The three did not ride horses. Instead, they followed the bluestone road outside Dali City, making their way slowly toward the foothills to the west.
Along the way, Zhong Ling was like a little bird freed from its cage, chirping away without pause.
One moment, she pointed at wildflowers by the roadside and asked their names; the next, she chased after butterflies, running back and forth. Her silver-bell laughter scattered all along the road, lending a touch of bustle and life to the tranquil afternoon.
Fanning himself with a folded fan, Lin Xuan watched Zhong Ling at play with a smile. From time to time, he also turned to look at Mu Wanqing, who had remained silent by his side.
"What? Still embarrassed about what happened a few days ago?" Lin Xuan murmured teasingly, in a voice only the two of them could hear.
Mu Wanqing's delicate body trembled. She shot him a fierce glare through her veil, her eyes filled with both shame and indignation, as well as panic.
"If... if you bring it up again, I'll go back!" she ground out in a low voice, though the tips of her ears had already quietly reddened.
Lin Xuan smiled and wisely did not press the matter further. Instead, he casually began talking about the customs and local culture of Dali.
Walking beside him, Mu Wanqing listened as Lin Xuan spoke with ease and eloquence. She had to admit that this man truly possessed a unique charm.
He was knowledgeable, witty, and... and his martial arts were frighteningly powerful.
Looking at Lin Xuan's handsome profile, she could not help growing a little dazed.
If it had been before, if any man had dared touch her as he did, even forcing her to do such shameful things, she would have killed