Just as Jiang Mian was raising her hand, Xiao Jingcheng directly grabbed her wrist, and his palm touched her skin.
His fingers didn't exert much strength, but his palm was extremely warm. The warmth was continuously transmitted through her skin, making it impossible for Jiang Mian to ignore. At the same time, it reminded her that he was alive and well.
Did he know what he was doing?
The tips of her ears turned slightly red. She didn't immediately shake him off, and her words were a bit stuttering. "Y-yes."
She quietly tightened her grip on the bowl and pretended to be calm. "Uncle Shushu said he had some private matters to attend to and needed to separate from us for a while. He'll join us again after we leave Luo Prefecture."
Xiao Jingcheng nodded thoughtfully.
It was really strange. Usually, Mo Zhizhang hardly ever left Jiang Mian's side and always tried to prevent him from being alone with her. Why was he willing to leave this time?
Moreover, she had just said that he would catch up with them after they left Luo Prefecture. How did he know when they would leave?
When Xiao Jingcheng was thinking, his fingers would unconsciously rub against whatever was at hand. Since he was holding Jiang Mian's wrist at the moment, his thumb unconsciously rubbed against the delicate skin on the inside of her wrist.
The skin there was incredibly smooth and tender. Jiang Mian stared at him in disbelief, her body stiffening. Her breathing became a bit heavier.
What on earth was he doing?!
At this moment, Xiao Jingcheng didn't notice Jiang Mian's expression at all. He didn't realize how intimate his posture of holding her wrist was, nor did he notice her increasingly red ears and her eyes that seemed to be rippling with water.
He was still thinking about Mo Zhizhang's strange behavior.
Mo Zhizhang was so sure that he would be able to find them. Did he have spies watching them, or was he actually following them nearby but couldn't show up for some reason?
They were going to Luo Prefecture to pay homage to the ancestors of the Li Clan, which was also a way for Jiang Mian and Jiang Zhiqing to return to their ancestral clan.
Could it be...
Was Mo Zhizhang worried about the Li Clan?
He sat up slightly straight, and a thought flashed through his mind. But it disappeared so quickly that he couldn't catch it again.
Seeing that he was just holding her hand without saying a word and making such an intimate gesture, Jiang Mian felt extremely annoyed. When he sat up and got closer to her, she panicked and couldn't hold back any longer. She yanked her hand back and stuffed the porcelain bowl in her hand into his.
"You... eat by yourself!"
Because she was too hasty, some of the porridge in the bowl spilled out.
Only then did Xiao Jingcheng come back to his senses. He let out a soft cry and wanted to say something, but Jiang Mian had already gotten up and run away in a huff. He didn't even get a clear look at her expression. All he remembered were her bright red ears.
"What's wrong with her this time?" Xiao Jingcheng murmured. Looking at his hand, the spilled porridge had gotten on his fingers and the bedding. He put down the porcelain bowl and carefully wiped it with a handkerchief, looking a bit disgusted.
"This Jiang Mian is so clumsy and has such a bad temper."
When Jiang Mian returned to the room, her ears and cheeks were still burning hot.
She looked a bit flustered, and Jiang Zhiqing noticed. "What's wrong, Mujin? Why are your ears and cheeks so red?"
Thanks to the yellow talisman, after the Tianli Vine lost its effect, Jiang Mian no longer disguised herself and showed her true face.
"N-nothing," Jiang Mian quickly replied. "I just ran around the inn's yard a couple of times. It's so hot, so hot."
She fanned herself with her sleeve and walked to the side, pretending to make her bed.
But as she was making the bed, she stopped and covered her wrist with her other hand. It seemed as if the warmth of Xiao Jingcheng's palm still lingered there, and she couldn't ignore it.
"Mujin, if you have nothing else to do, go to bed quickly. We'll be leaving for Luo Prefecture tomorrow."
Jiang Mian came back to her senses and quickly responded. She pulled down her sleeve to cover her hand.
She lingered in the room for another half an hour. Seeing that it was really late at night, Jiang Mian blew out the oil lamp and lay down beside Jiang Zhiqing. The mother and daughter snuggled together and closed their eyes to sleep.
Jiang Mian had another dream.
This time, she dreamed of a magnificent and luxurious mansion. The mansion had red walls and black tiles, with flying eaves and upturned corners. Tall trees and low shrubs were neatly arranged, and the rockery made of Taihu stones was unique and exquisite. It was obvious that this was the mansion of a noble and famous family.
In the dream, she was holding a kite and running happily in the yard of her home. Her face was full of smiles, and her hair, sleeves, and skirt fluttered in the wind. She had never felt so carefree. Behind her, the sisters of the same clan were also holding kites of different shapes and running with her.
They seemed to have a very good relationship and were having a great time together, unlike when she was in the Ye family.
Not far away in the pavilion, a couple was helping a baby learn to crawl. Hearing her laughter, the baby also let out a "giggle" and crawled towards her.
"Wu'er, crawl slowly. When you grow up a bit more, you'll be able to catch up with your elder sister."
Although she couldn't see the faces of the couple clearly, Jiang Mian knew that they were her parents.
The scene changed. It was still the same mansion. Her kite got stuck in a tree. She rolled up her sleeves and climbed the tree without any ladylike demeanor, intending to get her kite. Her sisters below worriedly said:
"Mianmian, be careful!"
"It's just a kite. Forget it. We'll make a new one. Come down quickly!"
She wasn't afraid at all. She smiled and said, "You're all so timid. I've climbed this tree many times. It's as familiar as an old friend. There won't be any problem."
Sure enough, she was getting closer and closer to the kite. Just as her fingers were about to touch the kite, suddenly a strong wind blew. Since she was climbing high, the branches swayed with the wind. She lost her footing and let out a scream as she fell.
But fortunately, she managed to hug the branch in time and didn't fall off the tree.
She looked up in shock and found that there were people under the tree. The one on the left was dressed in dark green, looking elegant and gentle. The one on the right had broad shoulders and a narrow waist, with a tall and handsome figure, looking cold and handsome.
Both of them reached out their hands to her at the same time and said in unison:
"Jump down. Don't be afraid. I'll catch you below."
Jump down?
Would they really catch her?
She looked to the left and then to the right. A thought popped into her mind.
Which side should she jump to?
Before she could make a choice, the branch couldn't bear her weight and snapped with a crack. She fell down, but the expected pain didn't come. Instead, she fell into a warm and reliable embrace.
Who... caught her?