Shen Qingqiu snorts. "Oh, I imagine he knew exactly what was going on as soon as he heard me greet Liu Qingge. Why else would he have been visiting me after nightfall?" He sighs. "He was smiling when he saw me, this little upturned quirk of his lips, showing off his dimples. It was such a sweet smile, but his eyes were so cold. Icy cold."
"He came into the room and said, 'Shizun, hello.' That was all I allowed him time for. I won't tolerate any accusations of cowardice; when a tiger appears at your door, claws bared and teeth dripping, is it cowardice to flee? I jumped straight out of the nearby window and began to run."
It must be that thing Jon mentioned, the "Fear," that makes Luo Binghe's exact words come so easily to Shen Qingqiu's lips. "He called after me, 'Earlier today Shizun was so intimate and gentle with Gongyi Xiao, and this evening you lit a lantern, waiting for Liu-shishu late into the night. What sincere affection. Why, then, are you so distant when it comes to this disciple?'"
"For the first time since I'd met him, I ignored Luo Binghe completely. No, that's not quite true. I called out for Liu Qingge as loudly as I could."
"Behind me I heard Binghe let out a wintry laugh. He had followed me from the inn, and with every word it seemed as though he were halving the distance between us. He said, 'Liu-shishu is embroiled in a fight, so I'm afraid he doesn't have the leisure to come. Shizun, if you have orders, why not give them to me?'"
"I tried to use spiritual energy to hasten my steps, but I'd forgotten about Without A Cure. It felt as though my blood had suddenly solidified in my veins, and my feet had been turned to stone. I staggered, and then Luo Binghe was upon me. He grabbed me by the throat and slammed me up against a stone wall. My head rung with the blow, and I couldn't focus my eyes. Luo Binghe put his face up close to mine and whispered, 'After so many years of separation, we meet amidst golden wind and jade dew, yet Shizun incessantly calls someone else's name. That truly saddens this lowly disciple.'"
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"He came into the room and said, 'Shizun, hello.' That was all I allowed him time for. I won't tolerate any accusations of cowardice; when a tiger appears at your door, claws bared and teeth dripping, is it cowardice to flee? I jumped straight out of the nearby window and began to run."
It must be that thing Jon mentioned, the "Fear," that makes Luo Binghe's exact words come so easily to Shen Qingqiu's lips. "He called after me, 'Earlier today Shizun was so intimate and gentle with Gongyi Xiao, and this evening you lit a lantern, waiting for Liu-shishu late into the night. What sincere affection. Why, then, are you so distant when it comes to this disciple?'"
"For the first time since I'd met him, I ignored Luo Binghe completely. No, that's not quite true. I called out for Liu Qingge as loudly as I could."
"Behind me I heard Binghe let out a wintry laugh. He had followed me from the inn, and with every word it seemed as though he were halving the distance between us. He said, 'Liu-shishu is embroiled in a fight, so I'm afraid he doesn't have the leisure to come. Shizun, if you have orders, why not give them to me?'"
"I tried to use spiritual energy to hasten my steps, but I'd forgotten about Without A Cure. It felt as though my blood had suddenly solidified in my veins, and my feet had been turned to stone. I staggered, and then Luo Binghe was upon me. He grabbed me by the throat and slammed me up against a stone wall. My head rung with the blow, and I couldn't focus my eyes. Luo Binghe put his face up close to mine and whispered, 'After so many years of separation, we meet amidst golden wind and jade dew, yet Shizun incessantly calls someone else's name. That truly saddens this lowly disciple.'"