Chapter 156: Charming Silhouettes

Chapter 156: A Graceful Silhouette

"You two okay?"

The man smiled, his golden-brown hair gleaming even more brilliantly under the sunlight.

"We're fine." Qin Jiao paused for a moment. "I must thank you, sir, for saving us."

With that, Qin Jiao took a closer look at the man before him. He had distinctly foreign features—a prominent brow, deep-set eyes, and chiseled contours. His eyes were a rare lake-green, striking and full of exotic charm, like sparkling gems.

"It was nothing, really."

The man shook his head, and the little golden bells on his braid jingled crisply.

"This is just like a wedding—thank heavens! If it weren't for you, the two of us would have been squashed flat."

He Zhao gave the man a fist-and-palm salute. "Thanks, man!"

"No need to be so formal. Perhaps fate brought us together." As he spoke, the man sneaked another glance at Qin Jiao's feet. "Do you need me to walk you back?"

"No need."

Qin Jiao declined with a smile, and He Zhao chimed in beside him, "We don't want to put you out."

"Very well." The man nodded. "Then I'll be on my way. If fate permits, we shall meet again."

"May I ask your name, sir?" Qin Jiao smiled sincerely. "What should I call you when we meet again?"

The man's gaze rested on Qin Jiao's face for a moment before darting away. "My name is Wu."

"Alright, Mr. Wu. If fate permits, we'll see each other next time."

The man curved his lips into a slight smile, his green eyes strangely alluring. "We'll meet again, I'm sure."

Hearing this, Qin Jiao fell silent and watched as the man took his leave.

"Hey! Snap out of it!"

After a while, He Zhao poked Qin Jiao's cheek. "What, you can't stop staring at someone just because they're pretty? Aren't you afraid Xie Nai will get mad at you?"

Qin Jiao grabbed He Zhao's hand. "Forget about him—I've decided I'm going to come after you!"

"Busted and now you're mad, huh?"

He Zhao turned to run, but Qin Jiao grabbed his arm. "This is payback! For calling me a chubby little puffball earlier!"

How dare he call him fat—every time Xie Nai picked him up, he said he was as light as a kitten!

"Come on, don't be so petty!"

He Zhao dodged and laughed as they fooled around, and just then, Xie Nai and Xiao Baiyu finally arrived, fashionably late.

"Qin Jiao!"

A gust of wind swept past as Xie Nai, dressed in black brocade, hurried over.

"Sixth Brother, you're here."

Qin Jiao smiled at Xie Nai, then gave Xiao Baiyu a nod.

"Senior brother, did you two finally finish crawling here like turtles?"

He Zhao crossed his arms and looked at Xiao Baiyu, a forced smile spreading across his face.

"I'm sorry, Zhou Zhou, I'm late."

Just as Xiao Baiyu moved to embrace him, He Zhao bounced several steps away. "Hmph!"

The Flowery Peacock darted off in a flash, and Xiao Baiyu gave chase with practiced ease.

Watching this scene, Qin Jiao couldn't help but recall what Xie Nai had said before: "When He Zhao runs, Xiao Baiyu will naturally chase after him."

See? Qin Jiao glanced at Xie Nai's refined, imposing profile and couldn't suppress a smile. That was a real prophet, right there.

Just as Qin Jiao was laughing to himself, Xie Nai suddenly crouched down and pulled up the hem of his robe. "Your foot's hurt?"

"It's nothing, just a little scratch."

Qin Jiao's bare foot was against the ground. Though the path they'd taken while "fleeing" had been paved with neat blue stone slabs, when you're being chased, you're bound to get a few scrapes.

Fortunately, there were no serious wounds, just a few small cuts on the sole of his foot. But because Qin Jiao had fair skin, they looked far worse than they actually were.

"Sit."

Xie Nai helped Qin Jiao sit down beside him. "Let me stop the bleeding first."

"Huh? It's bleeding?"

Qin Jiao hadn't even felt much pain—otherwise, he wouldn't have been fooling around with He Zhao just moments ago.

Xie Nai said nothing. He took out a handkerchief from his sleeve, then naturally knelt down on one knee, placing Qin Jiao's injured foot upon his leg.

"Why are you kneeling down..."

Qin Jiao immediately tried to pull his foot back. Who was Xie Nai? He was the Young Emperor's uncle, the Prince of Lingnan, whom all ministers and officials bowed to in reverence. And yet here he was, kneeling on one knee, tending to the bleeding wound on his foot as if no one else were around—this was hardly appropriate.

Qin Jiao felt very awkward and kept trying to withdraw his foot. "That's enough, that's enough—please stop. These little cuts will heal on their own soon!"

"Stay still." Seeing Qin Jiao's restlessness, Xie Nai gave his ankle a warning squeeze. "Don't move."

"Oh..." The spot where he'd been squeezed tingled slightly, and Qin Jiao's face flushed red despite himself. He didn't dare struggle anymore.

Xie Nai stayed kneeling on one knee, his slender hand holding Qin Jiao's foot as he carefully wiped it clean. His movements were meticulous yet without any hint of desire. The sunlight fell perfectly across his face, highlighting the seriousness in his brow and eyes.

Seeing Xie Nai's serious expression, Qin Jiao tried to find something to say. After a moment of thought, he ventured, "Sixth Brother, don't worry. I'm not afraid of getting hurt anymore."

As he spoke, Qin Jiao raised his left hand and shook it slightly. On the young man's slender, fair wrist, the deep blue Fengxue Bracelet gleamed beautifully under the sunlight.

Xie Nai looked at Qin Jiao. His Adam's apple bobbed a few times, and when he spoke, his voice was low and hoarse, heavy with emotion: "But I'm afraid."

Qin Jiao's hand, which had been shaking the Fengxue Bracelet, stopped on its own.

"Xie Nai..."

Qin Jiao looked at Xie Nai at that moment and suddenly felt his heart racing wildly.

It wasn't the nervous flutter he felt when embracing or kissing Xie Nai, nor the panic of being kidnapped. It was something strange.

It was like the sky clearing after a heavy snow—a vast expanse of dullness, even the sunlight listless and gray—when suddenly someone knocks on your window and hands you a single branch of bright, fully-bloomed peach blossoms.

In that instant, all the gloom melted away, leaving the room bathed in light. At that moment, flowers crowned the splendor, and hearts swelled with tender emotion. You looked into his eyes and suddenly understood the overwhelming, thunderous force of his love.

Xie Nai looked up at Qin Jiao. The man's eyes were so beautiful, like the brightest stars in the sky—one glance was enough to make anyone lose themselves in them.

Too much!

"Alright, stop looking at me!"

Qin Jiao lifted a hand to cover Xie Nai's eyes.

Xie Nai felt the boy's slightly cool hand over his eyes—soft, trembling faintly.

Silence enveloped them, the atmosphere tender. Qin Jiao felt Xie Nai's long lashes brushing lightly against his palm, sending a faint, lingering tingle through his palm.

"I'll be more careful from now on, and try not to get hurt." Qin Jiao's voice was low and gentle, soft as a feather's caress against Xie Nai's ears.

"Mm." Xie Nai murmured. "Let's go back."

With that, Xie Nai started to pull Qin Jiao's hand away from his eyes, but suddenly, a kiss landed on his lips.

It was a very gentle kiss, like a kitten nuzzling, full of comfort and reassurance.

"Consider this my apology."

A comfort for the one who'd been worried.

Xie Nai's vision was still dark, but he felt Qin Jiao's hand trembling even more, like a newly bloomed peach blossom swaying gently in the warm spring breeze.

Xie Nai couldn't help but smile. The next second, Qin Jiao effortlessly scooped the young man into his arms and strode forward.

In the distance, the setting sun gradually emerged, and the slanting afterglow stretched the two shadows long. Wherever the gaze fell, the figures were graceful and tender—everything was just as it should be...

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