Chapter 402: Teaching You to Ride a Horse

Xiao Yu gently pulled on the bridle, and Zhaoye turned its head, starting back the way they came.

Xiao Yu had completely loosened the reins. Zhaoye ambled along at an unhurried pace, as if on a leisurely stroll.

The atmosphere felt a little strange. Gu Fei shifted uneasily. Behind her, Xiao Yu had fallen silent.

Neither of them spoke. A gentle summer breeze drifted down the wide road, lifting a strand of Gu Fei’s long hair and brushing it softly across the tip of Xiao Yu’s nose.

An intoxicating fragrance lingered before him.

Xiao Yu couldn’t resist letting go of the reins with one hand to catch the stray lock. The hair fell against his fingers, as smooth as silk.

Gu Fei moved her head slightly, and the strand of hair slipped from his grasp. Xiao Yu felt a pang of disappointment.

Just then, the sound of hoofbeats echoed from the distance, and two horses galloped swiftly toward them.

As the two horses drew near, Gu Fei saw clearly that it was Stone and Zhuzi.

She was about to smile at Stone out of habit when she suddenly realized she was still held in Xiao Yu’s arms.

’Why am I still sitting on this horse in this position?’

’I could have gotten off ages ago, couldn’t I?’

’Has my brain turned to mush?’

Gu Fei turned her head, tugged on Xiao Yu’s sleeve, and said softly, "I want to get down."

Xiao Yu’s gaze fell upon her profile. He hadn’t paid much attention while rescuing her earlier, but now he realized she had grown even more beautiful.

No wonder. When he had first arrived near the lotus pond, he’d heard people all around shouting, "There’s a Fairy over there! Quick, go see the Fairy!"

He had instinctively known it had to be her.

Seeing people converging from all directions, Xiao Yu had rushed over without a second thought.

Back then, the closer he got, the more a mix of anxiety and relief had washed over him.

Anxious, because he saw the helplessness on her face. Relieved, because he had gone to the inn, heard she was at the Lotus Festival, and had rushed right over.

If he hadn’t come... he didn’t dare imagine the consequences.

At that moment, all he had seen was her; he hadn’t had a single thought to spare on whether she was beautiful.

Xiao Yu stared, momentarily mesmerized. Seeing no reaction from behind her, Gu Fei tugged his sleeve again. "Hurry and let me down."

Her voice, both coquettish and soft, was like a small brush grazing his heart. He answered involuntarily, "Mm."

The word had barely left his lips before Xiao Yu swung himself off the horse and reached up to lift Gu Fei down.

But before his hands could reach her, Gu Fei had already jumped down on her own.

Stone and Zhuzi dismounted as well. ’Four people, three horses... How are we going to get back to the city?’

Especially since Gu Fei didn’t know how to ride.

Looking at the situation, Gu Fei said sheepishly, "You all ride on ahead. I’ll just walk back slowly."

There was no way Xiao Yu would leave her behind. He said softly, "You can ride Zhaoye. I’ll lead him and walk. We don’t have anything pressing to do, so it doesn’t matter if we get back a little late."

An idea sparked in Gu Fei’s mind. "In that case, why don’t you teach me how to ride?"

’You can’t drive cars in ancient times, after all. It’s pretty inconvenient for long journeys if you don’t know how to ride a horse.’

’And this was the perfect opportunity.’

Xiao Yu smiled. "Alright. I’ll teach you."

Sunlight seemed to dance in the young man’s eyes. Gu Fei found herself momentarily mesmerized, then hastily averted her gaze, turning to grab the saddle and mount the horse.

Zhaoye was a Ferghana Horse, exceptionally tall, with a sleek and glossy black coat.

Gu Fei placed a foot in the stirrup, but after two attempts, she still couldn’t pull herself up.

Xiao Yu walked over and stood behind her, his arms bracketing her. His heart gave a little flutter, but he kept his expression perfectly serious. "Your posture is wrong. Don’t stick your foot so far into the stirrup. When you mount, you have to learn how to generate and use momentum."