In the distance, the Elder Huohu slightly narrowed his phoenix eyes and shook his head helplessly; fate could not be changed. Enjoying the fruits of their morning’s labor, they sat contentedly in the cool pavilion by the lotus pond. The stone table and chairs were intricately carved, with patterns of winter jasmine flowers around the table. Several plates of strawberries were placed on the table, exuding a tempting sweet aroma, a testament to their morning’s work. As they ate the strawberries, they couldn’t help but marvel at how different the flavor was when picked by their own hands. The group sat around the stone table, sipping fragrant tea and eating strawberries, chatting and laughing, enjoying a rare moment of leisure. However, there seemed to be a hint of tension in the air. Lian Lian was angrily eating snacks and drinking strawberry juice, still haunted by the painful lesson from the morning, yet she couldn’t resist the unique sweetness of strawberries, so she had turned them into juice. This way, she could enjoy the sweetness without worrying about overeating and getting a stomachache, an experience she did not wish to repeat.
Glancing at Gudong sitting opposite her, Lian Lian’s anger grew; she clearly remembered the harsh words he had said to her that morning. “Hmph,” she thought, recalling his taunts, the brat, the scoundrel… she had cursed him silently in her mind countless times, yet it did not lessen her irritation. Seeing Qian Yu Lian’s indignant face, Gudong felt a mix of emotions. He was used to their verbal sparring, and now the cold war seemed even more daunting; not hearing her jibes felt strangely unsettling. He wondered if there was something wrong with him. That morning, seeing her in discomfort had made him uncomfortable too, and although he tried to push away the growing sympathy, he was also angry at her for not knowing her limits, for not taking care of herself. In a fit of anger, he had said some harsh words, which he now somewhat regretted.
