The scene was dazzling, more beautiful than fireworks.
Lin Ting, who had been sitting upright, eventually leaned over to the window, lost in the spectacle.
She felt as if the stars were right before her eyes.
Duan Xinning, not daring to blink, was afraid of missing the beautiful sight: “It’s really beautiful.”
Xia Zimo wanted to hold Duan Xinning’s hand but, seeing other people around, only spoke: “I’ll come with you again next time.”
Lin Ting, though facing away from them, could still hear their words, since the private room wasn’t large.
She wanted to give Xia Zimo a thumbs up; he certainly knew how to make a move—no wonder he had quickly won the heart of a beauty.
Duan Xinning didn’t respond to Xia Zimo.
Lin Ting guessed that she had become shy again, as Duan Xinning was always bashful.
Duan Ling wasn’t interested in the iron flowers.
He only glanced at them a few times, then his eyes landed on a fire-red lantern not far from the flower booth.
It stood about thirty feet tall, taller than the third floor of the tavern at Yellow Crane Tower.
Logically, the lantern shouldn’t have been so close to the iron flower display, as it could catch fire.
The corners of his eyes slightly lifted, and he raised his hand to call the waiter, softly asking: “Has that lantern always been there?”
The waiter wiped the sweat from his forehead and followed Duan Ling’s gaze to the street.
He looked surprised: “Strange, how could there be another lantern stand there? It wasn’t there yesterday. Could it have been set up today? If you want, I can ask someone.”
Duan Xinning and Tao Zhu were focused on the dazzling spectacle, and Xia Zimo’s attention was on Duan Xinning.
None of them noticed Duan Ling signaling for the waiter.
Lin Ting, resting her chin on one hand, was also entranced by the scene until, by chance, she noticed the lantern.
The lantern?
The lantern was placed in a clever spot, hidden from the citizens’ attention but perfectly aligned with both the firework display and Yellow Crane Tower.
If something went wrong, the Yellow Crane Tower could catch fire.
Lin Ting immediately wanted to call the waiter to inquire more clearly, but when she turned around, she saw the waiter standing beside Duan Ling, and they were talking.
Before Lin Ting could say anything, a loud, panicked scream came from the street.
The molten iron that was supposed to land on the flower booth splashed out and struck the lantern stand, quickly igniting the paper lanterns and setting the wooden frame on fire.
The lanterns fell, and the flames brushed past Yellow Crane Tower.
Sparks flew into the private room where the window was open, causing the people inside to scream as the flames licked at the silk curtains hanging from the beams.
The fire quickly spread.
The burning private room was directly below the one they were in.
The smoke soon drifted into their room through the doors and windows.
Xia Zimo’s face changed, and he immediately grabbed Duan Xinning to leave.
Duan Xinning, tripping over the table and chairs, was swiftly lifted by him: “Hurry down.”
Duan Xinning, scared out of her wits, couldn’t speak, instinctively gripping Xia Zimo tightly.
Zhi Lan and Tao Zhu, standing together, heard this and followed in a panic.
Tao Zhu, still worried about Lin Ting, stopped when they reached the door, urgently calling: “Seventh Miss? Seventh Miss?”
The fire spread, and the beams crashed down, shaking the floor and drowning out the sounds.
The smoke was growing thicker, making it hard to breathe.
Tao Zhu couldn’t see if anyone was still inside the private room and tried to rush in: “Seventh Miss?”
Zhi Lan saw this and had no choice but to pull Tao Zhu’s hand away from the door: “Your young lady didn’t respond to you, maybe she’s gone down already. Don’t run inside and get yourself killed! Come, let’s go down first.”
Tao Zhu was forcibly dragged away by Zhi Lan.
Lin Ting was coughing from the smoke.
She was closer to the window and had just been hit by the fire that surged up along the window, almost getting burned to a crisp.
Fortunately, she quickly dropped to the ground to avoid it.
All she could hear were the thunderous sounds of burning wood.
Aside from that, Lin Ting couldn’t hear anything else.
She got up from the ground, took out a handkerchief from her sleeve, poured some tea onto it, dampened it, and covered her mouth and nose: “Duan Xinning? Tao Zhu?”
“Xia Zimo? Zhi Lan?”
She paused for a moment.
“Lord Duan?”
Had they all gone down?
Lin Ting pressed her hand tighter over her mouth and nose, squatting down and moving along the wall.
After walking a few steps, she bumped into someone’s leg.
She looked up to find it was Duan Ling.
He was leaning on the table, one hand propping up his face, and the other hanging limply by his side, seemingly passed out. Lin Ting was shocked: “Lord Duan?”
How could Duan Ling be unconscious?
Lin Ting didn’t believe it.
She approached and shook him a few times, still not convinced.
Could he really have fainted from a few breaths of smoke and fire?
She refused to believe it.
He was silent.
Duan Ling was highly skilled, and it was extremely difficult for any poison or drug to affect him.
How could he…
“Lord Duan, I’m leaving.”
She decided not to pay him any further attention and ran out of the private room.
A few seconds later, she returned, made a quick turn, and saw that he was still in the same place.
Only then did she believe Duan Ling had truly passed out.
Why faint now?
Why not earlier or later?
Why did he have to faint at this moment?
Who would be foolish enough to stay in a blazing fire for thirty breaths?
Unless he had no regard for his life.
Staying even a few more breaths could lead to death in the flames, going to meet the King of Hell.
Lin Ting grumbled inwardly, but still, a person had to be saved.
Duan Ling couldn’t die.
After tying the damp handkerchief to her face, Lin Ting went over to lift Duan Ling’s narrow, slim waist and abdomen.
At the moment she touched his waist and abdomen, Duan Ling’s eyelashes fluttered.
He tried to open his eyes but still managed to hold it back.
He looked thin, but he wasn’t light.
Lin Ting thought to herself, she probably knew the reason.
First, Duan Ling was too tall, and second… although his waist was slim, his muscles were tight and lean, so it wasn’t surprising that he wasn’t light.
She didn’t want to look like some pervert holding onto Duan Ling’s waist.
If she had to blame someone, it was him for fainting and being unable to move, needing someone to help him out.
Just as they reached the second floor, Lin Ting was forced to stop.
A group of about ten men, their faces covered, surrounded them from all directions, holding curved blades that gleamed with cold light, their eyes filled with murderous intent.
Lin Ting immediately realized that the fire had been set with Duan Ling as the target.
The people behind it wanted him dead.
It was unfortunate for her to have run into these people just now.
As things stood, there was no way out.
She forced a smile: “Gentlemen, let’s talk things over. Waving knives and swords isn’t the solution.”
They said nothing, stepping on the heat of the wooden floor, drawing their blades to strike.
Lin Ting, with lightning speed, threw out a drug, knocking out two of them.
She quickly held Duan Ling and ran.
Just then, someone broke through the window, landing next to her, holding a sword.
Lin Ting looked at the person’s ugly mask and exclaimed with joy: “Jin Anzai? How did you get here?”
Jin Anzai gave her a glance: “Your maid is outside, crying and calling for you.”
He was cautious, having investigated Lin Ting thoroughly before agreeing to work with her.
He knew she was from the Lin family and was aware of the people who served her, having seen Tao Zhu a few times.
Lin Ting was aware of this, but didn’t mind.
Considering his past, almost dying on the battlefield, caution was understandable: “So how did you end up on South Gate Street tonight?”
It was only by coming to South Gate Street that he could hear her maid Tao Zhu crying out for her.
Jin Anzai drew his sword and spoke sharply: “You were allowed out to watch the iron flower display, but why should I be restricted? If you keep asking questions, I think it would be fine if you and the person you’re holding died here at Yellow Crane Tower tonight.”
Lin Ting knew his sharp tongue and let it go, responding with “Right, right, you can also go watch the iron flowers.”
Seeing her attempt to leave, the people trying to kill Duan Ling moved to block her.
Jin Anzai swiftly turned his wrist, and as he cast his sword, a gust of sword energy swept through, shaking the flames and cutting them off, all blocked by his sword.
“I won’t thank you for saving me. You handle these people, I’ll leave first.”
Since this place wasn’t safe, Lin Ting knew they wouldn’t be able to use the stairs.
She looked around for another way down.
After a moment, she found a private room on the second floor of Yellow Crane Tower, backed by a small alley.
Inside, there was a window that temporarily blocked the pillar.
She tossed something down first, making sure it didn’t catch fire, and then lowered Duan Ling.
She tore the silk curtain in the private room, tied one end tightly, and made sure to angle it properly before throwing it down towards the narrow door on the opposite side of the alley.
It created a simple cloth slide.
Luckily, it was the second floor, and the silk was long enough.
When Lin Ting had worked with Jin Anzai in the past, he would deal with the front, while she would sneakily gather what they needed, using this method several times.
Now, she was quite adept at it.
Lin Ting lifted Duan Ling again, sitting by the window, hugging him, wrapping her arms around his waist, and lifting his legs to hold them with hers.
With Duan Ling’s eyes closed, he could feel her hot breath on his skin, causing an unfamiliar tingling sensation.
The fragrance of a woman surrounded him, filling his lungs.
Duan Ling eventually opened his eyes, glancing at her, then at her hand around his waist.
Lin Ting didn’t notice.
She was calculating the distance, and thought that from the second floor, jumping down shouldn’t kill them.
Even if the silk were to break midway, they would only get injured.
However, the likelihood of the silk breaking was low.
Yellow Crane Tower used high-quality silk for its esteemed guests.
Lin Ting knew this from running her own fabric shop, so she could tell the quality of the silk.
Releasing her other hand from the window ledge, she slid down the silk, feeling the night wind rushing in her ears.
After a while, they safely reached the ground.
Lin Ting sighed in relief, thinking of standing up to help Duan Ling to the street and telling Tao Zhu and the others to stop crying.
But when she turned, she saw that he was still unconscious, and her steps halted.
Unlike when Duan Ling had been drunk and resting on the couch, he truly couldn’t wake up.
Otherwise, he would have woken up long ago.
How could he have tolerated her holding him, touching him, hugging him, and kissing him?
They had already safely left the burning Yellow Crane Tower.
A thirty-second kiss wouldn’t delay anything.
Lin Ting wasn’t worried about whether Jin Anzai would be trapped.
She knew his abilities well.
As long as she managed to escape, he would also find his way out.
Though the night was dark, Lin Ting could clearly see Duan Ling’s face, as she was so close.
She lowered her head, her gaze lightly sweeping over his brows and nose, stopping at his lips.
The fragrance of a woman still lingered around Duan Ling, drifting away, only to come back again.
The fragrance became more intense, and even though Duan Ling kept his eyes closed and couldn’t see Lin Ting’s every move, he was still very sensitive to the shadow moving closer and the sound of her breath near his ear.
She was going to kill him?
If she was going to kill him, why did she save him just now?
Duan Ling moved his fingers, hidden with a deadly poison, ready to act.
Lin Ting thought to herself, “Sorry,” and then kissed Duan Ling’s cool, slightly scented lips.
Duan Ling sensed the shadow completely pressing down, and was about to use his poison, but instead, his lips met a soft touch.
The two lips met, breath intertwining, and he almost immediately opened his eyes.
The poison in his fingers dropped to the ground.
Lin Ting heard him open his eyes, her legs going weak, and she fell onto him.
In her surprise, the kiss deepened as their lips collided.
Heaven must be punishing her!
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