193.2 – Invitation to Drink
“Little Qing…”
She stared blankly for a while before whispering so.
What shade was Xue Qilin"s figure painted in Luo Qing"s eyes? What did she think of Xue Qilin, what did she tell Luo Hong about the Merak Temple"s Young Ancestor? Xue Qilin doesn"t know, because the person who should answer this herself is no longer with us.
This topic seems a bit heavy for the both of them.
They just drank quietly for a good while without saying anything, or even making eye contact.
“Anyway, why are you in the imperial capital? I heard that you are the commander of Jinling"s State Guard?”
Xue Qilin suddenly threw this question and a curious look at Luo Hong.
“I was transferred back.”
“Oh, was it a promotion or a demotion?”
Luo Hong shrugged and explained calmly in an unconcerned tone.
“Although the rank hasn"t changed, bunt unlike in Jialing, where I was at the top of the chain of command, in the imperial capital, I am being watched and restricted by the great commander of the State Guard.
“Tsk tsk tsk.” Xue Qilin gloated, “Was it due to breaking the law, or were you defeated in a power struggle?”
“It was the former.”
“Oh, that"s so careless. How — wait, what"s with that meaningful look in your eyes?”
“The Heavenly Sword Gate"s affair…” Luo Hong poured Xue Qilin a cup, “The higher-ups were dissatisfied, thinking that my actions were too domineering.”
Xue Qilin snorted, expressing obvious distaste.
“Serves you right!”
“I don"t regret it.”
Even though Little Qing died, he still doesn"t regret it? Xue Qilin raised her brows and suddenly added strength unconsciously.
Crack –!
Along with crisp noise, the wine cup was crushed by the la.s.s, and its fragments scattered on the stone table.
Wine spilled on her small hand and splashing on the corners of her eyes, as if turning into teardrops.
The la.s.s suddenly shed all expression and silently pulled out the shards that pierced into her hand.
“You should regret it.”
Looking at her b.l.o.o.d.y palm, Xue Qilin said so coldly.
“Why?”
When she heard this word, a raging anger spurted out from the depths of Xue Qilin"s body and set her mind ablaze.
The anger and killing intent that emerged out of nowhere turned into destructive flames that burned her thoughts to ashes, and her whole body turned beet red alike hot iron.
When she reacted, a sword ray had already risen.
Leaving a faint trajectory in the air, enveloped by a flow of cold air, the green sword closed in on Luo Hong in an instant, and then finally stopped beside his neck.
Xue Qilin, with the sword in hand, towering above the stone table, looked down at Luo Hong. Her face is distorted and her eyes are filled with endless killing intent, looking like a fierce beast about to devour a person.
However, despite facing the sword that could claim his life at anytime, Luo Hong remains unmoved. Even though the bright yellow eyes are stained with a foul shade, he still looked at the other party with still, fearless eyes.
“Xue Qilin, do you want me to insult her resolve?”
He asked in an interrogative tone.
Due to this, the sword in the la.s.s hand slowly moved away from him and finally hang weakly.
As if they had a certain magical power, Luo Hong"s words caused the burning sensation in Xue Qilin"s throat to quickly retreat until it disappeared in her stomach.
“Resolve…”
Little Qing, what do you want me to say? Xue Qilin sighed quietly.
As she was gazing at the sky with a blank look in her eyes, Luo Hong suddenly coughed awkwardly.
“What"s wrong?”
Xue Qilin, who seems impatient, lowered her head and stared at Luo Hong. Consequently, Luo Hong averted his gaze and pointed at Xue Qilin"s lower body.
“Lady Xue, you"ve nearly exposed yourself.”
“Uh…”
Xue Qilin looked back and forth between herself and Luo Hong"s eyes blankly.
When she realized that she was close to give the other party a glimpse of something intimate, Xue Qilin"s face sank, and she turned around with a wooden face, jumped off the stone table, and sat down on the chair again. Although she didn"t say a word, but the blush on her face betrayed her embarra.s.sment.
At such times, silence is often more uncomfortable.
Therefore, Xue Qilin took the lead in breaking the ice, “So? Why have you come?”
While asking this question, Xue Qilin lowered her head, not looking Luo Hong in the eyes.
“I came to give you a word of advice.”
Xue Qilin creased her eyebrows, raised her head, and cast a suspicious look at the other party.
“Advice? What advice?”
“If, according to normal procedure, you are able to pay the Gong Clan a visit and have a meeting with Young Lady Gong, then you can take what I say next as empty air. I hope that you won"t act rashly if you are turned away. Don"t miss the target by trying something unorthodox. You must remember this –”
His tone was unprecedentedly serious and unquestionable.
“This is the imperial capital.”
Is he warning me not to act recklessly? Xue Qilin guessed.
“Oh, but I don"t think Little Green will shrink back because of the words imperial capital?”
Xue Qilin, both lovingly and disconsolately, sheathed Luo Qing"s sword — Green Sky.
“If you"re really concerned…” Xue Qilin raised her head and stared at Luo Hong intently. “Why did you write that letter and tell us where Little Qing [2] is?”
Her eyes suddenly brightened, as if trying to peer into something in the abyss of Luo Hong"s eyes.
Luo Hong hesitated for a while. In the end, he still didn"t answer this question. He just drank the rest of the wine in his wine cup in one breath.
“This one has remembered today"s trip down memory lane with Lady Xue.
Then, he stood up agilely.
“This one hopes that Lady Xue will keep in mind that this is the imperial capital.”
Before leaving, he reiterated this point softly.
As for Xue Qilin, who was left behind, she didn"t move for a long time.
When she subconsciously wanted to have a drink, but couldn"t find the wine cup, she finally stirred awake.
“Sheesh…”
The wine cup that had become a pile of fragments entered her eyes, and Xue Qilin let out a long, profound sigh.
[2] – this Little Qing is Gong Tianqing, Qi Qiqi"s disciple