Willing to stay, she hurried forward to hold her arm, serving her with hot tea and snacks.
“I heard that Hulong Cave has opened.
Why haven’t you returned to Miaojiang to stay with Gui Po?” Shi Cuiyan put down the teapot, sneaking a few glances at Xi Fuhong.
Back then, Gui Po had instructed her to meet in Miaojiang after the treasure was opened, so why was she here now? Could it be that Xi Fuhong didn’t plan to stay with Gui Po? Shi Cuiyan couldn’t help but ponder, but quickly dismissed the thought.
Xi Fuhong valued Gui Po so much, even going to the Righteous Path alone for the treasure, how could she not want to live with Gui Po? Besides, wasn’t the thought of a stable life in Fog Valley what kept Xi Fuhong going all this time?
Xi Fuhong almost choked on her tea when asked.
She uneasily put down the clay cup, unsure how to explain.
What was Gui Po’s reason? Was it abandonment, or was there another unavoidable reason? Thinking back, when Gui Po left the valley for half a year, wasn’t it like being abandoned? If Shi Cuiyan hadn’t appeared, would she have had the chance to see Gui Po again?
“Gui Po, she…” Xi Fuhong clutched the clay cup tightly, unable to speak through her choked voice.
Seeing this, Shi Cuiyan’s eyes shifted.
She guessed a bit from Xi Fuhong’s distressed appearance.
Recently, the Jianghu was abuzz with talk about Tiger Dragon Cave, and she learned that the treasure was fake, with nothing in the cave.
Although disappointed, she was more concerned about Xi Fuhong’s whereabouts.
She only heard that Xi Fuhong left with the Bi Xuan Palace group, and then nothing could be found, as if her whereabouts were deliberately hidden.
Now, having run into her unexpectedly, how could she let go easily? She didn’t regard Xi Fuhong as a lover, but the fact that her heart was moved couldn’t be denied.
If Xi Fuhong was willing to roam Jianghu with her, she wouldn’t mind having one more person along.
“Xi Fuhong, why not come with me?” Shi Cuiyan suddenly suggested, leaving Xi Fuhong stunned.
Go with her?
“Come with me, we can look out for each other, right? Or do you have other plans? Where do you want to go?” Shi Cuiyan tried to appear sincere, knowing that the soft-hearted Xi Fuhong was easily deceived.
This trick never failed; a little warmth, a little guidance, and Xi Fuhong would believe it.
No wonder she was always deceived, and Shi Cuiyan always succeeded.
This won’t do… What if someone else deceives her?
Xi Fuhong looked into her clear eyes, unable to decide.
“Xi Fuhong,” Shi Cuiyan leaned closer, whispering in her ear, “If you don’t say anything, does that mean you agree?”
“You said you’d promise me something, right?” Xi Fuhong looked up, meeting her gaze.
A fleeting night, how much of the promise remains? Xi Fuhong knew Shi Cuiyan couldn’t give her what she wanted, yet she still asked.
Shi Cuiyan remained silent for a moment, then sat up straight and replied, “Yes, go ahead.”
“I want to know, what do you want to deceive me out of this time?” Xi Fuhong spoke each word steadily.
Shi Cuiyan didn’t know how to answer for a moment, but the weight in her heart lifted.
A smile gradually spread across her face.
She thought Xi Fuhong would tell her to leave or never see her again, but she didn’t expect Xi Fuhong to be so adorable.
After falling a few times, she learned her lesson.
“Nothing much,” Shi Cuiyan leaned forward, her fingers ambiguously tapping Xi Fuhong’s chest, “I want to steal your heart.
Is that too much?”
How the two ended up together, Xi Fuhong no longer had the heart to explore.
She sat by the shore, watching Shi Cuiyan negotiate with the boatman.
Shi Cuiyan said she had a business deal to go to Qinzhou, and the water route was the fastest, so she brought Xi Fuhong to wait by the dock.
Shi Cuiyan chose a large ship, unlike the small boats for traveling, the ship itself was quite imposing.
“Xi Fuhong, get on the boat.” Shi Cuiyan paid half the fare and turned to walk towards Xi Fuhong.
“You said you have a business deal.
Won’t such a big ship delay time?” Xi Fuhong stood up from the grass and asked.
“Don’t worry, sister has it planned, it won’t be a problem.
Besides…” Shi Cuiyan suddenly leaned close to Xi Fuhong, speaking in a volume only the two of them could hear, “A big ship is stable, isn’t it more comfortable for the two of us to sway in bed?”
Xi Fuhong frowned, pushing Shi Cuiyan away forcefully, “Don’t do that.”
“What’s wrong? Swaying steadily helps you sleep better, or can’t you sleep at night? Sister has a remedy, you know.” Shi Cuiyan laughed as she approached Xi Fuhong, but was pushed away again.
The two of them half-pulled and half-pushed onto the ship, and indeed, the big ship was more stable than the small boat, the deck didn’t sway so much that it was hard to stand.
Despite the large ship, Shi Cuiyan insisted on having only one person to manage it, so there was only one boatman on the entire ship.
Shi Cuiyan didn’t want noise or too many people disturbing her time alone with Xi Fuhong.
Suddenly hearing a bird’s cry, Shi Cuiyan reflexively raised her arm, and the majestic eagle landed on it with tacit understanding.
She casually glanced at the letter, then threw the note into the river and turned to enter the cabin.
Xi Fuhong saw the newcomer and lowered her head to continue eating the sweet pastry in her hand.
“Didn’t expect Tiger Dragon Cave to be empty, really fooled quite a few heroes,” Shi Cuiyan poured her a cup of tea, but took a sip herself first, “Did you leave with Xiao Dao Gu later because Bi Xuan Palace suggested it?”
The pastry in Xi Fuhong’s mouth chewed slower and slower.
After swallowing, she nodded slowly.
It was indeed Xiao Qiyu’s suggestion.
“Seems like they’re quite hospitable.” Shi Cuiyan propped her chin with her hands, her bright eyes staring straight at Xi Fuhong.
Feeling extremely uncomfortable being watched, Xi Fuhong turned her head deliberately.
Seeing this, Shi Cuiyan smiled and took a sweet pastry from the table, taking a bite.
The two quietly finished the snacks in the wooden box, the atmosphere indescribably oppressive, Xi Fuhong felt she couldn’t taste the pastry at all.
“Divine Doctor seems to have had a relapse of cold poison and went to Mo Wu City with two apprentices to recuperate,” Shi Cuiyan said casually, but kept observing Xi Fuhong’s reaction, “And Luo Family Head is even stranger, after the Tiger Dragon Treasure was a bust, he seemed to vanish, not returning to the Luo Family residence or appearing in Jianghu.”
Xi Fuhong’s lowered eyelashes trembled slightly, not understanding Shi Cuiyan’s purpose in telling her this.
“I believe Xiao Dao Gu must be quite disappointed to find the secret treasure was all for nothing, right?” Shi Cuiyan’s fingers lightly tapped the table, the only sound in the quiet room was her voice and the rhythmic, low thud of her fingers hitting the table.
Xi Fuhong pursed her lips, speaking softly, “You all went for the secret treasure, of course you’d be disappointed when it was a bust.”
“Disappointed?” Shi Cuiyan chuckled softly, suddenly hugging Xi Fuhong from behind, not giving her a chance to struggle, firmly holding her hands, intimately whispering in her ear, “Truly disappointed, but I found something more interesting, and that’s you, Xi Fuhong, so adorable.”
“Stop saying that!” Xi Fuhong blushed, ever since that night, Shi Cuiyan seemed like a different person.
More frivolous and shameless.
“Why not say it? It’s a compliment, I bet Xiao Dao Gu didn’t hold back on complimenting you either?” Shi Cuiyan had noticed early on, from the moment Xi Fuhong first stepped into Wulin Branch, saying she wanted to take the blame for Gui Po, she realized Xi Fuhong feared Luo Qingcheng, but clearly didn’t dislike Xiao Qiyu.
The gentle senior sister, Bi Xuan Palace’s most skilled disciple, the future palace master… so outstanding.
“Miss Xiao and I… aren’t the kind of relationship you think.” Xi Fuhong frowned, why did she feel Shi Cuiyan disliked Xiao Qiyu? Was it an illusion? Or a misunderstanding?
“I know, she just pinned you down and loved you thoroughly, right?”
