Qian Renxue: The Year-End Feast by the Brazier
Tang Yin felt that gaze and looked up to meet it.
Three months had passed, and he was growing used to the feeling-that gentle gaze settling on him, like a snake coiling around him. He knew who it was, knew she was investigating him, knew that every extra glance she gave him wound Spirit Hall's intelligence network another inch around him.
But he met her gaze calmly all the same, without looking away.
Qian Renxue looked into those eyes and suddenly smiled. She raised her teacup and, from a distance, made the slightest gesture in Tang Yin's direction.
Tang Yin gave a slight nod in response.
Not one spectator in the crowded arena understood the exchange. Only the two of them knew-this was no crown prince encouraging a student, but two people in masks acknowledging each other across the entire arena.
The year-end competition was over. Every member of the first team had won, with no substitutions.
On a snowy night in Heaven Dou City, the brazier glowed red-hot in the innermost private room of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.
The entire Imperial Fighting Team was present. Qin Ming had been dragged along too, but after Yu Tianheng got him to drink a cup of hot wine, he shook his head, said, "You young people have your fun," and left early. The moment the door shut, the whole room threw its inhibitions aside.
"Come on, come on!" Yu Tianheng slammed a fist on the table, his spirit soaring to the clouds. "Our team had six people in six groups today, and we won them all! Let's drink!"
"Cheers!" Shi Mo and Shi Mo chorused, their cups clinking together.
Tang Yin held his cup of osmanthus wine, surrounded by people raising their cups, and could only take a small sip. The first time he had drunk it three months ago, it had been so sweet he'd frowned; now he could finish a whole cup without a change in expression.
Yu Tianheng was overjoyed today. He slapped his chest. "You should've seen it. The seed in my group was level twenty-something, right? He couldn't last three moves against me! The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon's lightning nearly blasted his Martial Soul apart!"
"There goes the captain bragging again," Dugu Yan said, peeling shrimp without looking up.
"Who's bragging?!" Yu Tianheng glared, then turned to Tang Yin. "But little junior brother really was ruthless-level twenty-six, in the level-twenty group, three moves per opponent, like he was playing around. I was watching from the stands and went dumbstruck."
"That's right," Shi Mo mumbled around a chicken leg. "Little junior brother's scarier than the captain now."
"Get lost." Yu Tianheng laughed and swore at him, reaching out to ruffle Tang Yin's hair. "He's one of my Imperial Fighting Team! How could he not be formidable?"
The brazier filled the room with warmth. Outside, snow fell with a soft rustle, tapping against the paper windows. Dugu Yan finished peeling a shrimp and, quite naturally, put both shell and meat into Ye Lingling's bowl. Ye Lingling said nothing, eating quietly as she picked up the best roasted lamb chop from her own plate and placed it in Tang Yin's bowl.
"Hey..." Dugu Yan saw it and drew the word out, nudging Ye Lingling with her elbow. "I was wondering why you weren't eating it yourself. So you were saving it for little junior brother?"
The tips of Ye Lingling's ears turned red, and she gave Dugu Yan a light pat. "Didn't you peel a shrimp for Shi Mo too?"
"That's different!" Dugu Yan bristled. "Shi Mo is my teammate!"
"Tang Yin is too." Ye Lingling looked up at her with a faint smile.
Dugu Yan was left speechless. She opened her mouth, then finally huffed and turned away, though the tips of her ears had gone red. Everyone at the table burst out laughing.
Tang Yin looked down at the lamb chop in his bowl, then over at Ye Lingling, who was caught up in a tussle with Dugu Yan beside him. The light from the brazier fell on her profile, soft as water. He ate in small bites without a word, while a place in his heart was warmed soft by the lively noise filling the room.