Chapter 57 Drafts

Ah Ping worked quickly and efficiently, preparing several dishes.

A bowl of clear tofu soup, a few dishes of pickled mustard greens, pickled radishes and fermented black beans; each person also had a bowl of shepherd's purse porridge, made from the last of the brown rice in the rice bin, mixed with shepherd's purse.

Half a wild duck and a fish added some meat to the meal.

Life was tough, but the neighbors were on good terms; they managed to borrow some lard and salt.

But looking at these simple dishes, A-Ping still felt they were really inadequate. So, he went to the paddy field and caught some snails, making a stir-fried snail dish. This was the most presentable food he could manage.

Because the house was rather simple and Ayu needed to rest, Aping carried the dishes one by one to the large millstone in the yard.

You Mingjiang knew he had little money and no grain or cloth at home, so she didn't nitpick. Although it was to repay a favor, she couldn't let him empty his pockets, so she insisted that he leave half a duck and a fish for emergencies.

Ah Ping was very grateful, and with a determined effort, he brought out a jar of plum wine.

The people of Weicheng have a long tradition of brewing plum wine in late spring.

Aping's family didn't have any rock sugar, but they did have a jar of homemade coarse rice wine.

This wine is made by fermenting brown rice and yeast, and it has a rich aroma of rice. Aping puts green plums into the wine jar, and after a period of aging, the brown rice wine absorbs the sweet and sour taste of the green plums, turning into a jar of drinkable green plum wine.

"This wine is homemade."

Aping scooped out the turbid wine from the earthenware jar and poured it into two rough porcelain bowls. The wine was mixed with some rice residue and green plum pulp that had sunk to the bottom.

After pouring the wine, A-Ping turned and went to the kitchen, inviting the two to start eating. He said he wanted to salt the remaining fish and half a wild duck, since the weather was getting warmer and things were more likely to attract insects, and there might even be mice stealing their food.

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You Mingjiang picked up the wine bowl and took a small sip.

The wine lingered between her lips and teeth as she squinted, savoring the delicate sweetness of the plum wine.

After a moment, she slowly swallowed, gently shook her head, and savored the taste of the plum wine.

Leng Xue's gaze fell on the wine bowl in You Mingjiang's hand. After hesitating for a moment, he couldn't help but speak, "Xiao Ming..."

He paused, seemingly considering his words, his tone tinged with concern: "You should drink less alcohol."

You Mingjiang smiled and gently gestured towards the wine bowl in front of him.

Leng Xue couldn't refuse any longer, so he picked up the wine bowl and took a small sip.

The spicy flavor stimulated his taste buds, and he frowned, saying, "It's so spicy." After saying that, he couldn't help but cough a few times.

"So you don't drink alcohol."

You Mingjiang raised her hand and gently stroked his back.

Leng Xue felt a warmth in his heart and was somewhat reluctant to part with this moment of contact. He picked up the wine bowl and drank it all in one gulp. The spicy wine went straight to his throat, and it burned so much that tears almost streamed down his face.

Leng Xue coughed a few times, but forced back his tears, and said stubbornly, "However, this wine... is still acceptable."

You Mingjiang scoffed lightly, his tone tinged with a hint of teasing: "If you can't drink it, why do you have to finish it?"

Cold-blooded, his tongue lolling out from the spiciness, he mumbled, "If Xiaoming can drink it, I... I have to finish it too."

You Mingjiang was slightly taken aback, then chuckled softly: "...What a blockhead."

Hearing her address him that way, Leng Xue's heart skipped a beat, and a blush quickly spread from his neck to his ears.

"I...I'm not a blockhead," he protested somewhat flusteredly, his voice tinged with barely concealed embarrassment.

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After saying that, he imitated You Mingjiang, picked up the wine bowl, took a small sip of wine, and tried to appear calm.

"You can't drink it and you still force it on me... Aren't you dizzy?" You Mingjiang glanced at him sideways, his tone teasing.

Leng Xue put down his wine bowl and shook his head, feigning composure: "No, this wine... isn't that powerful."

He was already feeling a little dizzy, but Leng Xue didn't want to lose face in front of her, so he remained stubbornly defiant.

You Mingjiang laughed, picked up the wine bowl, and drank it all in one gulp.

Seeing her so bold and unrestrained, Leng Xue couldn't help but admire her.

But as the alcohol took effect, his head began to spin, his vision became blurry, and he saw her face in a double image.

"Hmm... Xiao Ming really has a good capacity for alcohol..." Leng Xue's tone was a bit dazed, and his voice softened considerably.

"Hey." You Mingjiang waved his hand in front of his eyes.

Leng Xue struggled to open his eyes, trying to see You Mingjiang's face clearly, his voice slightly slurred with drunkenness: "Hmm? Xiao Ming... what's up?"

You Mingjiang smiled and gently took his hand. Leng Xue's eyes were blurry with drunkenness, but he felt that her hand was very warm.

His heart skipped a beat, and he instinctively tightened his grip on You Mingjiang's hand, his voice low and hoarse as he said, "Xiao Ming..."

Just as he was about to say something, You Mingjiang smiled and suddenly pinched his tiger's mouth and Hegu acupoint hard!

"Hiss!" Leng Xue gasped, instinctively pulling his hand back quickly, the effects of the alcohol mostly worn off. "Xiao Ming, what are you doing?"

You Mingjiang chuckled lightly, his tone tinged with a hint of teasing: "Awake now?"

Leng Xue sighed deeply, raised his head, and looked up with an unyielding resentment in his eyes: "Well, he's finally sober now. This method... really works immediately, it's quite effective."

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You Mingjiang chuckled and said, "Don't sigh, give me a smile."

A hint of embarrassment flashed across Leng Xue's face.

After hesitating for a while, he slowly moved the corners of his mouth and forced a stiff smile.

Even he himself felt a little awkward.

"Is this... okay?" Leng Xue asked nervously.

He's not incapable of laughing, he just laughs less often.

There's usually nothing that makes him laugh out loud.

But he always felt shy in front of You Mingjiang.

The more you try to laugh, the worse your laughter becomes, and the more ridiculous it looks.

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"No." You Mingjiang gave him a mischievous smile.

Leng Xue looked up and met her smile. He was momentarily stunned, then lowered his eyelids, deliberately avoiding her gaze. "So, Xiao Ming, what do you think is appropriate?"

You Mingjiang's eyes darted around, and he smiled like a little fox who had just stolen some cream. Without saying a word, he raised his hand and reached for Leng Xue's mouth.

She pulled up the corners of his mouth, forming a somewhat comical arc, but Leng Xue showed no anger whatsoever.

His bright green eyes were fixed on her, a hint of confusion in them: "Is this... a smile?"

Seeing his serious expression, You Mingjiang couldn't resist teasing him. After thinking for a moment, she said, "How about this, I'll tell you a joke."

She cleared her throat and asked mysteriously, "The little earthworm asked its mother, 'Where did Daddy go?'"

She couldn't help but laugh as soon as she said that.

Leng Xue frowned slightly, wondering what the joke was about. His eyes held a hint of doubt, but he listened patiently, quietly waiting for what was to come: "And then?"

You Mingjiang was overjoyed, her eyes crinkling into crescents as she laughed, and said, "Mother Earthworm said your father went fishing with someone."

Leng Xue was taken aback at first, then realized what he meant, and a slight smile appeared on his lips. He couldn't help but chuckle, "This... is quite interesting."

"You talk as if you understand," You Mingjiang teased.

"I understand, it just means no return, right?" Leng Xue replied earnestly.

You Mingjiang was somewhat surprised: "So you can actually listen to this... Hmm, let me tell you another one."

"Okay." Leng Xue crossed his arms, leaned forward slightly, and pretended to listen attentively.

You Mingjiang thought for a moment, then deliberately kept her in suspense: "Do you know any animals that are only female?"

Leng Xue frowned slightly, lost in thought, various animals flashing through his mind, but he still couldn't find the answer.

"This..." He looked up at You Mingjiang, his eyes filled with doubt, "What kind of animal is it?"

You Mingjiang suppressed a laugh and said in a serious tone, "Centipede."

After a moment's thought, Leng Xue frowned slightly, his eyes filled with doubt: "Why a centipede?"

You Mingjiang couldn't help but chuckle softly: "No official position."

Leng Xue was slightly taken aback, then realized what was happening and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

She seems to have a magical power to spread happiness.

He didn't misuse the word; it's not "transmit," but "infect." It's faster, more irresistible, and more likely to draw people in without them even realizing it than "transmit."

Like a bee that has smelled the fragrance of rapeseed flowers, its head is dizzy and it's drunk.

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If You Mingjiang knew what he was thinking, she would definitely say, "You blockhead, you're drunk."

The more homemade the wine, the stronger its aftereffects.

Look at his flushed face; a gust of wind and he'll surely fall flat on his face.

But right now, even without drinking, it's enough to make one feel intoxicated.

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In comparison, You Mingjiang's condition is slightly better.

She drank alcohol as if it were water, her eyes were bright, and a faint blush spread across her cheeks, as if she had lightly applied a layer of bright rouge.

Leng Xue shook his head slightly, trying to calm himself down and suppress the strange, fluttering emotions he felt.

Just then, A-Ping finally finished what he was doing and came out of the kitchen.

Seeing this, Leng Xue had no choice but to shut up and say no more.

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Aping poured a large bowl of wine to thank You Mingjiang for saving his life. After sitting and exchanging pleasantries for a while, he got up to take care of Ayu.

Leng Xue was about to ask A Ping if A Yu had fallen into such a state due to the poison of that terrifying general.

Just as he was about to speak, a sharp pain shot through his ankle. It turned out that You Mingjiang had kicked him without him even noticing.

Leng Xue shrank back, shifting his gaze from A Ping to You Mingjiang, his emerald green eyes filled with confusion.

You Mingjiang was slowly picking out the fish bones.

The whitebait caught by the cold-blooded man is flat and very long. Its flesh is tender and delicious, but it has many bones.

You Mingjiang watched as A Ping's figure completely disappeared into the room before slowly putting down her chopsticks.

"Think about it carefully. The questions you're about to ask will be like rubbing salt into their wounds. The killer might be afraid of you and won't dare to easily harm you, but what about A-Ping and A-Yu? A-Yu is seriously injured, and A-Ping is exhausted. They're already struggling. In the killer's eyes, they're nothing but ants. Once they're pushed into the limelight, will they have any peace? At that point, can you just stand by and watch them suffer?"

Leng Xue frowned and said, "I don't quite understand."

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You Mingjiang said, “Weicheng is the stronghold of the Great General Jingfa. He wields immense power here and can control everything. The people are terrified of him and dare not even mention his name easily. You are new here, and your accent has already revealed your identity as an outsider. Moreover, you seem unfamiliar and curious about everything in Weicheng, especially the things under the Great General’s rule.”

"Take that day by the paddy field, for example. Your eagerness was too conspicuous. You grabbed a passerby and started interrogating him relentlessly. The conversation revolved entirely around local governance and the hardships of the people, which are extremely sensitive topics. You claimed to be a constable, but your actions didn't match. Constables usually handle cases in groups or with great fanfare, but you went alone and acted discreetly. It's obvious that you wanted to launch a surprise attack before the other party could react, so that he wouldn't have time to cover up the truth."

"What's strange is that you don't seem worried about leaking information. Normally, a constable in this situation would carefully conceal their purpose and whereabouts, for fear of alerting the enemy. But you didn't, which means that you either have absolute confidence or you have something to rely on."

"So, I'm guessing you're more than just an ordinary constable. You might have some kind of imperial envoy backing you, with a powerful figure supporting you. Am I right?"

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You Mingjiang stretched out his chopsticks, picked up a piece of duck meat, but did not put it in his mouth; instead, he held it in mid-air.

She stared at the duck meat on her chopsticks and said calmly, "Have you heard the story of Li Ji slaying the snake?"

Leng Xue subconsciously shook his head, his gaze fixed on You Mingjiang.

You Mingjiang spoke softly: "① First, use honey-coated rice as bait to lure the giant snake out of its hole. Once the giant snake appears, use fierce hunting dogs to bite its head tightly. While the giant snake is restrained, Li Ji seizes the opportunity, swings his sword and cuts off the snake's head, ridding the people of a great scourge."

Leng Xue felt there was a deeper meaning in her words, and pondered them repeatedly in his mind, unconsciously muttering to himself: "Honey-coated rice, luring the snake out of its hole, dog..."

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"Don't rush, think about it slowly. Good and evil will eventually be rewarded, it's just a matter of sooner or later. That scoundrel will get what he deserves sooner or later."

After saying that, You Mingjiang picked up a piece of duck wing, slowly put it in his mouth and chewed it carefully.

He still keenly caught the fleeting murderous intent in her eyes. Leng Xue shivered inexplicably, a chill running up his spine from the soles of his feet, and goosebumps rose all over his body.

He grew up in the mountains and forests, spending a long time with wild animals, and developed an almost instinctive, wild animal-like vigilance against danger.

For some reason, the word "retribution" she uttered carried a chilling undertone, completely different from what those unfortunate people usually murmured, making him feel inexplicably uneasy.

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Seeing that he was still in a daze, You Mingjiang put a piece of wild duck meat on his chopsticks and said in a light tone, "Eat meat, little wolf cub."

Leng Xue was somewhat flattered, but her words were still echoing in his mind. He looked at the duck meat in his bowl, chewing it without tasting it, his mind a jumble, feeling that the word "dog" that You Mingjiang had mentioned seemed to have a deeper meaning.

You Mingjiang picked up another piece of fish with his chopsticks and put it in his bowl, teasingly saying, "You're daydreaming again, you little wolf cub."

Leng Xue was slightly taken aback, but his anxiety eased considerably, and he didn't even care about the nickname she had given him: "Thank you, Xiao Ming."

You Mingjiang said, "I called you little wolf cub, aren't you angry?"

Leng Xue raised his head, a smile in his eyes: "Don't be angry. Let Xiao Ming call me whatever he wants."

You Mingjiang raised an eyebrow, her voice rising slightly at the end: "Oh."

Leng Xue turned his head away somewhat awkwardly, picked up a piece of duck meat, and slowly put it into his mouth.

He lowered his eyes slightly and said softly, "Whatever makes you happy. Anyway... I don't mind."

You Mingjiang lowered her head, a subtle, enigmatic smile creeping onto her lips.

After a brief silence, she suddenly raised her head, looked tenderly at Leng Xue, and asked softly, "...You think that everything I just said to you makes perfect sense, right?"

Leng Xue felt his heart pounding uncontrollably, as if a fawn was running rampant inside him.

He opened his mouth slightly, but couldn't speak for a long time. After finally calming himself down, he managed to squeeze out a single word: "...Yes."

"Then shouldn't you offer me a bowl of wine? To thank me for my patient guidance?" You Mingjiang's eyes flickered as she glanced at his wine bowl.

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Cold-blooded face turned bright red.

Her words were like feathers, gently tickling his heart.

In his mind, You Mingjiang was a fox spirit who had become a demon, with so many tricks up her sleeve that she couldn't count them all.

Who knows when she might pretend the earthworm is a noodle and trick him into eating it.

Unfortunately, she was also a very beautiful fox.

Cold-blooded hands were trembling, but they still filled each other's bowls with wine: "Okay, I'll toast Xiaoming."

He raised his hand, picked up the wine bowl, took a small sip, and while putting the bowl down, stole a glance in You Mingjiang's direction.

You Mingjiang happened to be holding a wine bowl as well. Seeing him only taking a small sip, she immediately wrinkled her nose. She smiled and said, "Drinking so little doesn't show any sincerity!"

Leng Xue felt a surge of heat rush to his head. In a moment of madness, without saying a word, he picked up the bowl, tilted his head back, and drank it all down in the blink of an eye, not a drop left.

You Mingjiang smiled and said, "After three cups, I feel like I have divine assistance, solving cases is as easy as taking candy from a baby. You toasted me just now, so naturally I have to return the favor. Would you like to drink this bowl of wine?"

Leng Xue inwardly groaned, but there was nothing he could do. He gritted his teeth, picked up the wine bowl, and drank two more bowls in a row.

He was convinced that You Mingjiang was deliberately teasing him again. When he put down his wine bowl, he looked up at her, his eyes unconsciously filled with a hint of resentment, like a wronged puppy.

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You Mingjiang then stopped urging him to drink.

She gently lifted her wrist, picked up a piece of duck meat with her chopsticks, and placed it softly in his bowl, saying softly, "Eat more."

That bit of resentment vanished instantly, replaced by an overwhelming joy.

His fingertips trembled slightly as he picked up a piece of duck gizzard and placed it in her bowl, saying with a somewhat unnatural expression, "Xiaoming, you should eat more too."

Yu Mingjiang reacted quickly, extending her chopsticks to gently block the way, her brows furrowing slightly as she said, "Don't grab things randomly."

Leng Xue shuddered, his arm freezing in mid-air, his chopsticks still holding the piece of duck gizzard. After a moment, he awkwardly withdrew his hand, put the duck gizzard into his bowl, lowered his head, and silently picked at the piece of duck gizzard, feeling extremely annoyed.

"I'm sorry, I was being presumptuous. I just wanted to..."

You Mingjiang took a sip of wine, speaking slowly and leisurely: "I don't like duck gizzards, but the duck breast is tender and flavorful, just to my liking."

Upon hearing this, Leng Xue's eyes suddenly lit up, and as if presenting a treasure, he hurriedly put the duck breast into her bowl, saying, "Here you go."

You Mingjiang said with a half-smile, "Why are you trying to please me?"

When his secret was exposed, Leng Xue froze abruptly, and a blush instantly spread from his neck to the tips of his ears.

He opened his mouth, but something seemed to choke him, and he stammered, "I...I didn't mean that, I just...I just thought you liked it, so I wanted to give it to you."

He had never been good at dealing with girls, and would get incredibly nervous whenever he encountered one. But You Mingjiang looked at him with a beaming smile, and effortlessly, she completely threw him off balance.

He tried to hide those inexplicable thoughts, but the more he tried, the less he could hide them.

All the things he desperately wanted to hide in his heart were revealed without reservation in his evasive yet burning gaze.

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"Alright, little green-eyed puppy." You Mingjiang took a sip of wine and interrupted Leng Xue, who was still frantically explaining.

“…A puppy?” Leng Xue was slightly taken aback.

He didn't react for a moment, his incoherent words still echoing in his mind. When he realized she was joking, a secret joy inexplicably welled up in his heart.

"You're teasing me again." He tried to be serious, putting on a stern face and trying to appear dignified, but his bright red ears betrayed him. "I'm not some little dog."

You Mingjiang couldn't help but burst into laughter.

She laughed as she spoke, her eyes curving into crescents, her tone full of teasing: "Alright, alright, you're not a puppy, you're a little wolf."

"Why is it a wolf again..." Leng Xue muttered, looking down. When he looked up and saw her smile, he froze, his heart racing. "But being a wolf isn't so bad."

You Mingjiang drawled out the last syllable, a hint of provocation in his eyes: "...Being a wolf is good? Not necessarily."

"Hmm?" He looked at You Mingjiang with a puzzled expression.

“I’m quite good at hunting,” You Mingjiang said, blinking and boasting half-truthfully. “I used to hunt wolves bare-handed on Jingyang Ridge.”

The cold-blooded chopsticks hung in mid-air.

He looked up at You Mingjiang, his emerald eyes seeming to flicker with flames. As the alcohol took effect, his courage grew, and he asked softly, almost unconsciously, "Then... can Xiaoming hunt my wolf?"

As soon as he said it, he was shocked, but there was no going back. He could only look at You Mingjiang with trepidation.

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You Mingjiang lowered his head, put down the wine bowl, and slowly wiped the chopsticks before suddenly making a move without warning.

Two dragons vying for a pearl, aimed straight at Leng Xue's face.

Leng Xue's eyes narrowed, and he swiftly raised his chopsticks to block her attack. He hadn't expected her to be so fast. His expression turned serious. "I'm not an easy prey."

Although he held back some of his strength, his movements were extremely swift. He then flipped his wrist and attacked You Mingjiang instead, saying, "Excuse me!"

You Mingjiang easily thwarted his attack.

She deftly used her own chopsticks to push his chopsticks aside.

Leng Xue suddenly changed his move, the chopsticks darting towards her wrist like a nimble snake. You Mingjiang reacted extremely quickly, flipping her wrist and striking the back of his hand with a "snap" of the chopsticks.

Taking advantage of his unsteady grip on the chopsticks, which exposed a weakness, the tip of the chopsticks was placed directly on the Laogong acupoint in his palm. With a slight slip, it could then be used to attack the Shaoshang acupoint.

Leng Xue was secretly amazed by You Mingjiang's wrist strength, but did not continue to retaliate and slowly put down his chopsticks.

If he were to use a sword, he would always fight with all his might, so no matter how strong his opponent was, he would eventually defeat them.

But this is just a contest using chopsticks.

Leng Xue deliberately ignored the fact that he had just used swordsmanship in the contest, and frankly said, "I admit defeat."

You Mingjiang leaned closer to Leng Xue, deliberately drawing out his words, half-jokingly and half-seriously saying, "Back then, I killed that old wolf but didn't get to eat a single bite of its meat. That regret has been weighing on my mind for a long time. Now... with this little wolf cub, I'd better make it up to him."

...Make amends?

Leng Xue was somewhat confused.

Suddenly, You Mingjiang grabbed his arm, bent down and bit him hard. He groaned in pain, "Ouch!"

"Xiao Ming," Leng Xue tried to pull his arm away, but You Mingjiang held on tightly, "Let go!"

“Wolf meat!” You Mingjiang said, his words slurred.

Leng Xue gasped in pain, but seeing You Mingjiang's smug look, he felt both angry and amused.

The muscles in his arm were tense, and he instinctively wanted to break free, but he was afraid of hurting her, so he could only endure the pain and soften his tone to persuade her: "Xiaoming, stop making a fuss, it really hurts!"

You Mingjiang seemed to have had enough fun and slowly let go.

She then added, "Little wolf cub, howl like a wolf twice."

As he rubbed the teeth marks on his arm, Leng Xue thought to himself: No matter what, he wasn't a real wolf...

After hesitating for a long time, he still let out a soft "woof," as if afraid that others would hear it.

"Is this alright now?"

As soon as he finished speaking, his ears turned bright red, and he unconsciously lowered his head a few degrees, not daring to look at You Mingjiang's expression.

Unexpectedly, You Mingjiang showed no mercy and immediately wrinkled her nose, accusing him: "You spineless little wolf cub."

The blush that Leng Xue had finally managed to fade returned, this time spreading from her cheeks all the way down her neck, and even her ears were burning hot.

He was somewhat embarrassed and angry, and stubbornly retorted, "Xiao Ming, what are you saying? I... I was just imitating a wolf howl at your request."

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"Alright, alright, I'll let you off the hook then."

You Mingjiang lowered his eyes and gave a perfunctory reply, but in his heart he was thinking: How can someone who fights so hard with his swordsmanship have such a gentle personality? Is he just pretending in front of me?

Leng Xue secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

His tense shoulders relaxed slightly as he picked up the wine bowl and took a sip.

The liquor slid down his throat, and the spicy taste instantly spread in his mouth. Only then did he belatedly realize that he had drunk alcohol, and he couldn't help but frown slightly.

Leng Xue took a deep breath and finally mustered the courage to speak: "Xiao Ming, are you... are you always like this?"

You Mingjiang coughed lightly, his eyes unconsciously shifting away to look elsewhere, and replied nonchalantly, "What kind of question is that? I don't have rabies."

"I mean, you treat other people the same way you treat me..." Leng Xue racked his brains but couldn't find the right words to describe it, so he could only vaguely say, "Special?"

You Mingjiang said slyly, "In this world, everyone is unique."

Leng Xue's heart skipped a beat, and a sense of loss welled up inside him, but he was still unwilling to be brushed off like this, so he pressed on, "Then... how am I different from them?"

“Of course.” You Mingjiang nodded gently.

A glint flashed in Leng Xue's eyes, and he unconsciously sat up straighter. But then he heard You Mingjiang tease him, "You're a little wolf cub, you can howl like a wolf."

Upon hearing these words, Leng Xue felt as if he had been doused with cold water, and a sense of loss overwhelmed him like a tidal wave.

Leng Xue was filled with disappointment, but he forced himself to cheer up and asked, almost as if possessed, "Then... does Xiao Ming like wolves?"

You Mingjiang deliberately went against the grain, counting on her fingers: "I don't like it. However, wolf meat is delicious, wolf skin can be used to make clothes, wolf hair can be used to make brushes, and wolf bones can be soaked to make wine..."

Leng Xue was stunned and said, "Xiao Ming, are you trying to wipe out all the wolves? Aren't you afraid the wolf clan will seek revenge?"

You Mingjiang smiled slightly.

She suddenly reached out and grabbed the back of his neck, her fingers gently stroking it, and said triumphantly, "The wolf cubs are in my hands, so I'm naturally in control. When the time comes, I'll use the cubs to command the pack, what can they do to me?"

Leng Xue's body stiffened abruptly, and he awkwardly shrank his neck, gently pulling his hand away from hers.

"Xiaoming, stop teasing me like this." He hurriedly picked up his bowl and chopsticks, his head almost buried in the bowl, his voice unconsciously lowering, "I...I'm afraid I won't be able to hold back..."

You Mingjiang was taken aback: "Couldn't help it?"

Cold-blooded's head sank even lower, his cheeks as red as ripe tomatoes, as he mumbled indistinctly, "I couldn't help but think of Xiaoming as a real hunter..."

After saying that, as if afraid that You Mingjiang would continue to ask questions, he quickly picked up a piece of meat and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing as he changed the subject: "...This duck meat tastes really good."

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Author's Note: [Good Luck Lianlian] Cold Jokes: From the Internet @The Bottom of the Box Cold Jokes.

[Good Luck Lianlian] Quoting the story "Li Ji Slays the Serpent": From *In Search of the Supernatural*, written by Gan Bao of the Eastern Jin Dynasty.

[Good Luck Lianlian] Quoting the following line from the poem: "Good and evil will eventually be rewarded, it's just a matter of sooner or later" in Feng Menglong's "Stories to Awaken the World: Zhang Tingxiu Escapes to Save His Father" from the Ming Dynasty: "Good and evil will eventually be rewarded, it's just a matter of sooner or later."

[Dog head emoji] Ming Jiang harbors some ill will towards Leng Xue's official status. There is a potential conflict of interest between the two in the dangerous city. Deep down, she does not trust Leng Xue. However, Leng Xue is indeed obedient and useful. So she tests Leng Xue's bottom line again and again, deliberately getting him drunk to extract information, to see if Leng Xue is relatively "safe". Now she has almost figured him out.

[Let me see] Thank you, little angel, for the nutrient solution: [Heart] "Quietly" watered the nutrient solution +1 [Heart]