"Why would Zhai Huan covet a bellyband, especially a men's bellyband? Do you really think he would wear a bellyband?"
He remained silent.
"Why would a perfectly normal man call himself 'Third Sister' and give himself the nickname 'Poisonous Hand Wife'?"
Cen Ji remained silent for a long time before saying, "Xiong San Niang was his deceased wife. His original name was Jiang Jin Yue, but he changed it to this name after his beloved wife passed away."
Ban Lan's momentary thoughtfulness caused her gaze to lock onto Cen Ji beside her.
"What are you looking at?" Cen Ji asked.
"It's up to you," Ban Lan said.
"What's so interesting about me?" Cen Ji asked, puzzled.
“I think it looks good,” Ban Lan said.
Cen Ji was taken aback, and felt his ears burning from her gaze, so he quickened his pace and strode forward.
Ban Lan watched his retreating figure, put her hands behind her back, and shook her head, laughing heartily.
A man who can't resist looking at you is reliable. These were the words of her junior brother. However, before meeting Cen Ji, these words were worth less than a pile of junk in Ban Lan's mind, but after meeting Cen Ji, they became a touchstone.
Later, her junior brother told her, "Actually, you're not using words to test people, but using people to test words."
Ban Lan thought it made sense, but said, "Is it any of your business?"
*******
Xiong San Niang is really beautiful.
Or rather, Jiang Jinyue is really beautiful.
Xiong San Niang possessed a natural beauty, not effeminate, but perfectly balanced, which Ban Lan greatly envied.
"Wow, how do you take care of yourself? You're over thirty, but you look like you're only seventeen or eighteen," Ban Lan exclaimed sincerely.
Cen Ji felt helpless when he saw that her first words were like that.
Xiong Sanniang smiled and said, "Little girl, you don't need to be taught to cherish yourself."
Xiong San Niang's voice was also very pleasant, reminding Ban Lan of the tinkling spring water in Kongshan Ridge.
Ban Lan thought about it for a moment, seemingly understanding but not quite.
Cen Ji stood to the side, looking conflicted. After all, it was difficult for him, a grown man, to bring up the matter of the undergarment.
Ban Lan glanced at his expression and said frankly to Xiong San Niang, "Brother Xiong, we've come to borrow your undergarment."
Cen Ji glanced at Ban Lan with a strange look. Seeing how naturally she addressed him as "Brother Xiong," he then looked at Xiong San Niang. Seeing that Xiong San Niang's smile remained unchanged, he felt for a moment as if the two had known each other for many years.
Xiong Sanniang smiled faintly: "Since you want the bellyband, you can't just take it for free."
Cen Ji had anticipated that it wouldn't be that simple, and said, "Whatever Third Sister's request, I will do my best to fulfill it."
Xiong San Niang said, "I like it best when this young lady calls me that."
Ban Lan glanced smugly at Cen Ji.
Xiong Sanniang laid out three medicine bottles, each about the size of a finger, and said, "Choose one to drink. If you don't die, I'll give you the undergarment."
Cen Ji frowned. He wasn't afraid of death, but if he died, how could he save Wen Moyin?
Cen Ji looked up at Ban Lan and said, "If I die, you must go back to Kongshan Ridge, find Master Kongshan, and ask him to save Mo Yin."
Ban Lan didn't answer, but turned to Xiong San Niang and said, "Can I drink it?"
Xiong Sanniang said, "No."
Ban Lan pressed, "Why?"
Xiong San Niang did not answer, but asked Cen Ji instead: "Is Mo Yin your sweetheart?"
Cen Ji nodded.
Xiong San Niang then turned to Ban Lan and said, "That's the reason."
Ban Lan was puzzled.
Xiong Sanniang said inscrutablely, "Young girl, your efforts at this moment will not yield any results."
Ban Lan blushed. Cen Ji was even more confused.
Without thinking, Cen Ji picked up the middle cup and drank it all in one gulp.
Ban Lan stared at him anxiously for a long time, and seeing that his face wasn't pale or bruised, she hurriedly asked Xiong San Niang, "Have you been poisoned?"
Xiong Sanniang said, "I don't think so."
Ban Lan, like a rabbit whose foot had been stepped on, asked, "What do you mean by 'seems like'?"
Xiong Sanniang said, "Even I'm not entirely confident."
Ban Lan let out an "Ah," but there was nothing she could do.
After a while, Xiong Sanniang said, "You can leave now."
Cen Ji stepped forward and questioned, "What does Third Sister mean by this? I don't understand."