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

Chapter 102 He Mingyan and Qin Zejun

Just then, upon hearing that He Mingyan was leaving, Qin Zejun froze as if under a spell. Then, as if driven by instinct, he swiftly reached out and grabbed He Mingyan's arm. However, when He Mingyan turned her head, her gaze like two torches fixed on him, Qin Zejun snapped out of his daze, quickly releasing her arm and saying apologetically, "I'm sorry, I was a bit rash just now. Please forgive me."

Suppressing her anger, He Mingyan glared at Qin Zejun like an enraged lion, her tone harsh as she demanded, "What exactly do you want? I gave you so much time and opportunity to speak before, but you remained silent like a taut gourd; now that I'm leaving, you're clinging to me like a leech. Qin Zejun, what are you plotting?" Faced with He Mingyan's questioning, Qin Zejun initially lowered his head in silence like an ostrich, seemingly struggling to find the right answer. After a moment, he finally raised his head, his eyes fixed on He Mingyan with unwavering determination, and said softly, "Can we... talk this out calmly?"

He Mingyan slowly sat back down in the brand-new, exquisite chair. Her bright, star-like eyes gazed at Qin Zejun in front of her, and she said softly, "Just say what you want to say!" Her voice was clear and firm.

Qin Zejun nodded slightly, his gaze meeting He Mingyan's, and asked softly, "How have you been these past years?" His words revealed a hint of concern.

Upon hearing this, He Mingyan raised her eyebrows slightly, rolled her eyes at him, and coldly replied, "Of course it's very good." Her tone carried a hint of stubbornness and defiance.

Upon hearing this answer, Qin Zejun's lips curled up slightly, and he nodded in response, "That's good." However, his gaze remained fixed on He Mingyan, as if trying to discern more of the story behind her brief reply.

Feeling increasingly irritated by his unwavering gaze, He Mingyan finally couldn't help but ask, "How have you been all these years?"

Qin Zejun withdrew his gaze, thought for a moment, and replied, "It's quite good. Although the environment in this frontier region is rather harsh, the natural scenery is excellent." His words revealed a complex emotion towards this land.

Upon hearing this, He Mingyan couldn't help but ask, "Are the soldiers allowed to bring their families?"

Qin Zejun frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and then nodded firmly, saying slowly, "Yes, generals of the rank of deputy general and above are indeed allowed to bring their families." Hearing this, He Mingyan couldn't help but feel curious and asked, "Are there any women among them?" Qin Zejun nodded again in agreement and explained, "Of course there are. After all, how could so many generals and deputy generals only have sons and no daughters? It's just that, relatively speaking, the number of female family members in the military is relatively small."

Upon hearing this, He Mingyan let out a soft snort, a slight sneer playing on her lips. She said coquettishly, "Hmph, look at how knowledgeable you are. It seems you really know everything about this matter." With that, she quickly turned her head away, no longer looking at Qin Zejun, as if afraid he would notice the complex expression on her face.

Seeing this, Qin Zejun quickly explained, "I've been in this military camp for quite some time, and I've inevitably heard about these things." He Mingyan then posed another question: "So, are these women beautiful or not?" Qin Zejun hesitated for a moment before replying, "They should be quite good-looking!" He Mingyan immediately looked suspicious and pressed, "Should be? What do you mean? Don't tell me you haven't seen them in person?" Qin Zejun helplessly spread his hands and answered truthfully, "Indeed, I've had the good fortune to see some of them, but there are others I haven't met." He Mingyan continued to press, "Then, what about the girls you've seen? What do you think of their appearance? Are they considered beautiful?" Qin Zejun scratched the back of his head, shook his head with a wry smile, and honestly replied, "So much time has passed that I really can't remember their appearance very clearly."

He Mingyan raised an eyebrow, a mocking smile playing on her lips. She said sarcastically, "Don't remember? How could that be! We see each other every day, how can you say you don't remember? Humph, don't try to fool me!" Her coquettish tone carried a hint of dissatisfaction and doubt.

Upon hearing this, Qin Zejun immediately blushed with embarrassment and hurriedly waved his hands to explain, "I really didn't lie to you, I really don't remember. I'm not familiar with them, how could I remember them all clearly!" He looked at He Mingyan with an innocent expression, his eyes full of sincerity.

However, He Mingyan didn't believe him at all. She crossed her arms, pouted, and said, "With so many girls around you, isn't there a single one you feel familiar with? If you have someone you like, you can just tell me openly. I'm not the kind of person who clings to you. I will never pester you. What are you afraid of?"

Qin Zejun was stunned by these words and didn't know how to respond for a moment. After a while, he came to his senses and frowned, saying, "There's no necessary connection between familiarity and liking someone, is there?" He really couldn't understand why He Mingyan cared so much about this question.

He Mingyan stared at him with wide eyes, seemingly dissatisfied with his answer, and continued, "You've spent so much time with them, don't you feel anything at all? Surely there must be one or two who can make your heart flutter!" As she spoke, a hint of melancholy flashed in her eyes.

At this moment, Qin Zejun finally noticed the change in He Mingyan's emotions. Seeing her dejected look, he suddenly understood. So the reason this little girl was speaking so strangely today was because she was worried he might fall for another woman. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but smile slightly, looking at He Mingyan gently and saying, "You silly girl, what are you thinking? Don't forget, we're engaged. How could I possibly get entangled with someone else?"

He Mingyan stared wide-eyed at Qin Zejun, her tone somewhat urgent as she said, "So you don't dislike other people, but it's just that the marriage contract between us prevents you from liking anyone else, is that right?" Qin Zejun frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then replied, "Yes, now that you mention it, it seems that's true. Actually... I've always had someone I like in my heart."

Upon hearing this, He Mingyan's face instantly darkened, her anger overflowing. She huffed, "Fine! So you already have someone else in your heart. Very well, I'll go back today and immediately report to my father, requesting him to annul our engagement. Humph, I don't want to be a stumbling block for you, hindering your pursuit of happiness." With that, she turned and made as if to leave.

Seeing He Mingyan's expression, Qin Zejun couldn't help but find it amusing. He thought to himself, "This little girl is still exactly the same as when she was little, throwing tantrums at the drop of a hat. She's like a kitten that's easily provoked." So, he quickly reached out and pulled He Mingyan back, gently saying to her, "Even if you want to cancel the engagement, you can't."

He Mingyan turned around abruptly, her face full of suspicion as she questioned, "Why not? Don't think you can get away with just any excuse!" However, before she could finish speaking, Qin Zejun interrupted her. A doting smile appeared on Qin Zejun's lips as he softly said, "Because the person who makes my heart flutter is right here, even though it's far away—it's you, my silly girl!"

He Mingyan was clearly caught off guard by Qin Zejun's sudden confession. She was stunned for a moment, then shook her head vigorously and retorted, "Impossible! Don't try to fool me. If you really like me, why haven't you written me a single letter all these years?"

Qin Zejun recalled with a solemn expression, "When I first arrived at the frontier, the situation was extremely tense. In those years, wars were frequent, and every day was filled with the smoke of battle. In order not to become a burden to my father, I practiced martial arts day and night, and at the same time, I also studied a lot of knowledge and skills. Life at that time was extremely difficult. Every day, I was exhausted, and I would even fall asleep without realizing it while eating. Therefore, I really couldn't find any time to write to you, and even if I managed to write one, I wouldn't be able to send it out of this distant frontier. In those days, the only thing I could deliver were urgent battle reports."

Upon hearing this, He Mingyan frowned slightly and pressed on, "And then what? Why didn't you send me a letter even after the war gradually stabilized?"

Qin Zejun sighed softly and said slowly, "After so many years of separation, we haven't been in touch for far too long. I'm really worried, wondering if you still remember what I look like or if I still exist. After all, when I left the capital, you were still young and naive, and perhaps you've already forgotten me completely over time."

Upon hearing this, He Mingyan retorted coquettishly, "How could that be! We are engaged, how could we easily forget each other!"

However, Qin Zejun shook his head with a bitter smile, and said sadly, "Could it be that you only remember me because of this marriage contract?"

He Mingyan raised her eyebrows and angrily scolded, "Qin Zejun, you big bastard! If I didn't have feelings for you, I would have asked my father to annul the engagement long ago, since you haven't contacted me for so many years! Why would I still be foolishly waiting for you? At first, I was worried sick every day, afraid that something bad had happened to you; later, I had wild thoughts and thought that you had found someone else, which is why you ignored me! Humph, you are a complete scoundrel!" With that, He Mingyan raised her hand and slapped Qin Zejun.

Qin Zejun reacted quickly, grabbing her soft hand and pulling her tightly into his arms. He said gently, "It's all my fault. I should have written to you sooner to let you know I was safe. I shouldn't have made you so worried. I promise I won't make the same mistake again. Please don't be angry with me anymore, okay?"

He Mingyan was still glaring at him angrily, but her tone had softened slightly. She said coquettishly, "You're smart enough to let it go this time. But if you dare to treat me like this again in the future, hmph, don't blame me for being rude to you!" Qin Zejun nodded hurriedly in agreement, his eyes full of doting affection.

In this tranquil moment, the two stood silently, their gazes meeting like two fiery flames colliding and intertwining in the air. The surrounding air seemed to be infected by the burning passion between them, its temperature rising sharply, as if to melt everything.

He Mingyan's pretty face was flushed with a charming blush, as delicate and beautiful as a peach blossom in spring. She lowered her eyes shyly, but couldn't help but secretly raise her head to gaze at Qin Zejun in front of her with affectionate eyes.

Qin Zejun felt as if his heart was being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, a surge of scalding heat coursing through his body, making it impossible for him to suppress the emotions welling up from the depths of his heart. His breathing became rapid, and his body involuntarily leaned forward.

He slowly lowered his head, his deep and burning eyes locked onto He Mingyan's slightly trembling, rosy lips, as if they were the most precious treasure in the world. As they drew closer, He Mingyan could clearly feel Qin Zejun's warm breath gently brushing against her face, and her heart pounded even harder, like a rousing war drum thumping in her chest.

Her eyes widened, a mixture of nervousness and anticipation swirling within her, causing her body to tremble slightly. But just as their lips were about to touch, the world seemed to freeze, and time itself seemed to stand still.

Then, Qin Zejun finally gently kissed He Mingyan's soft lips. The kiss was initially as gentle as a breeze, cautiously exploring the other's response; gradually, it became passionate and lingering, filled with endless longing and deep affection buried deep in his heart for many years.

He Mingyan was slightly taken aback at first, then closed her eyes, immersing herself completely in the beautiful kiss. Her hands involuntarily grasped Qin Zejun's clothes, as if trying to bridge the distance between them. At this moment, all words seemed superfluous; only the intimate contact between their lips conveyed their deepest love for each other.

A moment later, the two separated. He Mingyan lowered her head shyly, not daring to look at Qin Zejun. Qin Zejun then lifted her chin and said affectionately, "Yan'er, my heart will never change for you." He Mingyan looked up and smiled gently, her eyes filled with happiness. At this moment, all the worries and suspicions of the past vanished, leaving only the deep love between them spreading in their hearts.

At this moment, He Mingyan seemed to suddenly remember something, and she took Qin Zejun's hand and shook it, saying, "Oh dear, I've been so busy arguing with you that I haven't even had a chance to properly appreciate this beautiful scenery!" Qin Zejun smiled and replied, "Then how about we go and enjoy this wonderful scenery together now?" He Mingyan nodded happily, smiled and held Qin Zejun's hand tightly, and they walked away together.