Chapter Eighty-Nine

Chapter Eighty-Nine

The fire dragon was slapped back onto the sofa by the lotus, rolling twice before managing to steady itself, and looked up with an aggrieved expression.

Xu Qiao: “……”

Its flames could instantly evaporate the masses of water she had condensed. With such a powerful ability and an S-rank body and strength, how could it fail to handle a slap from the lotus?

It was clearly cooperating with the lotus, just like how Qinchi had deliberately taken on the lotus's water arrow.

Seeing the lotus still waving its leaves triumphantly, oblivious to the truth, Xu Qiao chose to remain silent.

She eyed the wall clock. Though it felt like they hadn’t been talking long, it was already almost eleven.

Qinchi asked, “Not distant anymore?”

Xu Qiao turned to the fire dragon beside her and said, “If we're distant, you should move out.”

The fire dragon's eyes widened in surprise.

Xu Qiao nearly burst out laughing.

Qinchi, seeing her smile, said, “That might be rude if we're distant.”

Xu Qiao shot him a glare.

Qinchi smiled, “Get some rest. See you tomorrow morning.”

He packed away the sofa and glanced at the fire dragon hiding behind Xu Qiao.

Fire dragon: “I need the lotus to hypnotize me to sleep. You head back yourself.”

Qinchi and Xu Qiao both looked at the lotus.

Lotus: “Hypnosis is okay, but I don't want to be alone with it in the room.”

Fire dragon: “Are you afraid of me? I promise not to hurt you.”

Lotus: “I am afraid.”

Qinchi took out the golden orb. “As before, if it dares to come out, we'll cancel the hypnotic treatment.”

The fire dragon tried to bargain, “Can I just be locked in a birdcage? I want to watch the lotus. It is beautiful.”

A pair of golden eyes looked pleadingly at the lotus, each pupil reflecting a ninety-nine-petal lotus.

The lotus, being the only one who could decide, agreed, “Okay, but you're not allowed to spit fire or get close to me. If you burn me once, I'm done.”

The fire dragon nodded repeatedly.

The bird perch was stored in Xu Qiao's space. She first took out the golden birdcage, and the fire dragon cooperatively climbed inside. After walking along the bottom, the fire dragon made a request to Qinchi, “Make me a lotus pedestal and a dragon column.”

Xu Qiao looked at Qinchi in surprise; the lotus also showed interest.

Qinchi: “It might get a little hot. Keep your distance.”

Xu Qiao immediately stepped back two meters, holding the small blue vat containing the lotus.

Qinchi used wind control to suspend the golden birdcage in the air, took out a chest filled with gold, glanced at the lotus, and began forging the lotus pedestal.

This was a job that required someone with supernatural abilities to have extremely high mental power and artistic skill.

And as it turned out, Qinchi possessed both. In just three minutes, he’d built a lotus platform with a diameter of about ten centimeters at the bottom of the birdcage. The golden petals were intricately layered, resembling a lotus flower, but all on the outside. The center was replaced with a flat platform.

Before Xu Qiao could even take a closer look, Qinchi set up a golden pillar as thick as a thumb in the center of the lotus platform, carved with scale-like patterns, stretching to the top of the birdcage.

With a bit of wind control to cool it off, the fire dragon’s new nest was complete.

The fire dragon flew in happily, coiled around the golden pillar a few times, then settled back on the lotus platform. It hooked its tail around the pillar and rested its head between two petals, as if checking if the spot was comfy.

Xu Qiao finally snapped out of her daze and walked over to get a better look. She said enviously, “How are you good at everything?”

Qinchi said, “As a teammate, I’m not up to par. I made one of the younger ones cry tonight.”

Xu Qiao blinked, at a loss for words.

She grabbed the birdcage and motioned for him to leave.

Qinchi eyed the leftover gold bars in the box and said, “As a peace offering, how about I give you and Lotus a small gift tomorrow morning?”

Xu Qiao said, “A plate of tomato scrambled eggs is all I need.”

Lotus let out a flow of water but remained silent for a long time.

Qinchi grinned and said, “Whatever makes you happy.”

Lotus said, “Can I have a golden lotus flower like me? You keep the gold; I just want to see it.”

The fire dragon interjected, “I’ll give it to you! I found all that gold. If you like it, it’s yours.”

Lotus said, “I don’t need that much gold. You can keep it.”

Qinchi said, “Then I’ll give you a golden lotus flower first, for all your help.”

The lotus happily shook its leaves.

Qinchi took several photos and videos of Lotus.

Xu Qiao saw him off to the entryway.

As Qinchi stepped out the door and helped close it, he looked at his small teammate with her eyes lowered and whispered, “Goodnight.”

With his departure, the atmosphere that had kept Xu Qiao from fully relaxing, though not heavy, also dissipated.

Xu Qiao, holding a smaller blue vat in one hand and the golden birdcage in the other, headed to the second bedroom.

After setting up the bird perch, Xu Qiao looked at the small fire dragon coiled around the golden pillar and whispered, “Thank you. I never thought I’d see a dragon with my own eyes in my lifetime.”

Even now, recalling the moment the fire dragon appeared, Xu Qiao still felt deeply shaken, as if she had fallen into a surreal dream.

The fire dragon was about to spit fire but remembered Lotus’s request and instead borrowed water from the large blue vat, asking, “Do you like me a lot?”

Xu Qiao nodded, then emphasized, “I like you for who you are, not because of Qinchi.”

The fire dragon was delighted. “I knew everyone likes dragons. Qinchi always says I’ll scare you and doesn’t let me out.”

Xu Qiao smiled and said, “If the size is too large, it does instill a bit of fear. It’s the innate powerful aura of dragons. Alright, I won’t disturb you anymore. Both of you, get to sleep early.”

After softly touching the dragon’s horn and the lotus petals, Xu Qiao turned out the light and went to the master bedroom.

The fire dragon rested its head on the outer edge of the lotus platform, its golden beast eyes glowing like two small flames in the darkness.

Lotus: "In stories, dragons live in the sea. So why are you a fire dragon?"

Fire Dragon: "Because my mother is the Golden Crow. She's very powerful. When she soars high, it's as if another sun appears in the sky."

Lotus: "Does the Golden Crow peck at my petals the way a Phoenix would?"

Fire Dragon: "I haven't spent much time with her. The last few times we met, it was her and the old dragon against me. But don't you worry, if she tries to peck you, I'll be right here to protect you."

Lotus: "Is she coming to the Southeast Base too?"

Fire Dragon: "Don't know, but we'll meet sooner or later. That's just how things happen on TV. After two people get together, they meet the parents."

After Xu Qiao mentioned some TV dramas, Qinchi watched a few, and the fire dragon followed suit.

Lotus, who had more experience watching dramas: "That's what happens when people get married. Xu Qiao and Qinchi are just partners."

The fire dragon grew silent.

In the Northeast Base, Qinchi didn't have teammates, only subordinates at different military ranks.

After joining the Silence is Gold squad, Meng Li and Sun Fushan could indeed be considered teammates, but Xu Qiao had never been just a teammate.

Qinchi spent less time looking at Meng Li and Sun Fushan combined than he did looking at Xu Qiao in a single day.

If the fire dragon hadn't understood Qinchi's feelings before, it did after watching those TV dramas. The fire dragon was fully in support, as it also liked Xu Qiao and the lotus and wanted to be with them forever.

But the fire dragon knew the lotus didn't like it yet, and Xu Qiao didn't like Qinchi either. If it said something, Xu Qiao might start avoiding them, just like she did with Jiang Rui or Zhao Feng.

The lotus sprayed water on it, splashing its face. "Don't blow your hot air in my direction."

At midnight, the lotus returned to Xu Qiao and found her still awake. The image in her mind changed from Qinchi buttoning his sleeve to a beastified giant Phoenix, startling it.

The lotus extended its flower disk. "Still thinking about how to heal Qinchi and the Phoenix?"

Xu Qiao: "...Yes, although I don't like Lin Kunshan, as a Healer, I really want to cure Mr. Lin, who is so ill."

Lin Kunshan might be arrogant and overbearing, but every Phoenix in the Lin family served in the army and had fulfilled their duty to protect the Southeast Base.

The Lin family was a large clan, and like other big families, there were always a few spoiled children who did things that caused disdain. However, Xu Qiao hadn't found any negative news related to Lin Wengui on the forums, seemingly a very low-key military man.

The lotus hesitated to speak. It really wanted to tell Xu Qiao about Lin Wengui and Meng Qiuyan, but Xu Qiao was already so tired. If she knew Lin Wengui was Meng Li's father, would she become even more anxious?

Lotus: "Sleep. It's so late."

Xu Qiao: "Yeah, stay with me for a while, and come back once I've fallen asleep."

The lotus was, of course, willing.

With the calming scent of the lotus flower, Xu Qiao soon fell asleep and woke up at 6 a.m., feeling refreshed.

She went for a run outside for an hour, and when she returned to Building Five, Qinchi sent her a message: "Breakfast is ready, want to come over?"

Xu Qiao: "Sure."

After taking a shower and drying her hair, Xu Qiao walked out of 101 and noticed the door to 102 across the way was left ajar.

She went over, shut the door behind her, and immediately smelled the familiar aroma of scrambled tomatoes and eggs as she changed into slippers by the entryway.

The curtains were drawn, and a meter-long dragon slithered over, seeming eager to coil around Xu Qiao's legs, only to stop as it drew near.

Xu Qiao headed toward the dining area, and Qinchi emerged carrying two plates of food. His usual calm expression put her at ease, so she acted as if nothing had changed.

The lotus flower fell into the blue vat, its flower disk following Qinchi's movements.

Qinchi smiled and retrieved the gift he'd given with the lotus—a small golden vat the same size as the blue vat, inside which a tall golden lotus stood. Its four leaves and ninety-nine petals were nearly identical to the lotus spiritual being.

The lotus happily brought its flower disk close to her, admiring it carefully.

Xu Qiao: "How long did this take you to make?"

Qinchi: "About an hour."

He then placed a twenty-centimeter-tall gift box in front of her. "This is for you."

Xu Qiao tried to stay calm, pushed the gift box away, and slid the plate of scrambled tomatoes and eggs toward herself. "I said I just wanted this."

Qinchi: "It's not gold, go ahead and open it."

Her curiosity piqued, Xu Qiao pulled the fairly heavy gift box back and peeled away the wrapping to reveal a layer of insulation, from which the coolness of the ice already emanated.

She glanced at Qinchi and slowly removed the insulation.

A small ice vat appeared before her, inside which grew a perfectly clear ice lotus. Its green leaves and transparent white petals had a crystal pink hue at the tips.

Xu Qiao couldn't hide her surprise. "How did you do that!"

Qinchi: "I used ice from the freezer and carved it with a wind blade, the lotus leaves and stem were made using a mix of cucumber and apple juice, and the petals with a bit of milk and strawberry juice."

"Would you like to keep it, or give it a taste?"

Xu Qiao: "..."

The lotus was watching beside her, and even if she wanted to try it, she couldn't.

The lotus asked the question Xu Qiao had been holding back: "How long did it take to make the ice lotus?"

Qinchi explained: "This was my first time carving ice and mixing the fruit juice colors, so it took longer, about three hours."

Lotus: "So you didn't get much sleep?"

Qinchi: "If I didn't find a way to make Xu Qiao stop being mad, I probably wouldn't have slept all night."

Before Xu Qiao realized he was answering the lotus using flowing water, the water words had already been evaporated by Qinchi.

The lotus formed new water currents: "Don't worry, Xu Qiao isn't mad at you anymore."

Xu Qiao dispersed the water currents and glared at Qinchi. "Stop talking to my spiritual being."

Qin Chi looked at her with a smile. "Alright, unless I have your permission first."

Xu Qiao blushed under his smile. As a small punishment for Lotus revealing her secret, she nibbled off the strawberry tip of a petal from an *ice lotus*.

Lotus grinned. "Does it taste good?"