1791: Bashfulness

Bashfulness

Her face felt warm when she recalled the embarrassing incident by the stream just now.0

Did that mean Long Yin had seen her…

She bit her lip.

It was not the cold season yet, so her current clothes were quite flimsy and provided practically zero coverage when drenched.

She flushed at the thought.

"Cousin Hexin, why is your face so red?" Yuan You wondered.

"Is it?" Hexin touched her own cheek.

"Yes, very." Yuan You nodded.

"That's because you're making me shy by staring at me," Hexin said earnestly with a wink.

"What are you blushing for? I'm not a man." Yuan You was incredulous.

"Just go out first, will you? I need to wipe myself down." Hexin hauled Yuan You to her feet and pushed her outside.

Once Yuan You was gone, Hexin patted her own cheeks, stifling her bashfulness.

She wrung a towel dry and cleaned herself meticulously.

When she was done, she took the basin outside and poured the water away.

"Sis, are you done cleaning?" He'an ran over to her with a roasted chicken drumstick in one hand, his mouth coated in grease.

"Yes." Hexin nodded. She took out a handkerchief and wiped his mouth, chiding, "You need to eat more slowly. You're not a little kid anymore—stop getting grease all over your face." 

"It's just so delicious I can't help it. If you're done cleaning, come eat with us. Big Bro Long Yin's a great roaster, you know—he saved a drumstick for you." With that, He'an scuttled off.

Hexin paused for a second. Then, she set the basin down and sauntered after him.

Several bonfires had been set up in the open space surrounded by the tents, and the guards were roasting game meat in small groups. 

Long Yin, Qi Heng, and the others were sitting around the frontmost bonfire.

"Over here, Cousin Hexin." Yuan You was the first to spot Hexin, and she hurriedly waved to her. "Come sit beside me."

She had barely finished when Qi Heng plopped himself down next to her.

Yuan You was stunned for a moment before staring daggers at him. "I saved this seat for Cousin Hexin. Wasn't your seat just now comfortable enough?"

"It's too cramped over there. I'm more comfortable sitting here." Grinning, Qi Heng glanced at the spot beside Long Yin, then tore a chunk of flesh off his rabbit leg and offered it to her. "For you." 

That was all it took to stop Yuan You from protesting any further.

When Hexin approached, she found that the seat beside Yuan You had been occupied by Qi Heng. After a brief pause, she turned in He'an's direction, only to see him scoot close to Yuan You, much to her bewilderment. 

As a result, a large space was left in the middle. 

"Have a seat, Hexin," Long Yin said warmly, gesturing to the mat beside him.

Hexin hesitated, but she eventually walked over to him.

Once she sat down, Long Yin handed her a cup of warm water. "Have some water before eating."

Hexin took it, thinking to herself, 'He's really good at taking care of others.'

When she had drunk the water, Long Yin passed a chicken drumstick to her. "Eat up. If you'd arrived a little later, they'd have finished everything."

"Thank you, Big Bro Long Yin." Hexin accepted it.

Long Yin sighed quietly. "Why are you getting more and more polite?"

Hexin was nibbling the drumstick to avoid getting grease on her face, and hearing this, she glanced up at him. "Because I should."

Long Yin fell silent, feeling somewhat defeated.

Sometimes, this girl could get really difficult.

Halfway through her drumstick, Hexin sensed his unusualness and could not help lifting her eyes to him.

Under the night sky, the man sat in front of the fire, quietly roasting the game meat in his hand.

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