124 The Wanderer

◎Is the lady interested in him?◎

Inside the theater.

The two dancers from the Western Regions who were bought were packing their things in the room. One of them was called Aisha, with blonde hair and blue eyes, and a graceful figure; the other was called Naramé, with dark brown curly hair and deep eyebrows and eyes.

Aisha roughly spread out her clothes on the bed, thinking dissatisfiedly: Why was I sent to this theater?

There were more than thirty dancers coming to Daxia this time, twelve of whom were specially trained spies, who were to be placed in the homes of important officials in Shengjing City.

Who knew that she was notified yesterday and came here inexplicably with another ordinary dancer. What useful information could she find out in this theater?

What is the master thinking?

“Dongdong——”

Song Jinyi knocked on the door, heard the sound, went in and asked, "Are you used to living here?"

Aisha and Naramie quickly stood up and saluted, their gestures gentle, and expressed their gratitude in accented Chinese: "Thank you, Madam Song, everything is fine."

"That's good." Song Jinyi sat down opposite them and casually started the conversation. "Speaking of which, you've come a long way with the caravan and must have had a hard time. Your manager, Mr. Suiyun, looks very capable despite his young age."

Aisha's eyes turned and she followed her words, "Yes, Manager Suiyun is very capable. Everyone in the caravan obeys his orders."

Song Jinyi nodded and continued chatting. "That guard following Manager Suiyun also looks quite impressive. What's his name? What's his responsibility in the caravan?"

Naramie tilted her head. Where were the guards around Suiyun?

Before she could even ask, Aisha took over, "Madam, you're asking about Ah Qi, right? He's a quiet guy who doesn't talk much. He's responsible for helping Suiyun."

Song Jinyi continued to ask, "I see he speaks Chinese very well. Could it be that he often came to Daxia before?"

A strange glint flashed in Aisha's eyes, and she immediately shook her head. "No, no, Ah Qi grew up on the grasslands. He only learned some Chinese in the past two years while traveling with the caravan. He speaks it passably."

Song Jinyi was silent for a moment, and was about to ask something else when she heard the other party say, "Madam, are you interested in him?"

"That's not the case..."

"Aqi is a handsome man, and he attracts many men in Yuedu," Aisha said to her meaningfully, "Among them, there are many Han Chinese lovers. Every time he returns with the caravan, there is a long line of girls waiting at the city gate to throw handkerchiefs to him!

"The daughter of a tribal leader, the daughter of a wealthy merchant... He can't even remember their names!" She gestured as she spoke.

Naramie, who was standing next to her, looked shocked.

What are you talking about?

Aisha met her eyes and winked at her, saying, "This Miss Song must be attracted by the master's beauty. Of course we have to help him get rid of this bad peach blossom."

Naramie belatedly realized the situation and started a double act with Aisha, giggling and adding fuel to the fire: "Yes, yes, he looks cold, but he's actually the best at making girls happy! Madam Song, don't be fooled by his appearance!"

After hearing what the two of them said, no matter how composed Song Jinyi was, the smile on her face gradually faded.

Her voice was a little tight, "I understand. You guys get some rest and tell me if you need anything."

The door was closed and she stood quietly at the door for a while.

Their faces are only about 60% similar, their behaviors are completely different, and no matter how you look at it, they don't seem to be the same person, but... what if?

What if it was him?

She always had some fantasies in her heart.

He didn't recognize himself because he was still angry about what happened in the past.

As for attracting bees and butterflies...

None of that matters. As long as he is Xie Wuyang and he is still alive and well, nothing else matters.

Song Jinyi figured this out and turned away. She wanted to ask clearly in person.

She walked from the backyard through the theater, around the counter, and was about to go to the door when she saw the waiter attentively leading Ah Qi to the door. The two of them were walking up the stairs, apparently going to the private room on the second floor.

Almost at the same time, the other person's gaze seemed to sense something and swept down the stairs to look at her.

Song Jinyi's heart skipped a beat.

"Madam Song--" A crisp voice sounded at this moment, breaking the momentary stagnation.

Ruer called her, followed by a middle-aged woman with a smile on her face. She walked in from the door and also greeted Song Jinyi.

When Song Jinyi saw the other person, she couldn't help but cover her face with her hands, showing an expression as if she had a toothache.

This is Aunt Wang.

Song Jinyi, now financially secure and unwilling to burden the Zhang family, bought a house in the capital. Aunt Wang was known for her kindness and her love of matchmaking.

At first, Song Jinyi thought it was just a friendly gesture from the neighbors, but later she understood her intention and declined several times. But who would have thought that today she would be "blocked" by her at the theater!

Song Jinyi smiled bitterly and thought about how to get rid of this big Buddha.

On the stairs, Xie Wuyang paused for a moment, taking in the sight of Song Jinyi exchanging pleasantries with Aunt Wang. He casually asked the waiter who was guiding him, "Does that lady know your shopkeeper Song well?"

The waiter, unsuspecting, replied with a smile, "That's Shopkeeper Song's neighbor, Aunt Wang. She's very kind and loves matchmaking. I guess she's here to propose a marriage to our shopkeeper again."

"Matchmaking?" Tuoba Jun's tone was a little cold.

"That's right!" The waiter said to himself, not noticing anything unusual. "I heard that this time they're talking about a young man from the Hanlin Academy... Maybe our boss will agree this time."

Tuoba Jun withdrew his gaze, his jawline tightened, his Adam's apple rolled, and he suppressed the coldness and inexplicable emotions in his eyes, and his face returned to calmness.

"Let's go." After saying that, he stopped looking downstairs and turned around to continue walking towards the private room upstairs.

…

After seeing off Aunt Wang, Song Jinyi breathed a sigh of relief, straightened her clothes, and walked straight to the private room where Ah Qi was.

You knocked on the door gently, but there was no response from inside after a long time?

Is the person gone?

But the waiter said that two pots of wine had just been served.

The hand on the door handle paused for a moment, and then he gently pushed it. The half-open door creaked. At a glance, the table was littered with cups and plates, the food was almost untouched, but there were two empty wine jugs on it.

Ah Qi leaned sideways in the armchair, his eyes were scattered and he looked lazy.

Maybe because he was hot from drinking, he pulled at his collar a few times, opening it loosely, revealing a section of his graceful collarbone and a small area of ​​his firm chest.

A few strands of her golden hair were soaked with sweat, sticking messily to her smooth and full forehead and slender neck. She turned around after hearing the sound.

Her cheeks were slightly red from the alcohol, her eyes were half closed, her long eyelashes cast fan-shaped shadows under her eyes, and her eyes were watery as she moved, looking both mysterious and alluring.

He slightly opened his eyes and looked at Song Jinyi standing at the door. His voice was a little hoarse and low due to drunkenness, "Madam Song? Is there something wrong?"

Song Jinyi didn't answer him, but walked slowly to sit opposite him.

For a moment, the private room was so quiet that only the occasional crackling of the candlelight could be heard.

"Sir Qi," she thought for a moment and asked, "Have you ever been to Daxia before?"

Ah Qi chuckled softly, his laughter being particularly clear in the quiet room. Instead of answering, he asked, "Madam Song, do you still suspect that I am him?"

He rested his elbows on the table, leaning forward slightly, his misty green eyes fixed on hers. "I'm not him. I grew up in the Gobi Desert and have never been to Daxia before."

"But," she said, "your hair color is extremely rare. Even your attendant Suiyun and the dancers today, their hair colors, whether darker or lighter, are far from as pure and shiny as yours."

Ah Qi seemed to be surprised by her saying that and was stunned for a moment, but soon returned to his original unrestrained expression.

He raised his hand and casually played with the golden hair on his forehead. "Rare?" He raised an eyebrow. "That only means that you, Madam Song, haven't met enough people. If you really like this..."

He leaned forward a little further, staring at her with burning eyes, and lowered his voice, like a whisper between lovers, "Why don't you follow us back to Yuedu?

"There are blondes everywhere, I'm sure you'll see enough of them." His words were frivolous, but his eyes were deep and unfathomable.

Song Jinyi stared at him intently, trying to figure out something. After a moment, she said calmly, "No need."

Almost at the moment she finished speaking, the vague smile in Ah Qi's eyes froze instantly and was replaced by a layer of cold and sinister.

He leaned back in his chair and uttered a short, self-deprecating laugh: "Oh... That's right. Madam Song is Han Chinese, how could she be interested in us foreigners? She will have to marry someone from here in the future."

He picked up the wine jug, poured himself another full glass, and drank it down with his head tilted back.

Song Jinyi frowned.

He stopped talking and just silently drank glass after glass of wine. The atmosphere in the private room was so oppressive that it was suffocating. Only the sound of him swallowing the wine was particularly clear.

Song Jinyi watched him drinking almost masochistically, and she couldn't help but say, "This wine is quite strong, drink less, or you'll get drunk!"

"Drunk?" Ah Qi paused after hearing this. He slowly put down his wine glass and looked up at Song Jinyi.

Those green eyes were now sparkling, and they were hazy with intoxication. He laughed softly, his voice hoarse, "Drunk? I'm already drunk now..."

As he spoke, he suddenly propped himself up on the table and shakily stood up. His tall figure, carrying a strong sense of oppression, walked around the table step by step and stood in front of her.

He placed his hands on the armrests on either side of her seat, leaned down with his tall body, and instantly enveloped her in his breath and shadow.

He lowered his head, and his hot breath mixed with the smell of alcohol came closer and closer, their breaths intertwined, so close that she could see each of his eyelashes clearly.

His breathtakingly beautiful face magnified before her eyes. "Madam Song..." He tilted his head slightly, his breath getting closer, caressing her neck. "You said you wanted to buy me that day...was it because of my face? Hmm?"

She was trapped in a small space by him, and everything he said and did was so ambiguous.

If it was really Xie Wuyang, would he treat me so frivolously?

She remembered what Aisha had said. How many girls had this guy flirted with in Yuedu? She pursed her lips tightly, her chest feeling as if it were clogged with cotton, making her feel uncomfortable.

Her silence seemed to be a silent encouragement. Ah Qi's body pressed down a little more, and the tips of their noses almost touched each other. His lips were only an inch away from hers.

Just when their noses were about to touch, she suddenly pushed towards Ah Qi's chest. "You're drunk." She was almost panicked. "I'll find someone to take you back."

After saying that, he left without looking back, and the door was closed, blocking out the noise outside.

The private room returned to dead silence.

Ah Qi remained in the same position he had been pushed away from, standing stiffly. He slowly raised his hands and covered his face. Between his fingers, a suppressed, intermittent laugh escaped.

The laughter was light at first, with a hint of self-deprecation, then it grew louder and louder, more and more out of control, echoing in the empty room, filled with endless bitterness.

【Author’s words】

The male protagonist who knows nothing about it’s OS: I’m just sitting at home and the pot comes from the sky?

It is his blessing to have such caring subordinates [question mark]