Chapter 348

At this moment, Gu Xixi's body had just risen halfway up.

She was half-bent at the waist, her fingertips just hooked the pot handle, which was an unstable posture.

The force of the carriage's sudden turn instantly made Gu Xixi lose balance, and before she could adjust, she lunged forward.

At the critical moment, she saw Mu Nan Zhao's chin rapidly approaching in her field of vision. To avoid hitting him, she didn't think, just flung out her hands and grabbed wildly.

Thus borrowing force, she exerted all her strength to steady herself.

At the same time, the force of the carriage's turn was also weakening.

Gu Xixi's eyes showed the relief of having survived a disaster; just as she was about to catch her breath, the turning carriage jerked to a sudden stop.

"Xixi!" He Jinglan lunged over to help, but saw Gu Xixi's eyes slowly widen, pupils constrict, and lips slightly open from shock…

The following scene seemed to slow down countless times before He Jinglan's eyes, breaking down into detailed slow motion.

Gu Xixi's hands had originally been tightly gripping the sides of Mu Nan Zhao's chest clothing.

At the moment of braking, Gu Xixi's whole body uncontrollably pressed onto Mu Nan Zhao.

Fortunately, Mu Nan Zhao was a martial artist, not so delicate; even with Gu Xixi's full weight suddenly pressing down, he managed to hold himself up and not be knocked over.

However, right after braking, there was still a forward surging force.

Gu Xixi, in the panic, gripped even tighter.

Thus, she and Mu Nan Zhao together fell sideways onto the carriage floor.

Although the above scenes were rich, they actually happened only in the blink of an eye.

He Jinglan came to her senses and hurriedly asked, "You two didn't——"

Before she could finish speaking, outside came Old Li's helpless and anxious plea,

"Miss Dou! My young lady has guests today; you should come another day……"

The carriage's curtain had already been flung open from outside with a swish.

A girl in red Hu clothing appeared together with today's bright sunshine.

"I'm not looking for He Jinglan; I don't have much friendship with her. You know in your heart whom I'm looking for!"

As she spoke, she noticed something on the carriage plank and casually lowered her head to look.

Her almond eyes widened instantly into perfect circles.

"You! You——"

He Jinglan saw the red‑clad girl's face already darken, her impatience tinged with a faint sneer.

But seeing the red‑clad girl's reaction, she glanced downward and was also taken aback.

At this moment, Gu Xixi suffered a series of sudden mishaps, fell heavily, and remained dazed.

She wanted to get up, just as she was about to adjust her posture, but she noticed something odd.

A expanse of white?

What did she see?

Gu Xixi's gaze slowly moved—porcelain‑white skin, clearly defined pectoral muscles, and those two key points pink and tender.

Further down……were neatly arranged, firm and powerful abdominal muscles.

Wait, why does it feel firm and powerful!

Gu Xixi's gaze finally settled on her own two hands, left and right pulling open Mu Nan Zhao's collar, with part of her palms pressing against his abdominal muscles.

The carriage interior was silent as the dead.

After realizing what she had done, Gu Xixi's mind went blank, as if a steam train were roaring through her brain.

Unable to think for the moment, acting on instinct, she shoved Mu Nan Zhao's clothes shut, shouting, "Don't look!!"

He Jinglan came to her senses, quickly turned her face away, saying, "Yes, yes, no looking—don't stare at impropriety."

Although Mu Nan Zhao and He Jinghui used to train together, often bare‑chested, He Jinglan had long grown accustomed to it.

Even after a long separation and suddenly seeing him again, He Jinglan felt no inner ripple.

Likewise, though both have fine muscular builds, she still prefers Meng Chengping's wheat‑toned skin, honed by the Xi Bei sun and sand.

However, Gu Xixi's first display of such protectiveness over food made He Jinglan unable to resist curling her lips and giving the red‑clad girl a provocative glance.

The red‑clad girl, angry, flung down the curtain and dove headfirst into the carriage.

Outside the carriage, Old Li had just seen the Regent Prince and Boss Gu fall.

His heart filled with unease, he struggled for a moment, then, out of duty, explained, "Miss, just now a child first ran across the road; I swerved to avoid him, and then Miss Dou jumped out to block the way—I really couldn't react in time."

He Jinglan lifted a corner of the curtain, poked out her face, and smiled, saying, "Uncle Li, you've always been the most steady driver; I know it's not your fault. If blame is due, then……"

She let down the curtain, turned to the red‑clad girl inside the carriage, and said, "Blame those who lack eyesight, blocking the carriage in broad daylight just to chase a man!"

"Thanks to Uncle Li being a veteran driver, otherwise Miss Dou Rongshan, you'd be lying under the horse's hooves now!"

Dou Rongshan is Mu Nan Zhao's cousin, though not a close one.

The Mu family is a prominent clan; Dou Rongshan comes from the maternal side of one of Mu Nan Zhao's paternal cousins.

Her father, General Dou, is loyal and upright, skilled at training troops, and has long been stationed in the Shu region.

Moreover, the Dou clan has long been acquainted with the He clan; Dou Rongshan has known He Jinghui and his sister since childhood.

Last year, Dou Rongshan returned to the capital with her grandmother and mother to reside there long‑term.

Only then did she reunite with her childhood friends.

Of course, including the cousin she had long yearned for……Mu Nan Zhao.

And the one she's been at odds with since childhood……He Jinglan.

Dou Rongshan gave He Jinglan a white‑eye, saying, "I bumped into my own burden! I won't try to extort your He family."

He Jinglan retorted, "That's hard to say—you can know a person's face but not their heart."

"After all, you've been this hypocritical since childhood, always loving to pretend to have masculine airs!"

Old acquaintances who know each other's background have lethal power that is extraordinary.

Dou Rongshan was indeed angered, forgetting why she had jumped into the carriage, and said, "Am I being hypocritical?"

"It's far more genuine than you, who since childhood have dressed like a porcelain doll, putting on airs to pretend to be a lady from a noble family!"

He Jinglan: "How come, after being rejected, you still keep pestering and fighting?"

"You dare block my carriage? Miss, please get on!"

Dou Rongshan: "Hmph, I think you just won't give up your thieving ways; otherwise why would you hide him in your carriage?"

He Jinglan gave a contemptuous laugh: "Hide? Do I need to hide? I said I see him whenever I see him—what of it? Because I don't have your lovesick mind; selflessness brings fearlessness."

Dou Rongshan was struck where it hurt, her pretty face flushing.

As the two traded barbs, Gu Xixi had already gotten up, found a more distant seat, and sat down.

And Mu Nan Zhao also took his seat in the original spot.

Compared to Gu Xixi, he, the one who had been stripped, was quite composed, slowly tidying his clothes.

Not only did he not show anger at being offended, his glance seemed to hint at a barely perceptible… pleasure?

Gu Xixi's gaze wandered, she said nothing, holding her tea cup with both hands and drank it down to steady herself.

Until Dou Rongshan couldn't out-argue He Jinglan, she turned the spear back: "Who are you!"

"Wasn't it you who said not to look? By what right do you say not to look and then not look?"

"The Prince is my cousin; what's your relation to him?"

Gu Xixi herself was feeling quite troubled, and simply couldn't be bothered to deal with such a baffling person.

Dou Rongshan kept saying one thing after another, talking to herself.

"Oh right, I get it! Your falling down was also your doing, you vixen, right?"