Yan Qi always handled things with meticulous care, yet he never seemed like a particurly careful person. He wasn’t overly clean either—he practically never took a bath.

  The food was safe. Guo Dalu had already finished off a chicken leg.

  Yan Qi remarked, "Looks like this person doesmean us any harm… just has a few screws loose!"

  Guo Dalu said, “Not just a little crazy—this person has a lot of issues. Someone with only minor fws wouldn't do something like this.”

  He swallowed a steamed bun, then suddenly added, “This person must be a woman.”

  Yan Qi asked, “How do you know?”

  Guo Dalu replied, “Only a woman would do something this erratic and unpredictable.”

  Yan Qi bit his lip, then, surprisingly, nodded in agreement. “Maybe she's doing this because she likes you and wants to win your favor.”

  Guo Dalu chuckled and couldn't help but ask, “Why? Because I'm manly? Or because I'm handsome?”

  Yan Qi said, “Neither.”

  Guo Dalu asked, “Then why?”

  Yan Qi said, “Simply because she's a crazy woman. And only a crazy woman would fall for you.”

  Guo Dalu tried to put on a serious face, but he couldn't stop himself from ughing. “A crazy woman is still better than no woman at all.”

  Outside, the sun shone brightly over the nd. In weather like this, no matter what anyone said, he wouldn't get angry—especially not at Yan Qi.

  He liked Yan Qi.

  He gradually realized that among this group of friends, the one he liked most was Yan Qi.

  Strangely enough, Yan Qi always seemed to go out of his way to oppose him, seizing every opportunity to mock him.

  Even stranger, the more Yan Qi mocked him, the more he liked Yan Qi.

  Wang Dong would always watch them bicker from the sidelines, his eyes carrying a particur, amused smile.

  Guo Dalu had just lifted a bun to his mouth when his other hand reached for the wine cup.

  Yan Qi shot him a gre and said, "Drunkard, can't you at least wait until nightfall before drinking?"

  Guo Dalu chuckled, then unexpectedly set down his wine cup and murmured, “Who said I was going to drink? I was just using the wine to rinse my mouth.”

  Just then, they suddenly heard a voice outside, reciting in a slow, melodic tone:

  "The winding stone path climbs the cold mountain,White clouds deep among hidden homes.I pause my cart to admire the maple grove at dusk,Frost-touched leaves redder than February's blooms..."

  “What a beautiful scene, what a wonderful pce,” the voice sighed.

  Guo Dalu smiled again. “Sounds like we've got ourselves a poetic schor.”

  Wang Dong said, “Not just one—three of them.”

  Guo Dalu asked, “How do you know?”

  Before Wang Dong could answer, another voice spoke from outside. “Since you find this pce so pleasant, Young Master, why don′t we rest here? My legs are sore from all this walking.”

  A third voice followed. “I wonder who the owner of this house is. Do you think they'd let us in?”

  These two voices still carried the tone of youth. Children or not, there were indeed three of them.

  Guo Dalu sighed. “Such sharp ears. Even though it's just a cat, its hearing is still better than ours.”

  With a swish, the bck cat darted out.

  Indeed, a cat's ears are exceptionally keen—even Wang Dong couldn't help but chuckle.

  Then, the refined voice outside spoke again. “The grand gates stand closed but unlocked, and the house's guardian spirit has come to greet us. It seems the owner of this pce is not only hospitable but must also be a person of great refinement. Truly refined!”

  Guo Dalu couldn't help but ugh. “Refined? Maybe not. Hospitable? Definitely.”

  He was the first to step forward and greet them.

  The morning sun was as fresh and warm as a newly steamed bun, filling the heart with a quiet sense of peace.

  On a day this beautiful, anyone would feel a little more generous, a little more kind.

  With a friendly smile on his face, Guo Dalu looked toward the three visitors standing outside the gate.

  Two young attendants stood behind their master—one carrying a book chest on his back, the other bancing a shoulder pole. Their small faces had been tanned by the sun, turning them as red as ripe apples.

  Their master was a refined and schorly young man, not too old, with strikingly handsome features. He carried himself with grace and courtesy, exuding an air of elegance.

  With such a trio, it would be difficult for anyone to dislike them.

  Guo Dalu smiled and said, "Are you here to enjoy the scenery? You really picked the perfect weather for it."

  The schor bowed deeply and said, "I have intruded upon your leisure uninvited. Please forgive my rudeness."

  Guo Dalu replied, "I'm not the host here—just a guest. That's how I know the real host is very hospitable."

  The schor smiled. "May I ask where the host is? Would it be possible for me to meet him?"

  Guo Dalu chuckled. "The host here is indeed welcoming, but he has a bit of an illness."

  The schor asked, "May I inquire about his ailment? I have some knowledge of medicine."

  Guo Dalu ughed. "I'm afraid it's incurable—he suffers from ziness. If you want to see him, you'll have to go in on your own."

  The schor smiled. "In that case, I shall respectfully oblige."

  Even the way he walked was refined, almost as if he were too delicate to withstand the wind. However, the book chest and shoulder pole carried by his young attendants seemed quite heavy.

  The boy carrying the pole walked at the back, and with each step, the contents inside clinked and jingled.

  Guo Dalu patted the boy's head and asked, "What do you have in there? Is it heavy?"

  The child blinked his rge eyes and replied, "Not too heavy—just some porcein bottles. Maotai wine comes in bottles, after all. Our young master loves drinking and composing poetry. I don't know how to write poetry, but I do know how to drink."

  Guo Dalu ughed and asked, “You drink too? How old are you?”

  The boy replied, “I'm fourteen—fifteen tomorrow. My name is Diao Shi, and his is Sao Su. Our young master's surname is He, He Renke. We're from Daming Prefecture. Since our master loves traveling and exploring, we rarely get to stay home.”