CHAPTER 147: CHAPTER

The whole day had drained Lin Xu’s body. After the yelling, the ruler breaking, San Na’s sour face, and the endless "correct your posture" lectures, she just wanted to collapse onto the bed and disappear.

She blew out the last candle, stretched her sore shoulders, and finally climbed under the blanket...

...when two arms suddenly wrapped tightly around her waist from behind.

Lin Xu almost screamed.

"Let go...!" she hissed.

Mo Ying buried his face against her neck like he had every right to appear in her room like a ghost.

"Mm. You smell good."

"MO YING!" Lin Xu struggled, trying to pry his arms off. "You’re heavy... move! I can’t breathe!"

He didn’t move an inch.

If anything, he hugged tighter.

"No," he mumbled against her skin, sounding very pleased with himself, "I’m comfortable here."

She elbowed him. "Go be comfortable somewhere else!"

"Ow... violent woman," Mo Ying groaned but still refused to let go. "I came here to calm my heart, and you’re attacking me."

"Calm your heart? It’s the middle of the night!"

"That’s why," he said, tone annoyingly smug. "No one will interrupt."

She pinched his arm.

He yelped. "LIN XU!"

"Get off."

"No."

"Get. Off."

"Never."

Lin Xu kicked her legs in frustration, but the man was built like a brick wall. A very warm, clingy brick wall.

He rested his chin on her shoulder. "I’m... happy," he said quietly.

Lin Xu blinked. "Happy? Why?"

"Our wedding is in two days."

She rolled her eyes so hard it hurt. "You’re talking like we’re already married."

"We are," he said immediately. "In my heart."

"Your heart is stupid," she muttered.

Mo Ying barked a laugh. "And your mouth is sharp. But I like it."

She felt her face heat a little and shoved him again out of instinct. "Let go already!"

Instead, he nuzzled her neck.

She froze. "H-Hey... stop sniffing me!"

"I’m memorizing my wife’s scent."

"I’m not your wife!"

"You will be."

She grabbed a pillow and smacked him with it. "Not until you hold up your end of the deal!"

He blinked. "Deal?"

"Yes, deal," she snapped. "Saving those kids. You promised. And until that happens, nothing is settled."

Mo Ying fell silent.

His arms loosened a little... not because he was letting her go, but because he suddenly realized she was serious.

He sighed, brushing her hair aside gently. "Lin Xu... I haven’t forgotten."

"You better not."

"I’m working on it."

"You better be working fast."

"My future wife is threatening me," he sighed dramatically. "This is abuse."

She smacked his forehead.

He yelped again. "Why are you always hitting me?!"

"Because you’re always annoying me!"

He finally loosened his grip enough for her to turn around.

Their faces ended up close... too close... his breath warm against her lips.

Neither moved.

Mo Ying grinned slowly. "You look cute when you’re angry."

Lin Xu shoved his face away. "Go sleep in your own room!"

"No."

"Why not?!"

"Because," he said, sliding back under her blanket with zero shame, "if I leave, you’ll miss me."

"I won’t!"

"You will."

"I WON’T."

He only smiled, eyes half-closed like he planned to sleep there all night.

Lin Xu glared at him, ready to bite him if she had to...

...but he wrapped his arms around her waist again and mumbled,

"Goodnight... future wife."

Lin Xu grumbled into her pillow, still trapped in Mo Ying’s arms.

"I’m not even sleepy," she muttered. "So stop hugging me like I’m some pillow."

Mo Ying didn’t move. If anything, he loosened one arm just to tilt her chin up so he could see her face.

He stared quietly, almost studying her, like he was trying to memorize every line of her expression.

She frowned. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

He didn’t answer. Instead, he leaned in close... too close... until his lips were nearly brushing her ear.

"Lin Xu..." his voice dropped low, warm, dangerous.

"Let me take you somewhere."

Her whole body stiffened. "Huh? Where?"

He didn’t reply.

He just stood up, tugging her with him like she weighed nothing.

"It’s a surprise."

"A surprise? At this hour?" Lin Xu stared at him like he’d lost his mind. "Mo Ying, are you crazy? It’s the middle of the night!"

"Exactly," he said calmly while putting on his outer robe. "No one will bother us."

"That sounds like exactly the kind of thing someone suspicious would say!"

"Then come make sure I don’t do anything suspicious."

She threw a pillow at his head. He dodged it.

"Lin Xu," he warned softly, "if you don’t get up, I will carry you out wearing exactly what you have on now."

Her cheeks flushed instantly. "You wouldn’t dare!"

He raised a brow.

...He would absolutely dare.

Lin Xu scrambled up so fast the blanket flew.

"FINE! Fine! I’ll go change! Stop looking at me like that!"

A few minutes later she emerged in a simple ahfu, hair tied loosely, the kind of outfit perfect for sneaking around at night... not that she agreed this was sneaking.

Mo Ying’s eyes swept over her once, slow and satisfied.

"Good. Let’s go."

"I didn’t dress for your approval," she snapped.

"Too late. You have it anyway."

She smacked his arm and marched past him, but he just followed with that smug quietness that made her want to trip him.

They slipped out through one of the side corridors, the lanterns dim, the night air cool. When they reached the back of the residence, Lin Xu stopped dead.

Fuhan was already there.

Standing beside a saddled horse.

At night.

Waiting.

Like this had been planned.

Lin Xu narrowed her eyes.

"Why," she asked slowly, "is Han standing there like someone who knew we were coming?"

Fuhan bowed respectfully.

"Young Master."

Mo Ying nodded. "Good. Let’s go."

Lin Xu pointed at him accusingly. "Mo Ying... why does he already have a horse ready? Why is he awake? Why is he not asleep like a normal human?!"

Fuhan cleared his throat, looking anywhere but at Lin Xu.

Mo Ying simply took her hand.

"Because," he said with that annoyingly calm tone, "I told him to be ready."

Lin Xu stared at him.

"...I knew it. You ARE planning something."

Mo Ying finally lost patience.

After all her questioning, suspicion, glaring, pacing, and "I swear if you take me somewhere weird...!" speeches, he simply clicked his tongue and hopped onto the horse first.

He sat tall, one hand on the reins, the other extended toward her.

"Come up," he said.

Lin Xu narrowed her eyes. "Where are you taking me? Tell me first."

"No."

"Mo Ying...!"

He raised a brow. "Lin Xu, if you don’t get on this horse in the next three seconds, I will..."

She didn’t let him finish.

"I’m THINKING!" she snapped, crossing her arms and staring hard at his outstretched hand like it was a trap. Which, knowing him, it probably was.

But just as she opened her mouth to protest again...

Mo Ying grabbed her wrist.

One pull...

One swift, smooth, absolutely shameless movement.

And Lin Xu landed right in front of him with a yelp, practically seated on his lap as he steadied her with one arm around her waist.

"MO YING!" she shouted, face flaming. "Why do you always do that?!"

"Because you take too long," he said simply, nudging the horse forward.

Fuhan stood off to the side, waving stiffly. "Have a... safe trip, Young Master, Miss Lin..."

The horse dashed off at full speed, wind whipping past them.

Fuhan sighed, rubbing his face.

"...Young Master’s definition of romance is suffering..."

He shook his head and muttered under his breath,

"And I just KNOW I’ll be blamed for this tomorrow..."

Meanwhile, Lin Xu clung to Mo Ying’s arm with wide eyes as they raced through the capital.

The city never truly slept.

Even at this hour, lanterns burned bright, the streets bustling with late-night stalls, people bargaining, children laughing, vendors shouting. The wind felt fresh against her face, the night air cool, carrying hints of spices and roasted food from the market.

The faster they rode, the more her body relaxed, the more the weight of the day slipped away.

Mo Ying’s warm breath brushed her ear as he leaned closer. "Still scared?"

"Shut up," she muttered, but her voice was softer now.

She looked around... lights glowing, people moving, laughter echoing, the sky full of stars above them.

For the first time in days... her heart felt at ease.

Her eyelids grew heavy before she even realized it.

Mo Ying felt her shift in his arms.

He glanced down and saw her head tilt gently to the side.

Then... quietly, slowly... she relaxed completely, leaning against his chest.

As the horse carried them through the night, Lin Xu slipped into sleep, warm and safe, tucked against Mo Ying’s arm.

Mo Ying let out a soft breath, tightening his hold around her.

"...Sleep," he murmured. "I’ll take you the rest of the way."