"It's nothing... I just feel a little dizzy from being in the sun for too long. You guys play by yourselves for a while, I want to find a quiet place to sit for a bit."

Zhan Xinjia waved his hand and explained with a smile.

"Are you sure you don't want us to come with you?"

"No need, oh dear, why are you two so sticky? And Qiaoqiao, don't you have important things to do? Go on, go on."

Although everyone was very worried, seeing her insistence, they could only watch her depart with uneasy expressions.

Meng Qiao vaguely felt that she might have said something wrong, but she couldn't figure out which sentence she had said wrong for the moment. After Zhan Xinjia left, she also bowed and took her leave.

The crowd dispersed, each going their own way.

Alone and unsure of where to go, Zhan Xinjia felt a heavy weight in her heart, as if something was blocking her breath. She frowned and thought for a long time but couldn't think of anything useful.

But if she were to be under the watchful eyes of her friends, her unusual emotions would surely be noticed.

She didn't want them to worry.

Under the blazing sun and amidst the sweltering heat, Zhan Xinjia casually found a teahouse and sat down in a private room on the second floor. Leaning against the railing, he thoughtfully raised his arm and stared at the bandage on his wrist.

Would it really be possible for Master Shen to bite her? Especially since it was so hard and so deep.

Even without seeing the wound, she could vaguely feel the deep, bone-revealing numbness and pain. But if it wasn't Lord Shen, how did she get the injury on her wrist? Why had she slept for more than ten days?

It wasn't that she was overconfident; even if dozens of people ganged up on her, she could guarantee she would escape unscathed.

How could such a strange place as the wrist be injured...?

"Sir, what would you like to drink?"

The waiter eagerly approached, but Zhan Xinjia was too preoccupied to pay attention. She casually ordered a pot of tea and a few plates of dried fruit.

Zhan Xinjia only snapped out of her daze when she heard Fu Shouan's voice coming from the private room next door.

What is he doing here?

Oh right! She had seen Lord Shen sitting on the second floor of this teahouse drinking tea earlier, but she was so engrossed in thinking that she didn't notice and ended up walking in without realizing it.

I don't know if he found out.

But does Master Shen only have Fu Shou'an as a friend in the capital? It seems so pitiful…

From next door, the sounds of conversation could be faintly heard, mixed with the laughter of children.

Since the individual rooms on the second floor were separated only by solid wood screens, and Zhan Xinjia had excellent hearing, he could hear everything clearly.

"Hehe, isn't my relative's child cute! I secretly took him out to play, and then returned him when he cried."

That cheerful voice belonged to Fu Shou'an.

A moment later, another voice sounded softly, and the young man gave a soft "hmm" without saying anything more, as if he was preoccupied with something.

Then came a lot of trivial matters, mostly Fu Shou'an talking to himself, nothing meaningful, just a lot of nonsense. He either complained about his low salary or his heavy workload.

Zhan Xinjia was listening with great boredom when, not long after, the waiter knocked on her door again.

"Sir, this dish of milk cream was a gift from the customer next door."

"Huh?"

"Next door, isn't that Lord Shen and his group?" Zhan Xinjia was a little embarrassed. Had they already discovered that she had been sitting next door eavesdropping? But then again, Lord Shen had been sitting by the railing the whole time, so he must have seen her come in.

She was the one who suggested pretending not to know him so he wouldn't cling to her, but she's acting like she's stalking him...

Will Mr. Shen think she's playing hard to get or something?

Let's not disturb Master Shen's leisure time with her friends. She should leave after finishing this pot of tea.

Zhan Xinjia's ears burned, and she barely tasted the tea, finishing the pastries with unease. When she summoned the waiter, she was told that all the money for her room had already been paid.

She hesitated for a moment, then said nothing and hurriedly went downstairs.

It was still early, and going home seemed pointless, but staying on the street was unbearably hot. Zhan Xinjia wandered aimlessly along Changning Street for half a day before finally dejectedly entering a temple in the eastern part of the capital that was said to be exceptionally efficacious and had a thriving incense offering.

She didn't even know who was enshrined in the temple; she was just killing time anyway.

Even in the sweltering heat, the temple was constantly bustling with worshippers, especially under the huge old peach tree in the center, which was covered with red paper money. It was so crowded that there was hardly any room to stand.

Zhan Xinjia wasn't interested in making wishes, but she was forced to go through the crowd.

Just as she was frowning and hesitating about whether to follow local customs and write a random note to hang up, someone pushed her from behind. Zhan Xinjia was distracted and didn't react in time, so she stumbled.

Fortunately, someone reached out and helped her up.

"Thank you, thank you."

With her mind preoccupied, Zhan Xinjia thanked him repeatedly without looking up, but after a second of surprise, she looked up in astonishment.

The person who helped her up had already walked away.

Looking into the distance, the young man in white robes stood silently under the peach tree, his posture upright, like a crane crossing a cold pond. Just standing there, he exuded brilliance, elegant and noble, with a pure and unadorned demeanor.

The shadows of the trees swayed gently, and a light breeze rustled his sleeves. He tilted his chin slightly, his figure blending into the scenery.

Finding stillness within movement, like a meticulously drawn charcoal painting.

Just looking at him like this is like a cool breeze in the sweltering summer, instantly calming the mind.

At this moment, the young man is hanging the red paper he just wrote on the treetop.

Wasn't he just drinking tea at the teahouse? Why is it that Master Shen sometimes haunts us like a ghost, it's terrifying…

Zhan Xinjia was unsure whether to go up and greet them or run away. Before she could make a decision, she was already being pushed by the bustling crowd towards the peach tree, with nowhere to hide.

By the time she realized what was happening, the two were only a few steps apart.

Noticing the young man's gaze on her, she lowered her head awkwardly, her eyes darting away, and feigned relaxation as she flicked a few stray strands of hair that had slipped past her ear.

She decided to turn the tables and seize the initiative!

Why did you ignore me just now...?

"Didn't this young lady say that we weren't acquainted?"

"But even if we're just ordinary friends, we should at least say hello when we meet, right? You're clearly pretending you didn't see me."

"Sorry, I don't have the habit of greeting ordinary friends."

He emphasized the words "ordinary friends" heavily, and given his expressionless face, Zhan Xinjia could tell with a snap that he was angry.

Okay, okay, it was her fault to begin with.

Although her intentions were good, it seems she should postpone her departure...

With a sigh of compromise, Zhan Xinjia looked up and stared directly at him.

"So you were deliberately ignoring me just now."

Her direct question almost made Shen Suqing, whose resolve was already wavering, give in immediately. Avoiding her gaze, he stared at the falling green leaves, his knuckles clenched under his sleeves, trying his best to maintain a cold tone.

"Fu Shouan brought a child over; he was very noisy, and we've been trying to soothe him the whole time."

"Why can't you comfort me now that you've comforted her?"

"She's only four years old."

"Excuse."

Hearing the girl speak so confidently, Shen Suqing suddenly felt a little annoyed. She was the one who said she wanted to pretend they weren't familiar, and now she was the one blaming him for not coaxing her in such an adorably cloying tone.

There's no one in the world who's so wicked and unreasonable.

What does she want...?

How can he make her happy?

What exactly does Azhi want? What kind of man does she like? Or is she actually a little liar from beginning to end?

Just like that charlatan said, they only treated him like a dog.

Even if we take a step back and assume it's a dog... does that mean she can just let it roam freely without any guilt?

Doesn't she have the word "responsibility" in her heart?

Thinking of this, Shen Suqing, who was so self-conscious, sensitive, and suspicious that he was almost unable to think normally, slowly raised his head.

His Adam's apple bobbed, and his dark pupils stared intently at her.

"She kisses my cheek, do you kiss me too?"