Lin Songmei, having run off in a moment of... unchecked curiosity, had gone to take a closer look at the carriages. The doors, contrary to normal, blended into the rest of the carriage with seamless lines, it was only when Songmei was close enough to see the handles did they become clear. In fact, having taken a moment to count, Songmei couldn’t help but notice there were six doors per carriage... SIX!
What were they doing with so many doors... Was it one of those “creative design choices”?
Wandering between the carriages, Songmei had also discovered what exactly they were going to guard. Blending in with the other cultivators mulling around the carriages, Songmei nodded to one of the workers as they loaded a carriage. Peeking in, Songmei’s eyes widened as she saw stacks upon stacks of boxes emblazoned with the logo of the Black Tortoise’s conglomerate.
Excited with her new information similar to a frog excited about a rock, Songmei had made a quick trip to the restroom before beginning her journey back to Yan Mingqing. Closing the door behind her, Songmei froze as she heard a “Songmei!” from her right.
Looking over, Songmei broke into a warm smile seeing Wang Taigang and Han Youhong. Jogging over, Songmei poked Youhong in the shoulder. “You two gave us the wrong address!”
“It wasn’t our fault!” Youhong defended as he raised his hands up. “Though we ended up not seeing your message until after we went to the wrong courtyard. On the bright side, we did see the Yang Tianshu guy you messaged about, Taigang had some... suspicions about him, but we can mention that once we meet up with Mingqing.”
“I... I feel you going to the wrong courtyard... like, that’s on you,” Songmei coughed, pointing in the direction she and Mingqing had decided to sit down in. “Mingqing’s over there, so let’s get over there before I share some fun info I found.”
“Yeah, that’s definitely on us,” Taigang laughed, scratching the back of his head with a sheepish chuckle before trailing off as he squinted over towards where Mingqing sat. “Youhong, isn’t that...”
“Hmm?” Youhong murmured, looking up from the lychee jelly shopping website. “Holy... yeah, isn’t that Zhao Liying? I haven’t seen her in like five years.”
“Who? Wha? Huh?” Songmei asked, bewildered at the mix between amazement and shock splattered across Taigang and Youhong’s faces. “Is she someone famous I should know about?”
“Yeah, she’s one of the generation’s most hyped rising stars,” Taigang mused as he tapped his chin, “We can introduce you once we get over there, I’m surprised you haven’t heard of her though, the media praises her like there’s no tomorrow...”
Pushing her hair back, Songmei shook her head as an awkward cough escaped under her breath. “I live under a rock these days, I haven’t opened the Daoist Times or watched their news recaps in months.”
With a pair of understanding shrugs and “I see”’s after her confession, Songmei tied her hair back into a ponytail, slowing down as they got closer.
Scary.
Songmei had no other words to describe the standoff-ish atmosphere pushing them away at the moment. Mingqing, like Songmei had never seen before, seemed like an aloof, out-of-this-world ice queen.
Overhearing the amazed murmurs coming from Songmei, Youhong and Taigang both began patting her on the shoulder. Taigang, leaning down to get to Songmei’s ear-level, whispered just loud enough for Songmei and Youhong to hear. “This is the Mingqing we’re all used to. Growing up she was a total a-hole. I don’t know what you did to unlock your exclusive version of nice Mingqing, but, yeah... this is mostly how she is.”
Facepalming as Songmei murmured “well, she’s a hot a-hole,” Youhong popped a lychee jelly into his mouth as he shook his head. “I don’t even know if I should be disappointed or just feel single... I don’t even care for love and you two make me feel single.”
Though in the corner, both Mingqing and Zhao Liying had cleared out a ring around them as their gazes seemed to spark against each other. Mingqing, with her legs crossed, sat on the bench, sword across her legs as Zhao Liying stood across from her, arms crossed as they exchanged thorny verbal jabs.
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Breaking through the circle of people who had begun to form around the two girls, Songmei, Taigang, and Youhong ignored the murmurs and gasps rippling through the bystanders as they strode up to disrupt the little conflict beginning to form.
“Long time no see, Liying!” Taigang greeted with his signature bright smile and full-bodied enthusiasm, “How are you? Why are you here in the north?”
Stunned to see Taigang and Youhong, Zhao Liying’s fiery demeanor cooled as a smile reappeared, “Long time no see indeed, I’m doing fine. I’m here to train, but I just arrived. Why are you two here? Isn’t the Pavilion of Radiant Shadows the sect of the east?”
“Our masters chucked us here,” Youhong answered with a dry chuckle, demolishing another lychee jelly with an expressionless face. “I don’t know, maybe they wanted a break or something, but a lot of the Pavilion disciples come here in their early years because the east doesn’t have a naturally occurring Qi zone like Westriver.”
“Oh. Well, I’m here just because I want to have some seclusion from the west.” Zhao Liying murmured, unsure as to whether she should comfort the two or just stay silent and move on. Deciding on the latter, Zhao Liying cocked her head, asking, “Didn’t you have a third person with you two though? I didn’t get a clear look at her, where is she?”
“Ahh... her... yeah,” Taigang laughed, moving to the side so he didn’t obstruct Zhao Liying’s view of the bench. “It’d be better for you to just see.”
With Taigang moving to the side, Zhao Liying felt Youhong give her a few comforting pats as her jaw dropped. No longer was there an aloof, condescending, ready to stab her in the stomach Mingqing, instead, leaning against the girl with silver-white hair was a giggling, smiling Mingqing affectionate to the point of holding hands.
Who was this????
Zhao Liying wanted to scream into the sky, asking the heavens when they had pulled a fast one on her.
Calming herself down and putting on a mask of calmness, Zhao Liying watched as the two enveloped themselves in their own atmosphere. Crossing her arms, she mused, “Who... oh... Isn’t that? Hmm... isn’t that Lin Songmei? I know they’re under the esteemed Liu Xueli together, but they really are close huh.”
“You can say that again,” Youhong coughed, suppressing the urge to burst out laughing, “Okay, we can let you in on a secret, alright? Only because I’ve known you for a long time.”
“Mhm?” Zhao Liying raised an eyebrow as a little twinkle of interest flickered to life behind her eyes. “I can keep a secret, I assume it’s just to the media mostly though.”
Being just a hair shorter than Zhao Liying, Youhong just turned his head and leaned in, whispering “They’re dating” before pulling away. “Honestly, they don’t even know that we know, but yeah, it’d be cool if you could keep this to yourself.”
Using a hand to cover her mouth, Zhao Liying laughed, “Oh? I would’ve never thought... Yan Mingqing, of all people?”
“Yeah, I know, right?” Taigang nodded with a similar level of surprise soaking his words. “Songmei’s quite good at getting people to warm up to her, but I still have no idea how she managed to crack the nut that is Mingqing. She could be a professional Mingqing melter...”
“I wonder if her parents have ever even seen her like this...” Youhong pondered out loud, keeping his voice low, tapping his chin. “Anyway, we’re working with the two lovebirds.”
Pausing for a second, Zhao Liying, with a hesitant scratch of the head, asked, “Can I hop on then? I’m looking for some people to cover my back.”
“Sure, sure,” Taigang shrugged, “We’ll have to ask, but Songmei probably doesn’t mind, and she makes Mingqing much more... agreeable we could say...”
“I can certainly see that,” Zhao Liying snorted with a sigh, “I feel so single just standing here...”
““Agreed.””
Letting the two live in their own world for a moment, Youhong turned to the dispersing circle behind them. “Do you know if these people are here for like... you... or were just here for... you.”
“You’ve just said the same thing twice, my guy,” Taigang retorted, trying to snatch a lychee jelly from Youhong’s hand. “That gives literally zero information. Elaborate.”
“Uhh... how do I say it,” Youhong tapped his foot, sighing as his hands flashed around, dodging Zhao Liying and Wang Taigang’s attempts at stealing lychee jellies. “Did the crowd appear because they recognized you and Mingqing or did they appear because you two just looked like you were about to start a brawl?”
“Pretty sure it’s the latter,” Zhao Liying shrugged, her hand missing once more as Youhong took a step back. “I haven’t been recognized once yet. Probably because I don’t match the pictures the media always use very well anymore. Also, Youhong, why are you still so dang possessive of your lychee jelly. You’re sixteen... seventeen? Now? C’mon, share with this senior sister.”
“Oh wait yeah! You cut your hair!” Taigang interrupted before apologizing, trying to sneak his hand towards Youhong. “No, I get you, I look exactly the same, and I don’t get recognized either. If I'm not wearing official sect robes, I’m pretty sure I don’t exist in the wider populace’s eyes.”
Pausing for a moment, Youhong sighed, resigned while faced with the burning gazes from the two in front of him. Handing over a couple of jellies, Youhong shrugged. “Yeah, sixteen still... Also, I don’t get recognized either. I use Qi to make myself less noticeable though.”