Zhu Zhuqing's Worry, Hidden Weapons

Dusk, soft as gauze, gently shrouded Spirit City.

Dai Chengfeng and Zhu Zhuqing walked side by side on the road back to Spirit Hall, carrying several paper bags in their hands, filled with little trinkets they had bought while shopping that afternoon.

On both sides of the street, Soul Guiding Lamps lit up one after another, their dim yellow halos casting warm circles of light across the stone road.

The evening wind carried a faint chill, brushing through the loose hair at Zhu Zhuqing's forehead. She turned her head slightly and looked at Dai Chengfeng beside her.

"Tired?"

Noticing her gaze, Dai Chengfeng turned his head and reached out to take the paper bags from her hands.

Zhu Zhuqing gently shook her head. Instead, she moved a little closer to him, their arms almost touching.

"I'm not tired. It's just... been a long time since I went shopping like this."

"There will be many days like this in the future."

Zhu Zhuqing did not answer. She simply leaned her head against his shoulder, feeling the familiar, reassuring scent on him.

The slight unpleasantness brought by their chance encounter with Dai Mubai in the alley had long since vanished like smoke.

The two of them walked slowly like this, in no hurry to return to Spirit Hall and paying no mind to the passage of time.

Now and then, passersby cast glances at them, most drawn by Zhu Zhuqing's cool, beautiful face and Dai Chengfeng's outstanding bearing. But seeing how intimate they were, they only smiled knowingly and hurried on.

"Hungry?"

Dai Chengfeng asked, "There's a small shop up ahead. The food's pretty good."

Zhu Zhuqing looked up. At the street corner, a small shop was giving off wisps of hot steam, and the lantern hanging at the entrance swayed gently