Chapter 41 - Leng Jin Yu Told Me (1/2)

While the god of war, Qiang Yan, had gotten a precise and complete account of everything pertaining Shun Tao's mission and had already decided to get to the bottom of this, Shun Tao himself was still trying to get everything out of a depressed Hong Bao.

Shun Tao stared at her, his hands nervously clenching and unclenching in his sleeves. If she had found out something — just a little bit even — he might know the culprit today. He might be able to go to the heavenly emperor and confess his mistakes, while simultaneously presenting him with the name of the culprit and appropriate countermeasures to get Zhong Jing Yi's fate on track again and let crown prince Jing He pass his trial in the mortal world.

Unfortunately, Hong Bao knew nothing of his problems and she felt far from happy. She had wanted to spend time with him, but not like this. As a result, she kept mum.

Shun Tao grew more anxious with each moment. ”Hong Bao, what exactly did you find out?”

”Not much.” She fell silent again after that. He hasn't even offered me a cup of tea. He just wants to know about the mission and then he'd love for me to go as fast as possible.

But why? I didn't do anything! I can't have left such a bad impression on him, can I? Is it really, that he doesn't like women? Or no, is it rather, that he hates women? Does he despise me because of that?

Thinking of how she'd never be able to get together with her true love, her lips started quivering and her hands trembled in her sleeves. Shun Tao still didn't notice. He was clenching Jing He's scroll of fate, imagining the next gap, that might grow. His lack of reaction distressed Hong Bao even more.

Without any other heads-up, her shoulders started shaking, she clasped her hands over her face and started crying.

Her heart wrenching sobs managed to pull Shun Tao out of his thoughts. He looked at her, stupefied. ”That … Hong Bao, what happened?”

Instead of an answer, Hong Bao stood up, turned around and ran out of his study, still crying. Shun Tao's gaze followed her. What exactly … had just happened?

”Ah … Hong … Hong Bao?” He waited, but there was no response. She really seemed to have run away.

Shun Tao rubbed his brow, stood up and followed her outside. He didn't know, what he had done wrong, but he at least knew, that he couldn't just let her go like that. He found her in the courtyard of the scribe's palace. She squatted near the wall, seemingly neither wanting to stay nor wanting to go.

Shun Tao sighed. He didn't have the time to care about this. But what was to be done? He also couldn't ignore her. Even if it hadn't been for her help: Shun Tao believed, that seeing a woman running away in tears after you were talking to her, was more than enough reason to care. He had to at least talk about it.

He squatted down next to her, likewise facing the wall. He didn't speak for a while, just listening to her sobbing. They didn't really know each other, so he didn't have a good grasp on how to approach the problem. The direct way should be the best in this case?

Shun Tao bent a little forward and tried to let his voice sound a little gentler. ”What's wrong, Hong Bao?”

Unfortunately, the girl only cried harder.