Seated inside the office, Qiu Yan gripped the hem of her robe, her nerves making her fingers fidgetingly. She lowered her head, and her cheek burned a deep crimson.

The old ancestor had departed the moment she completed her mission with Mo Jian.

She had slipped into the Southern Region with little hope for their continent's survival, yet she carried a glimmer of news that might alter the balance of power.

Who would have thought she would receive the shock of her life?

Three thousand Stoneheart Armors and five thousand elemental weapons lay at their disposal, a monumental stockpile that could change the course of a war.

She could hardly wait to return to the Central Region, distribute the weapons, and spread the news.

Their continent would not fall to the evil sects. Many had already lost hope, but with this, the flame of resistance could be rekindled.

As for her descendant, she had left her behind.

With the Southern Region now safe and free from the evil sect, there seemed little reason to bring her back.

Besides, a shared mission could serve as a means to relay information to the clan.

Staring at the nervous, shy Young Miss of the Broken Moon Consortium, Mo Jian could not help but smile.

Since they were betrothed, they had not had the opportunity to spend any real time together until now.

"I've kept your position as head of the Time Newspaper," he said, breaking the silence. "Now that you're back, we can restart publication."

Qiu Yan took a deep breath and raised her head slowly. "Young Master, thank you."

"It's nothing. You're now my woman. No one can take what belongs to you." His eyes locked onto her shy, mesmerizing face.

Her lips were small, round, and inviting. Her long raven hair cascaded over her shoulders with graceful ease.

Although her robe was loose, it could not hide her enchanting figure. Feeling Mo Jian's gaze, she bit the edge of her lips and fought to avert her gaze, yet convinced herself to maintain the connection.

"Are you not going to serve me?" he asked with a teasing undertone.

She hesitated for a moment, then shifted to his empty teacup. Pushing down her nerves, she rose gracefully and began to brew the spirit tea.

Watching her work, he nodded, pleased with her action. Her hands moved swiftly and precisely, without a trace of awkwardness.

He loved tea and would not accept anything mediocre in its brewing. She finished and served him.

For her, this would be the first time she served a man other than her father.

Mo Jian extended a hand and received the teacup, letting his finger brush hers on purpose.

She shivered at the contact, an electric current running through her. Her heart quickened, and she quickly returned to her seat when he took the cup.

Looking at her reaction, Mo Jian chuckled and took a sip of the spirit tea. "I never expected you to know how to brew tea."

"Humph! Just because I'm treated like a princess does not mean I don't know the basics of etiquette," she replied with a pout.

"So, apart from brewing tea, what else can you do?"

Qiu Yan lifted her gaze and saw genuine interest in his face. She had long been overwhelmed by Mo Jian's talent and influence.

He was someone who could sit with her ancestor and carry on a normal conversation as if they were equals.

None of the younger generation could replicate such a feat.

Hence, she couldn't help but feel slightly inferior. But now she realized he was not looking down on her merely because her ancestor had betrothed her to him.

Taking a deep breath, she began to explain her interests, forgetting her nervousness. She spoke of her goals, her aspirations, and her wish to see beyond their continent.

Mo Jian listened to everything without interrupting as she revealed her deeper desires.

To be candid, he was stunned by how grand her dream was.

Like him, she wanted to spread her influence across the continent and beyond. Yet the appearance of Mo Jian had once shattered her own dream.

Although she was not ready to give up, when Mo Jian introduced the media to her, she readily accepted it.

For her, that was a whole new world she had never known existed, and it piqued her interest greatly.

"What a grand dream," he managed to say with a faint smile.

Qiu Yan covered her face with her palm, realizing she had been rambling on for nearly half an hour.

'Is he going to think I'm being childish?' she worried in a moment of panic.

"Young Master, please don't mind my senseless talk," she said quickly. "Just treat it as nothing."

Mo Jian shook his head. "It isn't a childish dream. It's good to have a dream. Those without dreams fade into oblivion."

"You're my woman; how can you not have aspirations?" he said seriously. "Do you know why I accept you as my woman?"

She shook her head and leaned forward to hear him more clearly.

"Because you're not some green-house flower. The courage and confidence to leave your clan and start a business in another region—those are the things I acknowledge."

"To me, you're a strong woman, and I admire that."

Hearing Mo Jian speak with such direct openness left her cheek burning with crimson.

To her, it felt more like a confession than mere acknowledgment.

'So he does not look down on me,' she thought, and a deep sweetness blossomed in the depths of her heart.

"Come here," Mo Jian commanded, his voice leaving no room for argument.

She raised her head and looked at him, her heart pounding hard in her chest. She rose from her seat and walked toward him.

"What is he going to do to me?" she wondered, a swirl of questions in her mind. "Is this what I'm thinking?"

Ahh, a rush of nerves surged through her. She arrived in front of him, unsure of what to expect.

"Hmm?" she breathed, catching her breath.

A sharp, involuntary exclamation escaped her lips as she felt a sudden pull.

She was flustered, trying to control herself, when a strong arm wrapped around her waist.

Her round, soft bottom rested perfectly on Mo Jian's lap, and the knowledge of her position sent her cheeks blazing from the roots of her hair to the tips of her ears.

Her heart raced like a drum in her chest, a wild rhythm she had never experienced before. She had never been touched or seated on a man's lap in her life.

The scent of his masculine aura enveloped her, and she lowered her gaze to hide her blush.

"What? You don't want to sit on my lap?" he teased with a faint smile on his lips.

"N-no," she managed to whisper.

Mo Jian's expression softened as he looked down at her.

The moment stretched between them, charged with a mix of anticipation and restraint.

He guided her closer to his side, offering her a sense of security while also asserting his place beside her.

"Relax," he murmured. "There's no need to rush anything. We have time, Qiu Yan."

She took a shallow breath, feeling the warmth of his presence, the steady cadence of his breathing beside hers.