Bai Suzhen, I really need to punish you properly.

Xiao Qingxing glared at Wang Xuan, sizing him up. This guy had a nose, eyes, hands, and feet; how could he be thinking of such a wicked thing as intercepting someone halfway through? She retorted angrily, "If it's not mine, is it yours?"

Wang Xuan said calmly, "I just saw with my own eyes that you had been silently watching this gentleman from the sidelines for a long time before you finally spoke up to ask."

Xiaoqing straightened her back and said angrily, "My sister and I were strolling along the lake enjoying the scenery when we saw this young master asking around. That's when we realized our jewelry was missing. Does that mean it's no longer mine just because I looked at it a couple of times?"

Bai Suzhen also frowned slightly, looking at the handsome man who had suddenly appeared.

Wang Xuan didn't answer, but instead looked at Xu Xian, who was standing to the side at a loss.

"Brother, next time you find someone else's belongings, don't be silly and go around asking around about them."

"If someone becomes greedy and wants to keep it for themselves, wouldn't you be doing more harm than good by simply returning it?"

"If someone is greedy and tries to extort money from you, wouldn't you be asking for trouble?"

"From now on, there's no need to show what the items look like. Just let the person who comes to claim them describe the details themselves, and then return them once the description matches."

"When you're out and about, you always have to be careful, otherwise you might get scammed by bad people."

Xu Xian bowed and cupped his hands, his face sincere: "Thank you for your guidance, young master. I have learned a great deal."

Bai Suzhen listened and wholeheartedly agreed.

Only Xiaoqing pursed her cherry lips, her pretty face full of indignation: "What do you mean? Are you trying to say we're bad people?"

Wang Xuan looked at Xiao Qing with a faint smile on her lips: "Miss, since you say you lost your hairpin, could you describe its design?"

Xiaoqing met Wang Xuan's gaze and thought to herself, "This person is quite good-looking, but he's too cunning."

Immediately afterwards, she looked to Bai Suzhen for help.

She did know the design of the hairpin, but she couldn't explain it.

Bai Suzhen stepped forward slowly, her black hair loosely tied up, a few strands of hair fluttering in the wind by her temples. She spoke calmly: "My hairpin is made entirely of pure gold. The head of the hairpin is carved with intertwined white plum blossoms, and a round white pearl is embedded in the heart of each plum blossom. The tail of the hairpin is engraved with fine cloud patterns. You will know this at a glance, young master."

Xiaoqing gave a haughty snort: "Now what do you have to say?"

Wang Xuan carefully checked the item, and after confirming that it was correct, she handed it back, gently instructing, "Such a valuable ornament, young lady, you must take good care of it."

Bai Suzhen gracefully accepted the gold hairpin, smiled and nodded, "Thank you, young master." Turning to Xu Xian, she softly said, "Thank you to this young master as well."

Xu Xian was still captivated by Bai Suzhen's beauty, lost in thought. Compared to Wang Xuan's composed demeanor, he appeared even more wooden and clumsy.

Seeing her dazed expression, Xiaoqing feigned displeasure and said, "Hey, haven't you ever seen a young lady before? You're all dumbfounded!"

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

Xu Xian then came to his senses, quickly nodded his apology, and turned to leave.

Wang Xuan, carrying Rouge, followed and called out to Xu Xian, "Brother, please wait. My name is Wang Xuan, and this is my concubine Rouge. May I ask your name?"

"My name is Xu Xian."

Xu Xian was a simple and honest man who never cared about gossip in official circles, so he did not recognize Wang Xuan's identity.

After hearing this, Wang Xuan asked, "Is your brother-in-law Li Gongfu, who works in the county government?"

Xu Xian looked on in surprise: "That's right! Young master, do you know my brother-in-law?"

"Yes, I also work in the county government."

"What a coincidence!"

"Brother Xu, are you heading back?" Wang Xuan extended an invitation, "Why don't we take a boat trip together? We can enjoy the scenery on the lake."

Xu Xian asked somewhat awkwardly, "Is this appropriate?"

"To meet is fate."

The three of them walked together toward the lakeside.

"Brother Xu, what brings you here today...?"

When Wang Xuan chatted with Xu Xian, it wasn't because he really wanted to befriend Xu Xian, but simply because he wanted to "use Xu Xian to control Bai Suzhen".

On the other side, Xiaoqing reached out and tugged at Bai Suzhen's sleeve, asking, "Sister, is that wooden figure the reincarnation of your benefactor? Could it be that guy?"

"I haven't seen it yet."

"Huh? It seems they're about to leave by boat."

Bai Suzhen was also somewhat bewildered.

Just now, following Guanyin's instructions, she saw Xu Xian on the Broken Bridge, and had a vague feeling of déjà vu.

She believed he was the reincarnation of the person who saved her back then.

So he thought of using this trick to test Xu Xian's character.

Then Wang Xuan appeared out of nowhere, disrupting their initial meeting.

She hadn't even had a chance to confirm whether Xu Xian was the reincarnation of her benefactor from back then.

As for Wang Xuan, he was handsome, with striking eyebrows and bright eyes, possessing an outstanding temperament and refined manners. He also seemed to have some level of cultivation.

Could he be the reincarnation of his benefactor from back then?

While Bai Suzhen was deep in thought, Xiaoqing was already impatient.

Seeing that her sister's benefactor was about to leave by boat, she turned her bright eyes and immediately pulled her sister to the shore, then decisively cast a spell to make it rain.

Shortly after Wang Xuan and his two companions boarded the boat, dark clouds suddenly filled the sky.

Raindrops pattered on the lake's surface, splashing up layers of fine water droplets, and mist and rain instantly enveloped the entire West Lake.

"Boatman, boatman, please bring the boat to shore, we need to go to Qingbo Gate!"

Rouge looked towards the shore: "Husband, it sounds like someone is calling..."

"I heard it too." Wang Xuan smiled gently. "Boatman, there are girls calling out from the shore. Please go back and ferry them over."

"Okay."

Each additional passenger means an extra penny in income.

The boatman naturally wouldn't refuse.

The small boat returned to the shore.

Bai Suzhen and Xiaoqing stood in the rain on the shore, raising their hands to shield their foreheads from the rain, their clothes slightly damp from the drizzle.

One is gentle and beautiful, the other is charming and lively; each has her own unique charm.

The two women quickly boarded the boat and sat down.

Xiaoqing feigned surprise and smiled broadly: "So it's you all! What a coincidence! The weather around West Lake is really strange; it rains whenever it wants."

Xu Xian immediately chimed in, "Yes, it was sunny just now, but West Lake is even more beautiful in the rain."

"It takes ten years of cultivation to share a boat ride, and a hundred years to share a pillow. If it weren't for this rain, we might not have had the chance to gather together." Wang Xuan's gaze swept over the misty water as she spoke leisurely, "The shimmering water is beautiful on a sunny day, and the misty mountains are also enchanting in the rain. If you want to compare West Lake to Xi Shi, it is beautiful whether it is lightly or heavily adorned."

Xu Xian looked at him with admiration: "Brother Wang, did you write this poem? You're really amazing, unlike me, I struggle even to memorize poems, haha."

Bai Suzhen's bright eyes flashed with curiosity as she softly inquired, "Who is this Xizi you speak of, young master?"

After a moment's thought, Wang Xuan casually replied, "Uh, the Queen Mother of the West."

There is no beauty named Xi Shi in this world, so Wang Xuan simply attributed it to this ancient deity.

Have you ever met the Queen Mother of the West?

"No. But I imagine it must be beautiful."

Bai Suzhen smiled gently.

Wang Xuan then asked, "I still don't know how to address the two young ladies."

Xiaoqing spoke up crisply, "My young lady is named Bai Suzhen, and I am her maid, Xiaoqing. As for you, we just heard that he is Young Master Xu, you are Young Master Wang, and this is Miss Rouge."

Bai Suzhen blinked her eyes slightly, her expression shy and timid: "We met by chance, and I've disturbed you without reason. I don't know how to thank you."