Bai Qingqing caught a trace of something peculiar—sarcasm laced with uncertainty—in his tone. She blinked. “Before… those were just small favors, not worth mentioning.”
“And now it’s worth mentioning?”
Ning Yan tilted his head, a faint, unreadable smile on his lips. “The favor I owe you was because you helped me. So tell me—do you really think I’m on the same level as that petty thief?”
She was utterly thrown off, flustered, and rushed to explain, “That’s not what I meant! I didn’t think of it like that. Of course he can’t be compared to you, but he tried to harm the Bai family, I—”
Ning Yan clearly had no intention of letting her finish, casually cutting her off. “A debt owed by the Commander of the Embroidered Guards, paid back so easily—does the Bai family think that little of me?”
Bai Qingqing was at a total loss for words. Her outstretched hand instinctively withdrew. “If… if you don’t want it, then forget it. I really didn’t mean it like that. Don’t be unreasonable.”
She pouted, aggrieved and unsure what to do. Truth be told, she was reluctant to part with it. At first, she thought it was just a small token from an officer of the Guards. She hadn’t expected him to be the actual commander. It was like a meat pie had fallen from the heavens into her lap.
Seeing her put the jade token away again, Ning Yan’s expression finally softened. Then he heard her muttering, “It’s not like I can think of anything else to thank you with… I only know how to make incense, and you don’t even like it…”
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Bai Qingqing looked genuinely troubled. This man was so hard to please. Give him a casual gift, and who knew how he might twist it and lecture her again.
“Whether I like it or not doesn’t matter. I’ve seen plenty of people who do. That incense you gave Ning Zhao—he liked it quite a lot.”
Ning Yan’s voice dipped ever so slightly. You wouldn’t catch it unless you were paying close attention. “That incense… it was originally made for him, wasn’t it?”
Bai Qingqing nodded without a hint of suspicion, even looking a little pleased. “He liked it? That’s wonderful. I thought he was just being polite. That blend really does suit him.”
“So when you first came to the Embroidered Guards’ office looking for ‘Lord Ning’—you were actually looking for him?”
Ning Yan stared at Bai Qingqing’s face. A hint of shame flickered in her eyes, and her porcelain cheeks flushed a soft pink, as if she were recalling something embarrassing.
She lowered her head, clearly uneasy. “I didn’t realize I’d made a mistake… I never expected there to be two Lord Nings. It was my fault for not clarifying. I must’ve caused you trouble.”
In the next moment, her chin was seized and tilted upward. Bai Qingqing blinked in confusion at the suddenly close Ning Yan. Though his face remained impassive, she could tell—he was displeased.
“I-I didn’t do it on purpose. It was my fault—I didn’t ask your full name. Please don’t be angry,” she said, her voice soft and coaxing, trying to placate him.
That gentle tone only made the dark glint in Ning Yan’s eyes burn brighter. So she could tell when he was upset—but she thought it was just because she’d mistaken him for someone else?
Well… not entirely wrong.
Her chin began to throb faintly. Bai Qingqing reached up to grasp his wrist, hoping he’d let go. Her hand could only circle half of his wrist, and she couldn’t muster any strength. She ended up patting it lightly instead. “It hurts.”
“Good,” he said. “You mistook me for someone else for so long. A little pain is the least of it.”
His unreasonable air stunned her into silence. But after a moment’s thought, she realized he wasn’t entirely wrong. He was clearly unhappy. And truthfully… it didn’t hurt that much. So she obediently lowered her hand again, though the corners of her brows furrowed ever so slightly on their own.