"The renovation to your new place is done?" Mingyue asked. "I thought it would take a while longer."

He smiled. "It should be complete soon. I asked them to come earlier. It will be too cold for them to travel later. Let's plan for a family gathering after they arrived. My mother wanted to meet your parents to discuss the wedding."

Mingyue nodded, and she lowered her gaze. She sipped her drink slowly. When she looked up again, her cheek has turned reddish as the warm vapor from the tea touched her skin.

Looking at this situation gave Yang Yun the urge to pinch her cheek.

"Yang Yun… I heard you went back to report for duty this morning." Mingyue said. She recalled that Princess Lingchen had told her about how Yang Yun will stay in the capital for the banquet.

"Hmm."

Mingyue bit her cheek so that she would not unconsciously smile and give away her thought. "When will you return to the Northern border?"

Yang Yun lifted his gaze and stared at her. "I won't be returning to the border soon. The Emperor is planning a spring banquet for the princess. Until the banquet is over, I will have to stay in the capital." The corner of his lips tugged up as he studied her expression. "You know about this, don't you?"

Mingyue blinked. Clearly, she was trying to pretend that she knows nothing.

"I know your expressions well. I can tell if there's something up from your expression," Yang Yun said with a smile. "You know about this arrangement, right. Princess Lingchen told you about this?"

She pouted. "You already know so much about me. What if you get bored with me later?"

"I will not." He gave her an a.s.suring smile.

Without realizing, he had been watching her for almost eight years. From the day he saw her sneak into the army camp and later, she disguised herself as one of the soldiers. Thinking about that night will always make him smile. Back then when he saw her among the soldiers, he thought that she was a man.

Although he knows Mingyue for long and could guess what she thought about from seeing her expression, he could never be bored spending his time with her. Mingyue always surprises him with something new.

Soon, their food arrived, and the two had their meal and chatted quietly. When their stomachs were full, the two of them took a stroll in the market. Mingyue bought a few things for Ying Yi, and the two shopped around. Occasionally, they would make a stop at a few stalls to buy some snacks.

Mingyue visited a clothing store and chose a few thick coats for Ying Yi. After checking the quality of the coat, she paid the seller and turned around. She frowned when she could not see Yang Yun behind her.

"Yang Yun?" she walked slowly. Her eyes were searching for him amid the large crowd.