“I don’t care!” Meng Jun happily stretched out his hands, but as he got closer, he noticed a faint smell of blood on her.

The young gentleman’s eyes instantly reddened. He carefully leaned on her shoulder, “Tangtang, did you get hurt a lot?”

The body that leaned over tried hard not to touch her, afraid of pressing on her wounds. Meng Jun secretly wiped away his tears, “Tangtang, why don’t I blow on them for you?”

“Silly Jiujiu, the military doctor already bandaged me up before I came. Don’t worry, I don’t hurt at all.”

“You’re lying.” The young gentleman’s voice was muffled as he nestled in her arms. When he did embroidery, he would cry if the needle pricked his fingertip, let alone swords and blades that show no mercy.

He gently pecked Li Ruantang’s cheek, “Tangtang, don’t worry, I’ll definitely take good care of you.”

“Jiujiu.”

“Hmm?” Meng Jun looked up at her with smiling eyes, just about to tell her how much he had missed her, when he suddenly remembered that she had hurried back like this, covered in dust and probably hadn’t eaten anything yet.

The young gentleman immediately couldn’t sit still. He put on his shoes and was about to rush off to arrange something.

“Jiujiu, don’t go.” Hugging the figure that was about to leave, Li Ruantang’s outline was somewhat blurred, but she still smiled gently, “Little silly, I still need to go to the palace to report on this pursuit later. There’s no time for food, I’ve already instructed Wei Dan to prepare water. Just keep me company for a while, okay?”

“Oh.” Meng Jun responded glumly, but then seemed to think of something and suddenly became happy. He looked at Li Ruantang, who was hugging him, somewhat awkwardly, his ear tips burning red, “Tangtang, let me help you wash your back later.”

“Don’t worry, I absolutely won’t peek!” The young gentleman promised solemnly, but his eyes sparkled with mischief, looking like a little fox who had gotten away with something.

Li Ruantang nodded gently.

Footsteps approached from beneath the window.

“It must be Wei Dan.” Li Ruantang reluctantly let go of the obedient young gentleman, kissing his forehead lightly. She sighed softly as she stood up.

That lonely figure made Meng Jun’s heart pound. He hurriedly took out his snacks from his pouch and chased after her for two steps.

As soon as he moved, his arms felt terribly sore.

Meng Jun opened his eyes in a daze. The bats and persimmons on the bedstead looked lifelike. He sat up with a start.

Outside the bamboo curtain, Wei Dan, who had come to deliver water, was quietly instructing Zhiqiu about something.

The young gentleman touched his forehead, still feeling her soft touch. It was so real, how could it have been a dream?

Perhaps he had just been groggy from sleep.

Meng Jun rubbed his eyes and called out, “Wei Dan, has the young lady returned?”

“In response to the young master, the mistress has not yet returned to the capital.”

The reply from outside the bamboo curtain was proper and formal.

The young gentleman was stunned. He opened his little notebook, looking at all the things he wanted to do with her, and suddenly got up to add another item: ‘Take a walk with Tangtang, arm in arm’.

Walking alone always leaves a lonely shadow. But if two people walk together, Meng Jun smiled, pressing his lips together. He carefully blew the ink dry, looked at it again and again, and only then put the little notebook back under his pillow.

He put on his outer robe and fluffed up the pillow he had rested on. This way, no matter when she came back, she could have a comfortable sleep.

The young gentleman returned to his own courtyard with a smile on his face, only to run into Meng Xiaozhi who was approaching slowly. Her expression was solemn, but upon seeing her young son’s happy face, she quickly changed her expression.

“Mother!” Meng Jun cheerfully greeted her.

Meng Xiaozhi nodded. In the past half month, she had rarely seen the young gentleman so happy. “Did you find something good?”

“Mm.” The young gentleman nodded heavily. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that the earlier dream was too vivid, possibly a premonitory dream.

So Meng Jun eagerly, yet cautiously, asked Meng Xiaozhi, “Mother, is Lady Li about to return to the capital?”

Meng Xiaozhi’s expression froze for a moment. But seeing his ‘I knew it’ expression, she pondered for a moment and still nodded.

“Really? It’s true?” He had been longing for her return, and now that it was finally happening, the young gentleman was almost afraid to believe it. He clenched his fingers, looking expectantly at his mother. “Then… do you know exactly when she’ll be back?”

If he knew the day of her return, he could prepare.

For instance, these days he had learned to make simple noodles, though he was still slow. If he wanted her to eat hot noodles, he would need to plan the timing well.

She had been away for so long, upon her return she would definitely need a massage. And medicine for injuries, he needed to choose the best.

Hmm, and the Five Hearts Vegetarian Restaurant had come out with quite a few new pastries. He liked them and had been thinking of letting her try them too.

Now that the weather was hot, he had looked through her wardrobe and saw that the spring clothes had not yet been put away. He would instruct Wei Dan about it tomorrow.

Lost in his thoughts, the young gentleman suddenly pinched his own cheeks. He winced in pain but still smiled foolishly.

It hurt, so it wasn’t fake!

He looked hesitantly at Meng Xiaozhi and pleaded, “Mother, don’t worry, I can keep a secret. I definitely won’t tell anyone else.”

Her mission was secret, and if any information leaked out, it would be extremely dangerous for Li Ruantang.

The young gentleman understood this principle, and he didn’t want anything unexpected to happen just as Li Ruantang was about to return to the capital. But the joy bubbling up in his chest simply wouldn’t calm down.

He forced himself to suppress his smile and put on a pitiful look. His beautiful phoenix eyes sparkled brightly, like black grapes soaked in water, glossy and luminous.

“Mother, maybe, maybe you shouldn’t tell me after all.”

He really wanted to know the exact day of her return, so that on that day, he could wear his most beautiful clothes, stand in front of the flower bed, and give her a big surprise.

But if it would put her in danger, Meng Jun pondered for a moment and gently shook his head, “I go to check every day anyway, so I’ll be able to wait for her return.”

“Four days later.”

“Eh?” The young gentleman who had been shaking his head froze. His expression first showed surprise, then joyful smiles, but soon after, he became increasingly nervous. His slender fingers gently covered his mouth to stifle an exclamation.

He looked around vigilantly, making sure no one was in sight, before lowering his voice, “Mother, please speak softly. It wouldn’t be good if others overheard.”

His cautious demeanor made Meng Xiaozhi feel both heartache and amusement. She reached out to ruffle the young man’s hair and sighed softly, lowering her voice, “Do you admire her that much?”

“Mother!” Although the young gentleman’s feelings had always been clear and never hidden, being asked so directly by his own mother still brought out a considerable amount of shy embarrassment.

Embarrassed as he was, he couldn’t be ambiguous about things that needed to be acknowledged. With a face flushed red, Meng Jun nodded.

Once she returned, this troublesome Golden Elixir case could finally be completely resolved. Although he pestered his mother daily with praises of Li Ruantang’s virtues, his mother’s expression had always been very subtle. Neither appreciative nor disgusted.

The way she looked at him changed constantly, either sighing softly or smiling and shaking her head slightly.

He couldn’t figure it out, but now Li Ruantang was about to return to the capital.

Those bright eyes looked up, “Mother, Tangtang is really good. Could you… could you…”

He timidly pressed his lips together, then said firmly, “Could you approve of our marriage?”