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Yanqing entered the General’s office expecting… Well, he wasn’t sure what he was expecting. After all, as General Jing Yuan’s ward and personal protege, Yanqing had become accustomed to being summoned for a variety of things: a simple errand, an important task, a game of star-chess, an inquiry about his latest sword purchase– anything but this.
The Arbiter General had company. Nodding in his direction, Jing Yuan addressed the situation casually (far too casually, in Yanqing’s humble opinion, given the nonsense that would come next).
“Yanqing, meet your new stepmother.”
A tall blond man with flowing hair and green eyes smiled politely and waved at the young swordsman.
“Hello~”
Yanqing’s eyes widened, then narrowed as he assumed a defensive stance with his hand on the hilt of his sword. He recognized this man; he was that shady guy who infiltrated the Xianzhou back in 1.X!
“General… That’s a man. And a criminal.”
Luocha laughed, seemingly unfazed.
“Come on now, young man. Is that any way to talk to your father’s lover?”
Yanqing was baffled and indignant. Was this some kind of prank?
“Firstly, he’s not my father! And second, there’s no way that you are the General’s lover.”
Jing Yuan didn’t help, and instead only added to Yanqing’s headache.
“Love comes in many forms, Yanqing.”
At this shameless addition to whatever plot was unfolding, Yanqing flushed red and turned to Luocha. Stepmother his left foot! The only logical explanation was that Luocha had somehow struck Jing Yuan with Mara and driven him mad or something. The boy began drawing his sword as he yelled accusingly.
“You! What did you do to the General? If you poisoned him or cursed him somehow I’ll make you pay for it with my blade!!!”
Luocha only laughed at him again.
“I’m a simply a mere traveling doctor and merchant. I couldn’t hurt the General if I tried.”
Yanqing grit his teeth, but before he could think to further release his sword from its sheath, Jing Yuan gave him a look that immediately communicated that he was himself and that Yanqing was to stand down. The poor boy still couldn’t fathom what was going on, but he reluctantly obeyed. Satisfied, the General spoke to his supposed lover, and Yanqing quickly went from on edge to disgusted.
“Oh but on the contrary, dear Luocha, I’d say you have cursed me.”
“Oh?”
“I’ve been bewitched by your beauty~”
... Did the General really call him here just to engage in completely shameless displays of affection?
“ARE YOU– GROSS! If you don’t need me for anything important, I’m going back to training! *muttering*(stupidmerchantgrossnastyadultsflirtingtomakefunofmehowshamefulaa!!!)”
And so, Yanqing burst out of the room in a huff, traumatized as he began wildly relaying what he had just witnessed to the Trailblazer and Yunli on his phone…