Hu Xiaotian had thought Qin Yutong would leave with Meng Zizai. To his surprise, only Meng Zizai departed, while she continued toward Western Prefecture with him. This made him all the more suspicious of her motives. After seeing Meng Zizai off, he could not resist asking, "Are you going to Western Prefecture too, Miss Qin?"
Qin Yutong nodded.
"What a coincidence!"
"Are you suspecting me of having ulterior motives again?" Qin Yutong asked. "You can put your mind at ease, Lord Hu. I'm going to Western Prefecture to meet my master." Her words carried an unmistakable jab at his suspicious nature.
Hu Xiaotian smiled sheepishly. "Please don't misunderstand, Miss Qin. I couldn't ask for better company. It's just that coming here reminds me of everything that happened when we first met. There's something I've never understood: why did you leave Xiezhou in such a hurry back then?"
"So you've been dwelling on what happened all this time, Lord Hu," Qin Yutong said. "Have you been nursing a grudge because I left without saying goodbye?"
Hu Xiaotian chuckled. "I'm not that petty. There are just a few things I can't make sense of. From what I know of you, Miss Qin, you seem like someone who has seen through the dust and turmoil of the mortal world, aloof and proud. Why were you interested in the Imperial Court's affairs back then?"
"Do you know me that well?" Qin Yutong asked coldly.
That single question left Hu Xiaotian speechless.
Although he had known Qin Yutong for quite some time, he could hardly claim to understand her. After thinking for a while, he finally answered, "You're a good person, Miss Qin."
"You can never judge whether someone is good or bad by their appearance, nor should you look only at the surface of