Page 338

"Wife, what’s the use of learning flower arrangement when you’re a soldier who will carry a gun into battle in the future?

Come, let me take you to practice shooting.

" Quan Shaoqing felt that he couldn’t let his mother take his daughter-in-law down a twisted path.

Saying this, he took Gu Xiaoxi’s hand and was ready to leave.

Song Xu pushed her delicate presbyopic glasses and slapped Quan Shaoqing’s hand away, "You have the girl practice fighting and killing every day. It’s you who will go to the battlefield, while your wife needs to maintain her beauty and nurture her temperament at home.

Flower arranging is the best way to elevate one’s realm.

Go, stop bothering us here. If you’re bored to death, come and learn too. Give some thought to retiring early."

"Here you go again." Quan Shaoqing felt that this mother of his was always nagging him several times a day about the same thing. What was he supposed to do at home after retiring! He didn’t want to take over his dad’s business at all.

Gu Xiaoxi placed a beautiful rose into the vase, and looking at her creation, she was quite satisfied with herself.

A combination of dancing orchids along with white lilies and yellow roses created a bright and enchantingly beautiful display.

It looked auspicious, and any bouquet arranged by her was dazzlingly eye-catching, making it impossible not to acknowledge its beauty.

Song Xu suddenly stopped her conversation with Quan Shaoqing, and upon seeing Gu Xiaoxi’s masterpiece, she couldn’t help but praise, "Daughter-in-law, your artistic talent is really something. To create a master-level work on your first try. It seems this old lady is truly getting old."

"Mom, if you like it, I’ll give it to you. Let’s put this one in your room! It should bloom for a long time and can also purify the air; it’s good for your health." Gu Xiaoxi secretly sprinkled some Spiritual Energy on the fresh flowers, which made the blooms look even more delicate and beautiful.

Especially in terms of color, it was as if they were edited in Photoshop, with all their imperfections perfected.

So, the flowers she arranged always looked better than others.

"That’s wonderful. Then I won’t be polite. Thank you, daughter-in-law!" The old lady happily walked away with the vase.

Quan Shaoqing frowned deeply, he had told the old lady so many times, and yet she still insisted on calling Gu Xiaoxi his wife.

"Why are you unhappy again?" Gu Xiaoxi picked up a blooming and delicate yellow rose, admired its beautiful petals, and took two white porcelain vases. She trimmed the flower stems to the appropriate height for the vases, then added a few stems of Lover’s grass to the arrangement.

With just a few simple flowers, a beautiful bouquet was created. It seemed to exude an intelligent artistic vibe, becoming irresistible.

"Are you bored?" Instead of answering her question, Quan Shaoqing lay on the table where she was trimming the flower stems, propped his face with one hand, and watched her.

"There’s nothing else to do. How about we call Yun Xiao and go to the amusement park together?" Gu Xiaoxi suggested. Staying at home, other than arranging flowers with her mother-in-law, there wasn’t much else to do.

Quan Shaoqing scooted next to her, wrapped his arm around her waist, and laid his face on her slender waist, "Can you not always bring a third wheel every time we go out on a date? And one that shines especially bright at that."

"We can invite someone else instead, like Ai Xiang. I feel he’s always alone, like a ghost, never talking much and not liking to socialize. He’s always drinking from a bottle, getting close to becoming a disqualifying doctor." Gu Xiaoxi stood there letting him hold her, speaking indifferently.

It wasn’t that she was speaking out of turn, it was a fact.

Quan Shaoqing had to admit, "With so many people, why don’t we go camping outdoors. I’ll take you to watch the sunrise. The scenery from Purple Mist is beautiful, famous for the purple mist in the valley. Do you want to go and play? We can also have a barbecue in the wild."

Rarely having time, he intended to indulge her in some fun. Once she joined the closed training, they might not see each other for three months, so he wanted to spend these three days with her properly.

"Purple mist, how is that possible?" Gu Xiaoxi blinked in confusion.

"It’s a toxic substance, beautiful to look at from a distance, but not to be approached," Quan Shaoqing explained, "The more poisonous something is, the more beautiful it becomes."

"Then let’s go together!" Gu Xiaoxi immediately put the flower down with excitement.

Just then, the housekeeper hurried over to Quan Shaoqing and said respectfully, "Young Master Quan, Master Jing Yuan has arrived. He said he came to see you."

Quan Shaoqing patted Gu Xiaoxi’s shoulder and nodded, then took her out of the greenhouse.

Gu Xiaoxi followed Quan Shaoqing curiously out the door and saw a man with elegant demeanor and a brilliant smile sitting on the living room sofa.

Seeing them arrive, Jing Yuan greeted them with a smile, "You didn’t even say when you were back. I happen to be free these days, do you have time for a couple of games?"

He was talking about Go.

Without a second thought, Quan Shaoqing flatly refused, "You’ve come at the wrong time, I was just discussing going out to play with my wife."

"Going out to play? Where are you planning to go? I just said I’m free these days, I’m on a break. Take me with you! Haoran also has time," Jing Yuan said with an earnest smile.

Gu Xiaoxi looked at the man, whose appearance was unquestionably outstanding, just like Quan Shaoqing, a rarity among men. His every move and word exuded elegance, yet no matter how Gu Xiaoxi viewed him, she sensed hidden schemes in the corners of his eyebrows and eyes.

Despite being bewitchingly beautiful, his alluring looks could not hide his insincere gaze.

"You’re planning to go?" Quan Shaoqing asked skeptically. In his memory, Jing Yuan was even busier than him.

"Of course! It has been a long time since I took a break. If you’re going out to have fun, how could you not take me along." Jing Yuan’s expression was dead serious.

"Fine, let’s go then! But tell your brother Haoran, if he tries to make a move on my wife, I won’t be polite," Quan Shaoqing said bluntly. They were childhood friends after all, so straight talk was normal.

"Don’t worry, I won’t let him do anything reckless with me around. He’s still young and doesn’t understand anything, just messing with you for fun. Shaoqing, you haven’t introduced your wife to me yet. I never expected you to get married before me," Jing Yuan said with a smile.

His gaze towards Gu Xiaoxi was full of curiosity.

Jing Yuan felt that the young girl standing before him rarely spoke, but you would never overlook her, because that air of calm and liveliness she carried was like a delicate flower blooming there, involuntarily drawing people’s attention.

"Gu Xiaoxi, twenty years old. We’ve got the marriage certificate now and are planning to have the wedding by the end of the year. Remember to prepare a big red envelope for me in advance. I won’t be polite about it," Quan Shaoqing said.

Upon hearing Quan Shaoqing’s words, Jing Yuan’s mouth twitched involuntarily, and he said irritably, "Your dad is so rich, I prepare a big red envelope for you, and when I get married, you’d better remember to return it tenfold to me."

"So stingy, is that any way to offer congratulations, expecting a tenfold return," Quan Shaoqing joked.

"Can’t help it, you’re getting married before me," Jing Yuan laughed heartily, feeling like he had made a gain.

Gu Xiaoxi observed their interactions, where they seemed to be taking playful jabs at each other, which could only come from a very strong relationship.

She understood that Quan Shaoqing and Jing Yuan must be very good friends.

The trip was all set, and they planned to leave at three in the afternoon.

For the trip, they kept a low profile by taking a large van. Everyone sat together in one vehicle, and they brought along all the necessary camping gear and food.

Yun Xiao felt a bit unsettled seeing so many people, but since he knew everyone except Jing Yuan, it didn’t matter.

Just as they were about to set off, Quan Shaoqing’s phone rang. It was Chen Zimo calling, having heard they were going out to play, and then he wanted to join in.

In the end, the group grew from just Gu Xiaoxi and Quan Shaoqing to eight people, because not only did Chen Zimo want to go, but he also brought along his sister Chen Xinyi.

When everyone got into the car, it was packed full.

At six in the evening, the car stopped halfway up the mountain because there was no road going further. They had to get out and then climb the rest of the way on foot. Luckily, they weren’t far from the mountaintop.

Quan Shaoqing said this spot offered views of the purple mist and the sunrise, and it was the best viewing platform for the area’s geography.

Everyone carried their packs up the mountain quickly, reaching their destination in an hour.

At that time, the sun was setting in the west but wasn’t quite at sunset yet.

They began pitching tents, gathering firewood, and starting fires.

Along the way, Gu Xiaoxi clearly felt animosity brimming between Quan Shaoqing and Jing Haoran toward each other, as if they were two bulls locking horns.

Yun Xiao was silent, and Ai Xiang was even less noteworthy, acting more like a mere follower with no presence.

On the other hand, Chen Zimo kept looking at her with a complex gaze, which quite surprised her.

"Do I know you?" Gu Xiaoxi asked. After all, she had flipped him over with a kick on the field of competition without really taking a good look at his face. Besides, everyone had been wearing face paint, and the villains were wearing head covers, so she hadn’t noticed.

"You might not recognize me. But I know you!" Chen Zimo said indifferently.

The Chen family had seen two generations of notable figures, but by their generation, due to a dwindling number of heirs, they had gradually declined.

Although their glory wasn’t what it used to be, their status among the wealthy was still high, and both Quan Shaoqing and Jing Yuan were friends who grew up together.

Gu Xiaoxi blinked in confusion and looked at Quan Shaoqing.

She heard Quan Shaoqing touch her cheek and explain, "He’s the captain of your training camp this time. For the next three months, he’ll be your ’boss’."

"What..." Gu Xiaoxi was dumbfounded.

Quan Shaoqing’s next sentence took Gu Xiaoxi by surprise.

Quan Shaoqing said nonchalantly, "He’s the one you kicked flying on the road."

Gu Xiaoxi gasped in shock; she had kicked so many people that she had forgotten where exactly she had done so.