Watching the dog gaze at her with pleading eyes, unwilling to let her go, Xie Jiang didn't intend to be too heartless. "Where is your master staying?"
As the sun had already begun to set, Xia Rongyu and Monk Pu Xuan were still sitting there steadily, suggesting they weren't in a hurry to return to the capital.
Xia Rongyu and Monk Pu Xuan seemed quite familiar with each other. Since Monk Pu Xuan practiced at Nanzhao Temple, Xia Rongyu was likely also staying at Nanzhao Temple like her.
Indeed, she heard Chen Chan hesitate for a moment before saying, "My master has been staying at Nanzhao Temple these past two days."
"Since we're all coincidentally staying at Nanzhao Temple, why don't you let Xiao Bao come back to the temple with me first? You can pick him up here later."
Xie Jiang sat herself down on the steps, stroking its fluffy head.
The dog opened its big, watery eyes, looking at her pitifully, whimpering as if to express its grievances.
Xie Jiang leaned closer to look into its eyes, feeling as though she understood its emotions. "There are no eternal feasts in the world; we must part ways eventually. What reason do you have for holding me back?"
"Woof woof woof, whine... whine woof woof..."
"How about you consider coming with me? I promise you'll have meat every day."
"Woof woof woof..."
"You miss your master? Then that's that. Dogs can't be too greedy; you can't have your master and still cling to me..."
"Woof woof woof..."
"Unless..."
"Whine?"
"Unless your master and I become family, then you can have both me and your master." Her Marquis of Nanhai mansion was quite spacious; it could accommodate a few more people.
"Woof woof woof woof woof..."
"You agree so readily? But your master hasn't agreed yet."
"Woof woof woof woof woof..."
"You've chewed a hole in my clothes; I'll have to find your father to compensate me."
"Whine whine whine..."
Chen Chan thought Marquis Xie's suggestion was feasible and was about to go ask his master for instructions when he saw his master's figure appear at the top of the stairs.
Meanwhile, Xie Jiang was asking, "Are you choosing to stay on this tower with your father, or are you choosing to come with me first?"
Xia Rongyu stood quietly at the top of the stairs, looking down at the scene below.
Xiao Bao was biting Xie Jiang's hem and refused to let go. The hem had already been bitten through. Xie Jiang, perhaps exasperated by the entanglement, simply sat down to talk to Xiao Bao.
Normally, the dog listened to Xia Rongyu the most and loved to stick close to him. As long as Xia Rongyu called it, it would eagerly run to his side.
"Xiao Bao, come back."
But today, the dog was being unusually rebellious. Hearing his voice, it looked up towards him but showed no intention of letting go.
Thinking of what Monk Pu Xuan had said about all beings having spirits, Xia Rongyu couldn't help but frown.
Vague thoughts flickered in his mind, disappearing faster the more he tried to grasp them, leaving no trace in the end.
Xia Rongyu watched for a while, then walked down the stairs and stood beside Xie Jiang. He first apologized to Xie Jiang and then said helplessly to the dog, "If Xiao Bao is reluctant to part with Marquis Xie, you can go back to Nanzhao Temple with Marquis Xie first."
The dog seemed to understand its master's words and finally happily let go of Xie Jiang's hem, which was already tattered from its biting.
"I'll trouble Marquis Xie with Xiao Bao."
"Your Highness the Third Prince need not be polite. I will take good care of Xiao Bao. Then we shall depart."
Xie Jiang was in a good mood now, discovering for the first time that dogs could be quite fun, like mischievous children.
She patted the dog's head, stood up with a nudge, and was about to take the dog and leave.
Xia Rongyu hadn't expected her to be so lively, leaving in such a flurry. He suddenly stood up, and her head almost bumped into his face.
Xia Rongyu was bending down to communicate with the dog. Although he dodged very quickly, he was still unavoidably grazed.
The top of her head brushed against his nose.
It was a little itchy.
Xia Rongyu rubbed it with his fingers.
Xie Jiang was completely oblivious, happily taking the dog and descending, disappearing from sight in a blink.
"Your Highness..."
Chen Chan didn't know whether he should follow. The young master was usually attended by him, but if he followed, his master would have no one to serve him.
Xia Rongyu gestured for Chen Chan to follow, indicating he didn't need anyone's service.
Chen Chan then hurried after them, too worried to leave the young master with Marquis Xie.
The young master had just escaped from Marquis Xie's hands by sheer luck. Who knew what unreliable things Marquis Xie might do next.
Xia Rongyu turned and went back up.
Pu Xuan was no longer in his original position.
Xia Rongyu saw him leaning on the railing, looking down, and immediately guessed what he was looking at.
Xia Rongyu walked to Pu Xuan's side and followed his gaze.
One person and one dog were running on the winding, rugged mountain path, with faint sounds of unrestrained laughter mixed with the whistling wind.
Xia Rongyu shook his head with a hint of a headache. "If this happens again, Xiao Bao might just decide to stay at the Marquis of Nanhai's mansion and refuse to come back."
Pu Xuan said, "Is this young person Marquis Xie Jiang of Nanhai?"
Xia Rongyu nodded, glanced at Pu Xuan, and remembering the scene just moments ago, couldn't help but laugh.
At that time, Xie Jiang had clearly sensed something and stood in front of Pu Xuan. Thinking of Xie Jiang's past actions, Xia Rongyu had wondered if Xie Jiang would force Pu Xuan to look up.
He had been waiting to see Pu Xuan's reaction, but unexpectedly, Xie Jiang hadn't acted rashly.
Pu Xuan looked at Xia Rongyu and said, "What do you think of this Marquis Xie?"
With no outsiders present, their interaction was relaxed and casual. Pu Xuan descended from his high monk's pedestal, and Xia Rongyu shed his royal reserve.
Xia Rongyu said, "I haven't interacted much with Xie Jiang. They say she has a peculiar temperament and is quite unruly."
Pu Xuan asked, "Does Your Highness believe the rumors to be true?"
Xia Rongyu pondered for a moment and nodded. "From what I see, Marquis Xie's temperament is largely as described."
Pu Xuan crossed his arms and turned to examine Xia Rongyu with a half-smile.
Xia Rongyu frowned. "What do you want to say?"
Looking at Pu Xuan's eyes, which were still veiled in a mist of blood, he asked, "Did you see something from Xie Jiang just now?"
He paused and added, "Related to me?"
Although Xia Rongyu was very confused about this, unable to fathom what connection the Xie Jiang, who had traveled across the ocean, could have with him, he had observed Pu Xuan's reaction.
Pu Xuan didn't intend to keep him in suspense. He looked deeply at Xia Rongyu and said casually, "There was originally a red thread, with one end tied to Xie Jiang and the other end tied to you."
Pu Xuan paused. "However, this red thread between you has already been cut."
"Huh?" Xia Rongyu was a bit bewildered. "A red... thread? What red thread?"
A thought suddenly leaped into his mind, but it was too absurd, and Xia Rongyu subconsciously dismissed it.
Yet, Pu Xuan stated plainly, "The thread of destiny."
Xia Rongyu's expression was blank as he stared at Pu Xuan for a long time without speaking.
Pu Xuan knew Xia Rongyu found it hard to believe. He himself had been surprised when he saw it, but such a thick red thread, he wouldn't have misread it even for an instant.
"Would the dog your Highness raised so easily run off with someone?"
Xia Rongyu felt he should believe Pu Xuan; Pu Xuan wouldn't play such a joke on him. But what Pu Xuan said was too far-fetched. "What kind of destiny thread between two grown men!"
Pu Xuan expressed his confusion. "Why do you all assume Xie Jiang is a man?"
Xia Rongyu: "..."
Pu Xuan said leisurely, "With which eye did you see Xie Jiang as a man?"