Chapter 178 Alone

Lin Hao helped Qi Qiong.

"Have you had too much to drink?"

Qi Qiong looked at Lin Hao with her moist eyes: "It's a bit much. Ah Hao, I didn't expect you to be able to drink so well."

"My alcohol tolerance is average." Lin Hao told the truth.

Qi Qiong tilted his head slightly: "You look much better than me."

Lin Hao raised his sleeve and pointed inside: "I have this..."

Most of the clothes worn for banquets are gorgeous, mainly long skirts with wide sleeves, and Lin Hao is no exception.

Qi Qiong looked into Lin Hao's sleeves, and his pupils suddenly dilated.

What is that?

She stretched out her spring onion-like fingers and poked the bulging bag, which became a little concave.

Her mind had become a little dull due to drinking, and it took her a while to react: this was actually a water bag!

“This, this is——”

Lin Hao lowered his voice and said, "It's a special fish skin bag that can be hidden in the sleeve. If you pour water into it, it will inflate."

"So, all the wine is in this fish skin bag?" Qi Qiong was shocked.

They were all forced to drink, why did Ah Hao have this?

"A little bit, I drank quite a bit." Lin Hao held his left hand across his body, letting his wide sleeves fall to cover the water bag tightly. However, holding it like this was a bit tiring. "Let's go to the lake so I can take care of the water bag."

Qi Qiong nodded in a daze, and it was not until he walked to the edge of the artificially repaired lake that he felt a sense of reality.

"Ah Hao——"

"Wait until I pour the wine."

Following Lin Hao's move, Qi Qiong subconsciously blocked the other direction.

The amber-colored fruit wine blended with the clear water of the lake, and soon disappeared without a trace as the water rippled.

Qi Qiong finally breathed a sigh of relief, but when he looked at Lin Hao's calm expression, he felt a little contempt for himself.

Ah Hao is not nervous at all, so why should she be nervous?

"Ahao, why are you carrying that?" Qi Qiong pointed at Lin Hao's sleeve with complicated feelings.

"It's better to be prepared. It's quite useful. If you need it, I'll send you one later."

"No thanks." Qi Qiong quickly refused.

If she uses this while drinking, she will be exposed on the spot, and she can't afford to lose face!

"Okay." Lin Hao said with some regret, "Let's go over there. The lakeside is slippery. It would be bad if we fall."

It’s best to stay away from places like this where trouble is likely to happen.

Qi Qiong nodded and glanced at Lin Hao from time to time as he left the lake.

She still couldn't understand the idea of bringing a water bag with her to the banquet.

"What's the matter?" Lin Hao tilted his head.

"I'm just surprised you thought of bringing such a rare thing."

Lin laughed: "There are even more extraordinary things than this. Baozhu is holding them for me."

When Baozhu goes out with Lin Hao, she will carry a cloth bag filled with many practical gadgets, such as the pair of bamboo tubes specially used for eavesdropping.

Qi Qiong was about to ask more questions when he saw Lin Hao's strange expression. He followed his gaze and saw Kou Wan not far away.

Unlike Princess Yi'an who was the center of attention, Kou Wan, dressed in pink, walked alone. Compared with those noble ladies who gathered in groups of three or four to chat and have fun, she inevitably looked a little lonely.

"Ah Hao, are you familiar with Miss Kou Er?" Qi Qiong asked in a low voice.

"I'm not familiar with her. I only know that she is Princess Yi'an's sister."

Qi Qiong's eyes flashed with sarcasm, and his voice lowered even more: "Princess Yi'an would not like others to mention this, especially in front of a foreign princess."

Lin Hao suddenly realized.

No wonder the second Miss Kou had been standing in the corner before, and now she was alone. Princess Yi'an disliked Kou Wan's presence, a reminder that she wasn't a true royal princess, yet she couldn't avoid the sibling dynamic. When the two appeared together, the safest approach for a noble lady toward Kou Wan was to keep a respectful distance.

Thinking about the little girl's dislike for her because of her sister, Lin Hao's heart suddenly softened.

Forget it, I'll find a chance to remind her. Whether she listens or not depends on her luck.

As soon as she thought of this, the opportunity came to her.

Kou Wan suddenly came over, holding up the hem of her skirt. When she was about ten feet away, she stopped, nodded and greeted Qi Qiong, then said to Lin Hao, "Second Miss Lin, can you please have a word with me?"

"Princess, please wait for me." Lin Hao walked over.

The two of them stopped beside a bunch of flowers.

The blooming peony flowers looked ordinary among the exotic flowers and plants in the garden. No noble ladies came to appreciate them, so it was a convenient place for conversation.

"I wonder what Miss Kou wants to talk to me about?"

After staring at Lin Hao's face, which was more beautiful than a peony flower, for a moment, Kou Wan asked directly, "Why is Second Miss Lin always staring at me?"

Lin Hao didn't expect the girl to be so direct, and immediately showed an unfathomable expression.

Kou Wan frowned.

Here it comes again, here it comes again!

"Miss Lin, do you have any problem with me?"

Hearing the anger in the little girl's tone, Lin Hao said sincerely: "No, I just think you won't believe me if I tell you."

Kou Wan couldn't help but roll her eyes again: "If you don't tell me, how do you know I don't believe it?"

"Then I said it."

Kou Wan: “…” You can say it!

Lin Hao carefully examined Kou Wan. "The reason I noticed Second Miss Kou is that I accidentally noticed that your forehead is black, and when you roll your eyes, there's too much white in your eyes, and bloodshot. This is a sign of a bloody disaster. It's best to avoid places like rocks today..."

Kou Wan was shocked at first, then angry: "I didn't expect Miss Lin Er to steal the fortune teller's job."

Even a lady from a noble family could do such a deceitful act!

Lin Hao was helpless: "I told you that Miss Kou Er wouldn't believe it."

"Only a fool would believe that." Kou Wan said this and walked away with a flick of her sleeves.

Qi Qiong walked over and glanced at Kou Wan's back as she quickly left. He was a little curious: "What did you say that made her so angry?"

"I said her forehead is dark and there's too much white in her eyes, so she might have a bloody disaster."

Qi Qiong opened her mouth. Trusting her friend's character, she asked, in a curious mood, "How can you tell that her forehead is dark and her eyes have too much white?"

Lin Hao explained seriously, "It mainly depends on whether the forehead is dark or not. As for the amount of white in the eyes, anyone who rolls their eyes will have a lot of white in their eyes."

Qi Qiong was silent.

No wonder Miss Kou was so angry.

"That second Miss Kou is in danger of a bloody disaster—"

"I was just kidding. It doesn't hurt to be more careful anyway."

Kou Wan walked faster and faster, and unknowingly arrived at where Princess Yi'an was staying.

Princess Yi'an and Princess Lingque were standing before a peony. The peony was as tall as a man, and surprisingly, it had three different colors of flowers on the same plant: red, pink, and white. The flowers, as big as bowls, were all shaped differently.

Even though Princess Lingque was intent on provoking, she couldn't help but be attracted by this rare peony.

Princess Yi'an was very proud, and her tone became more enthusiastic when she talked about the peony.

Kou Wan stopped unconsciously, staring at her sister who was smiling at others, and suddenly felt a strong sense of unwillingness.

This is her biological sister, whom she has looked up to and envied since she was a child, but every time there is such an occasion, she ignores her younger sister as if they are strangers.

Alcohol can bring courage and impulse. By the time Kou Wan reacted, she was already standing in front of Princess Yi'an.