Break a leg, Yin Yu!

16. Shi Qingxuan and He Xuan's business meeting

It was past midnight just outside The Butterfly and Flower Pavilion; the rehearsals were over, so everything was dark and silent. Even the waters on the lake were so still they looked like a mirror reflecting the full moon that filled the sky. The soft scent of the nearby plum trees in bloom filled the air. It looked like a setting of pure poetic dream.

Shi Qingxuan was standing by the lake, also unmoving, only the sleeves of his light green robes and his long hair dancing around with the soft breeze. He's been there for a while, in quiet contemplation of this scenery, his tall slender figure one of beauty. Waiting.

Somebody came; he felt its presence emerging from the darkness behind him.

"You summoned me, and here I am", a deep low voice said; only his pale face visible, for he was wearing as black as the deep sea robes, and his hair was black, his eyes were black. It was He Xuan.

Reader, I'm at the edge of my seat and biting my nails in excitement! Shi Qingxuan and Black Water Sinking Boats, meeting after hours... and what's with this mood? I know this might be quite indiscrete of me to bring you here esteemed reader, but you don't care do you?

"Yeah yeah", Shi Qingxuan said impatiently, waving the closed fan on his hand, "I did, but why do you want to meet here in the middle of the night, what's wrong with coming during the rehearsals just like everybody else?"

He Xuan gave him an enigmatic look through loose strands of hair, and said, "You know why".

"Anyway", Shi Qingxuan went on, "How's everything? You know there's a lot at stake and I had to do a lot of explaining why I appointed you as the Marketing Director, and hear a lot of Oh why the elusive Black Water Sinking Boats, he's so low-profile, what does he even know about advertising and so on. Ming-xiong, don't let me down".

He Xuan replied, "You summoned me to talk business then". He smiled sadly.

Shi Qingxuan felt his cheeks burning; fortunately it was too dark for He Xuan to see his embarrassing red face. "Of course, well some of us are busy these days you know!", he replied coldly.

He Xuan however, gave him an ambiguous smile, as if saying I know that's not how you feel, and said, "Everything's under control. I've commissioned posters with the cast, and spread the news in all spiritual communication arrays. Also, I, hum – "

"What?", Shi Qingxuan asked, "You took your time to report back too", he added, raising a brow.

"Did you miss me?", He Xuan asked, flashing a smile, then, stepping closer, said, "I took the liberty of spreading a few, hum, gossip about the play, and the cast...".

"Oh, that", Shi Qingxuan smiled brightly, "That's an excellent idea. Well, Ming-xiong, it seems I wasn't mistaken about your resourcefulness after all!"

He Xuan was close now, and, putting an arm around Shi Qingxuan's waist, said by his ear, "Remember what you promised me when all this business is over?"; then he chuckled, and said, "You didn't answer if you missed me or not".

The fact was, dear reader, that Shi Qingxuan was playing hard to get; but that Ghost King He Xuan, better known as Black Water Sinking Boats was turning into something hard to resist...

Shi Qingxuan pushed him away acting all annoyed, "Yes yes yes as I told you, work first, play later. I want to hear our play being talked about all over The Three Realms, hear me? I want to see as many people as the stars in the sky on our opening night! Then, hum, maybe – "

Thanks for reading, I hope you liked this hinted romance... 😍

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