Chapter 55: Zhu Bocheng’s Grat.i.tude
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Chi Shuyan took her leave after settling this matter. When she walked out of the hospital, she didn’t expect Qi Zhenbai and Zhu Bocheng to catch up immediately afterwards.
“Sister Shuyan, why are you walking so fast? I haven’t had time to thank you properly.” As soon as Zhu Bocheng caught sight of Chi Shuyan outside the hospital entrance, he breathed a sigh of relief and hurried over with his long legs to complain.
“Didn’t you already thank me on the phone?” Chi Shuyan smiled slightly.
“How does that work? Sister Shuyan, you really didn’t know how frightened I was when my sports car fell off the overpa.s.s and was burned to smithereens! If it wasn’t for your Peace Talisman, I wouldn’t be standing safe and sound in front of you worry-free.” To this day, Zhu Bocheng was still terrified whenever he recalled the car accident that day. His excited voice rose a notch higher, drawing pa.s.sersby to frequently look back. The fact was, the three’s face value was too high.
As Zhu Bocheng spoke, his eyes glistened and were glued to Chi Shuyan’s school bag. He hurriedly said in excitement, “Right, Sister Shuyan, do you have a Peace Talisman with you? Sell me as many as you have. You don’t know but I can hardly go out without your talisman now.”
Chi Shuyan looked at Zhu Bocheng, who couldn’t hold himself back, and was secretly amused.
“There are a lot of people here. We’d better find a place where we can talk.” Qi Zhenbai, who was standing silently on the side, suggested.
“Right, right, Zhenbai is right. Look how excited I am that I’ve forgotten everything. I remember there’s a nice restaurant nearby.” Zhu Bocheng patted his head, smiled, and echoed. “Sister Shuyan, I narrowly escaped death all thanks to you. You must do me the honor.”
Chi Shuyan just wanted to refuse, then swept a glance at the traces of pale, black mist lingering on Zhu Bocheng. Perplexed, her brows knitted together, and without thinking for long, she nodded. “Okay.” She really couldn’t understand why Zhu Bocheng, who had obviously escaped a life and death calamity, still had a few wisps of black, cadaveric qi left. It should have already totally dissipated.
Seeing Chi Shuyan hesitate, Zhu Bocheng stared nervously at her out of fear that she would reject him. Now that she had agreed, his smile widened, then he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “Sister Shuyan, you’re so cool! I just love how you don’t mince things.”
When Qi Zhenbai on the side saw this scene, his handsome and profound face became a bit gloomy. His thick brows twisted into three straight lines such that the crease could pinch mosquitoes to death. He stared fiercely at Zhu Bocheng’s arm on Chi Shuyan’s shoulder; it was an extreme eyesore…
The thick-headed Zhu Bocheng was oblivious to his friend’s emotions. His thoughts were all wrapped around Chi Shuyan, asking seven or eight questions all the way. He chatted endlessly almost as if he wanted to dig out the bottom of Chi Shuyan’s heart.
At the restaurant, Zhu Bocheng’s gaze was as scorching hot as a light bulb, sweeping a glance at Chi Shuyan’s backpack from time to time. He rubbed his hands on his pants and eventually couldn’t help but say, “Sister Shuyan, don’t keep me in suspense. How many Peace Talismans and Disaster Ward Magic Weapons do you have? By the way, I think that boy, Haoxing’s jade pendant seems pretty good too.”
Chi Shuyan felt a little helpless. You’ve hinted it explicitly many times. But she could understand. After all, once bitten by a snake, one would fear rope for 10 years. She fished out a stack of talismans and engraved jade pendants from her bag.
Zhu Bocheng immediately wrapped up the only remaining 10 Peace Talismans and three jade pendants engraved with magic arrays from Chi Shuyan’s school bag in one breath. After receiving the Protective Peace Talismans, the gloom and anxiety on his handsome face was dispelled, revealing a light-hearted smile.
“Zhenbai, I told you so. I’ve got discerning eyes. I was right in asking Sister Shuyan to handle the matter this time. You still suspected this and that. Your paranoia is too serious. You also had to investigate…” Once Zhu Bocheng was relaxed and happy, he started talking nonsense without restraints.
Qi Zhenbai’s glacial, slender eyes were like cold electricity as they shot daggers at him. Zhu Bocheng hurriedly covered his mouth in fright, cutting off the half part of his sentence. He then realized that what he uttered was inappropriate.
“Well said. Why don’t you continue?” Chi Shuyan raised a brow, looking dull and natural. Her tourmaline eyes inspected the two, concealing a sharp edge and practically taking a panoramic view of their emotions. Her eyes roved over them and fixed especially on Qi Zhenbai’s face for several seconds.
“Ahem, I mean we believe in your abilities, but we want to have a concrete understanding of your circ.u.mstances, so we investigated a little bit.” Zhu Bocheng smiled in embarra.s.sment.
“It turned out to be the case. I thought you took my words as a joke again.” There was no hint of emotion in Chi Shuyan’s voice. She glanced at Zhu Bocheng, who was fl.u.s.tered and short of breath, and set her bright eyes on Qi Zhenbai, who until now remained deadpan, then spoke calmly. However, her words could drive one mad. “But yeah, it’s better to be honest, less curious, study more, believe in science, and eradicate feudal superst.i.tions! Young Master Qi, right?”
Chi Shuyan deliberately blinked at Qi Zhenbai as she said the last line.
Zhu Bocheng was about to choke to death on his own saliva, looking rather quaint. Sister Shuyan dared to use Qi Zhenbai’s words last time against him. She is the first ever to do so! She’s really awesome!
Qi Zhenbai wasn’t embarra.s.sed at all. His every gesture was graceful and gorgeous, and his unmistakably handsome countenance betrayed nothing. Tugging lightly on his thin, blood-red lips, he quipped, “If your fortune-telling ability was as good as your glib talk, I wouldn’t have gone so far as to say that.”
Chi Shuyan was stunned and reacted quickly. Her round, large, feline eyes glared at him as she smiled back in anger. The angrier she was, the calmer her face. Was he mocking her for failing to practice her mystical arts and only had limited skills? All of a sudden, she recalled her last defeat in fortune telling.
“I admit defeat for my fortune telling last time, but it can’t all be attributed to ability. After all, there are many destinies that are extremely special.” Chi Shuyan took a deep breath and stressed the statement, but it sounded a lot like she was justifying her smattering abilities against Qi Zhenbai’s seemingly cheerful expression. Her eyes were as calm as a lake, unflappable and not the least bit afraid.
When Qi Zhenbai, who was toying with a small porcelain cup in his hand, saw that Chi Shuyan had been clearly provoked, but quickly regained her composure, a shallow smile quickly appeared on his face. Without any emotion on his face, his eyes wandered over her pink lips and fair face, yet he nodded as if he was taking it seriously. It looked much like a mature adult dealing perfunctorily with a naughty and mischievous kid. It was very insincere!
Chi Shuyan was instantly enraged by his perfunctory nod and she gritted her teeth. “But Young Master Qi, I’d like to try again. Please give me another chance to calculate!” She had to wash away her shame this time.