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The newcomer was a young man in his twenties, clad in a pale azure floral padded robe with his black hair neatly tied atop his head. From a distance, he appeared quite tidy and scholarly, but upon closer inspection, Hua Xiaomai noticed that his robe looked years worn, with loose and frayed cuffs and collar, and the man himself was overly thin, giving off an air of slight destitution.
It was still cold after the early spring rain, yet the young man toted a folding fan in hand and emerged from the woods with an airy grace. Startled upon seeing Hua Xiaomai and Guan Rong, he paused briefly before respectfully bowing and saying in a clear voice, "I didn't realize there were ladies here. I apologize for the disturbance."
Guan Rong greeted him with a smile: "Brother Wen, are you also out for a stroll in the woods?"
Hmm? Hua Xiaomai quickly turned her head and nudged her companion with an elbow, whispering, "Rongjie, do you know him?"
