After their confessions were rejected, they regretted it for the rest of their lives.

Inside the reception room,

After Zuoqiu Hangyu left with the legal department staff, the reception room instantly became quiet and deserted…

"Um?"

Xia Weichan suddenly felt something was off, not only with Ke Yueci and the lawyers in the legal department,

There was also only one bodyguard left who was standing at the door.

Who greets people like this?

"Tsk..."

But thinking about it, this is probably normal for the Ke family...

Xia Weichan attributed this phenomenon to Ke Yueci's attempt to intimidate him.

When he was Duan Rong, it was similar to when he first went to see that old man from the Ke family. He was left behind for half an hour before slowly making his way over...

He didn't care; he was happy to be alone.

Xia Weichan took out her phone, preparing to kill some time.

His thoughts paused slightly...

Before the phone screen turned off, it was still displaying a video of a red-tailed water robin.

He was free during this time, and Zuoqiu Hangyu would be in charge of negotiating with the Ke family.

Then, he certainly can't stay here looking at his phone all day, right?

The idea of ​​birdwatching popped into his mind, and then he instantly felt a sense of liberation.

Since Ke Yueci had left him hanging, he definitely needed to find something to do...

Xia Weichan brought out the navigation for the melting snow mountain...

.......

On the melting snow mountain,

There is a Taoist temple, incense offerings, mountains and rivers, and good fortune.

Although the incense offerings have become somewhat less frequent since the old man passed away, and fewer people come to ask for fortune telling, pray for blessings, or have their homes and feng shui consulted, the number of worshippers has decreased significantly.

But people from the village at the foot of the mountain still come to worship.

"Thanks, Xiaoxue Ning."

Inside the Taoist temple on Rongxue Mountain, a pregnant woman gently rubbed Zhu Xuening's hair.

It's like petting a cat.

"You're welcome."

Zhu Xuening was used to being patted on the head and didn't flinch. She had grown up in this Taoist temple, and her hair had been touched so often since then.

However, she gradually went from observing her grandfather interpreting fortune sticks to personally interpreting them for people...

Her slender fingers took a stick from the rustic bamboo container.

"Xiao happy".

Then the young woman led the pregnant woman and her family, who were praying for blessings, to tie a red ribbon to the old tree at the Taoist temple.

It symbolizes the safety of mother and child.

The old tree is covered with lush branches and leaves, interspersed with many red strips inscribed with various wishes.

Since her grandfather passed away, Zhu Xuening has been in charge of these matters at the Taoist temple.

He waved goodbye to the departing family.

Zhu Xuening sighed; she had finally made it.

I suddenly received a phone call this morning.

If not reminded, the girl would have almost forgotten.

There were also pregnant women who had made appointments to have their fortunes told at the Taoist temple today...

This was something that couldn't be left empty-handed, so Zhu Xuening took a taxi all the way back from Ke Yueci's side.

The fine sweat on her fair face hadn't even been wiped away yet.

She should go back too...

Although she felt somewhat sorry for Ke Yuexuan, Zhu Xuening had no choice, as praying for others was her duty.

It's also the only way to pay off the family's "debts"...

Looking at the missed calls on my phone.

"I hope... I didn't keep Yuexuan waiting too long."

Just as the girl was about to close the door of the Taoist temple, she seemed to hear a noise coming from the path behind her...

Zhu Xuening turned around and saw a tall, slender man wearing a sun hat, obscuring his face.

The bushes were sparse, and a few leaves clung to the man's body.

They must have come to hike, but it seems they didn't take the usual route; they climbed up a completely unpaved trail...

"I'm sorry, sir, the Taoist temple is closed today..."

"No, I'm here to find birds."

Xia Weichan didn't look up, her eyes glued to the long-tailed tit video on her phone, titled "Farewell to the Returning Birds," repeatedly checking the background location.

The conclusion is that the bird that flew away was the Northern Long-tailed Tit observed here...

"You've seen Kita-Nagao... huh?"

[Potential target for binding: Zhu Xuening]

【■Quality: ■High】

[Bondable Development Paths: ■■, ■■■, ■■■]

Can be bound to a panel?

Xia Weichan frowned, then gently looked up. In front of an exquisitely designed Taoist temple, on the clean bluestone steps, stood a ethereal young girl.

The other person's beautiful, narrow eyes were darting around, curiously observing him.

"?"

A calico cat demon?

That was his first thought.

It wasn't his fault, because the surrounding environment and the girl's attire made Xia Weichan think she had transmigrated into some fantasy world again.

Ok,

There are actually utility poles nearby.

It's not a second time travel...

Xia Weichan's questioning gaze fell on the girl in front of her, looking at the girl's delicate and lovely face.

And looking at the binding interface above, he hesitated whether to strike up a conversation with the girl.

However, on Zhu Xuening's side, after their eyes met...

The girl's slightly curved eyebrows were lowered as she looked at Xia Weichan in front of her, her expression seemingly somewhat subtle. She tentatively asked:

"The cicada that never fully blooms?"

"?"

The other person spoke first, saying his name, which startled Xia Weichan. He then asked in confusion:

"...Do you know me?"

"Hmm... Ke Yuexuan showed me your photos before."

"ha?"

This explanation not only failed to alleviate Xia Weichan's doubts, but actually made her even more confused.

Do you know Ke Yueci?

"It's Ke Yuexuan..."

"..."

Xia Weichan remained silent, neither regarding the panel above the girl's head nor her words.

That would be enough to dispel his current purpose for birdwatching.

He frowned and asked:

"What did Ke Yuexuan tell you?"

"What a coincidence..."

Zhu Xuening rested her fair chin on her hand, looked up at the sky, and pondered for a moment.

Her voice was soft and gentle, but not in the sweet, mellow way of Ke Yuexuan's; it sounded like a clear, babbling brook as she softly said:

"Actually, we should have met somewhere else today. Perhaps it was fate that brought us together at the Taoist temple."

"I don't believe in this stuff."

"Hmm, would you like to come in and rest for a bit?"

Since we've met here,

Although I don't know why I ran into Xia Weichan,

Zhu Xuening attributed this to fate.

"Ahem!"

The girl coughed lightly twice, covered her mouth, turned to the side, pushed the door open again, and gently pointed inside with her hand tied with a red tassel.

"Please come in..."

A few minutes later...

Xia Weichan sat on a wooden octagonal chair.

Because what this girl named Zhu Xuening just said sounded like a tongue twister, it caused him to momentarily lose focus.

Xia Weichan looked at the decorations in the room; it seemed like a scene from a Lam Ching-ying movie…

"Ding-dong~"

At that moment, a crisp sound of ceramics colliding rang out.

"Tea."

The girl blinked her light-colored eyes.

He placed the tea tray on the tea table beside Xia Weichan, his gaze falling on the girl's slender wrists adorned with tassels.

Zhu Xuening gently stirred the tea foam with the lid of her teapot with her right hand, and carefully reminded him:

"The tea is freshly brewed; the one on the left is yours, and the one on the right is mine."

After speaking, the girl with tricolor hair subtly glanced at Xia Weichan, and the two locked eyes.

Then the girl blinked, and her delicate figure, clad in a flowing robe, slowly moved to the opposite side, separating her from Xia Weichan by an old wooden tea table.

On top of it were teacups steaming with wisps of heat, and the aroma of an unknown tea wafted out.

"..."

Xia Weichan silently observed the girl named "Zhu Xuening" before her.

Is this guy a ghost?

Or was it because they were tiptoeing?

If it weren't for the light clinking of teacups, Xia Weichan wouldn't have even noticed that this guy was already touching her face.

Can you explain this now?

"All right..."

The girl introduced herself: "My name is Zhu Xuening, and Ke Yuexuan is my friend."

"I've never heard her mention you."

Xia Weichan's brows never relaxed.

What has Ke Yuexuan been up to ever since Duan Rong's cycle ended?

Not only did they create a stand-in like Ke Yueci, but they also spread rumors about him...

"I was originally going to come with her to see you today."

Zhu Xuening added,

"Ke Yuexuan is my benefactor."

"..."

Xia Weichan's eye twitched as he briefly processed the information in the girl's words.

"I think I understand."

Looking at the girl's pretty face, Zhu Xuening gave off a sickly feeling.

He speaks very softly, and occasionally coughs lightly.

However, the girl's temperament and appearance are not important; what matters is the tetherable tag above her head.

This made him want to communicate with Zhu Xuening even more.

Xia Weichan took a sip of the tea brewed by the young girl. It was quite delicious, with a slightly sweet taste.

I hope Xue Ning can perceive Xia Wei Chan's thoughts:

"Those were picked from the tea tree that my mother planted herself."

"What kind of tea does your mother grow?"

"have no idea."

"?"

What is this guy saying?

Xia Weichan looked puzzled, and Zhu Xuening seemed to have been secretly observing his expression.

Then the girl shook her head and said:

"There are tea trees planted by my biological mother on the mountain, but I'm not sure who planted the tea we're drinking now. If you like, you can go to the back of the mountain and pick some."

"never mind."

To be honest, this girl always gave Xia Weichan a vague, ethereal feeling, a sense of unreality.

However, what Xia Weichan cared about more was why Zhu Xuening took the initiative to show him kindness when it was their first meeting.

"So, we were supposed to meet in the reception room?"

"Hmm...Ke Yuexuan values ​​you a lot."

Zhu Xuening paused, then spoke in a calm tone:

"She plans to bring you into the Ke family, and to curry favor, she might even give me to you."

"ha?"

Xia Weichan looked at Zhu Xuening's serious expression, opened her mouth, and almost couldn't close it.

But then, in less than half a second, he guessed what Ke Yueci meant.

Trying to get himself involved with the Ke family?

This woman would actually go to such lengths to get those assets?

Oh, no,

Given that guy's personality, it's not surprising at all.

This approach seems to better reflect the image of Ke Yueci in Xia Weichan's mind now.

However, judging from Zhu Xuening's last words...

Of the thirty-six stratagems the Ke family employed, he finally resorted to the honey trap.

"It's not actually what you think..."

Zhu Xuening realized that her way of speaking might cause a misunderstanding, so she added:

"Actually, it's because Mr. Xia dislikes me that he asked me to contact you on his behalf."

What if I hate you too?

"Hmm? Do you hate me?"

"It's too early to say I hate it..."

"That's good." Zhu Xuening breathed a sigh of relief.

"..."

The cicadas are silent as summer ends.

In fact, Ke Yueci's idea was probably to use Zhu Xuening as a test, so she could devise a countermeasure later...

Looking at the girl before her, Xia Weichan felt a pang of pity and sympathy.

"Does Ke Yuexuan know about this?"

"what?"

Xia Weichan's sudden question left Zhu Xuening speechless for a moment.

"It was Ke Yuexuan who asked me to negotiate with you..."