Li Ruoxuan went to the study to settle some documents. Qi Qingyao naturally took over the hall of the State Preceptor’s residence as if she were the master. After waiting for a while, Lu Yan arrived with Dong Jing.
As soon as Qi Qingyao saw Lu Yan, she quickly got up and pulled him over. “Come on, sit down, sit down.”
She personally guided Lu Yan to take a seat.
Her friendliness stunned Lu Yan.
Was she so happy that the little empress had given the edict to cancel the engagement?
Lu Yan tamped his curiosity and asked, “Is the State Preceptor not in?”
“I’m the one looking for you. What does this have to do with the State Preceptor?” Qi Qingyao personally poured Lu Yan some tea. She even discreetly told Lu Yan it was quality tea the State Preceptor Li Ruoxuan had collected.
Lu Yan took note of her looking as if she was offering some treasure and thought, ‘As if I hadn’t had good tea, considering who I am.’ However, since the little lady was behaving this way, he spared her and took a sip of the tea—even burning his lips a bit in the end.
Lu Yan, “…”
Dong Jing almost chuckled.
Recalling what she wanted to discuss, Qi Qingyao hurriedly said, “Dong Jing, please leave us. I want to talk to your master alone.”
Before Dong Jing was ready to head out, Lu Yan patted the white cat in his arms. The white cat seemed a little reluctant but jumped off his legs lightly and trotted out the door in two or three steps.
Dong Jing followed it out of the hall, even closing the door out of courtesy.
The maid waiting outside the door seemed a little unhappy when she saw him close the door…
The white cat jumped up a few pillars onto the roof. It then laid down on the eaves, swinging its white tail. It wondered, somewhat listlessly with a yawn, what the little koi fish was doing… It missed him a little.
Inside the hall.
Lu Yan gently fanned the piping hot tea with the cover of the bowl and then took another sip, saying, “What did you want to talk about?”
Qi Qingyao sat cross-legged on the chair as if she were sitting on a clay stove, and asked seriously, “While Li Ruoxuan is behaving very well now, you’re still the only person I trust.”
“Oh?” Lu Yan feigned surprise while in actuality his heart was blooming.
“They’re all saying I’m the Harbinger, but I don’t think I am. What should I do now?” Qi Qingyao thought about her current situation, her head aching. She remembered something after saying that and asked, “I don’t suppose you still haven’t heard about it yet.”
“I do,” Lu Yan answered.
Qi Qingyao said anxiously, “Help me think of a solution, then.”
Lu Yan glanced at her squarely.
“First of all, there are several advantages to them thinking that you are the Harbinger. While the rulers of the various nations might want to kill you, the grand masters won’t. They will even protect you or rush to take you away because they all want to ascend to a higher realm. They want to break past the grand master limit and reach the same level as Si Jin.
“Second…”
Qi Qingyao interrupted him before he could finish speaking. “I’m not interested in the second point. I just want to know what I should do now.”
Lu Yan thought about this question carefully before asking back, “What do you want to do?”
Qi Qingyuan shrugged and ate the steamed fruit pastry on the table listlessly as she answered, “I’m not interested in becoming the center of the vortex, but I know that, like any other individual, we are bound by our roles. Ought I become a political chess piece for the imperial court or even the other countries?”
Lu Yan said, “It has already gotten this far. It’s impossible for you to not be a chess piece even if you don’t want to. If you want to preserve your life now, you can only…”
“Go with the flow? Take it step by step?” Qi Qingyao cut in.
Lu yan refuted and said, “You can’t just go with the flow, you have to be steering the boat along with the current! Take advantage of the situation…”
He pondered for a moment, expression turning serious as he said, “Or, you could look at it another way. What’s your goal in life? To make lots of money? To recruit a dozen boy toys? Will it be a different one for every day of the year? Or do you want to have a little bit of money to build a small house in the countryside, get into farming and then raise the children? Or do you want to marry the prime minister of some nation, or a rich man, or even the emperor of a nation…” Lu Yan did not dare say that it would be alright for her to marry him as well.
He eyed her expression carefully.
“…” Qi Qingyao frowned, cheek in hand, while she contemplated.
Lu Yan decided to first give her an example. “Everyone has a goal in life. Use us, the Lu family, as an example. The Lu family’s purpose for generations has been to maintain the family business, to constantly expand our area of business and grow! To open up stores in every corner of the continent… We haven’t achieved that, so there is still a long way for us to go in the future.”
Qi Qingyao thought for a long time before she said, “I probably want to walk about in the sun freely and earn lots of money easily. I don’t want to marry into any noble family. I’m a widow, after all—no one would fall for me. So, my goal is to earn a lot of money easily and try my best to raise the children.”
It was simple and clear, but it made Lu Yan feel sad. Pretending not to be bothered, he asked, “Is there…no plans for men at all among them?”
Qi Qingyao took a sip of tea. She glanced at him, shrugged, and said, “Oh brother, you ask me that, but no one would fall for me.”
“What if someone does?” Lu Yan asked nervously.
“It’s impossible,” Qi Qingyao answered decisively.
Lu Yan could not understand. “Do you really think yourself that unappealing?” Sometimes, it felt like she was very confident, but other times, it was as if she had really low self-esteem.
Qi Qingyao said calmly, “I might be more appealing now that I’m the Harbinger.”
“Why do you think so lowly of yourself? Even if you are not the Harbinger, you are also an outstanding little lady,” Lu Yan said.
Qi Qingyao said with a smile, “Oh, I know I’m outstanding, but it’s hard to get married as a widow.”
Lu Yan was stunned. After a pause, he said, “You should know that the people who truly like you won’t… dislike you just because you have children. On the contrary, their love would extend to even the crows on the roof—they would love even the children.”
“Will there really be such a person?” Qi Qingyao asked, her tone dazed.
“I… know that Si Jin likes you very much.” He almost referred to himself before saving himself in that critical moment.
Qi Qingyao sniffled. “He’s still young. What would he know of love? Stop kidding around. He’s just like a brother to me.”
Lu Yan refuted, “Why do you always doubt the sincerity of others? Is it because you are a widow or that you might even be the Harbinger now? It doesn’t matter who confesses to you! You will doubt whether they have some ulterior motive, wondering if they want to use you! You just can’t believe the sincerity of others!!!”
Qi Qingyao noted the change in his tone of speech. He seemed to be lashing out a little. Feeling small, she said weakly, “Why are you getting mad all of a sudden…? I didn’t even say anything.”
It was because she had not said anything that he was mad.
Lu Yan took a deep breath and called her name.
“Qi Qingyao.”
Qi Qingyao blinked and looked at him carefully.
Lu yan asked, “Have you, in your lifetime, ever felt for someone?”
Qi Qingyao shook her head. “No.”
Lu Yan was a little disappointed, but he did not want to give up. “Not even a little?” Even a little bit was fine! It could grow into something more.
At his serious question, Qi Qingyao began thinking sincerely and then answered, “Yeah… when I saw your face, my heart did skip a beat for a second. It did the same when I saw Si Jin, but… but then I knew it was not possible once it calmed down. So, I just let it remain calm.”
Her answer was very ordinary, but it was beyond Lu Yan’s expectations. He suddenly stood up, “Y-y-you felt something for me.”
Qi Qingyao felt like something was off about her answer and added, “You’re really handsome. Any normal person would be attracted to you.”
“So why didn’t you continue having a crush on me?” Lu Yan asked somewhat anxiously.
Qi Qingyao looked at him placidly. “Because I knew it was impossible, so I didn’t.”
Lu Yan had already walked in front of Qi Qingyao. He put both hands on the armrests of her chair. It looked like he was wrapping her, as she was sitting cross-legged in the chair, into his arms.
Being so close to Lu Yan so suddenly, Qi Qingyao grew inexplicably nervous.
The man in front of her stared at her with a very solemn gaze and spoke.
“You hadn’t even tried. How could you have known it was impossible?”
Qi Qingyao took a sip of tea slowly before looking back at him and saying, “What’s impossible is impossible. You’re all dignified folk, and I’m just a wildling from the countryside. We are not from the same world at all.”
Lu Yan still did not relax. “If we’re not from the same world, how are you talking to me now?”
Qi Qingyao felt suffocated.
Lu Yan leaned forward, his face nearing hers. The distance between them was only about four inches. If he came any closer, he would bump into the tip of her nose.
Qi Qingyao could see his throat bobbing nervously.
Then, Lu Yan said wearily, “I allow you to continue being interested in me. I allow you.”
Being a killjoy, Qi Qingyao asked, “Are you thinking about using me to cure your illness…”
Lu Yan paused and then took a step back. His gaze was a little exasperated, and a little angry. “Qi Qingyao! You are always doubting the sincerity of others. Even when I allow you to be interested in me, you wonder if it is because I want to use you to treat me!!! Let me tell you this. The reason I want to be treated for my illness is that I like you! I want you to treat me because I want to try to get close to you! Having you look at my illness is just an excuse—I’m indeed trying to get close to you.”
“Er…”
Qi Qingyao saw the anger rising and falling in his chest—he seemed pretty livid.
She quickly poured him tea, got up, and brought it to him. She smiled and sucked up to him, “Have a cup of tea first.”
Lu Yan squeezed the teacup in his hand, his expression hideous. “Do you still think I’m joking with you?”
“…” Qi Qingyao did not dare say anything.
Lu Yan said, “Did you know how happy I was when the little empress bestowed a marriage to us? It was because I could marry you in good faith. But now, this edict has been lifted again!!!”
Qi Qingyao, “…” He had been… very happy?!
Teacup in hand, he walked up to her and stood in front of her. He looked down at the little lady who was shorter than him. He stretched out his right hand for the first time. His fingers were trembling slightly, but he forced himself to reach his hand out and touch her chin, raising her head—to have her look at him.
Lu Yan’s eyes were very dark. “Qi Qingyao, I don’t care what you think. I allow you to be attracted to me. I allow you to like me. I allow you to fantasize about everything you haven’t fantasized about me. I allow you to do whatever you want with me.”
At that, he retracted his fingers quickly.
He looked like he did not know how to be himself.
There were also two suspicious clouds of red on his thin-skinned face.
He turned around, putting down his teacup. His back to her, he said, “We’ll end our talk here. I’m heading back first.”
Then, he stumbled a little out of the hall and hastily walked out of the State Preceptor’s residence. Dong Jing quickly followed behind.
The white cat trotted along the roof and then jumped onto the top of the carriage with great speed.
When Lu Yan descended the steps at the gate of the State Preceptor’s residence, he was so nervous he almost fell. He held back the feeling that his heart was about to jump out of his chest and whispered to Dong Jing behind him, “Dong Jing, hold, hold me.”
“Master?” Dong Jing was a little doubtful but hurried forward and helped his master.
Lu Yan, “My legs, t-they’ve gone soft!!”
“Master…” Dong Jing was surprised. What had Lady Qi done just now? Why had the master’s legs gone soft? Could it be that the master and Lady Qi had done something unspeakable in the hall that had made the master’s legs go soft!! Dong Jing did not dare to think about it further.
Dong Jing helped Lu Yan to the carriage. He thought Lu Yan would be able to get on the carriage himself, but Lu Yan unexpectedly instructed him, “Help me onto the carriage.”
“Master, did Lady Qi give you the Ten Fragrance Tendon Weakening Powder or something?” Dong Jing asked carefully as he helped Lu Yan into the carriage. He did not dare ask if Lady Qi had ’emptied’ him just now!!! He had to phrase his question very tactfully!
“No.” Lu Yan leaned against the pillow in the carriage.
Dong Jing wondered, “Then why are you…”
“I…” Lu Yan lowered his gaze and held it for a while before he said, “I said it.”
“???” What did he say? What was the master talking about? Was he giving him a riddle? He looked like he did not even have the strength to get on the carriage just now… How could it be anything? It was likely he had shot… Cough!
Filthy, filthy. It was too filthy!
At the thought of this, Dong Jing felt that his noble and clean master had likely immediately fallen into Lady Qi’s bed…
Considering his master’s condition, he had definitely been the bottom! Hehe…
Before Dong Jing’s delusion was even over, Lu Yan looked at him piercingly and said firmly, “I’ve said it all, I’ve confessed!”
Dong Jing, “???”.
Had it just been a confession!? What are your legs weak for, then!? He had made Don Jing think up such nonsense!
