Song of Silent Promise

6. Friendship

If not for the fact this young man was a stone in expressing emotions and could not act tenderly towards the opposite gender, the families who would offer their daughters would probably line up in front of Duke Qin's estate, from Xinlu City to the closest Flaming Cauldron Sect's branch.

Then again, Duke Qin obviously took Qin Zhe's marriage prospects extra seriously. Some noble families mentioned the Emperor himself might make an arrangement about it.

"Yejing said she's been itching to play some good rounds of chess with you," Fu Chun spoke, telling Qin Zhe what Xu Yejing wanted to say.

Qin Zhe was already used to the peculiar way of Xu Yejing conversing with him. He frowned a little, "Miss Fu Chun... where is Brother Fu Yan?" The pair of unidentical twins would usually never separated. Qin Zhe also knew about the arrangement of the siblings having to be by Xu Yejing's side at all times. Now, Fu Yan was missing.

Fu Chun waved her hand nonchalantly before fixing her tilted sword on her belt, "He has a tiny matter to do and will join us soon."

Qin Zhe did not question it further.

Inside Qin Zhe's room, a square table with a chess board on it was already set up. Xu Yejing saw the chess pieces on top of it were already positioned on certain spots.

Having maintained friendship with Xu Yejing for a number of years, despite having not seen her face before, Qin Zhe could perceive some of her thought or intention just by the small gestures she makes. He explained, "I was waiting too long and played a few games by myself. I imagined what you would do if I did certain moves... ."

Xu Yejing sat at one end of the table and moved one of white pieces. She smiled beneath her veil, "Then let's save some time and just continue this game."

Fu Chun relayed her thought to Qin Zhe and the latter sat across Xu Yejing. Soon, the both of them looked engrossed in their game, only the clacking sounds of chess pieces moved could be heard.

When there were hardly any white pieces left on the board, Qin Zhe sighed in disappointment, "Your mind is not on the game. There's no point to continue."

Fu Chun patted Xu Yejing's shoulder, "Fu Yan will be alright. He looks unreliable, but his skills are better than mine."

Xu Yejing apologized in her mind towards Fu Chun and nodded lightly towards Qin Zhe in regret. Fu Chun and Qin Zhe were right, she was not in the mood to play chess. It was not the first time Fu Yan had left her to check on certain things he would not tell her about, but this time Xu Yejing could feel it was different.

Fu Chun was normally very good in blocking her mind from Xu Yejing. However, not long after she started the chess game, Fu Chun had let loose her inner thoughts once in a while, causing Xu Yejing to be able to perceive Fu Chun's worry and discomfort as well.

If even Fu Chun was worried, the 'tiny matter' Fu Yan was taking care of might not be tiny after all.

As though the heavens agreed to her fretting, Fu Chun snapped her head towards the door, her brows tightly knotted. Xu Yejing always knew Fu Chun and Fu Yan had other means to communicate to each other although they were apart. At the very least, with how ashen Fu Chun looked at the moment, even if Xu Yejing were to think with her toes, she could tell something had happened to Fu Yan.

"Chun-jie... go, please," Xu Yejing hated she could not help Fu Chun and Fu Yan. The two siblings were closer to her than her own blood family were, "I will be alright."

Fu Chun looked at her with conflicted gaze, her hand was already on her blade, as though she was itching to bolt and reach where her brother was, "Master Uncle and Master instructed us to never let yourself be alone."