The woman named Ling'er stood just three steps away from the soft couch.
A safe distance.
And a dangerous boundary.
"Heehee." Ling'er seemed to love laughing. Her eyes curved as she smiled. "Meiyue, you're so beautiful."
Meiyue rested her forehead on one hand, her slender index finger lightly tracing her glossy black hair. Lazily, she said, "If you have something to say, Sister, why not just say it?"
With her hands behind her back, Ling'er looked around the room. She seemed utterly innocent. "Can't I come see you when there's nothing in particular? I like you and want to get closer to you."
Meiyue's beautiful eyes shifted slightly, and ripples of soul-stealing allure spread across the tranquil, languid lake of her gaze.
"If you really want to get closer, then come here..."
"Ha!" Ling'er hopped gleefully, but instead of approaching, she darted sideways to the tea table and sat down with effortless grace, putting even more distance between herself and Meiyue.
Petite and delicate, she looked like a girl who had only just come of age.
Her expressions and movements were lively and adorable, too.
Yet for someone as bewitching and alluring as Meiyue to call this lively, adorable, somewhat green young woman "Sister" was strangely incongruous.
Ling'er amused herself in the chair for a while before turning to look at Meiyue, who was still half-reclining. "Come to think of it, why did we have to come to Qi State? You must know perfectly well that we can't get a foothold here. The Four Great Academies aren't even allowed to establish branch academies with extraordinary power here, let alone the Three-Part Fragrance Pavilion."
"Sister," Meiyue said lazily, "let me remind you of something. I didn't ask you to come. You were the one who insisted on following me."
Ling'er laughed