Chapter 29: At dawn on the third watch, a good sleep is not as good as a heart-to-heart talk.

  The sun is high in the sky, it's a good time for lazy people to sleep. Xun Qing was woken up by his own hunger, his stomach was growling with hunger while also suffering from wave after wave of alcohol invasion, the sour and bitter taste surging up to his throat.

  He pinched his own throat, suppressing the urge to vomit, and forcibly swallowed the bitter fruit he had sown yesterday. His fingers habitually reached for the jade ornament at his waist, still feeling the intricate patterns and icy temperature that pierced to the bone. Yet, he suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to throw it away, and for a brief moment, he thought the thing in his hand was a venomous snake.

  Xu Qing supported the still dizzy forehead, and the chaotic thoughts suddenly filled the blank brain, which was really too impactful. Could it be one's own illusion? How could the family heirloom jade pendant given by Father have such an evil feeling?

  "Bang———"

  The wooden door was kicked open violently and creaked back and forth a few times, making a screeching noise that made people's hair stand on end.

  A crimson robe fluttered by, and a familiar, nasal tone pierced the air, "I say, Brother Xun, it's already three poles high in the sky, how can you still be sleeping? Could it be that yesterday some young lady had you wrapped around her finger? Tsk, tsk, good things are near..." After speaking, he pretended to sniff the air, his face full of sly innuendo.

  Xun Qing's good temper had been exhausted by this shameless guy, now he only wanted to kick that annoying fox in the face and trample him a few times.

  "Zhang Zuoyan, get lost if you have nothing to do, stop being a nuisance here." What Confucius, all the propriety and morality can go to hell, encountering Zhang Zuoyan this thick-skinned wall-passer, it's better to be simple and crude... (Certain month: what a painful realization)

  Zhang Zuoyan saw Xun Qing still snuggled in the quilt, and he became even more displeased. Last night's midnight fright had left him sleepless till now, and Liu Yuanyuan was still undergoing treatment at his manor with no definite news. Xun Qing, on the other hand, slept soundly until now, and suddenly all sorts of envy, jealousy, and hatred emerged, so... evil intentions arose in his heart.

  "What's wrong, unsatisfied? Brother Xun, you're already past twenty, if you don't get married soon, you'll really have to 'marry' (as in, be forced to marry). Do you want me to help you find a few beauties? Don't even think about my sister, I'm opposed to the marriage that Father agreed to."

  Xun Qing's marriage had always been his weakness, Zhang Zuoyan waited for him to explode in anger, then took the opportunity to severely scold him, to vent the frustration of his nerves from last night.

  But then came an eerie silence.

  Xun Qing lowered his head, seemingly quite disheartened. His black hair fell in front of his face, making it impossible for Zhang Zuoyan to see his expression. Fang Xiaoling's affair had been weighing on his mind, and he couldn't help but feel that he was losing control over her more and more each day. All he could do was watch as she drifted further and further away, unable to grasp or hold onto her.

  Zhang Zuoyan awkwardly rubbed his nose, seemingly having gone too far this time. Just as he was anxiously scratching his ears and cheeks wanting to make amends, suddenly a clever idea struck him - the wine fumes filling the room, and those two fox spirits from yesterday...

  All the grudges and grievances were gone, he flashed to the bedside, hooked up with his brothers, "There's good news and bad news, which one do you want to hear first?"

  Xun Qing turned her head and glanced at him, then drooped her eyelids again. Zhang Zhaoyan's heart was so guilty that he almost scolded himself as a 'beast'.

  "There's something about that girl next to you..." Zhang Zuoyan suddenly remembered that he had forgotten to ask the names of those two girls yesterday, and felt a loss.

  Xun Qing's eyes suddenly lit up and his head jerked up: "Fang Xiaoling?!"