Xiao Song had known from the beginning that Ran Yan was not someone who changed her mind easily, so when she suggested she should take her leave, he merely watched her quietly for a moment before saying, "I'll walk you out; it's a good opportunity to leave the city through Yanxing Gate."
"Aren't you going to have lunch?" Ran Yan asked.
Xiao Song smiled and said, "I usually eat at the Government Office."
Ran Yan gave him a probing look, nodded slightly, but she felt somewhat defeated inside. She had come to express her gratitude, but it seemed she was only causing more trouble. Moreover, the modest "gift" she had prepared had not yet been given.
She was usually decisive in her actions, but she wondered why she was hesitating so much in this matter; perhaps because it was the first time she was giving a gift to a man? After thinking it over, Ran Yan gritted her teeth, pulled out the handkerchief, and abruptly stretched her hand out toward Xiao Song.
