Chapter 79

The sky was overcast, the autumn wind howled, and leaves swirled as they fell—rain was imminent.

Gu Ci also boarded the carriage, naturally taking Nianxi’s hand. He spoke softly, “You’re dressed so warmly, yet your hands are still cold?”

His hands were always warm and dry. Nianxi had never paid much attention to such things, though she tended to hold a hand warmer longer than others each year. But Gu Ci always noticed these small details.

Nianxi observed him now, still wearing a single-layered robe—a dark blue, narrow-sleeved garment with a carved belt buckle at his waist. It made him appear even more upright and elegant, his features as refined as a painting. In contrast, she was bundled in a padded jacket and a cloak, no longer as light and graceful as before but rather somewhat cumbersome. No wonder he had to help her into the carriage earlier!

Suddenly, Nianxi half-raised herself and pressed her hand directly against the back of his neck. She refused to believe he wasn’t cold!

This trick had always worked on her brother, Wen Qingheng, leaving him shivering every time. But Gu Ci, unfazed by the cold, didn’t even blink. Instead, he had the audacity to tease her, “Isn’t it uncomfortable sitting like that?”

Frustrated, Nianxi withdrew her hand, but Gu Ci was quicker, pulling her hand into his embrace to warm it. His chest radiated heat—perhaps a sign of youth—always as warm as fire.

Gu Ci had grown bolder, even teasing her further, “Look at that pout of yours; you could hang an oil bottle on it.”

Nianxi shot him a sidelong glance, pursed her lips tightly, and pinched the flesh of his chest with the hand nestled in his embrace. They often joked and played like this, and Nianxi had “bullied” him many times before. Her strength was naturally not great, and she hadn’t even used much force this time.

Gu Ci suddenly let out a heavy gasp. Nianxi thought she must have hurt him. She raised her head and looked up. At first glance, she only saw his slightly tilted head and the movement of his Adam’s apple. For the first time, Nianxi noticed that beside his Adam’s apple, there was a tiny mole that moved gently as he swallowed, sharp and captivating.

Her hand was still pressed against his chest. Though separated by an inner garment, she could feel and trace the contours of his chest beneath the thin fabric. In a daze, it felt as though something had bloomed in the palm of her hand.

He was so pure, vibrant, and youthful.

As if guided by some unseen force, her hand seemed to move on its own, gently brushing over his chest. Lower down, she felt the distinct, well-defined muscles—each one taut, firm, and brimming with boundless strength.

Nianxi silently counted to six and was about to continue sliding her hand downward when her wrist was suddenly grasped. She couldn’t help but look up, meeting his lowered gaze directly.

He had beautiful almond-shaped eyes with slightly upturned corners and thick lashes. On most days, they were bright and dazzling, but today was different. It was as if a dark flame smoldered in their depths—ready to ignite into a blazing inferno with just a spark. And yet, at a glance, they seemed merely dark and shadowy.

The carriage was dimly lit, and he sat quietly, watching her in light and shadow. It was a gaze that was unmistakably a man’s—raw and fervent.

Nianxi felt as though she had been burned, hurriedly averting her eyes. Only then did she realize that the hand that had stopped her earlier had, at some point, let go. She withdrew her hand and leaned back against the inner wall of the carriage.

Gu Ci leaned forward, resting his hands on his knees. For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Outside, the rain began to fall, the sound of raindrops mingling with the wind as they struck the carriage window. Inside the carriage, an indescribable sense of intimacy seemed to flow.

After a moment, Gu Ci leaned forward, extending his hand toward Nianxi. She placed her hand over his, and he wrapped it again, warming it for her.

“My father will be returning to the capital soon,” he said.

Nianxi let out a quiet sigh of relief. At this moment, her cheeks were burning hot, and she was unsure if her hands were still cold, as his palms were so scorching warm.

“That’s wonderful! Sixth Brother’s coming-of-age ceremony will have Father personally officiating!” she exclaimed.

Nianxi dared not provoke him further and tried to steer the conversation to a proper topic. “The Gu residence will surely be lively then.”

Gu Ci responded with a distracted “Mm” as he absentmindedly played with her fingers, stroking them one by one. Nianxi wasn’t particularly ticklish, but his touch was so light, like feathers brushing against her skin, stirring a peculiar itch in her heart.

Nianxi tried to pull her hand away, but Gu Ci held on tightly, not letting her go.

“Take it, take it, it’s yours now.” The intimate and lingering atmosphere was still present, and fearing things might escalate again, Nianxi decided to play coy.

Gu Ci took the opportunity, lifting her hand to his lips and kissing it. “Then it’s settled. These hands are mine now.”

Nianxi widened her almond-shaped eyes in surprise. “You… you’re such a pervert.”

Gu Ci couldn’t help but burst into laughter. “You little rascal, what are you afraid of?”

Seeing that his eyes finally regained clarity, Nianxi smiled and said, “I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to resist devouring me.”

Those dark, heavy eyes of his were far too intense.

Though her words were spoken lightly, they conveyed a subtle flirtation to Gu Ci’s ears. Fearing he might scare her, he dared not let her glimpse the depth of his emotions and quickly changed the subject: “The day we first met, you stepped forward and brushed the fallen petals off my shoulder. I was so captivated, but I couldn’t keep looking at you, so I could only stare at your hand—”

Nianxi’s hands were slender and delicate, her fingers long and fair, like the most exquisitely crafted piece of art, smooth and warm as jade. Gu Ci had always been unable to resist holding them. That’s why her unintentional touch on his chest earlier had elicited such a strong reaction from him.

“At that moment, I thought, if I could one day hold this hand, it would be the most fulfilling thing in the world.”

Nianxi also recalled that scene. She had just been reborn, her heart filled with desolation. She had gone to Qu Shui only to avoid Pei Jian, never expecting to meet Gu Ci, let alone actively brushing the fallen petals off his shoulder.

Nianxi’s face flushed slightly, unwilling to admit her initiative. “You remember it wrong!”

Gu Ci smiled and nodded, “Yes, yes, as I grow older, my memory isn’t what it used to be.”

He was teasing her again, and Nianxi, refusing to concede, tried to turn the tables. “You were the one who came up to me first, wanting to fly a kite with me!”

“I just wanted to see whose poor child couldn’t even get a kite to fly after half a day.”

“Little Sixth Gu!”

“Yes, yes, it was me with ulterior motives—”

Nianxi was so vivid, her eyes lively, her emotions unrestrained. Gu Ci couldn’t help but laugh heartily.

“It was me, with my wolfish ambitions, my tiger-like gaze, rubbing my hands together, waiting for the perfect moment to fall at your feet!” His words started fiercely but softened abruptly at the end, becoming tender once more.

Nianxi couldn’t help but laugh, too, chiding him, “Little Sixth Gu, you’ve become so bad!”

Gu Ci smiled and gently patted her head.

Yes, he had become bad. And he could be even worse.

When his father returned, on the day of his coming-of-age ceremony, he would personally ask for her hand in marriage—not through arranged matches or intermediaries, disregarding all external factors—just the two of them.

Only their true feelings mattered. He would give Nianxi a unique promise on the day he became a man—on the day he came of age.