It was around 5 pm when the sky began to darken, and the scent of delicious dishes could be smelled from the kitchen in the army barracks.
Pei Qianhao and Su Xi-er sat on the chairs beside the table as they waited for Ning Lianchen and Liu Yinyin to return.
“A-Jing, you should probably have someone go out and search for them.” Concern plagued Su Xi-er’s countenance.
They only went out for a quick stroll; why aren’t they back yet?
It was at this moment that Ning Lianchen and Liu Yinyin entered the army tent, the atmosphere between them strangely taciturn. Liu Yinyin even had her head lowered, her face a fiery shade of red.
“Lianchen, what’s wrong with Yinyin?” Su Xi-er couldn’t help but ask.
Before Ning Lianchen could reply, Liu Yinyin’s frantic expression belied her panic as she hastily waved her hand. “Nothing much. I had a very happy time playing today. Fairy Elder Sister, let’s eat.” She then skipped to the table and sat beside Su Xi-er.
Liu Yinyin reached out to pick some food, but Su Xi-er ended up helping her grab the ones she wanted since her arms were too short. “Just let me know what you want to eat and I’ll get it for you.”
“Fairy Elder Sister, you’re so nice.” Liu Yinyin’s face was all smiles as she held her chopsticks and began cheerfully digging in.
Ning Lianchen sat down beside Liu Yinyin, and couldn’t help but speak up when he saw how quickly she was eating. “Eat slowly; no one will fight with you.”
Why is this lass such a glutton? She ate so much the whole afternoon, yet she’s still wolfing down her food in such huge mouthfuls right now.
Liu Yinyin chewed on the green vegetables as she replied, “It’s precisely because no one is fighting with me that I’m eating like this. If someone were to steal from me, I wouldn’t be in the mood to eat.”
Her words reminded Ning Lianchen of what she had told him this afternoon, and his eyes involuntarily dimmed.
Sensing that something was amiss, Su Xi-er immediately interjected, “Everyone, let’s eat. I have been starving while waiting for you and Yinyin to come back.”
As soon as Pei Qianhao heard that she had been starving, he deftly set a few dishes onto her plate.
The four of them continued to partake of their meals, and the atmosphere gradually warmed up. Afterwards, Pei Qianhao and Ning Lianchen entered one of the private tents to discuss military strategies, while Su Xi-er stayed behind to accompany Liu Yinyin.
Inside the army tent, Su Xi-er poured a cup of water for Liu Yinyin. “Yinyin, what did you do today?”
“Elder Brother Lianchen took me to the capital to view the Sugar People and Ring Toss. After that, we went to the mountains to admire the flowers. Despite it being such a cold day, there were still many small wild flowers in the mountains.” Liu Yinyin kept chatting in a cheery manner.
Only when she was halfway through her story did she suddenly pause. She appeared to have recalled something, and her face immediately lit up in a blush.
Su Xi-er noticed that Liu Yinyin’s face now looked the same as it had when the latter had entered the tent and asked, “Yinyin, what’s the matter?”
Liu Yinyin repeatedly shook her head. “Nothing much. Fairy Elder Sister, let’s wash up so that we can retire early.”
It’s so obvious that she doesn’t want to answer me. Su Xi-er didn’t pursue the matter any further and nodded. “I’ll go and bring the hot water. Wait here.” She then walked out of the army tent.
Watching her departing figure, Liu Yinyin raised her hand and gently patted her cheeks. Elder Brother Lianchen and I inadvertently stumbled across a man and woman who were entangled with each other in the mountains. Before I could get a closer look, he had already covered my eyes and forcefully dragged me away.
But I am unable to forget the words the man said. “You torment people so much. You said you didn’t want it, but you really do.”
She didn’t understand what the two people were doing, but for some reason, her face had blushed when she heard the moans from the man and woman. She also subconsciously told herself that she wouldn’t inform anyone about this matter.
