The incident at the remote An Country, at this moment, Zhu Zan and Miss Jun, who are traveling towards the capital, are still unaware.
Their two horses are racing ahead in tandem without pause.
"There's something..." Zhu Zan shouted.
"Whatever it is, we'll talk about it in the capital," Miss Jun interrupted him, "Besides, there's nothing worth talking about."
This wasn't the first time they had such conversations, with Zhu Zan wanting to speak and Miss Jun interrupting him.
"Miss Jun," Zhu Zan called out, blocking her, "Can't you let me speak properly?"
Him calling her Miss Jun, felt quite amusing.
However, Miss Jun didn't even glance at him.
"No," she said.
Zhu Zan was left speechless, glaring.
"I really have no way with you," he said angrily.
"That's you having no way with the current me, Miss Jun. What about the previous Miss Jun?" Miss Jun said with a half-smile, looking at him.
"Even with the previous Miss Jun, I had no way," Zhu Zan replied, "You keep reminiscing the past, but think about it, did I ever really have a way with you?"
Really?
Miss Jun's expression slightly shifted.
"Don't mention the Yangcheng lanterns and silver," Zhu Zan continued, "That time doesn't count. Starting from the Immortal Ziying's Plant incident, I did snatch your herbs, but you and I were strangers. Wasn't it reasonable for me to accept payment? I don't think I harmed anyone, but I also didn't act like a good person."
Miss Jun remained silent for a moment.
"You're a good person," she said, smiling.
Though his attitude was harsh to people, he had never committed any bad deeds; instead, he had been performing acts of bravery and goodness.
"Yes, my attitude towards you wasn't good. It's not targeting you; I have a bad attitude towards everyone, especially women," Zhu Zan said, while touching his own face, "The main thing is, I'm too dazzling and likable. A slight kindness towards women tends to lead them to misunderstand, which is truly bothersome."
Miss Jun's expression was a bit peculiar.
"Although what you say might be the truth, why does it sound so funny?" she said.
Zhu Zan didn't pay any attention to her laughter.
"Back then, my bad attitude towards you wasn't solely my fault; you were a big reason," he said seriously.
"I get it. I don't want to talk about this. Let's go," Miss Jun interrupted him, urging her horse forward.
She was just venting a bit as a joke, but really speaking of this made her feel somewhat uneasy and restless.
"No!" Zhu Zan jumped off his horse, reaching out to seize her reins, showing an attitude that allowed no refusal.
"You dare to be forceful with me," Miss Jun said, raising her brows, grabbing at the reins, "Give them to me."
Zhu Zan allowed her to seize the reins but instead reached out, lifting her from the horse.
Miss Jun was caught off guard and frightened.
"What are you doing?" she shouted.
"This matter must be clarified," Zhu Zan said sternly, holding her in front of him, forbidding any movement, "You recognized me back then, but I didn't recognize you. To you, I was familiar, which made you act without restraint in front of me. But to me, you were a stranger. Think about it, wouldn't a normal person be scared or suspicious if a strange woman was suddenly familiar and unrestricted with them? Of course, I had to be cautious. But with your conscience, tell me, did I ever do anything bad to you?"
In fact, of course, he hadn't. He saved her life, protected her against Lu Yunqi, did not hesitate to cause trouble to kill Lord Huang for her, promised to protect her life, helped her find the descendants of criminals to try the medicine and persuade the doctors...
Miss Jun forcefully pulled away his hand.
"I know," she said, "From now on, I won't mention it."
Zhu Zan held her in place.
"You don't know," he said, "My bad attitude was because I thought you were great."
What kind of reasoning is that?
Miss Jun stared at him.
"However, I liked the Miss Jun, I won't like any other woman anymore," Zhu Zan said, looking at her, "That's why I can only act badly towards you, preventing you from being good to me."
What kind of reasoning is that again?
Miss Jun stared at him.
"This reasoning is because I'm afraid I'll like you," Zhu Zan said, "I'm afraid I'll like Miss Jun, forgetting the Miss Jun."
Though nothing significant was said, upon hearing this sentence, Miss Jun felt a sudden sting in her eyes, almost bringing her to tears.
"You," she gently murmured, "Miss Jun is already dead. You weren't that familiar with her; if you forget, forget it."
Zhu Zan looked at her, suddenly smiled, and gazed at the sky.
"Yes, I'm not familiar with her. You don't even remember me," he said, "I've only seen you twice."
Speaking of this, he laughed again.
"Once was being hit by you, and the other was watching you get hit. It was truly embarrassing yet amusing."
Being punched by her at the city gate, indeed, it was him. Miss Jun remained silent, while getting struck was when climbing over the wall of Duke Cheng's residence.
"I don't know what liking is," Zhu Zan continued, "Just feeling that this person is quite interesting, unconsciously paying more attention, just wanting to meet a chance to get acquainted, a chance to..."
He laughed again, albeit looking a bit ugly.
"...a chance to be good to her," he said, "Just didn't imagine there would never be that chance again later."
She got married, she died, and there was no her anymore in the world.
He looked at Miss Jun.
"Tell me, she's dead, so young. Many people want to forget her, erase her existence. If I also forget, how pitiful and lonely she'd be..."
Before he finished talking, Miss Jun reached out and hugged him.
Zhu Zan's form slightly stiffened, but he didn't stop speaking.
"...You always say I treat the current and past you differently, say that if you weren't Miss Jun, I wouldn't be this good to you, but you forget you were also good to me. If you weren't Miss Jun, would you be so good to me? Good to my whole family? Would we have met and known each other like now?"
Unknown, because she was Miss Jun from the start. She didn't know how things would be if it were someone else.
He wouldn't have met her, and she wouldn't have known him. He would continue to miss his Miss Jun, while she lived her own life, completely unrelated to Miss Jun.
Miss Jun shook her head in front of him.
"I don't know what the Princess Jiuli was like. I didn't even expect you were her; you're very good, very good," Zhu Zan continued, "But I still don't want to, can't forget the person I hadn't the chance to treat well. I thought about repaying you this life by being with you, letting you command me until you don't need me, until you get married, until you chase me away when I will finally leave."
He lowered his head, looking at the small woman in front of him, raised his hand slowly placing it on her shoulder, intertwining them.
"I didn't expect the Old Heavenly Father to give me this chance," he held her tightly, buried his head into her nape, "Giving me the chance to be good to her, the person I think is good turned out to be the one I most wanted to be good to."
Miss Jun felt the warm moisture spreading on the nape of her neck, moistening her collar, making her shiver.
"Hey," she pushed him away, "Alright, I know."
Zhu Zan looked at her.
"Know what?" he asked.
Miss Jun avoided his gaze, looking at the horse eating grass beside them.
"I know you weren't respectful before and after; you treat Miss Jun and Miss Jun equally well," she said.
Zhu Zan still looked at her.
"Then what?" he asked.
Then what indeed.
"From now on, I won't use this to tease you anymore," Miss Jun said.
Zhu Zan continued looking at her.
"Then what?" he asked.