"Qingyan needs to see you about something?"
Hearing Xie Qingyan say that from outside the door, Xia Wuyou was a little surprised. Hadn't the two of them just returned from the Imperial Palace together? What could be urgent enough to require this?
While she was still thinking, Xu Shi had already stepped forward and opened the door. "What is it?"
"Well..."
Xie Qingyan strode past him into the room, but when she saw Xia Wuyou there, she stopped herself. "Could you give us some privacy, Wuyou? I want to talk to him alone."
"Ah..."
Little Cat Xia was easygoing enough. Hearing that, she planned to give them some private space.
But unexpectedly, Xu Shi broke from his usual behavior and pressed her back down. He said indifferently, "What's the point? Wuyou isn't an outsider. She can listen if she wants."
"...Whatever."
Xie Qingyan pursed her lips, then after a long moment turned away and clicked her tongue softly. She dropped heavily onto the sofa. "I just want to talk to you about our relationship. Or rather, whether the way we get along should change a little."
"Such as?"
Xu Shi asked, puzzled.
"I don't know how to explain it, but I really feel awful right now."
The dog woman sighed. "Because I've increasingly felt irritated whenever I see you being lovey-dovey with other people."
"Isn't that because of the Sea God's corruption?"
Xu Shi frowned. "My advice is not to overthink it. Dongfang Xiao is treating you now, and you'll recover before long. Once this period passes, it'll be fine."
"...Yes, but not entirely."
Xie Qingyan looked just as unhappy. "This isn't a feeling that only appeared after I was corrupted by the Sea God... Maybe it started when we first went to sea?"
"It's just that now the Sea