The Cycle of Reincarnation in the Four-Courtyard House: A Journey Through the Heavens

The aroma of wine quickly filled the second floor, attracting many diners to look over.

Qiao Feng slammed his hand on the table and exclaimed, "Excellent wine!"

He looked at Li Xiao, a hint of curiosity in his eyes, and asked, "May I ask, Brother Li, what kind of wine is this? I've traveled all over the country over the years, and I've never smelled such a sweet and refreshing aroma!"

Li Xiao laughed heartily, picked up the wine jar and poured a full bowl of wine into the empty bowl in front of Qiao Feng, then poured a bowl of wine for himself.

"Brother Qiao, this is a strong liquor brewed by my own hand. It's the only one of its kind here!"

"Really? Then I'll have to give it a good try!"

After he finished speaking, he picked up the wine bowl and took a big gulp of wine.

"Cough cough cough—"

Even for someone as heavy a drinker as Qiao Feng, a large gulp of 52-proof Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor) turned his slightly weathered face bright red.

"Hiss—this is strong liquor! This is the kind of liquor a man should drink!"

At this moment, Qiao Feng not only did not stop, but even picked up the bowl and drank the remaining half bowl of wine in one gulp.

"Great...that's wonderful!"

Qiao Feng gave Li Xiao a thumbs up: "Brother, this wine is simply a superb brew!"

"Since Brother Qiao likes it, please drink more."

The wine bowl was refilled.

Before long, the dishes that Li Xiao had ordered were served one by one, filling the table to the brim.

"Brother Li, do you still have that kind of orange juice from when we made it at home last time?"

Wang Yuyan whispered in Li Xiao's ear.

A few days ago, Li Xiao took out several bottles of orange juice at Mantuo Villa. After Wang Yuyan and Li Qingluo drank it, they fell in love with the drink.

Li Xiao smiled and took out a large bottle of orange juice (without the label) from his bundle, then handed it to Wang Yuyan.

Wang Yuyan happily and skillfully unscrewed the bottle cap and poured herself a bowl.

Looking at the yellowish liquid, Qiao Feng curiously leaned over to take a look.

"What is this?"

"This is a juice made from fruit. My brother doesn't drink much alcohol, but he likes this drink."

"Oh, Brother Wang, could you pour some for me to try as well?"

Wang Yuyan was not stingy and poured a bowl for Qiao Feng directly.

Qiao Feng sniffed the liquid; it had a sweet and sour smell.

He took another big gulp, and his facial expression became quite interesting.

"The taste is not bad!"

Qiao Feng licked his lips, but then shook his head and said, "It still doesn't taste as good as wine!"

The jar of liquor was quickly emptied, and Qiao Feng said with some lingering relish, "Brother, this is the most enjoyable drinking session I've ever had, it's a pity there wasn't enough!"

Li Xiao laughed and took out another wine jar from his bundle.

This time, Qiao Feng was stunned. He didn't care about manners at the moment and grabbed the magical bundle. He found that there were only a few changes of clothes inside, nothing else.

"What...what's going on?"

"Heh...just some petty tricks from the martial arts world!"

There are indeed some acrobatic and magic tricks in the martial arts world, and Qiao Feng had naturally seen them before, but he was still incredibly amazed by Li Xiao's performance.

The group ate and chatted, their topics ranging from anecdotes of the martial arts world to martial arts skills, and then to the hardships of ordinary people.

Li Xiao spoke eloquently and had unique insights. Wang Yuyan, sitting to the side, wore a moon-white long robe that accentuated her slender figure. Her hair was simply tied up in a bun, and her deliberately lowered voice carried a hint of softness that was hard to detect.

She originally intended to be just an accompaniment, but unexpectedly, Qiao Feng was sincere and repeatedly raised his cup to her during the meal, asking her about poems and allusions. She casually answered a few questions, which led Qiao Feng to repeatedly praise her as "a learned brother."

She inwardly groaned, but she couldn't reveal her true gender on the spot, so she could only force herself to put on a brave face, her fingertips already secretly clenching her sleeves.

Qiao Feng felt as if he had known the two of them for a long time, and the more they talked at the dinner table, the more they clicked.

In the midst of their drinking and conviviality, Qiao Feng suddenly raised his wine bowl, his eyes filled with sincerity, and said, "Brothers! The three of us hit it off immediately, and our personalities are compatible. Why don't we become sworn brothers, sharing both good times and bad? What do you say?"

Qiao Feng's words did not surprise Li Xiao much. He was a bold and generous person who valued loyalty, so Li Xiao naturally had a good impression of him.

Only Wang Yuyan stood frozen in place, her embarrassment clearly visible on her face.

She looked into Qiao Feng's eyes, which were full of sincerity and expectation, and her lips moved a few times, but she couldn't utter a single word.

Sworn brothers? She was a woman, how could she become sworn brothers with two men?

But Qiao Feng is upright and straightforward, and he is quite enthusiastic towards her. If she were to refuse him directly at this moment, or expose her identity, wouldn't that spoil his mood and make her seem hypocritical and deceitful?

At that moment, Li Xiao caught a glimpse of Wang Yuyan's embarrassed appearance out of the corner of his eye. He immediately understood the crux of the matter.

Without a second thought, Li Xiao smiled, stepped forward, patted Qiao Feng on the shoulder, and smoothly took over the conversation: "Brother Qiao, don't be in such a hurry!"

His tone was cheerful, but his gaze swept gently over Wang Yuyan: "My virtuous brother here is always shy, and besides, this is a major event, requiring an auspicious day and the preparation of incense, candles, and offerings to show its solemnity. Today, as we've had our fill of wine, let's first settle our intentions, and then hold the formal sworn brotherhood ceremony at a more suitable time later. What do you think?"

After saying that, he gave Wang Yuyan a subtle wink, signaling her to calm down.

Wang Yuyan received a subtle signal from Li Xiao, and her tense nerves suddenly relaxed, and the coldness in her palms dissipated somewhat.

She quickly followed Li Xiao's lead, lowering her head slightly and deliberately lowering her voice to conceal her barely perceptible softness: "Chief Qiao... Brother Qiao's sincerity is deeply appreciated. However, Brother Li is absolutely right; swearing brotherhood is a matter of utmost importance and requires careful preparation, choosing an auspicious day. To have Brother Qiao look upon me with favor today is already my great fortune. How about we follow Brother Li's suggestion, establish this sentiment first, and complete the formalities later?"

After saying that, she secretly glanced at Qiao Feng and, seeing that he was not displeased, secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Upon hearing this, Qiao Feng was taken aback for a moment, then slapped his forehead and burst into hearty laughter: "Hey! I didn't think things through today!"

He was by nature easygoing, and just now, in his drunken revelry, he got along very well with Li Xiao and Wang Yuyan, forgetting his "brother's" shyness and neglecting the solemnity that should be observed when sworn brothers are formed.

As the laughter subsided, he released his grip on Li Xiao's wrist and instead patted Wang Yuyan's shoulder—a forceful gesture, yet one brimming with goodwill.

"Brother Wang is right! I was being presumptuous! In that case, let's keep this brotherhood in our hearts for now. After I finish dealing with the Beggars' Sect gathering today, I'll find an auspicious day, prepare offerings of meat, wine, and sustenance, and then formally become sworn brothers with you two!"

After saying this, he picked up the wine bowl on the table again and said to Li Xiao and Wang Yuyan, "Come! Let's drink this cup first today, as a way of sealing this fate!"