When Qin Jiuya returned to the private room, Mr. Ding was almost exactly as she had left him.
He was gazing out the window, though it was unclear what he was looking at.
Previously, she had been so preoccupied with their verbal sparring that she hadn't bothered to observe him closely. Now that she finally had a moment to study his appearance, she began to feel that his face seemed somewhat familiar. Yet, she truly could not recall where she might have seen him, or if she had ever seen him at all. Perhaps it was merely his approachable temperament that gave her such an illusion...
"Miss Qin has been gone for quite a while. Are you well?"
He spoke suddenly. Qin Jiuya snapped back to her senses, looked down to touch her damp sleeves, and adjusted the gold hairpin that was leaning further and further askew. She took a breath and sat back down at the table.
"I am fine, quite fine. It was just a bit stuffy, so I went to get some fresh air."
Ding Miao nodded slightly and did not press further, though the expression with which he looked at her seemed somewhat concerned.
"You do not seem to like the atmosphere on this boat, Miss. Even the rare River God Dance did not earn more than a cursory glance from you."
"I am used to sitting on sampans; sitting on a grand ship like this feels a bit unnatural. As for that River God Dance..." Qin Jiuya paused, the image of those physically maimed dancers moving like marionettes flashing before her eyes. She spoke honestly, "...I did find it difficult to watch. Perhaps I am just a coarse person, unable to appreciate its beauty."
Whether it was her imagination or not, after she said this, the gaze Ding Miao fixed upon her grew much deeper, suddenly different from his previous gentle look.
"If you are a coarse person, Miss, then everyone else on this boat could be called a ruffian." The strange sensation vanished in a flash, and he returned to his peaceful demeanor in an instant. "The moonlight is lovely tonight, and this moment of silence is rare. You might as well look a bit longer, Miss Qin."
He fell silent after saying this.
Qin Jiuya was stunned for a moment. She glanced out the window and then withdrew her gaze, not speaking for a time.
His words didn't seem out of place at first, but upon careful reflection, they felt strange—as if he had been waiting all along for this chance to be alone with her. Moreover, Li Qiao had clearly left the table as well, yet the man hadn't asked about him, as if he knew Li Qiao would not be coming back.
Forget it, perhaps she was overthinking.
After all, the atmosphere between the two of them earlier had been far from harmonious. Although this Mr. Ding appeared very refined and observant of etiquette, perhaps he was simply a man of temperament.
Qin Jiuya shook her head inwardly. Not wanting him to perceive her thoughts, she chose to remain silent.
However, once she quieted down, she couldn't stop her mind from racing.
The sudden appearance of Xinyu clearly signaled some impending event or change, yet she remained utterly clueless. She couldn't help but speculate on the reason for the woman's presence, wondering if Li Qiao could catch her, and what would happen if he did...
Perhaps she really shouldn't have returned here. She should have set off immediately to find Qiu Ling, or even Lu Zican, to discuss a strategy.
But why hadn't she done that? Why was she sitting here brooding over these things? And why was she worrying about that youth who had taken up his blade and asked for the task?
No, she wasn't worried about him, and she certainly wasn't worried that Qiu Ling's involvement would shift attention onto him. She was merely concerned about a fugitive who had yet to be brought to justice.
Qin Jiuya stole a seventh glance at the silent man by the window, only then realizing what she was actually waiting for amidst her surging thoughts and internal conflict.
From the moment she returned to this room, she had been waiting for a reason to leave.
If the person sitting before her were Xu Qiuchi, she could have left without a word, needing no excuses. But facing this Mr. Ding, she found herself unable to be so rude.
The man in the white robe was exceptionally quiet. When he didn't speak, he possessed an innate sense of dead stillness, as if one wouldn't hear his breathing, heartbeat, or blood flow even if standing right next to him. Amidst the bustling, crowded festive boat, no one could see him; he was but a phantom cast by the octagonal glazed lanterns.
Yesterday, amidst the lotus patches, it was perhaps because of this aura that she had failed to detect his presence in advance, despite her constant vigilance.
After an unknown amount of time, Ding Miao seemed to sense her gaze and slowly turned his head.
"Why does Miss Qin look at me so?"
Not wanting her thoughts to be discovered, Qin Jiuya quickly withdrew her gaze and spoke evasively.
"It is nothing. I simply feel that your current appearance is somewhat similar to when I first saw you."
"What was I like when you first saw me?"
What kind of question was that? She could hardly say, *I thought you were a turtle spirit when we first met.*
Qin Jiuya grumbled inwardly, but her face took on a look of careful recollection. She organized her words cautiously before speaking.
"You looked as if you were about to merge with the world, yet also like a lotus bud eager to pierce through the water's surface. It felt... contradictory."
After she finished, there was no response for a long time. She looked up to find the man by the window staring at her without blinking. Within his quiet eyes, a faint light shimmered; she couldn't tell if it was merely the moonlight from outside.
Qin Jiuya felt uncomfortable under that gaze, so she reached for a half-broken lotus pod on the table. As she began to peel it, she asked in return, "And why does Mr. Ding look at me so?"
Ding Miao smiled.
His smile was much more relaxed than when Li Qiao had been present, making the expression on his face appear softer.
"I am merely puzzled. Puzzled as to why you have seen through me, Miss, when we have only met twice."
Qin Jiuya's expression froze, and her hand stopped peeling the lotus seeds.
She was surrounded by many people who were as sharp as needles—Li Qiao, for instance, or Xu Qiuchi. Even Tang Shenyan had some skill in reading people. She, on the other hand, mostly had a skill for reading silver; she didn't usually have the leisure to observe others.
Qin Jiuya thought for a moment and finally understood the reason for all this.
She could accurately trace his silhouette perhaps because they were, in fact, somewhat similar.
She was familiar with that state—the resentment that comes from seeing one's own insignificance within the vast world, and the silence that follows the struggle of that tiny body to seek and explore. After the fresh rains of early spring, when the village roads turned muddy, she would often gaze out at the distant mountains shrouded in mist during the rare gaps in Guoran Ju's busy business, pondering her own dull life.
But the thought had barely emerged before she thoroughly dismissed it.
He hailed from the Qingzhong Mountain Academy. Even if he were just an anonymous scholar, he was a hundred times better off than a wandering doctor from a village like her. How could he possibly share her state of mind?
Qin Jiuya's fingers moved slightly, and the last seed was plucked from the lotus pod.
"It was just a casual remark. Please do not take it to heart, sir."
She said no more after that, and the man opposite her did not press further. Silence fell over the room once again.
Qin Jiuya focused her gaze on the seven lotus seeds before her.
Seven seeds. If she finished peeling them and he still hadn't spoken, it wouldn't be rude for her to excuse herself.
Her nimble fingertips pinched the green skin, and one by one, the plump white seeds fell into the jade plate.
However, just as she reached the final one, the man by the window suddenly spoke.
"Miss Qin, have you ever watched fireworks with someone?"
Qin Jiuya's movements paused, and she sighed inwardly.
Of course she hadn't watched fireworks with anyone; she hadn't watched fireworks at all. Besides, how could she be in the mood to chat about fireworks right now?
She gently set down the seed in her hand and spoke with some hesitation.
"Actually..."
However, before she could finish, the man seemed to have guessed her state of mind and spoke ahead of her.
"I know you have things on your mind, Miss. But just for a moment—a moment will suffice." Having said that, he stood up, leaning on his green goosefoot staff, and tried to prop the window open a bit further. "It is almost time for the fireworks. This spot by the window is perfect. You should at least take one look, Miss Qin..."
Before he could finish, a wave rolled through the lake, causing the entire festive boat to lurch. His balance faltered, and he slumped back into his seat with some effort.
Qin Jiuya was startled. She instinctively took half a step forward, but her hand paused just as she reached out. Her gaze fell upon the staff in his hand, and she realized something.
When they first met, he had been reclining in a boat, so she hadn't closely observed his legs. Just now, seeing him with the staff, she had subconsciously assumed it was merely a scholar's affectation, and that his excuse of having difficulty walking was just a pretext to sit down early. But looking at him now, his legs truly seemed to be afflicted with some ailment; it was only because he had controlled it so well previously that an ordinary person wouldn't have noticed.
But ordinary people were ordinary people. She was a physician; that made it different.
A sense of inescapable guilt immediately welled up in Qin Jiuya's heart. This guilt came partly because, as a physician, she had failed to notice a patient's pain—a true dereliction of duty—and partly because she was reminded of Qin Sanyou.
Qin Sanyou had spent his life working on the water, and the damp-cold had seeped into his body. His legs had become increasingly stiff over the years, yet he was always running about. She couldn't take good care of Qin Sanyou, and she couldn't bear to hear others speak of this ailment. In the end, it was just her own conscience acting up.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but advise the man before her.
"You are still young, sir, and you possess extraordinary willpower. If you can avoid using that staff, you should. Putting weight on only one side is bad for the spine. If you become dependent on it over time, even your good leg will become lame."
The man in white, having adjusted his posture, had a thin layer of sweat on his brow. However, he showed no shame or anger at having his physical infirmity discovered. He merely stroked the head of the staff, which had been polished smooth by use, with his well-defined fingers.
"This is a habit from my early years of traveling. If I don't have something to hold in my hand, I always feel unsettled. Before I entered the academy, I lived in a very cold and damp place for some years, which left me with this old ailment. It isn't fatal, but it is torturous when it flares up. I have tried many folk remedies and secret formulas, spending a great deal of gold and silver. It is better now, but it still comes back from time to time."
He mentioned the words "secret formula" quite naturally, yet when those two words reached Qin Jiuya's ears, she couldn't help but shudder.
After a moment of uncontrollable tension and palpitations, she felt a surge of self-loathing for her reaction.
In truth, a "secret formula" was originally just a common term in the medical profession. Now that it had been twisted by that insidious person hiding in the shadows, it had become a synonym for something terrifying. As a physician, even if she lacked the ambition to set things right, she was now being led by the nose, finding the very word taboo and frightening. Wasn't this exactly what that villain wanted?
Qin Jiuya stiffened, her expression finally returning to a calm state. At this moment, she seemed to have returned to the dilapidated clinic of Guoran Ju. The reassuring aura of a shopkeeper facing a patient in need of help naturally emanated from her.
"Illness comes like a mountain falling, but leaves like silk being unraveled; it is generally so. However, sometimes the most expensive medicine is not necessarily the most suitable. To be honest, sir, I have never seen a true 'secret formula' in my life. I only know that precious things in this world are not always sparkling or kept in exquisite, costly containers. Licorice, siler, astragalus, atractylodes... these are the most ordinary of things. But if they can heal and save people, they are good prescriptions."
She finished this speech in one breath, then suddenly realized her tone was far too composed, making her sound like a dishonest merchant boasting and self-aggrandizing before selling medicine.
"Please do not misunderstand, sir. Although I am in the pharmacy business, I do not say these things to make you buy my formulas or anything else..."
She was halfway through her explanation when the man, who had been listening intently, suddenly spoke.
"Though you are young, Miss, your insight into medicine is truly more profound than that of many old doctors. If you were to establish your own practice, your future would be limitless. Within a few years, distinguished guests would fill your halls, gold and jade would overflow, and you would become a fine tale of the medical world."
Even knowing that half of his words were likely polite flattery, Qin Jiuya couldn't help but be stunned.
From the moment she hung the sign for Guoran Ju, for every time she had eaten coarse food, she had fantasized just as many times about so-called distinguished guests and overflowing wealth.
But those were merely her own thoughts. her master, who had already passed away, never cared for such things; Qin Sanyou loved her but never believed in her; and Jinbao was simply the type to live one day at a time. As time passed, she could no longer tell if that sign was merely a piece of wishful thinking or a grand ambition that was destined to be realized, even if the time had not yet come.
And just now, it was the first time she had heard someone speak of it all with such certainty.
She was silent for a moment. When she looked up again, there was a trace of self-mockery and loneliness in her flickering eyes.
"I am deeply moved by your words, sir. But I fear you will find it laughable—I have already established my own practice. It is just that the shop is small and customers are few. As the shopkeeper, I have no reputation to speak of, and I barely maintain a meager business. It truly cannot be called promising."
The man before her did not look away. His gaze was calm and deep, and his voice seemed to come from a very distant place.
"Have you ever considered, Miss, that for someone like you to live such an unsatisfactory life... perhaps the fault does not lie with you, but with a world that has never given you such an opportunity?"
His tone was light, but his words were heavy—heavy enough to stir a tidal wave in the listener's ears.
Qin Jiuya was not blind to the deeper meaning in his words. However, from ancient times to the present, from within the seas to beyond the Twelve Provinces, wherever there were people, there would be one kind of "world" or another. Did a "world" that allowed everyone to live easily truly exist?
After a moment of reflection, she slowly spoke.
"In terms of learning, I naturally cannot compare to you, sir. I simply feel that the 'world' you speak of is merely a path trodden by the feet of the people in it. Most of the time, a person cannot decide where the path leads. Even if the journey is unsatisfactory, one must follow the footprints and keep moving forward with others. To change the direction of this great road, one person is not enough; it requires many, many people to make the effort and the choice simultaneously."
"Is that so? Perhaps you are right. To go against heaven's will with the strength of one person is indeed extremely difficult." Without waiting for her to say more, he shifted the topic naturally to other things, as if the weight in his previous words had been an illusion. "What is the name of your pharmacy, Miss Qin? Where is it located? I shall certainly pay a visit in person another day."
The heavy topic ended, and the trivial chatter resumed.
Qin Jiuya paused, but did not speak immediately.
She had never been one to act on impulse or recklessness. Being in the territory of the martial world, she was doubly cautious, trying not to reveal too much to strangers. But the man before her possessed a temperament that made it hard to refuse him, and his words just now had made it difficult for her to remain calm.
She craved recognition too much.
For a long time, her "recognition" had come from silver. Aside from the silent silver bits beneath the stove, she had not heard even a brief word of encouragement, a polite compliment, or a casual affirmation to let her know that what she did was not just a livelihood tainted by the stench of money, but her life's pursuit and a grand goal that brought her joy.
Tonight, in an unexpected moment, she had finally heard those words.
As the saying goes, *it is rare to find a soulmate; a cup of wine lasts until dawn.* This was likely what it felt like.
She was silent for a moment, then finally looked up with determination.
"My humble shop is called Guoran Ju. It is merely a village pharmacy. Follow the small path lined with wild peach trees outside the west gate of Jiugao City all the way west. Pass through a stone archway with no inscription, then pass a few balding melon patches. Once you pass the large rock with the lilac tree at the village entrance and climb over the furthest row of wooden fences, the first small courtyard you see when you look up is it."
"Could it be Dingweng Village?"
Qin Jiuya was startled; she hadn't expected that.
"You know of Dingweng Village, sir?"
Ding Miao nodded, continuing after a moment of recollection.
"I passed through it once while traveling in the past; I have some impression of it. So, Shopkeeper Qin is from Dingweng Village."
Qin Jiuya shook her head.
"Not exactly. It is just where I do business."
"No wonder Shopkeeper Qin's surname is Qin and not Ding."
Qin Jiuya was startled again. She stared at his face for a long time before she understood his meaning.
"Do you think everyone in Dingweng Village is named Ding, sir?"
Ding Miao also paused, then instinctively replied, "Is it not so?"
Qin Jiuya stared at that serious-looking face for a long while before she finally couldn't help but burst into laughter. After laughing, she felt a sense of poignancy.
She had thought this conversation would end in a clash of perspectives, but she hadn't expected it to take such a turn and reveal a different flavor.
"Dingweng is a type of medicinal herb. Many people in our village now make a living by harvesting it. However, formal pharmacies usually call it *Dinggong Teng*. *Dingweng* is just the local name used in the villages here. It is only natural that you wouldn't know it, Mr. Ding."
As she finished her laughing explanation, a trace of confusion remained on Ding Miao's face, which then slowly faded, leaving only a hint of imperceptible loneliness.
"It seems my difficulty in walking has prevented me from traveling more. I thought the village where you lived might have some connection to my ancestors. So, it is not so?"
Qin Jiuya sensed his mood and quickly comforted him.
"The village is truly just a village; there is nothing much to see. If I ever settle down in the city, I will certainly be the first to invite you as a guest. If you don't mind it then, sir, you could also stop by the village on your way."
The moment these words left her mouth, she felt they were somewhat inappropriate.
To say such things to someone she had only met twice was a bit overstepping. Moreover, he was from the academy and she was a village girl; it made her seem as though she didn't know her place or was intentionally trying to curry favor.
Yet in the next moment, the man sitting opposite her replied solemnly.
"It is a promise. I hope Shopkeeper Qin will keep tonight's agreement in mind."
Qin Jiuya nodded. She was about to say something when a series of crackling sounds erupted from the lake. She couldn't help but turn her head toward the window.
In the night, several large ships had reached the center of the lake. Fireworks rose from the decks toward the night sky, illuminating half the lake's surface.
Ding Miao's gaze swept over the large ships. After a long while, he spoke softly.
"I heard that the winner of this year's assembly is a disciple of the Autumn Mountain Sect."
The Autumn Mountain Sect? Wang Xiao?
Qin Jiuya felt a strange sensation. When she left Suspended Fish Shoal this morning, the fighting on the lake was in full swing. Several sects with strong momentum were keeping each other in check. Although the Autumn Mountain Sect had performed impressively, they hadn't seemed to have a definitive upper hand.
Another firework rose, and a faint clamor came from the lake—the sounds of guests on the various festive boats watching the spectacle.
At this moment, everyone's eyes were on the brilliant, sparkling night sky.
Qin Jiuya stared blankly at the multicolored lights, but the image of the youth in his worn, faded cloth clothes involuntarily flashed before her eyes.
She lowered her head, intending to break open another lotus pod to pass the time. Her peripheral vision caught a corner illuminated by the fireworks, and her movements suddenly stopped.
In the spot where the youth had been sitting earlier, a paper packet lay lonely.
It was the oil paper used for wrapping sugar cakes. It was already somewhat wrinkled, but it had been neatly folded into a square the size of a palm.
The sound of fireworks continued outside. Ding Miao's gaze remained fixed out the window. Qin Jiuya quickly picked up the paper packet.
The oil paper, having been folded repeatedly, had become loose. It began to fall apart as soon as it was picked up, revealing several greenish-yellow pieces inside.
It was a small piece of stone sulfur. Although the impurities hadn't been completely removed, its quality was already better than most of the aged stock in the pharmacies of Jiugao City. If it were sold at the Qingyang Market, it would surely make that dishonest merchant, Old Fang, turn green with envy.
But one couldn't blame Old Fang for refusing to budge on his price earlier. High-quality stone sulfur was expensive for a reason. Stone sulfur is formed from the essence of flint and is mostly found near hot springs. The terrain around hot springs is complex and far more dangerous than deep mountains or cliffs. Furthermore, stone sulfur is not a common herb and is often unavailable regardless of price. Unless a customer pays a deposit, few herb gatherers are willing to risk their lives to harvest it.
Why was there stone sulfur in this paper packet? Was it something he had accidentally dropped? Where exactly had he gone during the day? Had he specifically sought this out for her, or...
"How strange. Even people from the government have come to join the fun tonight."
Ding Miao's voice rang out suddenly. Qin Jiuya snapped back to her senses. While quickly hiding the paper packet in her sleeve, she followed his gaze out the window.
On the distant lakeshore shrouded in night, a group of people could be seen riding horses and carrying torches. The scattered points of firelight dispersed upon reaching the shore, and before long, they vanished into the flickering lights of the lake, their tracks impossible to distinguish.
Riding in a group and coming from the direction of the city—it did indeed look like people from the government.
Qin Jiuya lowered her eyes, picking up a lotus seed and rubbing it, trying to suppress her accelerating heartbeat.
"Perhaps it is a routine patrol. After all, these few days are a martial arts gathering; it is not strange for the government to send people to keep an eye on things."
Ding Miao's expression, however, was somewhat thoughtful.
"They looked to be in quite a hurry, as if they were pursuing someone. After all, in a place as chaotic as the martial world, it is easy for all sorts of lowlifes to hide."
Qin Jiuya forced herself to appear nonchalant, but her eyes couldn't stop darting in that direction.
She was quite far away, and the figures of those people had flashed by in an instant. She couldn't tell if they were the young officers who usually followed Qiu Ling, or the blind-eyed runners under that Magistrate Fan.
But even if they were from the government, they shouldn't be here for him. Even if a dispute arose, his leg techniques were excellent; dealing with the few useless fools around Magistrate Fan shouldn't be a problem. Even if...
But what if Ciyi Zhen was involved? While he was pursuing someone, he also had to worry about hiding his skills and his tracks. Would he be constrained at every turn or fall victim to a plot? Or perhaps everything was just that unlucky, and he had encountered an enemy at this very moment. The blind young master at the Treasure Mirage Pavilion, and Zhu Fuxue from last night, both looked like people who were not to be trifled with. If they happened to find him tonight...
"Miss Qin?"
The woman did not respond, her eyes fixed unblinkingly on the lotus seeds in the jade plate.
"Miss Qin..."
*Clack.*
A lotus seed fell onto the plate. Qin Jiuya stood up abruptly.
"Mr. Ding, I suddenly remembered that I had another engagement tonight. I lost track of time while conversing with you, and I fear I cannot stay to finish watching the fireworks with you."
Ding Miao turned his gaze toward her, his eyes unreadable.
"It is no matter. To be able to meet you again today is already a wonderful twist of fate. I only wonder, if we have the chance to meet again in the future, can I be considered an old acquaintance of yours?"
Qin Jiuya cupped her hands in a martial salute and said word for word, "Rather than an old acquaintance, you are more like a soulmate. I will certainly keep your words of advice in my heart." She paused here, then added honestly, "I actually rarely make friends. Even with familiar faces I see every day, it often takes a long time to grow close. But the world is vast and the journey is long; I do not know if there will be a day we meet again..."
Ding Miao smiled.
"Do you know the difference between green mountains and flowing water, Miss?" The fireworks slowly rising outside the window cast multiple colors onto his face, making his expression seem to shift with them. Only the slight smile at the corner of his mouth remained clear. "Those green mountains will never cross paths, but flowing waters will always meet."
That strange sensation from before emerged once again, but Qin Jiuya's heart was no longer in this room. She took one last look at the man by the window, then wasted no more time and hurried away.
The man's gaze followed her through the layers of bead curtains, watching as that thin figure quickly disappeared at the end of the corridor.
Outside, the fireworks in the night sky slowly fell and dimmed. By the time they lit up again, another person had appeared in the room.
A man wearing a short bamboo hat sat crouched by the table, his eyes fixed unblinkingly on the plate of raw marinated river crabs that no one had touched.
Ding Miao noticed his gaze and spoke coolly.
"Crab meat is cold in nature; do not upset your stomach."
Having received permission, Ren Xiaohan unceremoniously reached out and grabbed a green-shelled crab. Without even peeling it, he stuffed it directly into his mouth.
Ding Miao watched for a moment, then raised his wrist and tapped the floor with his green goosefoot staff.
A moment later, footsteps sounded outside the room, and the figure of the boatwoman appeared faintly behind the bead curtains.
"Rest assured, sir, everything has been arranged. Everyone's attention is on Ciyi Zhen; they have not noticed anything else."
"Very good." Ding Miao's voice paused, and when it resumed, it carried a hint of concern. "That Lord of Severed Jade is not easy to deal with. You must be extra cautious in your future actions."
The boatwoman's figure bowed, her entire body bent low. Her voice trembled with a certain gratitude.
"From the moment I was removed from the Manor's rolls, I became nothing but a wandering ghost upon these waters. I no longer fear life or death; what else could matter? You did not despise us, sir, and saved us from the depths of misery. We shall follow you unto death, until the very last moment."
"Good. Then let us wait and see where this boat eventually sails."
The boatwoman bowed and departed. The swordsman named Xiaohan was still holding the plate of marinated crabs. The sound of crab shells cracking echoed from between his teeth, a sound that could make one's bones feel cold.
Ding Miao's expression remained normal. As he watched the other's eating manner, he said thoughtfully, "Actually, I was just thinking about something."
Ren Xiaohan had two crab claws stuffed in his mouth, so he could only mumble two words. "What thing?"
Ding Miao's fingers tapped lightly on the table, but his gaze fell upon the plate of freshly peeled lotus seeds.
"I was thinking, if she had been willing to stay, to finish this meal and watch these fireworks with me... perhaps the things that follow could have been set aside. That little village of hers, and that pharmacy—I truly did want to go and see them. If she had let me stay for a while, I would have lived there for a time, set up a courtyard and a few small rooms next to her pharmacy. I could have sat with her when there was nothing to do, and we would have talked with great pleasure. The days would likely not have been hard to pass..."
Ren Xiaohan stopped eating his crab. After a long while, with half a crab leg still in his mouth, he spoke blankly.
"Are you joking, sir?"
Ding Miao also paused.
The fireworks outside extinguished and fell. The light, along with something invisible, receded from his face. When he spoke again, he had returned to his usual manner—like deep, still water or an ancient, waveless well.
"Naturally, I am joking." He paused, then a hint of a smile entered his voice. "A-13 should be pursuing Ciyi Zhen. Would you like to go and join the fun?"
Ren Xiaohan's eyes widened, and he instantly forgot the previous conversation. However, he then remembered something and spoke with some disbelief.
"Did you not say, sir, that there are many eyes and ears tonight, and that I was not to go jumping about?"
Ding Miao's gaze swept over the spot where the woman had just been sitting. He seemed to be pondering something, and after a long while, he slowly spoke.
"I have changed my mind. Go and bring our person back, and meet him while you are at it. If necessary, you may let him suffer a little."
An excited light burst from Ren Xiaohan's somewhat dull eyes. His usually steady and long breaths became hurried. There was a suppressed urgency in his voice, making it sound strange and raspy.
"Truly? What kind of suffering? What if I accidentally kill him?"
The young man with the staff raised his eyelids, a chill emanating from his voice.
"Have you forgotten what I said before?"
Ren Xiaohan lowered his head, and the crab leg in his hand drooped along with it.
"Please do not be angry, sir. I will not kill him."
Ding Miao looked up at him and beckoned for him to come closer. He then used the sleeve of his new robe to wipe the grease from the corner of the other's mouth.
"You say it so lightly, but you may not truly be able to kill him. After all, it has been many years since he left the Manor."
The swordsman named Xiaohan looked up, his eyes showing more black than white, possessing an unshakeable obsession.
"I can kill him. Do you not believe me, sir?"
Ding Miao withdrew his hand, the gentle smile still fixed on his face.
"I believe you. It is just that death is far too easy for him. His 'good days' are still to come."
***
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