But Yang Qingyin soon followed up with a message that instantly dispelled his gloom.

"What's my reward for being your tour guide?" followed by several tongue-sticking-out emojis.

"I'll treat you to dinner!" Luo Ziling's mood instantly lifted as he replied to her message in a second.

"Just a dinner, aren't you being a bit stingy!"

"How about adding a midnight snack?"

Without waiting for Yang Qingyin to reply, Luo Ziling quickly sent another message, "Or you name it. If the senior commands, the junior would brave any danger!"

After a string of face-with-hand-over-mouth emojis, Yang Qingyin sent another message: "Alright then, meet outside the East Gate of the Summer Palace in half an hour."

Luo Ziling finished his meal at top speed, paid the bill, and immediately ran towards the Summer Palace.

The Summer Palace was just across Tsinghua West Road from Yan University. After exiting the university's west gate, the East Gate of Summer Palace was right there.

Luo Ziling didn't return to campus. Having eaten somewhere outside the university's east gate, he headed straight for the Summer Palace along Zhongguancun North Street. Running all the way, it took him about fifteen minutes to reach outside the East Gate of the Summer Palace.

Seeing Yang Qingyin hadn't arrived yet, he first went to buy two tickets.

Fearing Yang Qingyin wouldn't recognize him with sunglasses and a hat on, he took them off.

With about five minutes left before their agreed time, Luo Ziling saw a tall girl with a slender figure coming up from the underground passage, walking briskly towards the East Gate of the Summer Palace.

Although he didn't see the long-haired girl's face clearly, Luo Ziling immediately recognized that this girl was Yang Qingyin.

He approached her and waved, and the girl saw him and walked over quickly.

"I almost didn't recognize you," Luo Ziling joked with a smile after stopping in front of Yang Qingyin, "Thankfully, I didn't mistake someone else for you."

Yang Qingyin's outfit today was completely different from her usual attire.

On previous occasions when Luo Ziling saw Yang Qingyin, she was always wearing a long dress, with her long hair casually tied at the back of her head with a string, giving off the vibe of those classical and ethereal women in traditional costumes from TV and movies, full of poetic and picturesque charm.

Today, Yang Qingyin was dressed in a plaid shirt and jeans, with a pair of white travel shoes on her feet, her hair simply tied back in a ponytail, sporting the look of a girl-next-door, exuding a simple and fresh vibe.

Of course, Luo Ziling's "girl-next-door" had never looked as pretty as this.

He was actually quite curious why books describe simple and fresh girls as the "girl-next-door", considering he lived nearly twenty years in a small Northwest village and couldn't imagine this at all—the few girls in the village were quite plain looking.

Like she was afraid of being recognized, Yang Qingyin also wore sunglasses, but upon seeing Luo Ziling, she took them off.

"Do I look very unattractive in this outfit?" Yang Qingyin playfully asked, noting the look of surprise on Luo Ziling's face: "If it really looks bad, you'd better not say it and spare me the heartache."

"Can I say that I was stunned because you look too beautiful in this outfit," Luo Ziling replied earnestly: "I'll have to be ready for an attack at any moment later on. With such a beautiful companion by my side, when others see us, they're bound to be filled with envy, jealousy, and resentment, and might come up and give me a beating."

Yang Qingyin was amused by Luo Ziling's teasing—turns out this young man wasn't as wooden as she thought, and even knew how to flatter a woman.

"That's good, I was really afraid you'd call me an ugly freak."

"If you're an ugly freak, are there any beautiful women left in the world?"

"You're making me very happy," Yang Qingyin said, tilting her head to look at Luo Ziling and smiling brightly before pointing to the entrance of the Summer Palace, "Why don't we go in then? We don't have much time to play. We came too late today, and we won't be able to see everything inside the garden."

"Alright, let's go," Luo Ziling made a gentlemanly gesture of invitation and added playfully, "This is my first time here, just don't kidnap me and sell me. I'm a stranger in this place, if you sell me, I won't be able to find my way home."

"You're actually reminding me," Yang Qingyin looked at him playfully, "A handsome guy like you would definitely fetch a good price. If I sold you, I'd have my college living expenses covered, and I might even be able to buy a house within the second ring road."

Luo Ziling grinned widely, "How about this, we try it out, you sell me, and then I figure out a way to run back. When that happens, we split the spoils, that way, both of us will have our living expenses."

"Sure, let's see if there are any rich ladies inside." As she walked forward, Yang Qingyin stopped and looked back at Luo Ziling, "What if we write a note and stick it on your face, how about that? How much do you want to sell yourself for?"

"It might be better to stick a straw in my hair, didn't they use to stick a straw in the hair of the person being sold in ancient times?"

"Then I'm off to pluck some grass." Yang Qingyin pretended she was about to go to the nearby grass to start plucking.

Luo Ziling naturally took Yang Qingyin's hand, saying with a smile, "How about we finish touring the Summer Palace first, and then consider this matter?"

Yang Qingyin felt a tremble in her body when Luo Ziling held her hand. She did not pull away but just smiled back, "Then let's do as you say."

"Let's go!" Luo Ziling released Yang Qingyin's hand.

Yang Qingyin casually tidied the loose strands of hair by her temples, turned her head, and asked Luo Ziling, "Is this really your first time coming to Yanjing?"

"Yes, it's my first time," Luo Ziling replied, feeling a bit emotional, but quickly smiled and said, "Do I look like a country bumpkin?"

"There are many people who have never been to Yanjing, how can that be called being a country bumpkin?" Yang Qingyin's smile was radiant, "I'm just a little surprised, that's all."

"Then you should take me around more often, be a good hostess. How about that? This way, I'll get familiar with the city very quickly." Luo Ziling said, flashing a brilliant smile at Yang Qingyin.

Yang Qingyin didn't refuse or shy away, just smiled back, looking into Luo Ziling's eyes, "If the reward you offer is generous, I'll consider it."

The way this boy smiled was really handsome, his eyes pure and clear like a deep pool, making one can't help but want to look a little longer.

"Didn't I say just now that if big sister needs it, this little brother is willing to climb mountains and swim seas for you? Isn't that sincerity enough?"

Yang Qingyin sniffled playfully, with a reluctant air, "You're cheating, knowing that I wouldn't ask someone to do such dangerous things."

"How about I give you a gift the next time we meet?" Fearing that Yang Qingyin would refuse, Luo Ziling quickly explained, "It's a sachet I made myself, with herbal medicines inside that are good for warding off illness and promoting health. The Mid-Autumn Festival is coming up soon; let it be your Mid-Autumn gift, what do you say?"

"Then I won't refuse, I'll wait for you to bring it to me next time," Yang Qingyin accepted cheerfully.

Luo Ziling was instantly very happy.

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