"I miss you so much."
Her words were answered with a passionate kiss.
Li Shuchen held her waist tightly with his left hand, pulled her towards him with his right, and leaned down to kiss her.
Qi Huan gradually found herself breathless from his kiss. She suddenly pushed him away, then playfully pressed her face against his chest, hugging his waist tightly, unwilling to look up again.
After embracing for a while, she suddenly remembered that to avoid drawing attention on her journey, she had deliberately dirtied her clothes by rubbing them on the ground, messed up her hair with mud, and even applied earth-toned eyeshadow to her face. She was both ugly and filthy.
She hurriedly tried to step back, but Li Shuchen pulled her close again.
"Shu, I'm impressed you can still kiss me looking like this."
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. To me, Huan will always be my little fairy."
Qi Huan's eyes curved in delight, beaming with joy.
She took out a makeup remover wipe and slowly cleaned off the eyeshadow, revealing her fair complexion.
Then she let down her hair, wiped it with a towel, and finding it didn't help much, simply tied it up in a bun.
Li Shuchen took the wipe from her hand and patiently cleaned her ears, neck, and other accessible areas.
Afterwards, he took out a white jade hairpin he had carved himself and gently inserted it into her hair.
The jade hairpin was carved in the shape of a birch leaf. Birch trees had witnessed the beginning of their love and would continue to witness their undying love until the seas ran dry and rocks crumbled.
"Happy Qixi Festival, my little fairy."
As he spoke, Li Shuchen also put a red string bracelet with an interlocking heart knot on her wrist, silently expressing his intentions:
Forever united in heart, this life only for you.
He had even woven a strand of his own hair into the bracelet, said to ward off misfortune for her.
"Happy birthday, my little fairy."
"May my Huan live a life full of joy and peace, smooth and healthy."
His deep voice, enveloped in bone-melting tenderness, lingered in Qi Huan's ears and branded itself deep into her heart.
She touched her lips, finding them clean and moist.
Reassured, she took the initiative to kiss him.
A month's worth of longing gradually dissipated between their lips and tongues.
After ending the kiss, Li Shuchen recited the "Heart Purification Mantra" for a very long time before finally having the leisure to look around her space.
"Is this your residence in the Heavenly Court?"
Qi Huan shook her head: "It's my mount."
"Can it run?"
"...Not yet."
"Can it fight?"
"...Not yet."
After answering, Qi Huan added: "Currently, it only has the function of 'laying low'. When there's danger, I can hide inside."
"So, could I disguise myself as a maid and stay by your side? When there's danger, I could hide in here to protect myself, and bring you in to protect you too."
Li Shuchen stroked her hair, getting a handful of dust, but not minding it. He replied softly, "I don't have maids by my side, and you're not a maid."
"But I came today to bring you into the city."
"There's a branch of the Yunying Caravan in Yunzhou City. You'll stay there first. After the refugee situation is resolved, I'll send someone to escort you back to the capital."
Hearing him mention the refugees, Qi Huan looked up at him: "Does Yunzhou City have enough water and food? I can help you assist them."
As she spoke, Qi Huan conjured a bottle of mineral water and several large steamed buns out of thin air.
"I can use my magic to create water and food."
"Although it will consume some of my magical power, helping others actually increases it more. It's not harmful to me, but beneficial. You needn't worry."
"Natural disasters are merciless, but people have compassion. I want to do what I can to help them."
"Earlier, I didn't have enough manpower to organize them properly. I was worried that if I suddenly produced a large amount of supplies, ill-intentioned people might try to steal them. Not only would I fail to help the disaster victims, but I might also bring trouble upon myself. So along the way, I've only occasionally left some water and food, helping a small number of people."
"Now that you're by my side, with your army, you can distribute things properly, and others won't dare to offend easily. I'll provide the supplies to you. I'll contribute the food, you'll contribute the effort, and together we'll help them overcome this drought!"
"Working together, human determination can conquer nature."
Her eyes shone brightly, her whole being seemed wrapped in light, so bright, so dazzling.
Looking at her, Li Shuchen couldn't take his eyes away for a long time.
After a while, he chuckled softly and said "Mm," interlocking his fingers with hers: "Let's move forward hand in hand."
Seeing him agree, Qi Huan smiled, brushed off the dust on his clothes, and led him out of the space together.
Their sudden appearance out of thin air startled Yan Jiu.
He quickly wiped the cream from the corner of his mouth and called out, "Your Highness."
Li Shuchen was still holding Qi Huan's hand, and in his good mood, he spoke to Yan Jiu much more gently.
"Tonight, I'll bring Huan into the city first. You and Yan Qing are responsible for cleaning up, dispose of the tents. Tomorrow at the third watch and first quarter, at fifteen zhang from the west side of the city wall, bring Yan Qing up the wall, our people will receive you."
After speaking, Li Shuchen was about to leave with Qi Huan.
But Qi Huan paused, and after collecting the trash, she said to Yan Jiu: "Take what you can, dispose of what you can't."
After giving instructions, she swung her hand that was holding Li Shuchen's.
Li Shuchen understood, let go of her hand, and instead put his arm around her waist. He carried her swiftly through the night, leaping over city walls and houses, finally stopping at a separate courtyard.
The caravan people had received instructions earlier and had been waiting with lights on. In the small kitchen, they had even kept water and lily bulb and lotus seed porridge warm.
After entering the courtyard, Li Shuchen first sternly instructed Yan Ge, who was waiting nearby: "Treat her as you would treat me, there must not be the slightest negligence."
Then he softened his tone and said to Qi Huan: "Rest well, Huan. I'll come to see you tomorrow."
Qi Huan nodded obediently.
It was already late, so she urged: "You should go back and sleep too. Remember to take good care of yourself."
"Alright."
Li Shuchen turned and left.
In the quiet courtyard, only Qi Huan and Yan Ge remained.
The other members of the caravan were either men or not trustworthy enough to enter this courtyard.
Yan Ge, who usually interacted more with her fellow disciples, was excited to meet a fresh-faced young lady for the first time. Her eyes sparkled with excitement.
She imitated Li Shuchen, softening her voice and gently said: "Miss Qi, would you like to bathe?"
Qi Huan nodded and politely replied: "Thank you for your trouble."
"Please rest for a moment while I prepare the water."
After mixing the water to the right temperature, Yan Ge went to the room to fetch clothes for Qi Huan and led her to the bathroom, not forgetting to speak well of her master along the way.
"Miss Qi, these clothes were all personally delivered by His Highness. His Highness also mentioned that you like to eat yangchun noodles..."
"...No, that's not it."
"Please, don't be polite."
"...I'm not."
"I understand, I understand! My senior brother once said, when a woman says she doesn't like something, it means she does, and when she says she doesn't want something, it means she actually wants it. You must be wanting to eat yangchun noodles tomorrow morning, right?"
Following her logic, Qi Huan had no choice but to say the opposite: "I do want to eat them."
However, Yan Ge triumphantly exclaimed: "I knew it!"
"......"
