The thin mist that had accumulated in his heart for days finally dispersed, revealing its truest form, like clouds parting to reveal the sun. As Li Qingyuan looked at the red-clad girl sitting high on horseback, he suddenly felt a sense of clarity.
He finally understood the reason behind his emotional turmoil these past few days.
He… liked her.
He must have liked her for a long, long time.
That was why he felt happy when she was happy, why he felt distressed when she was upset, why he was always worried about her, always wanted to see her. That was why… when others mentioned Zhao Chengyou and her past, he felt jealous.
All these strange feelings had no other explanation—he simply liked her.
By now, most of the students attending the riding and archery class had arrived. Both men and women had changed into Hu attire convenient for riding. Yet, among all these people, Gu Wuyou was still the most striking one.
She wore a form-fitting red Hu outfit that accentuated her slender figure, her long boots making her legs appear even more straight and graceful. Her hair was tied into a high ponytail, and both her hair and the hem of her clothes fluttered in the wind.
The once noble and dazzling young lady, now stripped of her intricate dresses, looked even more stunning than usual.
Energetic, breathtakingly beautiful.
Li Qingyuan had not yet reached the riding ground when he overheard people whispering about her.
“This Princess of Leping is truly gorgeous. Forget everything else, just based on her looks, calling her the number one beauty wouldn’t be an exaggeration.”
“Not just beautiful—she’s got a great figure too. I wonder which lucky man will marry her in the future.”
Young Master Li, who had only just realized his own feelings, was instantly displeased upon hearing these comments. His originally bright and cheerful face darkened as if a few storm clouds had gathered over it.
He turned to glance at the ones speaking—they were a group of young men, their faces slightly flushed as they stole glances at Gu Wuyou. Their eyes were filled with admiration and affection, though none of them seemed crude or vulgar.
Even so, Li Qingyuan was still unhappy.
For the first time in his life, he liked someone. His emotions were complicated—he wanted to hide her away, so that from now on, only he could see her. But at the same time, he felt that such a wonderful girl should be seen by everyone, so that the whole world would know just how amazing she was.
This tangled mess of emotions carried a bit of cautiousness, a bit of hesitation, and an overwhelming sense of joy and sweetness.
He wanted to tell them:
“Do you know? This most beautiful girl smiles at me, cries in front of me, eats breakfast with me, helps me fend off bad people, and even defends me in public.”
“Her eyes and heart are filled with me, while all you can do is watch!”
He also wanted to tell them:
“Do you know how soft she is in private? She blushes, tugs at my sleeve, and gets embarrassed when I catch her scolding someone.”
He wanted to say so much more…
Perhaps because his gaze lingered too long, even someone as thick-skinned as Gu Wuyou seemed to notice something. Or maybe, the little princess had always been particularly sensitive to his gaze.
Despite being watched by so many people, she still managed to capture Li Qingyuan’s gaze amid the crowd.
She had been chatting with Gu Yu, but suddenly, she turned her head to look behind her.
When she saw Li Qingyuan standing on the path, her dazzling face immediately lit up with an even brighter smile. The young girl, completely unbothered by decorum, waved cheerfully in his direction.
And Li Qingyuan?
The moment he saw her smile, all the complicated emotions in his heart vanished completely.
His heart quieted.
He was no longer lost in hesitation, no longer overthinking.
Zhao Chengyou?
What did that have to do with him?
No matter how close they had been in the past, no matter how much she had liked him before—
That was already in the past.
He was no fool.
Knowing her feelings for him.
Having finally sorted out his thoughts and emotions, Li Qingyuan, who had been suppressing his feelings all morning, finally smiled. He rarely smiled, but at this moment, the expression on his face was as dazzling as the newborn sun, radiant and striking.
He gazed at her, the corners of his lips gently curling up. The wind lifted his hair, adding a carefree and elegant charm to his presence.
The two of them simply looked at each other.
Li Qingyuan could feel his heart pounding wildly, and the joy within him expanded, growing even sweeter. It was a kind of happiness that felt like thick layers of malt candy wrapping around his heart—sweeter than any sugar he had ever tasted.
In truth, not many people noticed this moment.
Class was about to start, and most people were focused ahead. Only Jing Yubai, standing beside Li Qingyuan, witnessed everything… but he merely smiled, pressing his lips together before shifting his gaze away, saying nothing.
In this atmosphere of budding romance and sweetness—
Fu Xian, utterly oblivious to such sentiments, completely failed to notice anything unusual. Catching sight of Li Qingyuan and Jing Yubai lagging behind from the corner of his eye, he abruptly shouted, shattering all the warmth and tenderness with his rough voice.
“Qilang! Dabai! Hurry up! Old Meng is calling for you!”
Li Qingyuan snapped back to reality.
He watched as Gu Yu pulled Gu Wuyou aside. As they walked away, Gu Yu even shot him a fierce glare, as if he had stolen her family’s beloved cabbage.
But Young Master Li was in an excellent mood. Instead of getting angry, he merely curved his lips into another smile. After taking one last look at the figure in red, he leisurely responded, “Coming.”
The instructor for riding and archery was surnamed Meng, with the given name Hui. He had once been a drill instructor in the capital’s military camp. However, during a battle, he had injured his arm. Though he appeared no different from an ordinary person in daily life, he was no longer fit for combat.
Afterward, he joined Luming Academy to teach students the arts of riding and archery.
Class time had arrived.
Though they were attending the same lesson, the schedule was divided. The girls rode horses first before practicing archery, while the boys followed the opposite sequence. Compared to other academies, Luming Academy’s riding grounds were quite spacious.
However, with so many students, even with ample horses, it was impossible for everyone to ride at once. Thus, each class was divided into three groups.
Gu Wuyou and Gu Yu were assigned to the first group. While students from Buzhi Hall and Changrong Hall were practicing archery, they had already mounted their horses. Around ten young girls of similar age, dressed in various Hu-style outfits, now sat astride their horses, gripping their riding whips.
“Hey, don’t embarrass the Gu family later.” The prideful Gu Yu swung her riding whip as she spoke to Gu Wuyou.
Gu Wuyou had been searching the crowd for Li Qingyuan. Hearing this, she turned her head and flashed a confident smile. “Don’t worry, I won’t embarrass us.” Her riding and archery skills had been personally taught by the Grand General—how could she possibly lose face?
“Hmph.”
“Just don’t overdo it. This is only practice, not the actual assessment…” Gu Yu muttered the last part quietly, as if embarrassed to openly express her concern. “Just don’t get hurt.”
Gu Wuyou’s eyes curved into a smile, her voice turning even softer. “Alright.”
Standing nearby, Instructor Meng raised a flag and held a whistle in his hand. Raising his voice, he announced to them, “This will be your starting point. Ride around the course three times. The first to finish will be the winner.”
“I will blow the whistle to begin.”
Pausing for a moment, he brought the whistle to his lips, setting the rhythm. “Ready!”
The atmosphere grew tense in an instant. Even Gu Wuyou, who had just been searching for Li Qingyuan in the crowd, focused her full attention forward.
The moment the whistle sounded, the neatly lined-up riders surged forward.
Meanwhile, Fu Xian and the others, still waiting for their turn at archery, found themselves with some idle time. Watching the girls race, Fu Xian lazily remarked, “Hey, who do you think will win?”
Without waiting for a reply, he answered himself, “I’m betting on Gu Yu. That girl may have a sharp tongue, but she’s got real skills when it comes to riding and archery. Last year, when I went hunting with Third Brother Gu, she was there too.”
“To be honest, her riding and archery skills are no worse than any man’s.”
Fu Xian couldn’t help but boast about himself in the end, adding, “Of course, she’s definitely not as good as me.”
Qi Xu thought for a moment and said, “I’ll bet on Miss Lu. Her father is the Cavalry General, and Instructor Meng has praised her before.”
“What about you, Qilang?” Fu Xian turned to ask.
Li Qingyuan didn’t respond. He was looking in Gu Wuyou’s direction. Among the many people present, it seemed as if his eyes could only see her. He watched her raise her riding whip, watched her lean forward, watched the vivid red ribbons of her attire flutter in the wind, and watched the brilliant smile bloom on her striking face.
He smiled as well, looking as if he were in an excellent mood.
“What are you looking at?” Fu Xian asked curiously. He was just about to follow Li Qingyuan’s gaze when he heard him say slowly, “I bet on her.”
“Hmm? Who?” Fu Xian was momentarily stunned. He followed Li Qingyuan’s line of sight, and when his eyes landed on the figure in red, he froze. After a long pause, he muttered in disbelief, “Little Pepper?”
“Mm.”
“Qilang, are you crazy?”
“That little pepper? The one who can’t carry anything heavy or endure hardship, who even finds riding a horse tiring? You’re betting on her to win—” Fu Xian was still rambling on when Qi Xu suddenly grabbed his arm.
“Ah Xian, look!”
“Look at what?” Fu Xian grumbled, following his gaze. The next second, he nearly jumped in shock.
Out on the riding ground, Gu Wuyou, who had previously been trailing behind, had somehow caught up and was now riding neck and neck with Gu Yu. From Fu Xian’s vantage point, it even seemed like she had slightly overtaken her.
What… what was going on?!
Fu Xian was stunned.
And he wasn’t the only one—many others were equally shocked. Whether they knew Gu Wuyou or not, all eyes were now fixed on the girl in red.
Gu Wuyou had joined the academy later than most, and no one had ever seen her ride before. Now, watching her race side by side with Gu Yu—the perennial top performer in riding and archery—everyone was caught off guard.
After their initial shock, excitement erupted.
The students waiting for their turn to ride no longer felt impatient. Those practicing archery had also put down their bows. One by one, heads turned toward the riding ground.
What could be more thrilling than watching beautiful girls race on horseback?