Chapter 1664: I Have a Friend

Yan Xuehen felt much more relaxed, having the one-hour timeframe as a justification. She clearly intended to fully immerse herself in this one-hour romance, hoping to leave no regrets and to completely sever emotional ties afterward.

After their recent embrace, the dynamic between them became noticeably more natural.

As they walked hand in hand, Yan Xuehen felt a mix of shyness and awkwardness. Finally, she couldn't help but ask, "Now that you know the background of Carefree Pavilion, aren't you going to investigate it?"

"Investigate what? It has nothing to do with me," Zu An said, studying her intently. "Besides, even if it did, it's not as important as you are. For this one hour, I'm not concerned with anything else. Focusing on our romance is all that matters."

Yan Xuehen felt a little dazed. Was this what it felt like to be in love?

At that moment, she felt both joy and shyness, mingled with a hint of inexplicable fear.

They wandered beneath the moonlight, neither speaking, as if both cherished the tranquility of the moment.

After walking for a while longer, Yan Xuehen looked towards Purple Mountain and finally said, "If we keep walking like this, we probably won't reach Purple Mountain by dawn."

Zu An realized she was right. If they both disappeared together at dawn, it would surely lead to all sorts of rumors.

So, he summoned his Wind and Fire Wheels and extended a hand, inviting Yan Xuehen.

Yan Xuehen instinctively shook her head. "I can fly by myself."

"We're a couple; we should be affectionate," Zu An said with a smile.

Yan Xuehen's face flushed slightly. "We agreed before that there wouldn't be any intimate actions."

The recent embrace and hand-holding were already the most she could accept.

"We only have less than an hour left," Zu An said, his usual playfulness gone, replaced by a tone filled with melancholy.

Seeing his expression, Yan Xuehen felt a pang of inexplicable pain. *Right*, she thought, *there's less than an hour left. It's not like it's anything excessive, and I've been on the Wind and Fire Wheels with him before.*

With that thought, she no longer resisted. Her delicate feet lightly touched down, bringing her to his side.

Zu An pulled her into his embrace, holding her from behind, and then soared into the sky on his Wind and Fire Wheels.

Completely held in his arms, surrounded by his masculine scent, Yan Xuehen felt as though electricity coursed through her, raising fine goosebumps all over her skin.

Her breathing quickened. Although the whistling cold wind blew past her ears, all she remembered was his gently exhaled warm breath.

"What did you just say?" Yan Xuehen asked, feeling a little ashamed. Despite the loud whistling of the surrounding cold wind, as a grandmaster, she hadn't clearly heard his words from such a close distance. Clearly, too many thoughts had raced through her mind after he embraced her.

Zu An smiled, lifting her arm. "I said, 'Do it like this.'"

When his hand brushed her armpit, Yan Xuehen's body trembled. She quickly said, "Don't... don't touch me. I'll do it myself."

After she straightened and spread her arms, she asked with some confusion, "What's the point of this pose? It only increases wind resistance while flying."

"Just stay still like this," Zu An said, gently encircling her slender waist from behind. He then rested his chin on her shoulder, their faces close together.

"What... what are you doing?" Yan Xuehen's voice trembled. Their faces were pressed together, and they could even clearly feel each other's breath.

"This is a classic pose for the main characters in a love story from my hometown," Zu An slowly replied, seemingly lost in thought.

"What love story?" Yan Xuehen was startled. She considered herself well-traveled and knowledgeable, yet she had never heard of such a pose.

"Once upon a time, there was a young man named Jack, and a wealthy young lady named Rose..." Zu An recounted the story from his memory.

As Yan Xuehen listened, she couldn't help but frown. "Why does this feel strange? Didn't Rose have a fiancé who deeply loved her? How could she do such a thing and still be fair to her fiancé and her family?"

Zu An's breath hitched. He had not expected her to focus on that. "Uh, it was an arranged marriage, and she didn't love her fiancé. She and Jack were true lovers, and that was the happiest time of her life. For love, she bravely broke free from the shackles of convention, and Jack even sacrificed his life for her..."

Yan Xuehen suddenly spoke. "Are you telling me this story to imply that I should break free from conventional restraints and be with you?"

Zu An was speechless.

*Is there something wrong with this woman's thought process?*

"Uh, I really didn't mean that. It's just that we were flying through the air like immortals, and I instinctively thought of that classic pose, so I just happened to tell you the story..."

The corners of Yan Xuehen's lips curled up slightly. It was rare to see him so flustered.

*But does this fellow really think I don't know what he's planning?*

"If Rose and Jack were truly in love, why did she continue to live alone in the world after Jack died for her, even marrying another man and having so many children?"

Zu An couldn't help but scratch his head. "Well, let's just say their customs are different there. Dying for love isn't something to be encouraged..."

Yan Xuehen shook her head. "I just find this story strange; many parts of it are illogical."

Zu An felt a bit dejected. It was true, as Yun Jianyue had said, this woman was like an ice maiden. She was analyzing the logical flaws in such a touching love story.

Meanwhile, Yan Xuehen was inwardly conflicted. In the story he had just told, Jack and Rose passionately kissed after striking that pose. *What if he takes this opportunity to kiss me now?*

Though she was reluctant to admit it, she knew she wasn't as resistant as before. After all, they had shared an intimate relationship, and they had just kissed once. The first time is unfamiliar, the second time is familiar...

*Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey! Yan Xuehen, Yan Xuehen, what nonsense are you thinking?!*

The only reason she had agreed was that this was their last hour, a chance to completely end their fateful entanglement.

However, apart from kissing, she would absolutely not allow him to do anything else.

Especially his mischievous hands. If they dared to wander, she would surely freeze him.

Not to mention anything more excessive...

Involuntarily, the scene from the Great Snow Mountain reappeared in her mind, her skin faintly flushed, her entire body feeling somewhat weak.

After a while, she pursed her lips. *Why is this boy so well-behaved today? He hasn't tried to kiss me, and his hand is just lightly around my waist, with no other inappropriate actions?*

A little while later, she couldn't help but bite her lip. Purple Mountain was almost there. *Wasn't he going to kiss her? There wouldn't be another chance.*

All the way to the vicinity of Purple Mountain, Zu An simply held her warmly, without any other actions.

"This is the first time I've ever wished the Wind and Fire Wheels were slower," Zu An sighed, gently releasing her. "Let's part ways here. There are many grandmasters on the mountain, constantly sweeping the area with their divine senses. It would harm your reputation if they saw us."

After speaking, he waved to her and walked towards the mountain with a dejected expression.

Yan Xuehen had imagined countless scenarios where he would pester her, and she would resolve each one. She never expected him to let go so easily, and for a moment, she felt extremely unaccustomed to it.

She had originally prepared herself to fully commit to this hour-long romance, even accepting anything short of the final step, hoping to leave no regrets and achieve a complete state of mind. This way, she could calmly sever her feelings for him and truly face them both as Chu Chuyan's elder.

From then on, there would only be Yan, the temple master of White Jade Capital, and no longer the "Sister Yan" that person called her.

Yet, things didn't go according to her plan. This fellow suddenly became exceptionally proper, leaving her in an awkward, unresolved state.

Her lips parted several times, but after much hesitation, she ultimately said nothing. How could she proactively say anything about such a matter?

After changing her clothes and returning to the separate courtyard, she found Chu Chuyan waiting in the room. "Master, where did you go?"

Seeing her return, Chu Chuyan clearly looked relieved.

"I went for a walk," Yan Xuehen said, feeling a little annoyed. She certainly couldn't tell her that she had just spent an hour in a romance with her husband.

Chu Chuyan looked at her in surprise. "Master, you seem to have something on your mind. Why don't you tell me? Perhaps I can help?"

"You're overthinking it. I don't have anything on my mind," Yan Xuehen naturally didn't want to say more.

Chu Chuyan, however, didn't back down. "Master, we've lived together for so long; can't I tell when something is bothering you? I know you don't want me distracted before the grand competition, but Master, you are just as important."

Yan Xuehen knew she couldn't hide it from her intelligent disciple. She shook her head with some guilt. "You can't help with this matter."

*Sigh, if she knew the whole truth, I wonder how she would view her master.*

"That's not necessarily true," Chu Chuyan said, hugging Yan Xuehen's arm. "Of course, Master knows more than I do about cultivation, but when it comes to worldly matters, Master might not be as experienced as I am. Perhaps I could help us brainstorm some ideas."

After all, she had managed a large family in Brightmoon City for many years, so naturally, she understood worldly affairs better than her lofty master, who was like a fairy.

Yan Xuehen initially wanted to refuse, but she couldn't resist Chu Chuyan's earnest gaze. She finally said, "Uh, well, it's like this: I have a friend who... accidentally committed a mistake. If this mistake is revealed, it will hurt the person closest to her, but if she doesn't say anything, it will leave her deeply troubled."

"Since it's the person closest to her, they would surely forgive an unintentional mistake," Chu Chuyan replied, secretly wondering who her master's friend was. *Uncle Shen? Aunt Xiao?*

Yan Xuehen shook her head. "This kind of mistake cannot be forgiven by the person closest to her. Once they know, the two of them will no longer be the closest, and might even become enemies."

"Oh, I see. That's certainly a bit troublesome," Chu Chuyan said, frowning in silence.

Yan Xuehen offered a bitter smile. *More than just troublesome.*

At that moment, Chu Chuyan suddenly looked up. "Master, if your friend had another chance to choose, would she still commit that mistake?"

Hearing her question, Yan Xuehen suddenly froze in place.