Who would have thought that just as he uttered those words, Ao Qing said to the female archer beside her, "Let's go to the live - target range too..."
My face immediately sank.
In order to shake off Ao Qing, we had changed so many practice venues, yet that someone just clung to us like a shadow and couldn't be shaken off no matter what. She was extremely thick - skinned.
At first, Yu Chi Cheng still took Ao Qing's feelings into account and said nothing. Later, he got annoyed by her following and directly asked her why she insisted on being with us and told her to stay away. At that time, Ao Qing blinked her aggrieved eyes and ran away in tears. We thought the matter was over, but the next day, she came back again. No matter what Yu Chi Cheng said, she shamelessly claimed that this place wasn't only for the two of us and insisted on practicing in the same venue with us, which left Yu Chi Cheng and me quite helpless.
By now, I didn't want her to disrupt our original practice rhythm. So I asked Yu Chi Cheng to take me to the live - target range and didn't bother to care if that annoying person was still haunting us.
Yu Chi Cheng said, "When it comes to live - target shooting, you need to estimate the distance between the arrow and the target and then calculate the time it takes for the arrow to reach. It's an upgrade based on static - target shooting. So, you can't forget the techniques I mentioned before."
I drew the bow, aimed at a target, nodded, and then released my hand. I watched the arrow "whoosh" through the air...
"Smack!" It did hit the edge of a target, but it was the one behind the target I was aiming at...
Yu Chi Cheng kindly stepped forward to give me personal instruction. He put his arm around me, drew the bow, and released the arrow. At this moment, the jealous one beside us was boiling with envy again. As I got close to Yu Chi Cheng, feeling his breath right next to me, I was also enveloped by a powerful cloud of jealousy. It really felt like "the jealous cloud is pressing on the city and the city is about to collapse"...
"Brother Yu Chi, I don't know how to do this either. Come and teach me!" Ao Qing finally exploded.
Yu Chi Cheng, still with his arm around me, looked up at Ao Qing and then said, "Just shoot in front of the target as I said."
Ao Qing said, "Well, if it's so simple, why can't she do it?"
"None of your business," Yu Chi Cheng retorted.
Ao Qing's face immediately fell. She shot an arrow, hitting the bull's - eye exactly, and then smiled again. "Brother Yu Chi, look, I hit the target using the method you taught me. Am I amazing?"
"Yeah," Yu Chi Cheng nodded perfunctorily and then said, "But I don't really like overly amazing women. Ao Qing, don't follow me around anymore."
The smile on Ao Qing's face immediately froze.
Yu Chi Cheng then turned to me, leaned close to my ear, and said, "Let's continue."
I was encircled in someone's embrace. My hand trembled, and I shot an arrow. Unexpectedly, the arrow did hit the target. But before I could cheer in joy, my weak arrow was knocked off the target by Ao Qing's angry arrow.
Yu Chi Cheng raised his eyebrows and suddenly said to me, "Let's change the direction and shoot over there."
"Okay," I let him control the direction.
"A bit further..."
"Um..."
"A bit further... a bit more..."
"Whoosh!"
Before I could be surprised, I saw the arrow I released fly towards Ao Qing at lightning speed...
"Ah—"
I had just let out a scream when Ao Qing turned around and narrowly avoided it, looking terrified.
Yu Chi Cheng let go of me and said to Ao Qing indifferently, "I'm really sorry. I couldn't control the direction just now."
This apology... was totally insincere!
Sure enough, Ao Qing felt quite aggrieved and was about to pounce on Yu Chi Cheng. Seeing this, Yu Chi Cheng immediately stopped her. "Wait, I've applied musk on myself today. You'll feel uncomfortable if you get close..."
Ao Qing's face immediately showed a touched expression. "Brother Yu Chi, so you still remember..."
Yu Chi Cheng nodded. "Yes, yes, I remember."
"Then why did you apply musk?" Ao Qing complained like a little woman.
Yu Chi Cheng said, "Because Xi He attracts mosquitoes. I was afraid she'd get bitten at the female - archer range, so I put some musk on myself..."
The touched look on Ao Qing's face disappeared instantly. She glared at Yu Chi Cheng and then turned around and left.
Yu Chi Cheng turned to me, showing off. "How about it? Was my performance just now great?"
But my focus was: "Haha, can musk repel mosquitoes?"
"No, but other spices in the sachet can," Yu Chi Cheng didn't think there was anything wrong with his statement.
I rolled my eyes at him and pointed at the sachet on his waist. "You mean the mosquito - repelling spices you stole from me? This sachet was given to me by my mother. There's no musk in it!"
"I know, but I added some myself," Yu Chi Cheng said calmly. After saying that, he took off the sachet and gave it to me. "You should wear this well. Ao Qing will break out in a rash as soon as she gets close to musk. In this way, she won't be able to get near you in the future..."
I suddenly understood and then sighed, "I thought you couldn't tell the difference between musk and thyme."
Yu Chi Cheng said seriously, "Of course I know it's thyme that can repel mosquitoes, but Ao Qing only has a reaction to musk."
I gave him a sidelong glance. "Only she would believe such lies, right?"
Yu Chi Cheng looked up at the sky. "As long as I can get rid of her, does the method matter?"
"So you did that on purpose just now with that arrow..." I continued to give him a sidelong glance.
Yu Chi Cheng still looked up at the sky. "She pointed an arrow at you before."
"..." So, he had seen it all. I ignored him and went to shoot arrows for fun on my own.
Yu Chi Cheng came closer and said with a smile, "Let me teach you. I'll demonstrate in person."
Then his body pressed against mine. I suddenly felt like I was completely wrapped in his embrace and couldn't help but say, "Brother Cheng wanted to get rid of her just for this reason, right?"
Yu Chi Cheng leaned forward and said, "Yes. Otherwise, it would be so awkward."
I blushed instantly. Yu Chi Cheng stopped teasing me, took my hand to hold the bow, and "whoosh" another arrow was released.
It hit the bull's - eye exactly.
...
That night, Yu Chi Cheng took me to eat roasted lamb chops. The lamb chops were cut into strips, and their outer parts were roasted to a golden color, dripping with oil. Just adding a bit of salt to eat, they were very delicious. The outside was crispy and the inside was tender, filling my mouth with the aroma of meat.
I couldn't help but say, "The mutton in Beihan is so fragrant. It has no muttony smell at all."
Yu Chi Cheng said, "Try this goat milk. It's also very delicious."
"Okay, okay!" I was extremely happy. After practicing archery for a whole day, I was both tired and hungry. Yu Chi Cheng just sat beside me, smiling as he watched me eat and helped me pick up food.
The mutton in Beihan was so delicious that I ate too much.
After I got back to my place, I found my stomach was quite full. So I thought I'd go out for a walk to digest the food. As I walked, I ended up at the high platform where I had seen Prince Xu before.
Vaguely, I seemed to see a graceful figure on it again. Driven by curiosity, I went up to check. Just as I got there, I heard someone call me, "Xi He!"