Qin Changqing carried a tray of pastries back into the room and slowly walked to the bedside.
Luo Qingyi lay there quietly, her long hair spread across the bed, releasing a faint, refreshing fragrance. Her eyes slowly opened, as if it took all her strength to do so.
“Fairy, you’re awake!”
Seeing that Luo Qingyi had regained consciousness, Qin Changqing let out a sigh of relief.
If his careless actions had caused her injuries to worsen, then everything he had done before would have been in vain.
“What happened earlier was my fault. Fairy, you are magnanimous, please forgive my rash behavior.”
Qin Changqing lowered his head, avoiding her gaze, his voice filled with guilt.
As he spoke, he slowly raised his head and looked at Luo Qingyi with an apologetic expression.
He had poured every ounce of his acting skills into this moment, hoping the fairy wouldn’t see through him.
He quickly turned around and walked to the table nearby, where an exquisite food box was placed.
Holding it with both hands, he returned to the bedside and gently set it down on the small table beside the bed.
“I brought some pastries. See if you like them.”
As he spoke, he opened the box. Instantly, a sweet fragrance filled the air.
Inside, a variety of delicately crafted and beautifully colored pastries were neatly arranged.
He leaned forward slightly, his gaze soft and filled with expectation, hoping she would like what he had prepared.
Luo Qingyi looked at Qin Changqing’s careful demeanor and sighed softly, “If anyone else dared to offend me like this, I would have already drawn my sword and killed them.”
“But Young Master, not only did you save me from the brink of death, you also risked your life to obtain spirit medicine for me. How could I take your life?”
“To do so would go against the principles I uphold. A cultivator must have clarity of mind.”
“You once said that in exchange for obtaining the spirit medicine for me, I would do one thing for you.”
“Now that you have fulfilled your promise, please state your request. Once I recover, I will do my utmost to fulfill it.”
Qin Changqing took a deep breath. From her words, it was clear—she wanted to settle accounts between them. You saved my life, I fulfill your request, and afterward, we part ways without further ties.
He almost laughed in exasperation. After risking so much to save you, how could I let you walk away so easily?
Luo Qingyi… between you and me, this entanglement is destined to last a lifetime. You won’t escape.
“Between us…”
Before he could finish, Luo Qingyi interrupted him, “Young Master, please show restraint. We have only known each other for a day. Kindly state clearly what you want me to do.”
Seeing that she remained unmoved, Qin Changqing had no choice but to change his approach.
He smiled faintly, his tone serious. “Fairy, please hear me out.”
“The repayment I seek for saving you is…”
He paused slightly, then looked straight at her and pointed, “You.”
“I only want you…”
A cold glint flashed in Luo Qingyi’s eyes as anger surged within her. “How presumptuous! Do you even know what you’re saying? Don’t think I will tolerate your insolence again and again!”
Qin Changqing remained calm and raised his hand, signaling her to stay calm. “Fairy, please don’t be angry. Let me finish.”
He smiled gently, his tone sincere. “Please don’t misunderstand. What I want is not your person, nor your body.”
He paused briefly, his gaze steady. “I only ask that you stay by my side and protect me for three months. After that, you are free to leave.”
Luo Qingyi stared at him coldly. A trace of doubt flickered in her eyes, but she did not speak.
Qin Changqing continued, “During these three months, you must follow my arrangements and not act on your own. However…”
His tone softened slightly, offering reassurance. “I know you come from a righteous sect. I will never ask you to do anything immoral.”
“You only need to protect me and help me resolve some minor troubles. If you are unwilling, you may refuse.”
“What do you think? This request is not excessive, is it?”
Luo Qingyi’s expression gradually eased as she weighed the matter in her mind.
Protecting Qin Changqing for three months was no difficult task. As a young master within the royal city, who would dare harm him easily?
Moreover, he was not without skill himself. Why, then, did he insist on keeping her by his side? Though puzzled, she did not voice it.
“Fairy… Fairy, do you agree?” Qin Changqing couldn’t help but press when she remained silent.
Luo Qingyi sighed softly and said, “I agree. Three months. After that, we owe each other nothing.”
In the end, she accepted his request.
Luo Qingyi frowned and shook his hand off, her tone cold. “If you behave so recklessly again, the agreement will be void.”
Qin Changqing smiled awkwardly and quickly apologized, “Rest assured, Fairy. I will not offend you again. If I act improperly, I will accept any punishment without complaint.”
Luo Qingyi gave a light snort, clearly unconvinced.
“By the way, when I was cultivating earlier, why did you fall into my arms? What exactly happened?”
Qin Changqing frowned slightly, his voice filled with confusion.
He paused, his gaze falling on her somewhat pale face, and asked with concern, “And your complexion looks weak, your inner energy unstable. Did your injuries worsen again?”
Luo Qingyi glanced at him indifferently and replied calmly, “When you were cultivating, the spiritual energy fluctuated abnormally. I was worried something had gone wrong, so I went to check.”
She paused, a trace of complexity flashing through her eyes. “But unexpectedly… a powerful suction force emerged from your body, restraining me and continuously draining my spiritual energy.”
Her gaze sharpened as she looked straight at Qin Changqing. “The technique you cultivate… why is it so strange? It does not seem like a righteous method.”
Qin Changqing quickly waved his hands, speaking urgently, “Fairy, please don’t misunderstand! What I cultivate is nothing more than the standard technique used by royal disciples. There’s nothing unusual about it.”
He scratched his head, pretending to think. “As for what happened… perhaps it was caused by the pill I took?”
“A pill?” Luo Qingyi raised a brow. “What pill did you take?”
“The Nine Revolutions Foundation Pill.”
Qin Changqing answered frankly, “A heaven-grade pill that increases cultivation without side effects.”
“So that’s how it is…”
Luo Qingyi murmured softly, but then shook her head.
“No… even though the Nine Revolutions Foundation Pill can greatly enhance cultivation, it should not cause such exaggerated absorption of spiritual energy, let alone that strange suction force.”
If an ordinary person absorbed energy like Qin Changqing had, they would have already exploded.
She stared at him, as if trying to see through his thoughts, but in the end, she only sighed.
“Forget it. Everyone has their secrets. Why should I pry?”
Luo Qingyi said no more, but her mind continued to dwell on the strange phenomenon from earlier.