Shan Xiaoya’s heart skipped a beat, her foot suspended in mid-air. Blinking nervously, she reluctantly turned around, forcing a smile. “Were you calling me?”
Zhao Yeqing nodded and walked back. “Brother, I want to ask, have you seen a woman, about this tall?” He gestured with his hand in front of Shan Xiaoya’s eyes. “Arched eyebrows, big eyes, quite a beautiful woman?”
Hearing this, Shan Xiaoya knew he hadn’t recognized her, and her confidence grew. “If we’re talking about women like that passing by me daily, there haven’t been a thousand, but at least eight hundred. Can you be more specific?”
Zhao Yeqing pulled out a portrait from his chest, opened it, and showed it to Shan Xiaoya. “Young brother, this is the woman I’m looking for. Have you seen her?”
Shan Xiaoya glanced at the portrait and quickly lowered her head.
His left hand cleverly scratched his head, blocking Zhao Yeqing’s view. The portrait was of none other than himself. He was surprised at how accurately he was depicted, almost like a modern photograph. It seemed Zhao Yeqing was still searching for him, wanting to retrieve the bracelet. He had such determination. The bracelet was his; maybe he would find a way to remove it from his wrist. But if he directly said, “I’m the thief who stole your item, now take back your bracelet,” that definitely wouldn’t work. He needed a good plan.
Shan Xiaoya blinked, suppressing his inner unease. He rolled up the portrait and returned it to Zhao Yeqing, lowering his voice. “I haven’t seen this lady. You should ask someone else!” Zhao Yeqing took the portrait, feeling something was off but nodded at Shan Xiaoya and continued up the mountain.
Shan Xiaoya turned to walk down the mountain, noticing eight people climbing from the mountain base. Though he couldn’t see their faces, he recognized their clothing. If he wasn’t mistaken, they were the guards who had been following him today. No! He couldn’t be seen. He had finally escaped.
Shan Xiaoya hurriedly ran into the forest, hiding behind a large tree, hand on the trunk, crouching low, carefully watching outside the forest, hoping they would pass quickly so he could descend the mountain.
Zhao Yeqing hadn’t gone far when he heard the sound of him rushing into the forest. Driven by curiosity, Zhao Yeqing leaped into the forest, quietly approaching behind Shan Xiaoya… following his line of sight…
Those eight people were walking quickly on the mountain path, their anxious expressions clearly visible. They passed directly in front of Shan Xiaoya and quickly disappeared…
Shan Xiaoya stood up straight, unexpectedly falling into a warm embrace. At the moment of turning in fright, her lips brushed across his cheek. A tingling sensation spread from her lips, like an electric shock… Shan Xiaoya quickly stepped back, creating distance between them. Hearing her own thundering heartbeat, she looked up and was surprised to see him return…
Zhao Yeqing was crouching low, looking beyond the trees from above. He saw eight people walking quickly… Unexpectedly, the person in front suddenly stood up and fell into his embrace. A unique fragrance entered his brain, momentarily confusing him.
His soft lips accidentally brushed across his face, creating a shock that had never been felt before, so stirring, so overwhelming, so exhilarating. Seeing his frightened expression tightened his heart. Suppressing the rising absurdity, he stepped back two paces. “Little brother, did I scare you?”
Shan Xiaoya recovered from the shock, patting her racing heart. “Don’t you know scaring people can kill them? Why were you hiding behind me? Were you trying to frighten me?”
“No, you misunderstood. I was just curious about what you were looking at. I had no intention of scaring you. Please don’t take offense.”
Shan Xiaoya rolled her eyes and turned to walk down the mountain. Her silence piqued Zhao Yeqing’s curiosity, and he followed, asking, “Little brother, who were those people? Why were you hiding from them?”
Shan Xiaoya continued walking. Uncomfortably, he grabbed her arm. “Hey! I’m talking to you!”
She turned back impatiently. “What’s the use of telling you? Can you help me?”
“Why don’t you tell me? Maybe I can actually help you.”
Hearing his words, Shan Xiaoya’s heart stirred. Why not? Maybe he could help. What if he discovered she was the thief? Soldiers would block, generals would stop – there would always be a way. Maybe he’d even help remove the bracelet…
Shan Xiaoya’s initially impatient face transformed as she looked at Zhao Yeqing respectfully. “I have a grudge with them. They’re here to kill me. I can’t be caught, or they’ll definitely kill me.”
Zhao Yeqing asked curiously, “What grudge could make them want to kill you so ruthlessly?”
Shan Xiaoya’s eyes flickered as she fabricated a story about being childhood friends with Princess Shunyang, who was married to General Hulian Nan against her will. She claimed to have secretly come to Jin Ri Country to see the princess, and that they planned to escape together, but were discovered. She portrayed herself as seeking revenge for the princess’s mistreatment.
Zhao Yeqing, moved by the seemingly tragic tale, asked, “What do you want to do?”
“Of course, I want to find an opportunity to kill Hulian Nan and avenge my beloved woman,” Shan Xiaoya declared.
Dan Xiaoya looked at him strangely and retorted, “What’s good about having no home or business? My beloved woman is dead, and my heart died with her. I originally wanted to avenge her before going down to accompany her. But now I have no face to go down and see her. I can’t die with dignity, and I don’t want to live. Don’t you think I’m pitiful? And you actually say this is good? What are you thinking?”
Zhao Yeqing suddenly felt he was so miserable and pitiful. “I’m sorry, that’s not what I meant. If you have nowhere to go, come to my mountain villa.”
Dan Xiaoya repeated doubtfully: “Mountain villa?”
“Yes, Ming Jian Mountain Villa. I am the young villa master Zhao Yeqing. Ming Jian Mountain Villa welcomes you anytime.”
Dan Xiaoya declined: “I can’t go to your villa. That general is not easy to provoke. If he finds out I’m hiding there, won’t that implicate you? We have no grudges; how can I harm you?”
Zhao Yeqing heard his words, and his desire to help him became stronger. “Little brother, within the four seas, all are brothers. Since I promised to help you, I will definitely have a way. Don’t worry about this, just stay at ease. Now I need to find someone in Ancheng, and after getting back what belongs to me, I’ll take you back to Ming Jian Mountain Villa. Let’s go to the inn now.”
Dan Xiaoya understood who he was looking for and what he wanted to retrieve. Without exposing it, he said: “Since the young villa master is so confident, I’ll trouble you. I will work to repay you.”
Zhao Yeqing laughed casually. “No need to work so hard. I lack an attendant by my side now, so you’ll be my attendant.”
Dan Xiaoya thought it was perfect.
This was like being close to the water and getting the moon first, or entering the tiger’s den to catch a tiger cub. He was taking a risk. Thinking this, Dan Xiaoya raised his eyebrows and revealed a barely noticeable smile… Zhao Yeqing looked at his playful smile and was stunned… That strange palpitation made his heartbeat irregular… What was happening to him? Today was too abnormal.
Zhao Yeqing suppressed the palpitation in his heart and said somewhat stiffly: “Do you find being an attendant humiliating and disagree?”
Dan Xiaoya said flatteringly: “How could I? I agree more than enough! Thank you, young villa master. From now on, you are my master. If you tell me to go east, I will never go west. If you tell me to stand, I will never sit.”
