Chapter 62: The Swift Youth Overwhelmed by the Female Ruffian
Still unaware that he had been set up, Qin Daofei continued watching Linglong tease and bully Hua’er with her antics.
Suddenly, Effie appeared in the courtyard, her gaze cold and unwavering upon Linglong.
Linglong, undaunted by Effie’s frosty demeanor, bounced over and hooked her arm through Effie’s. “Oh my, when did my little Feifei decide to come outside?”
“Prince Qin’s Fragrant Domain sent someone to invite the noble lady, thanks to Tan Xiyin’s clever idea,” Effie allowed Linglong to cling to her, whispering quickly into her ear.
Linglong acted as if she hadn’t heard a word, snuggling closer to Effie in every possible way.
“Behave yourself!” Qin Daofei strode over, grabbing Linglong by the collar and pulling her away from Effie. Whether he’d overheard their exchange was uncertain, but once he had Linglong, he tucked her under his arm and headed for the room.
Linglong’s world spun upside down; furious, she cursed at Qin Daofei. “Put me down! I’m not a punching bag—what do you think you’re doing?”
Heh.
Qin Daofei sneered, “So you know it’s improper to hang off someone else, do you?”
What a scheming devil!
Linglong nearly choked from indignation. “My relationship with Feifei isn’t something ordinary people can grasp!”
“And you won’t understand how much I want to toss you out of here, so don’t test me!” Qin Daofei threatened to throw her down the stairs, lest he die of rage first.
“Oh!” Linglong slapped his thigh, gloating, “Effie just told me your mother and that—your family’s concubine—are scheming to find you a gentle, virtuous noble lady to help you… relieve your fire!”
“You know I need relief?” Qin Daofei dumped Linglong onto the bed, looming over her menacingly.
“Oh no!” Linglong shrieked, “If you don’t do something, you’ll be sold off by those women in your family!”
“How about I sell myself to you?” Qin Daofei seized her chin, squishing her face round and flat, distorting her features.
“Ha! I don’t need your body, just your silver!” Linglong, despite being at his mercy, boldly provoked him.
Enraged, Qin Daofei leaned in, ready to bite.
“Brother Qin, I don’t want you to be slept with by another woman, what should I do?” Just as Qin Daofei’s lips were a grain of rice away, Linglong gazed at him with wet, pleading eyes.
He stared deeply at her. “You truly don’t want that?”
Linglong rolled her eyes inwardly. “If I weren’t under your mouth, would I be acting so dramatic?”
“Of course. Besides, I really want drunken shrimp and crab—after this, I won’t get to taste such delicacies!” Linglong, always quick to find reasons to escape at critical moments, possessed a strong will to survive yet loved to test boundaries.
Qin Daofei seemed to have deciphered her tricks. He smiled faintly, “No worries, a kiss first, then I’ll take you to eat.”
No…
Linglong’s protest was swallowed entirely between Qin Daofei’s lips and teeth.
Thus—
When they arrived at Yunwai Tower, Linglong longed to use a crab’s giant pincers to jab Qin Daofei’s thick-skinned face.
Qin Daofei, having satisfied his cravings both orally and physically, was in a far better mood than Linglong.
“Ah… open up!” Qin Daofei brought a peeled shrimp to Linglong’s lips. She bared her teeth and bit down on his finger, refusing to let go.
Qin Daofei looked at her with that loving, indulgent gaze one reserves for a mischievous child. In the end, Linglong felt embarrassed and quietly sat aside to eat her shrimp.
“I’ll eat the big crab, you can have your shrimp!”
Aside from Linglong, Qin Daofei had no particular food favorites, and he ate little at meals. Watching him, one might suspect nothing tasted good. Linglong, however, was different; observing her eat was a pleasure. She made everything seem delicious.
Two people: one calm, one lively; one wise, one silly; one restrained, one a glutton. Yet together, they were unexpectedly harmonious.
“Hey!” Linglong placed a pair of crab pincers atop her forehead, poking them at Qin Daofei. He expressionlessly removed them, tossing them into the shrimp shells, and calmly continued eating.
Uh…
“Why aren’t you afraid anymore?” Linglong asked.
Qin Daofei flashed a wicked smile. “Do you think I’d let a foolish woman mock me repeatedly?”
It did seem true!
Linglong, disappointed, propped her chin, watching Qin Daofei elegantly peel shrimp with hands that had earlier been up to mischief. She wondered, was he just as graceful when peeling off her clothes?
Hmm… Feng Linglong, what are you thinking?
Linglong, frustrated, bumped her forehead against the table.
Qin Daofei eyed her disdainfully. “Drunk?”
“No, nearly dead!” Linglong lifted her head listlessly, and Qin Daofei fed her another shrimp.
As she ate, Linglong pondered, then kicked Qin Daofei.
“What?” he asked impatiently.
Linglong, head propped, asked, “Tonight, your mother’s noble lady—will you use your fingers to peel her clothes like you do your shrimp?”
She dangled a shrimp in front of him.
Qin Daofei’s lips curled wickedly. “So, just now you were thinking I’d peel your clothes, which is why you bumped the table, right? Linglong, I never imagined you’d be like this!”
“No, no, I’m being serious!” Linglong threatened to claw the wall.
Qin Daofei regarded her with a half-smile. “Aren’t we discussing serious matters now?”
“This isn’t serious! You’re so… so improper! Why talk to me about these weird things? I was only worried you’d be bullied by those ravenous women, but you keep misunderstanding me, Qin Daofei, you’re really no fun!”
Heh!
“Relax, let’s discuss the noble lady now,” Qin Daofei seeing Linglong flustered, stopped teasing her, mindful of her temper.
Linglong exhaled, a deep, relieved sigh.
“Why not deal with Little Concubine Tan? She’s the real culprit!” Linglong felt Tan Xiyin was the heart of the matter.
Qin Daofei disagreed, still peeling shrimp, his tone chilly. “Tan Xiyin simply doesn’t want us together. Her people have gone quiet; I don’t know if someone noticed something and stopped using her. So, don’t provoke her for now. As for my mother…”
He rubbed his forehead in frustration. “If you can avoid her, keep your distance. Sometimes she acts like a lunatic!”
“I’m not the one provoking her lately!” Linglong protested.
Qin Daofei cracked open a crab shell, scooped out some roe, and fed it to Linglong. “True, you haven’t provoked her, she’s provoking you. But can’t you endure and ignore her for now?”
“Why not send her to Old Night?” Linglong began to misbehave again.
“Feng Linglong!” Qin Daofei warned, and Linglong immediately behaved.
She smiled ingratiatingly, scooped out crab roe, and offered it to his lips. “Ah, open up?”
“No, disgusting!” Qin Daofei, though no longer afraid of the drunken crab, still felt a chill between his legs at the thought of eating it.
Linglong slapped the table, laughing brazenly.
When they returned to Xiaoyao Manor, Prince Qin’s Fragrant Domain’s envoy had already arrived.
She, however, didn’t let the gatekeeper inform Qin Daofei, so he remained unaware. After a few knocks at the main gate, Qin Daofei understood everything.
“Will you go watch the spectacle, or head back?” Qin Daofei asked Linglong.
Linglong, having eaten too much, felt fuzzy-headed and replied, “I won’t go, my head hurts.”
“I’ll take you back to rest first,” Qin Daofei said, supporting Linglong to her room.
Once she was settled, Qin Daofei left for his study.
As soon as he departed, “drunken” Linglong sat up, howling at the ceiling beam, “Effie! Little Feifei! My Feifei! Come down!”
“Greedy woman!” Effie, catching the scent of crab on Linglong’s breath, knew where she’d been.
Heh!
Linglong giggled, “Don’t be like that. Someday I’ll take you to eat delicious things!”
“Out!” Effie retorted.
Linglong rolled on the bed, shamelessly, “Now that I’m out, shouldn’t you help me with something?”
“What is it?” Effie reached for silver.
Linglong sprawled on the bed. “Dismember me and sell my parts?”
Effie made to leave. Linglong propped her head, smiling, “The lady invited by Madam Qin—give her some sleeping powder, let her find a nice place to nap. And I forgot to drink ginger soup after all that crab.”
Whap!
A handkerchief landed on Linglong’s face, and she settled in to sleep.
Soon, Hua’er brought in ginger soup, coaxing the drowsy Linglong to drink a big bowl, after which she collapsed into deep sleep.
As for Effie—
Though she hadn’t extorted any silver from Linglong, she still helped her accomplish her tasks.
While the noble lady conversed with Prince Qin’s Fragrant Domain, a drop of clear liquid fell from the beam above, landing perfectly in her teacup.
She drank, soon feeling an urgent need.
“Madam Qin, forgive me!” The noble lady blushed, bowing politely.
Prince Qin’s Fragrant Domain understood, instructing her maid, “Show Miss Zhang the way!”
“Yes!” The maid led the noble lady toward the backyard privy.
As the beauty entered the privy, the maid noticed something glinting near the artificial rockery, piquing her curiosity. Venturing over, she found pearls scattered across the grass.
Thinking no one was watching, she eagerly began collecting pearls, growing more absorbed and wandering farther.
With the maid distracted, Effie boldly kicked open the privy, scooped up the unconscious noble lady, placed her on Linglong’s bed, stripped her, and left.
Soon after, the maid returned with a pouch full of pearls, and the noble lady emerged from the privy.
They returned to Songbai Residence.
Prince Qin’s Fragrant Domain, seeing them, smiled at Xiahe. “Xiahe, the young master loves your osmanthus cake. Hurry, it’s his last chance to taste it!”
Hmm.
The “noble lady” stared expressionlessly at Prince Qin’s Fragrant Domain, who asked in confusion, “Miss Zhang, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing, I’m just shy!” The person lowered her head, but her tone and expression betrayed no hint of shyness.
Heh!
“Ladies of high birth are always reserved,” Prince Qin’s Fragrant Domain quipped.
Hmmph!
The person offered a perfunctory smile, less pleasant than not smiling at all.
Prince Qin’s Fragrant Domain, lost in the joy of soon becoming a grandmother, didn’t notice the change in demeanor after the lady’s trip to the privy.
Qin Daofei’s first act upon entering was to inspect the “noble lady.”
She was bold enough to let him look. Prince Qin’s Fragrant Domain, somehow, saw deep affection in their tense stares, even as the air bristled with hostility.
“Oh dear, I still haven’t made the osmanthus cake!” Prince Qin’s Fragrant Domain said to Xiahe.
Xiahe, though reluctant, acquiesced. “Yes, Madam, the ingredients are ready.”
“Perfect! Daofei loves Xiahe’s osmanthus cake. Today, I’ll learn as well. You can keep Miss Zhang company!” With that, Prince Qin’s Fragrant Domain led Xiahe away.
Before leaving, they cleared the room of all others.
Soon after, someone blew sleeping powder through the window.
Effie covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief, watching Qin Daofei with schadenfreude. Qin Daofei remained calm, simply holding his breath.
Seeing this, Effie tossed aside her handkerchief and held her breath, watching him.
After a while, the powder-blower left.
Qin Daofei opened the rear window, jumped out, and left.
Effie, after fiddling around, also slipped out.
Prince Qin’s Fragrant Domain, hearing movement inside, excitedly squeezed Xiahe’s hand. “It looks like things are going as planned!”
Xiahe remained silent.
Prince Qin’s Fragrant Domain said, “Go invite the other ladies over!”
“Yes!”
Prince Qin’s Fragrant Domain had not only invited the noble lady but several gossipy noblewomen, hoping to catch her son in the act.
When the noblewomen arrived, Prince Qin’s Fragrant Domain emerged from the flower garden, carrying a pot of dazzling white chrysanthemums. “Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“Oh my, Madam Qin, are those Yao Tai Jade Phoenix chrysanthemums?” one flower-loving lady exclaimed, admiring the blossoms like jewelry.
Prince Qin’s Fragrant Domain smiled, “You certainly know your flowers! Let’s go admire my collection in my room; I have several rare varieties there.”
“Let’s go, today we must enjoy Madam Qin’s chrysanthemums! Such rare breeds, and so many—Master Qin truly spoils his mother!”
“Xiaoyao Manor is so poor, all it has is money. Master Qin is the epitome of filial piety!”
Had Prince Qin’s Fragrant Domain not known them well, she might have taken offense.
Was her son really so filial?
Heh!
She hadn’t noticed a bit!
With mixed feelings, Prince Qin’s Fragrant Domain opened the door, only to find her anticipated scene absent—but something unexpected had happened!
“Oh no! Who ruined my chrysanthemums? Someone, find out who did this!” She trembled in rage.
Her prized pots of rare chrysanthemums had been ravaged; only yellow cores remained, petals scattered beautifully across the floor.
Overcome, she dropped into a chair. Xiahe hurried to help, while the ladies chattered incessantly. If not for propriety, Prince Qin’s Fragrant Domain would have thrown them out.
Taking advantage of their distraction, Prince Qin’s Fragrant Domain whispered to Xiahe, “Find them, they can’t have gone far—they’re drugged!”
Xiahe, at a loss, quietly left.
Forcing herself to entertain the women she disliked, Prince Qin’s Fragrant Domain said, “Sorry for the trouble, my household has a few unruly women. But my garden still has many rare species; let’s go admire flowers there!”
“Wonderful! Just this pot of Yao Tai Jade Phoenix is enough to make us jealous!”
The group happily headed for the garden.
Xiahe searched the manor for Qin Daofei and the “noble lady,” only to hear the noble lady screaming awake in Linglong’s room.
Linglong, startled by the screams, shrieked as well.
Their cries alerted Xiahe, who rushed in and saw Linglong and the noble lady staring at each other, mutual suspicion in their eyes.
“Madam… why am I… why am I sleeping with you?” the noble lady quivered.
Linglong scratched her head. “Well, I saw you faint in the privy and brought you back. Your clothes were dirty, so I changed them for you. I have poor health and must rest at this hour, and I’m used to my own room, so… apologies!”
“No, no, I’m the one who offended you, Madam. I’m so sorry!” She recalled fainting in the privy.
Linglong smiled kindly. “Hua’er, fetch an unused new outfit for Miss. It’s getting colder—don’t catch a cold and embarrass yourself with a runny nose!”
Her remark about embarrassment was directed at Xiahe.
Xiahe maintained a calm façade, though she was bewildered inside.
Once the noble lady was dressed, she felt too ashamed to linger at Xiaoyao Manor; after all, a woman who fainted in the privy was unlikely to attract any man.
Xiahe, though unsure what had happened, realized that if Miss Zhang was drugged in the privy, then the person talking with the Madam and locked with the master couldn’t be her.
Xiahe feared only one thing: Tan Xiyin exploiting the situation.
She hurried out to search for Qin Daofei and the other person.
Her first thought was the Melody Pavilion.
But on the way there, she saw Qin Daofei and Tang Li heading toward Linglong Pavilion, impeccably dressed and clearly unaffected by the drug.
Suspicious, Xiahe followed and saw them discussing the renovation of Linglong Pavilion, apparently dissatisfied with its progress.
She slapped her thigh, “I knew it, the young lady can never outmaneuver the master!”
At this point, Xiahe dared not confront Qin Daofei, so she rushed to the garden.
Prince Qin’s Fragrant Domain, half-heartedly entertaining the ladies, saw Xiahe approaching and whispered, “Well, did you find them?”
“Madam, you should stop this. The master knew your plan from the start. Miss Zhang was knocked out and slept in Madam Linglong’s room, and the person you spoke with wasn’t her. The master is fine and discussing Linglong Pavilion’s renovation with Tang Li.”
Hearing this, Prince Qin’s Fragrant Domain staggered back, furious. “I knew that rascal wouldn’t behave.”
“But what now?” Xiahe worried; Qin Daofei never tolerated interference and would likely retaliate.
Overwhelmed, Prince Qin’s Fragrant Domain fainted.
“Help! Madam has fainted!” Xiahe cried.
After helping her back, Xiahe ignored the noblewomen, had them sent away, and considered it resolved.
Meanwhile, Tan Xiyin, waiting fruitlessly in the Melody Pavilion, grew anxious.
Instead of news, she received Linglong—the harbinger of calamity.
Linglong, hands behind her back, strolled into the pavilion, smiling at Tan Xiyin.
“So, Little Concubine Tan is waiting for news of Qin Daofei’s scandal with another woman?” Linglong looked at her with a teasing smile.
Tan Xiyin’s heart sank, but she feigned composure.
She asked softly, “What do you mean, Madam?”
“Tan Xiyin, it’s just us here. Don’t make me tell Qin Daofei about your wicked deeds. If he learns you’re so incorrigible, despite being crippled, he might send you to a nunnery. And let me tell you, it’s strict there. If you ever want a man again, you’ll find it difficult!”
“Feng Linglong, say that again and I’ll tear your mouth apart!” Tan Xiyin’s face flushed with shame, tears streaming down.
Oh dear!
Linglong pursed her lips, coaxing, “Really, you cry so easily—did I hit a nerve?”
“Feng Linglong!” Tan Xiyin lunged, trying to strangle Linglong.
Linglong retreated with a laugh. “If you keep this up, I’ll call for help!”
Tan Xiyin, humiliated, collapsed back, gritting her teeth. “Feng Linglong, don’t think you can laugh forever. No one can. If that old woman wants you gone, you’ll be killed without me lifting a finger.”
“Is that so? But why are you so eager? Is it because you saw me and Qin Daofei receive the old man’s blessing on the bridge during Mid-Autumn Festival? Tan Xiyin, all you ever wanted was Qin Daofei’s affection, but the more you beg, the less you get!”
Linglong’s sarcasm stung; she’d indeed seen Tan Xiyin that day.
Ah! Ah! Ah!
Tan Xiyin, mad with grief, tore at her hair, her tearful eyes cold and bitter as she glared at Linglong. “Feng Linglong, one day you’ll lose him. I lost everything, and so will you.”
“For some reason,” Linglong mused, sitting at a measured distance, “I’m starting to realize that your relationship with Qin Daofei isn’t as I once thought. He doesn’t seem to care for you as much as I imagined.”
Tan Xiyin’s eyes flashed with panic, then silent tears.
After a moment, she looked up, coldly. “Feng Linglong, you’re the worst at self-deception. Years ago, when we were both poisoned, he knew you were worse off, yet had the doctor save me first. Ha! If he doesn’t love me, why would he ignore your child?”
Painful, cutting words—anyone could inflict them.
Linglong grew quiet, gazing at Tan Xiyin. “Actually, it seems he loves you more. Yet, for some reason, he treats me well and neglects you.”
“Get out! Get out!” Tan Xiyin screamed.
Linglong clapped her hands, laughing heartily.
“We’ve both lost so much chasing Qin Daofei, and in the end, it’s mutual destruction. Tan Xiyin, I feel I’ve dragged you to the gates of hell—can you sense it? Your parents and sister await you there, eager to devour you, denying you reincarnation forever!”
Linglong left the Melody Pavilion.
In the courtyard, she looked up at the sky, then muttered, “Damn it, almost got sabotaged by Little Concubine Tan again. Time for a good meal to replenish my brain!”
“No amount of food will help your brain. If you’re bored, why not see what Linglong Pavilion still needs? We can move in before winter.” Qin Daofei, appearing behind her, spoke in a low voice.
Linglong clutched her chest in fright. “Brother, you’ll scare me to death!”
“Relax, at most I’ll scare you into a fool—that’d be better, less trouble for me.” Qin Daofei gritted his teeth.
Linglong bared her teeth, then looped her arms around his neck. With a nimble hop, Qin Daofei instinctively bent his knees and caught her.
“Carry me back to rest—my nerves are shredded!” Linglong clung to his neck, kicking her legs as he carried her from the pavilion.
Qin Daofei enjoyed her playfulness and carried her home.
Linglong glanced up at Tan Xiyin’s room, catching sight of her in a wheelchair at the door, watching them with cold eyes.
Linglong deliberately nipped Qin Daofei’s neck, then flashed a grin at Tan Xiyin.
Tan Xiyin’s just-dried tears flowed anew.
“Are you done?” Qin Daofei tightened his grip, warning Linglong.
Linglong laughed, “What, the master is feeling tender?”
“You can kiss me, but no biting!” Smart as Qin Daofei was, he knew Linglong’s intent—to provoke Tan Xiyin into contacting that person.
Her afternoon antics weren’t in vain. That night, Tan Xiyin had her maid open the west window, hanging a scarlet shawl as a signal, then sent the maid to bed.
About half an hour later, a black-clad figure appeared at the window, speaking coldly, “The master said this isn’t the time to meet. Why are you so eager?”
“I want to kill Feng Linglong! If you don’t help, don’t blame me for exposing you!” Tan Xiyin was at her breaking point.
Ha!
The figure laughed wildly.
“Tan Xiyin, remember: your good days at Xiaoyao Manor were planned by my master. If you threaten to expose us, go ahead—see if Qin Daofei can find us!” Fearless, the figure replied.
Tan Xiyin’s lips trembled as she finally broke down in tears.
“I’m already like this—can’t you help me? I just want Feng Linglong dead!”
“She can’t die yet,” the figure said, then vanished.
Tan Xiyin glared hatefully after him, whispering through gritted teeth, “Fine, you all abandon me? We’ll see—I’ll make Feng Linglong disappear, with or without you!”
Yet no one answered.
Once the black-clad man left, another shadow from Xiaoyao Manor followed.
He stopped at a deserted village outside the city, gazing coolly at the other’s hiding place. “Brother, come out.”
“Hmph! Didn’t expect to be discovered!” The man emerged from the shadows—who else but Swiftwind?
The stranger’s eyes narrowed coldly. “It’s been too long since I spilled blood. If I kill a top ten martial arts master tonight, will I become famous overnight?”
“Try it!” Swiftwind drew his sword, wary.
Though confident in his skills, he knew a silent opponent who lured him here was no ordinary foe.
“Let’s play, then!” The stranger wielded a peculiar weapon: a parasol adorned with gleaming barbed hooks.
Swiftwind was Xiaoyao Manor’s top intelligence agent, but he’d never seen such a weapon.
“Let me show you my Soul-Hook Parasol!” With that, the man attacked.
His moves were swift, fierce, and carried a chilling aura. As he channeled his energy, a thin layer of ice formed nearby.
Swiftwind dared not underestimate him, focusing intently on the man’s moves, yet still felt immense pressure.
The strain was overwhelming.
After thirty-some exchanges, Swiftwind showed signs of fatigue.
But he was an experienced martial artist; despite exhaustion, he persevered through thirty-five moves. By then, small wounds from the parasol’s hooks marred his body.
The stranger hadn’t used full strength; it was more a game than a duel.
Swiftwind, famed since youth, proud and competitive, grew reckless under such mockery.
He attacked ferociously, hoping to draw out the man’s true skills. The stranger, apparently provoked, went for the kill.
Swiftwind saw the parasol open, snowflakes falling from the sky, which instantly turned into darts, all aimed at him.
His vision filled with deadly projectiles—he couldn’t dodge.
Just as they were about to strike, another black-clad figure appeared, kicking Swiftwind aside and shielding him with a cloak.
Then, with three moves, she shattered the parasol.
“Effie, mistress of the Life Door of the Nether Hall—so, you meddle in pretty boy’s affairs?” The stranger laughed coldly.
That icy, aloof figure—it could only be Effie.
“Hmph, he threatened to kill me. If he dies, it’ll be at my hands—not yours!” Effie replied.
The stranger laughed again, “In that case, I won’t disturb your romance!”
He melted into the grass, vanishing in moments.
Swiftwind, unwilling, tried to follow, but Effie warned, “If you want to die, I won’t stop you!”
“Why are you here?” Despite being saved, Swiftwind glared at Effie, demanding answers.
Effie smirked coldly, “I go where I please. What’s it to you?”
“You must be up to something!” Swiftwind stood, furious.
Effie drew closer, kicking him into the weeds, and looked down coolly. “Don’t think I saved you because I’m interested!”
“Presumptuous! Who wants your affection, old woman? I’m young, with beauties waiting for me… mmph—”
Swiftwind was kissed!
Stunned, he stared at Effie, who looked wickedly at him. But it was only a symbolic gesture; she sneered, “You taste of milk, boy.”
Effie strode away, leaving Swiftwind disoriented in the wind.
His first kiss was stolen!
“Damn woman, I’ll never forgive you!” Swiftwind shouted.
Effie, without looking back, raised a middle finger in reply.
Swiftwind, furious, returned to Xiaoyao Manor, panting.
Qin Daofei watched Swiftwind with interest; Linglong did the same.
“Master, that man had a parasol… after he attacked, everything froze. Once opened, snowflakes fell, then turned into darts. I nearly died!” Swiftwind described, but recalling the scene, he remembered Effie’s kiss.
He angrily wiped his mouth, nearly in tears.
Linglong raised an eyebrow, “Who saved you, Swiftwind?”
“That old woman of yours!” Swiftwind said angrily.
Linglong glared, “Are you calling me old, or her?”
Seeing Linglong’s eyes, Swiftwind confessed Effie’s kiss and insult about his milk scent.
Linglong burst into uncontrollable laughter.
“Madam!” Swiftwind, now a powder keg.
Linglong straightened her face and consoled him, “Don’t be angry, Effie’s a notorious rogue—I’ll make sure to punish her… but first, I need to laugh some more. Carry on!”
Linglong left, clutching her stomach, laughing under the eaves.
Hua’er and Fangqing, alarmed by her laughter, came to investigate.
“Miss, are you mad or stupid? It’s late, and you’re outside laughing like this?” Hua’er looked at her in disdain.
Linglong wiped her tears, “Let me tell you something funny!”
“Say it and I’ll kill you!” Effie dropped from the beam, silencing Linglong.
Yet she couldn’t stop Linglong’s laughter; her mere presence made Linglong recall her flirtation with Swiftwind.
“Effie, is my mistress truly mad?” Hua’er asked.
Effie replied coldly, “When has this dumb dog ever been normal?”
Ugh!
Linglong glared, “You beastly female rogue!”
“I can be even more rogue, believe it or not?” Effie’s voice was icy.
While the women gossiped outside, Swiftwind and Qin Daofei studied the attacker’s origins. After much deliberation, Qin Daofei concluded that the man who fought Swiftwind was the Maniac Scholar, a killer exiled from the martial world fifteen years ago.
Just as they finished planning their next investigation, Linglong rushed in, asking Qin Daofei solemnly, “If you fought Effie, could she take advantage of you?”
“No one but you could take advantage of me!” Qin Daofei replied, unashamed.
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