"You should stop crying."
But Bai Qingqing didn’t stop. Ning Yan pressed his thin lips together. He had little patience for women sobbing and wailing. Normally, he would have thrown her out and let her cry as much as she wanted.
Yet this time, he sat still for a long while. When Bai Qingqing finally calmed down a little, he even poured her a cup of water. “Have some water and take a break.”
Bai Qingqing shot him a watery gre but didn’t refuse. She took the cup and sipped at it slowly.
“It’s not as bad as you think. Whoever tried to replicate your incense likely cked the skill and failed to recreate its full, overpowering effect…”
Ning Yan paused for a moment before suddenly curving his lips into a smile. “I still owe you a favor. Do you want to use it now?”
At his words, Bai Qingqing instinctively touched her slender waist. Ning Yan caught the movement and was momentarily stunned. “You carry that token with you?”
“I-Is that not allowed?”
Her eyeshes were still damp, her gaze puzzled. Ning Yan suddenly felt a bit parched. He picked up his cup and downed its contents in one go. “Whatever makes you happy.”
Bai Qingqing traced the shape of the jade token with her fingers and shook her head. “I don’t want to use it.”
“You were scared to tears, yet you don’t want to use it? You really want to keep it?”
Bai Qingqing lowered her head but nodded firmly. Ning Yan’s gaze flickered over her waist before he drawled, “Very well. If you don’t want to use it, just keep it. It’s not that serious anyway.”
“Really? There won’t be any consequences?”
“The ws of Xuan Dynasty aren’t so unjust as to punish someone unfairly. For example, if someone wounds another with a knife, they won’t hold the knife maker accountable.”
The most dangerous thing is a heart with malicious intent.
Looking at Ning Yan’s face, Bai Qingqing saw unwavering righteousness. For a brief moment, her heart skipped a beat. Lord Ning, when he was serious… actually looked quite handsome.
After confirming several times that she truly wouldn’t be held accountable, Bai Qingqing finally rexed. Then, she realized something was off. “So, Lord Ning, you were deliberately scaring me just now?”
Ning Yan found it amusing. Was she already trying to settle the score?
“I only told you the truth. If you got scared, that’s on you. What does that have to do with me?”
Bai Qingqing thought about it. That did make sense. She pouted in frustration. But… in two lifetimes, she had never encountered something like this. Even thinking about it now sent a chill down her spine.
“The favor still stands. Keep the token. When you’ve decided how you want to use it, bring it to me.”
Bai Qingqing remembered that her promise hadn’t been used up yet. She couldn’t help but smile. But in Ning Yan’s eyes, that smile took on another meaning.
His brows lifted slightly, and he teased, “Keeping the token makes you this happy?”
He had only meant to joke, but to his surprise, Bai Qingqing nodded earnestly, her tone utterly sincere. “Yes, I’m happy.”
Ning Yan: “…”
For some reason, the corners of his lips twitched upward before he quickly pressed them down again. Taking a deep breath, he averted his gaze from her still-watery eyes and muttered as if talking to himself, “A young dy should at least try to be more reserved.”
“But I really am happy.”
Bai Qingqing’s impression of Ning Yan changed today. He truly was the righteous and loyal Embroidered Uniform Guard officer her brother had described. Maybe she had misjudged him before. Perhaps he really could help the Bai family!
Ning Yan didn’t know what to say. Well, a girl who couldn’t hide her thoughts wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. He just hadn’t expected her to be so bold about this.
“If someone else replicated your incense, would the one you gave me also help counteract its effects?”
“Do you mean ‘Calm Yourself’?” Bai Qingqing tilted her head, thinking. “I suppose it should work. But if I could smell the replicated version, I might be able to create an even more effective antidote.”