"People call me Sixth Master, but here, there are no outsiders, Manman..." Shen Liu leaned close to Lian Manman’s ear and whispered a few words in a low voice.

Lian Manman’s face turned red, and she pushed Shen Liu away.

"What’s there not to agree to, it’s settled then." Shen Liu said cheerfully. Lian Manman’s request was within his expectations, and her shyness at this moment greatly pleased him. It had to be said, at this moment, no matter what Lian Manman’s request was, Shen Liu was almost certain to agree.

"Then, in a moment, I’ll talk to your parents first." Shen Liu thought for a moment, then said. Even though he had to wait until Wu Lang got married before he could bring Lian Manman into his home, he still hoped in his heart to settle the engagement sooner and have a clear claim on Lian Manman.

As for why he didn’t do so two years ago, it was because Lian Manman was still young then, and he was waiting for the right moment when Lian Manman was mentally ready and willing to marry him. Otherwise, he could have directly told Lian Shouxin at that time to settle the engagement.

However, if they got engaged, according to the rules for marriage in Prefecture City, he and Lian Manman would have to avoid each other. This was something Shen Liu was unwilling to do. There were already few opportunities to see Lian Manman and be with her, and getting engaged at that time would mean waiting until Wu Lang got married and he married Lian Manman before he could see her again.

This was something Master Shen Liu couldn’t tolerate.

But since Lian Manman had already agreed, he could now talk to Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang to privately settle the engagement, just waiting for the right day to formally announce it. Doing so would avoid any unforeseen complications. Even though he was completely confident that no one could compete with him, this was Shen Liu’s usual way of handling things.

The two sat on a large rock, talking in low voices, and time flew by without them noticing. Lian Manman suddenly realized the warmth of the sunshine on her shoulders and back and was startled to find it was nearly noon.

"It’s already this hour, Sixth Master, aren’t you going to hunt something? Won’t they be looking for you?" Lian Manman said to Shen Liu.

"Why does it matter when to go hunting?" Shen Liu replied. He wasn’t here to hunt today; that was just an excuse. "I came today just to let the young men relax."

"That’s easy to say," Lian Manman laughed, realizing, of course, that Shen Liu’s real intentions lay elsewhere today. "But with your renowned reputation, Sixth Master, known for both brain and brawn, aren’t you afraid of being laughed at for returning empty-handed today?"

Shen Liu knew Lian Manman was teasing him.

"Who would dare to laugh at me?" Shen Liu squinted his eyes, looking at Lian Manman with significance, "Besides, I’m not returning empty-handed today. What I caught today is a priceless treasure."

"That’s nonsense." Lian Manman rolled her eyes at Shen Liu, finding herself teased in return.

Shen Liu wasn’t in any hurry to leave. It seemed he had left instructions with his trusted aides. While Shen Liu wasn’t worried about his men looking for him, Lian Manman suddenly remembered that Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang might be looking for her.

"My parents might be looking for me..." Lian Manman said, standing up.

Shen Liu glanced at the sky and retrieved a gold watch the size of a walnut from his pocket to check the time. Though reluctant in his heart, he stood up along with Lian Manman. Although he had already arranged for someone to handle Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang, it was about time to return.

With a whistle from Shen Liu, the White Horse immediately galloped over, with Da Hei following closely behind. Shen Liu first helped Lian Manman onto the horse, then mounted himself, and together they rode up the hill, side by side, coming out of the maple forest.

Outside the maple forest, by the creek, there was a large, flat clearing. As Lian Manman and Shen Liu emerged from the forest, they saw their family’s carriage parked at the edge of the clearing. Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang were leading the family’s servants and maids in setting up a stove, lighting a fire, and laying out mats. Several of Shen Liu’s attendants were also there, by the creek, cleaning and preparing the game they had caught, including some roe deer, hares, wild chickens, and even one or two deer.

However, most of the people who went hunting were not there. Wu Lang and Xiao Qi hadn’t returned either. Clearly, they were still out hunting, having sent some of the game back first to prepare for lunch.

When everyone saw Shen Liu and Lian Manman return, they all stopped to greet them. Shen Liu waved his hand to let them continue. Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang came over, first greeting Shen Liu, then speaking to Lian Manman.

"Didn’t I tell you not to go hunting, you being a young girl, what if you get hurt?" Lady Zhang called Lian Manman to her side and said softly. Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang both thought Lian Manman had gone hunting and was now being brought back by Shen Liu. The reason for this misunderstanding by the couple naturally had something to do with Shen Liu’s few trusted aides. "Besides, you’ll only be in the way and cause trouble for others."

Louder now, Lady Zhang’s latter words were directed at Shen Liu.

"Mom, I’m back now, aren’t I?" Lian Manman said with a smile.

Soon, Wu Lang, Xiao Qi, Shen Qian, and others who went hunting returned, all with plenty to show for their efforts. Wu Lang and Xiao Qi each had their own triumphs. The group set up a fabric screen on the flat ground, with Lian Manman, Lady Zhang, and other women eating inside the screen, while Shen Liu, along with Lian Shouxin, Wu Lang, Xiao Qi, Shen Qian, and others, feasted on meat and drank wine outside until they were fully satisfied, then packed up to leave.

Returning home, Wu Lang and Xiao Qi were still bubbling with excitement. Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang were also quite happy. Because Lian Shouxin had drunk a bit of wine, he couldn’t stop praising Shen Liu.

"We’ve settled with the Sixth Master today. He said he’s free tomorrow and will come to our house for a drink," Lian Shouxin said.

The next day, Shen Liu did indeed arrive as scheduled.

...

Seeking pink tickets. (To be continued. If you like this work, please come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read at m.qidian.com.)