384: Valley Rest

As soon as the words were spoken, the Embroiderer, Liu Xuaner, Shen Xingwan, Jiang Ya, and the others immediately and excitedly went off together towards the sea of flowers by the stream, their joyful laughter echoing through the valley for a long time.

However, Ye Nianrui stayed behind, using the excuse of organizing her luggage, her gaze fixed intently on Situ Jun's figure. Waves of emotion had long since rippled in her heart; that hidden longing had quietly grown like a vine, entwining itself around her heart.

As the figures of the others gradually walked away and disappeared around the bend of the river valley, Ye Nianrui could no longer contain the longing in her heart. With light steps, she hurried towards Situ Jun's tent, like a little bird returning to its nest, eager to throw herself into a warm embrace.

Just as she stepped into the tent, before she could even turn around, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind, pulling her steadily into a warm embrace. The familiar scent of Dragons Saliva Incense instantly enveloped her, bringing a sense of peace.

"Missed me?"

Situ Jun's deep voice sounded by her ear, carrying a hint of teasing and thick tenderness. His warm breath brushed past her ear, making her whole body tremble as if an electric current had passed over her skin, raising fine goosebumps.

Ye Nianrui's cheeks flushed red like ripe cherries, radiant and alluring.

She shot him a reproachful look over her shoulder, but her eyes were brimming with laughter, as if holding a sky full of starlight, sparkling and moving.

She turned around and tightly hugged his waist, pressing her cheek against his chest, feeling his steady, powerful heartbeat, and softly replied:

"Mm-hmm."

A single, simple word, yet it contained endless longing and affection, quietly spreading in the silent tent, flowing gently like warm water, warming each other's hearts.

Situ Jun looked down at the shy woman in his arms, his heart full of tenderness. He gently patted her back and whispered in her ear:

"I missed you too."

Five simple words, yet carrying the weight of deep affection, causing warm currents to surge in Ye Nianrui's heart.

She looked up, gazing into Situ Jun's deep eyes. Her own figure was clearly reflected in those eyes, full of doting and deep love.

The two looked at each other and smiled; no excessive words were needed, their mutual feelings were already understood.

Situ Jun raised his hand and cast a pale golden Restriction, completely isolating the tent from the outside world. It blocked out the babbling of the stream, the songs of birds and fragrance of flowers, and also all prying eyes and disturbances.

Outside the tent, the sunlight was just right, filtering through the layers of leaves, casting dappled light and shadow onto the clear stream's surface, refracting into shimmering ripples.

Wildflowers on the bank bloomed freely, bees and butterflies flitting among them, a picture of peaceful, quiet times.

And inside the tent, affection lingered, tender and entwined.

Situ Jun held Ye Nianrui tightly in his arms, his nose filled with the faint orchid fragrance from her hair, feeling her warm breath and slightly trembling body. His heart was filled with tranquility and contentment.

Ye Nianrui pressed her cheek against his solid chest, listening to his steady, powerful heartbeat like the most beautiful music. It made her forget the weariness of the journey and all the troubles and noise of the outside world.

Sunlight streamed in through tiny gaps in the tent's roof, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the air. Those tiny particles jumped and spun in the light, like their own leaping hearts at this moment.

The light and shadow fell upon the two of them, illuminating the thick, undiluted love in their eyes, warm and beautiful, as if time had frozen at this moment, forever capturing this sweetness.

This secret, sweet time was like a treasure buried deep in their hearts, carefully cherished.

Nestled in Situ Jun's embrace, Ye Nianrui lightly traced her fingertip over the intricate dark patterns on his lapel, her heart growing even more expectant for life after arriving at Beijiang City.

She yearned to stand shoulder to shoulder with him on the land of the Northern Frontier, to watch the sunrises and sunsets there, to have more days and nights spent together like this, letting this affection slowly settle over time.

The two snuggled together in the tent for a long time, whispering sweet nothings.

Sometimes they chatted about the scenery along the way, sometimes they talked about amusing past events; sometimes they looked at each other and smiled, their eyes full of understanding; sometimes they gazed at each other deeply, every glance brimming with affection for one another, thick and unyielding.

It wasn't until the sound of the other women laughing and talking came from outside that they reluctantly parted.

Reluctantly, Ye Nianrui rose from Situ Jun's embrace, straightened her slightly disheveled clothes, and walked to the bronze mirror.

In the bronze mirror, the woman's cheeks were flushed like ripe cherries, her brows and eyes held a spring-like tenderness, the sweetness in her eyes impossible to hide, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curve upward into a shy, happy smile.

She took a deep breath, calming her slightly disordered breathing a little, then turned to look at Situ Jun, her eyes full of reluctance. Her feet felt as if filled with lead, unwilling to move:

"I should go back."

Situ Jun nodded slowly, his eyes also filled with deep reluctance.

He reached out and smoothed the stray hairs on her forehead. His fingertips inadvertently brushed against her warm skin, causing a slight shiver.

He said softly:

"Go back and rest well. Don't overexert yourself."

Ye Nianrui softly hummed in agreement, mustered her courage, stood on her tiptoes, and gently kissed his cheek. The touch was as light as a butterfly skimming water.

After doing this, she, like a startled fawn, felt her cheeks grow even hotter. She hurriedly walked out of the tent, her steps carrying a hint of fluster and an undeniable sweetness.

Just as she stepped out of the tent, she saw the Embroiderer walking towards her.

The Embroiderer was wearing a light green dress, its hem embroidered with delicate intertwining lotus patterns that swayed gently with her steps.

In her hands, she held a bouquet of freshly picked wildflowers—red, yellow, purple, pink—a cluster of colorful blooms that complemented her gentle smile, making her look like a woman who had stepped out of a painting.

Startled, Ye Nianrui quickly steadied herself, forced a gentle smile onto her face, and proactively greeted her:

"Sister Embroiderer, you're back."

The Embroiderer smiled and nodded. Her gaze swept over Ye Nianrui's face, a flicker of surprise flashing in her eyes, before she asked with concern:

"Sister Nianrui, why is your face so red? Are you feeling unwell? The climate in the Northern Frontier is changeable; you must take care of your health."

Panic surged in Ye Nianrui's heart, as if a rabbit was thumping wildly inside it, and her heartbeat suddenly quickened.

She quickly waved her hands, her voice carrying a hint of barely detectable fluster:

"No, no, perhaps I got a little warm from organizing my luggage just now. I'll be fine after resting a bit."

As she spoke, she subconsciously avoided the Embroiderer's gaze, afraid of being found out.

The Embroiderer looked at her with a mix of belief and doubt, but didn't press further. Instead, she smiled and raised the wildflowers in her hand:

"The scenery here is truly beautiful. The stream water is clear enough to see the bottom, and the wildflowers on the bank are blooming splendidly. Look how vibrant these flowers are. Do you want to go see them too? We also picked some flowers and were thinking of putting them in the tents to add some Life Qi."

"No, thank you,"

Ye Nianrui shook her head, trying hard to make her voice sound calm and natural:

"I'm feeling a bit tired today, so I won't go. I'm glad you sisters are having fun."

Seeing this, the Embroiderer didn't insist further and said gently:

"Alright then. Make sure you rest. Come out for some fresh air later; staying cooped up in the tent can get stuffy. The air in the Northern Frontier is fresh; breathing more of it is good for your health."

"Okay, thank you, Sister Embroiderer."

Ye Nianrui replied with a smile, watching the Embroiderer walk away before secretly letting out a sigh of relief. She raised her hand to touch her still-burning cheek; the heat transmitted by her fingertips made her unable to suppress a smile.

The panic in her heart was gradually replaced by this sweetness, as if she had eaten honey, a sweet, lingering feeling that wrapped around her heart and wouldn't fade for a long time.