Yu Ping and Feng Yun were pulled by her to the dining hall, their faces still flushed with heat.
Feng Wu Xi raised an eyebrow at their peculiar arrangement. "The three of you, can't you walk unless you're squeezed together?"
Feng Yin Wan, who had just prevented a monumental battle, lifted her chin proudly. "We call this brotherly affection and harmonious unity!"
"Miss!"
"Don't talk nonsense!"
Yu Ping and Feng Yun each turned their heads away. Harmonious unity, indeed!
But, all in all, the conflict was resolved by her. With a harmonious atmosphere all around, Feng Yin Wan glanced at Feng Yun on her left and Yu Ping on her right. In her delight, she ate two extra bowls of rice.
After a satisfying meal, she was about to return and devise further plans when Feng Wu Xi stopped her just as she stepped out of the dining hall.
"Ate too much, didn't you? Want to take a stroll?"
Feng Yin Wan thought, what good could strolling with him be? She'd rather go back and play cards with Yu Ping and the others, or failing that, invite Yu Che from next door for mahjong.
But somehow, as soon as she opened her mouth, the words came out as a loud burp.
Thus, she composed herself and grudgingly agreed, "Sure." After all, her own strength was limited, and leaving might still require Feng Wu Xi's help.
When Feng Wu Xi said he wanted to take her for a walk, it was indeed a walk, but as they strolled, Feng Yin Wan began to notice something was amiss. This path looked familiar; she seemed to have walked it not long ago. That path also looked familiar; she seemed to have walked it recently too. And that... wait, weren't these the same paths she had walked this afternoon!
"What is this nonsense," she muttered softly. Feng Wu Xi glanced at her sideways.
"How is it?"
He squinted his eyes, his tone laced with carelessness, but Feng Yin Wan knew he was asking about Ye Ting Lan. He asked vaguely, and she answered vaguely.
Feng Yin Wan furrowed her brow, pretending not to understand. "How is what?"
"Playing these games with me?"
Feng Wu Xi let out a soft scoff and looked at her again. "Have you figured out what to do?"
Her thoughts were always easy to guess, and he knew she was secretly trying to find a way. But for some inexplicable reason, he was somewhat unwilling to help her. He didn't want her to leave, whether to return to the capital or to go to Yue Country.
Feng Yin Wan didn't notice anything unusual and just glared at him. "Enjoying the show, are you?" That's typical, she thought, she knew his dog-like nature was always at its peak!
The surroundings were quiet. Through the not-so-high courtyard walls, the clanging of armor could faintly be heard from outside. Feng Yin Wan briefly brushed aside a stray strand of hair from her ear, her frustration growing. Seeing Ye Ting Lan's stubbornness today, he certainly wouldn't let her leave. And the imperial envoy's retinue would only stay in Jinzhou for a few days; her time was running out.
Focused on her plans to leave, she failed to notice the gaze that had been resting on her, neither too light nor too heavy, since a moment ago. Feng Yin Wan disliked wearing earrings, partly because they were troublesome. So, even though she had regained her female form, her ears were still bare. Feng Wu Xi was much taller than her. As his gaze fell, he easily spotted the fair skin hidden beneath her loose hair. Small and exquisite, it gleamed luminously under the moonlight, so white it was almost excessive. He watched secretly, lost in thought for no reason.
"Haven't you considered staying?" The question slipped out lightly as he returned to his senses. His heart tightened, but then the young woman turned to look at him, her expression akin to looking at an idiot.
"Are you sure?" News of her presence here couldn't be hidden. If she were to stay, Ye Ting Lan would undoubtedly be the first to disagree. If things could truly go according to her wishes, that would be wonderful.
Feng Wu Xi's eyes remained fixed on that spot, his voice tinged with a deep, hushed tone. "I mean, under a different identity."
In the quiet wilderness, a cool breeze swept past. Feng Yin Wan suddenly turned and stared at him for a long moment. Only the sound of the wind reached her ears, the scene before her was intoxicating, the walls in her heart were crumbling piece by piece, yet secret and obscure thoughts in her mind surged with all their might. Just as the strings of her heart felt ready to snap, she suddenly narrowed her eyes.
"Feng Wu Xi, are you being a dog!"
A punch landed, jolting him back to reality. After a moment of slight pause, that familiar smile reappeared on his lips.
"What did I do?"
"You already thought of a way, didn't you?" Feng Yin Wan praised her own clever mind and strongly condemned Feng Wu Xi's inaction and lack of humanitarian spirit. Since he could let her stay in the Wu Xi Pavilion under a different identity, he could naturally let her leave here under a different identity as well. This scoundrel, beating around the bush, was simply unwilling to help her!
Her words hit the mark, and his expression indeed changed. He coldly withdrew his gaze, no longer looking at her, and even gritted his teeth.
"There's no way." He threw this out with an extremely sullen face, then added coldly, "I'm tired, I'm not walking anymore."
He turned to leave, but Feng Yin Wan lowered her eyelashes and said softly, "You don't have to help, but at least, I hope you won't stop me."