A Shocking Confession

"Oh, right, we're missing wine!" Hu Liena suddenly clapped her hands. "Waiter, bring the wine! Bring over the Flame Rose I have stored here!"

Soon, a waiter walked in carrying an exquisite wine decanter.

Qian Renxue caught a whiff of a rich, fragrant aroma that drifted through the wall and tickled her nostrils.

Flame Rose is a type of fruit wine brewed from special roses that grow near volcanoes. It is mild in nature but packs a powerful punch, and it is known for promoting blood circulation and stimulating soul power, making it a favorite among many female soul masters.

Naturally, the price is equally steep.

"Come, Brother Chuan, let's eat and drink." Hu Liena poured a glass for Qin Chuan.

The amber liquid rippled in the glass, radiating an alluring luster.

Qin Chuan seemed a bit hesitant. "Nana, this wine... it looks quite expensive."

"Oh, I already said it's my treat today, don't worry about that." Hu Liena pressed the glass into his hand. "Come, I'll toast you. Thank you for those lovely dolls in your shop; they brought me good luck."

"Good luck?" Qin Chuan seemed somewhat puzzled.

"That's right," Hu Liena's tone turned meaningful, "the greatest luck imaginable."

The two clinked glasses and downed the wine in one gulp.

In the next room, Qian Renxue also picked up her teacup and took a gentle sip.

The tea was ordinary Yuqian Longjing, slightly bitter on the tongue but with a sweet aftertaste.

Yet, at this moment, she found it utterly flavorless.

The conversation next door continued, but the topic began to turn... strange.

They chatted from fine food to the weather, and from the weather to their respective hometowns.

Qin Chuan said he came from a place very, very far away, where there were no soul masters or soul beasts, where skyscrapers were taller than mountains, and metal boxes ran on the ground faster than horses.

Hu Liena listened with great interest, letting out exclamations of wonder from time to time and asking for many details.

Qian Renxue was completely bewildered in the next room. What on earth was he talking about?

Skyscrapers? Metal boxes? Was this man spouting nonsense, or just telling stories?

Why would Hu Liena believe such absurdities?

After three rounds of drinks and five courses of food, the voices next door were tinged with intoxication, and their speech began to grow bold.

"Brother Chuan, you're such a good person and so handsome, there must be many girls who like you, right?" Hu Liena's voice was soft and sweet, carrying a hint of subtle probing.

Qian Renxue nearly spat out her tea. Here it comes again.

Hu Liena, is your vision clouded by something?

"Not at all." Qin Chuan let out a hiccup and smiled bitterly. "With my poor, pathetic state, I can barely feed myself. What girl would take a fancy to me? Forget about settling down; even finding a partner is difficult."

Hearing this, Hu Liena seemed delighted, laughing until she swayed like a flower in the wind.

"Then... then what do you think of me?" She gathered her courage and finally asked the question.

The air seemed to freeze at that moment.

Qian Renxue held her breath and pressed her ear even closer to the wall.

She knew the most critical moment was about to arrive.

There was silence from Qin Chuan's side for a long while.

Qian Renxue even wondered if he had gotten drunk and fallen asleep.

Just as she was about to lose patience, Qin Chuan's voice finally drifted over, slow and languid, carrying a touch of drunkenness and poetry.

"You..." He drew out the word, as if weighing his phrasing, "Clouds recall your robes, flowers your face; the spring breeze brushes the railing, the dew glows thick."

Qian Renxue froze.

She had never heard these two lines of poetry, but they sounded incredibly beautiful.

This seemingly crude mortal actually understood poetry?

"Wow! Brother Chuan, you're so cultured!" Hu Liena let out a cry of pleasant surprise, her voice filled with adoration.

Qian Renxue rolled her eyes in the next room.

It was just two lines of poetry; was such a big reaction necessary?

"Since... since you think I'm that good..." Hu Liena's voice trembled, as if she had made a major decision, "Then... then how about... I be your girlfriend?"

Boom! Qian Renxue felt as if something had exploded inside her brain.

Her hand shook, and the scalding tea spilled onto the back of her hand, but she felt nothing.

What had she just heard?

Hu Liena... wanted to be this mortal's... girlfriend?

Had she lost her mind? Or had the world gone mad?

On Qin Chuan's side, he seemed just as stunned by Hu Liena's earth-shattering confession.

Qian Renxue could hear him stand up abruptly from his chair, the legs scraping against the floor with a harsh, grating screech.

"Na... Nana, you... you've had too much to drink." Qin Chuan's voice was stuttering, completely devoid of the poetic flair he had shown moments ago.

"I haven't had too much!" Hu Liena's voice was uncharacteristically firm. "I'm perfectly sober! Everything I said is the truth! Qin Chuan, I like you. Be my boyfriend!"

Qian Renxue felt as though her entire worldview was being dragged across the floor and trampled upon.

She even began to wonder if she had misheard, or if the person next door wasn't Hu Liena at all.

Perhaps it was some spirit master skilled in disguise, posing as Hu Liena to put on a show for this mortal?

But the thought only flickered in her mind for a second before she dismissed it.

She was far too familiar with Hu Liena's aura. That unique fluctuation of spirit power, carrying a hint of Charm, could not be mistaken.

But why on earth was this happening?

A level 79 Spirit Saint, a future Titled Douluo, and a prominent figure at Spirit Academy—why would she humble herself to beg for the love of an unremarkable mortal?

What could she possibly want from him? His average looks? His inability to cultivate? Or perhaps... the fact that he could recite a couple of poems?

Qian Renxue was completely baffled.

Just as her mind turned into a chaotic mess, Qin Chuan's reply shocked her once again.

"No." Qin Chuan's voice was resolute, without a shred of hesitation.

Qian Renxue: "?"

Hu Liena: "Why?!"

"Nana, listen to me." Qin Chuan's voice turned earnest. "You're a good girl—beautiful, generous, and powerful. And me? I'm just a penniless nobody without even a drop of spirit power. In this chaotic world, I don't even have the ability to protect myself, so how could I possibly protect the person I love?"

He paused and sighed, "You deserve better. You should... find someone else."

Next door, Qian Renxue had completely turned to stone.

What had she just heard? This mortal... had actually rejected Hu Liena?

And he did it with such... such a righteous, responsible-sounding excuse?

If she hadn't heard it with her own ears, she would never have believed that such an absurd thing could happen in this world.

Hu Liena seemed stunned by Qin Chuan's words as well.

She was silent for a moment, her voice tinged with a sob: "But... I don't care about any of that! I don't need you to protect me; I can protect you! As long as you agree to be my boyfriend, I'll take full responsibility for your safety from now on!"

Qian Renxue no longer knew what expression to wear in the face of all this.

She silently picked up the teapot, poured herself a cup, and downed it in one gulp.

She needed to calm her nerves.

"Nana, don't be like this." Qin Chuan's voice sounded somewhat helpless. "Matters of the heart cannot be forced. Besides... we've only known each other for a day."

"Is love at first sight not allowed?" Hu Liena persisted.

"It is... but... sigh, in any case, let's talk about this another day, alright?" Qin Chuan began to stall. "Look, it's getting late. Why don't we call it a night?"

Hu Liena seemed to realize she had lost her composure, sniffled, and stopped insisting.

"Fine." Her voice sounded somewhat aggrieved.

Next door, Qian Renxue let out a long sigh of relief.

This farce was finally coming to an end.

However, she was still too naive.

Just as she thought she could pack up and go home, Hu Liena's next sentence made her heart, which had just settled, leap back into her throat.

"Then... what about tomorrow? Are you free tomorrow?"