The next day.
Ye Yining woke up early in the morning because she had to go to Changling Temple.
But Jun Jiuji was even earlier.
He was already waiting outside before the gates of the General's Estate opened.
Madam Ye didn't dare to make Jun Jiuji wait, so she boarded the carriage without even eating breakfast.
Ye Yining liked to eat osmanthus cakes, so she took this opportunity to ask the Chef Spirit to make some. She kept one for herself and prepared another for Jun Jiuji.
Madam Ye didn't ask where the osmanthus cake came from. After eating two pieces, she closed her eyes and rested.
Ye Yining didn't disturb her mother. She sat quietly in the carriage and pondered.
In her previous life, she hadn't gone to Changling Temple on that day, but she remembered that her brother was supposed to return from Liangzhou that night.
Ye Yunjiao had told her previously that her brother had been killed by the Crown Prince. It had been the beginning of the next spring when her brother was dispatched to guard the Southern Desert.
Currently, Big Brother had been entirely defenseless against the Crown Prince.
How could she have reminded her brother?
How could she have prevented her brother from heading to the Southern Desert?
As she thought about this, she lifted the curtain and gazed at Jun Jiuji's estate's carriage.
If she had directly informed Jun Jiuji that she didn't want her brother to go to the Southern Desert after her return from Cloud Border City, would he have assisted her?
"Ye Yining, what were you looking at?" Jun Jiuji, who had been riding a horse, suddenly appeared from behind.
He slowed down his horse and rode alongside the carriage.
Ye Yining was taken aback and asked in confusion, "Didn't you take the carriage?"
She had assumed he was inside the carriage!
Jun Jiuji smiled.
"Riding a horse is more comfortable, so I switched to a horse. Ye Yining, would you like to ride with us?"
Ye Yining felt a bit tempted.
She wanted to foster a good relationship with Jun Jiuji, so she stole a glance at her mother.
Madam Ye was actually pretending to be asleep. Upon hearing Jun Jiuji's voice, she simply kept her eyes closed.
Jun Jiuji noticed Ye Yining's subtle gestures and immediately signaled for the carriage to halt.
Silent consent could also be interpreted as consent.
The instant he saw the little girl's body, he encircled his arm around her and lifted her onto the horse with one hand, seating her in front of him.
Ye Yining was taken aback. She hadn't expected Jun Jiuji to make such a sudden move.
She had never ridden a horse so intimately with someone before, and she worried that someone might see them. Her face reddened, and her heart raced uncontrollably.
Jun Jiuji was remarkably bold, seemingly indifferent to the perceptions of the outside world.
Just when she was so nervous that her body had stiffened, Jun Jiuji unexpectedly led them down a more secluded path.
They were the sole occupants of the road.
While it was fortunate that there were no onlookers, Ye Yining's nervousness grew. Jun Jiuji was so close to her, so close that their breaths seemed to entwine.
Jun Jiuji gently enclosed his arm around her waist and whispered into her ear,
"Relax, I won't devour you."
If he had genuinely intended to harm her, he would have selected a more suitable location.
Ye Yining shifted uncomfortably, uncertain of how to respond.
"Since Ye Yining is willing to help so many people make their wishes, would you grant me a wish?" Jun Jiuji's words carried a playful smile.
Ye Yining's face flushed slightly as she responded softly and sweetly,
"What wish do you have?"
She had been helping others fulfill small wishes, and Jun Jiuji seemed to have everything he needed. She wondered if there was anything she could do for him.
Jun Jiuji halted the horse, gazing at the young girl in his arms as he spoke his mind.
"My wish is for Ye Yining to kiss me."
Or, she could let him kiss her.
He met her captivating eyes, like morning mist, waiting for her answer.
Deep within, he desperately wanted to confirm one thing.
He wanted to verify if Ye Yining's heart truly desired to draw close to him willingly.
He sought assurance that this girl's actions weren't impulsive, and that she genuinely wished to be with him.
Ye Yining felt a sense of panic as her heart raced uncontrollably.
She could sense that Jun Jiuji was serious, not joking or teasing her.
"Is Ye Yining unwilling?" Jun Jiuji's eyes dimmed slightly, and his demeanor turned colder.
Was it because she still couldn't forget Mo Huanchong?
Was she having second thoughts and considering breaking off their engagement once more?
The mere thought of this possibility caused him to lose control of his typically cold and imposing aura.
Ye Yining noticed the shift in Jun Jiuji's mood and hastily shook her head. "I'm not unwilling. I... I'm just nervous."
"Hmm? Are you nervous or unwilling?" Jun Jiuji's grip on her unintentionally tightened.
Ye Yining felt exasperated. Seeing that the man in front of her was on the verge of anger again, she retorted with frustration, "I said I'm nervous. I'm not like you, who can be so carefree about family matters. Close your eyes!"
She emphasized her last few words firmly.
Jun Jiuji didn't mind her attitude and cooperatively closed his eyes.
All he wanted to ascertain was whether this girl had genuinely opened her heart to him.
Ye Yining turned her head and quickly planted a kiss on his cheek.
Jun Jiuji barely had time to process it before the kiss had already ended.
His emotions were a mixture of happiness and a hint of dissatisfaction.
Certain benefits needed to be pursued proactively.
He tightened his hold on the young girl in his arms and, with a leap, landed on a tall tree.
Almost instinctively, he kissed her lips with precision and dominance.
The lush trees provided a natural shield. Anyone outside could only hear the rustling of leaves in the breeze and the occasional glimpse of a fluttering skirt.
After a commanding and lingering kiss, Jun Jiuji gently carried the tender and delicate Ye Yining back onto the horse.
On their way back to Changling Temple, he chuckled and whispered in her ear,
"You're the only one I've ever kissed."
He had been waiting for her!
Waiting for her to awaken, waiting for her to remember, waiting for her to acknowledge him.
Today, he had merely tasted her beauty, yet he was already unwilling to let go.
The recent kiss had been a test.
He wanted to gauge Ye Yining's boundaries.
If she could bring herself to draw him close and share a kiss, she would naturally be able to let go of Mo Huanchong.
But as time went on, he came to realize that what he had truly lost was his heart.
Ye Yining was unaware of the depth of thought behind a simple kiss.
Her emotions were complex. She felt a mixture of sweetness and sourness. When she dwelled on it, she felt a touch of shyness and confinement.
The only man who had ever kissed her, whether in her previous life or now, was Jun Jiuji.
Yet in the past, she had always perceived his deliberate advances as mere taunting and bullying.
The two of them traveled in silence. One lost in memories, and the other lost in thought.
Upon reaching the base of Changling Temple, all the horses and carriages came to a halt.
Jun Jiuji lifted Ye Yining from the horse and held her hand as they ascended the lengthy staircase leading to Changling Temple.
Ye Yining didn't consider herself weak, but for some reason, she found herself unable to continue halfway up the stairs.
"I'll carry you!"
Jun Jiuji effortlessly scooped her up, as if no one else was present, and carried her up the remaining steps.
Ye Yining didn't dare to object. She feared a certain man's anger and worried that any movement might cause him to lose his balance and fall.