Zhi Wan: "..."

Thinking about what happened in her dream, her face grew even redder.

’Oh heavens, my aunt was sleeping right beside me, yet I was fooling around with my cousin in a dream...’

’This is so humiliating.’

"Wan’er?" Lady Wei was extremely worried when she didn’t say anything.

"Aunt, I’m fine. It’s probably just the heat. I’m going to go wash my face." Zhi Wan said hurriedly, then got out of bed to do so.

After splashing her face with cold water, she calmed down considerably, and her face no longer felt so hot.

Fortunately, Lady Wei didn’t think much of it.

She picked up a round fan and said to Zhi Wan, "It’s still a long time until dawn. Lie down, and I’ll fan you."

Zhi Wan wanted to refuse, but Lady Wei insisted, "Be good now. Lie down."

Zhi Wan had no choice but to lie down beside her.

Lady Wei lay beside her, gently fanning her with the round fan.

The gentle breeze slowly lulled Zhi Wan, and she actually started to feel sleepy again.

Before long, she was fast asleep.

Looking at her small, sleeping face, Lady Wei’s heart melted.

’The heavens must have taken pity on me for not having a daughter and sent Wan’er to my side to fill that void.’

’And this little girl will be my daughter-in-law in the future.’

At that thought, she couldn’t help but sigh. That rebellious son of hers, Lu Zhan, was truly getting off easy.

When Zhi Wan woke again, Lady Wei was no longer in her room. Shuang’er was packing her luggage.

"Miss, you’re awake." Seeing her awake, Shuang’er quickly put down what she was doing and came forward to help her dress and wash up.

"Where’s my aunt?" Zhi Wan asked.

"Her Ladyship has returned to her room," Shuang’er replied.

Hearing this, Zhi Wan didn’t ask any more questions.

Her aunt had told her last night that today they would be traveling to Yangzhou to announce her marriage to her cousin before her parents’ graves.

Zhi Wan had just finished washing up when Nanny Fang walked in with a beaming smile. "Miss, the Princely Heir is here. Her Ladyship invites you to join them for breakfast."

Hearing this, Zhi Wan hesitated.

’She had just had a tryst with her cousin in a dream last night. Wouldn’t it be awkward to see him in a little while?’

"Miss?" Nanny Fang prompted when she didn’t speak for a long moment.

"Yes, I’ll be right there," Zhi Wan said, snapping back to her senses.

When she followed Nanny Fang over, her cousin was indeed already there.

He was dressed in bamboo-green robes today, which made him look as handsome as a jade carving—impossibly elegant and refined.

When Zhi Wan entered, his dark eyes immediately turned to her.

Thinking about last night’s dream, Zhi Wan didn’t dare to meet his gaze. She walked in with her eyes slightly lowered.

"Aunt, Cousin."

She curtsied to them both.

"Wan’er, come, sit." Lady Wei pulled her down to sit beside her. "We’ll be setting off after breakfast. Your cousin doesn’t have time to accompany us, but he will see us off to the boat."

Zhi Wan nodded and picked up her chopsticks.

Lu Zhan watched his cousin refuse to look up at him the entire time and raised an eyebrow.

’Where did all the boldness this girl had in her dream last night go?’

After breakfast, while Lady Wei was up giving Nanny Fang some instructions, Lu Zhan reached under the table and took Zhi Wan’s hand.

Zhi Wan’s fingers stiffened. She tried to pull her hand back, but he only held it tighter.

"It’s only been one night. How can you be like a completely different person, Cousin?"

Zhi Wan feigned ignorance. "What do you mean by that, Cousin?"

Lu Zhan paused, his gaze deep as he looked at her.

Just as Zhi Wan was starting to feel fidgety under his stare, her palm suddenly started to itch.

Realizing what was happening, her face flushed, and she glanced nervously at her aunt, who was giving instructions to Nanny Fang not far away.

Her heart leaped into her throat.

’Her aunt is right here in the room! Her cousin is being far too bold.’

As if he knew what she was thinking, Lu Zhan suddenly leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Compared to you, Cousin, I’m nothing."

Zhi Wan: "..."

She pretended to be calm. "I don’t understand what you’re talking about, Cousin."

"Is that so?" Lu Zhan’s lips curved into a faint, knowing smile. "In your dreams, Cousin, you were... audacious beyond all measure!"

Those four words—"audacious beyond all measure"—made Zhi Wan choke on her own saliva.

"COUGH, COUGH, COUGH..."

Her violent coughing drew Lady Wei’s attention. "Wan’er, what’s wrong?"

Zhi Wan quickly waved her hand. "N-Nothing..."

"Lu Zhan, is this how you take care of someone?" Lady Wei looked at her son with displeasure.

At her words, the corner of Lu Zhan’s mouth twitched up. "My apologies." Then he raised his hand and began patting Zhi Wan on the back, bold as brass.

Zhi Wan: "..."

"Are you feeling better, Cousin?" Lu Zhan asked with concern.

Zhi Wan gave him a complicated look.

If not for the fact that he was still holding one of her hands tightly under the table, she would have really thought she was the one being ungrateful.

"Thank you, Cousin. I’m much better," Zhi Wan said, taking the opportunity to push his hand away.

Lu Zhan paused but didn’t press the issue.

"What use are you? You can’t even take care of someone." Lady Wei walked over, shooting her son a disgusted glare.

Lu Zhan replied good-naturedly, "You’re right to scold me, Mother. I’ll have to trouble you to take good care of my cousin on this trip."

Lady Wei paused. Seeing her son’s serious expression as he gave his instructions, she couldn’t help but tease, "Oh my, she hasn’t even married into the family yet, and you’re already this anxious?"

Zhi Wan was so embarrassed her toes curled.

"My cousin is my fiancée-to-be. If I’m not anxious about her, who should I be anxious about?" Lu Zhan said, completely unflustered and his tone calm.

If she hadn’t seen the tips of his ears turning red, Zhi Wan might have actually been impressed by him.

"So cheesy!" Lady Wei said, rubbing her arms bluntly.

Zhi Wan couldn’t sit still any longer and quickly made an excuse to slip away.

When it was time to depart, Zhi Wan discovered that their escort consisted of Jiang Shi and several other guards.

"Where’s Chen Jiu?" Zhi Wan couldn’t help but ask.

"He has other important matters to attend to," Lu Zhan said concisely.

Hearing this, Zhi Wan didn’t ask any more questions.

Lu Zhan personally escorted them to the docks.

"Alright, you’re busy with official duties, so you should head back. Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of your little cousin," Lady Wei teased.

"Thank you, Mother." Lu Zhan bowed to her in a formal, serious manner.

Zhi Wan’s heart skipped a beat, and she boarded the boat first.

However, she had just entered the cabin when a familiar male voice sounded from behind her. "You may leave for now."

Zhi Wan froze. She turned to see the man who was supposed to be on the dock had actually followed her on board.

Shuang’er covered her mouth to stifle a laugh, tactfully withdrew from the cabin, and even closed the door behind her.

"Why did you come on board?" Zhi Wan asked, clutching her handkerchief nervously.

"I came up to do an inspection, to make sure there are no scoundrels hiding on the boat. It’s a matter of safety," Lu Zhan said calmly, proceeding to inspect the entire cabin with a great show of seriousness.

When Zhi Wan saw him carefully check even under the bed, the nervousness she felt at his sudden appearance dissipated.

She poured herself a cup of tea and was about to drink it when he stopped her.

"Don’t drink that so carelessly. What if it’s poisoned?"

Zhi Wan was startled and quickly put the cup down.

She then saw her cousin take out a silver needle and, with that same feigned seriousness, dip it into the cup and the teapot.

After a moment, seeing that the needle hadn’t changed color, he said, "It’s not poisoned."

Zhi Wan breathed a sigh of relief. She picked up the cup, but just as she took a sip, it was moved from her hands. The next moment, her moist lips were captured in a kiss.