“Someday I’ll take you home.”…
“By the way,” Jiang Xunbai took out several boxes of pastries from his storage bag, “Brother, Miss Lu and I bought these today from the famous Sweet Lake House in the city. They’re quite delicious, so we specifically brought some back for you to try.”
Su Lingyao and Jiang Yijie’s attention was indeed captured by those boxes of pastries.
Lu Qingtang secretly breathed a sigh of relief—she was one step closer to successfully completing Task One.
That night, Lu Qingtang slept soundly. In the morning, after letting her maids dress her up, she left them all at the residence and secretly went with the main characters to Meeting Spring Temple.
Today, Lu Qingtang wore a sky-water-green dress paired with a hair ribbon of the same color. When she went out, she was surprised to discover that Jiang Xunbai was also wearing clothing of the same hue, though his was primarily white with sky-water-green as an accent.
Jiang Xunbai also visibly froze when he saw her, seemingly somewhat incredulous.
In contrast, Jiang Yijie and Su Lingyao chuckled merrily at the two who had “matched outfits.”
The sky was clear as if washed, the sunlight brilliant, warming everyone pleasantly. Though it was still early morning, the breeze already carried a faint hint of heat.
Lu Qingtang and Jiang Xunbai were left behind by the male and female leads. Dressed in matching colors and walking shoulder to shoulder, they could easily be mistaken for a couple at first glance.
Jiang Xunbai glanced at the affectionate male and female leads, then at the expressionless Lu Qingtang, and couldn’t help but remark, “Miss Lu isn’t afraid today?”
Meeting Jiang Xunbai’s gaze, Lu Qingtang knew he was still teasing her about yesterday’s excuse of being afraid of ghosts and not wanting to go. She replied indifferently, “Since Young Master Jiang was so enthusiastic in inviting me, how could I refuse you?”
Jiang Xunbai studied her, trying to detect any trace of aversion to Jiang Yijie and Su Lingyao’s intimacy in her eyes, but the reality disappointed him once again.
The Lu Qingtang before him seemed different from the infatuated, darkening female second lead in the novel. The Lu Qingtang in front of him showed little emotion in her eyes, yet she had clearly told him she liked his elder brother.
Was it that Lu Qingtang didn’t understand love, or was she deceiving him and didn’t actually like his brother at all?
As Jiang Xunbai pondered, he shifted his gaze to the two figures walking side by side not far away. He didn’t know what Jiang Yijie had said, but it made Su Lingyao’s eyes curve with laughter. The two of them seemed to share a natural barrier that no one else could penetrate.
Feigning sentiment, he remarked, “Brother and Su Lingyao are truly like fish and water—perfectly harmonious.”
Lu Qingtang almost let out a murmur of agreement, but in the next moment, her heart skipped a beat, and a wave of trepidation spread from within. When she regained her composure, she still felt unsettled—
Jiang Xunbai was testing her.
If he were merely expressing a casual observation, he wouldn’t be watching her so intently out of the corner of his eye, afraid of missing even the slightest reaction.
But why was he testing her? Was he afraid that her fondness for Jiang Yijie might harm them?
Assuming Jiang Xunbai was a devoted brother who wouldn’t allow anyone to interfere in Jiang Yijie and Su Lingyao’s relationship, why had he told her yesterday that going along would make Jiang Yijie appreciate her?
Or perhaps…
Lu Qingtang gave Jiang Xunbai a strange sidelong glance.
The only explanation was that Jiang Xunbai liked Su Lingyao.
Lu Qingtang shook her head again. Jiang Xunbai’s slightly disdainful tone from that day was still vivid in her memory: “Who would fall for their future sister-in-law?”
Then his motives remain questionable.
Jiang Xunbai waited for a long time but received no response from Lu Qingtang. Unable to resist, he turned sideways and glanced down at her, only to find her eyes drooping at the corners, devoid of their usual sparkle, presenting such an innocent and pitiful appearance that it made Jiang Xunbai’s heart tremble.
He began to feel some regret.
Why had he used those words to test Lu Qingtang’s attitude toward his elder brother? Seeing her despondent expression, the answer was obvious.
She did indeed admire his brother.
Jiang Xunbai awkwardly changed the subject: “How much further is it to Meeting Spring Temple?”
Seeing that he was no longer dwelling on the matter, Lu Qingtang knew he had already reached his conclusion. Whatever Jiang Xunbai’s reason for testing her, her performance shouldn’t have been too poor.
Before Lu Qingtang could respond, still hanging her head, Jiang Yijie suddenly turned around from ahead and answered: “Meeting Spring Temple is at the mountain peak—we still have to climb this mountain—Hey, A-Xun, have you been bullying Qing-Tang?”
Jiang Yijie glanced at the pitiful-looking Lu Qingtang and couldn’t help but ask.
“I didn’t—”
Before Jiang Xunbai could finish his rebuttal, Lu Qingtang’s delicate voice interrupted him: “This matter isn’t Second Young Master Jiang’s fault. It’s Tangtang’s mistake.”
Jiang Xunbai looked at Lu Qingtang, who was gazing at Jiang Yijie with tearful eyes, and sneered inwardly.
Sure enough, the next moment he heard Jiang Yijie gently scold: “A-Xun, don’t bully her.”
Jiang Xunbai couldn’t be bothered to explain and simply said, “Yes.”
He really shouldn’t have let his guard down. From the moment he first met Lu Qingtang, he knew she appeared soft like a persimmon but had hidden thorns. She clearly distinguished gratitude from grudges—if he dared test her with one sentence, she dared retaliate in other ways.
These past few days, Lu Qingtang had indeed treated him well, like a cat that had retracted its claws, but that was because he had been sincere with her during this time.
Hah, she really knows how to distinguish gratitude from grudges.
Seeing Lu Qingtang still looking like a pear blossom in the rain, with tears about to fall, Jiang Xunbai couldn’t resist leaning closer and softly laughing as he asked: “Has Miss Lu had enough of acting?”
Lu Qingtang raised her eyes to look at Jiang Xunbai, who then saw the tears in her eyes gradually disappear. Her cheeks revealed a pair of shallow dimples as she smiled cunningly and triumphantly: “Enough, enough.”
Jiang Xunbai finally couldn’t hold back a cold laugh: “Heh.”
Meeting Spring Temple was truly thriving with incense offerings. During their ascent, the group encountered many pilgrims, all heading to the temple at the mountain peak.
The endless, winding staircase stretching from the foot to the summit made Lu Qingtang’s calves feel weak.
Although her dancing training in her previous life had given her decent physical condition, she truly disliked exercise, especially climbing such a high mountain.
Noticing Lu Qingtang’s slightly furrowed brows, Jiang Xunbai bent slightly and asked with a smile: “Is Miss Lu giving up?”
“Who’s giving up? You’re the one giving up!”
After saying this, Lu Qingtang lifted her skirt and began ascending the steps.
Watching her angrily stomping away, Jiang Xunbai smiled at her retreating figure: “Young lady, slow down—”
The four reached the mountaintop just as the sun was directly overhead.
Jiang Yijie and Su Lingyao immediately began inspecting the temple grounds upon arrival, while Lu Qingtang and Jiang Xunbai stepped inside.
Drenched in sweat with beads forming on her forehead, Lu Qingtang stood beneath the green pine tree in Meeting Spring Temple, one hand on her hip as she panted, the other fanning herself.
Waves of heat wafted through the wind, making her unbearably uncomfortable. She lifted her gaze to the high-ponytailed youth standing beside her and couldn’t resist asking, “Why aren’t you sweating? Aren’t you hot?”
Jiang Xunbai raised a brow slightly. “Not hot.”
Lu Qingtang couldn’t help but take two steps closer to him—the air around him was indeed cooler.
Noticing this, Jiang Xunbai curled his lips upward. “Miss Lu, you seem quite afraid of the heat?”
Lu Qingtang muttered under her breath, “Of course. Who has a constitution as extraordinary as the Second Young Master’s?”
Jiang Xunbai feigned regret. “Ah, so that’s what Miss Lu thinks. I was planning to offer you a drink, but since that’s the case, I suppose you wouldn’t want it. I’ll just have to drink it myself then…”
As he spoke, Jiang Xunbai pulled out a crystal cup filled with watermelon nectar from his storage bag. Just as he was about to down it in one go, Lu Qingtang immediately apologized, “Second Young Master must have misheard! What I meant was that your constitution is special and precious—no wonder you’re considered a prodigy under heaven!”
Jiang Xunbai swept a light glance over her, his expression skeptical. “Is that so?”
“Yes! That’s exactly what I meant! Second Young Master is uniquely gifted, dashingly handsome, beloved by all, adored by flowers…”
Lu Qingtang smiled obsequiously, launching without hesitation into a frenzied flattery mode.
Jiang Xunbai raised a hand. “Stop—it seems Miss Lu would like a drink after all.”
Lu Qingtang nodded like a woodpecker. “Mhm, mhm!”
“Very well, who am I to refuse, being so magnanimous, generous, and breathtakingly beautiful?”
After teasing Lu Qingtang, Jiang Xunbai handed her the watermelon nectar.
As Lu Qingtang took the crystal cup, a chill traveled from her fingertips. Beads of condensation dotted the cup’s surface, and she couldn’t help exclaiming in surprise, “Jiang Xunbai, can your storage bag keep things cold too?”
Jiang Xunbai nodded, wearing a “see, you didn’t know that, did you?” expression. “My storage bag has several layers. One of them is an icy, snowy realm, so naturally, it can preserve cold items.”
Lu Qingtang took small sips of the watermelon nectar while rolling her round, lively eyes.
So this is the fantasy world’s equivalent of a refrigerator? And a portable one at that.
Jiang Xunbai also took out a drink and sipped it, only to hear Lu Qingtang say earnestly, “Second Young Master Jiang, may I ask you something…”
A flicker of unease crossed Jiang Xunbai’s mind—was she about to inquire about his elder brother?
“What is it?”
“I wanted to ask, where did you buy this storage bag? I’d like to get one too.”
This storage bag was just too good. If she had one, she could pack lots of snacks for the road when she left home with the protagonist’s group.
Jiang Xunbai secretly breathed a sigh of relief. “You can’t buy this storage bag.”
“Why not? My family has plenty of money,” Lu Qingtang pressed anxiously.
Jiang Xunbai took a sip of his icy drink. “Because it’s a family heirloom.”
Lu Qingtang deflated. “Why would your family pass something like that down?”
Jiang Xunbai raised an eyebrow. “Naturally. Although my family isn’t particularly wealthy, we have many, many treasures—even if they’re useless to mortals.”
Lu Qingtang sighed wistfully. “I’d really like to see them.”
Mostly to see if she could buy some.
Hearing this, Jiang Xunbai blurted out without thinking, “When the opportunity arises, I’ll take you home.”
Realizing what he had just said, Jiang Xunbai’s expression changed, his heart pounding wildly. It felt as though ten thousand horses were galloping through his chest, leaving him utterly flustered. He stole a glance and saw the girl beside him quietly sipping her drink, seemingly oblivious to his words.
Jiang Xunbai slowly let out a sigh of relief, but the next moment, the girl’s unexpected reply drifted through the sweltering air into his ears: “Alright.”