Why does that last sentence sound so aggrieved?

Rong Qingqing wiped her sweat. "Why would I give it to someone else?"

"Then what about my longevity thread?" Xie Jingrun asked, holding out his palm.

Rong Qingqing's lips twitched. A dignified emperor asking someone for a longevity thread—if anyone saw this, they would be utterly astonished.

"Okay, here you go, but I'm telling you beforehand, you can't complain about it."

Xie Jingrun untied a sachet from his waist, raised an eyebrow, and said, "Could it be uglier than this?"

Seeing the sachet in his hand, Rong Qingqing covered her face.

"I told you not to wear it, why are you still wearing it?"

"I don't mind." Xie Jingrun hung the sachet back on his waist.

Rong Qingqing stared at the sachet swaying on his waist for a while, thinking that one day she should take the sachet back when he wasn't paying attention.

He wore this sachet every day, flaunting it everywhere. He didn't feel ashamed, but she herself was embarrassed.

"Go get it quickly." Xie Jingrun urged her when he saw her standing there looking conflicted.

Having no other choice, Rong Qingqing took out the longevity thread that she had hidden under her pillow.

She braided two longevity threads, originally intending to give one to Xie Jingrun and keep one for herself, but they were really ugly. She originally wanted to take them apart, but since she had spent several days braiding them, she was reluctant to part with them, but she was too embarrassed to show them off, so she hid them under her pillow.

"Here you go." She handed one of the items to Xie Jingrun.

Xie Jingrun took it, looked it over, and praised, "It's very beautiful."

Upon hearing this praise, Rong Qingqing almost slipped.

What kind of taste does this guy have?

Their ability to lie through their teeth is truly unparalleled.

Her face flushed slightly. "You don't need to comfort me. At worst, I won't make it up next time..."

“I’m not just trying to comfort you, it really is beautiful,” Xie Jingrun said earnestly. “Anything you give me is wonderful.”

Rong Qingqing pressed her hand to her wildly beating heart. This guy's sudden sweet talk caught her completely off guard.

Although she was self-aware, his praise made her feel quite flattered, as if the longevity thread she had woven was the most beautiful in the world.

"Let me put it on for you." She took the longevity thread and put it on his wrist.

Although her braiding wasn't very pretty, the longevity thread made of five-colored silk threads suddenly looked much more elegant when worn on his wrist.

"Wear yours too." Xie Jingrun took the other longevity thread from her hand and put it on her snow-white wrist.

Xie Jingrun examined her hand for a moment, then took it in his palm. "Let's go."

"Where to?" Rong Qingqing asked, somewhat surprised.

"You'll find out in a little while."

...

Once they reached the mountain, Rong Qingqing learned that the Great Liang Dynasty also had the custom of collecting medicinal herbs for the Dragon Boat Festival.

Because after the fifth day of the lunar calendar, the weather gets hot and diseases are more prevalent. Many venomous snakes and insects also begin to breed and become active, which can easily cause harm to people. In order to resist diseases and prevent the invasion of venomous insects, people will go up the mountain to collect various medicinal materials on this day, and then use these medicinal materials for food, bathing, fumigation, or hang them on door frames.

At this moment, the mountains and fields were filled with men and women carrying bamboo baskets, chatting and laughing as they walked up the mountain.

Rong Qingqing and Xie Jingrun had changed out of their fine clothes and were now dressed in the clothes of ordinary people. They blended in without attracting anyone's attention.

The two followed the flow of people up the mountain.

As the hillside grew steeper, Rong Qingqing suddenly squatted down, supporting herself on her knees, and panted, "I can't walk anymore."