sat a person, her light blue skirt fluttering beside the horse's back, two fair arms wrapped around his waist, her face pressed against his back.

It's Arya.

Bell paused for a moment, holding the wooden bucket.

The water was still flowing, overflowing from the bucket and pouring onto her feet, wetting her cloth shoes and the hem of her skirt.

She didn't move, just stood there in the courtyard, watching Lin Yu and Arya's figures grow farther and farther away, finally disappearing into the woods at the end of the village road.

The wind blew by, and her tail drooped behind her, motionless.

The water in the bucket has drained out, and the bucket is empty.

Bell put the bucket on the ground and wiped her hands on her apron.

She stood in the yard for a while, looking at the empty village road, feeling a little inexplicably irritated.

It's not that I'm angry or sad, I just feel a little...irritable.

It felt like something was stuck in my chest, something I couldn't swallow or spit out.

She knew that road led to El Village.

She went there with Lin Yu last time; they soaked in the hot springs and got their backs scrubbed.

That brat had her completely won over, and then he coaxed her into helping him...

Bell's ears turned slightly red, and he shook his head to dismiss the thought.

Now that Lin Yu is taking Arya to El Village, he'll definitely be soaking in the hot springs.

The two of them were in the pool, naked and soaking in the water. He was scrubbing her back, and she was scrubbing his back, and then...

Bell bit her lip.

"What does this have to do with me?" she muttered under her breath, then turned and walked into the house.

After taking two steps, he stopped again.

...

......