"Thinking about him again?" Bibi Dong asked Hu Liena with a faintly teasing smile.
"Yes. Don't you miss him too, Teacher?" Hu Liena readily admitted it, then turned the tables on Bibi Dong.
"Why would I miss him? I don't miss that little brat at all," Bibi Dong said.
"You're not being honest, Teacher. No wonder Xiao Yuan says you say one thing and mean another. What are you still hiding from us? Zhu Qing has known about you and Xiao Yuan for a long time."
Hu Liena smiled.
Bibi Dong was startled at her words. Even Zhu Zhuqing knew?
Her gaze shifted toward Zhu Zhuqing, who merely smiled lightly without saying a word.
"Teacher, your relationship with Xiao Yuan will be known sooner or later. Why put on such a coy little-girl act?" Hu Liena said softly as she looked at Bibi Dong.
"I'm thinking of Xiao Yuan. I don't care what the world thinks of me, but Xiao Yuan is a peerless genius, unmatched in this age, a proud son of heaven. Someone like him shouldn't be tarnished because of me."
Bibi Dong shook her head and spoke calmly.
"If Your Holiness doesn't care, then Xiao Yuan will care even less. Besides, in this world, strength reigns supreme. Once Spirit Hall unifies the continent, even if Your Holiness is with Xiao Yuan, no one will dare utter a single objection."
Zhu Zhuqing's cool voice rang out.
"Zhu Qing is right. As long as you and Xiao Yuan love each other, what does it matter that you were master and disciple? It's nothing. And if worse comes to worst, just as Xiao Yuan said, expel him from your tutelage first, then get together. Wouldn't that remove every obstacle?"
"Besides, Teacher, haven't you and Xiao Yuan already gotten rid of