The King of Black Fog

After her shower, Yang Qinglan didn't return to her own yard, but instead settled down to sleep in Li Qianxia's room.

She had already planned to clean up the room on the southern side of the yard and move in; living alone was too dangerous in these times, especially for a single beauty like her.

Although living here also bore its dangers, other dangers, not Li Changzhou, but Li Qianxia.

"Qing Lan, has my brother tried to chat with you in private?"

"Aren't you always there when we're together?"

Yang Qinglan, dressed in a silk nightgown, was the epitome of elegance, virtue, and gentleness;

Li Qianxia, in shorts and a T-shirt, her white thighs exposed, was like a python to men, seemingly ready to suffocate someone with her coils.

"Hey, I'm talking about on Microchat." At this moment, with her long hair draped over her shoulders, Li Qianxia exuded a bit of a literary girl's charm.

"No." Yang Qinglan answered softly as she dried her hair.

She was used to carefully drying her hair till it was almost done, then gently blowing it with a hairdryer for a moment.

"Nothing?"

"Not a word."

"Not a word? I don't believe it; show me."

Yang Qinglan freed one hand to pass her phone lying on the table to her.

Li Qianxia's bed, dresser, chairs, and other things were all a mess (mainly clothes), but her desk was surprisingly clean, with only law textbooks and no cosmetics.

There weren't many contacts in Yang Qinglan's Microchat, not even enough to fill a page, and L was the second one listed.

When she clicked into the conversation with Li Changzhou, it was indeed clean, untouched.

Li Qianxia was baffled and couldn't help but ask, "Do you think that the higher my brother's IQ is, the lower his EQ might be?"

"He's just clear about what he should be doing. With the situation as it is, how can he even consider romantic love?"

"You can't say it like that, is life just about living? Look at the forum, so many people are thinking about money, about power, about food. The two of you have never been in love, what's wrong with wanting to experience a romance, to share a kiss?"

"...Share a kiss." Yang Qinglan despaired, her strength fading somewhat as she continued to dry her hair.

"Too direct? Then how about cuddling together, men feeling the softness and warmth of a woman, and women feeling the solidity and reliability of a man?"

"...Even more direct."

Li Qianxia's eyes rolled, not even her long, over-the-shoulder hair could hide her mischievous spirit.

"Qing Lan," she whispered slyly, "I've realized that you're quite the little pervert, your mind full of dirty thoughts, always turning everything into that direction, and I was just talking about a hug."

"Whatever, little pervert, little witch, little fairy, I can be all of those." Yang Qinglan picked up the hairdryer and began blowing her hair on a gentle setting.

"I'll help you."

Li Qianxia held the hairdryer in her right hand while scooping up slightly wet strands of Yang Qinglan's hair with her left, carefully drying it.

Yang Qinglan picked up the phone Li Qianxia had put down, entered the player forums, and searched for useful information.

There were a few pieces of equipment in the auction house, as well as identity cards, but the skills were mediocre and not worth buying.

"But do you really have any feelings for my brother? If you do, give him some indication. My brother is quite a proud man."

The sound of the hairdryer was not loud and didn't disturb Li Qianxia's speaking, allowing Yang Qinglan to hear her clearly.

She recalled the kick she had given him and the handshake they shared on the bus.

"Do you, or don't you?"

Her expression management was quite effective, leading Li Qianxia to think she was ignoring her, focusing instead on the intel from the forums.

They were all lamenting posts because the month was ending; a new month was starting and all players had to participate in the game at least once.

As Li Qianxia mentioned, not everyone strove as hard as they did; many had given up, exchanging their Game Coins for money, starting their final revelry.

"You stay out of our business," she said.

"Not even my sister-in-law yet, and you're already trying to teach me?"

"If I become your sister-in-law, the first thing I'll do is confiscate your brother's money."

"No way—!!! That's my money!!!"

Li Changzhou lived at the bottom of society; it was true in the past and would be true in the future as well.

Undoubtedly.

"There's something else."

Yang Qinglan sighed. She hadn't even become her sister-in-law yet, and she was already finding Li Qianxia annoying.

"Ask." she said.

"How much is the typical dowry in Ming City?" Li Qianxia asked nervously, her hair-drying actions halting.

"It's either 660,000 or 880,000, I can do both of those numbers." Yang Qinglan played with a lock of hair that fell beside her ear.

"6..." Li Qianxia nearly choked on her own spit, "What about—, marrying into the woman's family!"

"I've thought of a pretty good story."

"I'm talking about marrying into the woman's family." Li Qianxia continued drying her hair.

"It's a story about marrying into the woman's family."

"Oh, then tell me, wait, why bring up ghost stories!"

Ghost stories?

Never mind.

Yang Qinglan said, "Long ago, well, not that long ago, 20 years ago, a brother and sister were born. They were very poor, so they came to Ming City and conned a peerless beauty out of her body and property."

"What kind of story is that? Let me tell you one, also from 20 years ago..."

Li Qianxia's retort was of no use to Yang Qinglan.

"...like pot and lid, you two, you should be together."

Yang Qinglan hadn't listened to a thing she said in the middle, only catching the last sentence, "We two are what?"

"Handsome and beautiful, ah. You have the kind of looks that would make it weird if others didn't swoon over you!"

Yang Qinglan decided to reveal a bit more, to make her own nightlife more harmonious.

"Love is easy, cohabitation is hard," she said, "The divorce rate is so high nowadays, I don't want to rush into a relationship. With your brother... I want to spend some time together, to confirm if we're compatible, before we talk about dating."

Li Qianxia took a moment to think and couldn't help but agree, "That's true, marriage shouldn't be rushed."

She didn't bring it up again and chatted with Yang Qinglan about learning skills.

On this matter, Yang Qinglan didn't consider any other opinions and generously shared all her insights.

On Sunday, the two of them still went to buy breakfast, preferring to cook over washing pots and dishes.

As they passed Yanhe Road, they saw Li Changzhou talking to a woman in sportswear on the track below the slope.

From the side, the woman had a plump rear, a slender waist, and despite her chest being constrained by a sports bra, it was still full and round – she was a sexy beauty that made one want to hold her tight and ravish her.

Li Qianxia pricked up her ears, but unfortunately, her Perception was only 3 points.

Carrying McDonald's breakfast, Yang Qinglan heard everything clearly.

"I've been watching you run these past few days, sometimes even running alongside you," the curvy beauty said.

"Oh? Something you need?"

"Um, I like you."

"Uh, sorry, my family's poor, no house, no car, no savings. I'm not planning to get a girlfriend."

"I can struggle alongside you."

"Hmm? Ah, sorry, you misunderstood me. I'm not that kind of person. I don't plan to struggle. I'm looking to marry a wealthy and beautiful fairy."

As for how to reject a confession, Li Changzhou was quite experienced.

After comfortably rejecting the woman, he hesitated over whether he should report this incident to Yang Qinglan. Suddenly, he felt someone watching him—there had always been people looking, but this time it was different.

Turning his head, he found Yang Qinglan and her sister, looking like a pair of fairy sisters, standing under the camphor tree on the slope.

Li Changzhou's gaze quickly passed by, pretending to admire the scenery, pretending he hadn't noticed them, and continued to run.

While running, he took out his phone and opened the [Three Sisters] group chat.

Changzhou: Again

Changzhou: Got confessed to

Qianxia: Oh?

Qianxia: What do you think, Qing Lan?

Qing Lan: Hehe

Wow, cold and heartless, I like it.