When Bai Qingqing learned they'd be staying in Pingzhou for a few days, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. No matter what, she had to use this chance to fix whatever was wrong with her.
But that very night, just as she was preparing for bed, Ning Yan knocked on her door.
She didn’t think much of it—figured he had something to instruct. She opened the door and let him in, only to see him kick a stool over to the side of her bed, take a seat, and unroll a book in his hand. Without looking up, he said casually, “Go to sleep.”
Bai Qingqing: “??”
She stared at him, dumbfounded by how naturally he made himself at home, her mind struggling to catch up. “How am I supposed to sleep with you sitting there?”
Ning Yan glanced up at her. “And you think you could sleep without me here?”
In that instant, she understood—he had noticed.
A wave of frustration and embarrassment swept over her. Bai Qingqing lowered her head, voice small and uneasy. “I just… haven’t gotten over it yet. But it’s fine. I’ll get better in time…”
“Fine? You think nodding off for a bit in the carriage is enough? You clearly underestimate how grueling a journey this is going to be. If you really don’t want to slow us down, then stop wasting time.”
His brows twitched with what looked like impatience, and Bai Qingqing hurried to lie down, shutting her eyes obediently, not daring to move a muscle.
She hadn’t even lit her sleep incense that night, but a faint, cool scent lingered in the air—coming from Ning Yan. It drifted in and out like the wind. Bai Qingqing didn’t even have time to think about it before exhaustion dragged her swiftly into sleep.
In her dream, the endless white fog returned. But this time, there were no cries, no terrifying shadows. Bai Qingqing knew she was dreaming—and in her dream, she found herself clutching the hem of a robe. Crimson red. The same color as Ning Yan’s embroidered uniform. Strangely, in that moment, the dream-version of herself grew bold.
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With Ning Yan around, no demon or ghost dared come near—any that tried would be swiftly dispatched!
That night, Bai Qingqing slept deeply, and when she awoke, the heaviness in her body had eased. After dressing and washing up, she stepped outside, intending to see whether Ning Yan had finished his morning training. But just as she rounded the corner, she overheard Wen Jiang talking with Mu Shu.
“You really don’t know where the lord went? I saw him return just before dawn. Don’t tell me he went out alone again to deal with some petty scum?”
Mu Shu sounded puzzled. “No, there wasn’t anything that required him to act personally. But now that you mention it... it was odd not seeing him practice his sword this morning. Felt strange, honestly.”
“Well, good if he didn’t,” Wen Jiang said. “I was just worried he’d gone off alone and come back covered in wounds again.”
He rubbed his chin. “Weird… What, was he out stealing in the dead of night?”
Behind the corner wall, Bai Qingqing stood frozen. She had thought Ning Yan had left once she’d fallen asleep—but he hadn’t gone back until just before dawn?
He’d stayed by her side the entire night?
That realization stunned her all the way until they were on the road again. Ning Yan noticed her gaze sneaking toward him once more, flitting about like a guilty thief, and he promptly lowered the paper in his hand and caught her eyes head-on.
“If you want to look, then look. What’s with all the sneaking around? Is my face so scandalously good-looking?”
Bai Qingqing didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Who compliments themselves like that?”
“Just stating facts. Why are you staring?”
Since she’d been caught red-handed, she didn’t bother to be shy anymore. Shuffling a little closer, she stammered, “Last night… when did you leave? I fell asleep too fast and didn’t notice anything.”
“The moment you started snoring, I left. Or was I supposed to sit there and watch you all night?”
Bai Qingqing panicked. “I—I don’t snore!”