The Librarian and the Fox Princess: A Past Reframed, Volume II

Chapter 96.5 - The Observant Heart

Donghua had never met anyone who would dare to insinuate he was a hooligan.

But she had done just that and didn't seem the least bit afraid of how he might react. 

She calmly continued to eat the food he provided her while playing Go with the skill and experience of someone twenty times her age. 

He eyed her as she chewed on a grape, swallowed and then pursed her lips in thoughtfulness and then smiled brightly at what he figured was a strategic idea that came to her. 

She placed her stone down. "Your turn, Dijun."

It took him but a second to calculate his countermove. Donghua placed his stone onto the board. "I don't know why you need to announce that it's my turn. I will naturally know."

She shrugged her shoulders and popped another grape into her mouth. 

She is so informal. I suppose I should not be surprised. Qing Qiu has always been lax on social protocols. But the mystery of her presence has not yet been solved. 

The mystery of my current reality is also still in question. Is this a dream or a twisted parallel reality? And if so, I must certainly be compromised. I have never felt so ... out of control.

Donghua laid a commanding stare on her. It was the look he gave when he demanded answers. 

She smiled a goofy smile back at him and he found it unnerving, if not inconveniently charming.

 The almighty god kept his expression cold though he found that be strangely difficult. He could feel the muscles in his face uncharacteristically tense up as if they wanted to do something else instead. 

He doubled down and clenched his jaw. 

"Tell me. How did you get into Tai Chen Palace. And how did you get your hooli— ... your accomplices past the guards."

She kept her eyes on him and blinked a few times. Instead of an answer, she took a big bite from a custard pastry and chewed on it. 

Donghua exhaled. Her mouth is tiny. It will take her forever to finish that bite. This is a stalling technique.  

"If you will not supply me with answers then I will provide my theories."

She surprised him by nodding eagerly with crumbs around her mouth. 

Donghua had interrogated many in his long life but this was the first time someone responded enthusiastically.

"Did you disguise yourself as a maid to enter the palace? There have been others who have tried that same strategy."

This was received by a giggle from her where flaky pastry bits flew out from her mouth.

Donghua leaned back to avoid their assault and he watched incredulously as the crumbs fell onto the Go board. 

He looked at her with muted alarm and expected her to correct and adjust her careless behaviors. 

Instead, she responded with her mouth still stuffed like a chipmunk's. "Bud by bould I do dhat?" Bits of pastry projected into his direction which led the almighty god to wave his hand to erect a shimmering blue protective barrier between them. 

He watched with satisfaction as the crumbs disintegrated at his barrier, allowing nothing to sully him. 

She looked at his magic with wonder. She brought up her little forefinger and touched the center of his blue protective barrier. "Boop!" she exclaimed playfully.