Du Yiyi and Su Xiaoqi were as close as sisters, so much so they could share a pair of trousers.
They often discussed matters of men and women.
Du Yiyi had always been open with Su Xiaoqi about her marriage prospects.
Though initially a little shy, she became more at ease after discussing it a few times.
Even though they were now in the Demon Stone Forest, with Shen Yun as their powerful backing, their previous tension and fear needed an outlet.
Thus, their conversation became quite animated, but neither of them expected anyone to be listening to their private chat. And that person was Xiao Heng.
If he was going to listen, he might as well have just listened, but he insisted on speaking up to make his presence known.
How could they tolerate that?
"Hey, Xiao Heng, you, you can't listen when we women are talking," Du Yiyi glared at him.
Xiao Heng looked innocent. "The place is this small, and the echoes between the stone walls are loud. I heard, is there a problem?"
"Hey, if you heard, fine, but chiming in is where you went wrong..."
"How is it wrong? Can't I ask out of curiosity?"
"Hey, this is a woman's marriage, is it something you can just ask about?"
"If I can't ask casually, then I'll ask properly, is that okay?" Xiao Heng was also a stubborn person and directly clashed with Du Yiyi.
Enraging Du Yiyi, she grunted and, after a word with Su Xiaoqi, walked over to Xiao Heng, grumbling as she debated with him.
Su Xiaoqi looked at the two of them in surprise.
They just didn't seem right.
Just as she was about to say something, Shen Yun took her hand and kissed her on the lips, a mere touch like a dragonfly skimming the water.
Su Xiaoqi smiled sweetly, leaned her head on his shoulder, and squeezed his hand.
Never mind, everyone has their own destiny, and she should interfere less.
Zhang Lei, who was leading the way, glanced back at his master, then at Xiao Heng and Du Yiyi, who were arguing boisterously behind them.
Finally, he looked at Zhang Yu, who was walking at the very back, scratched his head, and quietly walked beside her.
"What are you doing?" Zhang Yu glared at him unhappily.
Zhang Lei pointed to the four people ahead and chuckled, "Uh, well, I, I seemed a bit redundant up front, so it's better to walk here."
"You're redundant here too," Zhang Yu glared at him directly, showing no courtesy in her disdain.
Feeling deflated, Zhang Lei touched his face, which was already covered in stubble.
He thought that perhaps his looks couldn't compare to his master's or the young master of Misty Rain Pavilion, which was why he was so despised.
But his appearance was given by his parents; this was how he looked, and there was no point in rushing it.
The group meandered, but with Shen Yun present, everyone's burden of worry about being trapped was lifted.
Their spirits lifted, and they were in the mood for jokes.
Su Xiaoqi noticed that Shen Yun was not leading them by instinct but was using the principles of the Five Elements and Bagua.
According to his explanation, the Demon Stone Forest was a dead end for those who didn't understand formations and the Five Elements and Bagua.
But for those who did, it was merely a path with a few more turns than a straight road.
"It's all basic stuff, really," so he easily led everyone out.
During this time, they encountered two waves of assassins from Misty Rain Pavilion.
But they were all personally dealt with by Xiao Heng, who had fully recovered.
They were all five-star darts, killing several at once with a single throw.
Reaching the exit, Su Xiaoqi looked at the mountainous terrain ahead, curved like layers, and let out a long sigh.
"Is my wife scared?" Shen Yun embraced her, feeling her heart beat a little fast, indicating she was quite unsettled.
Su Xiaoqi nodded. She told Shen Yun that she had once thought she would be trapped inside and unable to get out.
But that thought lasted only for a moment.
Ever since she knew Zhang Yu had fired the signal flare, she had been firm in her belief that Shen Yun would definitely come to find her.
So, although she had been scared and worried, she quickly dispelled those feelings.
She thought that someone as legendary as Shen Yun would surely come to save her.
"Does my wife have that much faith in me?" Shen Yun was happy; nothing made him happier than the trust of the one he loved.
"Mmm, I believe, I believe in my husband," Su Xiaoqi said with utmost certainty.
But in truth, her heart had wavered for a moment.
She worried that Shen Yun's feelings for her weren't genuine, what then?
But they were.
He had come!
"I hope my wife will always trust me as she does now.
No matter what I do, I won't let my wife down."
"Okay, I will always believe you," Su Xiaoqi blinked, her eyes shining like stars.
Shen Yun was captivated, and a place in his heart cried out more intensely.
He wanted to consummate his marriage with his wife.
Xiao Heng looked at the couple, who repeatedly showed blatant affection in front of everyone, and felt a bit speechless.
At the same time, he felt a degree of wariness.
He had been waiting for Shen Yun to speak, but after they emerged, Shen Yun had not said a word to him.
Seeing them about to board the carriage to leave, Xiao Heng finally couldn't wait any longer.
He blocked Shen Yun in front of everyone and said with extreme awkwardness, "Let's talk, what are your terms."
Shen Yun glanced at him, his eyes extremely indifferent.
"You saved me, what do you want?" Xiao Heng repeated.
Shen Yun looked at him suspiciously, then at Su Xiaoqi, asking with his eyes, "Who is this person?"
Su Xiaoqi coughed twice. How was she supposed to explain that in her past life, they were very good friends?
The two of them cooperated, with one becoming renowned in the martial world, and the other wielding immense power in the imperial court.
Uh, she certainly couldn't say these things now.
But she had never imagined that in the book, their relationship was described as incredibly good, yet here, it didn't seem like that at all.
The way they looked at each other held an unspoken, strange tension.
Xiao Heng was indebted to Shen Yun and feared he would make excessive demands, yet he had to accept his favor.
As for Shen Yun, he looked at Xiao Heng as if he were a stranger.
From an angle unseen by others, Su Xiaoqi could even faintly sense his inner disdain, as well as the strong sense of caution emanating from them both.
It was clear that neither of them thought highly of the other at the moment, but for various reasons, they had to endure it without revealing their true feelings.
She really wanted to shout, you two don't need to be like this, you are good buddies.
Back then, although Shen Yun had a woman by his side in the book, and he brought Zhao Xiaohua with him.
He didn't have a legitimate wife, and people trying to set him up with women stretched from one end of Chang'an Street to the other.
Yet, he hadn't fancied any of them.
Coincidentally, he and Xiao Heng were extremely close, and Su Xiaoqi had felt they had a bromance when she read the book.
But now, looking at them, their initial meeting seemed to be so antagonistic?
It really felt magical.
However, Su Xiaoqi felt that this situation rather fit the characters of Xiao Heng and Shen Yun.
They were both proud people.
It was just that Xiao Heng was excessively proud, preferring to break rather than bend.
While Shen Yun, though proud, still presented himself as a gentle and refined person on the surface.
He had a remarkable grasp of the proportions in dealing with people and matters, always giving a comfortable first impression.
Only what he thought in his heart was known only to those close to him.