The water lilies in the back garden of the Marquis's Mansion were in full bloom. Jiang Wan squatted by the pond, using a bamboo spoon to feed the koi, when Lu Jingyuan's dark brocade robe brushed past the crown of her head, leaving behind a wisp of crisp, clear aloeswood fragrance. He handed her a honey-pickled plum, his fingertips brushing against her palm unintentionally: "Would you like to come with me to the West City Academy tomorrow? The newly arrived rare edition of *Qimin Yaoshu*—haven't you always wanted to read it?"
"Really?" Jiang Wan's eyes lit up. The fish food clinging to her fingertips dropped into the water, stirring up a flurry of ripples. "Only, I just heard Xiaotao say a few days ago that the West City has not been very peaceful lately..."
"With me here, you have nothing to fear." Lu Jingyuan brushed a stray bit of grass from the hem of her skirt, his gaze sweeping across the shadows of the rockery by the pond—where the hidden guards he deployed were concealed. "Besides, tomorrow is the fifteenth. The streets will be bustling; nothing will happen."
Chapter 195