Bai Qingqing carried the pastry tray over and carefully set it down beside him, her mind absently trying to recall what else a proper attendant ought to do.

After a moment, when she noticed Ning Yan hadn’t moved, she asked curiously, “Why aren’t you eating?”

Ning Yan shot her a sidelong glance but said nothing. Bai Qingqing blinked, then, as if struck by sudden inspiration, awkwardly but meticulously wiped her hands clean, picked up a pastry, and held it up to his mouth, coaxing like she might a child, “Ah—”

Ning Yan: “…”

He had no words for what he was feeling.

It was clear Bai Qingqing meant absolutely nothing by it—her eyes shone with nothing but earnestness. Her whole face radiated a sincere, clumsy desire to be a good servant.

And yet… the way she tried to feed him made something reckless stir in his chest.

He lowered his head and took the pastry into his mouth. Her fingertips brushed against the warmth of his lips, making her jerk her hand back like she’d been burned. She glanced up nervously to check his expression. Seeing no reaction—he hadn’t even looked at her—she exhaled in relief. It must’ve just been an accident. She was probably too inexperienced. She’d be more careful next time.

Even on the road, Ning Yan’s duties kept him busy. Reports and missives were delivered one after another. Bai Qingqing sat quietly at his side, making sure not to disturb him. She curled up near the window with a book, flipping pages in silence.

When Ning Yan finally looked up from his documents, the first thing he saw was her—small and still, leaning lightly against the window. Sunlight poured in, casting half its glow on the book in her hands, half across her delicate face. Even her long lashes looked as if they had been dusted with gold. She was the very picture of peace.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from NovelBin. Please report it.

So Pei Lingshu always made those snide remarks about how he treated Bai Qingqing differently—well, of course he did. How many women could make him feel like all the restless weight in his chest had been swept clean away with just a glance? Not to mention the faint, elusive scent she always carried—so light, so pleasant, lingering in the air when she was near.

He’d said from the beginning that he liked how she smelled. That hadn’t been idle talk.

“You’re finished with your work, my lord?”

Bai Qingqing noticed his shift in attention and quickly put down her book to come over. “Would you like some tea? Are you hungry? Want some pastries? Brother Wen said just now that it’ll still be a while before we reach tonight’s stop—he was probably afraid you’d go hungry. Why not have a bite or two first?”

“Have you eaten?”

She blinked, then shook her head. “I’m not hungry. I’ve been in the carriage all day, haven’t really worked up an appetite.”

In fact, this whole trip had gone completely differently from what she’d expected. She’d imagined traveling by day and hiding by night, eating in the wind and sleeping under the stars—something she surely wouldn’t survive for more than a few days with her fragile constitution. But it had turned out to be surprisingly comfortable.

Ning Yan cast a glance at the pastries. “Wen Jiang prepared those for you. I’ve never liked sweets. If you don’t eat them, they’ll go bad before long.”

“For… me?”

She looked stunned by the kindness. “Brother Wen is too good…”

“So are you going to eat them or not?”

“I’ll eat.”

Bai Qingqing never let a single bit of anyone’s good intentions go to waste. No wonder most of the snacks were her favorites—even the nuts her family always kept stocked at home were here.

She picked up a nut, then set it down and chose something else.

Ning Yan watched her eat, the way she savored each bite, and without much thought, picked up the box himself. He cracked a nut open with a clean “crunch,” removed the shell, and held it out to her.

“Hand.”

Bai Qingqing cupped her hands together. A whole, perfect kernel landed in her palm.