"Boss, this couldn’t be the child groom you picked for yourself, right?"

Hannah glanced at him and told him to stay put.

After that day, Qingyu officially became one of the wanderers.

Since he was the most well-read and always maintained the appearance of an ancient scholar, Nicholas would jokingly call Qingyu their "think tank."

Sixth Hoffman asked what a think tank was.

Nicholas explained it to him.

Everyone understood and expressed their agreement.

As they got more familiar, Sixth Hoffman would sometimes tease Qingyu, asking him when he planned to marry their boss.

Every time this happened, Qingyu would lower his head and earnestly explain, "I am a novice monk; I partially belong to the Buddhist order. Marriage is a topic I dare not presume upon."

The youth spoke softly, his long black hair still unbound, covering the slightly blushing earlobes.

As it happened, Hannah walked by, saw him, and couldn’t help but chuckle, "Little monk, why is your face always so red?"

Qingyu was a few years younger than Hannah and also about half a head shorter.

Hannah had to look down to see him.

Qingyu looked up and, seeing those bright eyes, blushed even more.

Sixth Hoffman was still laughing on the side.

"I... I’m sorry, I’ll head back first."

He remained polite and gentle even then, though his steps were faster than usual. Just before entering the tent, he stumbled on a stone and almost fell. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Sixth Hoffman laughed even louder.

Hannah gave him a look and reminded him, "The little monk isn’t used to joking. You should stop teasing him."

"Boss, you’re protecting him already?" laughed Sixth Hoffman as he rubbed the back of his head, "Alright, I won’t say anything anymore."

Nicholas teased from the side, "Boss, are you really indifferent towards Qingyu?"

Hannah looked up at the sky and stretched her hand to block the sun, "He’s just a kid, what could I possibly see in him?"

Alright, that means no interest.

Nicholas understood.

Hannah walked away.

Sixth Hoffman was still pondering, "Our boss is only five or six years older than him. How can she call him a child? By that reasoning, isn’t she also a child?"

Nicholas gave him a side glance, "Have you ever seen a child who can beat you until you cry?"

Sixth Hoffman thought about it.

That seemed to make sense.

Outside the tent, everyone had left.

Qingyu looked at the scissors placed on the table, held them towards his long hair and hesitated for a long time.

In the end, he didn’t have the courage.

He could only repeat Buddhist scriptures to himself over and over.

At dinner that evening, remembering what Hannah had said during the day, he wanted to avoid her.

But before he could, he looked around the dinner table and didn’t see her, not asking until after dinner was over.

Sixth Hoffman, still picking his teeth, said, "You mean the boss? She went out."

"Out..." Qingyu murmured, "Did she say where she was going?"

Sixth Hoffman replied, "I’m not sure where she went, maybe you should ask Nicholas?"

Qingyu lowered his head and thanked him, "I understand."

The night sky was filled with stars, the moonlight almost enveloping the land.

The youth wore a washed-out cyan long robe, his bound hair trailing behind him, stepping in the moonlight as if he were a gently budding flower.

There was an unspoken air of loneliness.

Sixth Hoffman wasn’t one to appreciate such scenes, so he was just curious as he watched Qingyu walk away, "What’s our little think tank thinking about now?"

Hannah left this time for three days.

During those three days, Qingyu almost always went straight back to his tent after each meal.