"Did Father... agree?" she asked very softly, as though afraid of shattering something.
Ning Chen looked into her clear eyes and nodded earnestly. "Yes, Uncle Qin agreed. He said that as long as you were willing, he had no objections."
At his words, Ye Lingling's eyelashes fluttered gently. She lowered her eyes, but she could not stop the corners of her lips from lifting into the faintest curve.
She said nothing, merely turning away and pretending to admire the flowers outside the pavilion, but her slightly reddened ears and the sleeve she quietly clutched had already betrayed every last bit of the joy in her heart.
Standing behind her, Ning Chen watched her slender figure amid the shadows of the flowers, and an unprecedented sense of peace and contentment welled up within him.
He spoke softly, his voice gentle yet firm. "Lingling, I'll treat you well from now on."
"Who... who asked you to treat me well..."
With that, Ye Lingling hurried ahead.
Ning Chen gave a helpless smile and could only quicken his pace to follow.
An hour later.
Ye Lingling escorted Ning Chen to the residence's entrance. They walked side by side the whole way, exchanging few words, yet a quiet, unspoken understanding flowed between them.
Occasionally, servants of the Nine-Heart Begonia Sect passed by. Seeing their young lady walking beside a young man, they could not help stealing a few extra looks before hastily lowering their heads and pretending they had seen nothing.
At the entrance, Ning Chen stopped and turned to look at Ye Lingling.
She stood on the steps inside the gate, the lingering sunset gilding her lovely profile with a soft golden glow. Her usually cool eyes reflected the rosy sky and looked particularly gentle at that moment.
"You can see me off here,"