Chapter 41 Ambiguous Teasing

Chapter 41: Ambiguous Teasing

Today, there was a gentle sun, and the weather was perfect.

When you think about it, aside from being way too far from the capital, Nanzhou's climate, food, and environment were all really suitable for recuperation.

Qin Jiao had been preoccupied with the two black-clad men who torched the Qin residence, and had been wanting to find a chance to see them. The camp jail required Xie Nai's approval to get in, but Xie Nai had seemed really busy lately, and Qin Jiao hadn't seen him in two days.

Just then, Luo Bei showed up with some medicine, and Qin Jiao took the chance to ask where Xie Nai was. After finding out Xie Nai was at the hot spring north of the camp, Qin Jiao immediately decided to go find him and also to check on the eighty-seven missing women and how Xiao Nianzhang and the Wuyuan county magistrate were doing with their investigation.

Cong Shuang wanted to go with Qin Jiao, but this was a military camp, and discipline was tight. A young, pretty woman like Cong Shuang showing up here was already a bit off, so normally she only went between the mess hall and the main tent.

Qin Jiao didn't want Cong Shuang to be ogled and talked about, and he didn't want people saying Xie Nai ran a sloppy camp, so he turned down Cong Shuang's request to come along.

With Luo Bei leading, Qin Jiao crossed the training field and barracks, eventually reaching the path to the hot spring north of the base. Luo Bei couldn't go any farther, so Qin Jiao went up on his own.

The sun was nice and warm, and everything was peaceful.

Qin Jiao lifted his robe hem and slowly walked up the path. Looking back from here, he could see most of the Lingnan Army's camp—frost-covered drums, cold banners flapping in the wind. If he listened closely, he could sometimes hear the soldiers shouting during drills.

The path wound into a quiet spot, with thick trees on both sides. Gray-brown dead branches reached desperately toward the sky, and distant mountains loomed dark and endless.

Qin Jiao tiptoed carefully, peeking around left and right. After all, this was a hot spring—what if he accidentally caught Xie Nai in the water, and the water was crystal clear? That'd be super awkward.

But what Qin Jiao was worried about never happened, because he spotted Xie Nai before that.

The winter forest was huge and silent, broken only by the whoosh of a sword cutting through the air.

This was the first time Qin Jiao saw Xie Nai use a sword—a silver-white longsword, cold and shiny, with a deadly sharp blade.

And Xie Nai's sword style wasn't like the fancy, showy moves most people used. His sword was a "bloodthirsty blade" forged on the battlefield; countless defeated generals and rebels had died under it. So every move went straight for the kill—a simple flourish could make you bleed out, and a flick of his wrist sent the sword slicing through the air with deadly force!

By the hot spring, a red maple tree swayed gently from the sword's energy. At that moment, Xie Nai was sharp and imposing, his robes white as snow, and Qin Jiao hardly dared to breathe. But Xie Nai still noticed him.

"How long are you going to keep watching?"

Xie Nai sheathed his sword and looked over at Qin Jiao.

"How did you know it was me?" Qin Jiao stepped out from behind the tree, a hint of doubt on his face.

Xie Nai didn't answer, just looked at Qin Jiao. "What do you want?"

"Yeah, there is something. I wanted to ask if Luo Yue has come back from Huoji Mountain with the token. And I want to see those two guys in black in the camp jail."

Xie Nai's sword practice had almost "charmed" Qin Jiao into forgetting his real business.

"Luo Yue won't be back for a few more days—I gave him another job. As for those two men in black..."

Xie Nai looked at the young man beside him. He was wrapped in a thick white cloak, his eyes bright, as pure and clear as a white plum blossom on a high branch. How could such a young man be touched by those dirty prisoners in the camp jail? Even one look from them would be an insult.

"What about the two men in black?" Qin Jiao pressed.

"They're too badly hurt to talk. Even if you see them, it's useless."

"Oh... since they're so badly hurt, I'll drop it."

Cong Shuang had told Qin Jiao how ruthless Xie Nai was when interrogating people, and that had freaked the young man out a bit.

"What, scared?"

Xie Nai saw right through Qin Jiao. Qin Jiao didn't bother to hide it and said, a little annoyed, "After all, the first time we met, you wanted to kill me."

"So this time, does it count as me saving you?"

"Naturally, it counts."

Qin Jiao moved his hand, and the loosely hanging Fengxue Bracelet on his wrist showed. In the bright sunlight, the red inside the bracelet looked even more eerily beautiful.

"So can you stop being mad?" Xie Nai had a rare smile on his face.

Qin Jiao raised an eyebrow. "You saved my life, so of course I won't dwell on the past."

Qin Jiao wasn't ungrateful. With someone like Xie Nai saving him over and over, and even lowering his high position to talk nicely to him, what was there left to hate?

The fear Qin Jiao felt that rainy night when he first met Xie Nai had long disappeared the day Xie Nai walked into the Zhao Xiu Building bathed in light.

In that underground room, at that life-or-death moment, it was Xie Nai who grabbed hold of him—drifting like a helpless weed—and gave him warmth and hope. Qin Jiao had never forgotten that.

Qin Jiao reached out with a light smile. "Let's shake hands and make peace. All past scores are wiped clean."

Xie Nai's eyes shifted slightly as he looked at Qin Jiao's hand.

Seeing that Xie Nai hadn't moved for a long time, Qin Jiao was about to pull his hand back when suddenly Xie Nai's hand covered his firmly. His palm was warm, radiating heat that seemed to warm Qin Jiao's chest too.

"Alright, alright, peace concluded!"

Qin Jiao tried to pull his hand back in a fluster, but Xie Nai didn't let go.

"?" Qin Jiao looked at Xie Nai in confusion.

Xie Nai didn't speak. The afternoon light gently spilled over them, casting dappled shadows through the trees—a strange beauty.

"How did you get that scar on your hand?"

Xie Nai suddenly pointed to the crescent-shaped scar on Qin Jiao's hand.

Qin Jiao was caught off guard by the question. After a pause, he answered, "I hurt it by accident."

Qin Jiao's answer was vague, but Xie Nai pressed on. "Did you get it while working in Nanzhou?"

With Xie Nai still holding his hand, Qin Jiao's ears gradually reddened, and a hint of annoyance appeared on his face. "Why are you asking so many questions? Let go!"

"Did Lin Wen not take care of you during those three years in Nanzhou?"

Qin Jiao: ...Why does he keep asking? Is he never going to stop?

Did he have to be reminded of Lin Wen's suspected assassination attempt?

"I'm not talking to you anymore! I'm going to see if Luo Yue has returned with the token!"

Qin Jiao didn't want to keep arguing with Xie Nai. Using an excuse, he yanked his hand back and quickly ran off.

Watching Qin Jiao's panicked retreating figure, a deep, unreadable look slowly appeared in Xie Nai's eyes.

A startled deer, that Qin Jiao.

Just like before.

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