The Dark Moonlight returns to the capital, and the mad prince is accused of forcing love.

Seemingly sensing that Xu Qianhui really wouldn't run away, Lin Zuoqing loosened his grip on her wrist.

"Xu Qianhui, you'd better remember what I said today."

Xu Qianhui lowered her eyes, her lips pale: "Don't worry, Lord Lin, my memory is always excellent."

Lin Zuoqing stared at her for a long time. Her dark robes were soaked through by the rain, but her shoulders and back remained ramrod straight.

After a while, he turned and walked into the rain.

Xu Qianhui stood under the eaves, no longer picking up the fallen flowers.

The osmanthus blossoms, mixed with mud and water, were stuck to the ground, their once delicate yellow color no longer visible.

Back in her room, she washed herself with cold water.

When Qingyi returned, she saw Qingyi sitting in front of her dressing table drying her hair.

Xu Qianhui said calmly, "If Zuo An comes back tomorrow, tell him to send over a big dog."

The woman in green was stunned: "What does Miss want a dog for?"

"Gatekeeper."

The woman in green nodded immediately: "This servant has remembered."

Xu Qianhui put down the wet cloth: "I need one that's big, has good teeth, and is preferably shy around strangers."

......

The rain didn't stop all night.

After falling asleep, Xu Qianhui had many dreams.

In her dream, the boy, his eyes blurry with drunkenness, clung to her sleeve, refusing to let go.

"Ah Hui, my father insists that I abandon my studies and pursue martial arts. He forces me to practice every morning. In the dead of winter, if I get up even a quarter of an hour late, I will be thrown into the pond."

"I studied hard day and night and passed the imperial examination, but he was injured and could no longer go to war. When he returned, he became even more harsh on me and even burned down my study."

"Then I won't study anymore, I won't practice martial arts, I'll just be a spoiled brat..."

"Ah Hui, I'll listen to you. I'll continue my studies, okay? I'll agree to anything you say."

"Ah Hui, why do I always have this feeling that I want to watch you for the rest of my life?"

In her dream, a teacup was smashed to pieces, and everything in the room was thrown to Xu Qianhui's feet.

Lin Zuoqing stood amidst the chaos, his face filled with disgust.

"Xu Qianhui, if you dare step into the Duke's mansion again, I'll break your legs!"

When this matter was reported to Madam Fu, she simply said softly, "You have your own place to go, but it's not the Duke's mansion."

When Xu Qianhui was driven out, it was as if the sky was leaking.

Soaked to the bone, she scaled the wall and entered the mansion, telling Lin Zuoqing that she was pregnant. He, however, said he would never believe her lies again.

When her pleas went unanswered, she stormed out of the mansion.

Lin Zuoqing followed behind her at a leisurely pace, wanting to see what other tricks she would play.

As the rain poured down, Xu Qianhui stumbled onto the covered bridge and heard Lin Zuoqing's cold voice.

"Xu Qianhui, once you're dead, we're even."

In a moment of impulsiveness, she jumped down.

......

When dawn broke, the rain stopped.

Lin Zuo'an did not return to the west of the city.

After having breakfast, Xu Qianhui changed into a pale yellow dress, took a small hoe, and went to the yard to gently press the flowers that had been knocked down yesterday back into the mud.

The woman in green brought out tea, but after looking at it for a long time, she still couldn't understand it.

"Miss, this is too much trouble. Why don't I gather all these flowers together and bury them with you?"

"Why bury them?" Xu Qianhui didn't even look up. "I just thought these flowers looked ugly scattered here."

"But Miss clearly said yesterday that she cherishes flowers..."

Xu Qianhui chuckled: "Silly girl, it's just nonsense to fool men, and you actually believed it."

The woman in green nodded: "This servant understands. One must not tell the truth to a man."

"That's not entirely true," Xu Qianhui patiently corrected. "Sometimes you have to tell three-tenths of the truth and hide seven-tenths, sometimes you have to tell one-tenth and hide nine-tenths. And sometimes, you can't tell any truth at all."

The woman in green looked distressed: "It's so hard to be a person."

"It's even harder to be a woman," Xu Qianhui added. "You're still young, you have a long life ahead of you, learn slowly."

Qingyi thought for a moment, then lowered her voice: "So, Miss, do you like the Second Young Master now, or that other one?"

She had seen Lin Zuoqing's coldness and ruthlessness, and now she didn't even dare to mention his name.

Xu Qianhui did not hesitate: "Naturally, it's Zuo An."

"Will Miss really marry the Second Young Master? He doesn't seem like the type to give up easily."

Xu Qianhui looked at the courtyard filled with the fresh sunshine, stopped what she was doing, and looked up at Qingyi.

"Qingyi, remember this: a person who disappoints you will never disappoint you just once."

"Zuo An has never let me down, and I hope he won't this time either."

Lin Zuo'an certainly did not disappoint her.

Before noon, he returned carrying several food boxes.

"Ah Hui, I brought you some new dishes from Jin Yu Lou." He placed the food box on the table, his eyes full of smiles: "This is crystal water chestnut cake, this is lotus root and osmanthus balls, and this is eight-treasure duck. I heard it's Jin Yu Lou's signature dish..."

Before she could finish speaking, Xu Qianhui had already thrown herself into his arms.

Lin Zuo'an was stunned for a moment, then hugged her.

"What's wrong? Missing me?"

Xu Qianhui buried her face in his chest: "I miss you, I want to hug you."

"Honey, I'm back now." Lin Zuo'an lowered his head and kissed her forehead. "Eat your food first, it won't taste good if it gets cold."

Xu Qianhui didn't let go: "How is your father? Which family hit him?"

Speaking of this, Lin Zuo'an felt helpless.

"It was the groom from the manor who said he was in a hurry to get medicine for his grandmother, and that's how he accidentally bumped into my father who was off duty."

Xu Qianhui was somewhat incredulous: "The Duke's groom bumped into the Duke's second master?"

"It would be a joke if word got out. Luckily, Father wasn't seriously injured and will be fine in a couple of days."

Xu Qianhui looked up, seemingly pondering for a moment before saying, "When I was still in the manor, the old lady was quite healthy. Why does she need to take medicine now?"

"I'm not quite sure either. Father only said that Grandmother's headaches have gotten worse over the past three years, and all the imperial physicians have been consulted but none of them could cure her. Only the medicine prescribed by Doctor Fang from Huichuntang could relieve her headaches." He sighed, "The coachman was just doing his job for Grandmother, so it's not good to punish him."

This is not something that should be punished.

It was clearly the Duke's mansion, yet the second branch of the family couldn't even touch the servants who ran errands for the old lady.

Xu Qianhui kissed the corner of his lips: "I'm sorry to have wronged you."

Lin Zuoan's heart softened, and he lowered his head to return her kiss.

The kiss went from very light to breathless and disordered in just a few breaths.

The two embraced and fell onto the soft couch. Lin Zuo'an leaned over her, his voice low and husky: "Ah Hui, how about I make it up to you now?"

The boy's eyes were red, his youthful innocence tinged with restraint, yet the more restrained he was, the more unsettling it became.

The inexperienced young man, after yesterday's ordeal, didn't sleep a wink all night.

Xu Qianhui took a breath and placed her hands on his chest.

"No, it's broad daylight, and we still have to go to the Duke's mansion later..."

Yesterday she could do it, but he couldn't.

Today he's doing well, but she's not.

What a terrible thing!

I need to catch up on this after I finish these last two days!

Lin Zuo'an stopped, his Adam's apple bobbing.

"I'm sorry, Ah Hui, I was being presumptuous."

Suddenly, the sound of arguing came from the courtyard.

Lin Zuoqing's servant, Xifu, scolded the maid in blue who was stopping him: "Where did this insolent girl come from? She's ruined the young master's business. Can you take responsibility for that?!"

The man in green glared angrily: "This isn't the young master's courtyard! What right do you, an outsider, have to barge into the house?!"

It sounded like they were about to start arguing, so Xu Qianhui gently nudged Lin Zuoan.

"Perhaps your brother has something urgent to attend to; you should go and see him."