Qingyun Residence, in the study.

Lu Zhan had also awoken.

Recalling the girl’s unusual behavior in the dream, he knew exactly what was happening.

’This dream ended so quickly tonight because my cousin saw the Jade Pendant at my waist and was frightened awake, wasn’t it?’

At this thought, he pressed his lips together. He rose, left the study, and summoned Chen Jiu. "Keep a close eye on the Miss’s movements these next few days," he ordered. "Report any abnormalities to me immediately."

Chen Jiu was thoroughly confused.

’What is the Princely Heir trying to do?’

’Wasn’t it enough to stop the Miss from marrying someone else? Now he has to monitor her every move?’

’If the Princely Heir keeps this up, isn’t he going to scare the Miss away?’

Chen Jiu worried for his master, but he still complied. "Yes, sir."

「The next day, at Yaoguang Pavilion.」

After waking in the middle of the night, Zhi Wan hadn’t been able to fall back asleep.

She had already made up her mind to leave. So, at the crack of dawn, she instructed Shuang’er to pack their bags quickly, then took the paintings she had done recently and went to He Xu Bookstore herself.

’Since I’m leaving the Capital City, the more silver I have on me, the better.’

"You’re going on another long journey?" Manager Jin asked, stunned to hear Zhi Wan was leaving the Capital City.

Zhi Wan nodded. "I probably won’t be coming back. But don’t worry, once I find a new place to settle, I’ll continue painting. I’ll have someone send the new works to you then."

Manager Jin was somewhat relieved to hear this. "But you must promise to keep supplying our bookstore with paintings. As for payment, we won’t treat you unfairly."

"I know," Zhi Wan nodded.

She was in a hurry to leave, so she didn’t chat long with Manager Jin. After giving him the paintings and settling the payment, she made a trip to Zhimei Restaurant.

Time was tight, so she couldn’t sell off the restaurant right away. Her only option was to leave Zhao Dong and his wife to continue managing it for now.

"...Once I’ve found a place to stay, I’ll write to you. After you sell the restaurant, you can come find me there," Zhi Wan instructed the couple.

Zhao Dong and his wife were just as surprised, but as servants, it wasn’t their place to pry into their master’s private affairs. They simply had to obey.

"Don’t worry, Miss. We’ll sell the restaurant as quickly as possible," the couple agreed with a nod.

"Good." Zhi Wan didn’t say much more. She took most of the restaurant’s profits, leaving only a small amount for the couple. After giving Zhao Dong a few more instructions, she left.

She had just returned to the mansion and hadn’t even had a chance to speak with Shuang’er when Lady Wei sent Nanny Fang over.

"Miss, Madam sent this old servant to tell you that she has invited Mr. Chen to see an opera at Qingyin Pavilion this afternoon. She asks that you prepare to go with them."

Zhi Wan froze. She had almost forgotten about Chen Junyu.

’But how could I possibly be in the mood to think about finding a husband now?’

She had already sent Zhao Dong to the docks to inquire about any boats to Yangzhou leaving this afternoon. If there was one, she had to leave today.

The thought of leaving the Capital City, perhaps never to return, filled her with reluctance to part with her aunt.

At the same time, she felt incredibly guilty toward her.

’My aunt is so good to me. If I could, I wouldn’t want to leave her. But if I stay, I’ll have to face my cousin, and that would be far too awkward. I wouldn’t be able to show my face.’

With that in mind, she nodded. "I understand."

She no longer had the heart to see Chen Junyu, but she wanted to accompany her aunt to the opera one last time.

...

Lu Zhan didn’t return to the mansion until the afternoon.

He had been away from the Capital City for so long that upon his return, he not only had to report to the Emperor about official matters in Jiangnan but also had to go to the Ministry of Justice to handle a backlog of cases.

He had been busy until just now, finally finding a moment of leisure.

He declined Ouyang Lei’s kind offer to host a welcome-back banquet for him at a restaurant and returned directly to the Duke Dingguo Mansion.

"Have Chen Jiu come see me," he ordered a servant as soon as he returned to the mansion.

"Chen Guard has gone out and hasn’t returned yet," the servant replied.

Lu Zhan stopped in his tracks. He had told Chen Jiu to watch his cousin’s movements. If Chen Jiu wasn’t at the mansion, it meant his cousin had gone out.

Realizing this, he immediately asked, "Have Madam and the Miss left the mansion?"

"This one overheard that they seem to have gone to Qingyin Pavilion to watch an opera," the servant replied.

Upon hearing this, Lu Zhan pressed his thin lips together. Without even taking the time to change out of his official uniform, he turned and headed for Qingyin Pavilion.

「Qingyin Pavilion.」

When Zhi Wan learned that the opera being performed today was *The Peony Pavilion*, her eyelid twitched.

The opera tells the story of a high-official’s daughter who meets and falls in love with a scholar in her dreams.

Right now, she couldn’t bear to hear anything about dreams, as it would inevitably remind her of all the absurd things she had done to her cousin in her own dream.

The more Zhi Wan thought about it, the more agitated she became, unable to sit still.

"Wan’er, are you feeling unwell? Why are you so distracted?"

Lady Wei, sitting beside her, noticed her strange behavior and asked with concern.

Zhi Wan snapped back to reality and quickly shook her head. "No, not at all."

"That’s good. The opera hasn’t started yet, so you can have a nice chat with Mr. Chen," Lady Wei said, patting her hand and reminding her in a low voice.

This outing had been arranged specifically for Zhi Wan and Chen Junyu. Accordingly, Chen Junyu was seated to Zhi Wan’s right, with only a small table between them.

Hearing this, Zhi Wan turned her head to glance at Chen Junyu.

Chen Junyu noticed her gaze and gave her a slight nod.

Seeing this, she nodded back at him.

She had absolutely no desire to entertain Chen Junyu right now, but she had to maintain at least basic courtesy.

"Miss Zhi, what are your usual hobbies?" Chen Junyu asked in a refined and polite manner.

"I don’t have any particular hobbies. I usually read some light books to pass the time," Zhi Wan replied coolly. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Chen Junyu nodded and asked with interest, "Then may I ask what kind of light books Miss Zhi enjoys reading?"

Zhi Wan twisted the handkerchief in her hands and answered perfunctorily, "Just some storybooks and the like."

Hearing this, Chen Junyu didn’t press the matter further.

Zhi Wan breathed a silent sigh of relief.

’I’m in no mood to deal with anyone right now. Thankfully, Chen Junyu knows how to take a hint.’

But not long after, Chen Junyu suddenly pushed a small dish toward her. "Miss Zhi, these sunflower seeds are already shelled. Please have some."

Zhi Wan was taken aback. She looked down and saw a pile of plump, white sunflower seed kernels on the dish.

She looked at Chen Junyu in surprise. "You shelled these?"

Chen Junyu nodded, saying a little awkwardly, "How can one watch an opera without sunflower seeds? I just hope Miss Zhi doesn’t mind."

A complicated feeling stirred in Zhi Wan’s heart.

’He’s so meticulous and considerate. A life with him would probably be quite comfortable.’

’Unfortunately, I have to leave the Capital City, while he is staying here to prepare for next year’s spring civil service examination.’

She paused for a moment, then picked up the dish. "Thank you, Mr. Chen."

Seeing that she didn’t reject his offer, Chen Junyu let out a breath of relief. When he saw her lower her head and start eating the seeds, he worried they might be too dry and cause her to choke. He poured her a cup of tea and even used his fan to cool it down for her.

"Miss Zhi, have some tea to wet your throat." Once the tea was at a comfortable temperature, he pushed the cup in front of her.

"Mr. Chen, thank you," Zhi Wan said as she accepted the cup, not knowing what else to say besides thanks.

She could tell he was pleased with her, but she was about to let him down.

Thinking of this, she stopped talking to him, lest she raise his hopes only to disappoint him later.

"The Princely Heir is here," Shuang’er, who was standing to the side, suddenly said.

Zhi Wan’s hand trembled, and she lost her grip on the cup, letting it fall.

Just as the teacup was about to fall onto her lap, a long, slender hand reached out in the nick of time and caught it firmly.

"Be careful!" a man’s deep voice sounded from above her head.