Bai Qingqing stared at him, utterly entranced. Her rosy lips parted slightly, eyes wide in a daze.
As Ning Yan spoke, he suddenly reached out, tipped her chin up, and gently closed her mouth. Bai Qingqing snapped out of her trance, her face flushing red. Embarrassed but at a loss for words, she could only glare at him, eyes filled with a mix of reproach and frustration. Ning Yan’s lips twitched slightly at the sight.
"You’re really easy to fool. Do you believe everything people say?"
Bai Qingqing knew he was about to start teasing again, so she looked away without arguing. "I can tell what’s good or bad. You haven’t lied to me."
Ning Yan ran his tongue along the back of his teeth. She wasn’t like before, easily brought to tears by a few sharp words—now she seemed even softer, sweeter, like a tender little rice dumpling that made one want to take a bite.
"You kept praising that man earlier, saying he’s no less than anyone at the poetry gathering. What, have you seen him compete with others? How can you say that with such certainty?"
Bai Qingqing looked puzzled. "It was just my impression. Young Master Pei is well-read, more so than many I’ve met."
"That’s because you haven’t met enough people. A well-read man wouldn’t get things wrong."
Now that was just unreasonable… Bai Qingqing couldn’t understand why Ning Yan suddenly seemed to take issue with Pei Lingshu. Then, as if inspiration struck, she tested the waters: "I’ve met quite a few, actually. Though Young Master Pei falls just a little short of you, he’s already exceptional."
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As soon as she said this, she saw that the disdainful look on Ning Yan’s face—where even his eyes and nose seemed displeased—softened with a trace of satisfaction. His tone, though still dismissive, lost some of its bite. "There’s no comparison between me and them."
She couldn’t help but find it funny and let a small smile curve her lips. "Of course. You’re unmatched in both strategy and strength. No comparison needed."
Pleased now, Ning Yan dropped the sarcasm. "Actually, I’ve been meaning to tell you something. Ever since Suiyun Pavilion started selling those sachets, cases of people using scent to manipulate others in Xuancheng have all but disappeared. This round of trouble is over."
Bai Qingqing was overjoyed. “It’s actually that effective? That’s wonderful! I’ve been so worried about it.”
At last, she felt a sense of peace. “I’ve had several nightmares, always dreaming that I was thrown in prison because of that scent…”
Ning Yan curled his lips, picked up a dish of nuts, and shoved it into her hands. “If you’ve got time for all that nonsense, eat more and put on some weight. A breeze could blow you away, and yet your mind’s always running wild.”
Bai Qingqing frowned at the nuts in her hands, thought for a moment, and put them back. “I can’t crack them. My hands hurt.”
Ning Yan rolled his eyes, dragged the dish in front of him, and started cracking the nuts one by one with a deft pinch of his fingers. Once they were all opened, he slid the dish back to her.
The crisp crackling sound was oddly satisfying. Bai Qingqing suddenly asked, “You didn’t come to the poetry gathering just to tell me this, did you?”
“Heh. I said it was on the way. You think I’ve got that much time to waste?”
Even though, in truth, that was the reason. He hadn’t expected to arrive and see that fox-faced Pei Lingshu putting on his lamb act again—only to find Bai Qingqing looking at him with such admiration.
Since he denied it, Bai Qingqing didn’t press further. She looked happily at the plate of nuts. She really did enjoy them, and now that they were all cracked open, it was easy to pluck the tender meat from within. Smiling brightly, she thanked Ning Yan, then lowered her head and began to eat.
Ning Yan let out a soft snort. So pampered, so careless—she was bound to be tricked one day.