"Then let's go."
Lu Chuan gave a slight nod, then took the lead and headed toward the academy exit.
Tang Wuyue immediately hurried after him.
As she passed Xie Xie, she deliberately slowed down, then lowered her voice and muttered with a mischievous grin, loud enough for only the two of them to hear, "Not bad, Xie Xie. You'd already planned to treat my brother to something delicious, hadn't you?"
"I didn't! Don't talk nonsense!"
Xie Xie instantly bristled, shooting her an anxious, embarrassed glare.
Her cheeks were flushed red, making her unbearably adorable.
Yet her denial lacked all conviction.
Her darting eyes
and flustered manner completely gave away what she was thinking.
"Alright, alright. You didn't, you didn't."
Tang Wuyue held back a laugh
and quickly nodded along, but the teasing in her eyes did not lessen in the slightest.
With light steps, she caught up to Lu Chuan ahead.
The fading glow of the sunset spilled down, stretching the shadows of the three figures long
as they staggered and intertwined across the bluestone path.
The evening breeze was gentle, carrying a faint scent of grass and leaves.
Lu Chuan walked steadily in front, his bearing exceptional.
Tang Wuyue, in the middle, was filled with delight.
Secretly shipping her own brother with her best friend, she felt utterly pleased with herself.
Xie Xie, at the back, was weighed down by her thoughts.
The mention of braised beef in a clay pot
made her involuntarily think of her mother again.
The ten-minute journey passed in the blink of an eye.
After passing through bustling streets and quaint alleyways, a rich, mellow fragrance of savory beef
drifted leisurely over on the evening breeze, instantly whetting their appetites.
Smelling the familiar scent, Xie Xie's turbulent thoughts settled somewhat.
She instinctively introduced the