Rebirth of the Duke's Daughter and the Little Imperial Uncle

Chapter 135 The Return Journey

When that call reached He Mingning's ears, her delicate body trembled violently, as if an extremely subtle yet incredibly powerful electric current had suddenly pierced through her entire being. In an instant, an indescribable tingling sensation spread rapidly, a feeling so wondrous and intense that she could barely bear it. At that moment, she deeply felt that the woman before her, struck by this electric current and limp all over, was completely different from the calm and composed woman she had been moments before.

He Mingning's cheeks flushed crimson, her shyness evident. She lowered her head slightly and responded in a voice as soft as a mosquito's whisper. Her voice was like a nightingale's song, clear, melodious, and captivating, seemingly able to penetrate one's soul, leaving one utterly mesmerized.

Standing to the side, Fan Junyu's gaze remained fixed on He Mingning without ever shifting. When he saw He Mingning's shy and lovely appearance, her face as beautiful as a peach blossom, the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up slightly, and an extremely gentle smile quietly crept onto his face.

He instinctively straightened his broad chest, making his already tall and imposing figure appear even more majestic. Sunlight bathed him, as if draping him in a golden glow, making him look even more handsome, dashing, and dignified.

Immediately afterwards, Fan Junyu slowly extended his long and powerful right hand. The movement of his hand in the air was as slow as ripples on a calm lake caused by a gentle breeze, so gentle that it was almost imperceptible. Finally, that warm palm gently landed on He Mingning's silky, lustrous hair. The moment his fingertips touched the strands, it felt as if an electric current flowed through their bodies, causing both of them to tremble simultaneously.

At the same time, Fan Junyu's voice became gentler than ever before, his deep and magnetic voice sounding like heavenly music: "Okay, I won't tease you anymore, let's go quickly." Although his words were simple, the concern and care he contained were overflowing.

Hearing this, He Mingning's heart, which had been pounding like a frightened deer since the beginning, finally found a place to rest and slowly returned to where it should have been. In that instant, it felt as if an invisible hand had suddenly lifted a heavy burden off her heart, making her feel like a flower touched by a spring breeze, blooming with unprecedented ease and freedom.

She first took a deep breath, then slowly and slowly exhaled, as if trying to expel all the tension and anxiety that had accumulated in her body over the past few days. After doing this, she tilted her head slightly, raising her beautiful and ethereal face, like a fairy descended from heaven. Her clear, watery eyes were now gazing tenderly at Fan Junyu beside her, her gaze filled with both shyness and sweet affection.

At that very moment, He Mingning noticed that Fan Junyu was also gazing at him with a smile. The corners of his mouth were slightly upturned, forming an extremely gentle curve; his deep, ocean-like eyes shone with endless doting and profound love, as dazzling as the brightest star in the night sky. That gaze was so intense, it seemed to penetrate the soul, reaching the softest corner of the heart, thus binding their hearts together tightly, never to be separated again.

Just then, Fan Junyu gently extended his right hand and took He Mingning's small hand in his. When his fingertips touched her soft, boneless skin, a jolt of electricity shot through his body, causing him to tremble slightly. However, he did not flinch; instead, he gripped her soft, slender hand even tighter. He held it very tightly, as if afraid that if he loosened his grip even slightly, this beautiful woman before him would vanish like smoke.

He Mingning showed no resistance to Fan Junyu's actions; on the contrary, she obediently allowed him to hold her hand. At that moment, she felt as if she had become a docile little lamb, and Fan Junyu was the shepherd guiding her. Hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, they walked slowly towards the palace. Sunlight fell upon them, casting long shadows that, from afar, resembled a beautiful and moving painting. Their steps were light and steady, their figures appearing even more intimate in the afterglow of the setting sun. Neither of them spoke a word along the way, but the deep affection between them needed no words to express; everything was understood without being spoken.

Meanwhile, in another secluded corner of this bustling capital, He Mingxuan and Qin Zeyu walked side by side, just stepping out of the magnificent and heavily guarded gates of the Duke's Mansion.

They remained silent the entire way, the atmosphere heavy and oppressive between them. He Mingxuan kept her head down, her gaze wandering, seemingly absent-minded, but in reality, her thoughts had already drifted back to what had happened earlier—that sudden kiss. Every time she recalled that moment, her heart pounded, and her cheeks flushed uncontrollably, as vibrant and luscious as a ripe apple.

Meanwhile, Qin Zeyu was also filled with inner turmoil. He kept stealing glances at He Mingxuan beside him, his lips moving slightly as if he wanted to say something but hesitated. In the end, he didn't know how to bring up the matter, so he could only silently follow He Mingxuan's side, trying to use silence to cover up the panic and helplessness deep in his heart.

In that brief moment, time seemed to be magically frozen in place. Everything around them was as if a pause button had been pressed, becoming eerily quiet. The rustling of leaves in the breeze, usually so subtle as to be almost imperceptible, was now exceptionally clear, as if someone had deliberately amplified the sound many times over. The entire world seemed to have fallen into an abyss of utter silence; the deathly stillness was terrifying, and an invisible, immense pressure weighed heavily on everyone's hearts, making it hard to breathe.

However, this suffocating silence was finally broken by Qin Zeyu. He took a deep breath, as if gathering all his courage and strength. Then, he abruptly raised his head, his deep, bright eyes instantly transforming into two torches, staring directly at He Mingxuan standing before him. His eyes held a complex mix of emotions, a hint of barely perceptible tension and trepidation, yet also a subtle glimmer of expectation and longing. After a moment of silent eye contact, Qin Zeyu seemed to have finally mustered enough courage. After a brief pause, he slowly opened his mouth and said, word by word, "Why have you remained silent? Don't you truly have a single word you want to say to me?"

Upon hearing Qin Zeyu's words, He Mingxuan slightly raised her head, her beautiful eyes gently shifting, revealing a hint of confusion and shyness. She parted her lips slightly and responded in a voice as soft and melodious as a breeze caressing the strings of a zither: "What are you saying? My mind is completely blank right now..." Her words drifted gently in the air like falling petals, carrying a touch of bewilderment and tenderness.

Upon hearing this, Qin Zeyu raised his thick, handsome eyebrows slightly, a half-smile quickly appearing on his face. This smile contained a hint of teasing, and he said leisurely, "You're not usually like this! Back then, you were so eloquent, so talkative, your words flowed like a never-ending river. But why are you suddenly so quiet today? Is there something on your mind that you're not telling me?"

Qin Zeyu's words acted like a fuse, instantly igniting the long-suppressed anger in He Mingxuan's heart. Her graceful body trembled violently, and her fair and delicate face, originally as white as jade, flushed crimson in the blink of an eye, as luscious as a ripe apple. Her beautiful eyes blazed with fury as she glared at Qin Zeyu, shouting at the top of her lungs, "You, Qin Zeyu! What do you mean by that? Are you saying I'm too noisy and annoying?"

However, faced with He Mingxuan's aggressive questioning, Qin Zeyu showed no fear whatsoever. On the contrary, the corners of his sharply defined lips even curled up slightly, slowly forming a somewhat mocking smile. Then, in a calm and unhurried tone, he replied, "Hehe, well... you should know best in your heart!" Qin Zeyu's merciless words were like a large spoonful of boiling oil being ruthlessly poured into an already raging fire. This spoonful of hot oil instantly made the raging fire even more intense and violent, and the anger in He Mingxuan's heart, which was already on the verge of exploding, now erupted like a volcano, completely out of control.

A deafening roar erupted from He Mingxuan's mouth: "Qin Zeyu, you're really asking for trouble! Today I'm going to teach you a lesson and give you a good beating!" Before she could finish speaking, her delicate body suddenly swayed, and she pounced on Qin Zeyu with the force of a thunderbolt, like a ferocious tiger that had been completely enraged.

However, Qin Zeyu was no ordinary person; he had always been renowned for his agility and nimble movements. Just as He Mingxuan pounced on him like a raging storm, his eyes blazed, and his reaction was incredibly swift. With lightning speed, he extended his right hand and, with superhuman precision, firmly grasped He Mingxuan's fair and slender wrist.

Due to the powerful inertia, He Mingxuan's body was completely unable to stop its forward momentum in time, continuing to rush forward like an arrow released from a bow. But Qin Zeyu, at this moment, was like a towering, unbreakable mountain, standing firmly in place without even the slightest sway. Not only that, he even opened his arms wide without any concern, a leisurely smile on his face, as if he was happily anticipating He Mingxuan willingly throwing herself into his broad and warm embrace.

Finally, like a fawn losing its balance, He Mingxuan fell headlong into Qin Zeyu's broad, warm, and strong chest without any warning. In that instant, time seemed to stand still as if by magic, and the whole world seemed to consist only of the two of them. The surrounding noise, the clamor of the crowd, and the whisper of the wind all disappeared, and everything else became insignificant.

At this moment, the two were tightly embraced, their bodies pressed together without a single gap. They could clearly feel each other's rapid breathing, like waves of heat brushing past their ears, and their wildly beating hearts pounding like drumbeats in their chests. An ambiguous yet tense atmosphere filled the air, subtly enveloping them, making them irresistibly intoxicated and unable to extricate themselves.

He Mingxuan felt a burning sensation on her face, and a wave of shyness instantly washed over her, spreading rapidly throughout her body. She realized, as if waking from a dream, that she was in an extremely awkward situation, and immediately began to struggle, trying to break free from Qin Zeyu's embrace. However, Qin Zeyu's arms, as if imbued with a gentle yet firm strength, pulled her closer to him. With this seemingly unintentional movement, the already close distance between them grew even closer, almost to the point where their noses touched.

He Mingxuan's heart pounded wildly like a startled deer. She involuntarily raised her head, her beautiful eyes wide and round, filled with suspicion and uncertainty, as she stared directly at Qin Zeyu, who was standing right in front of her.

Qin Zeyu's eyes were as deep as the sea, like an endless abyss, containing a complex and elusive emotion. That emotion was like layers of mist, deeply concealing his true thoughts.

He Mingxuan felt a chill rise up her spine and trembled slightly involuntarily. She parted her lips slightly and asked coquettishly, "What...what are you going to do?" Her voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz, almost inaudible, but it seemed to contain a hint of barely perceptible anticipation and nervousness.

However, Qin Zeyu ignored her question, his gaze fixed intently on her clear, captivating eyes, as deep as autumn water. His gaze was intense and focused, as if trying to pierce her soul and reach the most hidden corner of her heart.