Though Qingque's answer left Bai Heng with a mountain of internal complaints, it was, in fact, absolutely perfect.
So much so that when Jingliu heard it, the corners of her lips curved slightly upwards, her gaze softening.
That expression seemed to be saying to Bai Heng:
"For now, I'll acknowledge this future little sister-in-law."
After the conversation and securing Jingliu's agreement, Qingque didn't stand on ceremony with Bai Heng. She waved over the waiter to add a place setting and simply sat down.
But what Bai Heng didn't know was that General Que's simple act of sitting down was about to land him in hot water.
Very thoughtfully pouring Qingque a cup of tea, Jingliu began a new round of subtle probing directed at the General.
Her tone was even as she spoke:
"Miss Qingque, as I was separated from my elder brother since childhood and have only been reunited after seven hundred years, I'm not very familiar with his affairs. Could you tell me a bit about him?"
Bai Heng: ???
'Doesn't it feel like the backstory is getting more and more convoluted?'
'And... this seems bad.'
A while back, when Firefly was still on the Xianzhou, this little Qingque would often drop by to 'deepen the bond' with her future sister-in-law. In other words, she knew about his relationship with Firefly!
And now.....
Bai Heng gulped. He could only hope this little sparrow would be as sharp as she usually was.
Showing no suspicion towards the backstory Jingliu had just spun, Qingque's small face immediately fell upon hearing her words, her tone tinged with sorrow:
"Reunited after seven hundred years? I hadn't realized there was such a poignant story behind it...."
"But... wouldn't it be simpler to ask Brother Heng directly? Why go the roundabout way of asking me?"
Nice! Bai Heng gave Qingque's logical thinking a hearty thumbs-up in his heart!
'Truly worthy of the future General Qingque! The number one DPS of the Erudition!'
'What? You say 'Prisoner Jing'? Don't know him!'
The faint smile on Jingliu's face didn't fade. Taking a small sip of wine, she continued:
"Some things are just a bit embarrassing to say about oneself, isn't that right, dear eld—er—brother?"
She drew out the last two words slightly, turning her gaze to Bai Heng, her expression kindly.
Under the table, the jade-like hand gently resting on the back of his grew increasingly colder.
It felt like if he dared utter half a word of refusal, his 'five brothers' [fingers] would be going on an impromptu trip.
Helpless, Bai Heng could only force a stiff smile and nod, "Yes, it is a bit embarrassing to talk about myself.... I'll leave it to you, little Qingque...."
As he spoke, he blinked his eyelids rapidly, sending frantic signals.
To be fair, as long-time gambling buddies, Qingque and Bai Heng had a good rapport.
She noticed his meaningful look almost immediately, nodded back at him, and gave him a 'Relax, leave it all to me!' expression!
Then she turned her gaze to Jingliu and said:
"In that case, then... what should I call you?"
"You can call me Baiheng. The 'Heng' from jade pendant."
Bai Heng: .....
'Just how much do you love using that name?'
"Alright~ Miss Baiheng, feel free to ask whatever you want to know. When it comes to Brother Heng's affairs, I wouldn't say I know ten parts, but knowing eight is no problem~"
Patting her modest chest, Qingque radiated confidence.
"Hmm.... Then let's start with his romantic prospects. I'm quite concerned about that aspect of my brother." Jingliu's words were measured.
'Of course it's this question.'
Bai Heng, taking a small sip of tea, was as steady as an old dog inside. When it came to Qingque, he had complete confidence.
After all, this was the master of slacking who thrived under the Divination Commission's Master Diviner, Fu Xuan, a heavyweight with high EQ and IQ! Smoothing things over a little for him would be a piece of cake, right?
Qingque's tone was breezy:
"Heh~ Now this is something to talk about. You should know, Brother Heng is quite the famous handsome young man all around the Exalting Sanctum~"
"The matchmakers and those proposing marriages nearly wore down the threshold of the 'Great Snow King Tea Shop' every day~"
"Pffft!!!"
Bai Heng spat out his tea in a spray, his eyes wide with shock.
'How... does this feel different from what I expected?'
"Brother Heng, what's wrong?" Qingque, interrupted, cast a questioning look his way.
Feeling the chill on the back of his right hand, Bai Heng could only maintain his stiff smile, "It's.... it's nothing, keep going...."
'Huh? Something feels off.'
Noticing Bai Heng's strange reaction, Qingque frowned.
'Could it be that Brother Heng feels my earlier spiel wasn't enough to build up a tall, majestic, and handsome elder brother image in Miss Baiheng's heart?'
'Yikes... I need to step it up a notch!'
Thinking this, Qingque wagged her finger, her expression pleased as she continued:
"Miss Baiheng, you have no idea, even the Sky-Faring Commission's helm, Lady Yukong, has lost her heart to our Brother Heng~"
"According to unverified sources, because Lady Yukong's adopted daughter, Qingni, also secretly pledged her heart to Brother Heng, the mother and daughter pair had a huge fight over it!"
Bai Heng: ??? 'When the hell did that happen? How come I've never heard of it?'
"Oh? I hadn't realized my brother possessed such charm." Jingliu's face was smiling, but her hand was applying pressure.
Combined, Bai Heng felt rather like he was about to be frozen into a human ice sculpture for artistic appreciation.
"That's nothing~" Qingque waved a hand dismissively. "You know the chief representative of the Sky-Faring Commission's Whistling Flames merchant group, Miss Tingyun, right?"
"Last year for Brother Heng's birthday, this Miss Tingyun, just to win a smile from him, spent a full three hundred thousand Strale to have fireworks light up the Exalting Sanctum for a full half hour!"
"That spectacle, wow~ was a sight to behold~"
Bai Heng: ...
'When the #$%^ did that happen!?'
'Are you just making this up as you go along, flapping your lips without a care?'
"And that's not all! Do you know about the Master Diviner from the Divination Commission, Miss Bai Heng?"
Bai Heng: 'You're still not done?!'
"I've heard a little."
"This Fu Xuan, the Master Diviner, the third eye on her brow can perceive future fortunes, discern good and bad luck. When she used the Matrix of Prescience to learn that her own marital fate was not connected to Brother Heng's..."
"She actually journeyed across the cosmos, traversing vast distances to find a secret treasure from beyond the heavens—the 'Thread of Affection'—and forcibly wove a bond of fate between herself and Brother Heng~"
"Such devotion is truly astonishing!"
"Though unfortunately, our Brother Heng already had someone in his heart, wishing only to be a pair devoted to each other for life. He'd already pledged his troth to another~"
Finished, Qingque swayed her head, wearing an expression of genuine regret.
Hearing this, the expression on Jingliu's face softened slightly. "Oh? And is that person's surname Jing?"
"Jing? No, no, it's Liu~ [Firefly]"
(T/N: Firefly's name in Chinese romanization is Liuying, but in this scenario Qingque is inadvertently making a pun about how Liu is the end of Jingliu's name.)
"Are you sure that's correct?"
"Of course I'm sure~ I even chipped in 15 Strale as a wedding gift!"
Bai Heng: ...
'Qingque, for my first anniversary next year, you'd better come celebrate it with me.'
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T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.