Chapter 191: By Her Side

It’s clearly a man, yet his slim, modest figure looked familiar.

Just like a girl…

Was he waiting for someone?

Why does his back look so lonely, just like the cold, serene moon at the night sky?

Curious, Bai Yunxian wanted to look at the person from a bit closer…

Click!

The dry branch on the ground crushed under Bai Yunxian’s feet, making a noise big enough to startle the man standing in front.

’Ugh! I didn’t mean to…!’ Bai Yunxian stopped as he looked at the person, for some reason, his breathing hitch as he looked up.

The cold breeze brushed off the man as he stood straight and turned around slowly.

As if waiting for someone for a long, long time…

Or perhaps, it’s the longing that I have?

“Lord Yun, is that you?”

***

“Looks like my wife is back soon, did the conversation go well?” Yun Shu’s voice was gentle as she walked up to Bai Yunxian, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear as she smiled.

“Yes. But My Lord, did you already know… that His Majesty plans to send me to the East?” Bai Yunxian as he looked at Yun Shu, asking her as he observed her expression.

For a moment, she looked so unfamiliar that he almost mixed her appearance with someone else.

However, that chilly and solemn expression, the quiet aura around her was nowhere to be seen the moment she turned around to face him, as if it was an illusion that never existed.

’Why do I keep mistaking Lord Yun for another person? Is it because he doesn’t have a manly appearance compared to others?’

“I did. But I told the old man to pick someone else if you don’t wish to go. So it’s fine even if you refuse him.” Yun Shu huffed as she crossed her arms on her chest, looking down at Bai Yunxian.

“…” Yun Shu’s words made Bai Yunxian go speechless.

’No way, was he saying I should refuse His Majesty right to his face?’

Even if Yun Shu was his favorite nephew and did as she pleased. It was different for Bai Yunxian who has a little to no relationship with the Emperor.

What’s more, he doesn’t like the relation between Bai Yunxian and his nephew, he can clearly see the displeasure through Yun Cheng’s eyes.

Even if Emperor Yun wasn’t important, he was still Yun Shu’s uncle, so Bai Yunxian didn’t want to make an enemy out of him and solved things peacefully. Even though his subordinates were trying to do something, he stopped them from doing something reckless.

All for one person, etched in his heart.

Besides, it was almost time to show his other side to Yun Shu, one that she didn’t know could exist within him. He wanted to show how strong he was now, that he didn’t need her protection. That he too, can stand by her side and assist her faithfully.

He wanted Yun Shu to rely on him whenever she needed help, or someone to lean on.

Bai Yunxian smiled as he said, “I thought it through, and I took up his offer, My lord.”

“I took too much help from you, My Lord. This time, I want to do something of my own.”

“…”

Yun Shu didn’t say anything as she kept staring at him quietly, Bai Yunxian didn’t look up to meet her eyes, nor to see her expression.

What if he was angry or disappointed?

He can’t bear to fail her expectations, but he didn’t want to act as a useless burden anymore.

“Hmm, so that’s it. Fine, you can go…”

Yun Shu’s voice was strange which caught him by surprise, looking up. Only to see…

Yun Shu’s sulking face as she looked back at him.

“Why do you need to go, honestly? And with that bastard, too. I wanted to go with you, but my uncle forbade me to go anywhere. Who does he think he is, would he give me my wife back if something were to happen?”

Yun Shu embraced Bai Yunxian into a hug as she sulked, complaining, “My Uncle doesn’t know these days, I can’t sleep at night without hugging a human pillow. So distressing…”

“I really don’t want to let go…”

“Xian xian, can’t you just refuse him? We didn’t yet have our honeymoon, remember?”

Bai Yunxian was speechless as he looked at Yun Shu. no way, was he throwing a tantrum and whining, like a picky, spoiled child?’

Yun Shu started to act like this after they returned home, being especially clingy since yesterday which Bai Yunxian can’t help but to notice.

Bai Yunxian didn’t understand why he would get so attached to him, but then he remembered the embarrassing moments they had for no reason, and forced himself to change the topic.

“My Lord, this was my own decision. His Majesty didn’t force me, I was the one to take on the task. Because I want to stand by your side proudly, so that no one can raise their eyes and point their finger towards you.”

“Won’t you give me the permission, My Lord?” Bai Yunxian touched Yun Shu’s cheek, to which Yun Shu leaned her face, tilting her head to the side and closing her eyes, enjoying the moment in silence.

“Even so…”

It was a test for not only Bai Yunxian, but for Yun Shu as well. This event was also an important plotline which became a turning point in Bai Yunxian’s life, an asset to help his rise in power and status.

However, the thing Yun Shu was most afraid of… wasn’t about breaking the storyline.

But to lose this sweet man in front of her.

Bai Yunxian was now precious to her in every form, no matter who or what he was. To her, he was her only one.

She couldn’t bear to let him go, as her grip on Bai Yunxian subconsciously tightened, putting him in a tight spot.

“My Lord…”

“I thought I told you to call me something else? Did you forget, or do you need my help to remember?” Her eyes showed something, a flicker that Bai Yunxian recognized easily.

But, for some reason, he didn’t want her to stop.

Seeing his silence and the look on his eyes, Yun Shu couldn’t stop herself anymore as she closed off the distance between them.

.

.

.

After a long time, they broke away from each other, gasping for air. But her grip on Bai Yunxian didn’t loosen a bit. Instead, she dragged him back on the carriage, opening up one of the horses as she put Bai Yunxian over before jumping over behind him as well.

“Lord Yun, the carriage!”

“Carriage can wait!” Yun Shu reined the horse as they went out of the Palace, running towards the opposite direction.

The path she took wasn’t familiar to Bai Yunxian, but he trusted Yun Shu enough to follow her to the depth of hell blindfolded.

It didn’t take long for them to arrive at the place Yun Shu intended to take him, as she jumped down the horse and put him down as well.

“My Lord! I can get off on my own…”

“And I don’t want that.”

Yun Shu’s pouty expression can’t help but make Bai Yunxian laugh as he asked her, “What is this place, My Lord? It’s beautiful.”

Yun Shu seemed satisfied with his mesmerized expression as she looked at Bai Yunxian, then at the vast field before them as she spoke up, “This is my secret hiding spot. It’s the most beautiful, also my favorite place. I often used to come here since I was a kid.”

“Your hiding spot?” Bai Yunxian felt more curious about Yun Shu’s childhood as he asked her, his eyes flickering with eagerness.

Yun Shu sat down on the grassy land without a care, but not before putting her overcoat on the other side as she patted it and looked at Bai Yunxian, inviting him to sit on the coat, by her side.

“My Lord, your coat will get ruined, ah!” Bai Yunxian understood the gesture for him to sit down, but he wanted to refuse Yun Shu before he got dragged down to sit by her.

“It doesn’t matter, I can get a lot of coats later on, but a time like this is hard to come by.” Yun Shu smiled at Bai Yunxian before turning her attention towards the beautiful night sky.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep