TRWSB – Chapter 185 The so-called jealousy

“Master Zuo,” Jiang Qinxin walked up to the grim-faced Zuo Yunfei.

“What is it?” Zuo Yunfei asked, a bit impatiently.

“Is Young Master Heng… alright?” Jiang Qinxin asked.

Zuo Yunfei turned his head, looking suspiciously at Jiang Qinxin. With displeasure, he said, “Why are you asking about him? Have you fallen for him? He only likes Qi Shaorong.”

Jiang Qinxin gave a helpless smile at Zuo Yunfei’s words. “No. It’s just that Qi Heng is technically my cousin, so I’m a bit concerned about him.”

Zuo Yunfei looked at Jiang Qinxin and asked, “Qi Heng is from the Jiang family?”

Jiang Qinxin nodded. “Yes. It seems there’s some misunderstanding between him and our family.”

Zuo Yunfei was full of curiosity. “Oh? What misunderstanding?”

Jiang Qinxin hesitated for a moment. Seeing this, Zuo Yunfei grew annoyed. “Can’t talk about it?”

Jiang Qinxin chuckled. “It’s nothing much. When he was young, he had sticky fingers, so the Jiang family expelled him.”

“He stole things?” Zuo Yunfei asked.

Jiang Qinxin nodded. “Yes.”

Zuo Yunfei let out a cold laugh. “With someone like him, it’s no surprise he’d steal. I didn’t expect he was already like that as a child.”

Jiang Qinxin couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed, seeing that Zuo Yunfei’s thoughts were entirely on Qi Heng.

Qi Heng walked out from the temporary residence. A few people from the Jin Kingdom had built a fire and were roasting wild game. Tang Tianying sat alone to the side.

Jiang Qinxin glanced at Qi Heng a few times as he came out.

Qi Heng’s complexion was pale, his whole demeanor giving off an air of decadent beauty, like someone who had been ravaged.

“Young Master Heng, want something to eat?” Jiang He, beside Jiang Qinxin, offered.

Qi Heng looked at Jiang He and replied coolly, “No, thank you.”

He went off to sit by himself. Zuo Yunfei, arms akimbo, strolled over to stand in front of him. Qi Heng’s figure was completely covered in Zuo Yunfei’s shadow.

Zuo Yunfei looked down at him. “You don’t look so good.”

Qi Heng glanced up. “Whether I look good or not has nothing to do with you.”

Zuo Yunfei turned his face away. “Someone like you—a pretty boy with no real skills—should just stay at home. Why even bother showing your face out here?”

Qi Heng stared at him. “Master Zuo, with how chatty you are, you might as well go work at a teahouse telling stories. What are you even doing here?”

Tang Tianying: “……”

Watching the two clash again, Tang Tianying rubbed his nose. He truly couldn’t figure out what exactly their relationship was.

Zuo Yunfei sat down beside Qi Heng. “I just found out something—turns out you were a little thief when you were young.”

Qi Heng locked eyes with him. “Who told you that?”

Zuo Yunfei replied, “Does it matter? It’s not slander, is it?”

“No, it’s not,” Qi Heng said with a cold laugh. “You should know by now—someone like me, low-class and unscrupulous, nothing I do should surprise anyone. Sticky fingers? That’s minor. I’ve even killed and looted plenty. What, are you here to bring me to justice?”

Zuo Yunfei smirked. “Justice isn’t really my thing. I’m just curious—if you’re so untrustworthy, why does Qi Shaorong still use you? Doesn’t he worry you’ll steal him blind?”

Qi Heng chuckled. “The Young Master’s family is rich beyond measure. He doesn’t care whether I steal or not. His generosity is something you common people could never understand.”

Zuo Yunfei looked at him. “You really admire him, huh?”

Qi Heng smiled. “Who wouldn’t?”

Zuo Yunfei: “……”

“Ah Heng!” A voice called from a distance.

Qi Heng’s spirit visibly lifted. The figures of Qi Shaorong and Zhuang Hao came into view.

Seeing them, Tang Tianying breathed a sigh of relief.

“Young Master,” Qi Heng stood up immediately and walked over to Qi Shaorong.

Zuo Yunfei coldly watched Qi Heng’s back, a dark shadow lingering in his eyes.

“Ah Heng, are you alright?” Qi Shaorong looked at his face with concern.

Qi Heng nodded. “I’m fine.”

“You’re not hurt, are you? You don’t look well.” Qi Shaorong frowned.

“Thanks to Master Zuo, nothing happened,” Tang Tianying chimed in.

Qi Shaorong nodded at Zuo Yunfei. “Thank you for looking after Ah Heng.”

Zuo Yunfei stood with his arms crossed, eyes sharp as blades as he stared at Qi Shaorong. He didn’t respond at all.

Zhuang Hao glanced at Zuo Yunfei’s sour expression and muttered to Qi Shaorong, “This guy has no manners. Must’ve been raised poorly.”

Qi Shaorong: “……”

“You’re injured?” Qi Shaorong asked Qi Heng. “Let me see.”

Zuo Yunfei quickly walked over and grabbed Qi Shaorong’s hand. “I already treated his wounds. He’s fine. No need to check.”

Qi Shaorong: “…Much obliged, Master Zuo.”

“It was nothing. Back then, Ah Heng took care of me. I’m just returning the favor by tending his wounds. No big deal,” Zuo Yunfei said in a dark tone.

Qi Heng glared at Zuo Yunfei, his expression extremely unpleasant.

Qi Shaorong raised his hand and cast a light-element healing spell, enveloping Qi Heng’s body. His complexion improved noticeably.

“Thank you, Young Master,” Qi Heng said.

Qi Shaorong smiled. “Since when did you become so formal with me?”

“How did you end up with Zuo Yunfei?” Zhuang Hao asked Tang Tianying quietly.

“We bumped into him on the road. He just… stuck around,” Tang Tianying explained.

Zhuang Hao nodded. “I see.” He thought to himself: Zuo Yunfei sure is clingy.

“Good thing he was with us,” Tang Tianying added. “Young Master Heng was targeted by a rank-nine Gold-Eating Bird on the way. If not for Zuo Yunfei’s help, things could’ve gone very badly.”

Zhuang Hao was surprised. “Really? Zuo Yunfei can handle a rank-nine Gold-Eating Bird?”

Tang Tianying nodded. “Yes. His strength is far beyond what the records suggest.”

“Well, regardless, he saved Qi Heng. I’ll have to thank him properly,” Zhuang Hao said.

Tang Tianying smiled bitterly. “Even though he saved Qi Heng, he still seems to dislike him. I really don’t get what he’s thinking.”

“What else could it be?” Zhuang Hao grinned. “He’s sulking.”

Tang Tianying: “……”

The night was as clear as water. Zuo Yunfei was half-reclining on a tree, drinking wine.

Zhuang Hao stood beneath the tree, looking up at Zuo Yunfei, and smiled. “Young Master Zuo, you’re in quite the mood.”

Zuo Yunfei looked at Zhuang Hao and said, “Young Master Zhuang, if you’re interested, come up and have a drink with me.”

Zhuang Hao readily leaped up to the tree trunk and sat down next to Zuo Yunfei.

“Thank you for saving Qi Heng. I’m truly grateful,” Zhuang Hao said.

Zuo Yunfei let out a cold laugh. “Young Master Zhuang, you’re really generous to your love rival.”

Zhuang Hao looked confused. “Love rival? What love rival?”

“Zhuang Hao, you really are slow! Qi Heng likes Qi Shaorong too—can’t you tell?” Zuo Yunfei said mockingly.

Zhuang Hao: “…Young Master Zuo, I think you’re mistaken. I don’t believe Qi Heng and Shaorong have that kind of relationship.”

Zuo Yunfei gave Zhuang Hao a sideways glance and said lazily, “Maybe.”

After hearing that, Zhuang Hao felt an uneasy chill. “Young Master Zuo, do you like Qi Heng?”

“I do! I like him so much I could die—or want him dead,” Zuo Yunfei said through gritted teeth.

Seeing Zuo Yunfei’s expression, Zhuang Hao chuckled. “Looks like you really do like him. As they say, the deeper the love, the deeper the hate.”

Zuo Yunfei let out a snort and said nothing.

“You and Qi Shaorong have been engaged for a while now, haven’t you? Why haven’t you married yet? Is it because Qi Shaorong has feelings for someone else?” Zuo Yunfei asked.

Zhuang Hao choked on his wine. “That’s impossible!”

Zuo Yunfei looked at Zhuang Hao. “Really? Young Master Zhuang, you’re very confident. But who knows what Qi Shaorong is really thinking?”

Zhuang Hao: “…”

———

Qi Shaorong looked at the two men sitting up in the tree and was speechless. Zhuang Hao and Zuo Yunfei were supposed to be rivals in the princess’s marriage selection, yet here they were, drinking together like old friends.

“Young Master Qi,” Tang Tianying called.

Qi Shaorong turned to him. “Fourth Prince, you’re still awake?”

“I couldn’t sleep. You and Young Master Zhuang didn’t run into any danger, did you?” Tang Tianying asked.

Qi Shaorong shook his head. “We were fine.” But once deeper into the Rad Mountain Range, more sea beasts had appeared. Zhuang Hao had lured many of them to attack the cultivators following behind. After that… who knew what had happened to those people.

“Qi Heng and Young Master Zuo’s relationship doesn’t seem simple,” Tang Tianying said.

Qi Shaorong smiled faintly—anyone with eyes could tell it wasn’t simple.

He shrugged and walked into Qi Heng’s mobile courtyard. Zuo Yunfei, who had been drinking in the tree, stared intently at Qi Shaorong entering Qi Heng’s courtyard.

In the darkness, Zuo Yunfei’s eyes glinted brightly. Zhuang Hao noticed and thought it looked as though flames flickered within Zuo Yunfei’s gaze.

“You look… quite worked up,” Zhuang Hao said to Zuo Yunfei.

Zuo Yunfei looked at him and said, “Not at all! If anyone should be worked up, it’s you, Young Master Zhuang. Qi Shaorong just walked into Qi Heng’s courtyard—aren’t you even a little worried?”

“Worried about what?”

“Worried they’ll end up in bed together, of course! Those two have a bond that’s far from ordinary!”

Zhuang Hao frowned. “You’re overthinking this.”

“Am I? Qi Heng is deeply in love with Qi Shaorong. They’ve had feelings between them for more than a decade. The kind of understanding they share… I doubt you can compete with that,” Zuo Yunfei said, leaning against the tree and taking a heavy swig from his wine bottle.

Zhuang Hao looked at Zuo Yunfei, then leapt down from the tree and headed straight for Qi Heng’s courtyard.

Zuo Yunfei watched Zhuang Hao’s back disappear into the distance, his eyes turning as if plotting something.