All this was noticed by Xiaoxiao, who stood by; her eyes were so creased with laughter they were nearly shut. She hadn’t expected Chu Lian to become so skilled at flirting. At this rate, Wang Xiangxiang wouldn’t be able to resist and would soon succumb.
And with Yang Ming and her being such divine wingmen, wouldn’t the two of them reach marital bliss very soon? At that moment, Xiaoxiao’s mind started to roam again. When they got married, she was determined to spice things up a bit and stir trouble in their wedding chamber.
Seeing his wife’s silly smile, Yang Ming knew she was letting her thoughts wander again. His wife’s mind was always full of ideas. He whispered in her ear, "Wife, what are you thinking about? Share it with me so I can have a good laugh, too."
Xiaoxiao gave Yang Ming a push and raised an eyebrow, "You’ll get your laugh tonight."
These words made Chu Lian and Wang Xiangxiang, who were nearby, think the wrong way. Yang Ming and Xiaoxiao really knew how to keep the affection going, even when they were out and about.
Chu Lian couldn’t help remembering that afternoon he spent with Xiangxiang, which made his ears start to burn. He looked at Wang Xiangxiang, wondering when he would be able to take her home.
Wang Xiangxiang, who was being watched, turned pale at the thought. She too remembered that afternoon, the one she never wanted to recall, her nightmare, the chasm that would forever keep her and Chu Lian from getting any closer.
Seeing Wang Xiangxiang’s pale face, Chu Lian felt a pang of bitterness in his heart, guessing she must have been thinking of that afternoon as well.
To alleviate the awkwardness between them, Chu Lian quickly went to Acheng to tear off another piece of meat for her, "Here, eat more so you won’t be hungry."
"Okay." Wang Xiangxiang took the meat, gnawing on it with her head down, yet in her heart, she was savoring this version of Chu Lian, longing to be with him, even if it was just for a moment longer.
"How far is Lin County? Can we make it there today?" asked Xiaoxiao while eating.
"Lin County is the closest county to us. If the carriage goes fast, we can get there by nightfall, but we have wasted time, so we’ll only get there after dark," replied Yang Ming.
"What are some fun places to visit in Lin County?"
"Lin County has a very famous lake. We could go boating there," suggested Wang Xiangxiang.
"Lin County has a Marriage Fate Temple," Chu Lian added, glancing at Wang Xiangxiang with his peripheral vision. He wanted to pray for their union. He never used to believe in such things, considering them to be women’s fancy, but now he couldn’t care less.
Xiaoxiao’s interest was piqued, "What else is there? We should check it out when we get there."
"Wife, it’s getting late. We can talk about this on the carriage," Yang Ming reminded her, indicating that time was running out.
Xiaoxiao agreed, quickly taking a few more bites of the meat, "Alright, let’s hurry on our way once we’ve eaten enough."
The group quickly cleaned up the site and boarded the carriage, preparing to set off when Xiaoxiao had another need. Tugging at Yang Ming’s hand, she pouted, "Hubby, I need to use the latrine."
Yang Ming was no longer fazed by his wife’s requests—they couldn’t exactly hold it in all day, could they? "Come on, I’ll find a place for you."
With that, Yang Ming and Xiaoxiao hopped down from the carriage.
At this point, Wang Xiangxiang on the carriage was unsettled and shyly spoke up, "Xiaoxiao, I need to go too."
"I’ll go as well," said Chu Lian hurriedly upon hearing Xiangxiang, insisting on going too. He couldn’t leave the care of the two women to Yang Ming alone, completely categorizing himself as Xiangxiang’s man, forgetting that this would only make her feel more embarrassed.