At the end of March, Yunwu Mountain was lush with green trees and gentle breezes, attracting many young ladies and scholarly gentlemen to climb the mountain and enjoy the spring outing.

On the mountain path, He Shi and He Weiyu walked in front, with Wei Rao and Lu Zhuo following behind.

Wei Rao asked Lu Zhuo in a low voice, “How did you lure Second Master Qi here? Yunwu Mountain is so vast—how can you guarantee he’ll encounter us?”

Lu Zhuo smiled, “He has no wife or children to hold him back, nor the bad habit of frequenting brothels to buy wine. During his days off, he most enjoys having people take him horse riding, hunting, and drinking. Five days ago, I had someone spread word that snow foxes had been spotted in Yunwu Mountain. The news has already spread among avid hunters. With no better entertainment, he’ll come today.”

Wei Rao said, “Even if he comes, he’d be going into the mountains to hunt for prey…”

Lu Zhuo pointed to Yunwu Temple halfway up the mountain, “Have you ever eaten the vegetarian dishes at the temple?”

Wei Rao nodded. She often came to Yunwu Mountain and had dined at Yunwu Temple several times.

Lu Zhuo said, “The temple has a vegetarian dish called Golden-Edge Cabbage. When stir-frying, they add dried fried red peppers for flavor. When it’s done, the edges of the cabbage turn golden yellow, fresh and spicy. Qi Zhongkai loves this dish most. Every time he comes to Yunwu Mountain, he orders it. One bite of golden-edge cabbage, one bite of steamed bun—he can eat seven or eight in one meal.”

Yunwu Temple’s steamed buns were round and large. Could Qi Zhongkai eat seven or eight just with one plate of cabbage?

Wei Rao was stunned to hear this. He Weiyu, who had been eavesdropping with pricked ears in front, imagined a black-faced door god sitting there continuously stuffing steamed buns into his mouth, and began to have second thoughts. She knew Qi Zhongkai came from a distinguished background and that marrying him would be her good fortune, but if Qi Zhongkai looked too fierce, He Weiyu truly worried she couldn’t handle it.

Nervous at heart and tired from climbing, He Weiyu’s legs began to tremble.

The group sometimes stopped to rest in roadside pavilions, sometimes continued climbing, and slowly, finally reached Yunwu Temple.

After offering incense and worshiping Buddha, touring the temple scenery, it was time for lunch.

Perhaps it was truly fate—just as Lu Zhuo’s group reached the dining hall, a loud voice suddenly called from behind: “Zhuo’er?”

This timing made Wei Rao feel happy for He Weiyu.

He Weiyu had never seen Qi Zhongkai nor heard him speak. Supporting her aunt and walking at the front, she suddenly heard someone call her cousin’s courtesy name. Out of curiosity, He Weiyu turned back with her aunt to look and saw a man in dark brocade robes striding toward them. He was taller than her cousin and even more imposing, like a small mountain. The man had wheat-colored skin, sword-like brows, and tiger eyes—very imposing indeed.

Sword-like brows and tiger eyes?

He Weiyu’s heart jumped, and at the same time, He Shi whispered in her ear, “This is Second Master Qi.”

He Weiyu’s face flushed red.

So this was what Second Master Qi looked like. She had imagined him as fierce and menacing as a door god. But his voice was indeed quite loud.

“So the Princess and Madam are here too,” Qi Zhongkai said after calling to Lu Zhuo and noticing the ladies walking ahead. But he didn’t think much of it. He had proposed to the Princess, but when the proposal was rejected, he let it go. He had even attended Lu Zhuo’s wedding feast—why would he feel awkward now? Second Master Qi of Marquis Pingxi’s mansion always knew when to let things go.

Wei Rao stood beside Lu Zhuo, smiling and nodding at him.

The ladies all wore face veils, so Qi Zhongkai didn’t look closely. After exchanging greetings, he said to Lu Zhuo, “Are you also here for vegetarian food?”

Lu Zhuo replied, “Yes, we came to offer incense today and will return after eating. Brother Qi, are you here to hunt again?”

Qi Zhongkai said, “Exactly. I heard there were snow foxes here, but I’ve searched all morning without seeing even a snow fox hair.”

Lu Zhuo smiled, “I’ve never seen snow foxes either. They’re truly something you can encounter but not seek.”

Qi Zhongkai snorted.

Yunwu Temple had two dining halls—one where the temple monks ate, and another for visitors. The visitor’s hall was a very spacious building with tables arranged neatly throughout. Regardless of the visitors’ status, anyone wanting vegetarian food could only come here to eat together, without distinction of rank.

Lu Zhuo chose a corner in the southeast of the hall where there were fewer people. He and Qi Zhongkai sat at one table, while the three ladies sat at the table inside, with their accompanying servants maintaining distance.

When monks brought tea, Wei Rao, He Shi, and He Weiyu finally removed their face veils.

Even with scheming hearts, they couldn’t be too obvious. He Shi and Wei Rao sat facing each other, with He Weiyu on He Shi’s inner side, so that He Shi was between Qi Zhongkai and He Weiyu. Unless someone blatantly craned their neck, neither could see the other.

Qi Zhongkai had no intention of looking anyway. He didn’t even look at Wei Rao, concentrating on chatting with Lu Zhuo. When the food arrived, Qi Zhongkai grabbed steamed buns with one hand and used chopsticks with the other to eat the golden-edge cabbage, eating with great relish.

Lu Zhuo exchanged a glance with Wei Rao.

Wei Rao smiled. Compared to Lu Zhuo’s gentlemanly demeanor, Qi Zhongkai was practically a wild man, but his straightforward and carefree nature meant his eating style didn’t seem crude—instead, it was appetizing.

Wei Rao used serving chopsticks to give He Shi a piece of cabbage: “Mother, try some too.”

Then she also gave a piece to the constantly nervous He Weiyu.

He Shi took a bite—so spicy! She quickly bit into a steamed bun.

He Weiyu was completely distracted, sometimes worried that Qi Zhongkai would look at her, sometimes worried he wouldn’t, and sometimes worried he would look but not approve. So when Wei Rao served her vegetables, He Weiyu didn’t think about what kind of dish it was and directly picked it up and put it in her mouth. Unfortunately, a mouthful of spicy juice hit her throat…

He Weiyu suddenly put down her chopsticks, covered her mouth, turned aside, and began coughing. The more she tried not to make noise, the more severely she coughed.

Lu Zhuo and Qi Zhongkai both looked over.

“Are you choking on the spice? Quick, drink some tea!” He Shi said anxiously. Whether her niece was uncomfortable or not, losing decorum at this moment, how could Second Master Qi still approve of her?

He Shi was flustered, and He Weiyu felt terrible both physically and emotionally, so tears began streaming down.

At this moment, He Shi stood up to pat her back, and Qi Zhongkai finally saw Lu Zhuo’s cousin, who had been raised in the inner quarters. He saw her pear-blossom face flushed red from the spice, crystal tears continuously flowing down. She seemed very worried about propriety, her wet eyes glancing toward him in panic…

Those tearful eyes, unclear whether from fear or seeking help, made Qi Zhongkai’s heart suddenly race. He only regretted not having some magical remedy in his hands to immediately relieve her suffering—otherwise, he would rush over to feed it to her.

“There, there, it’s fine now. Why are you crying?”

When He Weiyu’s coughing finally subsided, He Shi sat back down, comforting He Weiyu while sighing inwardly.

Even she felt this was hopeless, and He Weiyu thought so even more. Her aunt, cousin, and cousin-in-law had all helped scheme for her, yet she had embarrassed herself so badly in front of Qi Zhongkai.

Guilt, regret, and grievance—how could He Weiyu stop her tears?

“Mother, let me accompany my cousin for a walk outside,” Wei Rao stood up and said.

Before He Shi could nod, He Weiyu quickly stood up, covered her face with a handkerchief, and ran outside sobbing.

Wei Rao immediately followed her.

Qi Zhongkai was dumbfounded. This cousin was too prone to crying—wasn’t it just being choked by pepper?

He Shi said shamefully, “Weiyu rarely goes out. Losing decorum in front of Second Master today—please don’t laugh at her.”

Qi Zhongkai suddenly understood—Miss He was worried about being ridiculed by him.

“Madam worries too much. People can choke even on water—it’s perfectly normal and doesn’t count as improper,” Qi Zhongkai said sincerely.

He Shi forced a smile, no longer holding hope.

But Qi Zhongkai gazed in the direction Wei Rao and He Weiyu had left. Thinking that Miss He had cried because she feared his disdain, for some reason, he couldn’t sit still. He wanted to go explain to her that he was a rough man, not a fastidious pretty boy like Lu Zhuo—how could he care about such a small matter?

“Brother Qi, please eat. Don’t mind them,” Lu Zhuo said as if nothing had happened.

Qi Zhongkai looked at him incredulously. His cousin was crying like that, yet Lu Zhuo still had the mood to eat?

Qi Zhongkai couldn’t eat anymore. After thinking, he picked up his quiver from beside him: “Forget it, I’m disturbing you here. I’ll continue looking for snow foxes in the mountains.”

After speaking, Qi Zhongkai bid farewell to He Shi and strode away.

He Shi was extremely anxious, wanting her son to detain Qi Zhongkai, but Lu Zhuo smiled and shook his head, signaling his mother to stay calm.

Here, Qi Zhongkai walked out of the dining hall. With a sweep of his tiger eyes, he found Wei Rao and He Weiyu under a clump of green bamboo in the southeast corner. Wei Rao had one hand on He Weiyu’s shoulder and was using a handkerchief to wipe her tears with the other. He Weiyu wore a white dress, looking like a small white flower against the surrounding green bamboo, fragile and pitiful.

Qi Zhongkai clenched his fists and walked toward the two women.

Wei Rao glimpsed him and whispered to remind He Weiyu, “Cousin, stop crying. Second Master is coming over.”

He Weiyu was shocked and quickly wiped her face and tidied her hair at the fastest speed, then hid behind Wei Rao, not daring to show herself.

He Weiyu was beautiful, but beauty alone wasn’t enough to distinguish her from other beauties. What was most touching about her was her pitiful timidity. When she cried, it added even more to her beauty.

So, how could Wei Rao let He Weiyu hide? She deliberately stepped back two paces, exposing He Weiyu.

The shameful blush on He Weiyu’s face spread to her neck.

“Why did Second Master come over?” Wei Rao asked awkwardly.

Qi Zhongkai looked at He Weiyu, who wished she could burrow into the ground, and scratched his head: “Well, I’m full and will continue hunting. You should go back and eat quickly.”

He Weiyu looked up in surprise—he was leaving just like that?

When she raised her head, Qi Zhongkai finally saw her face. If Wei Rao was like a peony under bright sun, He Weiyu was like a fragile white pear blossom in light rain. Qi Zhongkai appreciated Wei Rao’s beauty, but facing He Weiyu like this, he felt heartache and wanted to coax her not to cry.

Once the thought arose, Qi Zhongkai spoke it aloud, saying to He Weiyu: “Miss He, you don’t need to fear being improper in front of me. I’m a crude person—if you don’t believe me, ask Zhuo’er. If anyone should be laughed at, it’s me being laughed at by you. What just happened doesn’t count as anything in my eyes…”

At this moment, two visitors entered the courtyard gate of the dining hall.

Qi Zhongkai nodded to Wei Rao, shouldered his quiver, and took his leave.

He Weiyu gazed longingly at his retreating figure. Only when Qi Zhongkai turned back to look before crossing the threshold did He Weiyu lower her head like a startled deer.

When Qi Zhongkai was no longer visible, Wei Rao smiled and supported He Weiyu’s arm, teasing in a low voice: “Cousin, I only learned today that Second Master Qi can also be gentle. Just now, his gaze kept falling on your face. If those people hadn’t come, I think he would have been reluctant to leave.”

Hope rekindled in He Weiyu’s heart: “Really?”

Wei Rao used her handkerchief to wipe the corners of He Weiyu’s eyes and smiled: “Just wait and see.”