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Lina Naively Insults Dongfang
In the five-star hotel, guests could savor gourmet cuisine while admiring the breathtaking view of the city. But what truly set this restaurant apart was the outdoor balcony. Guests were treated to a breathtaking view of the twinkling lights on clear nights, when the view was mesmerizing, with the glittering stars above and the shimmering city lights below.
On this particularly memorable evening, two people from different worlds sat at a private table on the balcony, surrounded by the beauty of the night sky. They could not help but marvel at the sight before them.
Qingcang sat across from Lina, savoring the premium-class food with perfect table manners while she gazed out at the stunning city view. He gracefully swallowed his food as he watched her staring at the beautiful night sky. “That woman is weak, so why are you so afraid of her?”
Lina’s eyes darted sideways as she looked down, trying to avoid Qingcang’s probing gaze. “I’m not afraid of her,” she lied, her voice barely above a whisper.
Qingcang’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Lina, and his tone grew sharper. “Don’t lie to me. Tell me the truth,” he demanded, his voice tinged with impatience. He was so focused on waiting for her response that he barely even noticed the mouthwatering food in front of him.
Once again, Lina felt like something was about to force the words out of her mouth. She realized that every time Qingcang demanded the truth, she could not resist telling him in the most brutally direct way possible. ‘Oh no! Not again! Why does he have this effect on me?’ she thought, feeling vulnerable and exposed. “I’m scared of her because she’s the wife of the man who lied to me and broke my heart for her, and tonight is their wedding night,” she finally admitted, shocked at her honesty. ‘Oh my God, he became my weakness. If he ever finds out that he has power over me like that, he wouldn’t stop devouring the truth from me!’ she thought fearfully, feeling a sense of dread settle over her.
“Emotions are truly troublesome,” Qingcang muttered with a scowl, tilting his head slightly as he looked at Lina.
Lina sighed in response as she understood that Qingcang was cold and distant regarding emotions. “You know, if it weren’t for my emotions, I wouldn’t have developed the mental strength to overcome many life obstacles. My heart has led me to incredible places and experiences.”
Qingcang raised an eyebrow, clearly curious but also skeptical. “Your heart?”
Lina nodded, grabbing her spoon and looking Qingcang directly in the eyes. “Yes… Oh, you don’t know about the heart?” Someone as powerful as him did not understand feelings? ‘Maybe he’s not as emotional as I thought.’
Qingcang’s brow twitched. “The strong don’t need to know about such things.”
Lina fell silent, realizing it was impossible to explain to someone like Qingcang the value of emotions. She suspected that it might relate to his kind—perhaps his species had no connection to the heart. Despite this, she could not help but speak up. “My heart has driven me to seek adventure and freedom, pursue my passions, and give my life meaning and purpose. If I didn’t have a heart, I wouldn’t be the same person sitting here talking to you now. My heart has shaped me into who I am today: a well-known strategist and an artist.”
“A strategist and an artist…” Qingcang murmured softly, lost in thought. Lina’s words had reminded him of his past before he had become the Moon Supreme. He had always been interested in creativity as a child, but his duty as the Moon Supreme Lord consumed him. Despite his desire to hold this venerable title, a part of him had longed for his passions and adventures, just like she did now. As a child, he had yearned for freedom, and now, sitting across from him, was a female embodiment of his former self—but she was free from the responsibilities of ruling the three realms.
Lina leaned forward, her eyes bright as she spoke about her strategic abilities. “Yes, my strategies are top-notch.” She grinned. “I may not have physical strength, but I am fortunate to have the talent of creating brilliant plans to win every fight, no matter the circumstances.”
Qingcang arched an eyebrow, his expression calm. “Then why were you so paralyzed when you saw Yichen?”
Lina’s expression faltered for a moment before she quickly recovered, taking a bite from the food on her plate. “I… don’t know.”
Dongfang Qingcang leaned forward, his gaze fixed on Lina. “Tell me the truth,” he demanded, but her gaze penetrated his soul as if she knew something he did not. At least, that was the feeling he got from her.
“I truly… don’t know,” Lina answered, surprised by her own honesty as she met Qingcang’s unwavering gaze. As the tension stretched on, she spoke up again, her voice hesitant. “Oh yes, I have a question for you. When you said that you don’t need to understand the heart, does it mean that your people have difficulty understanding it?”
Qingcang’s gaze remained fixed on Lina’s as he considered her question. He was momentarily distracted from the delicious food in front of him on the table as he reflected on the many things he had overlooked, especially concerning matters of the heart. Memories of his past before he became the Moon Supreme flooded his mind, reminding him of a time when he had been different, being someone who felt all the emotions: joy, love, hatred, sadness, and more. It had been a long time since he had felt these feelings, but ever since he met her, he had been able to experience a small taste of what life used to feel like. It was overwhelming, to say the least.
“Mhm?” Lina thought she had asked a simple question.
Qingcang snapped back to reality and took a deep breath. “My people are capable of feeling all emotions. Their experience is similar to humans’ emotional responses and moral beliefs, and they experience all seven emotions just as you do.”
Lina’s eyes were glued to Qingcang’s face as he took a bite of his food. She grabbed her glass of mango juice and took a sip while waiting for him to finish his thought. After a few seconds of silence, she prodded him, “So, are you the only one who doesn’t understand the heart?”
Qingcang’s eyes softened. “That’s right.”
‘Poor thing.’ Lina could not help but feel sorry for him. ‘He has probably spent a lot of time all alone and never had anyone to teach him how to deal with emotions. That’s likely why he’s so guarded all the time.’ She felt a sense of warmth and compassion for him, like he was a lost puppy needing someone to look after him. ‘After all, he saved my life and dignity. The least I can do is return the favor and help him go home.’
Meanwhile, Qingcang was lost in his own thoughts. He gazed at the transparent, golden-speckled ring on his finger, designed to block out all external emotions. However, ever since encountering Lina, he had been experiencing emotions again, despite wearing the Moon Supreme ring from the start. ‘Could it be that the ring is damaged, or has something caused it to unblock emotions? I should investigate this once I return home.’
~*~
Lina and Qingcang finished their meal and sat silently, watching the view from the balcony as they sat across from each other. They felt like time had stopped as they gazed at the gloaming atmosphere. They were mesmerized by the stars’ beauty and the moment’s peacefulness, taking in the view from every angle. The sky was filled with a rich and deepening shade of blue as the sun slowly set. The stars above twinkled brighter and brighter, surrounded only by the beauty of the night sky, and the city lights in the distance flickered like fireflies.
Lina was utterly captivated by the beauty of the stars, and a sense of closeness enveloped her. ‘This looks like a date… The irony.’ She was content and a little nervous as she mustered the courage to inquire. “Can I ask you a question?”
Qingcang still gazed at the sky. “Go ahead.”
Lina’s curiosity got the better of her. “You’re not human… but you look incredibly handsome. What are you?”
Dongfang Qingcang lowered his gaze to Lina, and his eyes turned malicious. He lifted his eyes to meet hers, tilted his head, and leaned it against his hand, wearing a sly smirk. “Take a guess,” he said with a menacing tone, still wearing a cunning grin.
Lina almost rolled her eyes again because of Qingcang’s dramatic tone, but pushed it aside. “Well… you can’t be an angel.”
“Correct, I’m not.” He still held her gaze in a captivating stare.
Lina spoke with a certain confidence. “And you can’t be a demon.”
Qingcang raised an eyebrow. “Why not?”
Lina took a deep breath, feeling disgusted as she contemplated demons. “Because demons are ugly and nasty creatures,” she stated firmly, her words coming out with a hint of disdain. His eyes widened in surprise as he listened to her description. “They only reside in dark, foul-smelling places and never clean themselves,” she continued, sounding as if disgusted. “Their teeth are rotten, and they’re bald with sharp fangs and claws.”
Dongfang Qingcang went silent. “Is… that… so?” he slowly enunciated each word through gritted teeth, trying to control his urge to kill Lina with his Hellfire. Her comments had stirred up rage inside him, and he struggled to keep himself in check.
“Yes…” She smiled. “Someone as good-looking as you can’t be a demon.”
“Should I be thanking you?” Qingcang buried his face in his hand. ‘If my life wasn’t bound to hers, and I wasn’t stuck here, I would have killed her a long time ago.’
“Don’t mention it!” Lina declared confidently, seemingly oblivious to the atmosphere Qingcang had created with his fierce eyes. “So, that only leaves one possibility… And I’m certain that you are one of them, given your grace, moral character, and good looks.”
Qingcang glared at Lina, his resentment increasing. “What?”
“Dongfang Qingcang, I am honored to meet a fairy,” Lina’s voice rang with excitement.
Qingcang’s reaction was immediate. His eyes narrowed and twitched with bitterness, and his body stiffened as he struggled to control his anger. “F-fairy?” he stammered, his voice laced with contempt. He was taken aback by Lina’s words and was livid that she dared to say the worst insult possible by calling him a fairy. Not only did she insult his kind, but she also called him a species that he absolutely despised, and also suggested that fairies have moral character. On top of that, she found it an honor to meet a fairy. He clenched his jaw and ground his teeth, and he was so close to annihilating her once and for all.
Lina, unaware of Qingcang’s distaste for fairies, continued to speak. “Yes! That explains the beautiful sparkles in your wings when you first appeared in my room, aside from all your other wonderful qualities,” she naively gushed, only further inciting his fury with her compliments about his supposed fairy traits.
Qingcang’s jaw clenched, and he ground his teeth together, fighting the urge to lash out at Lina. He was beyond irritated at this point and struggled to maintain his composure. The thought of being called a fairy was the ultimate insult to him, and her absurd compliments only added fuel to the fire. She seemed utterly unaware of her words’ effect on him. He could not bear to hear her misguided compliments any longer, but now he knew that if he told her his true form, he would never be able to go home again because of how she thought about demons. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, but she kept going.
“And the way you fly so elegantly, it’s just like a fairy.” Lina’s eyes sparkled. “Oh, and your voice, it’s so alluring and mystical, just like a fairy’s. And your eyes are so pretty and shiny, like two diamonds. You must be a fairy—”
“ENOUGH!” Qingcang could not take it anymore. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, his vexation boiling over and his eyes blazing with fury. The people in the restaurant turned to look at him, their faces filled with shock and fear. His aura was that of a powerful and dangerous being, and it was clear that he was not to be trifled with.
Lina had never seen Qingcang like this before, and it scared her. “What’s wrong?”
Qingcang took a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying to calm himself down. When he opened his eyes again, his expression was calm and composed once again. He cleared his throat and spoke calmly, “I mean, you’re wrong. Not all fairies are as graceful as you believe.”
Lina breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that she had not offended Qingcang. “Is this why you were so upset?” She smiled. “That I might judge you for not being a typical fairy?”
Qingcang was taken aback. ‘How could someone be so… so… unduly foolish?’ He observed her in disbelief. ‘I won’t waste my time arguing with a silly little human about this.’
Lina, however, continued to speak kindly. “Pretty Eyes,” she said, using her nickname for Qingcang. “You’ve helped me so many times. I understand you’re a warrior fairy and not as gentle, but you’re good just the way you are.”
Qingcang let out a sigh and looked away from Lina, feeling irritated. ‘She’s stupid indeed…’ He could not believe that she could not see how ludicrous her comments were.
~*~
Lina and Qingcang did not engage in many conversations after they discussed fairies and demons. Despite their lack of words, they shared a mutual understanding of their objective – to devise a plan to send him back home. With this in mind, they made their way back to their hotel room with determination.
As they entered the room, Qingcang’s impatience became apparent as he let out a deep breath through his nose. Lina noticed his almond-shaped eyes drilling into her as if he were trying to read her thoughts. “What were you doing tonight before we met?” The look in his eyes made her realize that he was not going to back down until he got an answer.
Lina’s heart leaped into her throat, and she could feel the panic rising in her chest. ‘OH NO! NOT THIS QUESTION!’ Eventually, he would hear the truth from her by force, and he had the power to demand she speak the truth whenever he wanted.
Qingcang commanded, “Tell me the truth. Don’t lie. Understood?”
Lina, taken aback by her admission, blurted out, “I wanted to give up on life before the dark forces attacked me.”
Qingcang’s eye twitched at how fate had played such a cruel trick. ‘Not only is my life bound to a physically weak species, a human, but she is also weak-minded!’ His eyes widened in shock. “Why did you want to give up on life?”
Lina sighed, feeling helpless and feeble under his piercing gaze. She knew that Qingcang would not stop asking about the truth, and even though she was usually strong-willed, tonight, she felt different. After seeing Yichen with his wife Jianmin, Lina felt vulnerable, but seeing how cool he had looked when he protected her from them changed her perspective. “Fine, I’ll tell you,” she said and sighed again, resigning herself to his probing questions.
All original additions in “The Moon Supreme, Dongfang Qingcang” are copyright © 2022 by Aurora Luxi. All rights reserved.
Aurora Luxi 