The sun was setting, and the green grass swayed gently in the breeze.
Su Xiaoliu carried a food steamer and walked towards the old temple.
There were still three days until the Pingshan Assembly. The teahouse was almost empty, and they had saved enough money, so she decided to close it.
The old temple had reverted to its former desolate and dilapidated state, exuding an indescribable sense of melancholy.
A dark shadow flashed by so quickly that only the sound of the wind could be heard.
Su Xiaoliu paused, looked around, but found nothing out of the ordinary. She lowered her head and continued walking.
She had only taken a few steps when the dark shadow flashed by again, moving so fast that it was impossible to catch.
Could she have encountered a robber? Su Xiaoliu began to feel uncertain.
She didn't have much silver on her. How could she be targeted just because she was carrying a food steamer?
Su Xiaoliu quickened her pace. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew by, and with a "whoosh" sound, she was yanked away by a strong force. Then, her mouth was tightly covered.
Su Xiaoliu's almond - shaped eyes widened. She tightly grasped the food steamer in her hand. Before she could call for help, she was pulled behind a tree.
"I'd like to make a deal with you," a deep male voice whispered in her ear.
A deal?
Su Xiaoliu stared up at the speaker with wide eyes. All she saw were a pair of cold, hawk - like eyes. The man was dressed in black from head to toe. Her wrist was firmly grasped by him. She frowned, and only then did the hand covering her mouth move away.
"Who are you?" Su Xiaoliu asked warily, looking at him.
The man was silent for a while. His hawk - like eyes stared at her for a long time. Suddenly, he said, "I'll give you ten thousand taels of gold."
Ten thousand taels... of gold?
Su Xiaoliu was tempted for a moment but quickly regained her composure. She didn't know this man at all. What kind of deal was this? It might be a trap!
After thinking for a while, she said, "I don't need it. You can let me go."
The man in black gave a soft laugh. It was impossible to tell what emotion was in his hawk - like eyes.
"Think it over. This is ten thousand taels of gold."
Su Xiaoliu didn't say a word. The man in black slowly released her wrist. With a flash, he disappeared from the spot.
A gust of wind blew, and the grass on the ground rustled.
Su Xiaoliu carried the food steamer and stepped over the threshold into the old temple. The words of the man with hawk - like eyes echoed in her mind.
Why did he want to make a deal with her? What kind of deal was worth ten thousand taels of gold?
Shaking her head, Su Xiaoliu decided not to think about it anymore.
"My lady, you're back," said Situ Qianyue as he greeted her with a gentle smile on his rosy lips when he saw her enter.
Su Xiaoliu nodded. Looking up, she saw the hole in the roof of the old temple. Her thoughts drifted once again...
After dinner.
The sky was ominously dark. The wind howled, and dark clouds loomed over the mountains. It seemed that a violent storm was about to break out.
The candlelight flickered, dimly illuminating the surroundings. The shadows of the people also swayed uneasily.
Su Xiaoliu sat at the table, carefully counting all the money they had earned from the teahouse and recording it in the ledger one by one.
The howling wind filled her ears. She looked up at the door. The grass in front of the door was bent to one side by the wind.
"Drop."
A drop of rain seeped through the thatch on the roof and landed on the ledger.
The water quickly spread on the paper. Su Xiaoliu quickly closed the ledger and moved all the things on the table to one side.
She looked up at the roof and then down at the inside.
Situ Qianyue was quietly leaning against the wall, taking a nap with his eyes closed. His long eyelashes cast shadows on his cheeks. His white robe was already stained with a lot of dirt. His red lips were slightly upturned. Some of his black hair fell on his shoulders, and the rest was draped behind him.
Su Xiaoliu lowered her eyes. When she looked up again, she met a pair of beautiful black eyes.
Su Xiaoliu was stunned for a moment. Situ Qianyue, who had already woken up, was looking at her with a smile in his eyes.
She picked up the ledger and walked over. She sat down beside him, opened the ledger, and said, "This is all the money we've earned. The gold is here. I've also recorded the silver, and the small change is written on the back. I'm giving it all to you." Then, she stood up, walked to the table, picked up the small wooden box on it, and walked back.
Su Xiaoliu crouched down and opened the wooden box. The silver notes and small change inside were neatly arranged. She pushed the wooden box over and said, "Buy whatever you need. If not, keep the money. It will come in handy someday."
Situ Qianyue just looked at her quietly without saying a word.
Su Xiaoliu lowered her head and was silent.
After a while, Situ Qianyue curved his lips into a smile and said, "Let's buy a house."
Su Xiaoliu didn't dare to look into his eyes. Looking down, she said, "Okay. Let's buy a good one."
Situ Qianyue added, "Let's buy several."
Su Xiaoliu paused for a moment and whispered, "All right. Let's buy a big one."
Then, Situ Qianyue fell silent, and the two of them were again enveloped in a dead silence.
The strong wind had passed, but the rain didn't come down heavily. However, the howling wind was enough to strike fear into people's hearts.
Su Xiaoliu looked up at the door. After thinking for a while, she looked at Situ Qianyue and said, "I want to go back and see my father."
Those black eyes met hers. After a while, the black eyes curved, and Situ Qianyue softly said, "Sure."
Su Xiaoliu stood up, patted the dust off her body, looked down at him, and said, "You wait for me here. Don't follow me. I'll be back in a few days."
Situ Qianyue was silent for a moment and then smiled, "Okay."
"Then I'm leaving," Su Xiaoliu said. She turned around and walked out of the door in a hurry with her head down.
It seemed that those black eyes were always watching her from behind. Su Xiaoliu pursed her lips. After stepping over the threshold, she turned her head and met those calm black eyes for a moment.
Su Xiaoliu didn't say a word and turned her head back.
"My lady, come back soon," the pleasant voice sounded softly behind her, as if talking to himself.
She had walked far away. The voice was scattered by the strong wind and disappeared into the dark night sky.
After walking a long way, Su Xiaoliu looked back. The old temple was no longer in sight.
She turned back, frowned slightly, slowed down her pace, and walked quietly.
Her first three husbands were outstanding men. They couldn't give her love, but they could provide her with all the basic necessities. However, she was unlucky and unpopular. She had been married three times and divorced three times.
The appearance of this husband was beyond her expectation. She had thought that her father had given up the idea of finding a husband for her. Unexpectedly, his appearance had changed all her original plans.
She liked a plain life but didn't like poverty.
Her mother and father had a very deep relationship, but her mother could accept her father taking concubines. Although she was the youngest and there were no male heirs in the Su family, her father still took good care of each of his wives.
Her father could give her mother everything she wanted and also give them happiness. All she wanted was just one of those things.
Su Xiaoliu walked silently, and her heart suddenly felt empty.
Suddenly, a thunderclap roared across the plain. A white flash of lightning streaked across the sky, and then big raindrops started to fall with a crackling sound.
Su Xiaoliu reacted too late. The raindrops were already hitting her hard. She raised her sleeve to cover her head and quickened her pace to run.
"I'll give you the whole world..."
A voice suddenly drifted into her mind.
Su Xiaoliu stopped in her tracks. She gradually slowed down, lowered the hand covering her head, and the rainwater ran down her hair and onto her neck.
The old temple leaked. Would he get wet?
Su Xiaoliu's mind was in a complete mess, and she began to worry faintly.
Forget about him. A man who knew martial arts would always have a way to keep warm!
Su Xiaoliu shook her head and quickened her pace.
But... if the bed got wet, where would he sleep?
Su Xiaoliu slowed down again. She stood still, sighed, and after a while, turned around and ran back.
She could leave on a sunny day. After all, there was still plenty of time...
The places she ran through splashed with water. The big raindrops hurt when they hit her head. Su Xiaoliu didn't care much. She covered her head and ran towards the old temple.