After entering the city, Xuan Jie’er didn’t want to return to Jing Guogong Residence with them, saying she wanted to go to the horse stable to race horses.

Zhao Jiazhen said, “It’s getting late. Why don’t we go home for lunch first? Yimu will accompany you to the horse stable in the afternoon.”

Seeing that Xuan Jie’er was lowering her head and looking unhappy, Xu Nian’an stopped Zhao Jiazhen and said to her from the window, “Then go ahead, but don’t wander off. After you’ve had enough riding the horses, come back for lunch, understand?”

Xuan Jie’er nodded, turned her horse around, and left.

Xu Nian’an turned around and saw that Zhao Jiazhen looked worried. She comforted her, saying, “Let her go and blow off some steam. She’ll be more obedient when she comes back. Children at this age are mostly like this.”

Only then did Zhao Jiazhen lower the car window curtain, and she and Xu Nian’an went back to Jing Guogong Residence together.

Xuan Jie’er rode alone to Jing Guogong Residence’s horse stable. She galloped a few laps before dismounting and sitting under a tree by horse stable, crying.

After a while, a horse ran past her, then soon returned.

“Xuan Jie’er, is that you?” Nie Guocheng, sitting on the horse, asked the young girl under the tree.

Xuan Jie’er recognised his voice and turned her face away, not wanting him to see her crying.

But Nie Guocheng had already seen it. With righteous indignation, he said, “You’re crying? Who bullied you? Tell me, and I’ll go beat them up for you!”

“What do you think you are to me? Do I need you to stand up for me if I’ve been bullied?” Xuan Jie’er replied, her voice laced with sobs.

“I may not be anything to you, but I’ll still stand up for you. I just can’t stand those scoundrels who bully women!” Nie Guocheng said while swinging his fist.

Hearing this, Xuan Jie’er started crying again.

Seeing this, Nie Guocheng scratched his head. He dismounted and walked over to sit beside her, and asked, “What exactly is going on?” He had met Xuan Jie’er a couple of times before, and the impression she left on him was not of a girl who would cry easily.

“I miss my parents, my younger siblings, I miss Xuanzhou. I hate the capital, so many disgusting rules, and the people aren’t nice!” Xuan Jie’er cried as she spoke, venting all her grievances and unhappiness that had built up since coming here.

Nie Guocheng suddenly understood. It was homesickness, then! That’s easy to solve!

He reached out and slapped Xuan Jie’er’s shoulder, startling her.

Xuan Jie’er widened her tearful eyes and stared at him.

“Stop crying! You can’t see your parents and siblings right now, and you can’t go back to Xuanzhou, but maybe you can still taste the food from Xuanzhou. Let’s treat it as a little comfort for your homesickness. Come on! I’ll take you to a restaurant for some Xuanzhou dishes!”

Xuan Jie’er thought for a moment, then wiped away her tears with her sleeve. She got up from the ground, mounted her horse and followed Nie Guocheng out of the horse stable and toward the city.

Nie Guocheng led her down a street lined with restaurants, and after a bit of inquiry, he found a restaurant serving Xuanzhou cuisine.

He handed the horse over to a waiter and was about to enter when he patted his pocket, turned around, and awkwardly scratched the back of his head before saying to Xuan Jie’er, “Do you have any silver on you? I’ve spent most of my silver from last month, and I haven’t received this month’s allowance yet. I’m afraid I won’t have enough to pay.”

Xuan Jie’er said boldly, “You don’t need to pay, I’ll treat you to this meal.”

Nie Guocheng didn’t hesitate, replying, “Alright, then next time it’s my treat.”

The two of them entered the restaurant and asked for a private room. After the waiter listed the dishes, Xuan *Jie’er *quickly ordered seven to eight dishes.

It wasn’t long before the first dish arrived: pan-fried stinky tofu with spicy sauce.

When Xuan Jie’er saw the familiar dish, her appetite was immediately piqued. She picked up a golden piece of tofu, dipped it in the bright red spicy sauce, and popped it into her mouth. After chewing a couple of times, her eyes lit up, and she said to Nie Guocheng, “It’s pretty good. You should try some too.”

Nie Guocheng, following her lead, picked up a piece of tofu, dipped it in the spicy sauce, and popped it into his mouth. After chewing a couple of times, he couldn’t control his coughing, his face turning red as he hurriedly swallowed the tofu.

Xuan Jie’er laughed so hard she almost fell over, “So you can’t handle spice!”

Nie Guocheng quickly gulped down some tea, then opened his mouth and laughed, asking, “How can you eat this? It feels like fire!”

Xuan Jie’er replied, “Once you get used to it, anything less spicy just feels bland.”

Nie Guocheng didn’t believe her. “I’ll try another piece.” Needless to say, he was once again overwhelmed by the spiciness.

Nie Guocheng couldn’t handle the stinky mandarin fish either, but he managed to eat five or six Huangyin sesame cakes, finished half a plate of dried tofu, and devoured a large bowl of shrimp noodles. His stomach is now finally full.

Xuan Jie’er, having tasted the flavours of home, felt much better. After paying the bill, she and Nie Guocheng walked out of the restaurant, only to see three or four well-dressed young men standing in front of the entrance, accompanied by a dozen guards who looked like hired thugs.

As Nie Guocheng stepped out, the group surrounded them in a semicircle. The leader, a young man in a brown brocade robe, crossed his arms and sneered, “You smelly brat! You ruined my plans last time and still dare to show up on this street? Don’t you know this is my turf?”

Nie Guocheng took two steps back and stood next to Xuan Jie’er and whispered, “In a moment, I’ll charge to the right and create an opening for you. When you see the chance, run quickly.”

Xuan Jie’er rolled up her sleeves and replied, “Run? I just ate, and now’s the perfect time to practice my punches and kicks.”

The group of men, hearing such bold words from a young girl, exchanged glances and burst into laughter.

Seeing that they were hesitating and didn’t make any move, Xuan Jie’er couldn’t wait any longer. She took the initiative and stepped forward, landing a punch squarely on the cheek of the closest guard, who was laughing with his mouth wide open.

The guard’s head snapped to the side, and a tooth flew out of his mouth, glinting in the air. It was as if an invisible hand had suddenly seized the throats of the men who had been laughing.

Nie Guocheng let out an excited “Hey!” and charged toward the others.

After a chaotic scuffle with guards being knocked over and horses tumbling, the guards lay sprawled all over the ground. The once boastful young man in brown robes was now subdued, his arm twisted behind his back and his body pinned under Nie Guocheng’s foot.

Nie Guocheng smirked, “Call me Yéye!”

爷爷 (yéye) actually means Grandpa. But calling someone "爷爷" (yéyé) is also acknowledging the other as someone superior.

The young man in brown cursed, “You brat, don’t know your place…”

Nie Guocheng twisted his arm, “You sure you don’t want this arm anymore?”

The young man in brown felt a sharp pain in his shoulder blade and quickly yelled, “Yéye! Yéye! You’re my real Yéye!”

Nie Guocheng, satisfied, turned to Xuan Jie’er and said, “Your turn.”

Xuan Jie’er, full of confidence, gave the young man in brown a kick and demanded, “Call me Nainai!”

奶奶 (Nainai) actually means Grandma. In this context it's the same as calling other ‘Yéye’. And yes, the servants called XNA and other ladies ‘Nainai’ as a form of respecting these ladies as their superior.

Having already called “Yéye”, what difference did it make to call “Nainai”? So the young man in brown quickly complied, “Nainai, you’re my real Nainai.”

Just as Xuan Jie’er was about to revel in her triumph, she turned and caught Nie Guocheng staring at her. His sharp brows and bright eyes were fixed on her, and there was a faint blush on his cheeks.

She suddenly realised the awkwardness of the situation, and her face turned crimson. Flustered, she kicked the young man in brown again and corrected herself, “You called me wrong! Call me Gu Nainai instead!”

The reason for the awkwardness was, by demanding the captive to call them "Yeye/Grandfather" and "Nainai/Grandmother" respectively, she accidentally implied that she and Nie Guocheng were a married couple (the "Grandparents").
While Gu Nainai actually means Great Aunt.

The young man in brown, with tears and snot streaming down his face, wailed, “Gu Nainai, please spare me!”

After thoroughly dealing with the group, Nie Guocheng and Xuan Jie’er mounted their horses and made a quick escape, only stopping when they reached the crossroads leading to Jing Guogong Residence and General Zhenbei Residence.

Nie Guocheng turned to Xuan Jie’er and said, “Not everyone in the capital is not nice, right? Next time you’re homesick, upset, or itching for a fight, come find me. Just don’t cry like that again.”

Xuan Jie’er glared at him and snapped, “Who was crying?”

Nie Guocheng raised both hands in surrender. “Alright, alright, you weren’t crying. My mistake!”

Xuan Jie’er finally let out a satisfied huff, said, “I’m off,” and rode away on her horse.

“Come find me next time! My home’s on West Street, near Zhou Bridge, the General Zhenbei Residence. It’s easy to find!” Nie Guocheng called out loudly to her retreating figure.

Xuan Jie’er didn’t look back but waved her right hand in response.

Half an hour later, Xuan Jie’er returned to Jing Guogong Residence. She obediently went to Yin Furen’s courtyard to apologise to Yin Furen, Zhao Jiazhen, and Xu Nian’an, explaining that she had missed her hometown and gone to the city to eat at a restaurant serving Xuanzhou cuisine.

Hearing this, how could anyone bear to scold her? Seeing she was unharmed and hadn’t caused any trouble, they let the matter slide.

Xu Nian’an hadn’t felt much during the day, as she usually didn’t spend her days with Zhao Huanxi anyway. However, after dinner at Yin Furen’s courtyard, she returned alone to Shenhui Courtyard and saw Zhao Huanxi’s study dark and empty, with no sign of him in the main room. Her heart suddenly felt like a deep, hollow void—aching and sore, unbearably uncomfortable.

She couldn’t bring herself to do anything else. She dismissed Yisu and Mingli to rest, then twisted the mechanism of the large lantern in her bedroom. Sitting on the edge of her bed, she watched the scenes of her and Zhao Huanxi in different places doing different things on the lantern’s panels. All she could think was: I wonder how he’s doing now? Is he adapting to his first night away from home?

On Mount Duliang, in the row of connected side rooms behind Canglan Academy, Xu Moxiu adjusted the lamp’s wick to make the light brighter. He tidied up the desk where students could sit face-to-face for study, placed the books Zhao Huanxi would need for tomorrow’s class on the desk, and said to Zhao Huanxi, who had just distributed candied fruits to Lu Feng and others and was now packing up the food containers, “Jiefu, it’s still early. Come over and review for a while before going to bed.”

Zhao Huanxi responded, and after finished tidying up, he came over to sit opposite Xu Moxiu.

At first, he appeared to be reading seriously. Xu Moxiu was diligently focused on his work, but when he occasionally glanced up, he saw Zhao Huanxi resting his cheek on one hand, staring blankly at the flickering candlelight on the table without moving.

This irked Xu Moxiu, who thought to himself that this man lacked discipline. He had barely studied for a short while and was already daydreaming. How could this be acceptable? He definitely needed a good talking-to, to make him understand that time was as precious as gold and that if one did not work hard in youth, regret would come in old age!

So he asked him, “What are you daydreaming about?” Resolving in his mind that no matter what excuse Zhao Huanxi gave, he would lecture him thoroughly so he’d grasp the value of every moment.

Zhao Huanxi’s dazed gaze shifted to his face, his expression one of being completely lost in thought. “I was thinking about your sister.”

Xu Moxiu: “……”

The words he had prepared to say all seemed inappropriate now. In the end, he could only reply, “Carry on.”

✦

The next day, during lunch in Yin Furen’s courtyard, Xu Nian’an said to her, “Mom, when I went back to organise things last night, I realised that Sanlang still has some daily necessities he didn’t bring. I’d like to deliver them to him this afternoon.”

Yin Furen nodded. “Go ahead. Take two guards with you and be careful.” Ever since the incident when Zhao Huanxi encountered on his way to an exam, Yin Furen had insisted they bring guards whenever leaving the city.

Zhao Jiazhen glanced at Xu Nian’an with a smile and said to Xuan Jie’er, “It seems you’ll have to follow Yimu this afternoon. Yimu needs to visit the jewellery shop, you should follow along. It’ll be a good chance to check on the hair accessories being made for you.”

Xuan Jie’er hesitated for a moment, seemingly pondering something, but in the end, she obediently nodded.

In the evening, after the last class ended, students from all the classes of Canglan Academy poured out of the classrooms, heading towards the dining hall.

Zhao Huanxi walked listlessly amidst the crowd, his spirits utterly drained.

He used to see Dong Jiejie every evening, chat with her, and share the interesting events of his day. In the mornings, they would have breakfast together, she would help him choose his outfits for the day, arrange his attire, and see him off.

After more than eight months of marriage, he had fully adapted to and grown fond of such a life. Now, suddenly coming to Canglan Academy, he could neither see her at night nor in the morning, not at all throughout the day. He was distracted during classes, uninspired during sword practice, and found no motivation in anything he did.

When he reached the entrance of the dining hall, he saw Lu Feng, Xu Moxiu, and Qiu Tong waiting for him.

He walked over, and before they could exchange more than a couple of words, a loud “clang” of a gong echoed in his ears. The academy’s gatekeeper shouted at the top of his lungs, “Zhao Huanxi, your family is waiting for you outside the academy gate.” After speaking, he struck the gong again, repeating the announcement three times.

The students, accustomed to this routine, paid no attention, it was the standard treatment for anyone whose family came to visit.

Zhao Huanxi bid farewell to Xu Moxiu and Lu Feng before heading to the academy gate. There, he saw Zhiyi and Zhi’er standing outside, carrying some items.

“Just the two of you?” he asked.

Zhiyi replied, “San Yé, San Nainai is waiting at the foot of the mountain.”

Zhao Huanxi’s eyes lit up. He tossed out a quick, “Take the things to my dorm first,” and dashed down the mountain.

At the foot of the mountain, near the stone steps leading upwards, Xu Nian’an was pacing slowly. Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out:

“Dong Jiejie!”

She looked up to see a lively and handsome young man in a light blue student robe, his scholarly air unable to hide his exuberance, dashing down the high stone steps with uncontainable excitement.

Her heart skipped a beat, and she couldn’t help but raise her voice, “Slow down!”

But Zhao Huanxi couldn’t possibly slow down. In a few strides, he reached her, scooped her up in his arms, and spun her around in delight. “Why did you come?” he asked.

Xu Nian’an wrapped her arms around his neck and, with a smile, softly said, “I missed you.”

Hearing this, Zhao Huanxi’s heart grew even warmer. Holding her tightly, he said, “I missed you too. So much that I couldn’t concentrate in class or enjoy my meals.”

Xu Nian’an lightly hit him, but then couldn’t resist hugging him again.

The two shared a sweet embrace for a while before sitting together on the stone steps.

Xu Nian’an placed the paper package she had been carrying on her lap, unfolded it, and handed him a skewer. “It’s your favourite lotus duck skewers. I made a detour to buy them especially for you.”

Zhao Huanxi beamed with joy. “Perfect timing, I’m starving.” He picked up a skewer, took a bite, and exclaimed in surprise, “How is it still so warm?”

“I brought a hand warmer to keep it heated, knowing the journey was long,” Xu Nian’an said.

“Dong Jiejie, you’re the best. You eat some too.” Zhao Huanxi speared another piece and offered it to her lips.

They alternated feeding each other until the skewers were gone. Then, Xu Nian’an asked him, “Are you getting used to staying at the academy?”

Zhao Huanxi shifted slightly, awkwardly resting his head on her shoulder. “Not at all. It’s so hard not seeing you before bed or when I wake up. This morning, I woke up and saw a man on my bed, it gave me such a fright.”

Xu Nian’an couldn’t help but laugh and asked, “You don’t each have your own bed? You’re sharing one?”

Zhao Huanxi nodded. “It’s like a giant communal bed. I heard that in years when there are too many new students, they sometimes squeeze three or four people onto one bed. This morning, I woke up and found Wenlin had put his pillow between us as a barrier and told me to behave myself when I sleep at night. Dong Jiejie, do I not sleep properly at night?”

Xu Nian’an recalled how, over the past two months, he had always rolled over to hug her while sleeping. It wasn’t hard to imagine what poor Ah Xiu must have endured last night. She burst into laughter, her body shaking as she leaned forward and back uncontrollably.

The two hadn’t exchanged many more words before it grew late. Xu Nian’an had to leave.

Though Zhao Huanxi was extremely reluctant, he understood that travelling after dark was unsafe. He could only bear the pain of sending her off.

From the carriage window, Xu Nian’an leaned out and saw him following the carriage. Her heart ached again, and she waved at him, “Go back to the academy. Have dinner quickly, or it’ll be too late, and there won’t be any food left.”

“Oh,” Zhao Huanxi responded, but his heart was still unwilling. His eyes remained fixed on Xu Nian’an as he trailed behind the carriage, albeit at a slower pace.

“Stop following and go back. I’ll come visit you again,” Xu Nian’an called out, her voice filled with both sadness and determination as she gazed at the lonely figure of the boy in the twilight. She forced herself to urge him on.

Zhao Huanxi stopped in his tracks.

Xu Nian’an watched as the distance between them grew, her vision becoming blurry. She couldn’t help but scold herself inwardly for being overly sentimental. Zhao Huanxi will come home every ten days—why does it feel like they’re parting for life and death?

She gave him one final wave, then lowered the carriage window curtain, sat upright, and took out a handkerchief to dab at the tears forming in the corners of her eyes. Just as she calmed herself, she suddenly heard his voice from outside the carriage:

“Stop for a moment, I have something to say to San Nainai.”

The carriage came to a halt. He jumped onto the carriage, opened the door, and climbed inside, shutting the door behind him with a swift motion.

Xu Nian’an tilted her head to look up at him, said nothing, and simply extended her hand toward him.

Zhao Huanxi strode over, bent down, and embraced her, lowering his head to press his lips to hers.

With her face upturned, eyes closed, and arms wrapped around his back, Xu Nian’an couldn’t help but marvel at how consuming the emotions between a man and a woman could be. In an instant, it felt as if she had been transported from the desolation of autumn to the warmth and brightness of spring.

The carriage remained motionless on the road for a long time. Only when it was nearly dark did Zhao Huanxi, his lips now vividly red, step out of the carriage. He carefully instructed Zhiyi, Zhi’er, and the two accompanying guards to escort Xu Nian’an safely back to the city.

Xu Nian’an, her lips swollen from the kiss, lifted the carriage curtain slightly to peek out. She saw Zhao Huanxi standing outside the window, smiling sweetly and waving at her with an innocent expression.

Xu Nian’an glared at him with a red face and watery eyes, before lowering the curtain.

Zhao Huanxi ran back to the academy, had his dinner, and, as usual, went to the secluded spot on the hillside that Xu Moxiu had found for him to practise his swordsmanship for half an hour. Afterward, he returned to his dormitory to study.

Tonight, he was exceptionally focused. Xu Moxiu discreetly observed him several times but didn’t catch him daydreaming even once.

Finding this odd, Xu Moxiu asked while Zhao Huanxi paused for a cup of tea, “Not missing my sister tonight?”

Zhao Huanxi replied, “I do, but I have to endure it. I must pass the exams and earn the scholarly honor as soon as possible so that I can leave the academy, return home, and be with your sister every night.”

Xu Moxiu: “…….” Could you be a bit less blunt? Can’t you show a shred of scholarly dignity?

✦

The day before the ten-day break, Nie San Guniang, who had recently married, returned to her parents’ home and visit her mother, Yan Furen. While chatting and enjoying the flowers in the garden, the mother and daughter saw Nie Guocheng holding a long spear, standing dazed beside a rockery.

Nie San Guniang said in surprise, “On such a lovely spring day, how come my younger brother didn’t go out to play? Has he changed his ways?”

Yan Furen replied, “He really has changed. II don’t know what spell he’s been under these past few days. Even when his friends invite him, he doesn’t go out to play. He just messes around in the courtyard with weapons and spends all day asking the gatekeeper if anyone has come looking for him.”

Nie San Guniang laughed and said, “That seems like someone has captured his heart. Let me go tease him and find out.”

She stepped forward and called out, “Ah Cheng.”

Nie Guocheng came to his senses, turned around, and walked over, saying, “San Jie, you’re back.”

“Why are you still at home? I thought on such a beautiful day, you’d already be out having fun with your friends. Just now, I ran into a young lady outside the residence asking about you. I even told her you weren’t home…”

Before she could finish, Nie Guocheng leapt up and dashed towards the front courtyard, exclaiming, “Aya, San Jie, you’ve caused me trouble!”

Yan Furen was stunned.

Nie San Guniang laughed and called out, “Come back, come back quickly. I was just teasing you.”

Nie Guocheng stopped and turned back.

Returning to Yan Furen’s side, Nie San Guniang looked at her brother and scolded him with a smile, “You silly boy. If you’ve got someone in your heart, tell Mother! Are you just going to wait for her to come to you? Since when do young ladies take the initiative to find boys?”

Nie Guocheng blushed, scratching the back of his head as he said, “I still don’t know if she likes me or not.”

Yan Furen exclaimed in surprise, “So there really is someone in your heart? Which family’s daughter is she? Where did you meet her?”

Nie Guocheng’s face turned even redder, but he replied honestly, “She’s Zhao Huanxi’s Wai niece. Her father is General Huaiyuan. I met her at the Zhao Family’s horse stable that day when I went there to ride. A few days later, I went again and found her crying alone under a tree. When I asked, she said she missed her home, so I took her to eat Xuanzhou cuisine. That day, I didn’t have money to pay the bill, so she paid. I told her to find me again because I owe her a treat.”

Nie San Guniang and Yan Furen exchanged a glance. The General Huaiyuan Family was indeed a suitable match for their General Zhenbei Residence.

Yan Furen cautiously asked Nie Guocheng, “What do you like about this girl?”

Nie Guocheng answered without hesitation, “I like her straightforward personality, she can fight, and she’s… quite good-looking.” As he spoke the last part, he began blushing and scratching the back of his head again.

Nie San Guniang covered her mouth with a handkerchief and chuckled quietly.

But Yan Furen pressed on, “She can fight?”

“Yes, that day after we finished eating, someone came to cause trouble for me. She helped me take them down together. It was so satisfying! I think she could probably match me in a fight,” Nie Guocheng said, getting excited and unconsciously swinging his fists.

Yan Furen: “……”

After the excitement faded, Nie Guocheng remembered that Xuan Jie’er hadn’t come to find him. So, he turned to Yan Furen and said, “Mom, tomorrow is the ten-day break. I’d like to go to the Jing Guogong Residence.”

“Why are you going there?” Yan Furen asked.

“To find Zhao Huanxi, and… and to see Xuan Jie’er along the way,” Nie Guocheng replied.

Nie San Guniang laughed and said, “It should be ‘going to find Xuan Guniang and to see Zhao Huanxi along the way’, right? You actually have thought this through? If you really like that girl, you might have to start calling Zhao Huanxi Jiujiu in the future.”

Nie Guocheng froze and stared blankly: “……” If he marries Zhao Huanxi’s niece? This… actually doesn’t sound so bad.

“If I need to call him ‘Jiujiu’ then Jiujiu be it. But we don’t live together, so I won’t have to call him that all the time,” he said awkwardly.