With Qin Xi’s gracious invitation, Lang Bo shamelessly stayed.

He tiptoed over and sat on the blanket.

His heart was nervous!

His hands rested awkwardly on his thighs, clenched tightly.

Not knowing what to do.

Qin Xi glanced at him, and the corners of her lips curved into a faint smile.

Then she picked up the water kettle and poured him a cup of hot water, pushing it toward him.

“It’s cold. Warm yourself up.”

“Oh.”

Lang Bo, like a big fool, solemnly held the cup with both hands and drained it in one gulp.

Qin Xi poured him another cup.

His eyes couldn’t help but involuntarily size up the woman before him.

It must be said, Qin Xi was truly beautiful!

She wore the clothing of a Houliao woman with her hair in a simple bun. Her delicate, tender face reflected in the candlelight, fair with a rosy tint.

That beauty was something even the sickly beauty Ji Wanxin couldn’t match!

“Brother Lang.” Qin Xi called out softly.

“What?”

“Will you all stay in Houliao permanently?”

“Not sure yet. It depends on the young master’s arrangements.”

“Yunshu told me you’re all from the capital, and this time you came to Houliao to visit friends.”

“Right! We came to visit friends.”

“That Hero Muruo?”

“Yes, it’s him. He and my young master are close friends who grew up together.”

“No wonder.” She smiled.

The atmosphere suddenly fell silent, somewhat awkward.

Lang Bo fidgeted and quickly searched for a topic, asking her curiously: “What about you, Miss Qin? I still don’t know where you’re from?”

She said: “My home is in a small village in Bei’an County.”

“How did you get captured by those Yuedan people?”

“I was traveling with my parents to visit my uncle who lives far away. When we passed through that forest, they captured me.”

“Oh.”

“I wonder if Brother Lang has heard of Bei’an County?”

Lang Bo nodded: “I’ve heard of it, of course I have.”

Qin Xi said proudly: “Bei’an County is so beautiful. Every spring it fills with zitang flowers—as far as the eye can see, covering the hills and fields. Not only that, when winter comes, there are many angelica flowers. In our area, angelica is used to describe women, like the angelica flowers falling like snow in winter—pure and clean.”

Her face wore a smile.

Lang Bo listened while watching her.

That woman’s smile was truly beautiful—just looking at it for a few moments could enchant someone.

Qin Xi seemed to be speaking with great enthusiasm and continued: “Oh right, we also have a river there called the Nanjiang River. The lake water is like a mirror, very clear, reflecting the blue sky—it’s beautiful. Many people from our area like to go there.”

Lang Bo continued listening.

She continued speaking.

She talked about everything in Bei’an County, from the geographical location down to the names and surnames of each household—she mentioned it all.

But Lang Bo didn’t find it tiresome at all.

The voice of the woman before him was truly pleasant to hear.

After Qin Xi finished, she asked him: “Brother Lang, if there’s an opportunity, you must come to our Bei’an.”

This… was this a cordial invitation?

But Lang Bo’s brain couldn’t quite process it. He said: “That might not be possible, because when the time comes, my young master and Miss Ji will surely go to other places, and I’ll follow along, so… Miss Qin, I probably won’t be able to go.”

“I see!”

She seemed somewhat disappointed.

After a moment, her eyes brightened again: “It’s alright. Then if there’s an opportunity in the future, we’ll surely meet again, right?”

“Right, if fate wills it, we’ll meet again.”

Lang Bo picked up the cup that Qin Xi had filled and drank it all in one go.

Seeing this, Qin Xi, holding the kettle, poured another cup into his empty cup.

Cup after cup—he drank until his bladder was about to burst.

Yet whenever Qin Xi poured him a cup, he drank it.

Child, can’t you drink slowly?

The young lady’s meaning was already so obvious.

She just wanted to chat with him more.

Truly, as Shi Ziran said, he had a blockhead!

“Miss Qin, I won’t disturb you any longer. You’re not feeling well either—rest early. There are people outside, so you don’t need to worry.”

“Mm.”

Lang Bo stood up, touched his belly, smiled, and left.

Originally Qin Xi wanted to say something, but the words reached her lips and she swallowed them back. She sat on the blanket and let out a sigh.

Lang Bo came out from inside, his hands continuously rubbing his belly.

Somewhat uncomfortable.

As the saying goes, where there’s gossip, there’s a certain someone.

Shi Ziran appeared out of nowhere, giving his shoulder a heavy pat and saying: “Not bad!”

Nearly scared him to death.

“Why are you being so mysterious, bouncing around everywhere?” Lang Bo glared at him fiercely.

Shi Ziran looked at the tent behind him, pulled him aside, and said: “What’s this? You just separated from your Miss Qin not long ago, and you couldn’t resist going to see her?”

“What nonsense are you talking?”

“The facts are right before our eyes.”

“Go, go, go.” Lang Bo waved his hand to shoo him away.

Shi Ziran became like a sticky plaster, insisting on clinging to him.

His face full of gossip!

He said with a grin: “What’s there to be shy about? It’s not like I don’t know you. Just now, did you go in to pour out your heart to your beloved?”

Lang Bo’s face flushed red in an instant.

This made Shi Ziran burst into laughter.

Completely wearing an “I’ve seen right through you” expression.

“What’s there to be shy about? You and I are brothers, and brothers have no secrets between them. Don’t worry—if you tell me, I definitely won’t spread it around. Tell me, tell me!”

Lang Bo was embarrassed, but then thought about it and looked at him very seriously, asking: “Are you sure you really won’t tell?”

To demonstrate his trustworthiness, Shi Ziran held up four fingers and swore to heaven: “With Heaven above and Earth as witness, I, Shi Ziran, speak truthfully in every word. If I violate this oath, then… may I be struck by heavenly thunder.”

BOOM!

The suddenly dark sky erupted with a tremendous sound.

Damn!

This was clear-sky thunder, very common on the Western Sai Grasslands.

Lang Bo rolled his eyes at him fiercely.

Shi Ziran smiled awkwardly, put his arm around his shoulder, and said with complete sincerity: “Believe me, that was purely coincidental. If you tell me, I absolutely won’t tell anyone.”

Lang Bo thought it over.

After hesitating for a long time—

He still decided to speak.

“Actually… I don’t know myself. Miss Qin is not only beautiful but also very gentle. Her every gesture is like that of a refined young lady. But I… I’m just a rough man. She wouldn’t be interested in someone like me!”

Self-deprecating!

“And then?”

“Whenever I see her, my heart can’t help but race. It just started after you mentioned it last night.”

“So what did you say to her inside just now?”

He said: “I just went to bring her cold-dispelling incense. When I was leaving, she suddenly asked me to drink tea, then talked a lot about her hometown, asking me to definitely visit if I had the chance. But since the prince and Miss Ji won’t be going, I naturally won’t go either. And what’s even stranger is, she kept pouring me water to drink. I drank many cups back and forth.”

He paused, then asked Shi Ziran seriously: “Tell me, why did she keep pouring me water to drink?”