Chapter 199.2  - A Lofty Ideal

199.2 – A Lofty Ideal

As soon as she walked out of the small building, Xue Qilin sneered.

“What brings you here?”

With a humorless look in her eyes, Xue Qilin stared at the figure not far away and stopped.

“Let me make it clear, I awfully angry right now. Do you perhaps want to be burned to ashes by my anger? Luo Little Hong.”

After a moment of silence, Luo Hong sighed silently.

— I have advised you again and again.

That’s probably what he wants to convey. Xue Qilin guessed calmly.

“Lady Xue, although the Gong Mansion’s bedding is considerably valuable, but it’s against the law to steal. If Lady Xue returns it, then this one will behave as if nothing happened. What does Lady Xue think?”

Luo Hong’s statement made Xue Qilin raise her eyebrows.

With his Heaven Realm perception, it is absolutely impossible that Luo Hong is not aware of Gong Tianqing’s presence, not to mention that Gong Tianqing is still struggling and making sounds. Even an ordinary person could easily sense it.

Even so, he still defined Xue Qilin’s action as “stealing” rather than “abducting”. He should have something else in mind.

Is he shielding me? When this thought popped up in her head, Xue Qilin’s gaze aimed at Luo Hong suddenly became strange.

However, even if Xue Qilin had guessed right and Luo Hong intends shield her, Xue Qilin can only decline his kindness. In any case, it is impossible for her to return the “quilt”.

“Heh, but I must have this quilt.” Xue Qilin caresses the quilt happily, “Look how comfortable the material is. It’s hundreds of times better than the quilts in the Snow-facing Abode.”

“Lady Xue is not willing to concede no matter what?”

“Oh, yes — hey, you mentioned it earlier, so why are you assuming an expression of incredulity?”

“No, this one just –”

Xue Qilin raised her hand and interrupted Luo Hong’s apology.

“I’ll leave the quilt, but take the person inside, how about it?”

“… Lady Xue wants to trample on this one’s kindness?”

Maybe because he felt that he is being toyed with, Luo Hong’s tone became harsh.

“Kindness?” Xue Qilin sneered, “If you really have kindness towards me, then could you please be nice? Don’t constantly ruffle my feathers, like when you abducted Little Qing.”

“Young Lady Gong went with this one voluntarily.”

That’s probably true. Xue Qilin thought.

According to Gong Tianqing’s character, Luo Hong only had to tell her the truth about her brother for her to most likely go with him voluntarily. What’s more, if Gong Tianqing didn’t want to go, she only had to make some noise, and she would have alarmed Ye Zhen or Xue Qilin.

“Really, Little Qing is coming with me voluntarily as well.” Xue Qilin patted the quilt, “Right, Little Qing?”

Xue Qilin gazed at Luo Hong again and proceeded to talk to herself.

“Oh, look, Little Qing is silent. Silence means tacit agreement.”

This is pure sophistry.

Since Gong Tianqing’s mouth is gagged, she can’t answer. Besides, when Xue Qilin talked to herself just now, the other party struggled more fiercely, obviously protesting Xue Qilin’s actions.

Of course, Luo Hong didn’t miss her protest.

“Then this one can only attend to business.”

He can’t back down? Xue Qilin’s mood is a little complicated.

“You told me where Little Qing was and advised me not to act recklessly, so why can’t you treat it as if you haven’t seen me, as if nothing happened?”

“I can’t.”

Bearing the gaze of half suspicion and half lament, Luo Hong shook his head slowly yet forcefully.

“Public is public, private is private.”

“In that case, why did you send us a letter, why did you tell us Little Qing’s whereabouts to begin with?”

If Luo Hong didn’t inform the Merak Temple about Gong Tianqing’s whereabouts, Xue Qilin would probably not have broken into the Gong Clan and confronted Luo Hong right now.

“This one was only told to meet Young Lady Gong, yet did not receive the order not to divulge the information.”

What a distinction between public and private! Xue Qilin laughed in spite herself.

“You must be one of those problematic subordinates who often gives their superior a headache.”

“Maybe he will transfer this one back because of this, so as to avoid this one making trouble outside.”

Unexpectedly, Luo Hong still has a sense of humor. Xue Qilin is surprised.

“Hey, you can actually give your superior a bit more of a headache.”

“Oh, for instance?”

Xue Qilin shrugged when she heard Luo Hong’s question.

“For instance, let me go.”

“Makes sense.”

Luo Hong crossed his arms and nodded in agreement.

So easy to deal with? Xue Qilin is a little astonished.

“Then I take my leave first?”

Xue Qilin, who thought that things have turned for the better, had just taken a step, when Luo Hong raised his hand to signal her to stop.

“Lady Xue may leave, but the thing in Lady Xue’s hand has to stay.”

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth? Xue Qilin squinted unhappily.

“… are you kidding me?”

Luo Hong shook his head, then said, insensitive, “Although this one is on friendly terms with Lady Xue, but if Lady Xue tries to challenge the law, this one can’t just sit back and ignore it.”

“Oh, that’s funny. Are there few people in the world who challenge the law? Why are you focusing on me?”

Xue Qilin scoffed at Luo Hong’s statement.

“We all know the reason. To put it bluntly, isn’t it because of the Gong Clan?”

If it was some powerless clan instead, the State Guard would never have sent a commander to intervene.