Fortunately, the newspaper staff reacted quickly. They understood what Jing Zhe meant as soon as he mentioned it, and they gave him a round of flattering welcomes. Xiong San, in particular, said that this was a "carefully rehearsed little show" to demonstrate the newspaper's strictness to the Holy Maiden Yueyao.
Everyone knows the truth, and no one is interested in pursuing it.
Subsequently, at Jing Zhe's instruction, the members dispersed in a hurry, while Jing Zhe led Murong Xi and Chu Xia on a tour of the newspaper office, explaining in detail how the newspaper was edited, printed, and distributed.
Since it concerned the future of Yueyao Kingdom, Murong Xi dared not be negligent. Her previous displeasure vanished, and she listened carefully to Jing Zhe's explanation, occasionally asking her own questions and offering her own insights, much like a primary school student who loved learning.
Time flies when it comes to anything related to studying; before you know it, the moon is already high in the sky.
The first night after the first snowfall finally cleared up.
"Your Majesty, shall we conclude our lesson here for today?"
Although it was getting dark, the newspaper office was still bustling with activity as they worked overtime to prepare the last issue of the year-end newspaper, so Murong Xi didn't even realize how late it was.
After listening to Jing Zhe's words, he glanced outside and was somewhat surprised.
"It's so late already?"
"Yes, before we know it, another day has passed."
Seeing that Murong Xi's attention was completely drawn to the newspaper, Jing Zhe breathed a sigh of relief: "Our newspaper will be busy for a few more days. Let's go back and rest today, and come back tomorrow!"
Murong Xi glanced at him and said indifferently, "Alright."
So the three of them walked out of the newspaper office.
...
Because of the snowfall and the large, bright moon tonight, the streets are not dark even at night.
The snow on the main street had long been cleared away, and vendors came out to set up their stalls one after another. Although it was very cold, Jingzhou City had returned to its previous liveliness. With only a few days left until New Year's Eve, the festive atmosphere was getting stronger and stronger.
The street was bustling, but the atmosphere between the three was somewhat subtle. Murong Xi didn't speak, Jing Zhe didn't speak either, and Chu Xia, sandwiched between the two, didn't dare to speak at all.
Taking small steps forward, the more she walked, the more awkward it became. Chu Xia finally couldn't stand it anymore. Her eyes darted around, and she pointed at the vendors and pedestrians on the street: "Your Majesty, back in Yueyao Kingdom, didn't you especially want to go out of the palace at night, stroll around the streets, and experience the lives of ordinary people?"
Murong Xi nodded slightly without saying a word.
"When we first arrived in Liangzhou a while ago, the Empress told me she wanted to see the streets of Liangzhou, but unfortunately, we were too busy in Liangzhou and never had the chance. Now that we're in Jingzhou, the night view on the streets is much better than anywhere else. Why don't we take a stroll around here instead of rushing back?"
Chu Xia made the suggestion with a smile.
Murong Xi thought for a moment, glanced at Jing Zhe with a look of eager anticipation in her eyes, then nodded and said, "Okay."
The three of them strolled along the street, stopping frequently. Everything here seemed new and exciting to Murong Xi, who kept looking around and asking questions. Chu Xia was no better at it, so whenever Murong Xi asked a question, Chu Xia would tilt her head toward Jing Zhe.
Therefore, Jing Zhe acted as a tour guide. Whenever Murong Xi asked Chu Xia a question, he would patiently explain. On the surface, he was explaining for Chu Xia, but in reality, he was explaining for Murong Xi.
Such a heartwarming scene, I really don't want to interfere in early summer.
A short while later, Chu Xia suddenly clutched her stomach, frowned, and said, "Your Majesty, my stomach is a little uncomfortable..."
"What happened? Are you alright?"
"Go back... and everything will be fine..."
Chu Xia's face was slightly flushed, and the two men naturally assumed that she had diarrhea, but because Jing Zhe was there, she was too embarrassed to say anything.
"In that case, let's go back!"
"Need not!"
Chu Xia quickly waved her hand: "Your Majesty, I haven't finished shopping yet! You all continue shopping, I'm going back for a bit, my stomachache will be gone soon, and I'll be right back!"
After saying that, without waiting for Murong Xi's reaction, she clutched her stomach and ran away as fast as she could.
Looking at Chu Xia's retreating figure, Jing Zhe seemed lost in thought.
After she left, the atmosphere between the two became awkward again.
Although he still traveled at a leisurely pace, when Murong Xi encountered something he didn't understand, he would only frown and purse his lips, and would no longer ask questions.
However, Jing Zhe noticed a pattern: whenever she frowned slightly, he would go over and explain.
Whenever this happened, in a corner where Jing Zhe couldn't see, Murong Xi's lips would quickly curl up, her smile incredibly bright, but it would vanish in an instant.
Because it was almost Chinese New Year, the streets did not become deserted as night fell; instead, they became increasingly lively, with throngs of pedestrians and crowds. Sometimes, Murong Xi would be jostled and knocked over by the throngs of people.
Jing Zhe reacted quickly, rushing over to support her and then shielding her from being bumped by others.
Murong Xi was a little nervous at first. Although she was looking forward to it, she felt that it would be too embarrassing to suddenly get close to Jing Zhe because of the cold war between them.
But the reality exceeded her expectations.
As the night wore on, more and more pedestrians came to the street. Even though Jing Zhe was protecting her from the front, he couldn't stop the crowd behind Murong Xi from getting too crowded. So she was constantly being pushed toward Jing Zhe. Suddenly, she let out a soft "ah" and tripped over something, falling against Jing Zhe's back.
Instinctively, she put her arm around Jing Zhe's waist.
"this…"
Seeing Jing Zhe turn around, Murong Xi's eyes darted away, and her cheeks flushed slightly: "There are...too many people..."
"Yes, there are too many people."
A glance at the alluring Murong Xi, coupled with the captivating snowy night scene, easily stirred impulses and excitement.
As Jing Zhe spoke, he reached out and grabbed Murong Xi's arm. Murong Xi was clearly startled by him, her mouth slightly open, looking somewhat at a loss. Jing Zhe then tightened his grip, and the next moment, Murong Xi fell into his arms.
"There are too many people, so we can't get a seat."
Perhaps to explain to Murong Xi, or perhaps to explain to himself, Jing Zhe said to himself.
"..."
Murong Xi dared not speak, her heart filled with mixed emotions.
She felt that because of all the previous rejections, she should push him away, but she couldn't muster any strength in her hands. In the end, she could only silently give in: I didn't want this either...
And so, on the streets of Jingzhou at night, there was one more young couple, leaning on each other, walking lightly and slowly through the crowded streets.
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