Can You Spare Half Your Time This Fortnight to Keep Me Company?

Night had fully fallen, and Mingdu's nightlife was only just beginning.

Soul-engineered streetlights along both sides of the roads lit up one by one, making the entire city shine as brightly as day.

Shop signs flashed in every color, while hawkers' cries, music, and laughter intertwined. It was as though the whole city had truly awakened only at this moment.

Inside the hotel room, Ye Guyi and Jiang Nannan were changing clothes, preparing to go out and experience Mingdu's nightlife.

Ye Guyi changed into a light gold short dress paired with white high heels, making her look tall and radiant.

Jiang Nannan chose a light blue dress, with a slender silver belt around her waist that perfectly accentuated her flawless figure.

Just as the two were tidying their makeup in front of the mirror, Li Changqing's voice suddenly came from outside the door. "Go have fun on your own. I have something to take care of. Just remember to come back when you're done."

As soon as he finished speaking, a golden card flew in through the gap beneath the door and landed precisely on the carpet, glimmering faintly beneath the lights.

Jiang Nannan hurriedly put down her comb, strode to the door, and pulled it open to peek outside.

The corridor was empty now, and Li Changqing was nowhere to be seen.

She closed the door and bent down to pick up the gold card. It was an anonymous soul-engineered savings card, though she had no idea how many gold coins it contained.

Turning around, she looked at Ye Guyi and asked blankly, "Sister Guyi, what's going on?"

Ye Guyi turned away from the mirror.

Looking at the gold card in Jiang Nannan's hand, she wore an equally puzzled expression. "I don't know either... Could the test have started already?"

Jiang Nannan shrugged, indicating that she had no idea.

Still, neither of them paid it much mind.

If this was a test, Li Changqing couldn't possibly bring evil soul masters straight to them, could he?

That would be far too absurd. It clearly made no sense.

So, the two put away the gold card, finished changing and dressing up, then walked out of the hotel arm in arm, blending into Mingdu's bustling nightscape.

Meanwhile, elsewhere.

Li Changqing passed through several lively streets before turning into an increasingly secluded alley.

The surrounding clamor gradually faded away, replaced by silence.

At last, he stopped before an old-looking manor hidden in a rather secluded location.

From the outside, the manor was unremarkable: gray walls, black wooden gates, not even a plaque above the entrance. It looked like nothing more than an ordinary residence.

Yet a closer look would reveal faint soul-engineered runes carved into the corners of the walls, clearly forming some kind of defensive or concealment array.

Li Changqing raised his hand and lightly knocked on the door three times. After a pause, he knocked twice more.

A moment later, faint footsteps sounded from within. Then, with a creak, the black wooden gate opened from the inside.

A young girl stood behind it.

She appeared to be around seventeen or eighteen, with smooth black hair casually draped over her shoulders.

Her skin was fair and delicate, seemingly soft enough to break at a touch, while her lively eyes looked as though they could speak.

She had a lovely figure and wore a simple white dress. There was a lazy, naturally airheaded quality about her, yet she was so beautiful that it was hard to look away.

When she saw Li Changqing outside, she was briefly stunned. Then a faint smile appeared on her face. She stepped aside to make way for him and asked softly, "What made you think of coming to Mingdu to see me?"

Li Changqing stepped through the gate and replied casually, "I had nothing better to do, so I came to take a look. How are things with you?"

Orange closed the gate and followed him into the courtyard, a trace of worry in her voice. "I'm all right... Xu Tianran's power is growing greater and greater now. I'm worried..."

"There's nothing to worry about."

Li Changqing interrupted her, his tone calm but certain. "Your talent and strength may not be much, but your strengths in other areas are beyond anyone else's. Since he chose to cultivate you, you must have something exceptional. You only need to do what you should do."

Hearing that, Orange let out a soft sigh, helplessness flashing through her eyes. "I hope so... I just don't know how much longer I'll have to wait before I can take my revenge."

Li Changqing stopped and raised his head, gazing at the bright moon hanging in the night sky in silence for a moment.

Then he gave a quiet laugh and said slowly, "Don't worry. When the time comes, not only will Dai Hao die, but the Star Luo Empire will fall as well. This continent will eventually be united."

He turned to look at Orange, his gaze carrying a depth and composure that did not match his age. "But, Sister Orange, don't forget our deal."

Orange's body trembled slightly at his words.

She lowered her head and remained silent for a moment.

Then she raised her head again, looked firmly at Li Changqing, and said word by word, "Don't worry. As long as I can have my revenge, I'm willing to do anything. And..."

She paused, her tone softening somewhat. "Like you, I don't want to see the war continue anymore. The impact and harm this war has caused to the continent are simply too great."

Li Changqing looked into her determined eyes and said nothing more, merely nodding lightly.

He had met Orange several years ago.

At that time, Orange's father had died after enlisting in the military, while her mother had wasted away from grief.

With no other choice, she could only begin wandering alone.

Not long after she began wandering, she met Li Changqing, who was wandering as well.

That was how the two came to know and understand each other.

Later, Orange went to Mingdu and met Xu Tianran.

Meanwhile, Li Changqing met Ye Guyi and her mother.

Though they were in different cities and belonged to different factions, they occasionally exchanged letters. That was how Li Changqing knew Orange was here.

Orange also knew that Li Changqing had come to Mingdu, so she left the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy and came here to wait for him.

At that moment, Orange smiled and asked, "How long are you planning to stay in Mingdu this time? Want me to show you around? I know Mingdu very well."

Li Changqing shook his head. "I can't stay long. At most, I'll have to return in half a month. Besides, I didn't come alone this time. I brought two friends with me."

At that, the smile on Orange's face paused slightly, and an almost imperceptible change flashed through her eyes.

She fell silent for a moment before asking as casually as she could, "Men or women?"

"Women," Li Changqing answered frankly.

Orange was silent for a few more seconds before continuing, "Are they your girlfriends?"

Li Changqing shook his head. "No. Like you, they no longer have any family. One of them was entrusted to me by her mother before she died, asking me to look after her."

Orange was briefly stunned when she heard that. Then she covered her mouth and laughed softly, her eyes curving as she looked at him. "That doesn't sound like you. I thought you'd find it troublesome and wouldn't meddle in this sort of thing."

Li Changqing smiled, a rare gentleness in his voice. "I had no choice. She's different."

Seeing how naturally he said, "She's different," Orange suddenly felt an indescribable emotion rise in her heart.

But she quickly suppressed it. The lazy, gentle smile returned to her face as she said softly, "Then when you have time, bring them out for a meal with me. I'd like to see what kind of person could be called different by you, Li Changqing."

Li Changqing nodded. "All right. We'll talk about it then."

"And during these next half a month, can you spare half your time to keep me company?"