Chapter 35: Lost Reins
The boy hadn’t made it clear whether he meant holding the reins or holding her hand.
Their breaths were nearly touching, mingling with the faint, clean scent from Xu Si.
Xu Si lowered her head to look at their clasped hands. Without realizing it, Pei Zhen’s hand had grown much larger than hers. Their actions resembled holding hands, but it seemed more like he was controlling the reins through her hand.
A strange feeling stirred within her, though she couldn’t quite grasp what it was. In that fleeting moment, before she had a chance to dwell on it, the young man gently released his grip and took hold of her wrist instead.
He had a perfect grasp of limits, propriety, and distance, always toeing the line without ever crossing it by even a fraction. The warmth transferred silently, like a fleeting spring breeze that couldn’t be held.
Even though Butler Ge and the servants were all standing nearby watching, with so many eyes on them, no one noticed anything amiss.
"Auntie, you can’t let your mind wander while riding," he said.
Pei Zhen looked up at her. His voice was clear and smooth, his thick lashes jet-black, his eyes a light color, all conveying a gentle warmth that wasn’t quite a smile.
Xu Si’s gaze sharpened for a moment. She collected her thoughts, uttered an "Mm," and then rode the horse leisurely across the meadow.