Chapter Notes:
Recap: Zi Shi realized that the informant is not someone he should mess with. But how will their teamwork progress from this point on?
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It was back to peaceful days in between missions. So it was quite unusual when Xiao Tian invited Bai Feng to go out, especially in broad daylight. After all, most of the time the pair would see each other at night. Yet the informant didn't think much of it, since he can tolerate the short-haired assassin's antiques by now.
But why is HuiMu here?!
A few hours ago, as Bai Feng was about to start his day, Xiao Tian unexpectedly stopped by.
"Xiao Bai, are you free today?" asked the masked assassin, seemingly hesitant with the question.
"Do you need anything?" Bai Feng tilted his head in confusion, it's rare for Xiao Tian to visit in the morning. He wondered if the assassin was already assigned a new mission.
"Meet me in the market at noon.. I'll be next to the tanghulu stand."
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Bai Feng sighed, he regretted accepting Xiao Tian's invitation to go out. The informant didn't even want to walk next to the onyx-haired assassin because Zi Shi was always clinging onto the man. Somehow the sight of the two assassins walking side by side— more like Zi Shi clinging onto the short-haired assassin's arm like a koala, much to the latter's dismay—annoyed the cedar-haired beauty very much.
"Xiao Bai, they're practicing for the dragon boat festival. Have you participated before?" the assassin turned to Bai Feng as the trio made a stop near the bridge, watching dozens of men preparing for the dragon boat race.
"No.. But I remember attending the festival with Shizun* when I was a child." the informant explained.
*a respectful way to address a teacher/master
Imagining Bai Feng staying in his luxurious house, and having an experienced cultivator teaching him self-defense caused the purple-haired assassin to scoff.
As expected of a prestigious family.. Thought Zi Shi.
"Oh, they're selling zòngzi*, I'll go get some" Xiao Tian left to buy them something to eat while Bai Feng was pretty much distracted looking at the beautiful dragon boats.
*sticky rice dumplings
"Hey listen.. I actually have liked HeiLi for a long time" Zi Shi suddenly spoke up. Bai Feng lowered his gaze in disinterest before looking straight at the half-masked beauty.
"...Why are you telling me this?"
"Well if you're smart enough, then I suggest you stay away from him. You're being a nuisance."
Zi Shi's smile was like poison.
"Why should I comply to your demands? Are you perhaps scared?" the cedar-haired beauty now focuses his attention back to the boats. It wasn't as if Bai Feng was infatuated with Xiao Tian that he refused to stay away from the short-haired assassin. It was just simply out of spite.
Hearing his reply, the gray-eyed assassin yanked Bai Feng's wrist, ignoring my warning just like that, who does he think he's talking to? HuiMu hissed in annoyance.
"Why yo—" the informant pulled his hand away and refused to back down. Zi Shi then looked down and realized that grip marks were starting to form on Bai Feng's wrist.
"Getting bruised from light contact like that, what does HeiLi see in a weakling like—" but Xiao Tian had returned with the rice dish in his hands.
"Let's eat." the dark-haired assassin announced before giving each of them the pyramid-shaped rice dumplings to nibble on.
"I got you xiónghuáng jiǔ*," the short-haired assassin passed the small jug of wine to Zi Shi before childishly taking a bite out of Bai Feng's zongzi.
*realgar wine
"You have your own!" The informant protested.
"Yours look better so I wanted a bite." The jade-eyed man whined.
"It's the same.." sighed the cedar-haired beauty.
Seeing the pair having such a friendly bicker doesn't make Zi Shi happy in the slightest. Because after years of knowing HeiLi, he never, not even once, teased him like that.
But this mere stranger..
Zi Shi suddenly yelped excitedly, his previous glaring expression now gone.
"Oh my favorite! You remembered!" the purple-haired assassin thanked Xiao Tian, the latter just nodded and turned to Bai Feng once more.
"I didn't know what you like Xiao Bai, but they do sell tea over there. Should we go and see?" the assassin offered and the informant just nodded, smiling slightly at the mention of tea.
That was when the short-haired assassin held his hand suddenly, making the unguarded Bai Feng drop his sticky rice dumpling.
"I'll.. Get a new one.." the golden-eyed beauty was about to leave when Xiao Tian narrowed his eyes.
"When did you get hurt?" Bai Feng forgot his glove and gauntlets that day from rushing to meet the assassin on short notice, so the red grip marks contrasting his fair skin could be seen too easily. But the informant quickly pulled his hand away, turning around as he was about to leave.
"I'll treat you to something next time. Sorry, I dropped it.." but Xiao Tian took his hand gently.
"What do you like Xiao Bai?"
Zi Shi, who was watching all this from the side, had a dark expression in his eyes.
"Acting like that just because of a mere bruise? What makes him so special.." mumbled the gray-eyed assassin in annoyance.
Soon, the boat race started and the trio enjoyed watching the participants putting their best effort to row the stunning dragon boats. The rhythmic sounds of the gong and drums, along with the cheering of spectators really made this event very lively.
The rest of the day the purple-haired beauty tried his hardest to make Xiao Tian not pay attention to Bai Feng. And to the informant, watching them is like seeing an overly sweet pair of love birds. The only saving grace is that, thankfully, the short-haired assassin has not been responding to the flirtations of Zi Shi. If Xiao Tian had responded to the gray-eyed assassin's advances, Bai Feng probably would already be rolling his eyes.
Regardless, the informant just didn't like the feeling of being a third wheel so he just tries to take his mind off the couple in front of him. That was when Bai Feng saw a man cladded in an ivory robe waving at him. The informant immediately excused himself from the couple, rushing to go meet the man while the two watched the cedar-haired man walk away.
Xiao Tian kept eyeing Bai Feng and he felt a slight discomfort when he saw the usually stoic man smiling at the stranger. But at the same time, the masked assassin was clueless as to why he felt irritated.
After a while, the man seemed to notice that the two were waiting for Bai Feng to come back, so he smiled at the pair and urged the informant to go back to Xiao Tian and Zi Shi. Bai Feng nodded and rejoined the group, still smiling after the short encounter with the man.
Xiao Tian asked who he was meeting and the cedar-haired man shrugged it as "no one". Even though this "no one" managed to make Bai Feng smile so brightly.
"We should go, the play will start soon" the short-haired assassin urged his two companions.
"Play? Are we going to watch opera?" the informant was suddenly intrigued.
"What? Why would we spend time sitting around watching—" Zi Shi started but Xiao Tian and Bai Feng were already ahead talking about the play that they were going to be watching.
"HEY DON'T LEAVE ME HERE" protested the purple-haired assassin.
They soon arrived and took a seat, immediately the attendants of the stall prepared tea for the trio before the storyteller arrived.
The group had different takes on the play. Bai Feng seemed to be enjoying the storytelling. His delicate fingers clasped lightly on the small cup as he occasionally blew on the piping hot beverage before savoring the fragrant drink.
Xiao Tian occasionally listened to the man talking about past events and whatnot, but he was mostly watching the informant's reactions instead. Observing the smallest movements like how his eyes lit up during certain scenes or how his eyelashes fluttered as he closed his eyes when drinking tea.
While Zi Shi was bored out of his mind, he did not enjoy the performance in the slightest.
With such contrasting personalities, it was a miracle that the three of them could even work in the same team.
Night soon arrived and Zi Shi playfully pulled on Xiao Tian's arm asking the masked assassin to walk him home, but Xiao Tian quickly brushed him off. Zi Shi pouted but decided to give it up. However, when they were about to part ways, Xiao Tian grabbed onto Bai Feng's arm.
"I have something to discuss with you." the short-haired assassin declared. The informant tilted his head in confusion.
"If it's about a mission, I'll join you guys" the purple-haired assassin chimed in.
"It doesn't concern you Lan She, go home." Xiao Tian made a shoo-ing motion before turning Bai Feng in the direction of the informant's house.
"Wait, is it something that can't be discussed here?" the informant was trying to escape the masked assassin's grip to no avail.
Once they arrived in Bai Feng's room, the informant, yet again poured some tea for them to drink before Xiao Tian broke the silence.
"It doesn't seem to be working.." the masked assassin spoke up as he stared at the teacup in his hand.
"What is?" the informant raised his eyebrows in curiosity.
"The day out was supposed to make you and Lan She close." Xiao Tian took a sip of the tea and winced at how bitter it was.
Does he think one outing can immediately make us close? The cedar-haired beauty was surprised at the assassin's naive thinking.
"You don't have to try to make us get along." Bai Feng said calmly as he passed a small jar of honey to Xiao Tian.
"We are now a team yet you two are hostile towards each other. It's dangerous." the assassin muttered while stirring honey into his tea.
"I can manage him if it is just for work. Besides, do you blame me for being hostile to a person who has aimed for my life? And continues to send death threats my way?" the cedar-haired man said curtly.
"HuiMu isn't a bad person.." Xiao Tian started.
"Just because he is good to you doesn't mean he would be nice to me HeiLi." the informant replied coldly.
"What about me? I tried assassinating you multiple times before too. Do you trust me then?" the assassin fixed his gaze on Bai Feng.
"Do you take me as a naive child? I will be prepared to fight, no matter if it's you or HuiMu. I won't go down so easily" golden eyes full of courage, unwavering against the cold jade orbs.
Xiao Tian had always found Bai Feng's eyes very attractive. Such strong determination in those honey-like orbs truly brings joy to the predator inside of the assassin.
Xiao Tian knew that Bai Feng will be a fun prey to toy with since the day he met the informant. But the fact that the cedar-haired beauty never cease to amuse him..
It's time to hunt.
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Author's Notes:
Thank you for reading Rivalry <3 Hope you guys enjoyed it!
A storm seems to be brewing for our main characters. Will Xiao Tian really hunt down Bai Feng? Or is it just an empty threat? Comment your thoughts below!