The atmosphere in the Floral Hall was silent and awkward, with no one speaking except for the sound of lids scraping against cups.
Wufu looked toward Ah Jiu and coughed softly.
"I don’t know what your family’s garden looks like? I heard from Xiao Li that the scenery in the garden isn’t too shabby," Ah Jiu broke the silence.
Wufu stood up, "Then let me take you for a stroll."
She seemed impatient to go.
Ah Jiu paused for a moment, then lowered her eyelids, hiding the smile in her eyes.
There was a direct path to the garden from the front courtyard, and now that it was nearly October, it was already deep autumn. Wufu’s family garden was not big, one could see the whole of it at a glance.
Sitting on the stone bench, Hongyu refreshed the tea and retreated to the side.
Ah Jiu looked at Wufu’s profile and asked with a smile, "Why have you suddenly become so quiet?"
This was unlike her usual self when she was up to mischief, almost a completely different person.
Wufu scratched her head and chuckled, "People here are all about rules, right? All that ’men and women should not touch hands,’ I’m just following the rules."
"People here" sounded odd, but Ah Jiu didn’t take it to heart and said, "You don’t need to be so restrained, it takes the fun out of it. We’ve already been partners in crime twice; we’re in the same boat now."
The two looked at each other and burst into laughter, dissipating much of the awkwardness.
"Alright then!" Wufu looked over to where Liu Jin and Xiao Li were whispering to each other and asked, "So, fellow traveler on the same boat, where are you from? What do you do?"
Ah Jiu had just picked up her tea when she heard this flippant question and looked over again.
This seemed to be the first time she had asked him about his origins, and he thought she would never ask.
And she didn’t even know his name yet.
"I was just asking casually. If it’s inconvenient, you don’t have to answer. Just pretend I never asked," Wufu said, seeing that he didn’t respond, and thinking he might be cautious, she shrugged.
"If I don’t tell you, will you be unhappy?" Ah Jiu asked somewhat unexpectedly.
Wufu laughed, "Why would I be unhappy? Doesn’t everyone have a few secrets?" Besides, although they were ’on the same boat,’ they weren’t exactly close.
"I’m not from Nanyue," Ah Jiu revealed. "I come from Beiyan."
"Beiyan, huh? Is it nice there?" Wufu perked up. "How does it compare to Nanyue?"
Ah Jiu smiled, "Beiyan and Nanyue were under the same ancestor two hundred years ago, but they split later on. So whether it’s culture or lifestyle, there’s not much difference. But the terrain of Beiyan is to the north, the crops aren’t as plentiful as in Nanyue. The weather is also a few degrees cooler, but Beiyan’s customs for women are not as strict as Nanyue’s. The women of Beiyan are more forthright."
He slowly described the terrain and culture of Beiyan, and Wufu listened with great interest, occasionally interjecting a few words, which helped her understand the two countries, including their historical trajectories.
"One of these days, I really should visit Beiyan to see the scenery of the Northern Region," Wufu said with a smile.
Ah Jiu’s eyes sparkled, "You would definitely like Beiyan." For some reason, he had this confidence.
"Then why did you come to Nanyue?" Wufu asked, looking him up and down, then leaned in close, propping her chin on her hand and asked in a conspiratorial tone, "You’re not here as a spy, are you?"
Ah Jiu’s heart skipped a beat, and she glanced at her sideways, "Oh? What makes you say that?"