"Oh, right, we're still missing the wine!" Hu Liena suddenly clapped her hands. "Waiter, bring us some wine! Get the bottle of Flame Rose I left here!"
Soon, a server came in carrying an exquisite wine jug.
Qian Renxue caught the rich, fragrant scent of wine as it slipped through the wall and into her nostrils.
Flame Rose was a fruit wine made from a special kind of rose that grew near volcanoes. It was mild at first, but had a powerful kick, and could stimulate circulation and boost Soul Power. It was a favorite among many female Soul Masters.
Of course, it was just as expensive.
"Come on, Brother Chuan, let's eat and drink." Hu Liena poured Qin Chuan a glass.
The amber liquid rippled in the glass, gleaming enticingly.
Qin Chuan seemed a little hesitant. "Nana, this wine... looks pretty expensive."
"Oh, I told you I was treating today. Don't worry about it." Hu Liena pressed the glass into his hand. "Come on, let me toast you. Thank you for those adorable dolls in your shop. They brought me good luck."
"Good luck?" Qin Chuan sounded a little confused.
"Exactly." Hu Liena's tone turned meaningful. "The best luck imaginable."
They clinked glasses and drained them.
Next door, Qian Renxue also picked up her teacup and took a delicate sip.
It was ordinary Yuqian Longjing, slightly bitter at first, with a sweet aftertaste.
But right now, she found it utterly tasteless.
The conversation next door continued, but the topic started to get a little... strange.
They went from food to the weather, then from the weather to their hometowns.
Qin Chuan said he came from somewhere very, very far away. There were no Soul Masters or Soul Beasts there. Skyscrapers stood taller than mountains, and metal boxes sped along the ground faster than horses.
Hu Liena listened with rapt attention, gasping in amazement now and then and pressing him for more details.
Next door, Qian Renxue was completely lost. What on earth were they talking about?
Skyscrapers? Metal boxes? Was this man spouting nonsense, or telling a story?
Why would Hu Liena believe such an absurd tale?
After several rounds of wine and a few courses of food, both their voices carried a hint of drunkenness, and they began to speak more boldly.
"Brother Chuan, you're so kind, and you're handsome, too. You must have lots of girls who like you, right?" Hu Liena's voice was soft and sweet, with a faint note of probing.
Qian Renxue nearly spat out her tea. Here we go again.
Hu Liena, what on earth had gotten into you?
"How could that be?" Qin Chuan burped and chuckled bitterly. "I'm so dirt poor I can't even support myself. What girl would want me? Forget starting a family—I'd have trouble finding a wife."
Hu Liena seemed delighted by that. She laughed so hard she could barely sit still.
"Then... then what do you think of me?" She gathered her courage and finally asked.
The air seemed to freeze.
Qian Renxue held her breath and pressed her ear even closer to the wall.
She knew the crucial moment had arrived.
There was a long silence from Qin Chuan's side.
Qian Renxue wondered if he'd gotten drunk and fallen asleep.
Just as she was about to lose patience, Qin Chuan's voice finally drifted over, slow and dreamy, touched with drunkenness and poetic flair.
"You..." He drew the word out, as if searching for the right words. "Clouds long for her clothes, flowers for her face; the spring breeze brushes the balustrade, and dew lends its glow."
Qian Renxue froze.
She'd never heard those lines before, but they sounded beautiful.
This seemingly uncouth mortal actually knew poetry?
"Wow! Brother Chuan, you're so eloquent!" Hu Liena cried in delight, her voice full of admiration.
Next door, Qian Renxue rolled her eyes.
It was only two lines of poetry. Was there any need to make such a fuss?
"Since... since you think I'm so wonderful..." Hu Liena's voice trembled, as if she'd had to summon all her courage. "Then... how about... I be your girlfriend?"
Boom! Qian Renxue felt as if something had exploded in her head.
Her teacup trembled in her hand, spilling scalding tea over the back of it, but she barely felt a thing.
What had she just heard?
Hu Liena... wanted to be this mortal's girlfriend?
Was she insane? Or had the whole world gone mad?
Qin Chuan seemed just as stunned by Hu Liena's earth-shattering confession.
Qian Renxue heard him leap to his feet. The chair legs scraped against the floor with a piercing squeal.
"N-Nana, you... you've had too much to drink." Qin Chuan stammered, all his earlier poetic flair gone.
"I haven't had too much!" Hu Liena's voice was remarkably firm. "I'm perfectly sober! I mean every word! Qin Chuan, I like you. Be my boyfriend!"
Qian Renxue felt as if her entire worldview were being ground into the dirt.
She even started to wonder if she'd misheard—or if the person next door wasn't Hu Liena at all.
Perhaps some Soul Master skilled at disguise had taken Hu Liena's appearance and was putting on an act with this mortal?
But the thought crossed her mind only briefly before she dismissed it.
She knew Hu Liena's aura too well. That distinctive Soul Power fluctuation, with its hint of Charm, was unmistakable.
But why?
Why would a Level 79 Soul Saint, a future Titled Douluo and a celebrated figure at the Spirit Academy, so humbly beg an ordinary mortal for his love?
What could she possibly see in him? His plain looks? His inability to cultivate? Or the fact that he could recite a couple of lines of poetry?
Qian Renxue couldn't make sense of it.
Just as her thoughts turned into a tangled mess, Qin Chuan's answer stunned her all over again.
"No." His voice was firm and decisive, without a moment's hesitation.
Qian Renxue: "?"
Hu Liena: "Why?!"
"Nana, listen to me." Qin Chuan's voice turned earnest. "You're a good girl—beautiful, generous, and strong. But me? I'm a poor nobody with nothing, not even Soul Power. In this troubled world, I can't even protect myself. How could I protect someone I love?"
He paused and sighed. "You deserve someone better. You should... find someone else."
Next door, Qian Renxue had turned to stone.
What had she just heard? This mortal... had actually rejected Hu Liena?
And with a reason that sounded so upright, so full of responsibility?
If she hadn't heard it with her own ears, she wouldn't have believed something so absurd could happen in this world.
Hu Liena seemed to be at a loss for words after hearing Qin Chuan's response.
She fell silent for a moment, then spoke with a hint of tears in her voice. "But... I don't care about any of that! I don't need you to protect me. I can protect you! If you agree to be my boyfriend, I'll take care of your safety from now on!"
Qian Renxue no longer knew what expression to wear.
She silently picked up the teapot, poured herself a cup, and drained it.
She needed something to calm her nerves.
"Nana, don't be like this." Qin Chuan sounded helpless. "You can't force these things. Besides... we've only known each other for a day."
"Why can't it be love at first sight?" Hu Liena insisted.
"It can... but... sigh. Anyway, let's talk about this another time, okay?" Qin Chuan began to dodge the question. "Look, it's getting late. How about we call it a night?"
Hu Liena seemed to realize she'd gotten a little carried away. She sniffled and didn't press him further.
"All right." She sounded a little hurt.
Next door, Qian Renxue let out a long breath of relief.
At last, this farce was coming to an end.
But she was still too naive.
Just as she thought she could finally head home, Hu Liena's next question sent her heart straight back into her throat.
"Then... what about tomorrow? Are you free tomorrow?"