"You really bought that blood jade..." Feng Yue muttered, still unable to believe that Yu Qi had spent such a staggering amount of money on a single piece of stone.
"Yeah. It's because I truly like jade, especially blood jade." Yu Qi replied.
Her eyes softened as she spoke. It was clear to anyone watching that she was genuinely fond of the rare treasure.
Feng Yue immediately silenced herself when she saw the look of pure adoration on Yu Qi's face. Behind them, Long Hui continued to follow the two girls at a steady pace. For a moment, the pair seemed to have completely forgotten his existence in their excitement. Realising he was being overlooked, he let out a few pointed coughs to notify the ladies of his presence.
"Brother Hui, I actually forgot you were even here!" Feng Yue said with a sheepish grin, while Yu Qi remained silent, offering no comment.
A moment later, Feng Yue excused herself to go buy some refreshments, leaving Yu Qi alone with Long Hui. To be honest, Yu Qi did not particularly want to stay with him, but she refused to leave. She did not want Long Hui to think for even a second that she was afraid of him.
"Where did you learn to shoot a gun?" Long Hui asked, breaking the heavy silence between them.
Yu Qi was caught off guard by the suddenness of his question. She knew she could not easily lie to someone with his military background. He would likely see right through any fabrication.
"And what exactly does that have to do with you?" Yu Qi countered, her voice guarded.
She was not ready to admit the truth just yet.
Long Hui narrowed his eyes, a gesture that somehow made his already charming face appear even more strikingly handsome. "It has nothing to do with me personally, but Feng Yue is my beloved cousin. I simply don't want her to get hurt by being around someone dangerous."
Yu Qi felt herself swallow hard. 'This man is a living Adonis', she thought. Girls would surely swarm him just to make him their own. She silently offered a small prayer for the safety of any woman who fell for him.
On the other hand, Long Hui felt a lingering sense of strangeness whenever he spoke to Yu Qi. It felt as though he were talking to a mature, experienced woman rather than a typical teenage girl.
"Don't worry, I will not bring any danger to her. In fact, I will protect her." Yu Qi stated, making a solemn vow.
Long Hui frowned at her response. That wasn't what he meant at all. 'Why does she think like that? She's just a girl herself,' he thought.
"Then tell me again. Where did you learn about shooting?" Long Hui asked, throwing the same question back at her.
'This man really won't give up,' Yu Qi realised. She knew she had to give him a somewhat convincing answer. Otherwise, he would never stop questioning her.
"Actually, that was my first time ever holding a real gun. But I did learn the theory behind it. I used to sneak near the military camp by the mountain where I was living and watch them. Well... I can't say anything else if you don't believe me." Yu Qi gave a vague answer.
Long Hui remained sceptical, but he decided to drop the topic for now since Feng Yue was already returning.
Feng Yue arrived with the refreshments, handing drinks to both Yu Qi and Long Hui. "What were you guys talking about while I was gone?"
Long Hui and Yu Qi found themselves staring at each other again. Seeing the silent intensity between them, which she misinterpreted as romantic "rose bubbles," Feng Yue began to smile foolishly to herself. She never imagined her Brother Hui, who usually detested being around women outside of his own family, would be so interested in Yu Qi.
"Guys, I'm still standing right here." Feng Yue teased, giving them a playful reminder.
Both of them were startled by her voice and immediately broke eye contact, looking away.
"I was just asking her about your behaviour at your new school, that's all." Long Hui lied smoothly.
"Hey! I'm perfectly well-behaved, okay? Humph!" Feng Yue huffed, crossing her arms in mock indignation.
This chapter is edited by Tzin99... Thank you for your help.