I rubbed my eyes. It must be because the moonlight is too beautiful tonight that I have this thought.
Why didn't you invite Yue Linghe?
"Hmm?" He turned around and held out a hand. "It's too dangerous outside."
The moonlight shone on his delicately shaped, well-defined hands, which appeared so white they seemed almost transparent. Perhaps they were too beautiful, for I couldn't resist reaching out my hand as well.
His hands were smooth and soft, still as delicate to the touch, slightly cool as silk.
"The fortress is no longer dangerous?"
"My senior brothers are here."
"So I have to put myself in danger?"
He chuckled softly, "Don't you feel safer with me around?"
It's presumptuous of me to say this, but some indescribable emotion welled up in my chest. I tried to grasp it, but it vanished in an instant. And it was this delay that caused me to miss the opportunity to speak.
The two didn't speak for the rest of the journey, which was a rare and peaceful experience.
We hadn't walked far before lights began to appear. We must have reached the town by now. Come to think of it, how long has it been since I last visited a market?
Is there anything you'd like to buy?
"ah?"
"I haven't seen you wear that outfit I gave you last time. Do you not like it?"
Why is Nangong Ling suddenly so nice today?
"Those clothes don't suit me right now."
"Now you're actually concerned about whether something suits you or not?"
"You saw the way those people looked at me... I'm wondering what exactly you want to do to me?"
"...What can I do with you?" A crack appeared in that beautiful mask. "Tell me, what should I do with you?"
"What do you mean 'I'm in charge'? If I were in charge, would I have ended up like this?!" She got angrier and angrier as she spoke.
His hand tightened, and a fleeting coldness flashed in his eyes, but it quickly disappeared.
"Rong Lian, this is the last time I'll hear you say something like that, hmm?"
It was rare for him to be in such a good mood today. He said he would take me out for a nice meal and that he would buy me things, but I spoiled the mood, even though I was telling the truth.
"Um...I want to eat roasted pigeon..."
There was a strong sense of oppression, and I could hardly breathe.
"Okay, I'll do as you say."
He led me forward, and I didn't even dare to look up at his expression, because that brief moment was too terrifying and too unforgettable.
Overconfident and spoiled, I forgot my current predicament just because Nangong Ling was so nice to me. Rong Lian, you've always looked down on him, but you can never outwit him. He sees right through you, he's playing you like a fool, and once you've shown your true colors and caused a big mess, he'll have a legitimate reason to teach you a lesson. Nangong Ling, how can you be so terrifying?
There weren't many people at Sixi Hall at this time. As soon as Nangong Ling stepped in, the waiter immediately bowed and scraped to greet him and arranged the best private room for us.
The atmosphere was a bit stiff. After all the dishes were served, I picked up a piece of croaker. It was delicious and rare, but it just couldn't compare to the mysterious little chef at Yanwubao.
"Still not to my liking?"
"fine……"
"If you really find it tasteless, then don't eat it." He said, standing up. "Wait for me."
He went downstairs and spoke a few words to the waiter, who then led him to the back of the hall.
Less than half a cup of tea later, the waiter brought over a plate of ordinary green vegetables. I took a bite with suspicion and immediately understood. All the food I'd been eating these past few days had been prepared by Nangong Ling. He could cook? And with such skill? I must have been dreaming.
He slowly walked up a while after the last dish was served, without a trace of cooking fumes on him.
I looked at him with puzzlement, as if I had figured out a pattern. As long as I didn't mention the Rong family's affairs in a way that was too outrageous or crossed his bottom line, he was very easy to talk to, and could even be incredibly nice to me.
"How many times have you cooked? Besides me, has anyone else tasted your cooking?"
"No," he answered honestly, leaning half his body against the cushion. "I've cooked for you every time you've eaten at Yanwu Fort."
Is it true? Aside from being a little skeptical, I would never admit to being even a tiny bit happy.
He took a chilled bottle of wine, glancing downstairs. "Take a look at those two tables by the window in the lobby. Are they here for you?"
I glanced down and said, "I don't know him."
He didn't say anything, just silently drank his wine, one glass after another, slowly.
"What would you do if you left me?"
"What?"
"You were already a picky eater, how can you possibly eat anything else now?"
"Whether I leave or not doesn't seem to be up to me."
"Whether it's Bieyun Manor, Tianjue Sect, or the Feng family, none of them are easy to deal with. The important thing is that they are all willing to take you in."
"So what?" I had a bad feeling, and even started to panic.
“If you want to leave, I can keep an eye on you once or twice, but what about a hundred or a thousand times? Rong Lian, I’ve already put too much energy into you. I thought I could get a good result, but it seems that every time it’s just disappointment…”
"Oh, right, I just saw a nice jewelry shop!" I abruptly interrupted him, not wanting to hear what came next; it gave me a sense of dread.
"...That's just how you are. When will you ever listen to what others have to say?" His eyes held weariness and deep helplessness.
That look in his eyes reminded me of him that night, that unfamiliar Nangong Ling.
"I...I...Anyway, I didn't say I was leaving Wuyue Palace to go somewhere else..."
A feeling of reluctance welled up inside me. If it weren't for the fact that giving in was so out of character for me that I kept my head down, I would never have missed the fleeting glint of light in those phoenix eyes.
Chapter 28
The meal took a long time, and the already sparsely populated Sixi Hall became even sparsely populated. I looked down and saw that the people at the two tables by the window didn't seem to be leaving.
"Just who are they?"
He had already drunk six jugs of wine and switched to a second jug of Shaoxing wine, yet his eyes were clear and he seemed to be getting more and more lucid.
"People from the Sky Crossing Faction."
"Sikong Jian? What could he possibly want from me? I have no grudge against him."
"Don't you remember?"
"Remember what?"
“Every year on your birthday, everyone goes to the Rong family to give gifts and drink, and of course the Kongyue Sect is no exception. When you were eight years old, you asked him for a birthday gift. He was only two years older than you, and besides, his family had already given you a gift. So when you asked him for more, he didn’t have any. Then you snatched his dragon-patterned jade without asking any questions. Do you remember now?”
How come you know more about my affairs than I do myself? But speaking of this Sikong Jian... I really don't remember him at all. He was just one of the many people I bullied back then. It's already pretty good that I can remember his name, okay?
"He wouldn't have held a grudge for over a decade just because of a piece of jade, would he?"
"That's their family heirloom. They must have mastered martial arts and be quite confident that they can get it back after waiting so long."
How come when other people act tough and cheat, everyone else can only tremble in fear, but I always end up messing with troublemakers, each one more difficult to deal with than the last.
"That happened so long ago... How stingy. Besides, I've already pawned all my things, there's nothing left."
Nangong Ling shook his head, his words laced with sarcasm, "You never value other people's things. Even things that are more important to others than their lives are worthless in your eyes."
At that moment, I felt an unprecedented sense of embarrassment. There was no blame in his tone, but it was as if a thorn was pricking me, leaving me nowhere to hide.
Have you thought it through?
I looked up and asked with my eyes, "What are you thinking about?"
"Do you want them to keep watching you, or do you want to end things here?"
"Of course, it's over."
I regretted it as soon as the words left my mouth, because the person in front of me was smiling like a fox with narrowed eyes.
"I will send someone to deliver the jade tomorrow, but in exchange..."
There's no need to spell it out clearly; just dragging out a syllable conveys a deeper meaning. Judging from my expression that looks like I want to bite someone, I know I've been tricked again!
After all that buildup, it turns out his purpose and focus are only in the last five words.
"I don't even know where I pawned that jade, how are you going to redeem it..." I paused, thinking, "You're going to follow me around and redeem it?"
"Redeem?" He raised an eyebrow, his smile incredibly irritating. "Those pawnshops you went to, the whole shop is mine, what do you need to redeem?"
I gasped, nearly choking. "You...you...the Rong family has never run a pawnshop!"
She raised an eyebrow again, still sounding irritating. "Who says I can't have things the Rong family doesn't?"
This is outrageous! I was so angry I couldn't speak, I could only point a trembling finger at him, pointing and pointing. Why didn't I go to the Shaolin Temple to learn the One-Finger Zen technique back then? If I didn't like someone, I could have just pointed and killed them!
"In exchange, you'll be my source of amusement from now on. You must be available whenever I call and no complaining. If you disobey, either I'll take back all the jade and treasures, or you'll compensate me for all my losses..." He elegantly picked up his chopsticks and slowly put a piece of bamboo shoot into his mouth. "Even if I sell these things cheaply in the shop, I can still make a lot of money. You're too ignorant. You don't even know how much the shopkeepers I picked bargained down the price for you."
He lowered his trembling hands, so angry that his whole body was shaking and his teeth were chattering.
Yes, Nangong Ling is such a wicked person. His kindness and gentleness towards you are definitely not a sign of a change of heart. I suspect, no, I'm sure he doesn't even know what a conscience is! He just lets you lose your guard in his tenderness, and then whips you hard without warning, a whip that stings and tears your heart, leaving you no reason to even cry out in pain.
No way, I absolutely have to go out and have a fight to vent my anger! Otherwise, I'll really suffer internal injuries from holding it in. I glared angrily at the person in front of me who was drinking his third pot of Shaoxing wine. This world is so dark and gloomy! I stood up and slammed my hand on the table, but the person just stared at the moon without changing expression or even raising an eyebrow.