Qiao Ying hugged Qin Hanyue's coat and stood silently watching by the side.
Not far away, Qin Hanyue, dressed in a suit, was fighting against a group alone. Gone was his usual gentlemanly and courteous manner. From the refined Mr. Qin he switched to the respected and feared Master Qin the Third, a glint of the blade flashing across his face.
Qin Hanyue struck out fiercely and ruthlessly, his kicks swift and decisive.
Although Qin Hanyue was the leader of the God of War Gang, he must have had some martial arts skills. But thinking about how he usually wandered in and out of big companies all day in formal attire, sitting in luxurious offices, blowing air conditioning, signing contracts, discussing projects, and holding meetings, he wouldn't have much time to practice.
But apparently not. Qin Hanyue's skills were far more formidable than Qiao Ying had imagined. In a real fight, he would probably be on par with Ye Si.
Qiao Ying's arm and leg skills were comparable, but she preferred to use her hands, while Qin Hanyue was more adept with his legs.
No wonder, with legs that long it would be a waste not to use them - that kick was extremely satisfying to watch.
Qiao Ying's gaze followed the tall figure in the crowd. His innate nobility and elegance accumulated over many years still did not lose their style even while fighting others.
Just like she thought when watching Cheng Jinyan brawl in the bar. Her eyes were happily entertained.
Qin Hanyue quickly took care of the last one, his breath completely undisturbed. He turned to look at Qiao Ying and saw her staring at him intently.
The rare, lively delighted expression made Qin Hanyue suddenly realize he had been tricked.
She suddenly brought him along, could it be that she wanted a chance to watch him fight?
Qin Hanyue discovered that not only were boys' thoughts hard to guess, but girls' thoughts were even harder to fathom, even the straightforward Qiao Ying.
As Qin Hanyue was pondering, he had already come to stand in front of Qiao Ying.
Qiao Ying: "So you've been hiding your skills, Master Qin the Third."
The sudden "Master Qin the Third" made Qin Hanyue laugh: "As long as you're happy watching."
He took the clothes Qiao Ying handed over and was about to put them on when he thought of something. He asked her, "Seen enough? If not I can wait longer. I estimate more people will come soon."
Qiao Ying: "Next time. There's no lack of fights here."
Only then did Qin Hanyue put on his coat.
The two walked straight out from the groaning pile of people on the ground.
Qin Hanyue followed along to Qiao Ying and the others' residence.
Ye Si stood at the upstairs window, and when he saw Qiao Ying return with an extra person, the night was too dark for him to see the person's face, only a vague outline that seemed vaguely familiar.
Ye Si went downstairs to greet them.
"Baby~"
Seeing it was Qin Hanyue, Ye Si's expression darkened.
He reached out and pulled Qiao Ying into his arms. "Didn't you say you were just going to take a walk around? Baby, when did you walk back to the country?"
Qiao Ying: "Ran into him on the road."
Ye Si: "Only you would believe that. Alright, irrelevant. It's late, baby you should rest."
Ye Si pulled Qiao Ying inside with him.
Sensing Qiao Ying's intention to look back, Ye Si tilted her face forward preemptively. "No peeking, be good."
Cheng Jinyan stood at the window watching the show.
Qin Hanyue stood in the cold wind, looking at the somewhat shabby two-story wooden building in front of him, seemingly lost in thought.
His coat blew open in the wind. The small building in front seemed to teeter precariously but did not fall.
Qin Hanyue wondered if he should invite them to stay at his place instead.
Just then, the window on the left side of the second floor opened, warm yellow light spilling out, and Qiao Ying appeared in front of the window, waving at him.
Qin Hanyue walked towards the inside, heading upstairs.
The first floor had no rooms. The second floor had two, left for Qiao Ying and right for Cheng Jinyan and Young Master to squeeze together.
Ye Si's men had all gone to patrol nearby.
Qin Hanyue came to stand outside the room on the left. Qiao Ying happened to open the door and made way, signaling for him to enter.
Qin Hanyue lowered his head and sidled into the room.
Qiao Ying closed and locked the door.
Qin Hanyue looked at her actions.
Qiao Ying said in a low voice, "It's not easy to find a place to stay here. With such little space, please bear with it for a bit, Mr. Qin."
Qin Hanyue: "Is it okay?"
His voice inexplicably turned hoarse. Qin Hanyue wanted to clear his throat but was afraid of waking Ye Si across from them.
Qiao Ying said lightly, "It's not like we haven't slept in the same room before."
Previously at the M Province hotel, even when there were rooms available Qiao Ying had squeezed into one room with him. Let alone now, there was no need to make a fuss.
There was only one bed and one table with a chair in the room. Not even extra blankets or sheets to make him a floor bed.
Qiao Ying looked at the shabby bed, wondering how to sleep.
At this time Qin Hanyue said, "I can just sit here, you sleep."
As he spoke he walked to the chair by the window, "Having a place to avoid the wind and not sleep on the streets is already great. It just so happens I can stand guard for you tonight."
Qiao Ying gave him a look, was silent for a moment, then without another word climbed into bed to sleep.
Qin Hanyue helped her turn off the lights. "Good night."
The place was quite tattered. The windows wouldn't shut tight and the wind blew them open again and again, gusting cold drafts through the cracks and blowing through the room.
Sitting in front of the window, Qin Hanyue discovered this and reached out to grab the constantly flapping window frame, immediately quieting the room. Unfortunately the deformed frame still wouldn't shut completely.
This damn weather made him want to tuck all his limbs into his clothes. Even Qin Hanyue's hand grabbing the window frame grew somewhat numb from cold.
Rustling sounds came from the bed as Qiao Ying shifted further inward and pulled back half the covers. "Come up to sleep."
Her voice was very soft, carrying her usual indifference, but in the quiet room it sounded even less warm.
Yet her words burned Qin Hanyue, making his hand slip and nearly tearing the entire window off its frame.
Facing the bed yet gentlemanly keeping his gaze away, Qin Hanyue now turned to look in the moonlight and saw the blanket pulled back halfway. Only then did he confirm what he heard.
"...That's not appropriate." His voice turned hoarse again.
Qiao Ying: "We're not doing anything, what are you afraid of?"
Qin Hanyue: "I'm not an incorruptible person. This is too much of a test for me." Such an invitation was too dangerous.
Qiao Ying: "Don't you trust yourself that much?"
Qin Hanyue: "But you're the one involved."
Facing her, Qin Hanyue could not remain incorruptible.
Qiao Ying: "You can't beat me."
Qin Hanyue: "I'm afraid I would lose composure."
Qiao Ying pulled the covers back over herself. "Up to you."
Qin Hanyue let out a light breath, his heartbeat unable to calm for a time.
Her words kept playing through his mind, the images forming along with them. He hurriedly suppressed them.
After a long time Qin Hanyue's mood finally settled down again.
The night grew deeper and the temperature dropped even lower.
Qin Hanyue looked at the lump under the blankets on the bed, increasingly regretting this lost opportunity.
The intense emotions in his heart grew wildly out of control, like weeds running rampant, urging him to do something.
"Asleep?" He asked softly.
The girl in bed responded to him.
"Is it too late now if I say I regret it?"
Qin Hanyue wondered how she might respond, but she said nothing. She directly pulled the covers back again.
Whether frozen stiff or numb from sitting, Qin Hanyue did not get up smoothly from the chair. He released his grip on the window frame, walked lightly towards the bed taking off his coat and holding it in his hand.
Qin Hanyue sat down on the edge of the bed, took off his shoes, then lay down on top of his coat.
He did not share the blanket with Qiao Ying.
He tried his best not to look at the girl beside him and said in a low voice, "After rushing around for two days I'm a bit tired. Sitting up all night would be somewhat difficult."
Meaning he just needed a place to lie down for a bit.
Qiao Ying reached out and threw the blanket over him. "Naggy."
