Mu Wanqing's cry of alarm also jolted Qin Hongmian out of her dazed state. Only then did she realize that she had actually thrown herself into the arms of a strange man. Her face instantly flushed crimson. Fortunately, a black veil covered it; otherwise, being seen like this would have been utterly mortifying.
Even so, her reaction was intense. Like a startled rabbit, she sprang from his embrace, but in her shame and panic, her foot caught on something, and she involuntarily fell toward the ground.
Just then, a pair of strong arms caught her by the waist, while another hand supported her back and helped her up. "Madam, be careful."
Song Qingshu helped Qin Hongmian to her feet, then calmly said to Mu Wanqing, "Wan'er, I came to propose marriage. Madam was worried that I might not be able to protect you, so she wanted to test my martial arts. She accidentally fell, and I merely reached out to help her."
Qin Hongmian was rather impressed by his quick wit. Although she knew he was spouting nonsense with a straight face, she opened her mouth but ultimately did not refute him.
Seeing that her mother had tacitly accepted his explanation, Mu Wanqing did not suspect anything. She ran over and linked arms with her mother, shooting her lover an annoyed glare. "Your martial arts are so strong, yet you have no sense of restraint."
"Don't worry, he didn't hurt me," Qin Hongmian finally said. "You said his martial arts are formidable... Is he well-known in the martial world?" This was what had puzzled her from the start.
"He's very famous in the martial world." At the mention of her lover, Mu Wanqing's entire face glowed with happiness as she eagerly began recounting his many accomplishments to her mother.
Qin