On the stone steps of the mountain path below Ziyun Pavilion, moonlight spilled over the bluestone like liquid mercury. Yang Ning and Xu Yinyin walked side by side, their shadows stretching long beneath the moon.
"It's so late. Go back and get some rest. I'll find Qiao Bin, and the two of us can go together," Yang Ning said, making one last attempt to wriggle out of it.
At the mention of Qiao Bin, Xu Yinyin bristled. Everything that had happened outside the main hall a few hours ago was still fresh in her mind. This time, she absolutely wouldn't let Senior Disciple Brother get there first.
She put on an air of "not caring at all," clasped her hands behind her back, and spun lightly in a circle. "It's not like I can sleep anyway~" Suddenly, she bent down and tilted her head to peer at Yang Ning's face, her eyes glinting mischievously. "I remember the boss is afraid to go down that tunnel, right? Then I'll go down with you~"
Yang Ning scratched his head. He'd originally planned to take Qiao Bin's Senior Disciple Brother waist token, then use incense to knock out the guards before entering Zhaoyu Tower to administer the drug.
He hadn't expected Xu Yinyin to catch him at Ziyun Pavilion. When she questioned how he could find the undercover agents' corpses alone when he wasn't familiar with Zhaoyu Tower, Yang Ning had no choice but to make up a story, claiming he was going to find Qiao Bin so the two of them could go together.
But now Xu Yinyin had gone and offered to come along herself, completely throwing his plan into disarray.
As he thought it over, Yang Ning silently shook his head. When he turned to look, he saw Xu Yinyin giving him a playful smile and winking her bright eyes at him.
Yang Ning sighed inwardly. Forget it. Plans never keep pace with change. I'll take things as they come. At least with Xu Yinyin coming along to Zhaoyu Tower, no matter what happens, I'll have a convincing alibi. I'll just have to find a way to get rid of her later...
Just as Yang Ning was figuring out how to distract Xu Yinyin so he could drug the undercover agent, a kettle suddenly appeared in front of him. He took a closer look. Xu Yinyin was holding it out to him.
"What's this?"
"Pfft—" Xu Yinyin couldn't help laughing at Yang Ning's puzzled expression. "Look at your lips—they're all cracked. You must have a fever. Have some hot water."
"Ah, okay... Th-thank you." Somewhat dazed, Yang Ning took the kettle.
With her hands behind her back, Xu Yinyin bounced along beside him and "complained," "You really are something. I went upstairs to boil some water, and you snuck out while I was gone. You've caught a chill, and you still won't let anyone have a moment's peace... Oh, right!" She suddenly remembered something and hurriedly offered him the lid. "You can use this..."
But Yang Ning had already lifted the kettle and taken a drink straight from its mouth. Their eyes met in the night. Yang Ning asked, puzzled, "What is it?"
Xu Yinyin's face turned scarlet in an instant, all the more striking in the moonlight. She hurriedly turned away, her heart pounding like a startled fawn. I couldn't find a suitable container in my room, so I used the kettle I usually take to practice to carry the hot water. I'd meant to pour it into a cup when we got to the First Floor, but I forgot the moment I left Ziyun Pavilion.
I was so busy talking that I forgot to give the boss the lid. And now... this is just like that "indirect kiss" from those romance stories...
She shook her head hard, mortified. How embarrassing! Xu Yinyin, you're such a scatterbrain!
"What's wrong?" By the light of the moon, Yang Ning noticed that even the tips of her ears had turned red.
"N-nothing! I'm fine!" Xu Yinyin turned back and fanned herself vigorously with one hand. "It's too hot, it's too hot... The weather's just unbearably hot!"
"Is it?" Just then, a cool breeze swept past, making Yang Ning shiver.
"You caught a chill, of course you're cold," Xu Yinyin said, fanning herself even harder.
"Oh," Yang Ning said with a shrug, then raised the kettle and took another drink from its mouth.
"Did you put sugar in this?"
"No?" Xu Yinyin shook her head in confusion.
"Why does it taste a little sweet..." Yang Ning murmured, then tipped his head back and took a big gulp.
After a few swallows, Yang Ning asked, "Where's the lid?"
Xu Yinyin hurriedly took the kettle from him. "It's fine. Just give it to me."
Yang Ning nodded, handed it back, and continued toward Zhaoyu Tower.
Xu Yinyin stayed where she was, staring blankly at the mouth of the kettle. She looked up at Yang Ning, and when she saw he wasn't paying attention, she quickly took a tiny sip and licked her lips, murmuring in confusion, "That's strange. I only put water in here. Why is it so sweet... as if someone had added honey..."
Up ahead, Yang Ning noticed Xu Yinyin hadn't caught up and stopped to look back.
Xu Yinyin looked up at Yang Ning. They stood on the stone steps below Ziyun Pavilion. Behind Xu Yinyin, Ziyun Pavilion bathed in moonlight; behind Yang Ning stood the white Zhaoyu Tower, a full moon hanging above its spire.
A breeze passed, stirring Yang Ning's white robe and Xu Yinyin's pink ruqun in the night.
Moonlight illuminated Xu Yinyin's face, while Yang Ning, standing with the moon behind him, cast a shadow on the ground. Light and darkness shimmered together.
Xu Yinyin was spellbound by the picture-perfect scene. Yang Ning waved to her, his figure graceful beneath the moonlight, like a dashing young gentleman stepping out of a painting.
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