Hyuga Shinichi listened to Ao Qing's complaints, knowing full well he was in the wrong. He could only keep apologizing, hoping to calm her anger.
"Okay, okay, Ao Qing. I really was wrong this time. I promise I won't do it again, all right?"
As he spoke, he tried to pry Ao Qing off his face.
But Ao Qing wasn't buying it. She only wrapped herself around him even tighter and shouted, "You're planning to do it again? Do you think I'm some cowardly snake who's afraid to die? Let me tell you, I'm going to become a dragon! Don't underestimate me!"
"Uh, I know I was wrong. I really won't do it again!"
When Ao Qing heard that Shinichi was genuinely apologizing, she calmed down a little, but she still clung to him. After a while, she finally loosened her coils and slowly slithered to the ground.
At last free, Shinichi lay on the grass. Several distinct red marks crossed his face, but they faded and disappeared not long after Ao Qing let go.
Clearly, Ao Qing hadn't used any real force when she wrapped herself around him. She had just been holding on.
Seeing Shinichi's sorry state put Ao Qing in a much better mood.
"Since you're being so sincere, I'll forgive you. But you'd better remember this! Don't summon me without asking again, or you'll regret it!"
Shinichi nodded repeatedly to show he'd taken her words to heart.
After all that, Shinichi lay on the grass and thought back to the first time he'd met Ao Qing. By now, he understood her temper well: she was a hotheaded little snake who always came through when it mattered.
He'd better avoid upsetting this future "dragon" from now on.
But thinking about why Ao Qing had gotten angry made