Jing Jiu looked at her and gave it some serious thought.
Tonight was their first meeting. In what respect should he judge her?
Looks had never been his focus, and in their conversation just now, the young woman had shown a fine temperament in every respect.
The question was, does my opinion of you matter so much?
Only when he remembered that Bai Zao had first asked whether he and Zhao Layue were dao companions did he understand what she meant.
"I won't consider such things," he said. "That has nothing to do with what you're like."
"That means you think I'm rather good."
Bai Zao's eyes suddenly brightened, like a stream lit by the morning sun.
"I remember hearing someone say that Luo Huainan and Tong Yan might both become your dao companion," Jing Jiu said.
"Senior Brother Luo is my father's disciple, and Tong Yan is my mother's student," Bai Zao explained softly. "My parents have their own ideas, but those aren't mine."
"Why don't you choose them?" Jing Jiu asked.
However one looked at it, Luo Huainan and Tong Yan were her best choices for a dao companion, unless Zhuo Rusui or Guo Nanshan joined the competition.
"Because I don't like them," Bai Zao said with a smile.
Jing Jiu suddenly felt that this matter seemed rather troublesome. "Could it be that you like me?"
To speak of affection at their first meeting seemed rather absurd.
Bai Zao smiled radiantly. "Yes."
"What do you like?" Jing Jiu asked.
"I like watching you play Go. Your Go is truly beautiful, even if you insist that the Way of Go is only a game and has nothing to do with beauty or ugliness."
"I may not play Go again," Jing Jiu said.
"I hear your talent for the Sword