A cool breeze blew in the evening, and a row of swallows flew past the little courtyard beneath the vast red clouds.
Because the wind was cold enough to cover her face and clutch at her clothes, Lin Qiyou couldn’t contain her excited heart no matter how hard she tried.
Knowing what she was about to say and do made her hands tremble.
Thinking again about what she had said to Father about Qingmu, she felt embarrassed to the point her heart nearly jumped out of her throat.
The wind died down, and she pressed the back of her hand against her cheek, the heat making her nearly cry out.
Summoning all her courage, she finally dared to fix her gaze on what was before her.
This small courtyard in one corner of the sect wasn’t large, and felt unfamiliar to her; she had never been here before.
How long had Qingmu moved here?
Thinking this, Lin Qiyou gripped the basket in her hand and took a deep breath as she stepped into the courtyard.
There was a tree in the courtyard, with a stone table and chairs beneath it. The little courtyard was kept very tidy, nothing like the dirty, messy place she had imagined.
Just like how Lin Qiyou had originally thought of Qingmu.
He had moved out when he was fifteen, and it had been over two years since she last spoke with him properly.
Standing in front of the door, Lin Qiyou reached out to knock, but every time her hand went forward, she felt dizzy and pulled it back.
Lin Qiyou, you cannot be so timid.
You have misunderstood him for far too long!
“Qing, Qingmu?”
Lin Qiyou called out, patting the door.
There was a Door Guardian painted on the door, and Lin Qiyou felt its angry, bulging eyes were winking at her, as if mocking her.
She pursed her lips, annoyed, and stretched out her hand to cover the Door Guardian’s face.
Then, she heard noises from inside the house. It looked like Qingmu was home.
The closer his footsteps came, the faster her heart beat. When Qingmu arrived at the door, she tightly clutched the basket in both hands.
“Creak—”
The door opened, and the basket’s frame snapped with a “pop,” dropping to the ground.
“Miss?”
Qingmu looked at Lin Qiyou, surprise flickering in his eyes.
He suppressed the urge to cough. Though the spirit vein transplant had been done a few days ago, the more times it happened, the longer the aftereffects lasted. A few days was no longer enough for him to recover fully, especially after yesterday’s match with Lin Qiyou. He needed to take some strong restorative pills to regain a healthier complexion.
And seeing Lin Qiyou now almost made him cough out loud in surprise.
Just now, Lin Qiyou had called from outside, but he had never thought the voice belonged to her, even though it sounded exactly the same.
The white-robed fairy’s expression stiffened; she stared with wide eyes, lips pressed tight, fingers gripping the broken handle of the basket.
What was in that basket?
Curious, Qingmu’s gaze fell back on Lin Qiyou’s face as he asked, “Miss, is there something you need here?”
He instinctively thought she might be here to challenge him again.
But hadn’t they already fought yesterday?
“There is something.”
Lin Qiyou was about to speak, but suddenly thought better of it and added, “No, nothing.”
“Is that so?”
Qingmu nodded while standing in the doorway. Both of them felt strange, awkward.
“No, may I come to see you if it’s nothing?”
Lin Qiyou added.
“That’s reasonable, of course you may.”
Qingmu was taken aback inside, not knowing what Lin Qiyou intended. She had never been here before.
More than two years, no proper conversation—why was she breaking the pattern and visiting today?
And the basket… he could smell the scent of cooked food inside.
Most surprisingly, despite her awkward body language, why was there a faint friendliness in her manner?
In any case, Qingmu stepped aside and invited Lin Qiyou in. He braced himself and closed the door.
He probably already guessed something.
Qin Shuang… you wouldn’t have told Lin Qiyou anything, would you?
Thinking this made Qingmu feel very troubled, but he still had to play it cool and follow Lin Qiyou.
His small courtyard had two rooms; the outer room served as a reception hall, and the inner room was where he lived.
Lin Qiyou glanced around the room and commented on its tidiness before placing the basket on the table in the outer room and taking the food out.
If not for thinking of Qin Shuang, Qingmu might have suspected Lin Qiyou of poisoning the food.
But if Qin Shuang had really told Lin Qiyou something, would Lin Qiyou react so calmly?
Did Lin Qiyou know she was close to death?
“Look, all of these… are things you like to eat.”
Qingmu, who had been staring at Lin Qiyou’s face, snapped back to reality and glanced at the dishes on the table, realizing they really were his favorites.
White rice, beef, and stir-fried greens.
Ah, she remembered his preferences.
“Thank you, Miss.”
Qingmu forced a smile and sat at the table at Lin Qiyou’s urging, starting to eat.
Lin Qiyou didn’t pay attention to whether he ate or not, nor whether he wanted to.
But soon, Lin Qiyou realized and quickly asked, “Have you eaten? You can just eat.”
Though she wanted to retort, “Wasn’t it you who told me to eat?” Qingmu shook his head and replied, “Not yet.”
He really hadn’t eaten; he wasn’t feeling well today.
Eating absentmindedly, his mind wandered to what Qin Shuang had told Lin Qiyou, and because Lin Qiyou kept staring at him from across the table.
Girl! I’m more used to your harsh words than this awkward kindness!
“How have you been getting along with Qin Shuang?” Lin Qiyou asked softly.
“Ah, thanks to you and the sect leader’s grace, we’ve been getting along well.”
Qingmu thought to himself, so Qin Shuang did spill the beans.
Damn it! I’ll dock Qin Shuang’s pay!
No, the priority now is to stabilize Lin Qiyou!
Only two more spirit vein transplants to simulate; this absolutely must not go wrong.
Lin Qiyou stammered, “You seem very nervous?”
“No, Miss, you’re mistaken.”
Qingmu shook his head, thinking she looked even more nervous.
“You actually don’t get along well with Qin Shuang, do you?”
“Why would you say that?”
“Because I saw Qin Shuang secretly meeting with another man.”
Hearing this, Qingmu’s heart leapt with joy—it was just because of this!
So Lin Qiyou’s purpose in coming was simply to comfort herself, thinking she had been betrayed?
That’s great!
Qingmu pretended to be incredulous, saying, “That’s impossible.”
“Hmm, it’s quite a coincidence.
Yesterday, after our match, I met a crying junior sister on the road. She told me her partner had been unfaithful.
I followed her to the place and discovered the man Qin Shuang was secretly meeting was her partner.”
“Uh, this…”
Qingmu felt his head throb after hearing this, even though Qin Shuang had warned him in advance.
What was going on here?
Qin Shuang, didn’t you say you liked women before?
Why now like men, and even prefer married men?
That’s not the point; the point is Lin Qiyou found out about this!
So, what expression should I put on?
The betrayed victim, or the powerless husband?
Now, I really have to dock your pay hard, Qin Shuang!
“Ah… I need a break.”
Qingmu put down his chopsticks and covered his eyes with his hand, wondering if he should cry to play the part.
Lin Qiyou looked at Qingmu, suddenly placing a silver bell on the table and pushing it forward. Qingmu stared at the bell, stunned.
“When I confronted Qin Shuang face-to-face, I found out that the silver bell was actually taken from her by you at first?”
It hadn’t been lost after all?
Qingmu was very surprised.
“The silver bell wasn’t given to me by my father, it was you… why did you lie to me, and how many lies have you told me?”
Lin Qiyou’s voice trembled.
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