On the not-so-big bed, the two of them slept side by side.
The bedboard was hard and there was not even a pillow. This was Qin Hanyue's first time sleeping on this kind of bed, but at this moment, he simply did not care about any of that.
He looked up. His body that had yet to warm up just could not relax at all and remained rigid.
He lay close to the edge of the bed with half his shoulder outside the bed. With the limited bed space, he had deliberately left about ten centimeters of distance in between. The blanket was not big enough to cover more than half his body.
His voice suddenly rang out, gentle and light: "It's my birthday today."
Qiao Ying said: "I don't have a present prepared."
Qin Hanyue smiled slightly: "I know. I just wanted to let you know. Can you tell me why you came to Arkenlin?"
Qiao Ying: "Mr Qin is exceptionally intelligent. Take a guess?"
After thinking for a moment, Qin Hanyue asked uncertainly: “Looking for Shadow’s people to take revenge?"
Qiao Ying: “Yes.”
Having gotten the answer, Qin Hanyue felt extremely relieved that she had come to Arkenlin. As long as she needed it, he would be able to provide her with manpower or weapons. If there was any danger, he would also be by her side.
Qiao Ying: “What about you? Really here on business?"
The last sentence was said mockingly.
Qin Hanyue: "Do you want to hear the truth or lies?"
Qiao Ying: “What’s the truth? What’s the lie?"
Qin Hanyue: “The truth is, I came because I heard you were here. The lie is that I came to do business."
After Qin Hanyue had finished speaking, she did not reply. The atmosphere lapsed into silence.
After a while, he heard her ask: "What's the reason for the existence of lies?"
Qin Hanyue: “When I asked you just now, you said you weren’t sure and wanted to walk around. I could see that you didn't want to tell me."
Qiao Ying clearly did not want to tell him so that he would not follow her, but after hearing news of her, he still followed. Qin Hanyue was afraid of upsetting her, so he naturally had to make up lies about coming to do business and pretend it was a coincidence meeting her.
"I just wasn’t sure if the person I was looking for was here or not.”
Hearing Qiao Ying’s explanation and reason, Qin Hanyue felt pleasantly surprised yet bewildered at the same time: “What was your feeling when you saw me then?”
She seemed to be somewhat tired, taking a while longer before speaking again. Her voice was also slightly softer as she candidly said: “Quite pleasantly surprised.”
At this, Qin Hanyue could no longer hold back and immediately turned to look at her.
The room was not dark, and faint moonlight seeped in through the window that could not be shut properly. The girl’s profile looked gentle and beautiful in the moonlight.
The window made a tapping sound repeatedly and rapidly, seemingly tapping not just on the window frame but also on someone’s heart. Qin Hanyue’s heartbeat lost its rhythm.
Realizing that the two of them were lying on the same bed and that it was improper for him to look at the young lady this way, he quickly turned his face back up.
As Qin Hanyue calmed himself down, he started to speak: “I’ve always had a question I wanted to ask you.”
“Earlier you said Xiaoyi was fair-skinned, red lips and white teeth, obedient and quiet – very much to your liking. I wanted to ask, if you were to look for a partner, would you also want to find someone like this?”
Qin Hanyue had wanted to ask this for a long time, especially after Qiao Ying said she was not interested in middle-aged men. He wanted to know her criteria for choosing a partner.
A girl like her, capable in every way and standing at the peak, had a greater possibility of remaining single and carefreely independent.
And if she were to find a partner, for someone of her capabilities, that person’s wealth and power might not be so important to her.
Someone as capable as her would likely want to find someone who could make her feel comfortable and happy, whom she could get along well with and spend the rest of her life with.
This time, the wait was even longer before he heard her respond. Her voice also sounded somewhat sleepy: “Depends on the person.”
No criteria? Depends on the person?
Qin Hanyue took a deep breath: “If you don’t have criteria and just depend on the person, what do you think of me?”
“Miss Qiao, would you like to date?”
His tone was gentle yet carried warm sincerity.
Qin Hanyue looked up. His expression revealed no ripples, only tension and anticipation discernible from his pursed lips and unmoving eyes.
He held his breath, his body tense beneath the blanket.
Yet after waiting for a long time, there was still no response.
And so Qin Hanyue turned to look again, only to see the girl's eyes closed, her breathing steady and lengthened, sleeping soundly and serenely.
She had fallen asleep.
For a moment, Qin Hanyue did not know whether to laugh or cry.
Such a good opportunity, such a suitable atmosphere, the courage he had mustered with great difficulty, yet in the end when it came to the last sentence, she had fallen asleep.
Qin Hanyue's face was filled with helpless laughter before continuing to watch her – her smooth and full forehead, exquisite brows, long curly lashes, dainty straight nose, rosy lips. All of her flawless features fell into his burning gaze.
He did not know how long he had indulged himself, still unwilling to turn his face away.
Just then, the sleeping girl suddenly turned her face towards him, now barely ten centimeters apart.
Caught unprepared,
Qin Hanyue’s breathing hitched, his Adam's apple soundlessly moving.
The girl’s beautiful visage was within kissing distance. Her warm breath blew at his face, again and again, tickling his heart.
With exceptional self-control, Qin Hanyue greedily took in the sight for a few more minutes before finally unable to withstand it.
He got up from the bed, lifting the blanket off himself, and let out a long breath, feeling hot all over.
Qin Hanyue closed his eyes to calm himself, the veins at his temples slightly throbbing.
He wore his shoes, got off the bed and neatly arranged the blanket over her. Then he went back to sit by the window.
The window kept making noise, disturbing peaceful slumber. Qin Hanyue held onto the window frame again and blew in the cold wind, calming his emotions throughout the night.
The next day, dawn was breaking.
To avoid suspicion, Qin Hanyue prepared to leave first.
Careful not to disturb her, he moved very lightly but just as he opened the door, the door diagonally across also creaked open.
Ye Si's face was haggard and impatient from lack of sleep.
In the early morning, their paths just had to intersect.
Ye Si squinted his eyes. His brain instantly cleared and he glanced at the room behind Qin Hanyue before seeming to curse. Then his expression and eyes abruptly turned vicious as he charged at Qin Hanyue.
Qin Hanyue had just stepped out of the room. He quickly shut the door and swiftly dodged Ye Si’s fierce attack while pulling open some distance between them.
Ye Si pursued.
Without exchanging any words, the two immediately exchanged blows.
The space was too small to maneuver much, they could only use their bodies to block hits. Every punch and kick landed solidly as the two had disliked each other on sight from the very start. One could well imagine how intense this fight would be.
Cheng Jinyan heard the commotion and came out of his room, only to see the two exchanging fierce blows, immersed in battle.
He pushed his glasses up and leaned against the doorframe to watch the show.
The wooden structure of the houses could not withstand such abuse. In the blink of an eye, the tea table and chairs in between were smashed to pieces, and many wall surfaces were also kicked hollow.
If this kept up, the building would collapse in a short while.
Cheng Jinyan was about to tell them to take the fight outside when the door across abruptly slammed open. Qiao Ying’s face was cold and annoyed as she snapped, “Done with the fight?”
At her sharp rebuke, Qin Hanyue immediately stopped.
Whether Ye Si could not manage to pull his punch in time or simply did not want to, his fist still solidly struck Qin Hanyue’s chest.
Qin Hanyue retreated a step, his chest aching dully.
Qiao Ying’s expression turned uglier.
Cheng Jinyan lamented: “Oh damn, she got woken up.”
She took a look at the two who had stopped fighting. “So annoying!”
She went back into her room and slammed the door shut forcefully.
