Lan Ningzhen went to a small town not far from the mining mountain to drink wine and wait for someone. By the time Xie Jue came looking for her, the sky was already dimming. From a distance, he saw Lan Ningzhen laughing and chatting with a woman in the tavern. Xie Jue paused for a moment, hid his gaze, and walked over as if nothing had happened. The woman, noticing his approach, smiled and bade farewell to Lan Ningzhen before heading to the back courtyard of the tavern. Lan Ningzhen pulled Xie Jue to sit down and poured him a drink. "This is fruit wine. It doesn't get you drunk. Try it."
This wine was made from fruits harvested in the spring from the hills near the mining area. Naturally suited for brewing, the alcohol content wasn't high. Lan Ningzhen had already had several cups, finding it sweet and fragrant, and was eager to share it with Xie Jue. She had this habit—whenever she found something good, she always wanted to share it with him.
"Why did you wander into town?"
