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Seeing the happiness and satisfaction on Zhao Yang and Ling Xiâs faces, Liu Hai couldnât help but look at them with mild disdain. He couldnât believe that neither of them had ever eaten something as common as candied hawthorn before.
It was honestly a little pitifulâso much so that even Liu Hai felt a twinge of sympathy.
âZhao Yang, Ling Xi, have you two really never had this before?â he asked. âYouâre both gobbling it down like you havenât eaten in days. Itâs hard not to be curious.â
Zhao Yang, too focused on the candied treat to care whether Liu Haiâs words were teasing or concerned, simply nodded enthusiastically.
âIâve seriously never tasted anything this good before! Sweet and sour, with sugar wrapped around hawthornâwho comes up with stuff like this?â
Liu Hai fell silent for a moment. His gaze toward Zhao Yang shifted, softening with a mix of pity and affection.
So pitiful, he thought. Even something this simple is new to him.
At that moment, Zhang Nu, observing how the groupâs relationships were gradually growing warmer, felt quietly pleased. Their little team was finally starting to take shape. He wasnât sure if more members would join later on, but for now, the bond between them was the most important thing.
âAll right, enough chatting,â Zhang Nu said. âLetâs find a place to stay. Itâs getting late, and we havenât had a proper rest in days.â
Everyone nodded at once and followed Zhang Nu to a nearby inn. Once inside, the entire group agreed on one thing: they desperately needed a bath. Theyâd been traveling nonstop, sleeping in the wild and eating whatever they could scavenge. A proper wash was long overdue.
âYou all brought spare clothes, right? Letâs get cleaned up first, then weâll eat,â Zhang Nu instructed.
The group nodded again and began sorting out their belongings. After about half an hour, everyone had reappearedâexcept Ling Xi.
An entire incense stickâs worth of time passed, and their stomachs were starting to growl. No one wanted to wait anymore.
âZhang Nu, why donât we just go get food ourselves?â Liu Hai suggested. âLing Xiâs taking forever.â
âYeah, if we wait much longer, I think Iâll pass out from hunger,â Zhao Yang joked.
Zhang Nu hesitated. If they left Ling Xi behind and she came out to find them gone, she might worry. After all, she was still new to the outside worldâa young, inexperienced YaoGuai, easy to deceive and quick to trust. If she ran into trouble, they might not be able to find her again.
Sensing Zhang Nuâs dilemma, Lin Xiao stepped forward.
âTheyâre not wrong. Ling Xi really has been taking too long. And weâve already waited a while,â he said. âIâm not hungry yet, so let them go eat. Iâll stay here and take her to meet up with you once sheâs out.â
Zhang Nu finally relaxed and nodded, reassured. Lin Xiaoâs offer was just the thing he needed to hear. âAlright. Ling Xiâs in your hands, then. Iâll take the rest of them to eat.â
Lin Xiao watched as the others left the inn, then remained seated in the lobby, patiently waiting for Ling Xi.
Finally, after another incense stickâs time, Ling Xi emerged from her room.
The moment he saw her, Lin Xiao froze.
She wore a flowing white robe, ethereal and light, the occasional jingle of bells dancing from her wrist. A radiant smile bloomed on her face, as warm and vivid as spring sunshine. She looked like the embodiment of life itselfâan image of vitality completely opposite to Lin Xiaoâs own cold temperament.
But when Ling Xi noticed that only Lin Xiao was waiting, a small frown creased her brow, slightly ruining the harmony of her appearance.
Lin Xiao quickly averted his gaze, his deep, somber eyes settling into calm once more.
âYouâre finally out. Do you know how long Iâve been waiting?â he said flatly.
Ling Xi had been about to ask him something herself.
âWhy are you the only one here? Where are the others? Did they already go eat?â
Lin Xiao looked at her like she was an idiot.
Of course, theyâd gone to eat. Did she expect them all to wait forever? He was the only one foolish enough to stay behind.
âWhat do you think? We waited for two incense sticksâ worth of time,â he said.
Ling Xi wilted instantly, like a frost-struck eggplant. She hadnât realized sheâd taken that longâand now Lin Xiao had been left to wait alone because of her.