The night rain fell in an endless drizzle.
Huan'er drove the carriage into Tingyu Pavilion.
As they neared the central courtyard.
Cui Qingwu emerged from her thoughts, faint sounds reaching her ears.
"...I said long ago that as long as I worked harder, my swordsmanship would surely improve."
"Before, I was merely... lying low."
"That's right, that's the word. I... Chunying, there's something off about that look in your eyes. How dare you laugh at me?"
"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare."
"I thought not... Hm? Niu Shan, what are you laughing at?"
"Young Master, I wasn't..."
"Not laughing? I clearly saw your mouth stretched wide open..."
Listening to Chen Yunfan's boisterous voice inside, Cui Qingwu could practically picture what he looked like.
—Dressed in a thin long robe, his long hair tied behind his head in slight disarray, his handsome face alive with animation as he laughed and scolded while tapping the towering Niu Shan with his sword hilt.
As she imagined it, Cui Qingwu could not help but smile.
Even the unease and turmoil she had felt after meeting the General Star dissipated considerably.
She patted the carriage wall, instructing Huan'er to stop, then stepped down.
Seeing the smile on her face, Huan'er relaxed somewhat and drove the carriage toward the stable.
As before, Cui Qingwu crossed the corridor alone beneath an oil-paper umbrella.
Chen Yunfan naturally heard her arrival. He gave Chunying and the others a look, then tidied his clothes and went out to greet her.
"Qingwu, why did you go to a tavern in such heavy rain?"
He could more or less guess that Cui Qingwu had gone to handle White Tiger Guard affairs, but it was inconvenient for him to interfere too much, so he pretended not to know.
Who would have thought that