Sometimes, once the conversation box is opened, words flow easily. Though Ye Lingling was usually cold and reserved, that didn't mean she lacked the desire to talk—or even confide—especially when her companion was someone like Li Chang'an.
As their chat went on, Ye Lingling suddenly said, "Can you… keep the noise down in your room at night?"
Under the black veil, her cheeks flushed red. Despite her aloof nature, speaking of such matters between men and women still made her breath slightly quicken.
Her room wasn't that close to Li Chang'an's, but nighttime was always quiet—and as a spirit master, her hearing was sharp. Almost every night she caught indecent sounds drifting over.
At first she blocked her hearing, trying to train or sleep. But after overhearing several times, she began to feel restless. She didn't even know what that feeling was—only that she shouldn't have it. And yet, all because of Li Chang'an, those nightly "live broadcasts" teased at her ears without pause.
The worst night, she found herself tossing and turning, pressing her legs tightly together, unable to sleep. She tried to shut out the sounds again, but stopped midway… the noises had a strange allure, leaving her both resistant and curious.
Suddenly being confronted like this, Li Chang'an's face flushed bright red. The other girls might curse him as a scoundrel or simply storm in wearing pajamas to join the "bed," but Ye Lingling was an outsider.
"Er… I'll pay attention from now on. I'm sorry." Li Chang'an apologized sincerely, quickening his steps in embarrassment. Too awkward—painfully awkward.
Fortunately, the night market stalls were just ahead. He turned back to Ye Lingling and asked, "What do you feel like eating?"
She paused, looking at the bustling, noisy row of stalls. She had thought Li Chang'an might take her to some grand hotel, not here.
After all, she knew his true identity. Someone of his stature naturally carried an air of nobility. Street stalls like these—many ordinary spirit masters wouldn't even dine here, let alone someone like him.
"What's wrong? Surprised?" Li Chang'an chuckled at her silence.
"Nothing. I just didn't expect you to come to a place like this." Ye Lingling's tone carried no disdain. After all, when she and her teacher had been at their lowest, they'd eaten at such stalls plenty of times.
"Heh. No one is born noble. A little down-to-earth living is good for the soul. Come on."
He led her to a large barbecue stall. Immediately, the owner hurried over to greet them.
"Boss, ten skewers of kidneys, one plate of chive-egg stir-fry, one grilled fish, and five bottles of Shaomai wine!"
Li Chang'an plopped onto a stool, waving like some street thug as he ordered.
Yes, he really did need to replenish himself lately.
Only in a big city like Heaven Dou could such a lively night market thrive. In smaller towns, there wasn't much nightlife at all, let alone stalls like these.
"Boss, a plate of garlic crawfish, five lamb skewers, two bottles of Shaomai wine, and a cold dish platter," Ye Lingling added smoothly, making Li Chang'an blink in surprise.
"You've been here before?" he raised a brow.
Ye Lingling gave a self-deprecating smile. "Before my teacher reached the third ring, our Martial soul was nearly useless. We saved every coin just to bury my grandmaster. Back then, we often ate at places like this."
Li Chang'an nodded, his expression softening. "Don't worry. You won't have days like that again."
Her lips parted as if to speak, but she stayed silent. Just then, the owner arrived with the wine and appetizers. Ye Lingling removed her veil.
Though he had already seen her face, Li Chang'an was still struck by her beauty. Under the night's glow, she looked like a goddess bathed in moonlight.
The food wasn't particularly refined, but that wasn't the point. The night market was about atmosphere—skewers in hand, cold dishes on the table, wine in bottles. This was the flavor of everyday life.
Watching Li Chang'an expertly devour skewer after skewer of kidneys, one foot propped up on a stool like some ruffian, Ye Lingling found it hard to reconcile this image with the undefeated genius she'd seen on the battlefield.
"Cheers!" Li Chang'an lifted his bottle toward her. Ye Lingling's lips curved slightly; she raised her glass in response.
"Pretty girl, why don't you join us for a drink?" A coarse voice cut in. Several burly men sauntered over to their table.
Ah, here it comes—the classic night market scene. Time for the hero to rescue the beauty! Li Chang'an was ready to stand, but Ye Lingling's reaction made him freeze.
She calmly pulled a long metal tube from her storage soul tool and began charging it. A second-tier soul cannon.
"Run."
The men weren't fools. They recognized the weapon—military-grade soul tools weren't for common use. Terrified, they stumbled over each other fleeing, vanishing in less than a minute.
"You're really… self-sufficient, huh." Li Chang'an could only shake his head and return to his skewers.
"My teacher told me: from childhood, one must learn to rely on oneself." Ye Lingling tucked the cannon away, then confidently picked up a lamb skewer, the scene oddly mismatched yet striking.
"To your independence—cheers!" Li Chang'an clinked bottles with her again. This time, to his surprise, she was holding a bottle too.
Though this wine wasn't especially strong, watching a girl drink it straight from the bottle was still a first for him.
"Thank you," Ye Lingling said softly, draining the bottle in one go. Her cheeks flushed a delicate pink.
---
Li Chang'an couldn't recall how long they stayed there. All he remembered was carrying Ye Lingling back afterward. She had drunk even more than he had and, not bothering to use spirit power to sober up, was thoroughly tipsy.
She lay quietly in his arms the whole way back—no drunken nonsense, no slurred confessions. Just a face softened by the faintest smile, her usual aloofness gone.
That night, Ye Lingling understood something: Li Chang'an was no untouchable saint, no being above the mortal world. He was simply a man who could eat skewers, curse casually, and laugh under the glow of streetlamps.
And that realization brought her closer to him than ever before.