Chapter 116: True Colours 2

Chapter 116: True Colours 2

Translated by: iris.knight

"No need, I can do this." Gu Qingyu pouted. She asked when she looked up, "Is this the place?"

Qi Wan smiled as he helped her walk in. As soon as they entered the house, a beautiful spread of delicacies greeted them. "Yeah, it's nice isn't it?"

"I love it!" Gu Qingyu was so excited, she was going to pounce onto the table and dig in.

"Okay, let's eat, no one's going to fight with you for it." Qi Wan and Gu Qingyu sat down together. He turned around and met her intense stare. Qi Wan gulped nervously under her sudden scrutiny. " What's wrong, boss?"

"Are you sure no one's going to fight with me for this?" She questioned with a raised brow. Qi Wan froze for a second, then immediately picked up his chopsticks.

1 Hour Later

Burp! "That's not fair! You said you weren't going to fight with me for the food!" Gu Qingyu complained as she rubbed her belly.

Hiccup! "Oh please, how much did you eat? And how much did I eat?" Qi Wan rubbed his stomach too.

The pair of big eaters sprawled out in their chairs and rested. After a while. Gu Qingyu turned to Qi Wan and asked, "Are there any fun places around this area?"

"Yeah, I know a scenic spot!" Qi Wan nodded immediately. "In fact, you're looking at the perfect tour guide right now!"

"Is that so? You seemed to be very familiar with this area." Gu Qingyu looked at Qi Wan with a straight face.

"Ahem, boss, I told you. I'm not as simple as you thought, maybe even beyond your imagination..." Qi Wan coughed lightly. "You said you don't mind.”

"You don't have to remind me, I'm just curious." She reached over and held his hand. He was really tense and nervous, a clear indication that he really values her view of him. "I would like to take a look."

Qi Wan pondered and finally relented. He nodded. "Okay."

He stood up, helped Gu Qingyu stand up then gently tapped the wooden floor with his feet. The floor began to rattle and shake. Within moments, Gu Qingyu found herself in Qi Wan's arms, the panel beneath them opened up and they were falling through the hole. She looked up, the panel had already closed above them. Qi Wan's hair danced around them as they fell. Then, Qi Wan landed on solid ground, and turned to her with half-moon eyes. "So, was that exciting?"

"Well, it's okay. A rollercoaster is more fun though." Gu Qingyu nodded. Five people came up to them and knelt down before them.

"Welcome back, Lord Qi!" They greeted Qi Wan in complete unison.

"Yes." Qi Wan nodded with a smile, "Get up, you don't have to be so serious."

The five people raised their heads with a surprised expression, their movements were perfectly in sync. But they were well-trained after all and they immediately got up and bowed their heads. "Yes!"

"This is your lady-in-chief." Qi Wan looked at Gu Qingyu and smiled.

"Go away." Gu Qingyu was about to smack his head again, but his men were still around. So she rolled her eyes instead, and walked away.

"My queen! Wait for me!" Qi Wan hurried to keep up with her. "You forgot your tour guide!"

The five watched the pair continue down the path and glanced at each other.

One of them asked in a daze. "Was that Lord Qi just now?"

The second person shook his head. "No way!"

The third person disagreed. "No, that should be Lord Qi. But since when does he have such a...wimpy side to him?"

The fourth person nodded. "Yeah, and Lord Qi seems really...weak-willed in front of that woman."

The fifth person concluded. "The Lord must have changed himself! It's good, otherwise all of us would be even more stressed out."

"Okay, let's catch up with them. What if they need us?" The first person, who was also the leader of the squad, turned to catch up with Gu Qingyu and Qi Wan.

"Yes!" The other four nodded and followed.

Gu Qingyu looked around her, the architecture was ingenious and breathtaking. As she continued down the passage, she found herself in an underground castle.

"Boss, are you thirsty? Would you like some tea?" Qi Wan looked at Gu Qingyu flatteringly, and the leader of the squad immediately offered a glass of water.

"No need, I'm not thirsty." Gu Qingyu shook her head and continued forward. "Qi Wan, let me ask you something."

"Please, go ahead! Do not hesitate!" Qi Wan stood at attention immediately.

The squad followed suit.

"You don't have to be so serious and uptight..." Gu Qingyu looked at the squad of five, and then looked at Qi Wan. "I really don't understand how you managed to train these people to be completely not like you."

The five people on the side panicked internally. Lady-in-chief! Do you know that whatever you said could potentially prompt Lord Qi to send us to our graves in an instant?

"It's my lack of consideration, I will rectify it right now!" Qi Wan nodded immediately and glanced at the squad. "What are you still doing? Relax! Don't stand so straight!"

"Yes!... Okay, got it." The five people immediately changed their manner of speech.

Gu Qingyu shrugged helplessly and turned back to Qi Wan. "Is Tsing Yi dead?"

"No, she's still alive. And she's here." Qi Wan tilted his head, "What about it?"

"I want to see her." Gu Qingyu nodded as if something was on her mind.

"No, boss..." Qi Wan swallowed weakly.

"Why? Why are you not letting me see her? Who just said' Please, go ahead! Do not hesitate!'?" Gu Qingyu glared at Qi Wan.

"Okay, okay, well, I'm just worried about you." Qi Wan's face was helpless, "I kinda lost my cool yesterday, and probably went overboard with it...It can be a bit of a visual shocker, and I'm not sure if you can handle that so..."

Gu Qingyu softened at his explanation and nodded. "I'll be fine, take me to her."

"But..." Qi Wan still looked at Gu Qingyu hesitantly.

Gu Qingyu rolled her eyes and suddenly grabbed his arm. "Xiao Wanwan~"

"Don't do that, Boss..." A shiver went down his entire body.

"Xiao Wanwan~ Just take me there, please?" Gu Qingyu pleaded with her trademark doe eyes as she swung his arm to and fro.

"Boss, you know that I can't say no when you do this... Fine, at least I have good self-control." Qi Wan patted her head helplessly. "Go, but you have to tell me the moment you feel unwell. And you, tell Kuro to get ready." He tilted back and instructed the leader of the squad. Then, he led the way.

"Yes!" He bowed then left immediately.

"Thank you, Xiao Wanwan~" Gu Qingyu gave him a satisfied grin and let go of his arm.

Qi Wan watched her with disappointment as he stroked his sleeve longingly. "Boss, you just demolished the bridge you just passed through!"

"That's the point. I've already gone through it, so why should I keep it lying around? What if someone crosses that bridge to come after me?" Gu Qingyu turned around and asked with an innocent, naive smile.

Qi Wan was rendered speechless. Although I really want to refute you, somehow it sounds like you have a point!

"Ah, you are so silly. But I'll give you a pointer or two, since I'm so kind and responsible." Gu Qingyu nodded as though she was a wise old sage.

Silly?

The remaining members of the squad had huge sweat drops behind their heads. This was the first time anyone had completely subverted their entire world view. They had never seen Lord Qi behave like this, they have never heard anyone call Lord Qi silly, and they have never heard anyone tell them to 'not be so uptight', let alone from a Lady-in-chief.

"Thank you boss!" Qi Wan nodded with a smile, "Boss, we're almost there."

Gu Qingyu turned, they were approaching a door. Maybe they had arrived at a remote part of the castle, as the door felt eerily cold. Something seemed to be calling out to her. A shiver went down her spine.

"Boss, you would not like this place..." Qi Wan looked at Gu Qingyu with some worry. "This leads to the dungeons. Do you still want to continue?"

Gu Qingyu answered with a firm nod. He sighed, then waved his hand.

One of the members of the squad walked up with a key in his hand, and unlocked the chains that sealed the door.

The door opened and the smell of damp mold with the rusty smell of blood rushed out.

Gu Qingyu felt her stomach roll, but she pressed on.

Qi Wan stopped her with his hand, and asked again, "Do you really want to go in? You don't have to force yourself."

"I'm not forcing myself. Did you forget what I really am? I can still handle this." Gu Qingyu reassured him with a carefree smile and reached out to hold his hand before she entered the dungeons. Qi Wan remained close to her side and the other four members of the squad followed them dutifully.

Inside the dungeons.

The walls were replaced by cells, and each cell was occupied. Many of them were on their last breath, even letting out a whimper would be too much for them. Gu Qingyu frowned, focused her eyes to look straight ahead and strode forward. She was not afraid, but it was a little hard to watch.

These people were obviously tortured, and are now left here to die or to struggle painfully to live. Such cruelty. It's hard to picture that this was done by someone with such a warm smile and joyful personality. Qi Wan, he is really not as he appeared to be. That sunny, cheerful and humorous boy. The boy that came from the same world as her.