Chapter 199

Originally, it was said that the thousands of lanterns floating at the starting point of the grand canal in Gaebong District were a magnificent sight.

But alas, as the construction of the martial arts stage commenced with boats sailing on the canal and planks being laid, that scenic view could not be seen.

Still, lanterns were continuing to drift down the tributaries of the canal.

Watching the gentle flow of the lights was quite enjoyable, so Qing hooked her arm around Gongson Yo-ye’s and took a grand lap.

By now, the moon had already risen across the way, marking the hour of the snake.

“Lady Seomun, today was truly delightful. It was my first time drinking, and it was even better because I shared it with you. And the hangover? It was good, and the lanterns on the canal were beautiful. It was great to walk together too. If you wouldn’t mind, if we could do this again next time, I would truly treasure it for three lifetimes—”

“Calm down. It’s late at night, where would you go that’s safe? You should just sleep here tonight.”

“Is it really not an imposition?”

“There were no other guests but me, so what’s the problem?”

Thus, Gongson Yo-ye stepped back into Muchen Pavilion.

Clad in guest robes, lying on the bed made her heart swell with emotions anew. Though it wasn’t her friend’s house, staying at a place similar was also a first.

For Gongson Yo-ye, whose life revolved around training, every experience was a first.

Perhaps that’s why, even lying on the bed, sleep eluded her.

Of course, if Qing were to overhear this, she would chuckle and say that after drinking and being out cold for half the day, it was no surprise she couldn’t sleep.

Gongson Yo-ye lay there, deep in thought.

Could she ask Lady Seomun to talk for a bit? Would that be a bother?

Not being able to sleep was her own predicament, but Lady Seomun must be quite tired today.

Yet, it felt too disappointing to just let a night spent at a friend’s house go by without conversation. Who knew when this chance would come again?

If she asked, the kind Lady Seomun would surely oblige, but then again, she must be tired.

What if she thought she was just a clueless girl for asking?

It was a dilemma of a lifetime for Gongson Yo-ye.

Just as she was wavering, caught in indecision…

The door creaked open slightly, and a familiar face peeked through the gap.

“Lady Seomun? Do you have something to say?”

“Um… Would it be alright to sleep together? The room is spacious and the bed is too, and being alone feels a bit lonely.”

Just as Gongson Yo-ye was about to respond, Qing hurriedly added something.

“I don’t mean anything by it, it’s just that you know, they say true friendship is when friends sleep in the same bed in the Central Plain, right? Recently, it’s felt a bit suspect, but it’s not like it’s a nonexistent story after all.”

In reality, there’s a saying that refers to the concept of ‘same dream, different thoughts.’

It implies that even in the same situation, two people can have different perspectives, expressing it as having different dreams while in the same bed, suggesting that even close friends may not always share the same views.

It indicated that sleeping together among friends was quite common.

Qing peeked through the door with expectant eyes.

“Is it alright to sleep together? I’m not usually like this, but today just feels a bit peculiar…”

“Of course. Honestly, it’s something I’d rather ask for myself. Please, come in.”

“Yes! Now, what’s so great about having friends?”

Qing giggled as she stepped in and burrowed into the blankets on the bed.

The lump under the covers shifted closer, and suddenly, Qing’s head popped up right in front of Gongson Yo-ye.

“Ah, this is nice. It feels good having someone here. Are you uncomfortable at all? If sleeping together bothers you, there’s no need to force it.”

“Not at all. I actually wanted to sleep next to a friend, so I’m more grateful that you suggested it.”

Hearing that, Qing smiled warmly.

“That makes me happy.”

Then, she shuffled around under the blanket, and before long, her steady breathing filled the air.

Though it was Gongson Yo-ye’s first time seeing someone sleep, it was also her first time witnessing someone fall asleep so quickly.

Because Qing had slept well during the day, Gongson Yo-ye couldn’t help but feel a bit envious.

Since it was a rare opportunity to share a night together, she hoped for at least a little chit-chat…

How long did it go on?

Suddenly, something heavy began to lean on her.

“S-Seomun? Uh, your leg…”

Qing, who had been running around all night long, was utterly oblivious, lost in deep slumber atop the luxurious bed.

Qing stirred slightly and turned over, completely leaning against her.

It felt like true sisterhood.

Gongson Yo-ye smiled affectionately as she tried to hug Qing, but suddenly froze at the unexpected sensation at her fingertips.

“Uh, excuse me, Lady Seomun? Uh, why are you…?”

But Qing was fast asleep.

Gongson Yo-ye couldn’t help but try to calm her racing heart as she remained stiff as a board.

—-

Tang Nan-ah had arrived at Muchen Pavilion.

Since she’d heard that Qing was there, she planned to have lunch together and then head to the Dragon and Phoenix Association.

With that intention in mind, she reached the top floor where she spotted the martial artist guarding the corridor doorway.

“Is Qing inside?”

“It seems she’s still asleep. Would you like me to inform her you’ve arrived?”

A sly smile crept onto Tang Nan-ah’s lips.

“Asleep? Heh, then I should wake her, right?”

“Um, sir, if the honored guest is sleeping, it may not be appropriate to disturb her…”

“But I’m her closest friend! You can ask her later. She might even get mad if she finds out I didn’t disturb her!”

“I don’t think she would…”

Yet, the martial artist did not step aside.

Truth be told, even if she was a woman, one shouldn’t let in guests who weren’t permitted by the honored guest.

“Ugh, forget it. Step aside. I’m Tang Nan-ah, Heavenly Flower Tang Nan-ah. I’m the noble daughter of the Sicheon Tang Family, so how dare you block me?”

“Ah, Miss Tang, I’ve been informed to allow you in if you come.”

The martial artist’s expression brightened.

She thought Tang Nan-ah was a nuisance, but it turned out she wasn’t.

Thanks to Qing’s prior notice, this was somewhat a blessing for her, as she wasn’t really a troublemaker.

“Where’s Qing? Oh, there—her shoes.”

Tang Nan-ah’s expression darkened.

There were indeed shoes, but only two pairs.

Of course, Qing had two feet, and there was no way she had a hobby of wearing shoes on her hands, so the two pairs surely belonged to her while the other two didn’t.

Fortunately, they were nicely rounded and were women’s shoes.

“What the hell? Who’s this girl? How dare she!”

Tang Nan-ah kicked the door wide open.

Though Qing usually had sharp ears for sounds, she would be completely asleep if she felt it was a safe place.

The luxurious guest hall at the top of Muchen Pavilion, located within the Martial Alliance, was very secure.

Gongson Yo-ye also had sharp hearing, but she had barely fallen asleep after a sleepless night by the time dawn broke.

Upon spotting two heads stuck together on the bed, sparks flew in Tang Nan-ah’s eyes.

“You two! No, you two!”

Tang Nan-ah yanked on the blanket.

Given the outfits suitable for sleeping, a sudden breeze brushed across their skin, causing Qing to frown and open her eyes.

“Ah, my blanket… What? Nan-ah? Give it back, I’m cold. Not that it’s cold… I just prefer warm things.”

“You! Qing, how could you do this to me! You dodged me when I suggested we sleep together but now you pull another girl into bed!?”

“That’s a bit much, don’t you think? Someone might mistake it for an affair if they overheard.”

“How could you say that!”

“You’re screaming early in the morning… Ah, the sun’s up.”

Qing sat up and scratched her messy hair. Then, she hastily tossed on the nightgown that had gotten crumpled beneath her.

Looking at Tang Nan-ah’s frustrations while catching her breath, Qing burst into a giggle.

“What? Were you feeling jealous? Then, how about we sleep together today? No, it’s perfect timing! We should live together for a while. The place is spacious, and I’ll be bored alone.”

“Eh? Are you serious?”

“Well, I mean, you’ll be with your family every day once you’re back to Sichuan, right? So while you’re in Gaebong, stay with me. Is that bad?”

Tang Nan-ah was taken aback, unable to hide her surprise as a grin spread across her face.

A sense of disbelief brewed in her expression, as it was odd now that Qing, who was usually rather aloof, was looking for her approval?

That made Tang Nan-ah feel rather good.

—-

After spending the night out, Gongson Yo-ye said her goodbyes to head back to her family, while Qing hooked her arm around Tang Nan-ah and entered the Dragon and Phoenix Association.

They weaved through crowds of acquainted merchants as they mentioned a famous woman had arrived, and eventually stopped beside Namgoong Shin-jae, who was praise-singing about the sword.

“Oh, Swordmaster, you’ve come.”

“Yeah. By the way, do you want to have a martial arts duel at Muchen Pavilion? I feel I haven’t been wielding my sword well lately. So I’m thinking about sharpening my skills for a bit.”

“Oh! Has Swordmaster finally gotten serious about swordplay? That’s cause for celebration! What do you say? Shall we have a match right now?”

“Later. I’m not planning on coming after the martial arts meeting. I just thought I’d greet everyone before heading out. Want to join me?”

“Great! I’ve been itching to duel! Wait, no, this isn’t the time! I’ll be warming up at the back, so you mind coming to find me on your way out? Gosh, I need to order wooden swords in front of Muchen Pavilion, huh? You’re prepared, right?”

“Of course.”

Qing chuckled as she presented her sword sheath.

The swordmaster tapped his sword in excitement and dashed out the door.

Tang Nan-ah clicked her tongue beside her.

“He enjoys dueling that much? He must be out of his mind.”

“Better than falling into bad habits, right?”

Then, they started searching for familiar faces again when they spotted Chang-bin’s loud voice among a group of disciples dressed in various uniforms.

“Ugh, this drink tastes terrible. There’s not a single woman in sight. Just a bunch of sweaty men all around. What’s the deal with this gathering? Sipping a drink should be accompanied by ladies serving, don’t you think…?”

“Really? Here, take a glass.”

“Ah! You’re here!”

His politeness was still very awkward.

Qing giggled to herself.

“I’m staying at Muchen Pavilion, so I thought I’d gather some friends there to practice. Come visit, Chang-bin.”

After reminding him that as an elder, he should not disregard such invitations, she continued her quest for acquaintances.

Just then, she wondered if Xiang hadn’t arrived, glancing around curiously, yet oddly enough, she couldn’t see any women in the gathering.

“What happened? Is there a Blue Dragon Association meeting today? All I see are men?”

“I didn’t hear anything about it being held separately today. What’s going on…?”

Tang Nan-ah sounded surprised and let her voice trail off.

The reason would soon reveal itself; upon climbing a flight of stairs, they found all the women gathered in one place.

What in the world was going on? Were they making instant sweets or something? As she stood confused on the landing, the clamor of footsteps suddenly grew louder.

In the next moment, all the women parted, revealing the handsome countenance of the Most Beautiful in the World.

“You’re late, Qing. I knew you’d be slacking off until the sun was high. But seeing your face is nice.”

Surprisingly, he greeted her while abhorring her name, which was seldom mentioned.

Normally, he would only call her ‘you.’

As the eyes of the crowd focused sharply on Qing, a tense atmosphere emerged,

Accompanied by whispers loud enough to catch her attention.

“Qing, is that you? Did you hear?”

“No way, it can’t be!”

“She just called her by name! What’s going on?”

“How could that happen?”

Qing’s heightened hearing caught every whisper resonating, piling on the pressure.

Oh no, this could turn into a poor rumor that would hinder a friend’s marital prospects.

“Ah, Master Peng has arrived. Wasn’t it your style to avoid scenes like this?”

“Well, I had to come at least once. So, did you return well yesterday? I couldn’t help but feel uneasy after you rushed off. You seemed unwell, is everything alright?”

The following gasps were drawn out.

After all, asking if everything had gone well yesterday pretty much implied they had been together.

With the tension rising among the crowd while Qing’s brows began to twitch, it was clear this was going to be a challenging day.

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