Qingxiao raised a hand and pulled the blood-red cloak off his shoulder.
With a flick of his wrist, he flung the cloak backward with a rush of wind. It landed squarely in front of Uro, its broad fabric just enough to wrap around her entire body.
The dark red cloak fell onto the gray ground, like a sullen flame in this world of muted colors.
"Put it on."
His face turned aside, his voice was a shade lower than usual, with a hint of unnatural stiffness:
"I have a wife. Don't try to seduce me, thank you."
Uro abruptly stopped in her forward rush.
She looked down at the cloak on the ground, then at Qingxiao, who stood sideways and refused even to turn his face toward her.
First came bewilderment, then an inexplicable heat shot from the back of her neck to the roots of her ears.
She really hadn't cared before.
Something as trivial as exposing herself had never concerned her.
But being so solemnly "rejected," and having the label of "seduction" forced onto her, sent an indescribable rush of embarrassment and anger straight to her head.
She had never been left so inexplicably flustered.
"What nonsense are you talking about?!"
Gritting her teeth, Uro snatched up the cloak and wrapped it around herself. The fabric covered her tightly, but she couldn't suppress the heat in her cheeks.
She stopped trying to run, clenched her fists, and charged straight at him. Her punch drove toward Qingxiao's face with the force of her humiliated fury.
"Don't flatter yourself! Who wants to seduce you?
Does having a wife make you so great?"
Her attacks were fast and chaotic, bereft of her usual calm precision.
Qingxiao shifted his footing and dodged calmly, his movements effortless.
"Sorry, it really does."
His gaze