She's skilled in medicine, martial arts, and even understands animal language—the abandoned dau

On the other side, Chu Zhiyi was worried about Shen Man.

After returning to his room, he quickly washed up, changed into clean clothes, and rushed to Shen Man's room.

As he entered the room, he unconsciously slowed his steps, afraid of disturbing the sleeping Shen Man.

In the room, candlelight flickered, casting a dim, yellowish glow. Shen Man had already taken off her outer clothes and was fast asleep on the bed.

Her long, jet-black hair cascaded freely across the pillow, resembling a stunning ink painting.

A few wisps of hair playfully clung to her fair, jade-like cheeks, like flower buds quietly blooming in spring, inadvertently adding a touch of languid charm to her.

At this moment, her face carried a trace of tranquility after exhaustion, and her delicate and smooth skin shone with a soft glow in the candlelight.

The corners of her mouth turned up slightly, forming a faint curve, as if she were immersed in a sweet dream.

Chu Zhiyi walked to the bedside and looked at her quietly, his eyes full of tenderness and affection.

He carefully crouched down, afraid of disturbing the beautiful woman sleeping like a fairy.

When his gaze met Shen Man's face, his heart involuntarily quickened.

He gazed at her eyes and brows, her willow-leaf eyebrows, her slightly upturned eyes, and her long eyelashes; every detail fascinated him.

His gaze was as if under a spell, unable to leave her face, as if he could never get enough of looking at her.

Time seemed to stand still at that moment, and the whole world consisted only of him and the sleeping Shen Man.

He gently reached out, wanting to stroke Shen Man's face, but afraid of waking her, his hand hesitated for a moment, hovering in mid-air, and finally just gently stroked the hair by her ear.

He stayed quietly by the bedside, unwilling to leave.

Memories of his time with Shen Man kept flashing through his mind—the days they fought side by side, the moments they supported each other—making him cherish her even more.

After an unknown amount of time, Chu Zhiyi felt his legs going numb from squatting, and slowly stood up.

He gently pulled the blanket over Shen Man, wrapping her up tightly, his movements as tender as if she were a rare treasure.

Then, he placed a kiss on her forehead, a kiss filled with deep affection, as if he wanted to convey all his love to her.

The moonlight outside the window was slanting westward, casting a cool, silvery glow that mingled with the dim candlelight inside.

After kissing Shen Man, Chu Zhiyi originally intended to leave, but when his gaze fell on her face again and he thought about parting from her, his legs seemed to be nailed to the spot, and he could no longer move.

Finally, after an internal struggle, he slowly climbed into bed, his movements extremely gentle, as if afraid of waking Shen Man.

He lay down beside Shen Man, gently pulling her into his arms and feeling her body temperature.

Shen Man seemed to sense something in her sleep, snuggling slightly into his arms, the smile on her lips becoming more pronounced.

Chu Zhiyi's heart was instantly filled with tenderness, and the corners of her eyes reddened slightly.

His thoughts drifted back to the time when they first met. Back then, Shen Man was calm and collected, with fearlessness and decisiveness in her eyes, which attracted him at first glance.

After that, they embarked on countless adventures together, and in every life-or-death situation, she never backed down and always stood firmly by his side.

"Man'er, do you know that with you by my side, I have the courage to face everything?"

Chu Zhiyi murmured softly, her voice barely audible, yet full of deep affection.

He gently stroked Shen Man's hair, the smooth touch sliding through his fingertips, just like the beautiful and unforgettable years they had spent together.

"From now on, no matter what storms may come, I will protect you." Chu Zhiyi secretly vowed in his heart.

He envisioned the future, imagining that when he returned to the capital, he would eliminate all the treacherous officials in the court, and the people would live in peace and prosperity. He would then stroll hand in hand with Shen Man through the streets and alleys of the capital, watching the sunrise and sunset, and appreciating the changing seasons.

He wanted to watch her wake up every morning and hold her as she fell asleep every night.

He knew that Shen Man was already an indispensable part of his life, the driving force behind his progress, and the refuge of his soul.

That night, Chu Zhiyi held Shen Man tightly in his arms, not closing his eyes once. His gaze lingered on Shen Man's face, unwilling to miss any subtle expression.

As the moonlight faded, the first rays of dawn crept up the windowpanes, gradually brightening the room.

Chu Zhiyi looked at Shen Man, who was still fast asleep in his arms, and smiled happily.

A new day begins, filled with his love for Shen Man.

Sunlight streamed through the carved window lattice, gently illuminating the bed and giving the couple sleeping in each other's arms a golden glow.

Shen Man slowly woke up in his warm embrace, her eyes still drowsy from just waking up. Through her hazy vision, she met Chu Zhiyi's affectionate gaze.

She was taken aback at first, then realized what was happening, and her cheeks instantly flushed red.

"Your Highness, what... what are you doing here?"

Shen Man's voice was soft and sweet like morning air. She moved slightly and realized that she was being held tightly in Chu Zhiyi's arms.

Chu Zhiyi smiled gently, smoothed the stray hairs on Shen Man's forehead, and said, "Man'er, I was worried about you last night, so I came to check on you. Seeing that you were sleeping soundly, I couldn't bear to leave."

Chu Zhiyi's gaze was intense and direct, making Shen Man's face flush.

She lowered her head slightly, not daring to look Chu Zhiyi in the eye, her fingers unconsciously clutching the corner of the blanket.

After hesitating for a while, she leaned against Chu Zhiyi's chest again. Feeling his steady and strong heartbeat, Shen Man's heartbeat also became erratic, and her breathing became disordered.

Seeing this, Chu Zhiyi could no longer restrain his emotions. He slowly leaned closer to Shen Man and gently covered her lips with his.

Shen Man felt his presence, and her heart jumped into her throat. She was so nervous that she almost stopped breathing.

Her eyes were slightly closed, and her long eyelashes trembled gently like the wings of a startled butterfly.

At that moment, the air inside the room seemed to thicken, and the sound of the two people's rapid breathing mingled together.

Shen Man was initially a little stiff, but under Chu Zhiyi's gentle advances, she gradually relaxed her tense body, and her hands unconsciously and gently grasped Chu Zhiyi's sleeves.

Chu Zhiyi hugged Shen Man tighter, deepening the kiss.

Shen Man responded to him shyly, her heart filled with an unprecedented sweetness and happiness, her cheeks as red as ripe apples.

Just as the two were immersed in this warm and somewhat ambiguous atmosphere, a rapid knocking on the door broke the silence.

Then, Zhi Mo's voice rang out from outside the door: "Your Highness, many people have come to the government office, requesting an audience with you!"