By another fire.

Chen Yun had already fallen asleep leaning against a tree stump, and the other rescued young women had also successively dozed off.

But Qin Xi hugged her arms and moved closer to the fire.

For some reason, she felt cold!

Yet her forehead was burning hot.

She kept forcing herself to hold on.

Lang Bo, who was responsible for looking after them, noticed this. He had been leaning against a tree not far away keeping watch. Seeing this, he took off his outer garment, walked over, and draped it over Qin Xi’s shoulders.

He said: “It’s cold in the forest. Don’t catch a chill.”

Qin Xi looked at the garment that had suddenly appeared on her body. Her heart was deeply moved. She raised her clear eyes to look at him and said: “Thank you, heroic gentleman.”

Heroic gentleman!

When he first heard it, Lang Bo had found it quite gratifying, but hearing it now made him somewhat embarrassed.

He laughed bashfully. “Miss, you’d better not call me any heroic gentleman. I really don’t deserve it! How about you just call me Lang Bo directly.”

Qin Xi appeared slightly shy and lowered her eyes. “All right, Elder Brother Lang.”

Girl!

You heard wrong.

He said to call him Lang Bo directly.

Lang Bo raised his hand to scratch his head, his hands not knowing where to rest, so he could only continue smiling. “Well… whatever you prefer.” After saying this, he thought of something and quickly pulled something out from his chest, handing it over. He said: “Oh right, you must be hungry, right? Here, just make do with this for now.”

It was a flatbread!

Qin Xi raised her eyes and reached out to take it.

Her eyes reddened.

She choked up softly: “Elder Brother Lang, thank you. You’re truly a good person.”

“This… it’s nothing, just a small matter! You eat first.” He took out another water flask for her. “Have some water.”

“Thank you.”

Lang Bo then returned to the big tree and continued keeping watch.

Qin Xi’s tears fell uncontrollably.

In all her life, this was the first time someone had been so good to her.

She couldn’t help but be moved in her heart.

As she ate, she wiped away tears.

The layer of ash originally smeared on her face was gradually washed away by her tears, faintly revealing that delicate and pretty face.

Lang Bo inadvertently glanced at her and froze for a moment.

More than anything, he was astonished!

He hadn’t expected that woman to be so beautiful!

Kid, you’ve found a treasure—why aren’t you making a move? That stirring in this rough man’s heart suddenly surged up, leaving him at a loss. His chest felt chaotic and confused, not knowing what to do. He swallowed, his round eyes staring. Like someone doing something guilty, afraid of being discovered, he quickly averted his gaze and turned his body to the other side.

Unexpectedly—

Just as he turned, a face suddenly loomed large before his eyes.

“Ugh!” Lang Bo tumbled backward.

He stared wide-eyed at that fellow who had suddenly appeared before him.

Shi Ziran!

“You brat, you scared me!”

Shi Ziran wore a gossipy expression. “You haven’t done anything guilty, so why would you be afraid of ghosts?”

“I… don’t talk nonsense.”

“Oh my, why are you stuttering now?” Shi Ziran glanced at Qin Xi, his eyes rolling with understanding. The corners of his mouth carried a mischievous smile. “Looks like someone’s heart has been stirred for the first time.”

At these words, Lang Bo immediately became anxious. He grabbed Shi Ziran by the collar and dragged him behind the tree, yet afraid of making too much commotion, he did so carefully.

Shi Ziran was directly pressed against the tree by him.

“Spare my life, heroic gentleman!”

Pfft—

The audience was already laughing.

But as the person involved, Lang Bo was both angry and embarrassed beyond measure. He was already embarrassed enough when Qin Xi called him heroic gentleman, but having this phrase come from a man’s mouth was both disgusting and infuriating.

If he weren’t worried about Qin Xi noticing, he would have already punched Shi Ziran.

“I’m warning you, brat. If you keep shouting nonsense, I’ll slaughter you, skewer you on a stick, and roast you over the fire.”

Snort!

Shi Ziran really couldn’t help but laugh. Looking at Lang Bo’s face, both anxious and angry, he laughed until his guts were practically tied in knots.

Brother, can we not be so funny?

He raised his head and patted the hand with which Lang Bo was clutching his clothing: “Hey, hey, hey, bro, take your hand off first.”

“No!”

“If you don’t let go, I’m going to shout loudly. If I shout something I shouldn’t, don’t blame me. In case…”

Before he finished speaking, Lang Bo immediately released him.

And cursed: “You’ve got guts, kid!”

He looked in Qin Xi’s direction again, confirming she hadn’t noticed, before feeling relieved.

Shi Ziran looked at his appearance and really couldn’t help but laugh. He reached out and draped an arm over his shoulder, leaning close to his ear to say mysteriously: “Heroic gentleman Lang, you’re getting on in years after all. You can’t keep mixing with those rough men forever, right? Look at you—you’ve got the physique, you’ve got the martial skills, and you’re one of His Highness’s men too. How prestigious is that! Although your appearance… is a bit of a disadvantage, at least you’re brave and fearless. The women in the capital would be dying to marry you. As long as you reach out your hand, women will automatically fall into your arms. If you see one you like, you absolutely must go for it. Don’t miss the opportunity, otherwise… if you miss this village, there won’t be this shop anymore.”

Having said this, he patted Lang Bo’s chest with the back of his hand.

The pat nearly made Lang Bo cough up blood.

He glared at Shi Ziran: “You brat said a whole bunch of things—what exactly are you babbling about?”

Can’t understand any of it!

“What are you hiding? Look at you—the way you looked at that young lady just now, even a blind person could tell your heart was moved.”

“You’re still talking nonsense!”

“Love between men and women is natural. What’s wrong with admitting it?”

Shi Ziran had an “I’ve seen through you” expression.

Lang Bo felt utterly speechless.

He said: “I just met that young lady. It hasn’t even been a full day front to back. How does that involve love between men and women? Tell me, do you have nothing better to do all day? Don’t you have any work to do?”

He refused to admit it!

Shi Ziran found this boring and released him, glancing at him and teaching him like a teacher: “I think you’ve been hanging around those guards too much—your brain is getting duller and duller. What’s wrong with knowing someone for one day? Look at His Highness. Miss Ji was even cross-dressed as a man at the time, and His Highness took a liking to her right away. What are you afraid of? What excuses are you making? Look, look, look—that young lady is so pretty. And… I can see from the way she looks at you that she seems to have some feelings for you too. Otherwise, she wouldn’t keep calling you heroic gentleman, calling you Elder Brother Lang. You gave her food and water, and she was moved to pieces. You big fool, listen to me—that young lady has taken a fancy to you.”

Having listened, the corners of Lang Bo’s mouth twitched!

He swallowed again.

Then—

He secretly sized up Qin Xi.

That woman was truly excellent. After the ash on her face was gone, she had turned out remarkably pretty.

If he could marry her, it would be his good fortune.

But—

He said in self-abandonment: “The reason she calls me heroic gentleman, calls me Elder Brother Lang, is because I saved her. As for crying, that’s because… she was hungry.”

Pfft—

This made Shi Ziran double over with laughter!

He pointed at him and scolded: “You blockhead!”