The Art of Subduing Dragons

Chapter 87

Her frustration was evident to Luo Qingci, who was surprised and asked, "Ah Li, what's wrong?"

Ruan Li panicked and quickly shook her head, "N-nothing... Did it taste good?"

Luo Qingci smiled and, taking a piece, put it into her mouth, "You tell me if it tastes good."

Ruan Li's cheeks flushed slightly as she nodded, "It's good."

She glanced at Qi Qing with a hint of guilt, wondering what was wrong with her. She was clearly here to see Qi Qing, and she liked Qi Qing, so why was she thinking about other women when she saw her beloved?

"You have a more refined taste than I do. If you think it's good, then it must be extremely good." She looked at the plum blossom cakes and couldn't help but sigh, "You've always been so skilled. Even when you were little, you could cook so well."

"Do you like the food I make?" Ruan Li couldn't help but ask. Although Qi Qing didn't know she liked her, if Qi Qing liked her a bit more, even if it was just for her cooking, it would make her happy.

Luo Qingci nodded, "Of course I like it."

"Then I'll make it for you often in the future." Getting the satisfactory response, Ruan Li smiled proudly. This little bit of cuteness was meant for her... or rather, only Qi Qing could see it. This made Luo Qingci's heart feel mixed emotions, both happy and bittersweet.

After a few days apart, Ruan Li felt she had accumulated a lot to say. She talked about what happened that day in the hall, everything that had happened at the Tianyan Sect, the important and unimportant things, all in a continuous stream of chatter.

Luo Qingci knew all this, but hearing it from Ruan Li's mouth made it seem more interesting. She sat down on the ground, listening attentively to Ruan Li.

When Ruan Li finally came back to her senses from her rambling, she realized she had been talking the entire time while Qi Qing quietly listened, her lips occasionally curling into a smile. Her face suddenly turned hot. "Did I talk too much?"

Luo Qingci shook her head, propped her chin on her hand, and looked at her, "Not at all."

Ruan Li's heart was lightly stirred, beating wildly.

She felt like she was going crazy. Every word and every little expression from Qi Qing affected her immensely.

She didn't dare to reveal her feelings, but she couldn't stop herself from searching for signs that Qi Qing might like or care about her in her every action. Finding them made her elated, but afterward, she felt an unfillable void and a craving.

Was it possible that her being so kind meant she liked her?

But no matter how much she thought, she was a coward, afraid to reveal even a fraction of her feelings to Qi Qing.

"It's getting late. I need to go back." Ruan Li glanced at the sky and muttered.

Luo Qingci responded with an "mm," watching the young girl with her head down and a face full of disappointment, and couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "Three years of confinement must be very tough. I owe you candied hawthorns, and I'll make sure to give them to you when you come out. Though I personally don't want you to be punished at all, given the current situation, we can only look at it from a different angle. Ah Li, you've just refined your core and your foundation isn't stable yet. You need to practice the Nine Dragon Sutra you've just inherited diligently. These three years are a great opportunity."

Ruan Li nodded obediently.

"And also, Ah Li, the Qing Yuan is left to you by the Golden Dragon, and it has dragon patterns on it. Be careful when using it, as I fear it might bring trouble." This might or might not happen in the story, but it's best to remind Ruan Li.