103 Plans 3

The moon was hanging low over the mountain tops in the distance, and the shadows around his medicine field were long, by the time that he made it back there. To tell the truth, he had spent a lot more time at Elder Ming's place than he had expected. So much so that he was fighting off a yawn as he stepped towards his house.

It seemed he was a little more tired than he had thought he would be, after what had taken place at the Elder's house. Of course, that was on top of the efforts that he had put in during the earlier Hunt.

Which was probably why he had missed the presence in the shadows close to his door, and gave out a startled cry when she popped out at him, just as he had pushed open his door:

"Yah!"

A soft, fair, feminine hand reached out to smack him on the shoulder as soon as he made that cry. And he recovered sufficiently to identify the unexpected visitor at once.

"Lingxi? What ... What are you doing here? And why did you frighten me like that?"

"Frighten you? Who's trying to frighten you? You were so busy dreaming that you didn't even see me there beside your house, so how can you blame me for that?

"But tell me: who were you dreaming of? Just one dinner and you are already thinking of becoming Elder Ming's son-in-law?"

"What?"

Qin Feng glared at the woman in front of him. What was she talking about? "What's all this about becoming Ming Guanhe's son-in-law? I just had dinner at his house! And he was telling me about what he wants me to do during the next Hunt!"

But the woman didn't seem to be convinced. "Oh, really? As if he couldn't tell you about that at the Gate itself! Did he really have to drag you back to his house? And he was probably intent on introducing you to his daughter, wasn't he?

"And you dare to say that he isn't considering you for a son-in-law?"

Qin Feng felt as if his eyes were about to pop out of his head. Was this what she really thought? But wait! Did that mean that the rest of the Rear Gardens, and maybe the rest of the Heaven Sword School, was thinking the same thing?

Lingxi stabbed a finger into his chest as she leaned in closer, interrupting that disturbing thought. "Then what were you doing there? A simple dinner wouldn't have taken so long, and don't tell me that Elder Ming was simply talking to you about the mission. He wouldn't have bothered to drag you back to have dinner with his daughter if that was the case!"

"But that was exactly what we were doing!"

Qin Feng gritted his teeth and lied. It was not as though he was about to share what he and the Elder were really talking about. Besides, he decided that Ming Qingsong would most probably laugh herself to tears if she heard the gossip. She had seemed friendly enough, and she should know that the girls in the Rear Gardens were too bored for their own good.

Not to mention, her father would probably warn her about him, without Qin Feng having to say a word.

Unless, of course, the Elder intended to use the rumors of their so-called courtship to cover up their real dealings with each other!

The mere thought of that was enough to make Qin Feng shudder helplessly!

Then he chuckled to himself. That wasn't likely, was it? From what he had seen earlier, the Elder was more concerned about Ming Qingsong's health, rather than any matchmaking notions. So all of this nonsense was just something that came about because of all the gossip that had been flying around. Ignoring it, it appeared, would be his best option.

Lingxi, however, seemed to get the wrong idea when she heard his low laugh. "What is this? Are you actually looking forward to marrying Elder Ming's daughter? Don't you know that she is in ill health, and may pass on anytime?" she growled at him angrily.

Which was certainly something that he had not expected of the pretty woman. Why did he have the impression that she was jealous? That didn't make any sense at all. They were just partners, weren't they? In this scheme of theirs to keep the rest of the girls from the Rear Gardens supplied with their medicinal needs, so that they could rake in their Merit Points?

For a moment, Qin Feng considered playing along with her concerns, so that he could delve a little deeper into Lingxi's motivations. But he decided against it in the end. There was no point in making things more complicated than it was already.

"All I can tell you is that Elder Ming hasn't brought up the subject at all, and was merely rewarding me for identifying some of the rarer plants that he had come across earlier, while we were out on the Hunt. I had managed to get my hands on some some rather exceptional specimens for him, so naturally he was more than pleased to reward me."

Lingxi seemed to calm down a little once she heard that. But it was clear from the scowl on her face that she wasn't altogether convinced. "What about introducing you to his daughter then? What was that about? Isn't he looking for a son-in-law?"

"Who told you that? Don't you know that Elder Ming is still treating his daughter like a little child? Do you think that someone who is so protective of his daughter would be so eager to marry her off? Besides, you should have heard about her illness."

That seemed to alleviate the knot between her brows, and Qin Feng grinned at her as he took a step closer to the pretty woman. It looked as if it was safe enough for him to try teasing her again, he thought.

"I am rather curious as to why you are so upset about this whole thing. I mean, this rumor that Elder Ming Guanhe is looking for a son-in-law. It was just one of those instances where the gossip in the Rear Gardens got a little out of hand, isn't it? Why were you so bitter about me becoming related to Elder Ming?

"Are you ... jealous?"

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