“Then why?”

After a moment of silence, Lian Que glanced toward the distance.

He didn’t speak.

Bai Yin suddenly connected this to what he’d said before and understood at once, asking: “For her?”

Her, naturally referring to Ji Yinshu!

Lian Que didn’t deny it, saying earnestly: “Don’t worry, I won’t harm that young lady.”

Ugh!

Bai Yin suddenly stood up.

He retreated several steps, looking warily at Lian Que who was still sitting on the stone steps.

He demanded: “When did you find out?”

Lian Que replied calmly: “Didn’t you already know I’ve been following you? That being the case, how could I not know she’s a woman?”

Saying this, he also stood up.

“What exactly are you trying to do?” Bai Yin demanded.

“I just want to understand one thing.”

“What thing?”

“That young lady… who exactly is she?” Bai Yin’s eyes tightened, his hand already on the short knife at his waist, facing the man before him in a combat stance, saying: “Previously you injured me once, and I injured you once. You helped us, so I returned the sword to you—we’re even. But if you dare do anything else, I’ll kill you right now.”

A threat!

Lian Que knew very clearly in his heart that no matter how much goodwill he showed, the person before him would not let down his guard, much less regard him as a friend.

This wasn’t strange—after all, they had indeed had misunderstandings before!

“Bai Yin, I’ll say it again: I won’t harm you. Just tell me what your purpose is in coming to Gaoding, and… that young lady’s identity. I promise I won’t follow you anymore.”

What a huge joke!

Bai Yin’s eyes revealed a trace of killing intent as he said: “Whatever your purpose is, I won’t tell you!”

“…”

“Also, the blade of the sword in your hand is carved with a peacock. In Huyi, only royalty and high officials have items carved with peacock patterns! So who exactly are you? And what exactly do you want?”

“Forgive me for not being able to tell you!” Lian Que responded directly.

Bai Yin gave a cold laugh. Lian Que said: “After these few encounters, I believe you should be very clear that I’m not your enemy at all! I can also guarantee I absolutely won’t harm you. Otherwise, at the Third Prince’s Manor, I simply wouldn’t have saved you—I could have just stood aside and watched as those guards surrounded you. Moreover, as long as you need it, I’m willing to help you unconditionally.”

Very sincere!

But were there really such good things in this world?

Pies falling from the sky are always poisonous!

And—

Bai Yin absolutely couldn’t tell this person before him their purpose for coming to Gaoding.

So he said: “I don’t want to fight you! Now that I’ve returned the sword to you, hurry and leave.”

“Bai Yin…”

“Before I regret it, go!”

Lian Que didn’t want to be his enemy. Under these circumstances, he could only temporarily leave.

After walking sideways a few steps, he stopped again!

He said to Bai Yin earnestly: “I hope you can understand one thing—we… are not enemies but friends!”

Not enemies but friends.

Bai Yin’s gaze met his.

At this moment, he seemed able to feel Lian Que’s sincerity.

No killing intent!

No schemes!

So much so that his wariness toward Lian Que suddenly lessened somewhat.

He responded: “Whether we’re enemies or friends isn’t for you to decide! In any case, we don’t want to have any entanglements with you.”

Lian Que felt somewhat disappointed.

He had shown goodwill to this extent, yet still couldn’t gain the other party’s trust.

But he could only let it go.

He said: “Since that’s the case, I have nothing more to say. Farewell.”

Having said this, he was about to leave, but after just a few steps, he suddenly stopped again.

He turned to look at Bai Yin.

He saw that man standing under the falling fine snow, the light from the surrounding lanterns making him appear flickering and indistinct, a pair of tightly focused eyes also staring at him.

That gaze was too familiar!

He said: “Do you know, you look very much like an old friend of mine.”

Hm?

Bai Yin wanted to speak but hesitated…

But Lian Que gave a bitter laugh: “It’s just that I don’t even know if he’s alive or dead now.”

“He? Who is he?”

“Someone who might change the entire Huyi dynasty!”

“Uh…”

Lian Que gave another bitter laugh: “But you can’t possibly be him.”

Using a very certain tone.

Also telling himself over and over in his heart that this person before him and A Jin merely had similar gazes, nothing more.

Before Bai Yin could react, Lian Que had already leaped up.

Disappearing into the quiet night still falling with white snow.

After watching that figure disappear, Bai Yin gradually loosened the hand he’d placed on the short knife at his waist.

Actually, he had just wanted to say that he seemed to have seen Lian Que before, and even that sword in his hand—he seemed to have seen it too.

But before the words reached his lips, that person had already left!

Little did he know…

Right at the corner of the corridor, Song Zhi stood there.

At this moment, he held a warming brazier in his hands!

He had originally planned to bring it to Bai Yin, but had inadvertently witnessed the earlier scene.

Naturally, he had also heard the conversation between Bai Yin and Lian Que.

That elegant and refined Ji Gongzi was a woman?

His eyes showed surprise—he hadn’t recovered from the shock yet!

He only felt his heart beating violently, unable to calm down no matter what.

Yet strangely, he felt somewhat secretly pleased.

A stirring hidden deep in his heart was beginning to move restlessly.

Just at this moment, Lang Bo returned.

Holding two jars of wine in his hands.

Seeing this, Song Zhi immediately retreated to the side, carrying the warming brazier and quietly leaving…

Lang Bo saw Bai Yin standing in the courtyard. Walking over, he asked: “What are you standing there for? Look what I brought! Two jars of wine. While the Prince and Miss Ji haven’t returned yet, let’s have a few drinks first.”

Bai Yin snapped back to attention!

But he said nothing, only silently walking to the stone steps where he’d sat before, taking one jar of wine from Lang Bo’s hands.

He drank on his own.

Looking troubled!

Lang Bo was puzzled—he’d only been gone a short while. What happened to this guy?

When he looked more carefully, he discovered that the exquisite sword in Bai Yin’s hand was no longer there, and the snow in the courtyard had many more footprints.

He understood immediately!

“That person already came?”

Bai Yin gave an “mm” sound!

He continued drinking.

Lang Bo was unhappy, furrowing his brows and asking: “Did you fight?”

Shook his head.

“What did you say?”

Shook his head!

“So you just let him leave like that?”

Nodded! Lang Bo was dissatisfied with his nodding and shaking, reaching out to snatch back the wine jar from his hands, saying: “I’m telling you, you’re really strange. You and Miss Ji are clearly real siblings—how can your personalities differ so much? At least Miss Ji isn’t cold like you. My Prince’s heart has been warmed by Miss Ji, but you—you’re so cold you’re about to become a block of ice.”

Pfft—Bai Yin finally laughed.