Chapter 10

Shen Yao Xing already had a vague idea of who the Young Leader they mentioned was, so she followed them without much hesitation.

It wasn’t her first time entering the Four Directions Conference. That night, she already knew that it was very large inside. Now, looking at it again, she felt that it was even more exaggeratedly big. The main roads and small paths twisted and turned. She hadn’t eaten much early in the morning, and all this walking made her hungry.

“Hey,” Shen Yao Xing rubbed her stomach and called out to the person leading the way in front of her, “does your Young Leader provide meals?”

The woman leading the way turned her head in confusion, not understanding. “What does ‘provide meals’ mean?”

She forgot that ancient people hadn’t heard this term before. Shen Yao Xing didn’t know how to explain it to her for a moment. After thinking about it, she simply asked directly, “Did your Young Leader call me over to invite me to eat?”

“…… You’ll know when you get there, Miss.”

Originally, she thought they would take her to the main hall or a place to eat. Who knew that after twists and turns, they brought her to a garden? Taking a glance, this garden was incredible. Shen Yao Xing had entered the imperial palace a few times and had seen the imperial garden. Compared to this one, it seemed slightly inferior.

Shen Yao Xing couldn’t help but sigh. They really had nothing better to do, making it so flashy.

The person who invited her was currently playing chess in the pavilion in the garden. Shen Yao Xing stood far away, watching the woman who led the way report to the person in the pavilion. She saw the figure in the pavilion move slightly, and a young woman walked out of the cool pavilion. Her light-colored long robe appeared casual. She slightly spread her arms and walked towards her.

“You’re here!”

That familiar call, that enthusiastic smile, those who didn’t know might think they were long-lost sisters.

“……” No, wait, who are you, sister?

“Come, please sit over here.” The young woman made an inviting gesture with a smile.

Shen Yao Xing didn’t move and stood there, scratching her face. She wasn’t in the mood to beat around the bush with her. “May I ask what matter this… Young Leader has called me here for?” After thinking about it, not knowing how to address her, she could only follow what those people called her.

Shen Yao Xing was a bit starving now. If she had known it wasn’t an invitation to eat, she would have eaten first before coming.

Ye Xi Feng lightly waved her sleeve and placed one hand behind her back, smiling. “Miss, there’s no need to be so formal. My surname is Ye, given name Xi Feng. You can directly call me by my name.”

Seeing that the other party had already introduced herself, Shen Yao Xing also understood the concept of reciprocity. She cupped her hands in a somewhat proper manner. “My surname is Shen, given name Xing Xing. Those with an ordinary relationship can call me Miss Shen, while those with an extraordinary relationship can call me Xing Xing. Please feel free to do so.”

This was the nickname she used outside. Apart from Meng Xin Yi, no one knew her full name.

Ye Xi Feng was stunned upon hearing it and suddenly burst into laughter. “Miss Shen is truly an interesting person. I want to be friends with you even more.”

Friends?

Shen Yao Xing glanced at her suspiciously. It couldn’t be that she specifically called her over just for the so-called making friends, right?

Ye Xi Feng invited her to sit in the cool pavilion again. This time, Shen Yao Xing didn’t refuse. It was impolite not to accept a smiling face’s invitation. Moreover, she was on someone else’s turf. Whatever happens, happens. She just wanted to finish the conversation quickly and go out to eat.

Thinking this way, Shen Yao Xing only regretted it when she walked to the front of the cool pavilion. From her angle just now, the leaves happened to cover the innermost part of the pavilion, so she knew that Ye Xi Feng was playing chess but couldn’t see clearly who she was playing with.

At this moment, the unhealed wound seemed to have a faint burning sensation.

Jiang Ming Yue’s indifferent gaze shifted from the chessboard and looked straight at her. That casual gaze seemed to be appraising her, the color of his eyes deep and profound. The summer breeze gently swayed a few strands of dark hair that fell beside his face. His thin lips moved slightly. “Miss Shen?”

“……”

Shen Yao Xing could be two hundred percent certain that this guy definitely recognized her.

Ye Xi Feng’s gaze swept over the two of them, and she asked in confusion, “You know each other?”

Neither of them spoke. Shen Yao Xing’s eyes fell on his fair and handsome face, and the fingers hanging by her side gently rubbed together. She wished she could go up and carve his face right now.

The cool pavilion was silent for quite a while. The man broke the silence first, his voice like newly melted snow, cold yet exceptionally pleasant to hear. “Miss Shen and I indeed had a brief encounter.”

There was a hidden meaning in his words.

Shen Yao Xing didn’t know which brief encounter he was referring to. After all, they had also met once at the inn, but he only gave her a casual glance and probably didn’t pay attention to her. She could only say that the meaning in his words was referring to that time when he was taking a bath.

Thinking of that time, she thought of her disfigurement.

Shen Yao Xing’s teeth gritted with a crunching sound, almost unable to control the malice within her body.

“Miss Shen, are you… alright?” Ye Xi Feng raised her hand and waved it in front of her.

“I’m fine.” She answered through gritted teeth.

Being on someone else’s turf, Shen Yao Xing couldn’t make a scene. However, she felt uncomfortable all over now and didn’t want to stay for even half a moment longer. She casually bid farewell and turned to leave the cool pavilion.

However, she was blocked by people on both sides of the pavilion bridge. Shen Yao Xing’s brows furrowed slightly, and she turned her head to look at the young woman. “Young Leader Ye, what is the meaning of this?”

Ye Xi Feng waved her sleeve to dismiss the two people and apologized with a hint of regret. “Miss Shen, please don’t misunderstand. I mean no harm. It’s just that I was amazed by Miss Shen’s martial arts skills yesterday, so I wanted to invite Miss Shen over to meet today.”

Her words sounded sincere and genuine. If she were to leave now, it would make her seem petty. Forget it, a good woman doesn’t fight with a wicked man. Thinking this way, Shen Yao Xing slightly puffed out her chest and walked back into the cool pavilion, sitting in the outermost position.

Jiang Ming Yue’s long lashes lifted slightly, and he swept a glance as if casually.

During the conversation with Ye Xi Feng, the man rarely spoke. However, from time to time, Shen Yao Xing could feel a faint gaze, as if appraising her, yet not quite like appraising a person, but more like examining an object.

“Why is Miss Shen staring at me like that?” Jiang Ming Yue raised his eyes to meet the girl’s gaze.

Shen Yao Xing’s eyes were wide open, her chin slightly lifted, looking very defiant as she glared at him with all her might. How do you know I’m looking at you if you’re not looking at me? Those eyes kept drifting towards her, surely harboring some malicious intentions in his heart.

Ye Xi Feng lightly sipped her tea, her gaze sweeping over the two of them faintly. She lightly coughed and changed the topic with a smile. “Miss Shen’s martial arts skills are already so remarkable at such a young age. I wonder where she learned them from?”

Shen Yao Xing’s gaze slanted towards her. She suddenly raised her hand to touch the back of her neck, naturally making a stretching motion. “My master travels around the world all year round, accustomed to being carefree. She specifically instructed me not to reveal her name, so please forgive me, Young Leader Ye.”

“It’s alright. If it’s inconvenient to say, then never mind.” Ye Xi Feng’s smile remained unchanged. She suddenly raised her hand and waved to someone outside the pavilion. A tall woman carrying a tray walked over. She took a copper token from the tray, with complex patterns on it. The characters “Four Directions” in the middle were extremely clear.

Ye Xi Feng handed the token to her. “With the deerskin map in your possession, there will definitely be people coveting it. Our Four Directions Conference has a considerable status in the jianghu. If you encounter danger, showing this token might be useful.”

After saying that, she winked with a smile. “Just consider it a gift between friends.”

The woman’s smile was like a spring breeze, full of warmth.

Wait, did she miss something? Shen Yao Xing was a bit dazed.

……