It wasn't until the car stopped at Qiyuan that Yun Shunnian truly felt how hard Mu Qi was holding her.
"Mu Qi, it hurts," Yun Shunnian let out a soft gasp, her head pressing even heavier onto Mu Qi's shoulder.
Yun Shunnian's voice was as faint as a mosquito's hum, but Mu Qi, exceptionally sensitive to her, heard it clearly.
Mu Qi lowered his head to look at the fluffy crown of Yun Shunnian's head. His heart softened, yet he felt a sharp pain, like a blade cutting through flesh.
Mu Qi eventually eased his grip slightly, pulling Yun Shunnian closer and burying his face in her neck, inhaling deeply.
A moment later, Mu Qi glanced at the mountain palace in front.
Shan Gong immediately understood Mu Qi's intention and got out of the car to open the door for him.
Yun Shunnian placed her hands on Mu Qi's shoulders, wanting to pull away from his embrace and get out of the car herself.
However, she hadn't expected Mu Qi to have no intention of letting her go. Yun Shunnian was thus carried down from the car, one hand supporting her hips and the other around her waist.
The sky was a dull gray at this moment, the heavy air making it difficult to breathe, hinting at impending rain and a chilling coolness pervading the atmosphere.
Yun Shunnian was wearing rather thin clothing, and the cold air made her instinctively curl into Mu Qi's embrace.
The delicate body in his arms was warm, yet Mu Qi's expression was shrouded in darkness, exuding an extreme sense of danger at a mere glance.
Mu Qi didn't pause after getting out of the car but walked directly towards his territory.
Yun Shunnian endured the cold wind, burying herself deeper into Mu Qi's arms.
Yun Shunnian had initially thought Mu Qi would place her on the living room sofa, but to her surprise, Mu Qi walked straight towards the master bedroom without any hesitation.
Realizing this, Yun Shunnian's heart raced, her mind going blank for a moment, unsure where to place her hands and feet.
Fortunately, Mu Qi held her tightly, so Yun Shunnian didn't need to worry about her limbs.
Though the distance from the living room to the master bedroom was only a few steps, Yun Shunnian felt as if those few steps stretched into an eternity, like a day and a night.
Only when they entered the bedroom and Yun Shunnian watched the door recede further away from her did she quietly breathe a sigh of relief.
What was meant to happen was finally about to happen, and she would soon know how everything would unfold.
With a thud.
Yun Shunnian fell onto the large bed.
Yun Shunnian, who had already begun to relax, was stunned by the forceful manner in which Mu Qi had thrown her.
Before Yun Shunnian, lying on the bed, could react, Mu Qi's heavenly-gifted face loomed larger in her vision.
Then, Yun Shunnian met Mu Qi's noble phoenix eyes and was subjected to a suffocating kiss.
Mu Qi seemed unusually passionate lately.
Yun Shunnian met Mu Qi's phoenix eyes, feeling as if she were about to be consumed by their heat.
Startled and nervous, Yun Shunnian quickly lost her strength.
Mu Qi immediately noticed Yun Shunnian's faltering state and released her.
Although his phoenix eyes were now further from Yun Shunnian, the danger within them had not diminished in the slightest; in fact, it seemed to intensify.
For a moment, recalling Mu Qi's ferocity that night, her full lips began to tremble slightly, her eyes welled up with moisture, and her shoulders hunched.
She looked like a small, fragile quail.
"Are you afraid of me?" Afraid of him, yet so worried about Shen Zhi that you'd pour out your heart to him?
Mu Qi's handsome lips pressed into a thin line, the darkness in his phoenix eyes as dense as ink.
"Then don't... don't scare me. If you don't scare me, I won't be afraid." Yun Shunnian's lips continued to tremble, but she cautiously reached out to touch the corner of Mu Qi's eyes.
Mu Qi's eyelashes fluttered, and the darkness in his eyes seemed to recede slightly.
"Is Shen Zhi more handsome in your eyes, or am I?" Mu Qi's voice was a little hoarse, and the question felt extremely unnatural.
Yun Shunnian was first stunned, then her heart throbbed with excitement. Her eyes, which had been as timid as a quail's, now lit up at Mu Qi's words.
"No one is more handsome than my Mu baby!" Yun Shunnian declared, then proactively wrapped her arms around Mu Qi's neck and leaned in, engaging him in a passionate kiss.
The darkness in Mu Qi's phoenix eyes softened, then, due to Yun Shunnian's initiative, a bewildered look appeared.
What made Mu Qi even more bewildered was that Yun Shunnian seemed lost in the kiss, showing no signs of stopping.
Then, with a surge of strength from Yun Shunnian's hands, Mu Qi willingly lay down beside her, and Yun Shunnian followed, pressing down on him.
She couldn't help it; her Mu baby was too sweet, and she was addicted.
She had said there was no one more handsome than him.
Mu Qi felt the softness on top of him, his gloomy emotions gradually dissipating, but a sense of insecurity and fear of loss arose in their place.
Mu Qi's eyes flickered; though no tears fell, it was more heartbreaking than tears.
Unfortunately, Yun Shunnian's eyes were closed, lost in the kiss, and she didn't notice this fleeting hint of brokenness in Mu Qi's gaze.
Suddenly, a knock at the door pulled Yun Shunnian, who was immersed in the kiss, back to reality.
"Young Master, Young Madam, dinner is ready." Aunt Ning naturally didn't want to interrupt their moment.
However, she could tell from the look on Mu Qi's face when he carried Yun Shunnian back that there had been some conflict between them.
Based on Aunt Ning's past experience, it was likely that instead of anything good happening inside, they were arguing.
Of course, it wasn't that the Young Master was being beaten unilaterally, but that the Young Madam was being suppressed.
But regardless, their moods weren't good at the moment. However, Aunt Ning could see that the Young Madam's feelings for the Young Master had grown beyond just a little bit in these recent days.
The Young Madam also held the Young Master in the highest regard, so perhaps interrupting them might allow them to calm down.
Besides, not eating dinner was bad for one's health, especially when anger could harm both body and mind.
It was Aunt Ning. Yun Shunnian instantly opened her eyes and placed her hands on either side of Mu Qi, trying to get up.
However, Mu Qi pressed down heavily on Yun Shunnian's waist with his left hand, pinning her onto him.
"Alright, Aunt Ning, we'll be down for dinner immediately." Yun Shunnian had no choice but to turn her head to respond to Aunt Ning, then turned back to face Mu Qi.
"My most handsome Mu baby, let's go downstairs for dinner."
Yun Shunnian murmured softly, her tone coaxing and enticing.
After a moment, seeing that Mu Qi remained silent, Yun Shunnian thought she had appeased him.
However, when she tried to get up from him, the hand on her waist still exerted a heavy force.
"Shen Zhi – these words, and this person, must be removed from your mind from now on. You can only have me in your heart, understand?"
Mu Qi used his other hand to firmly stroke Yun Shunnian's forehead, his voice filled with a fierce intensity.