"Do you really think Miss Lin...?"
Jiang Li's eyes flickered, but he was too thin-skinned to get the last few words out.
"Third Brother, you're looking at this too narrowly. Why would she blush if she wasn't interested in you?"
Jiang Yourning continued teasing him:
"They say you're as attentive as a strand of hair is fine, yet you're terribly careless about this sort of thing. You weren't the only man on the pleasure boat yesterday, were you?
"Were Qing Qianxue and Xie Ciyan any less impressive? Yet she only kept stealing glances at you, and she blushed every time. How can you still lack confidence?"
"I... I was too nervous to notice."
Jiang Li rubbed his neck, a rare smile appearing on his face.
The thought that the woman he loved might return his feelings made Jiang Li forget to correct Jiang Yourning for calling the State Preceptor and Young Marquis Xie by their names.
"Third Brother, do you want to marry Sister Lin and bring her home sooner?"
"Yes."
Jiang Li's voice was very quiet, but he still nodded.
"Then are you afraid of pain?"
"No."
Master Jiang, the romance expert, now knew what to do.
"Then when you give her the wood carving, remember to put a little injury on your finger and deliberately let Sister Lin see it. If she asks, say you hurt yourself by accident. As for how, just think up an excuse to gloss over it."
"Why?"
Jiang Li looked a little bewildered.
Jiang Yourning stood and gave his shoulder a firm pat. "You'll find out when the time comes."
"All right, Third Brother. It's late, and the dew is heavy. Your little sister won't keep you company bathing in moonlight anymore. You should head back and rest soon, too."
"All right."