Liu Renqing strikes back

I excuse myself and after waving to Dai Xuan, make my way through the gates and down the cliff. Where the path forks to go left towards Yueji Lake, I go right towards the city. There are guards at the city gates during the day. At night they close them to prevent anyone unauthorised entering under the cover of darkness and there are further guards stationed on the walls. But during the day, long stretches of the wall are unguarded. It’s these parts I want to examine. In the drama, they used the diversion of the monsters to the south to plant explosives along the wall in the north. I don’t know if they dared do it if the diversion didn’t work out, but I want to check anyway. Better safe than sorry.

I show my Huoyun Sect token to the guard, who lets me pass into the city without problem. The small northern gate is usually not crowded, as most merchants and farmers enter the city from the south. To the north there is only a vast wasteland of little value. It is only by the magic of the artefact that Xiyang can prosper at all at the border to the desert. I buy a little breakfast and a basket as I walk the streets and circle back to the north gate, from which I exit once more.

Now… I shoulder the basket and get to work. If anyone catches me, I will pretend to have foraged for healing herbs for Sect Leader Dai. Since Dai Xuan does this along the walls quite frequently, the guards are already used to a woman in the Huoyun Sect uniform walking around here, so I shouldn’t draw too many eyes. In the north, the city wall is built closely to the cliff, at times so close I can barely squeeze through the gaps. I don’t know what I’m looking for, but if I was to plant explosives, would this be a good place where no one could spot me? Theoretically yes, but they want to destroy the wall to march in with their forces, so this narrow gap wouldn’t do them any good. I proceed further until I reach the northeast of the city, where the land around it opens up. There are sparse trees here, but no fields. The earth is barren where the waters of Yueji Lake don’t reach.

With a critical eye, I examine the wall itself and the surrounding ground. Could they have buried something? There’s no one on top of the wall, so I step closer and search along its edge. Oh, I see something glinting… could it be—

“What are you doing here?”

“AAAAHHHH!!”

My surprised scream is so high pitched it could burst glass. I jump instinctively and with the added power my legs have, I would have flown away if someone didn’t grab me and spin me around against the wall.

Oh god. Oh my fucking god. I stare into Liu Renqing’s blue eyes, who actually freaking kabedons me like he’s a drama character himself. Who does that in real life?!

“Shixiong?” I stammer. “What are you—”

“I believe I asked you the same question and I asked it first.”

I’m afraid to report that kabedons are actually effective. Like, really effective. You wouldn’t believe how effective they are until you fall victim to one yourself. I make a less than dignified squeak as I’m forced to look up to the tall man to return his stare. No, I can’t let him do this to me. I need to regain my composure. I need—

“Where is your hand going?” I ask.

“There’s a leaf in your hair.”

“Uh-huh…”

“Now why are you here?”

“Let me go.”

“No. Answer me first.”

I bite my lip. “I’m collecting herbs for Sect Leader Dai. She may be getting better, but that’s only due to Shimei’s care and that includes her herbal remedies. She can’t go out and look for them on her own all the time.”

“Mhm.”

“Let me go!”

I push back against Liu Renqing, but he captures my hand and presses it against the wall above my head. Oh god. Oh my god. I shouldn’t enjoy this. I should be really angry. I should be—

Liu Renqing leans forward and kisses me. His lips are softer than I imagined, and I imagined a great deal while watching the drama. He was my favourite and he still is, the bastard. I half expect him to grin smugly as he draws back after just a moment, but he looks thoughtful instead.

“What was that about?” I ask and am not proud about the quiver in my voice.

“The chicken kissed you first, so I had to make it up.”

“I— He— How did you—”

“Ah, so I was right.”

“You guessed it??”

“No, the signs are there.”

I huff in frustration. “What do you mean? Can you smell him on me?”

“Of sorts. He left his qi for me to find.”

“He helped me when I was injured in a fight. I’m still injured, by the way, and you’re not making it better.”

Liu Renqing looks me up and down, then finally—FINALLY!—releases me. I rub my wrist where he held me with more force than strictly necessary, but I suppose Murong Zhiyu can be quite forceful if she fights back. I glare at him, yet he just adopts his trademark scowl, which I can’t read at all.

“So what are you really doing here?”

“Collecting herbs.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Look, I even have a basket!” I say and hold it out.

“It’s empty.”

“I just started.”

“Liar. You’ve been searching the wall for half an hour.”

“You…! You’ve been stalking me again!”

He does have the decency to look at least somewhat chastised at that and looks to the ground, kicking a small rock.

“How do you think I felt when everyone was talking about you wearing the Feng family colours yesterday? It’s like you already agreed to marry him.”

“My clothes were ruined in the fight! I had nothing else to wear!”

“Really?”

“I didn’t wear them because I wanted to and I won’t wear them again.”

Liu Renqing’s expression changes instantly and he releases a small sigh. He’s actually very transparent. Both of them have been in love with Murong Zhiyu for over two years, Liu Renqing maybe even longer if they trained together at Huoyun Sect. I feel bad for him. I also don’t know how I would convince someone as devoted as him to fall for his love rival. Ah, this is impossible.

“Now as to why you’re here…”

“Herbs.”

“Fine, if you’re not telling me, I’ll bring you back to Huoyun Sect right now. I don’t care what you say. Sect Leader Dai will believe me when I say you need rest.”

“I can’t go back now.”

“Why?”

Aaah! This man! He’s even more frustrating than Feng Yu! Just then he steps forward and reaches for my hands. He holds them up between us and looks at me with what I can only describe as puppy eyes. Wow. From a scowl to this is like a complete 180 turn. I’m getting whiplash just looking at him.

“Murong-xiaojie, we’re childhood friends. We’ve trained together all our lives and you’ve known for years that I love you dearly. I even know your most precious secret and I swore not to tell a soul. I will keep it and you safe forever. You can trust me.”

How can anyone prevail in the face of such a declaration, delivered by the man of your dreams? I am certainly not strong enough, and if this is to be the downfall of this world, so be it. I am only human.

So, what’s the best way to say ‘I know this might sound crazy, but I’m from a different world, where I saw a story based on your life and the downfall of Xiyang, so I’m basically an oracle from your future, sent to prevent everyone from dying. By the way, the way to achieve this is for you to get your ex-best friend and love rival into bed.’?