"Uh..."
Lin Xiao: (⊙o⊙)...
"Mr. Li?"
"It's been days, young master. You look well." Li Ping'an began with his usual pleasantries.
His tone was as though he had happened upon a neighbor on a street corner.
Lin Xiao forced a smile. "How did you know I was here, sir?"
"I guessed."
"And how did you know who I was?"
"I guessed."
"When?"
"More or less... when we first met."
When they first met?
Lin Xiao recalled what he had thought before.
He had considered himself a royal who shared in the common people's joys, willing to lower himself and speak with others. He had even felt rather pleased with himself, with a sense of superiority.
Who would have known that someone had long since seen through his identity and simply chosen not to expose it?
At that thought, Lin Xiao looked a little embarrassed.
"...Then how did you get in here, sir?"
"I walked in." Li Ping'an said apologetically, "I wanted to give Miss Liu the rent money earlier and ask her to pass it on.
"But Miss Liu firmly refused to accept it, and she returned to the palace the next day.
"I thought I would return the money whenever you next came by.
"But you never came, and with the money in my hands, I was afraid I might spend it all, or that it might get stolen. So I had no choice but to trouble you here. I hope you won't mind."
Beside them, Liu E recalled the incident and thought, If I'd known you could come straight to the imperial palace, I would have taken the money then.
"...Not at all, not at all..."
The corners of Lin Xiao's eyes twitched slightly.
Boom-!!
"Again."
An earthshaking noise came from outside.
The doors and windows inside the