Lou Xiyue said slowly, "Then I'll bet two copper coins that she won't marry Shen Ran."
In the spirit of fair competition and transparency, I asked him, "Are you aware that Shen Ran has a personal relationship with Master Mu?"
He nodded to indicate that he understood.
I went a step further, "Did you know that Young Master Shen and Master Mu have known each other for many years?"
Lou Xiyue smiled but did not answer.
I laughed, "Hehehehe, do you know where Master Mu's sweetheart is right now?"
He shrugged. "I don't know."
I slammed my hand on the table and shouted, "I'll add another copper coin, and they'll definitely be together!"
Lou Xiyue's smile deepened as he moved closer to me, his voice tinged with a hint of pleasure, "How about we make a big bet?" He raised his long eyebrows, tilting his head to look at me with a playful expression.
I rested my chin on my hand, squinted, and met his gaze. "Okay, add two more copper coins!"
Lou Xiyue reached out and traced the black cloth across my face, her fingertips pausing at my chin. She slowly said, "If you lose, you'll have three talismans drawn on your forehead and set up a fortune-telling stall in the Yangzhou market for three days. How about that?"
I gritted my teeth and said, "If you lose, you have to wear three hairpins in your hair and sing for three days in the Yixiang Garden in Yangzhou, how about that?"
Lou Xiyue smiled gently, her eyes lowered, "Okay."
As noon approached, Lou Xiyue and I headed to the banquet. As he passed by, he casually broke off a sprig of plum blossom and twirled it between his fingers. I asked him, "How skilled is Shen Ran in martial arts? Can he defeat Mu Yanxue?"
Lou Xiyue casually said, "Four years ago, Shen Ran took a palm strike from Feng Wuying to save Mu Yanxue, which damaged his meridians and caused him to lose all his martial arts skills. Although he has recovered over the years, he is probably not even a third as good as he was before."
I paused, "Why didn't you say so sooner?"
Lou Xiyue held the plum blossom to her nose and smelled it. "You even know about the long-standing friendship between Master Mu and Shen Ran. I thought you had it all figured out long ago."
After he finished speaking, he glanced at me leisurely, then took a leisurely step forward, holding a plum branch in his hand.
I stood there, feeling melancholy.
When I entered the main hall, I saw the Face Demon sitting at the table talking to the Ghost Demon. The Ghost Demon sneered, "Even if you train to the death, it's useless. That young lady is like a lost soul when she sees a handsome man. Do you think that just because you beat her, she will really give herself to you?"
I thought Mian Sha was really kind. While Shen Ran was still silently watching Mu Yanxue from behind, Mian Sha had been practicing hard all night. Although his face was flushed and his forehead was covered in sweat, he should be proud. No matter the outcome, at least he had tried his best in the dark.
Mian Sha calmed himself down, snorted coldly, and picked up the teacup to take a big gulp.
I strolled past them, and when they caught sight of me, their eyes widened, and "Pfft—" they sprayed all their tea out.
He looked at me, and before he knew it, his eyes began to glaze over, and he stared in disbelief.
I was displeased. If the Demon King was so easily frightened by my face covered by a black cloth, I suspected he never looked in a mirror. So I turned my exposed eyes towards him, glared at him fiercely, and continued walking forward. Lou Xiyue was already seated at the table, fanning himself with his peach blossom fan, occasionally whispering to his junior sister at the next table.
I calmly sat down, and Lou Xiyue pulled me close. Caught off guard, I fell backward into his arms.
He continued fanning himself as if nothing had happened.
I said, "What are you doing?"
He calmly replied, "I'll cover you with a fan, otherwise I'll scare a bunch of people to death."
I sat up from his lap. "Was it really that scary?"
He glanced at me and said, "It's quite scary. Let's block it for now."
After a while, the master took his seat, and I leaned close to his ear and asked, "Master, do you have any extra dough on you?"
The craftsman smiled faintly, "No, there's no sun inside, you can take off the drape."
Chapter 3
I hesitated for a moment, then decided to hide behind Lou Xiyue's fan.
Most of the people had arrived, and I peeked at Shen Ran. He looked calm and was deep in thought.
A series of tinkling sounds rang out as Mu Yanxue's maids lifted the curtain and entered, followed by Mu Yanxue herself, dressed in a white dress and wearing a purple hairpin.
Shen Ran looked at her, his brows relaxed, and his handsome face softened instantly.
Mu Yanxue laughed heartily, her beauty dazzling. "Thank you all for visiting Muxue Manor. I was slightly chilled yesterday, which is why I delayed you all by a day. I am truly sorry."
I nudged Lou Xiyue and whispered, "Don't talk nonsense like that. She stays here every day. If she were that easy to catch a cold, she would have died long ago."
Lou Xiyue said, "You're the best at talking nonsense, so tell me, what should I say?"
I whispered, "If it were me, I'd say I had heatstroke."
Lou Xiyue glanced at me and then used her fan to cover me up even more completely.
A man below expressed his concern, "Please take good care of yourself, Master. I carry a Lingzhi mushroom from Bone Mountain with me, which can dispel cold and dampness. If Master Mu uses it in his medicine, perhaps he can recover faster."
I sighed, "Men, oh men..."
Mu Yanxue smiled and thanked her, then said with great poise, "Because the preparations for the marriage proposal were rushed, we proposed a contest to determine the marriage yesterday. However, everyone here is a master of martial arts, and I, Mu Yanxue, am just a woman, so I am not able to compete with you all. I have come up with another way, and I hope you will all understand."