Qinghe watched their astonishment and smiled, then said to Nata, who was closest to her, "Nata, you seem to be treating me more like a stranger these days. You weren't like this before."
Nata was taken aback. It seemed that after they had survived a brush with death together, she used to chatter like a talkative person, overly lively. But back then, she didn't understand Qinghe, and now that she did, her feelings toward Qinghe were not only of fondness and loyalty, but also a faint sense of inferiority, which prevented her from behaving naturally around the lofty Qinghe.
Qinghe seemed to see through her thoughts and patted her shoulder, "I am still me, and you owe me nothing. It's because of your abilities that I give you these opportunities. To be precise, you are earning your keep through your own abilities."
