Jiang Yanyi had been busy until evening when she finally remembered that she had forgotten something.

Since Feng Shuo could send a carriage to pick them up, he must be at home!

For both public and private reasons, she should thank him.

She had stewed an old hen on the stove at noon to make soup for Chu Yan Gui to nourish his health.

Jiang Yanyi found a soup bowl, set aside a bowl for Feng Shuo, and instructed Chef Yao and the others not to wait for her dinner before heading to Feng’s residence.

She first went to Feng Shuo’s courtyard, but he wasn’t there.

The guards said he had gone to the flower room.

Jiang Yanyi turned and headed to the flower room.

Outside, it was a freezing winter day, but inside the flower room, it was warm and cozy, with an abundance of flowers and plants that were out of season, flourishing beautifully.

Feng Shuo was dressed in casual home attire, with his sleeves rolled up, holding a wooden ladle as he watered the chili peppers that Jiang Yanyi had planted.

After going to the Chu family, Jiang Yanyi hadn’t had time to take care of the peppers and had entrusted the flower gardeners in Feng’s residence to look after them.

Now, seeing the chili seedlings bearing fruit, although still less than half a finger long and green-skinned, she couldn’t help but feel overjoyed.

Her smile was almost reaching her ears as she asked Feng Shuo, “Weren’t you in the army for a long time? When did you come back?”

After finishing watering the nearby chili plants, Feng Shuo tossed the wooden ladle into the bucket.

Compared to Jiang Yanyi’s excitement, he appeared somewhat indifferent. “I stayed in the army for over half a month. Everything that needed to be done has been done. The Turkic prince has been captured, and they don’t dare to act recklessly anymore. We can have a peaceful New Year.”

Jiang Yanyi simply responded with an “oh,” completely ignoring the slight chill in Feng Shuo’s tone, as she happily inspected her chili patch.

Each chili plant had quite a few small fruits hanging from it.

By the time these peppers ripened, it would be spring, and she would have enough seeds to cultivate even more peppers!

Watching her beam with joy over the peppers, Feng Shuo’s expression darkened even further.

He coldly asked, “What are you doing here?”

Jiang Yanyi suddenly remembered the purpose of her visit.

She suppressed her smile, cleared her throat, and said, “I brought you a bowl of chicken soup.”

Upon hearing that she specifically came to bring him soup, Feng Shuo’s expression softened slightly. “Was the shop very busy this morning?”

Not busy at all! She had completely forgotten about him!

But Jiang Yanyi wouldn’t dare say that; instead, she made up a reason. “My courtyard is small. Now that Yan Gui has moved in, there’s also a servant looking after him. I don’t know how to arrange things, so I’m asking about some housing.”

Feng Shuo was successfully distracted by her excuse.

He said, “That’s easy. The west courtyard of my residence is only separated by a wall from your courtyard. Since it’s been vacant, I can have someone tidy it up. We can open a passage through the courtyard wall, so you and your brother can move in. It’s a big courtyard, and you can arrange for a few servants to live there as well.”

It wasn’t easy to find a suitable house, and Jiang Yanyi had looked at quite a few places recently, but none had met her expectations.

Feng Shuo’s suggestion made Jiang Yanyi a little tempted.

Last time, to save a parrot, she had climbed over the wall and fallen.

That courtyard was indeed quite large, and with a bit of tidying up, it would make for a great place to live.

But then she suddenly recalled the mysterious falling pomegranates during the autumn.

Although she didn’t believe in ghosts and gods, her experience of time travel had instilled a sense of caution in her.

Jiang Yanyi thought that Feng Shuo might not know about the haunting in his courtyard, so she decided to beat around the bush. “Did anything happen in the west courtyard when the previous owner lived there? Was there a murder or something?”

Feng Shuo shot her a puzzled glance. “Why do you ask that?”

Jiang Yanyi explained, “The pomegranate tree in that courtyard bore fruit in the autumn, and one night, half of the pomegranates fell into my yard. I suspect that courtyard might be haunted.”

Feng Shuo: “…”

For a while, he said nothing.

Jiang Yanyi felt that he didn’t want to talk to her.

Surely, he couldn’t be upset just because she mentioned that the house might be haunted, right?

After spending so long with Feng Shao, Jiang Yanyi knew he wasn’t that kind of person, so she poked him with a finger: “What’s wrong with you?”

Feng Shao answered her question indirectly: “No murder has occurred in that yard. Pomegranates symbolize many children and blessings, representing good fortune and longevity. If they fall in your yard, it’s a good omen.”

His words made sense to her, and Jiang Yanyi nodded: “Then I’ll discuss the rent with Uncle Fu tomorrow.”

Feng Shao felt a bit frustrated and pinched her cheek: “What, you still want to pay me?”

Jiang Yanyi really did plan to do so: “I can’t always take advantage of you.”

Feng Shao looked at her face, which he had pinched until it puffed up.

Her skin was warm and delicate under his fingers, and her eyes always shimmered with a watery glow, as if they could speak.

Her lips, tinted with lipstick, were slightly parted, full and plump, like peach petals in March adorned with dew.

He relaxed the grip of his fingers on her soft cheek, moving his thumb down to gently press at the corner of her lips.

His gaze was deep, like an ancient well, seemingly pulling in one’s attention, inviting them to plunge into the endless darkness with him: “Then let me take advantage of you too.”

The warmth of his rough fingertips pressing against her lip felt particularly alluring.

Jiang Yanyi felt her heart skip a beat.

Just as his beautifully shaped lips were about to descend, she instinctively closed her eyes.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed outside the flower room, and Jiang Yanyi panicked, quickly stepping back to create distance between them.

The person who entered was the gardener, who checked the flowers in the greenhouse every evening before finishing his work.

Seeing Feng Shao inside, the gardener quickly bowed: “Your Highness, are you here to check on the peppers again?”

The word “again” warmed Jiang Yanyi’s heart inexplicably.

Feng Shao appeared somewhat uncomfortable and simply hummed in acknowledgment, instructing the gardener: “I’ve already checked the flowers in the greenhouse; you can go back now.”

The gardener wisely withdrew.

Once they were alone in the flower room, Jiang Yanyi smiled and asked Feng Shao, “So you often come to help me tend to these peppers, huh?”

Feng Shao avoided her gaze and replied, “I thought you were caring for them like a treasure, so I was curious and came to take a look a few times.”

Despite his stubbornness, Jiang Yanyi chose not to expose him.

She glanced at the sky: “It’s getting late; I need to head back. The chicken soup is in your room, so remember to drink it when you return.”

Feng Shao looked at the encroaching dusk, lowering his rolled-up sleeves: “I’ll walk you back.”

Since winter started, the heavy snow hadn’t stopped.

As they left the flower room, a servant handed Feng Shao an oil-paper umbrella, which he opened to shield Jiang Yanyi from the snow as he escorted her to the drooping flower gate.

Jiang Yanyi stopped and said, “Just send me to here.”

Feng Shao understood that they weren’t officially engaged yet and that Jiang Yanyi would always feel psychological pressure if they were too close in front of others.

He didn’t insist, only extending the umbrella towards her: “Take the umbrella back.”

“No need, it’s just a few steps to my shop from here.”

Jiang Yanyi refused the umbrella, walking away step by step into the snow and the gathering dusk.

Feng Shao watched her retreating figure, a trace of sadness flickering in his eyes.

He had never liked anyone before and didn’t know how to love.

He realized that a person like him would probably not attract any girls, so in this relationship, he had always tried to accommodate Jiang Yanyi as much as possible.