Qi didn't pursue Huo Jingsha any further. Instead, he rented a small inn on a relatively quiet street in the capital and prepared to make his move when the opportunity arose. He knew Huo Jingsha wouldn't leave the capital, and finding him later would be a piece of cake. After all, he had been lurking by Huo Jingsha's side for so long before, driven by the needs of a mission, and his desire to kill him was extremely strong. But this time, upon seeing Huo Jingsha, he found that he couldn't muster any killing intent at all, especially after seeing Huo Jingsha's inhuman and ghostly appearance.
But how could he break his promise to Shu Yao? He could keep his promise to a harlot, let alone to Shu Yao.
For a martial arts master like Huo Jingsha, whose skills were on par with his own, taking his life was harder than climbing to heaven if he had no intention of killing him. The two had fought each other twice before, but if he hadn't had some strategy, he and the other members of the organization would have been wiped out long ago.
The only option now is to wait patiently. Assassins have no shortage of patience. Once they seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to kill Huo Jingsha, he will be unscrupulous and show no mercy whatsoever.
Lying in the best room of the inn, Qi closed his eyes and waited for Si Qiao's return. This time, he didn't plan to run away again. Rather than wasting energy on useless things, he would rather focus all his attention on how to deal with Huo Jingsha, preferably quickly. He couldn't afford to waste the rest of his life on this.
The room had been thoroughly cleaned, and the sheets and blankets were all newly changed. Although worn, they were comfortable, clean, and had a faint fragrance. This was all arranged by Si Qiao Q at the instigation of the waiter, knowing that with his obsessive-compulsive disorder, he wouldn't easily lie down in such a place unless it was cleaned to his satisfaction.
In fact, this habit has changed a lot since the addition of Qiao Si. In the past, even when he was on a mission, he would not stay at an inn unless absolutely necessary. He would either spend the night in the wild or find a self-organized branch, and each branch had his own room.
Fortunately, Si Qiao understood him quite well. No matter which inn he stayed at, she would carefully instruct the innkeeper to clean it spotlessly, making him very comfortable.
Just as he was drifting off to sleep, the door creaked open. Without even lifting his eyelids, a fragrant breeze wafted into the darkness, followed by a soft body nestled into his arms. He didn't flinch, nor did he return the embrace. He simply opened his eyes and silently gazed at the rooftop, at the endless distance, and at the beautiful face he tried to recall but could no longer make out.
"Hmph! You're always like this, thinking about other women when you're with him." Si Qiao covered her mouth and yawned, burying her face in his neck and complaining, "Have you ever heard the saying? Whether it's a person or an object, if you get it, you should cherish it. Don't wait until you lose it to regret it."
Qi couldn't help but chuckle at her words; this woman's skin was unusually thick. Even though her words sounded reasonable at first glance—that you should cherish what you have—he had never considered her his possession. He didn't know if she was genuinely confused or pretending; that vow was entirely forced upon her and meant nothing to him. If she were willing to leave his life voluntarily, he wouldn't kneel down and thank her profusely; he'd already done her a favor. And now he regretted it? Dream on!
A moment later, he heard her kitten-like breathing in his arms. For the past few days, Si Qiao hadn't had a proper night's sleep in order to pursue the contract. As soon as she touched the bed, she quickly fell asleep.
For the first time, Qi didn't sneak away while she was asleep. Instead, he turned to his side, pulled her into his arms, and slept with her.
This feeling made him feel very comfortable. In the days since she left, he hadn't been sleeping very well. Now, with her in his arms, he felt at ease! But... a question was deeply troubling him: what exactly did she mean to him?
The next day, a torrential downpour began outside, and then continued for several days, sometimes heavy and sometimes light, as if it would flood the entire city. There was not a soul in sight outside, but Qi showed no anxiety whatsoever; he had learned to be patient long ago.
The inn's woodshed was stocked with plenty of firewood, and the storeroom had enough food and rations to last for a month or two. In fact, for experts like Qi and Si Qiao, it wouldn't be a problem to go without food or water for several days. But since the conditions weren't that bad, there was no need to treat themselves so poorly.
However, it wasn't Si Qiao who prepared the meal, but Qi. Since they started dating, they had spent more time together than together, and Qi had a deep understanding of Si Qiao's cooking skills. How to describe it? Even he, who wasn't picky about food, couldn't accept it. Naturally, he didn't dare let her ruin the already scarce ingredients, so Si Qiao was happy to enjoy Qi's rare "care".
Because once you fall in love with someone, you can't help but care for them. Plus, after so much time, Si Qiao has almost figured out all of Qi's temperament and personality. He has severe mysophobia, which is a result of his profession. From the first day he killed his first person, he felt that he was dirty, that every part of his body was tainted by blood and dirty methods. So he likes to wear white and likes to keep everything around him clean, including himself.
He values promises deeply and is devoted to relationships. Perhaps because he was an orphan from a young age, he harbors a deep longing for unwavering love. Although he can be irrationally obsessive and chillingly cruel, he is also lonely, which makes her feel all the more sorry for him. The more she learns about what lies beneath his outward appearance, the deeper she falls, until now she is hopelessly in love. She wonders if he can sense... that she loves him with her whole heart and soul.
A few knocks interrupted Si Qiao's thoughts, and she got up to open the door.
After she left, Qilijue, who had been sitting cross-legged, felt a sense of relief. How could he not understand her feelings? The lingering look in her eyes when she looked at him said it all. But so what? Putting aside the fact that he already had someone else in his heart, just considering her background—a promiscuous woman who "attracted bees and butterflies" everywhere—how could he possibly have feelings for her? And what he hated most about himself was that he both desired and loathed her body, and each time he was unable to resist.
But after touching her, he would feel an overwhelming sense of self-loathing and would need to wash himself thoroughly to get rid of her scent before he could feel better. Otherwise, he would feel uncomfortable all over. He would never be attracted to a woman like that!
“Miss Qiao, this is... this is the wild rabbit I caught myself…” A man’s stuttering voice came from outside the door. He was clearly nervous. Qi looked up but only saw Qiao’s slender back and the drizzle outside.
"Big brother, you're so diligent! You even go hunting in the rain." Si Qiao's charming and smiling voice reached Qi's ears, igniting a nameless fire in his chest.
"I appreciate your kind gesture. Is there anything else?" She leaned comfortably against the doorframe, showing no intention of letting the visitor in. In fact, even if she did, no one would dare to come in. This had been happening frequently these past few months; every man on the street wanted to get close to her, secretly spying on her, but because of Qi, none dared to cross the line. What they didn't know was that Qi didn't care who she was with.
"N-nothing's wrong. If you want to eat wild game, just... just come find me." The man scratched the back of his head shyly, put the tied-up fat rabbit on the ground, and didn't even have the courage to hand it to her. His figure, wearing a straw hat, turned and disappeared into the rain.
Si Qiao couldn't help but giggle, and sweetly called out to his retreating figure, "Thank you so much, big brother!"
Upon hearing the voice, the man was so delighted he almost jumped for joy. He laughed loudly, turned around, waved, and then ran away in a flash.
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