Chapter 54 Do You Like Me? She pointed at Qi Yu, then at...
"General Qi, why are you in such a good mood today?"
Liu Yeshu watched Qi Yu stride out of the mansion, his robes fluttering in the wind, his demeanor dignified. Qi Yu walked to the horse, leaped onto it with a deft movement, and gently tugged at the reins.
Liu Yeshu, on the other hand, was leading a Ferghana horse, both standing obediently by the side. Seeing Butler Zhao's flustered expression, she had assumed something important was going on. Unexpectedly, upon reaching the stables, Qi Yu simply inquired about the New Year's Eve dinner menu before immediately saying he wanted to take her hunting.
Qi Yu turned his head to look at Liu Yeshu, his lips curled up slightly. "Today's weather is clear and sunny, perfect for hunting. You're feeling better now, so you shouldn't be stuck in the kitchen all day. Since you can ride a horse, why don't we go out and stretch our legs together?"
Although she'd heard the general was taking his men out hunting, she'd never been on one. Seeing Qi Yu already on his horse, Liu Yeshu gave up the urge to saddle up the Ferghana horse. She gripped the reins tightly, gave a slight push, and the horse immediately broke into a brisk pace.
"Hunting is not fighting, there is no need to be so nervous." Qi Yu rode his horse in front, but when he looked back, he saw Liu Yeshu's thoughtful and tense expression, and he couldn't help but chuckled softly.
Liu Yeshu exhaled and slowly relaxed her body. Following Qi Yu's guidance, the horse gradually adapted to her movements and its speed gradually stabilized. The two of them, one in front and one behind, galloped towards the woods outside the city.
Horse hooves clattered lightly on the snow, and the air was filled with a chill and a faint scent of pine. The mountains and forests outside Ning'an County were covered in white snow, and the winter scenery was particularly vast and magnificent. In the distance, wild rabbits could be seen leaping in the snow, or deer lurking in the bushes.
"Do you have any goals for hunting today?" Qi Yu turned his horse back and asked jokingly.
Liu Yeshu pursed her lips and said, "General, I'm just here to join in the fun. I don't have any particular goal."
Qi Yu smiled when he heard this: "Since I brought you out today, I will not let you return empty-handed." As he spoke, he raised the longbow in his hand, swept his eyes across the woods, and then patted the horse under him, and the horse immediately moved forward in his direction.
Liu Yeshu followed his example, gently pulling on the reins and following behind Qi Yu. The snow in the forest had not yet melted, and the snowflakes were kicked up by the horses' hooves. As the two rode on, the only sounds were the whistling wind and the gentle clatter of horses' hooves.
Not far away, a gray hare suddenly leaped from the bushes and scurried forward. Qi Yu's eyes flashed, and he immediately drew his bow and arrow. With lightning speed, the long arrow pierced the wind and flew out, carrying a sharp gust of wind, chasing the hare. The arrow sliced through the air and hit its target accurately. The hare fell to the ground and disappeared into the snow.
Liu Yeshu tugged at the reins and spurred his horse forward. Qi Yu had already dismounted and walked over to the hare. He lifted it up and brushed off the snow. He looked up at Liu Yeshu and said, "That wasn't too difficult, was it?"
Liu Yeshu rushed to his side and said with a smile: "General, your archery skills are indeed superb."
"You can try it today." Qi Yu said, walking to her side and handing the bow to her. "Don't be nervous. Hold your breath when aiming, relax your arms, and move quickly, accurately and ruthlessly. Remember, hesitation is your biggest enemy."
Liu Yeshu took the longbow with a touch of trepidation. After all, she had never shot an arrow before. If anything similar, she'd only ever played with a slingshot made by her younger brother Liu. Meeting Qi Yu's stern gaze, she felt a surge of strength. She took a deep breath, recalling Qi Yu's actions, holding her breath and concentrating, her hands firmly gripping the bowstring.
“Don’t hold the bow too tightly; your strength should be concentrated in your string-holding hand.”
In the distance, another deer leaped through the trees. Liu Yeshu's gaze fixed, and he drew his longbow, his gaze fixed on the deer. His heartbeat quickened, and he released his finger, releasing the arrow, which flew through the air in a graceful arc. The arrow grazed the deer's back, sending a few pieces of fur flying, but ultimately missed its target.
"Not bad!" Qi Yu praised generously, and added, "You need to use your peripheral vision to sense the alignment between the arrow tip and the target. The target is in your heart, not your eyes. You stared at the arrow tip for too long just now, and your hand is shaking."
Liu Yeshu's face was filled with shame, and her hand that was pulling the bow was still shaking. She could only smile and say, "I am a dull girl, and it is difficult for me to grasp the right measure here."
Qi Yu strode up behind her and leaned in gently, his warm breath brushing against her ear. Without saying much, he naturally placed his hand over her bow-holding hand, his fingertips gently adjusting her posture.
"Use the tree in front as your target."
Liu Yeshu felt a slight warmth spreading from the distance he was close to her to her whole body. Although the winter wind was still biting, a thin layer of sweat appeared on her palms.
"Relax, don't be nervous." Qi Yu's voice was low and soft, and seemed to carry a soothing force. His hand held her arm firmly, and he applied a little force to make her posture more stable.
Liu Yeshu forced herself to concentrate and not pay too much attention to the temperature and close distance behind her, but her heartbeat seemed to be about to jump out of her chest and her thoughts were a little erratic.
"Don't focus all your attention on the arrow. Trust your feelings." Qi Yu whispered, his fingers gently straightening her wrist. "This way, the force will be more even, and the arrow will be shot more steadily."
Liu Yeshu tried hard to follow his instructions, but Qi Yu's breathing was right beside her ear, too close for her to ignore. She bit her lip and secretly warned herself: Focus, don't be distracted.
"Now, hold your breath and release the arrow."
Liu Yeshu followed his instructions and gently released the bowstring. The arrow flew out instantly and stuck firmly in the center of the tree trunk. She turned to Qi Yu with a guilty smile and said, "It's done!"
"This bow is too heavy for you." Qi Yu loosened his grip and took a step back. The warmth behind him suddenly vanished, and the bow suddenly became much heavier. Liu Yeshu lowered her head, unsure if she had truly mastered it.
Qi Yu looked at Liu Yeshu and said, "You are too thin. You need to eat more in the future so that you can hold the bow more steadily."
Didn't he make a lot of money after opening the restaurant? Where did he spend it? Qi Yu wondered secretly.
Liu Yeshu nodded. Winter had arrived, and Widow Wang had complained of cold hands and feet the other day. She really should redeem some health-boosting medicine from the system. She already had over ten thousand points, but she was always reluctant to use them, fearing she'd run into another emergency and not have enough points left.
The two continued on their way, passing through the forest path. Sunlight filtered through the treetops onto the snow, casting dappled shadows. By noon, they had hunted some rabbits and birds. Qi Yu seemed quite excited, but he rode along behind Liu Yeshu and rarely took action. Most of the kills were taken by Liu Yeshu.
Liu Yeshu gazed at her prey behind her, a sense of accomplishment rising within her. Qi Yu rode ahead, slowly leading her back to the city. The sun shone on them, casting a golden glow on their silhouettes. The distant mountains loomed in the light, like a delicate ink painting slowly unfolding. They rode side by side, silent for a moment, but not awkwardly. The cold wind mingled with the delicate fragrance of pine and cypress, and the horses' hooves made a soft crunching sound on the snow.
Suddenly, Qi Yu broke the silence and asked, "What's the horse's name?"
This sudden question made Liu Yeshu unable to react for a moment. She replied with a slightly confused look: "What?"
Qi Yu turned around, a hint of teasing in his eyes, and patiently explained: "I was quite good at naming camels before, but don't horses have names?"
Upon hearing this, Liu Yeshu's cheeks suddenly felt slightly hot, a faint blush creeping up her face. She lowered her head and replied softly, "I haven't thought it through yet. Please, General, give me a name."
Qi Yu smiled and said, "I won't give you a name." Before he finished speaking, he shouted "Go!" and the steed beneath him instantly accelerated, charging off like an arrow from a bow. His figure quickly disappeared along the winding forest path ahead, leaving only the crisp sound of horse hooves echoing in the silent forest. Liu Yeshu stared at his receding figure, momentarily stunned.
Recovering from her thoughts, Liu Yeshu gently patted the horse's neck and said with a soft smile, "We can't fall behind. Let's go." With her gentle call, the Ferghana horse, as if understanding its master's intention, leaped into the air and galloped forward at full speed. Liu Yeshu's figure flickered in the forest, gradually blending into the vast mountains and rivers in the distance.
*
On New Year's Eve, the General's Mansion was filled with the festive atmosphere. The courtyard was blanketed in white, snowflakes gently falling, covering the courtyard with a blanket of pure white. Red lanterns under the eaves swayed gently in the breeze. Liu Yeshu, after a long day of hard work, finally prepared the New Year's Eve dinner. The kitchen was steaming, flames dancing and licking the bottom of the pot. A large pot of rich bone broth simmered on the stove, steam curling in the air, its aroma filling the room and wafting through the doors and windows into the courtyard.
After Chun Xing finished cooking the big pot of rice, she and Chun Tao were cleaning the yard. One of the sisters held a broom, the other a dustpan, and they skillfully piled the fallen leaves and snow in the yard to the side.
"There is more snow this year than in previous years. We couldn't finish it even after sweeping it for several days." Chuntao said with a smile, rubbing her red ears with her hands.
"Yes, we just finished sweeping it yesterday, and it rained all night, so the floor is all over again." Chun Xing glanced back at the kitchen and couldn't help but say, "Miss Liu is still busy, we have to finish cleaning up quickly and help her."
Yuanbao darted out from the corner, nimbly jumped onto the pile of cleared snow, stretched out his body, and lazily lay down, as if he were the most comfortable master in the general's mansion. He squinted his eyes and yawned, seemingly not noticing the two sisters' cleaning work at all, but instead leisurely enjoying his rare leisure time.
"Yuanbao, you just know how to be lazy!" Chuntao couldn't help laughing when she saw Yuanbao's look. She raised her broom and patted the snow pile, pretending to hit it. "Stop making trouble here, the snow needs to be swept away!"
Yuanbao looked up at Chuntao lazily, wagged his tail, but still lay motionless on the snow pile.
"Miss Liu loves it so much, she just lets it act like a spoiled child," Chun Xing said, shaking her head helplessly. Seeing that Yuanbao was unwilling to move, Chun Xing had no choice but to squat down and gently scratch the orange hair on its round head with her hands: "Yuanbao, it's New Year's Eve, shouldn't you be more sensible? Tonight is the New Year's Eve dinner, at least give me some face." Yuanbao squinted his eyes and snored softly, obviously just wanting to enjoy being touched on the head, and turned a deaf ear to the persuasion.
After Liu Yeshu finished preparing the last dish, she called out from the kitchen, "Chun Xing, Chun Tao, don't forget to prepare something delicious for Yuan Bao later. He's essential for the New Year's Eve dinner!"
Chun Tao stamped her feet in anger, pointed at it with a broom and said, "Did you hear that? You have a share tonight too, so hurry up and get up!"
Yuanbao then lazily stood up, flicked his tail gracefully, and walked slowly towards the kitchen with small steps. Liu Yeshu squatted down and wrapped a red cotton scarf around his head.
Servants carried the dishes to the front hall. Liu Yeshu looked up, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and gazed with satisfaction at the New Year's Eve dinner already laid out on the table. A large platter of braised lion's head, crispy golden fried spring rolls, fragrant Dongpo pork, fragrant steamed fish, a few carefully prepared side dishes, and a pot of steaming hot glutinous rice balls... the table was overflowing with food.
Liu Yeshu was busy tidying up the dishes on the table when she heard light footsteps behind her. She turned and saw Qi Yu approaching from the hall, dressed in a black brocade robe embroidered with silver. His eyes were like ink beneath his thick, sword-like brows, his nose was high, and his features were sharply defined. Though his lips were slightly pursed, he didn't bear the solemn air of a battle-hardened warrior, but rather the elegance of a young master from an aristocratic family.
"General, the New Year's Eve dinner is ready, you may take your seat." Liu Yeshu said respectfully, then leaned over to serve Qi Yu.
However, Qi Yu waved his hand, signaling her not to be so reserved. He walked to the table, pulled out a chair, and said softly, "Miss Liu, there's no need to be so reserved. Come, sit down and have dinner with me."
Liu Yeshu was slightly taken aback when she heard this, a little unable to believe her ears. She looked up at Qi Yu, her usually stern eyes now revealing a hint of tenderness and anticipation. She hesitated for a moment, feeling a little uneasy. "How dare I sit at the same table with the general? This is not proper etiquette..." As she spoke, she turned to look at Butler Zhao beside her.
Butler Zhao stepped forward and said with a smile, "Since the general has spoken, Miss Liu does not need to refuse."
Liu Yeshu was still a little hesitant, but Qi Yu looked at her and then at the dining table, which meant "sit down". She couldn't refuse anymore, so she nodded slightly and slowly sat down at the table.
Seeing Liu Yeshu sitting down, Butler Zhao led the servants and maids to leave.
The two sat opposite each other and ate. The New Year's Eve dinner on the table was warm and rich, with a variety of colors, flavors and aromas. Qi Yu picked up a piece of lion's head, put it in his mouth and chewed it carefully, nodding and praising: "It tastes very good. You really put a lot of effort into this New Year's Eve dinner today."
Liu Yeshu smiled shyly and replied softly, "Thank you for the compliment, General. They are just some home-cooked dishes, not worth mentioning."
Qi Yu shook his head and continued, "The most difficult thing about home-cooked dishes is making them taste like home." He paused, "Your cooking skills are very similar to my mother's."
Liu Yeshu was stunned, the chopsticks in her hand trembled slightly, and she gently put them back on the table.
"General..." Liu Yeshu called softly, but she didn't know how to continue. She wanted to say something comforting, but she was afraid to touch the pain in his heart.
Qi Yu came back to his senses and noticed her hesitation. He shook his head and chuckled, "It's okay." His tone was calm, as if trying to hide the turmoil in his heart. Then, he put down his wine glass, and his eyes returned to their usual calmness and determination.
Thinking that Qi Yu was alone at the frontier and had no relatives to gather with during the New Year, Liu Yeshu felt sorry for him, but did not dare to show her sympathy for him. She had to keep picking up food for Qi Yu. After a while, the rice in front of Qi Yu's bowl had piled up into a small mountain.
Qi Yu wanted to stop, but he saw Liu Yeshu carefully and stubbornly pick up the tenderest piece of fish belly and place it on the top of the already trembling hill in the bowl. He had no choice but to pick up the wine glass and take a sip. Then he placed the wine glass in front of Liu Yeshu and raised his glass slightly to interrupt: "Today is New Year's Eve. How about drinking a glass with me?"
Liu Yeshu stared at the wine glass in surprise. The aroma of wine and the hot steam seemed to dispel the winter chill.
"Why, are you afraid that I'll poison you?"
Snowflakes drifted quietly outside the window, and the fiery red lanterns swayed gently in the wind. Their wine glasses clinked gently, making a crisp sound. Liu Yeshu took a sip of the wine. The wine was slightly spicy with a hint of sweetness. It was good wine. After drinking it, her body felt warm. She clasped the fingertips of her right hand with her left hand, and they were actually warm.
"General Qi," In the candlelight, Liu Yeshu's skin was like the finest mutton-fat jade, emitting a soft luster. After drinking a few glasses of wine, the aftereffects came to her head, and her face was slightly flushed, and her eyes were as bright as a pool of autumn water.
She pointed at Qi Yu, then at herself, "Do you like me?"
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