Chapter 549 - 243: The Old Affairs of Tingtao
Chapter 549: Chapter 243: The Old Affairs of Tingtao
She stood in the corner by the door like a kicked puppy, mumbling for a good while before finally speaking:
"I... I can just sit on the stool..."
"Fine."
Fang Shuwen waved his hand dismissively.
"Do as you please."
He hadn’t known what it felt like to lie in a bed for several days.
Luo Shuqing always hogged his bed.
Today, he really didn’t want to sit on the stool again, so he simply sat cross-legged on the bed with no intention of leaving.
Luo Shuqing watched him for a moment, then, after some thought, quietly sat down on the chair.
Time slowly passed. At first, she managed to sit still.
But gradually, she started fidgeting as if she had ants in her pants, shifting back and forth.
The chair was too hard. After sitting for so long, her whole body ached, even with a backrest.
She wanted to sneakily stand up and stretch, but seeing Fang Shuwen meditating, she hesitated for a long time, not daring to disturb him.
In the end, she fell asleep slumped over the desk.
Fang Shuwen opened his eyes a crack, glanced at Luo Shuqing, and slowly closed them again.
Luo Shuqing slept for less than an hour before nearly rolling off the chair as she shifted.
She shot her head up and reached out to straighten her crooked mask.
She rubbed her waist, seeming to be in some pain.
Looking back at Fang Shuwen, his posture hadn’t changed at all; he didn’t seem to have been disturbed by her.
Only then did she take a deep breath and cautiously approach the bed.
She squeezed into the empty space beside Fang Shuwen, flopped onto the bed, and let out a long sigh.
Drowsiness washed over her, and in the blink of an eye, the night had passed.
But Fang Shuwen, who had been meditating at the head of the bed, was nowhere to be found.
Luo Shuqing shot up in bed, her gaze sweeping the room. With one hand, she pushed off the mattress and landed on the floor.
After a brief pause, she pushed open the door and walked out.
The sound of conversation reached her ears:
"The Young Pavilion Master is certainly a prodigy, but it seems the Second Miss’s Martial Arts are even a step above his?"
"You flatter me, Young Master Fang. When it comes to natural talent and comprehension, how many in this world can compare to you?"
Luo Shuqing recognized the voice. It was Suhe Lan.
’Fang Shuwen woke up early just to go chat with Suhe Lan?’
Luo Shuqing paused again, then walked toward the source of the voices.
Not far off, she saw an elegant room with its door open.
The window was open, offering a view of the sea outside.
The pleasant aroma of tea filled the air. Suhe Lan sat across from Fang Shuwen, reaching out to pour him some tea.
Hearing footsteps, they both looked toward the door.
Luo Shuqing stopped in her tracks and lowered her head, her fingers clutching the hem of her dress. She said softly:
"I... I woke up, and... and you were gone... I thought... I thought..."
Fang Shuwen smiled.
"I woke up early to stretch my legs, and the Second Miss invited me for tea.
"Since you’re here, why not join us?"
Luo Shuqing shook her head.
"N-No, thank you... I... I’m fine standing."
She walked cautiously into the room and stood behind Fang Shuwen.
Suhe Lan gave Luo Shuqing a strange look. ’This person is quite different from the rumors,’ she thought.
’The station of the Young Miss of Qingxiao Pavilion is so revered, after all.’
’Why is she standing behind Fang Shuwen now like some bullied little maid?’
’And what did she mean by what she said just now?’
’Were they... in the same room last night?’
’I clearly arranged a separate room for her...’
As this thought crossed Suhe Lan’s mind, she smiled apologetically.
"Ah, I see. That was my oversight. I should have arranged a larger room for the two of you to rest."
Luo Shuqing glanced up at Suhe Lan, then quickly lowered her head again, saying nothing.
Fang Shuwen just chuckled.
"Second Miss, you misunderstand. I was entrusted with the task of protecting Miss Luo.
"It’s not what you think...
"As you know, Miss Luo has had a frightful journey. Perhaps being with me makes her feel a little more secure."
Realization dawned on Suhe Lan, and she sighed softly.
"Xiaochen was also very timid when he was young. When he couldn’t sleep at night, my older sister and I would take turns comforting him."
"You mean... Sister Suhe Jing?"
"Yes."
Suhe Lan nodded, a hint of sadness and nostalgia on her face.
Seeing this, Luo Shuqing asked in a low voice:
"That matter... is there still no news?"
Fang Shuwen glanced back at Luo Shuqing.
"What do you mean by that?"
Luo Shuqing said quietly:
"About ten years ago... Sister Suhe Jing, she... she disappeared."
"Disappeared?"
Fang Shuwen looked to Suhe Lan, who nodded slightly. He couldn’t help but feel astonished.
"Even with Tingtiao Pavilion’s prestige and power in the East Sea, you couldn’t find her?"
"That’s right. We can’t find her. We just can’t find her anywhere."
Suhe Lan murmured:
"We’ve been searching for ten years...
"The great Tingtiao Pavilion, one of the Eight Forbidden Lands, can’t even find a single person.
"It’s truly laughable."
At this, she let out a heavy sigh, clearly not wanting to dwell on the subject. She forced a smile and said:
"Let’s not talk about my family’s troubles."
Fang Shuwen nodded slightly. It wasn’t his place to press for details on something she was unwilling to discuss.
’If I really want to know, I can just ask Luo Shuqing later.’
Just as he was about to change the topic, he heard hurried footsteps approaching. This time, it was Suhe Chen who entered.
He first glanced at Suhe Lan, seeming to relax with a sigh of relief when he saw she was unharmed. Only then did he turn to Fang Shuwen and break into a grin.
"Greetings, Brother Fang."
Fang Shuwen found it a bit amusing.
"What has the Young Pavilion Master in such a hurry?"
"A hurry... No, not at all."