"Qing'er, listen to the song that old man is singing." Bai Suzhen listened to the boatman's singing, her eyes thoughtful, "It took ten years to get to the same boat together. The fate between people is really not easy to come by."
"Yes." Xiaoqing nodded, looked at Bai Suzhen, and asked, "Sister, then you said that we can be sisters in this life. How many lifetimes did it take to achieve this fate?"
Bai Suzhen shook her head and said with a smile, "It will probably take many lifetimes." She turned her eyes to the scholar standing at the bow, pulled Xiaoqing over, and whispered, "Qing'er, that man was my savior 1,700 years ago, and he was so kind as to let us on board. How can we take over the host and drive him out? Can you please invite him in?"
Xiaoqing didn't even think about it and said directly, "Not good." Thinking of the man's infatuated expression as he stared at Bai Suzhen, she felt uncomfortable. Letting him go out in the rain was just the right way to vent her anger.
"Qing'er—" Bai Suzhen looked at Xiaoqing with a sigh, "If you don't invite him in, then I will go and invite him in." As she said that, she was about to get up.
"Okay, okay." Xiao Qing held Bai Suzhen down and compromised, "I'll do as you say."
Bai Suzhen smiled gently and said, "Qing'er, thank you."
Xiao Qing said with a smile: "Why are you thanking me?" She turned to the scholar on the bow and shouted: "Hey, the one outside, my mistress said it's raining heavily outside, you'd better come in."
"This... This is not very convenient."
Xiaoqing muttered in a low voice: "It's really inconvenient."
"Qing'er—" Bai Suzhen heard Xiaoqing's mumbling, and she really didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Stop mumbling there, and invite her in quickly."
"Okay, okay, I got it." Xiaoqing pouted unwillingly and shouted at the scholar, "Hey, I say you are really pedantic. Didn't you hear the song just now, 'Ten years of cultivation to be able to cross the river together'? It's a rare fate. We two girls don't mind. Why are you still shy? Come in quickly."
"I,,,,,"
"Okay, Mr. Xu, stop talking so much and come in quickly. Do you want me to go outside and invite you in person?"
"You...how do you know my last name is Xu?" The scholar was stunned and looked at Xiaoqing in surprise.
Xiao Qing rolled her eyes, pointed at his umbrella, and said with a smile: "Nuo, there is such a big word Xu written there, is it me who can't read, or you who can't read?"
The scholar surnamed Xu glanced at the words on the umbrella, blushed, and smiled awkwardly: "Oh, I forgot that my umbrella has a surname written on it." He put away the umbrella, walked into the cabin, straightened his clothes, bowed to Xiaoqing and Bai Suzhen, and said: "I am sorry for being rude."
Bai Suzhen smiled, nodded slightly, and asked, "May I ask if you are a local?"
The scholar stared at Bai Suzhen blankly, smiled foolishly and said, "My surname is Xu, my name is Xian, and my courtesy name is Hanwen."
Xiao Qing couldn't stand Xu Xian's silly face and couldn't help but teasing him, "I said you are quite proactive. My lady just asked if you are a local, but you actually introduced yourself."
Xu Xian was stunned for a moment, then he came to his senses and quickly turned his eyes away from Bai Suzhen, saying, "I am sorry for the rudeness. I am from Qiantang, and I am a local. May I ask what are your names, ladies?"
Xiaoqing pointed at Bai Suzhen and said, "This is our young lady, Bai Suzhen. My name is Xiaoqing, you can call me Sister Xiaoqing."
"Qing'er—" Bai Suzhen glared at Xiaoqing in reproach, and said to Xu Xian apologetically, "Mr. Xu, you don't have to listen to my nonsense. Just call her Xiaoqing."
Xu Xian waved his hands hurriedly and said, "Miss Bai, there is no need to be so polite. Miss Qing is right."
"That's right." Xiao Qing said, "Xu Xian, I respect you by letting you call me Sister Xiao Qing. If it were anyone else, I wouldn't bother to talk to them at all."
Xu Xian laughed and asked, "Where are you two girls from and where are you going?"
Xiaoqing said, "My young lady and I were originally out for a spring outing, but it suddenly started to rain, so we have to go back to the Bai Mansion in Shuangcha Lane."
Xu Xian bowed to Bai Suzhen and said, "So you are the daughter of the Bai family. I am sorry for your impoliteness."
Bai Suzhen said, "Mr. Xu, there is no need to be so polite. We, the master and the servant, have disturbed you for no reason. I don't know how to thank you."
"I dare not. It is my honor to be able to travel in the same boat with the two girls."
Xiaoqing was getting impatient when she heard Xu Xian speaking in a flowery manner, like a pedantic scholar. Then she heard the boatman shout, "We've arrived at Qingbo Gate." Xiaoqing was delighted, and as soon as the boat docked, she couldn't wait to pull Bai Suzhen off.
Bai Suzhen said to Xu Xian, "Mr. Xu, we will meet again if we are lucky." Since she knew that Xu Xian lived in Qiantang, it would not be difficult to find him in the future, and there was no rush to repay his kindness.
When Xu Xian saw the two were about to leave, he felt lost.
"Oh no, it's still raining!" After getting off the boat, Xiaoqing realized that the rain had not stopped yet as fine raindrops fell on her body. She was about to cast a spell, but Bai Suzhen stopped her and said, "Qing'er, Xu Xian hasn't left yet."
"Why is that idiot still standing there?" Xiaoqing turned around and saw Xu Xian still standing on the shore, looking at the two of them from afar, and she felt very disgusted.
Bai Suzhen shook her head: "How should I know?" As soon as she finished speaking, she saw Xu Xian suddenly return to the boat to get an umbrella, and ran towards the two of them quickly.
"Ladies, it's raining heavily. I'd like to lend you this umbrella first." Xu Xian ran to Xiaoqing and Bai Suzhen, saying while panting.
Bai Suzhen said gratefully: "Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Xu, but if you give us the umbrella, how will you get home?"
Xu Xian said: "I won't get in the way."
"Thank you very much." Xiaoqing didn't bother to be polite with him. She grabbed the umbrella and held it up for Bai Suzhen. "Sister, let's go."
"Mr. Xu, if you want to get your umbrella back, you can come to the Bai Mansion to find me."
"I understand. Please take care, Miss Bai."