The two people inside the tent had been gazing at each other for a long time. An hour ago, Gu Shenwei would have refused without hesitation. But now, looking into those green eyes and at that face staking everything on one throw, he hesitated.
Any kind of rejection would be a crushing blow to Tie Linglong at this moment. She saw Chu Nanping's devotion to swordsmanship as an insult. If she couldn't find comfort from the Dragon King, no one knew what she might do next.
Gu Shenwei hoped the silence would continue. He hoped Tie Linglong wouldn't say those words.
Tie Linglong realized she wasn't as brave as she'd imagined. She had laid the groundwork, but the final sentence was still too embarrassing to say aloud. She hoped the Dragon King would come closer, but this man was a stone even harder than Chu Nanping. His deep gaze seemed to soften, yet also seemed to warn her sternly.
Gu Shenwei took a step, unsure what he meant to do. Tie Linglong parted her lips slightly, unsure what she meant to say.
A sudden clatter of hurried hoofbeats shattered this delicate moment and rescued them both.
Gu Shenwei spun around as if an enemy had launched a surprise attack. Tie Linglong drew a quick, deep breath, her head swimming. She felt even more ashamed of what she'd just done, and a little disappointed, too.
A guard reported from outside the tent in a tense voice, "Dragon King, the strategist has sent an urgent letter."
"Come in," Gu Shenwei said at once. Fang Wenshi was assisting Shulitu, so an urgent letter from him had to concern something important.
Nie Zeng had once had free access to the Dragon King's tent, too. That privilege had been revoked when he chose to follow