He could only smell qi...
Wan Pingyuan nearly burst out laughing at those words.
I can fucking smell qi too!
Governor Wan stepped forward and took Zuo Xiaoduo's hand, taking no offense at all. He was exceedingly warm. "Master Zuo, when might you be free? You simply must visit my humble home."
Zuo Xiaoduo coughed. "No need to find time. I'm going tonight. It's already past midnight, so that makes it today."
"Ahem, ahem, ahem..." Wan Pingyuan coughed repeatedly, looking caught between laughter and tears.
We've already invited this fellow to my daughter's birthday tonight... Why didn't she say so sooner? She's made me embarrass myself!
Governor Wan shot his daughter a fierce glare.
Wan Lixiu stepped forward and wheedled, "Dad, he's just a charlatan and a swindler. Whatever you do, don't believe him, or you're bound to lose money. A lot of money."
"Foolish girl!" Governor Wan sternly rebuked his daughter. "Show Master Zuo respect. Don't be insolent."
"Oh, for heaven's sake..." Wan Lixiu pressed a hand to her forehead.
Then everyone introduced one another and exchanged pleasantries, though both groups found their thoughts oddly peculiar: running into each other on a mountaintop in the dead of night and exchanging pleasantries... Encounters like this really didn't come along often in a lifetime.
Over on the other side, Gu Luoyan spotted Mu Yanyan at once and cried out in delighted surprise, "Aunt Mu? What are you doing here?"
Mu Yanyan looked at the girl wearing a face covering and asked uncertainly, "Are you... Yan'er?"
"Who else would I be?"
Gu Luoyan bounded over, happily taking Mu Yanyan's hand and shaking it again and again. "Didn't I tell you I was coming to see you, and to see your disciple while I was at it-the legendary Spirit Thought Heavenly Maiden?"
Mu