He was lost in thought for a moment, until he heard Huo Wujiuâs voice, then he snapped back to his senses.
âWhatâs wrong?â He heard Huo Wujiu ask again.
Jiang Suizhou hurriedly smiled, but somehow, the corners of his mouth felt a bit stiff. He smiled reluctantly and replied, âOf course I know him.â
Huo Wujiu looked puzzled: âHave you two had a dispute?â
Jiang Suizhou shook his head, âNo.â
Huo Wujiu frowned at him and raised his eyes to the sky. âYou look so pale. Are you suffering from a heatstroke?â
Jiang Suizhou had no idea why his complexion was unsightly. He didnât even notice it. He just suddenly felt uncomfortable. Perhaps the medicine that Gu Changyun administered to him had not yet dissipated, so it sometimes broke out.
He uttered, âIâm fine. Go on.â
Huo Wujiu glanced at him and then said, âThere is nothing to say, but I saved him by accident in the early years. Now I plan to ask for my favor.â
He said it frankly, as if the matter of asking for a repayment under duress was very much on the table.
Jiang Suizhou forced down his discomfort and asked, âAre you sure heâs willing to help you?â
Huo Wujiu looked at the snapping flames and replied, âAlthough he is loyal, he isnât a fool. He should be clear about what kind of person Jiang Shunheng is. Whatâs more, nowadays, we and the Jing Dynasty have been in a life-or-death struggle for a long time. He should also think clearly and stand in a clear direction. â
On this note, he said lightly, âEven if he doesnât want to live, he has to think about his daughter.â
Jiang Suizhou was given a start.
Listening to Huo Wujiuâs wordsâŠ
He and Lou Wanjun should have no personal relationship, right?
They were clearly talking about business, but for some reason, when he heard Huo Wujiuâs reply, the first thought in his mind was this.
He was stunned for a moment, and then felt chagrined.
What was he thinking? Whatever Huo Wujiuâs relationship with Lou Wanjun exactly was, it was none of his businessâŠ
Without warning, a burst of hot air came to his face.
When Jiang Suizhou looked up, he found Huo Wujiu holding a dead branch in one hand and handing him the rabbit that was roasted to a crispy, oily exterior.
âDid the sun render you silly, or is there something wrong with the medicine Li Changning prescribed for you?â He added, âWhy are you in a daze? Eat quickly.â
ââ
Huo Wujiuâs craftsmanship was indeed satisfactory.
There was no seasoning in the wilderness, so he used fire alone to roast the rabbit so that it was crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.
However, Jiang Suizhou had a small appetite and delicate stomach. He couldnât eat more after finishing a rabbit leg.
Most of the remaining rabbit meat went into Huo Wujiuâs stomach.
When Jiang Suizhou finished eating, Huo Wujiu easily took on the task of cleaning up the surroundings. In no time, traces of fire were nowhere to be seen.
The sun gradually set.
Jiang Suizhou sat by the river, looking up at the gradually sinking daylight with boredom. The mountain scenery was dazzling, with the clean and gentle wind blowing. He had never been so leisurely after he came here.
However, he couldnât help but say, âHis Majesty is too cruel. Itâs been half a day, yet he still hasnât sent anyone to collect my corpse.â
Huo Wujiu, who was sitting next to him, burst out laughing, âHe is also afraid of wasting all previous efforts.â
Jiang Suizhou suddenly thought of something and hastily asked, âBy the way, youâve been out for so long. You wonât be discovered, right?â
Huo Wujiu said, âNo, they are all in the hunting ground and wonât go back to the camp. Moreover, didnât I ask you to lock me in the room today?â
Jiang Suizhou looked at him: âDid you know something would happen back then?â
Huo Wujiu answered deep inside, I knew as early as when I heard you were going to accompany them to the hunt.
But before today, those speculations were just worries. They didnât count. Huo Wujiu didnât refute, and Jiang Suizhou took this as a tacit agreement.
With this in mind, Jiang Suizhou felt a bit anxious.
âWhy donât you go back?â He said, âIn case you are discovered, wonât you be in danger? I just need to wait for someone here now. I donât need you to guard here.â
Huo Wujiu raised his eyes to him: âThere are wolves in the mountain.â
Jiang Suizhou froze, unable to make a sound.
âThey want to build a hunting ground, so they also keep some tigers here,â Huo Wujiu went on to say.
Jiang Suizhou was rendered silent.
Seeing his reaction, the corners of Huo Wujiuâs lips involuntarily curled, and his wicked nature began to rear its head.
âAre you not afraid?â he asked, and made a move to stand up, âThen should I leave?â
In a panic, Jiang Suizhou quickly stretched out his hand and grabbed his clothes.
âDonât!â he exclaimed.
Huo Wujiu stood at a distance, with little expression on his face, but a dodgy yet composed streak flashed across his eyes as he looked down at him.
His back was against the light and Jiang Suizhou failed to catch the playful tint in his eyes. Whatâs more, Jiang Suizhou forgot that this young one had crawled and gone through challenging experiences in the barracks. No matter how decent he appeared, he carried the wicked nature of a ruffian deep in his bones.
Jiang Suizhou only thought that by keeping silent, it would really make Huo Wujiu think that he wasnât afraid.
He raised his head to Huo Wujiu and spoke awkwardly, â⊠Weâve been here for a whole day. Itâs not bad to stay a little longer.â
Although he spoke stubbornly, the lingering fear on his face was unmistakable.
Facing the sunset, Huo Wujiu naturally saw his expression clearly.
⊠This seemingly shrewd Jingwang really did not see that he was teasing him.
He had watched this strategist in the court hall, and he didnât lose a beat after his battle with Pang Shao. How could he be so easy to deceive here?
With those clean eyes alone, Huo Wujiuâs heart melted. It was as if the cool evening wind in the mountains in early summer was blowing to the bottom of his heart.
The hand holding the corner of his clothes was obviously powerless, but Huo Wujiu sat down obediently with that strength.
âIâm teasing you.â Huo Wujiuâs voice hinted at a compromise. His hands moved, ignoring all commands, and rubbed the top of Jiang Suizhouâs head.