Chapter 110

Chapter 110

Wen Buchi's gaze slowly moved from that well-defined hand to Nan Wuxie's calmly waiting face.

Perhaps it was the countless kites blinding his eyes, or perhaps the unfamiliar flutter in his chest had yet to subside; he inexplicably lifted his hand slowly and gently placed it in that warm palm.

The moment their skin touched, Nan Wuxie closed his fingers, firmly grasping him, with a firm yet gentle grip.

The next moment, Wen Buchi felt a pull at his waist and his body lifted as Nan Wuxie deftly lifted him onto the horse's back. Then, warmth pressed against his back, a solid chest surrounded him, cradling him between arms and saddle.

"Hold tight." A low voice murmured near his ear, breath grazing his earlobe.

Nan Wuxie lightly squeezed the horse's flanks, and the horse broke into a trot, heading toward the edge of the gentle slope, toward the skyline where countless kites danced.

The pace quickened, and the evening wind became fierce, whistling through his hair and robes. Wen Buchi's back pressed against the chest behind him. They rode with the wind, charging toward that magnificent twilight sky illuminated by kites. The kites grew closer overhead, almost within reach.

Below the slope stretched a peach blossom forest, following the contours of the land. The blooming season was near its end, and pinkish-white petals fluttered down in the evening breeze, like a lingering, endless fragrant snow.

Looking closer, every peach tree branch in the forest was adorned with several small, delicate silver wind chimes.

As the horse just stepped to the edge of the forest, the wind swept through the grove, immediately stirring up crisp, ethereal chimes.

"Tinkle... tinkle tinkle..."

At first just a few sporadic sounds, but as they rode deeper into the forest, the chimes gathered into a clear, melodious chorus, like a woodland whisper, weaving a dreamlike symphony.

The silver chimes reflected faint light in the dimming sky and among the falling petals. Peach blossoms brushed against their shoulders and cheeks, carrying the lingering sweet fragrance.

Wen Buchi, held securely in Nan Wuxie's embrace, galloped deeper into the peach forest. The gusts of wind rushed past his ears, blowing his hair loose and also dispelling the last traces of hesitation and ice from his heart.

An unprecedented warmth and a dizzying thrill enveloped him.

The shock and tenderness that met his eyes—how could a mere "heart-flutter" be enough?

"Yes."

The wind, chimes, and hoofbeats were too loud. Nan Wuxie didn't hear clearly.

"What?"

He raised his voice, the wind filling his mouth.

Wen Buchi didn't turn back. His gaze fixed on the path ahead, where peach blossoms danced.

After a moment, he gathered all his strength, raised his voice, and shouted out clearly against the wind.

"I said—"

"Yes!"

The man's breath behind him seemed to pause for an instant.

These countless kites, this dreamlike rain of pink and white petals—

So beautiful it was hard to look directly, hard to touch, hard to believe.

Yet even this paradise could not match even a fraction of the brilliant, radiant splendor now blooming in the hearts of two silly lovesick fools.

The horse galloped forward through the peach blossoms and chimes, passing through this grand and gentle dream, made only for Wen Buchi.

The petals danced in the wind, like a fluttering swarm of butterflies, alighting on branches, on hearts, along the path they traveled.

The butterflies flew on, finally settling under the eaves of the corridor of the Nan Marquis mansion.

Inside the study at the end of the corridor, a subtle air of expectation hung in the room.

The Xue brothers and the Chao brothers sat on adjacent drum stools, each with a freshly brewed cup of tea before them.

They had been summoned separately by Nan Wuxie under the pretext of "having important matters to discuss." The invitations were formal in wording yet vague, stating only that the matter was urgent and they must come for a talk.

Chao Cheyun was the one who least wanted to move. He didn't want to see anyone. But he knew that rascal Nan Wuxie too well—if he didn't come, that man would absolutely come personally to his residence, drag him out by force, and haul him over.

He simply couldn't be bothered to deal with that kind of chaotic scene, nor did he have the energy to argue with Nan Wuxie. So, with a resigned "better safe than sorry" attitude, he reluctantly showed up here.

After waiting about the time of several cups of tea, the host still hadn't arrived, so they chatted casually.

Just then, footsteps approached from the corridor outside, growing nearer. The footsteps were lively, startling the butterfly that had just landed under the eaves, sending it flying toward the crimson sunset beyond the mansion.

Before they could make out the sound, the study door crashed open with a "bang," shoved open from the outside, bringing a gust of wind.

There stood Nan Wuxie, beaming with excitement, his right hand tightly grasping Wen Buchi.

Wen Buchi's cheeks were slightly flushed, his expression clearly uncomfortable. One could also see him covertly pulling back, trying to break free from that tight grip.

But the man in front held on firmly, refusing to let go, almost dragging him through the door.

The study fell instantly silent.

Four pairs of eyes simultaneously landed on the two at the door, finally settling on their joined hands, each with a different expression.

Nan Wuxie, as if oblivious to the sudden hush and the scrutiny, wore a blatantly triumphant smile as his gaze swept over the four inside.

He looked like a predator who had just captured the most precious prey, impatient to show off to his kind—smug and self-satisfied.

Chao Cheyun merely glanced at him, his eyes passing quickly over Wen Buchi's face before he indifferently looked down again.

He didn't watch what he didn't want to see.

Xue Shechuan's reaction was even more placid. His gaze swept over their joined hands in less than a second before returning to his own teacup, unhurriedly skimming the foam.

He didn't look at things he shouldn't.

But Xue Shuyu was entirely different. The moment he saw them, his eyes immediately sparkled with intense interest, darting between Nan Wuxie's smug face and Wen Buchi's slightly reddened, awkward expression. The corners of his mouth uncontrollably curled into a smirk, and his body unconsciously leaned forward, looking like "here it comes, finally!"

He loved it! He wanted to watch!!

Only Chao Yunping looked purely bewildered. He looked at Nan Wuxie, then at Wen Buchi, then back at their joined hands, his brow slowly furrowing. His straightforward mind, not great at reading between the lines, seemed to be struggling to understand the scene before him.

Th-this... what does this mean?

The air in the study froze for a few breaths, with only Nan Wuxie's ever-widening smile and Wen Buchi's attempts to pull his hand away persisting.

Finally, Xue Shechuan broke the silence.

"I wonder, Marquis Nan, what business you have today to summon us brothers and the two Chao gentlemen?"

He didn't raise his head, deliberately ignoring the conspicuous spectacle at the door.

Upon hearing this, Nan Wuxie pulled Wen Buchi another step forward, standing squarely in the center of the study, becoming the focal point of everyone's gaze.

Wen Buchi seemed even more uncomfortable, subtly moving his wrist again in an attempt to break free, but Nan Wuxie held it even tighter, giving it a demonstrative little shake.

"I do have something important today," Nan Wuxie began, with barely suppressed excitement, "and it's also my secret."

He paused, scanning his gaze over the group. "I'm doing this to prove my sincerity to everyone. By letting you all know Nan's secret, it must mean I'm genuine, right?"

He spoke with great solemnity, as if announcing some earth-shattering secret concerning his life and fortune.

Xue Shechuan finally raised his eyes again. Xue Shuyu almost laughed out loud. Chao Yunping, even more bewildered, seemed unable to grasp why a "secret" required such a fuss.

Only Chao Cheyun kept his eyes lowered, as if lost in thought.

Just as the gazes turned to him, Nan Wuxie suddenly yanked Wen Buchi sharply to his side!

Caught off guard, Wen Buchi stumbled half a step and ended up pressed firmly against Nan Wuxie's side.

Nan Wuxie seamlessly raised his left arm, very naturally draping it over Wen Buchi's shoulder, pulling him halfway into his embrace.

Then, with his dazzling smile, as Wen Buchi instinctively squeezed his eyes shut as if bracing for some "torture," under Xue Shuyu's suddenly brightening gaze and Xue Shechuan's calm, unruffled observation, Nan Wuxie cleared his throat and announced in a pompous, triumphant tone:

"As a matter of fact, I've had my eye on Lord Wen for a long time."

"?"

The words hung in the air, plunging the study into silence.

"..."

Wen Buchi's ears reddened visibly; his eyes squeezed tighter, long lashes trembling slightly.

Xue Shuyu quickly covered her mouth with her hand, shoulders shaking from the effort of suppressing laughter.

Xue Shechuan showed little reaction, only lowering his eyes again with the faintest hint of a smile.

Chao Cheyun...

Chao Cheyun finally reacted, letting out a very soft scoff as if hearing something utterly boring and irrelevant to him, then shifted to a more relaxed posture.

But what shattered the silence was a thunderous exclamation:

"What—?!"

Chao Yunping suddenly shot up from his chair, the force pushing it back a few inches.

His eyes were wide, his face a picture of shock, bewilderment, and incomprehension. He pointed first at Nan Wuxie, then at Wen Buchi, who was still in his embrace with his eyes closed like an ostrich.

"You, what did you say?! You two… When did you two get together?! This… this is outrageous!"

His question was blunt and loud, filled with pure shock and confusion, instantly sweeping away the subtle, knowing, and teasing atmosphere in the study, leaving only an absurd, somewhat comical feeling.

The smug smile on Nan Wuxie's face stiffened slightly, as if he hadn't expected such a raw and intense reaction from Chao Yunping. Wen Buchi finally opened his eyes, glanced at Chao Yunping, whose face screamed "worldview shattered," then quickly looked away, his blush still fresh, now tinged with a new nuance.

Xue Shuyu finally couldn't hold it in and let out a "pfft" of laughter, quickly covering her mouth with her sleeve, shoulders shaking even harder. Her elder brother shook his head lightly, raising his teacup to hide a deeper smile at the corners of his lips.

Chao Yunping's earth-shattering outburst not only startled the previously silent few into laughter but also jolted the spaced-out Chao Cheyun, who snapped out of his thoughts with a start.

He looked around blankly, finally settling his gaze on his elder brother's stunned face. With a sigh, he reached out and tugged at Chao Yunping's sleeve, muttering, "Bro… sit down first…"

Pulled by his brother, Chao Yunping instinctively sat back down, his face red, mumbling, "This, this is outrageous…" but he sat back down heavily nonetheless.

Nan Wuxie paid no attention to Chao Yunping's reaction. In fact, all his attention was immersed in the immense joy and satisfaction of "proclaiming victory."

The smug grin never left his face as he cleared his throat to continue his victory speech:

"Lord Wen is magnanimous, looking past past grievances, willing to give this—"

"Murgh…"

The rest of his words dissolved into a series of muffled sounds.

Wen Buchi, who had been half-embraced all this while, finally reached his limit. He quickly raised his hand and clamped it over Nan Wuxie's mouth, stopping the impending "grand speech."

Nan Wuxie's remaining words were stifled. He blinked, looking at Wen Buchi with eyes full of mirth and indulgence, as if to say, "Alright, alright, whatever you say."

Everyone's gazes converged on them again. For a moment, no one spoke. Even Chao Yunping momentarily forgot his shock, staring blankly. The atmosphere was a bit tense.

Feeling the multiple stares focused on him, Wen Buchi took a deep breath, slowly released his hand, and struggled to maintain his usual composed expression. He gave a slight nod to the seated guests, forcing a polite yet awkward smile.

Nan Wuxie's mouth was freed. He licked his lips and, surprisingly, complied with Wen Buchi, not continuing the "inner journey" topic.

But his smile grew even brighter, as if he had accomplished some great mission. He looked around contentedly and announced in a lighthearted tone as if "business was concluded": "Alright! I've said what I wanted to say today. Take your time on the way back, everyone. I won't keep you for dinner, haha."

Everyone: "…?"

Even someone as unflappable as Xue Shechuan raised an eyebrow at that.

Xue Shuyu looked incredulous, as if to say, "That's it? We came all this way just to hear that declaration and then get kicked out?"

Chao Yunping was still digesting the shock of "getting together," too slow to react to the dismissal.

Chao Cheyun just rolled his eyes, his expression pure disdain.

Unaware of the silent "?" on everyone's faces—or rather, his current happiness had blinded him to other signals—Nan Wuxie blinked in confusion when no one moved, asking, "What's wrong? Do you all… have something else to do?"

His tone made it sound as if they were the ones trying to linger.