The morning mist lingered, honey-gold rays bathing the lake with a warm light.
Three beautiful women stood by the lake, looking like angels in the fantasy-like lighting.
Yan Lingqing regarded the approaching Lu Qing'er with faint interest. This girl had clearly been interested in Li Luo since their time together in the Tianshu Province.
Still, it was not unexpected. Considering what Li Luo brought to the table, it would be stranger if girls were uninterested in him.
This Lu Qing'er was something special. She had not backed down upon seeing Jiang Qing'e, instead coming up to them. It spoke of inner pride and self-confidence.
Enough to consider herself worthy of taking on Jiang Qing'e and the legacy she had.
Besides, Jiang Qing'e and Li Luo were engaged. If Lu Qing'er had feelings for him, she should be feeling guilty right about now, so coming up to them was a surprising move indeed.
Yan Lingqing could feel a slight stirring of excitement. Another entertaining show was about to begin.
"Qing'er, were you at Li Luo's?" Jiang Qing'e asked neutrally.
Lu Qing'er inclined her head. This meeting was no coincidence. Jiang Qing'e might have seen her and Yu Lang headed for Li Luo's earlier.
"We went to meet Li Luo and his squad," she replied.
"You don't look too happy," Jiang Qing'e said with a faint smile. "Is that because Li Luo is as responsive as a fish carved out of wood? It's very normal. He's still young, and you two have been close for a while. If the topic isn't breached directly, I'm afraid he won't make the leap to realize that you have romantic feelings for him."
Yan Lingqing's eyebrows shot up. Jiang Qing'e's opening move was insanely daring, cutting straight to the heart of the matter.
A lower-born opponent might have fainted from that statement.
Lu Qing'er was indeed a little ruffled, but she still looked like she was in control. She gave a small nod of confirmation. It looked like she indeed had the mettle to take on a queen.
"What are you trying to say, Senior Qing'e?" Lu Qing'er asked slowly.
Jiang Qing'e's golden eyes regarded Lu Qing'er in turn. "I think it was you who had something to say?"
Lu Qing'er shook her head. "I don't, really. If Senior Qing'e is trying to tell me to back down because you are engaged to Li Luo, then I'm sorry to say that I can't oblige."
Yan Lingqing's fingers curled in anticipation. Lu Qing'er was even better than she had expected. A counter attack against the wife-to-be?
Hoo!
"Oh? Why is that?" Jiang Qing'e asked, interest piqued.
Lu Qing'er fearlessly looked into her golden eyes. "Because your engagement is a loveless one. Perhaps Senior Qing'e knows best just how much of it was born of gratitude to Li Luo's parents.
"I'm not saying that you have no feelings for Li Luo. Conversely, perhaps he holds an important place in your heart. A place more important than romance.
"You are not blood-related, and yet maybe you think of him as an irreplaceable part of your family. For him, you would do anything. Perhaps even more so than I."
Lu Qing'er paused. "But... that is not what marriage is about. Senior Qing'e, you like Li Luo. But you also do not like Li Luo. At least not right now."
Masterful!
Yan Lingqing whooped inwardly. This Lu Qing'er was no slouch, delivering an incisive emotional riposte straight to Jiang Qing'e's heart. As Jiang Qing'e's best friend, she knew best that Jiang Qing'e valued Li Luo more than her own life. But... she had yet to really be romantically moved.
This was not Jiang Qing'e's fault. And perhaps she had never taken romantic relationships seriously.
After all, what more could even be done to strengthen the bond between her and Li Luo?
Still, emotions were complicated, and it was clear that Jiang Qing'e had not fully sorted out the complexities of her relationship with Li Luo.
Jiang Qing'e's eyes widened at Lu Qing'er's words. "And so?" she said mildly.
"And so you should take the lead and annul the engagement, if you truly care about Li Luo."
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login