Zhao Rong watched the scene speechlessly.
He covered his mouth and cleared his throat.
The slender girl who had been sticking her butt out paused, then turned her head.
The next second, her body lightly hopped backward, and she jumped off the fence.
While patting the hand that had been "committing the crime" just a moment ago, she looked around as if nothing had happened.
Looking here and there, as though nothing had occurred.
However, suddenly, the slender girl’s head stopped swiveling, and her gaze "nailed" itself onto Zhao Rong’s face.
She stared at him, slowly lowered her head, and then meticulously examined the man before her from top to bottom, with an extremely focused expression.
Zhao Rong raised an eyebrow. Now that they were face to face, he could finally clearly see what the girl looked like.
She looked meek and fragile.
She belonged to the type you’d find in the markets below the mountains, where playboys with their lackeys showing off, bullying both men and women, would get excited at the sight of her as if injected with chicken blood, and rush over to tease her.
Any experienced playboy bully would elegantly snap their fan closed and imperiously lift her chin with the sharp end of the fan.
In such situations, the meek household girl matched with a panic-stricken gaze, would, for some reason think about running, believing she could outrun these strong men.
Well, the result, of course, was that the girl would be surrounded and stopped by the gang of lackeys, and the lewd bully would let out a wild and crazed laugh, yet approach her slower than a tortoise.
The delicate household girl, huddling her arms and shrinking her body, would shiver like a scared little chick, crying loudly for help.
The bully would spread his arms wide, his expression twisted and maniac, shouting something like "scream all you want, no one will come to save you," while being accompanied by a chorus of laughter from his lackeys.
Then, the bully, his lackeys, and the girl would drag out the scene, waiting for some hero to make a dazzling entrance from who-knows-where and save the damsel in distress.
At last, finally, the girl would see the hero who chased away the bully and saved her, a man of striking appearance and impressive talent.
She would stand tall and straight, perform a courteous bow, bite her lip as if on the verge of tears, and say "I must repay benefactor with my body," looking pitiful and frail.
This was roughly the image of the delicate girl in front of him.
Zhao Rong nodded lightly.
He felt she had that sort of charm.
It was just that Zhao Rong couldn’t remember saving this girl on his way down the mountain.
The only one he had impulsively saved was Su Xiaoxiao, the silly fox demon, and he remembered that she didn’t even give a clear answer on whether she would "repay him with her body in this life" or "be his servant in the next," before rushing away in a fluster.
Therefore, this meek and frail-looking girl in front of him probably wasn’t there to "repay him with her body."
At this moment, the delicate girl with her gentle, water-like eyes stared unblinkingly at Zhao Rong.
Zhao Rong looked at her and then glanced behind the fence at the chrysanthemums.
He asked with curiosity, "What is the young lady doing here? Er, is there something on my face?"
Zhao Rong touched his face and then shook his head; he should still be as handsome as when he left the house that morning.
The delicate girl stared at him and shook her head emphatically.
Zhao Rong chuckled and gestured to one side, "My surname is Zhao, my courtesy name is Ziyu, and I live in the north house."
Upon hearing this, the delicate girl’s eyes widened slightly with surprise, and she examined Zhao Rong all over again.
Her eyes became more intense.
Zhao Rong blinked. Do you recognize me?
Is my reputation in the academy really that great?
But what’s with coming to East Fence Small House and stealing my chrysanthemums?
Zhao Rong’s mouth twitched, and pointing to the brilliant autumn chrysanthemums behind the fence, he asked, "What do you want the chrysanthemums for, young lady?"
The delicate girl tilted her head and replied earnestly, "They look very tasty."
The two exchanged gazes for a moment.
The atmosphere turned slightly awkward.
Zhao Rong coughed softly.
He skipped over the topic of the girl with the peculiar taste.
With a sunny smile, he gave a bow, "May I ask the young lady’s name..."
A familiar calm voice suddenly rang out.
Zhao Rong turned his head.
Yu Huaijin was walking out of the kitchen holding a plate... of cucumbers.
Noticing his puzzled look, this prim girl quickly put away the cucumbers, paused for a moment, and then explained,
"This is my maid... uh, also an attendant student."
With that, she turned her head towards the slender girl who was now smiling cheerfully at her.
Zhao Rong nodded and turned back.
But he saw that this girl named Bi Fang was no longer staring straight at him like before, although her gaze was still somewhat reserved.
Yet, she was still sneaking glances.
At this moment, upon noticing Zhao Rong’s look,
Bi Fang smiled softly, looking a bit shy.
"Come back," said Yu Huaijin with a serious tone.
Bi Fang lowered her head, "Oh."
Before leaving, she cast a sidelong glance at Zhao Rong, her expression reluctant, but still she lifted her hand and waved gently at him.
Zhao Rong nodded with a smile.
Seeing that, Bi Fang’s face broke into a happy smile, and then she trotted over to where Yu Huaijin was.
Yu Huaijin, holding her ground with a stern face, noticed the "exchange of glances" between the two.
Her brows furrowed slightly.