Recklessly Breaking a Delicate Branch - Chapter 67

When Jiang Wanshu flew into the bedroom like a gust of wind, she failed to see the figure of the one she yearned for.

She placed her palm over her chest, trying to soothe the violent thumping of her heart, but it was of little use.

Under the ink-dark night, Jiang Wanshu was drawn to the bright moon outside the window. She craned her neck to look at the sky, seeing a vast expanse of stars shining brightly—a rare sight for winter. The brilliant moonlight was like a curved boat, both fragmented and full, shimmering in harmony with the stars in the silent night.

On this starry night, inside the ancient window, the girl’s silhouette was enchanting. With raven hair and snowy skin, her apricot-shaped eyes were as rippling and luminous as spring waters.

Touched by the scenery, Jiang Wanshu recalled her past with Zhou Yan.

The copper coins a man would voluntarily give during traditional grassland festivals; his rare and meticulous attention to everything about her; their wild gallops on horseback as they leaned against each other; the numerous times he had rescued her from peril after they met; and the way he would frequently buy toys from outside the palace to please her after her return. Even more significant was how he had resolved the century-old grievances between the Central Plains and the grasslands. Each memory flickered before her eyes like a grand dream.

As she gazed at the moon and stars above and the bustling world below, warmth surged in her heart. She realized that she had actually begun to notice Zhou Yan long, long ago. From the moment she was caught by him after fleeing back to the palace, to the promises he made, she had already set foot on the path of falling for him.

At that moment, the light and shadows in the sky were perfect, and the stars aligned. Suddenly, a dark figure fluttered outside the window, which was only wide enough for one person. Without looking closely, one could tell from that sturdy physique that the man before her was Zhou Yan.

As his figure drew closer, the frantic beating of her heart returned with even greater intensity. Seeing a shadow behind the window, the man showed no embarrassment at being “caught in the act”; instead, he stood firmly before the window.

“Wanwan, the weather is cold. Don’t blow in the wind so much, lest you catch a chill—” But before he could finish his sentence, a soft, small palm suddenly climbed onto the back of his cool neck.

Stepping up on her tiptoes, she wrapped her arms around him and pressed her lips against his. It was only for a brief moment, yet it instantly exerted a powerful magnetic pull on the man.

The rope and letter in the man’s hands dropped. The moment Jiang Wanshu’s pink lips tried to flee from his thin ones, Zhou Yan reached through the window, his large hand gripping the back of her slender neck, forcing her to endure his storm-like deep kiss.

In the humid entanglement of their tongues, the man ultimately gained the upper hand. Only when the little lady before him was about to lose her breath did Zhou Yan finally let her go.

He picked up the rope and letter from the ground and nimbly vaulted through the window into the bedroom. He held the girl, whose legs had gone soft, his voice carrying an undetectable trace of excitement. “Wanwan, has the sun risen from the west?”

He couldn’t believe it—Jiang Wanshu had actually kissed him of her own accord! This realization made him chuckle uncontrollably.

He pulled her into his arms. Seeing her panting shyly and timidly, his chest vibrated with laughter.

“I… I suddenly realized something.” Jiang Wanshu pressed her hand against his chest and looked up at him, her voice still trembling slightly. She couldn’t quite handle the sudden revelation of her own feelings, so her words were hesitant before she confessed.

Feeling playful, Zhou Yan carried her to the canopy bed. He continued to hold her as they sat down, as if he had guessed her intentions and was easing her way. “If you have something to say, say it properly. No rush.”

Hearing this, a blush like a fresh peach spread across Jiang Wanshu’s cheeks. Her slightly upturned eyelids were moist as she looked up at the man, seeing only his lean, sharp jawline that belied his powerful build.

Once a girl becomes certain of something, she gains the strength of courage, and her nature regarding the matter becomes bold.

She bolstered her spirit inwardly, then reached out her lily-white arms to hook around Zhou Yan’s neck. With a young girl’s bashfulness and eyes curving like crescents, she said, “Zhou Yan, I’ve suddenly realized that I seem to like you a little.”

After speaking, while the man was still wearing a look of undeniable surprise, she leaned up and gave him a timid, fleeting kiss on the cheek before pulling back half a second later.

Just as Zhou Yan was about to steer her lips back to his own, Jiang Wanshu ignored him entirely and burrowed into his chest. Like a marmot diving into its burrow, she stole one last glance at her “enemy” before wiggling her head deep into his embrace.

“Zhou Yan, I don’t want you pinning me down and kissing me anymore,” Jiang Wanshu rejected his anticipated next move with a flushed face.

Feeling her muffled words against his hot chest, he carefully controlled himself and refrained from claiming her soft lips. Now that she was full of affection for him, he didn’t want to force her out of a moment’s impulse and give her a reason to dock points from him in her heart.

What he wanted was for Jiang Wanshu to love him with an equal intensity.

Thus, when Zhou Yan finally loosened his restraint on her, his exotic-looking eyes shimmered with a star-like light. He asked excitedly, “Wanwan, why the sudden change?”

He truly couldn’t understand it. She had been her usual self just a few days ago, yet today she had pulled this move. She didn’t need to do this even if she had a favor to ask; after all, aside from their very first encounter, he disdained using favors to coerce her.

“I… I just had some realizations over the past few days.”

Since she had decided to make her feelings clear, Jiang Wanshu didn’t dally and answered his confusion. However, she was still a girl who hadn’t experienced much of the world, so her confession to the one she liked was marked by shyness and stutters.

The corners of Zhou Yan’s lips curled upward, his spirit soaring. He hadn’t realized this delicate flower possessed such courage.

A girl’s bashfulness worked wonders on him, and the incorrigible Zhou Yan wanted nothing more than to see her face grow as crimson as rouge. “Then tell me, Wanwan, what exactly were these ‘realizations’ that made you so anxious to profess your feelings to me?”

Zhou Yan emphasized the word “anxious.” As he dwelled on those syllables, his heart leaped like a racing wild rabbit.

Jiang Wanshu was no match for this thick-skinned man. Her shyness was truly piqued; clutching her clothes, her face flushing a deep scarlet, she turned to flee. This man was simply too wicked—he insisted on getting to the bottom of every romantic matter, yet she no longer had the courage to continue speaking.

But Zhou Yan was a man who preferred taking matters into his own hands. The moment she turned to walk away, his arms draped over her shoulders. With a swift pivot, he forced her to face him once more.

Zhou Yan wasn’t angry at her attempt to retreat; he merely grumbled, “Wanwan, if I hadn’t been the one persistently pestering you, you would have flown away long ago. How would I have ever lived to see you treat me like this?”

Jiang Wanshu looked up at him and nodded inwardly. It was true; given her personality, she would have kicked him out of the palace gates long ago after he followed her back, were it not for his persistence.

Hearing his words, her heart softened. Instead of minding his hands on her shoulders, she blinked her large eyes, took a deep breath, and said, “There are always palace maids watching when you practice your martial arts… I felt jealous!”

The implication was clear: it was through this jealousy that she suddenly realized she liked him. From hatred mixed with gratitude, to indifference and a desire to flee, to today’s joy—she had finally tasted the true flavor of love.

Upon hearing her words, the man caught her off guard with another kiss before erupting into laughter. “Wanwan, I knew you were a little vinegar jar!”

“You’re the vinegar jar!” Jiang Wanshu stamped her foot, expressing her dissatisfaction with his teasing.

Seeing the girl’s temper flare, Zhou Yan hurried to coax her. “Fine, fine, fine. I am the vinegar jar. I am.”

Only then did Jiang Wanshu’s temper simmer down a bit. She narrowed her eyes at him. “So, in the future, there cannot be any palace maids around when you practice.”

She was never one for internal conflict; now that things were out in the open, she naturally wanted a solution.

This prompted a laugh from Zhou Yan. “Then how about I practice in your dance studio from now on?”

Had he known that making her jealous would lead her to realize her feelings, he would have staged that scene much sooner. Why did he have to wait so long for her confession?

Only at his mention did Jiang Wanshu remember there was indeed a dance studio within the Lanyue Pavilion.

Zhou Yan tightened his embrace, pulling her into his chest. This time, Jiang Wanshu did not struggle; instead, she rested her hands against his chest, balled into fists, and gave him a playful thump. Zhou Yan’s body was solid; even with her strength, she couldn’t budge him an inch.

He gazed down at the girl’s seemingly displeased expression, his arm tightening around her shoulders as his voice turned low and muffled. “Wanwan, if you don’t like me attracting such crowds when I train, I won’t train outside. I’ll only do it where you can see me, alright?”

The inexplicable temper she had shown him two days ago and her avoidant attitude this morning had made him panic. It’s good for a woman to be jealous, but if that jealousy overflows, the “house” might soon be ransacked. He enjoyed seeing her affected by him, but if it truly made her angry enough to ignore him, the gain would not be worth the loss.

Thus, he had specifically skipped his martial arts practice today to wait dutifully for her return in the bedroom. Now that he held her in his arms just as he had hoped, he was naturally going to use all his strength to keep her happy.

He lowered his brow and softly kissed Jiang Wanshu’s forehead.

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