Chapter 19.3 – The Wise Luo Ruo
The first song entered its coda. Luo Rou pulled away from Nian Bing’s large hands to execute two beautiful spins. Nian Bing’s right hand embraced her waist, making her back arch. At the same time, he stepped forward half a step and pressed his face close to Luo Rou, his eyes exuding a faint smiling expression. Using an ordinary voice, he said, “Miss Luo Rou’s dance form is truly beautiful. Compared to that, mine is so out of practice.” He applied a slight force, and Luo Rou straightened up her back. Sweeping a gaze full of charm over Nian Bing, she said “Young lord is too modest. Although you may be unfamiliar with dancing, your movements blend well with the music. With time, Luo Rou would definitely be unable to match up. Okay, everyone, distinguished guests, please dance as much as you’d like.” After announcing the dance party had officially started, Luo Rou led Nian Bing along by the hand to the side of the dance floor. She could not endure her curiosity and wanted to ask her sisters for clarity.
At the moment, Xue Jing had already forgotten about Nian Bing and stood next to Yan Feng. In a low voice she said, “You don’t dance?”
Yan Feng swept a cold eye over her, and said indifferently, “Sorry, I don’t. Even more, I don’t dance with women who humiliate my friends.”
Xue Jing said with a little anger, “Your friend? How long have you and him known each other? Don’t tell me that right now in your mind, he is more important than me?”
Yan Feng could not endure any longer and shot a glance at Xue Jing. “No, you’re wrong. It’s not important; it’s very important.”
Hearing these words, Xue Jing’s eyes had emitted a slightly happy expression, but once she heard the last clause, the healthy skin color of her pretty face faded from redness, and she almost fainted. “Fine Yan Feng, remember me well.”
“Jing Jing, come, I have something to ask you.” Right at this moment, Luo Rou’s voice rang out timely. Xue Jing turned her body to look, just to see Luo Rou pulling Nian Bing by the hand at the side. One look at Nian Bing, and she immediately found it difficult to breathe. In her mind she secretly said, ‘Stupid Nian Bing, damned Nian Bing, you will die today.’ While thinking this, despite her previously assumed manner of a wise and virtuous woman, she took big steps forward.
Shi Jiu had originally wanted to ask Long Ling to dance, but was prevented by Luo Rou. Nian Bing smiled slightly saying, “Big Brother Shi Jiu, Ling’er, how are you, I didn’t think that I would see you here today.”
Long Ling’s beautiful brows creased lightly, saying, “I really did not think! Nian Bing, you are an Ice Mage, why are you wearing a Fire magic gown today? Moreover, the rank is also wrong! Those clothes look familiar.”
Xue Jing, who had just arrived, heard the last sentence and snorted, saying, “Of course it looks familiar. Aren’t his clothes and the wand in his hand the things you lent me?”
Luo Rou looked at Nian Bing with suspicion, but did not open her mouth. Long Ling stared, wide-eyed. “What? Jingjing, didn’t you say he was a wood……”
Xue Jing, now in front of her sisters, didn’t want to give a harsh strike against her reputation and leave Nian Bing with any sentiment or face. Very fiercely, she snapped back, “That’s right, he is a woodcutter. I did not think that he was actually playing a trick on me.”
Nian Bing smiled indifferently. He said, “Jing’er, how could you say I was playing a trick on you! I helped your good friend cut her cake, is that not keeping in accordance with my pretend position? Don’t forget, right now, I am your boyfriend. I know you all want to ask some questions about how I am so skilled at knife work and cake cutting. It’s actually very simple. I’ve chopped wood for many years. My arm skills have naturally become very proficient. No matter what the thing is, it is actually just like chopping.” He didn’t say a lie, so the expression in his eyes remained undisturbed. When Luo Rou, who had already determined something, saw that calm expression, her mind could not help but arise some doubt to her determinations.
Xue Jing said angrily, “You, you did that on purpose, right? Just what did you say to Yan Feng?”
Nian Bing said indifferently, “I only greeted Brother Yan. He was unlike how you described him; associating with him gives people a comfortable feeling.”
Xue Jing could not suppress her flames of anger. “Get out, get out of here! Return and await my revenge!” Nian Bing’s transformation and Yan Feng’s coldness had thoroughly incited the Mad girl.
“Jingjing.” Luo Rou called out in a somewhat displeased voice. After all, Nian Bing had danced the first song with her and had already become the most important and distinguished guest. If he was chased away by Xue Jing, this party would have no point of continuing.
Nian Bing smiled calmly and said, “Sorry, Miss Xue Jing. I did not sell myself to you as a slave. Every person has their own self-esteem, I hope your words will adhere to propriety. Moreover, you do not have the authority to send away a Great Mage. Did I speak correctly Ling’er?” While saying this, he had already directed his gaze to Long Ling, who was so surprised she had become lifeless.
Xue Jing’s voice was harsh, for it was filled with the anger birthed by the confrontation. She had already forgotten the present occasion. “Great Mage? Are you talking about yourself? What kind of person are you?”
“Jingjing.” Luo Rou and Long Ling spoke at the same time. At the present, Long Ling had already woken up and walked between Nian Bing and Xue Jing. She said in a low voice, “Jingjing, no matter what sort of conflict you two may have right now, today is Rou’er’s birthday. Don’t feel disappointed. Moreover, what Nian Bing said is correct. He has the position of a Great Mage at our Association, so you have no authority to make him leave.”
Xue Jing was dumbfounded. “Ling’er, you really know him?”
Long Ling nodded her head. She said, “Jingjing, though I don’t know what sort of misunderstanding you two have, there’s one thing I know for sure. Remember how I told you about the new Great Mage who entered the Association? That’s Nian Bing! He’s younger than me but has already reached the realm of a Great Mage. He has received my father and several of the Magic Scholars’ acknowledgement.”
Luo Rou nodded while bringing out her previously leftover cake. “I can confirm this using this piece of ice cream like cake as proof.”
Xue Jing was dumbfounded, absolutely completely dumbfounded. She never would’ve thought that Nian Bing, who had always looked abnormally weak in her eyes, would actually be a genius mage. This suddenly appearing contrast was difficult for her to accept. But she clearly knew that Long Ling and Luo Rou would never lie to her. Everything was true. The light in her eyes abruptly turned cold. Glaring at Nian Bing, her state of mind turned calm. “Rou’er, sorry, I cannot continue participating in your birthday banquet. I will visit your home some other day to apologize. I will be leaving first.” After saying this, she stepped out calmly, gracefully heading outside. Long Ling and Luo Rou who were familiar with her knew that right now, Xue Jing was on the verge of a volcanic eruption. They were afraid that there was no way for this matter to end well.
“Nian Bing, what just happened?” Shi Jiu, who had kept quiet all this time, could not help but asked.
Nian Bing smiled calmly. He said, “Nothing, it’s only that Miss Xue Jing and I had a misunderstanding. Big Brother Shi Jiu, with such elegant music, do you not want to ask Ling’er to dance?”
Shi Jiu stared blankly before immediately reacting. To Nian Bing, he gave a small, but grateful smile, and offered out his right arm like a gentleman. At the present, Long Ling did not have a reason to refuse Shi Jiu. She still yet wanted to ask for clarification, but could not help but first slide onto the dance floor with Shi Jiu.
Nian Bing stood calmly there, looking at the man and woman pair dancing lightly and gracefully. His mood was very relaxed. This time, he could completely leave the Pure Wind House.
“Do you not think that this was cruel to Jingjing?” Luo Rou stood at Nian Bing’s side and spoke indifferently.
“Cruel? I don’t think so. Miss Luo Rou, you are called wise girl. Do not you think that Xue Jing is going to suffer some setbacks because of her character?” Nian Bing turned his head to look at Luo Rou.
Luo Rou’s brow wrinkled slightly. “Saying this, are you trying to help her?”
Nian Bing spoke calmly, “At the very least, this is what I believe. Xue Jing helped me previously. Though I concealed my status as a mage, I had not the faintest sliver of ill intention towards her. Speaking honestly, if she was a man, with the kind of insult she gave me today, I probably would have retaliated, but she is, after all, a woman. You can’t have a good fight with a woman, therefore, I just chose to display my real status today. Probably you believed that I’ve harmed Xue Jing, but the fact is, between us, we are not really friends. She definitely does not feel deeply hurt, only angry. Many people hate me, but do you think I care? You are the Wise Girl and Xue Jing is your friend. If you can help change her current disposition and manner of speaking, she would experience less defeat.”
Luo Rou’s expression was somewhat strange. “What sort of person are you, really? I actually do not understand what you plan to achieve by doing all these things.”
Nian Bing smiled indifferently and said, “I am only an ordinary mage, did you not hear what Ling’er said? I am an ice mage who has not been in the Mage Association for long.”
Luo Rou smiled. “Nian Bing, this should be your name. You’ve already attracted my interest.” Like a rat catching the scent of a cat, Nian Bing shuddered for no reason.
“Miss Luo Rou, if you want to find out more details about me, then you’ll have to exhaust all of your tricks. I apologize for disrupting your birthday banquet today, but I am extremely happy to be able to meet the Wise Girl. If I have the chance, Nian Bing will definitely come to your house to call on you. I must also bother you to tell Ling’er that I will be going ahead to the Association and that I will be in the library if she ever needs me.”
Luo Rou was somewhat disappointed. She said, “You’re going back already?”
Nian Bing said with a smile, “Even if I stay, I’m afraid that Miss Luo Rou would not accompany me for another dance. Therefore, I will go back. I am not fond of the feeling of being targeted by a multitude of arrows.”
Luo Rou’s expression changed. “Then will you ever go back to the Pure Wind House?” She had really wanted to ask him to accompany her for another dance, but the words were stuck and refused to come out.