As for where exactly things had gone wrong, Nan Qi had no way of knowing and could only continue to investigate later.
Now that Mo Jiuye had gotten hold of the Seven Days Fall that was so advantageous to him, even though he'd had such a good opportunity earlier, he hadn't made a move against Nan Qi.
All of this pointed to one issue - Mo Jiuye cherished dearly the brotherly affection they had once shared.
After quite some time, Nan Qi slowly stood up and opened the door with his own hand.
"Let's go. I hope you can forget about today's matters."
Although Nan Qi's words were simple, they both understood that he would not go after Mo Jiuye again in the future.
Having accomplished their purpose in coming, He Zhiran and Mo Jiuye left the private room without any reluctance.
The two had just walked downstairs to the first floor when they saw Fei Nanyu sitting there alone, drinking.
Fei Nanyu was facing the direction of the staircase. Catching sight of them immediately, he visibly relaxed.
Then he nodded slightly at the two in greeting, without saying much else.
He Zhiran and Mo Jiuye likewise nodded back at Fei Nanyu before leaving the restaurant.
The driver had only received orders to bring them here earlier and had no idea these two would still be alive to leave. So the carriage had long since been brought 'round back.
In any case, Mo Jiuye and He Zhiran hadn't intended to let Nan Qi's people drive them back. So the two strolled leisurely through the streets of Pingyuan County.
Mo Jiuye still couldn't resist his curiosity and asked,
"Do you really have the Seven Days Fall?"
He Zhiran smiled wryly. Feeling they were no longer being tailed by Nan Qi's men, she took out that little paper package again.
Opening the package, she lightly blew on its contents. The white powder instantly dispersed, kicking up a cloud of white dust...
"This is just a smokescreen - plain flour."
Mo Jiuye was truly convinced. He didn't know what else this woman had stored up in her brain to even think up a solution like this.
For the first time before He Zhiran, a smile spread across his face, his tone unconsciously gentle and doting,
"You really are quite something."
He Zhiran was rather smug. "Of course! I have tricks aplenty up my sleeve."
Just then, as He Zhiran was getting a bit complacent, a carriage came careening down the busy street.
Mo Jiuye reflexively pulled He Zhiran into his embrace, lifting her up as he swiftly dodged to the side.
They managed to avoid the oncoming carriage, but because of the force of Mo Jiuye's movement, He Zhiran lost her balance, her face ending up right against his.
The sudden warmth made Mo Jiuye's heart start racing uncontrollably.
Moreover, he was being completely honest with himself that he really liked this feeling.
Even when the two had steadily gotten to their feet, he still didn't let go of He Zhiran, and instead hoped they could stay frozen in this position forever.
He Zhiran felt it too - her body seemed to have been suddenly jolted with electricity, numb and tingling all over.
When she raised her eyes, all she saw was Mo Jiuye's handsome visage magnified before her.
He Zhiran could feel her face starting to burn. Wanting to avoid an embarrassing situation, she hurriedly pushed against the man still holding her.
Mo Jiuye snapped back to his senses then. Flushing, he hastily removed his arms from her waist.
The two simultaneously turned their heads aside, not daring to look at one another.
After a long awkward silence, Mo Jiuye was the first to speak. "Let's go. We should head back."
"Oh!" He Zhiran stuck close by Mo Jiuye's side as they walked. She couldn't have dreamed that even she would have a shy side.
The two maintained their silence all along the way back. After who knew how long, they finally returned to the inn.
Seeing them come back safe and sound, the Mo family attendants finally felt the huge rock in their hearts drop.
Wanting to avoid any more awkward contact with Mo Jiuye, He Zhiran hurried off to chat with her sisters-in-law.
Not until nightfall when they returned to their room were the two forced to face one another again.
The room was so quiet all they could hear was the thumping of each other's hearts.
In the end, it was still Mo Jiuye who broke the silence.
"Um... You should rest early!"
"Mm!" He Zhiran promptly buried herself under the quilt on her side of the bed, sticking close to the wall.
Likewise, Mo Jiuye lay at the edge of the bed, as long as he didn't fall off it was fine.
Perhaps because of the alcohol he'd had at lunch, Mo Jiuye slept more heavily than usual tonight.
Not wanting her insomnia to affect their journey tomorrow, He Zhiran had purposefully taken a sleeping pill before bed.
As a result, it was the first night the two managed to sleep so soundly at the same time.
Although she'd had the sleeping pill, He Zhiran's biological clock was still perfectly accurate.
At the usual hour she typically rose, she already felt awake.
But today was different than normal. She felt as if she were enveloped in a giant furnace.
With eyes still shut, she carefully sensed that her face seemed to be pressed against something hard while her body felt weighted down by something on top.
She suddenly opened her eyes. What filled her vision was surprisingly a man's chest.
Her face was plastered right against it. The thing weighing down her body turned out to be Mo Jiuye's arm and one leg.
Glancing down at her own somewhat numb arm, she saw it was wrapped around Mo Jiuye's waist.
Good heavens! She'd actually spent the entire night snuggling with this man.
Wanting to avoid an embarrassing situation, He Zhiran gingerly freed her arm from Mo Jiuye's waist and slowly shifted her body backward.
In truth, Mo Jiuye had already woken up.
Despite being full grown men, this was still his first time being so intimately close to a woman. Although he didn't dislike the feeling, he feared He Zhiran would be repulsed.
Rather than face what would surely be an awkward situation or bring an end to this delightful sensation, Mo Jiuye chose to pretend he was still sleeping.
But to He Zhiran, the more careful she tried to be, the more nervous she became. As she moved, her knee happened to bump into something it shouldn't have.
Having lived twenty-four celibate years in her past life, she was still fairly knowledgeable about such matters.
He Zhiran couldn't help crying out in surprise.
At the same time, Mo Jiuye couldn't restrain a muffled grunt.
Their eyes met. The two simultaneously shifted backwards.
Fortunately for He Zhiran, there was a wall right behind her so moving with large motions posed no problem.
Mo Jiuye, on the other hand, had terrible luck. Putting strength into shifting back, his whole body tumbled straight onto the floor.
Luckily his martial arts skills came in handy. With a swift flip, he landed steadily, sparing himself embarrassment before He Zhiran.
Seeing Mo Jiuye frozen there like an ignorant youth, He Zhiran kind of wanted to laugh.
But she still forcibly controlled herself.
To diffuse the awkwardness, the words slipped from her mouth,
"There's nothing strange about a married couple cuddling. Don't get so tense."
For a man's man like Mo Jiuye, this remark was somewhat grating to his ears.
Shouldn't he be the one saying this instead of having his words snatched away by this woman?
"I know I still owe you a perfect wedding night full of nuptial bliss. Once things settle down in the Northwest, I will definitely make it up to you."
As Mo Jiuye spoke, it was as if a tiny voice inside him cried out:
If you're willing, I could make up that wedding night right now...
