"Why are you up so early?" Tan Huizhong questioned Bohai.
Bohai, who had stayed up all night in order to sneak in when everyone else left for the capital, shrugged his shoulders in response to Huizhong. He was too tired to speak, and even if he wasn't, he wasn't sure he could talk to him.
He was sure that Tan Huizhong hadn't been the source for his entire clan being killed. But, he couldn't be a hundred percent sure.
"Grand Master," Tan Pengfei spoke to his father, "We must leave now or we'll be late."
Tan Huizhong nodded his head and followed after his son. He looked back at Bohai, who seemed different than before, but shrugged it off and left the estate with everyone else.
Not a single person remained in the Tan estate, other than Chen Bohai. With the entire day to himself, he decided to train in something only he could do. He returned to the pond where he had somehow healed himself a month prior.
-
"What're you still doing here?" Ma Zemin asked a still working Xu Qingling. She didn't know how to respond, so she instead stared at him guiltily. "Go out! The Tan family is throwing a party, go, go, go!"
Xu Qingling had no choice but to leave the restaurant after her boss instructed her too, so she reluctantly left.
She knew no one in the city, other than Ma Zemin, so she walked around the crowded capital all alone. She didn't want to go to the celebration, but as she walked around by herself she was beginning to have fun.
There were all kinds of foods and attractions that she'd never tried before. And everything was free - paid by the Tan household.
While walking around, she was unconsciously looking for someone. A tall, handsome, boy her age that was her ideal type. But, no matter how hard she looked, she couldn't spot him anywhere. She didn't want to admit that she was looking for him, or that she was disappointed that he was nowhere to be seen, so she distracted herself with all the never-before-seen stuff.
"Cook!" An old voice rang in the air. Immediately, Qingling recognized the snappy voice of Tan Huizhong. She happily turned around to greet him, but was disappointed when she saw Tan Duyi besides him - not Bohai. "How is everything so far?"
"Its good."
"Bohai couldn't come, but Duyi can keep you company." Huizhong offered with a teasing smile. Before Qingling, or Duyi, could object, the old man had disappeared within the crowd. He left the two people to talk amongst themselves, and it became awkward very fast.
"Sorry I'm not who you wanted." Duyi teased.
"I wasn't expecting anyone specific." Qingling retorted. But as she heard herself speak, she wasn't sure she was being exactly honest. It almost sounded as if she was telling that to herself, not the annoying Tan Duyi.
"Then, I guess your not disappointed?"
"No. Of course not." Qingling lied.
"Then, shall we try that thing over there?" Tan Duyi pointed to the largest attraction in the city. It was a haunted house.
"Sure."
The two entered the house confidently, but left frightened and laughing. After the first jump scare, the distance between them had closed. And after the third, Duyi had flickered away while Xu Qingling brought out her knives and threatened everyone who came at her.
Both of them were laughing as they exited with goosebumps all over their bodies. Afterwards, they didn't hesitate to go play more games. The two spent the entire night together, while genuinely laughing together. As it got late, they even began to have more serious conversations.
After what seemed like a fun night for both of them, they both didn't know how to part. It hadn't been as bad as either of them thought it'd be, in fact, it had been ten times more fun.
"I had a really great night with you tonight." Duyi said with his charming, awkward, smile.
"Me too." Xu Qingling replied shyly.
"Maybe next time you can cook the restaurant's improved best dish for me?"
"I'd love to."
Tan Duyi opened his mouth to say more, but stopped when he made eye contact with his father. Tan Pengfei's disparagement was as obvious as the moon was in the sky. Immediately, Tan Duyi closed his mouth and nodded goodbye to Xu Qingling, before tagging along at the back of the Tan party.
He looked back once, before disappearing behind the city's walls, and his eyes locked with Qingling's brown eyes. Their gazes only met for a fraction of a second, but it was as if an entire minute passed before Tan Duyi looked away.