Bai Heng's happiness? "Vetting" him?
So that was what this meant.
Wei Qing finally understood where the weird atmosphere was coming from.
Jing Yuan—and the two sitting right in front of him—these three idiots had somehow convinced themselves that he and Bai Heng were… that.
Fine. Each of them could take a solid six-point demerit.
Wei Qing instinctively looked at Bai Heng.
Her whole face was bright red. Her lips kept twitching like she wanted to speak, but her brain had clearly blue-screened.
She hadn't expected this dinner to derail in this direction either.
So the "information gap" was here, huh.
Did they recognize him as Wei Qing?
No. With this vibe, absolutely not.
They were genuinely evaluating "Dian Dao" as a potential… partner for Bai Heng.
Wei Qing finally understood the lingering sense of wrongness from the moment he'd walked in.
This wasn't an ambush to test his identity.
This was a freaking "future son-in-law meets the family" scene.
What exactly had Jing Yuan told them? What had Bai Heng done to produce such a ridiculous misunderstanding?
Wei Qing glanced at Bai Heng—who looked like she wanted to crawl under the table—then at Ying Xing and Dan Feng, both wearing faces like they'd confiscate his marriage license on the spot if he couldn't produce property deeds, and finally at Jing Yuan, who was visibly holding back laughter.
Good.
Very good.
Wei Qing inhaled slowly and spoke, measured and calm.
"I believe there may be a misunderstanding."
He shot Bai Heng a look—she was practically trying to drown herself in her wine cup.
"My relationship with Miss Bai Heng is nothing more than professional acquaintance these past few days. She has kindly served as an enthusiastic guide, and we have gotten along pleasantly. But it is not the kind of relationship you seem to be imagining."
Bai Heng jerked her head up and immediately piled on, flustered and incoherent.
"Right, right, right! Exactly! Dian Dao's right! We're just normal friends—really good normal friends!"
Then she whirled on Jing Yuan, nearly ready to grab his sleeve.
"Jing Yuan-yuan, what the hell did you tell them?!"
After all, in Bai Heng's mind, Jingliu… still cared about him. If Bai Heng really ended up like what these three were implying, wouldn't that be the ultimate betrayal?
Jing Yuan finally couldn't hold it anymore. He chuckled, then raised both hands in surrender.
"Ahem, ahem."
"I didn't say a thing. I only invited Sir Dian Dao to meet some friends. Ying Xing and Dan Feng just…" He dragged the words out, glancing meaningfully at the other two. "…care too much about you, Bai Heng."
Ying Xing and Dan Feng exchanged a look. An awkward flicker crossed both faces.
Right.
Bai Heng hadn't even "caught" the guy yet.
What they should be doing was helping Bai Heng pursue him—not grilling him like a census office.
So yes. Maybe the two of them had… overreacted.
Ying Xing coughed hard and forcefully changed the subject, grabbing the wine jug to refill Wei Qing's cup.
"Drink, drink. This Luofu Spring is good stuff. You can't get it outside."
Dan Feng also returned to his usual cool demeanor.
"My apologies. I was presumptuous. It's just… Bai Heng rarely takes such interest in someone, so we became overly cautious."
Wei Qing watched the scene unfold and felt his temples throb.
He lifted the cup Ying Xing had just filled and downed it in one gulp. The burn slid down his throat, but it didn't extinguish the absurdity pooling in his chest.
"No harm done," he said.
"The concern you show for a friend is… moving."
Bai Heng was dying inside. Her cheeks were hot enough to fry eggs.
She shot Jing Yuan a murderous glare. Jing Yuan sat there peacefully sipping his wine like a man watching street theater.
Bai Heng was furious.
Jing Yuan-yuan already knew "Dian Dao" was Wei Qing, and he still had the nerve to spread this kind of rumor?
"Um… Dian Dao, don't mind them…" Bai Heng tried to patch things up, voice so small it barely carried. "They're just… used to worrying about other people…"
Before Wei Qing could respond, Dan Feng calmly picked up a bite of food—like he hadn't just interrogated him five minutes ago.
"Sir Dian Dao is clearly broad-minded. I trust you won't hold it against us. Still… do you have plans for the future?"
Here we go again.
That stupid dragon. Still just as good at circling around the real point with a straight face.
Sooner or later I'm going to throw down with you again.
Wei Qing was about to answer when the old wooden door of the tavern creaked open with a long "squeeeak."
A thread of cold air spilled in, instantly cooling the room's lingering awkward heat.
Everyone looked toward the entrance.
A tall, slender figure stepped inside.
Jingliu.
Her gaze was as clear and cold as ever as it swept across the room.
Jing Yuan reacted first, standing up quickly. "Master? Why are you here? The Stellaron—"
"It's fine. General Teng Xiao can hold the post for a short while." Jingliu's voice was steady and crystalline, without the slightest ripple.
Bai Heng looked like she'd found a savior—while simultaneously getting even more embarrassed.
"S-S-S… Jingliu! You're here, perfect—come, sit! We were just… just hanging out…"
Jingliu walked to the table. Bai Heng hurriedly scooted aside to make room.
Unfortunately, the only open seat happened to be directly across from Wei Qing.
Jingliu sat down, and her calm eyes settled on him.
This should have been her first time meeting "Dian Dao," yet there wasn't even a hint of concealment in that scrutiny—like she intended to peel him layer by layer.
After all, this involved her best friend's future. Jingliu had hesitated for a long time, then decided to come personally—so Bai Heng wouldn't repeat her mistakes.
"This is the Sir Dian Dao whom you've mentioned so often recently?" Jingliu asked, voice flat as still water.
Wei Qing could feel the other four people at the table subtly holding their breath.
Clearly, even after all these years, Jingliu still kept everyone in check just by existing.
Wei Qing met her gaze and gave a composed nod.
"That would be me. I've long heard of the Luofu Sword Champion. It's an honor to meet you."
Jingliu inclined her head—an acknowledgment, nothing more. But her eyes didn't leave him, as if she meant to dissect him down to the bone.
For some reason, being stared at like this made even Wei Qing—who usually couldn't care less—feel a flicker of guilt.
What was that about?
Had Jingliu learned some strange new "domain expansion" in the last few months?
At the side, Bai Heng hurriedly poured Jingliu a drink, trying to soften the atmosphere.
"Jingliu, perfect timing—try this! The老板 opened a new batch!"
Jingliu finally looked away from Wei Qing. She lifted the cup—but didn't drink.
Then she turned to Bai Heng, voice still even.
"Bai Heng. You seem… particularly busy lately?"
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 142)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter181)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter103)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter192)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 173
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 166
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass 110
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 190
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 165
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 156
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player 81
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 102
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 66
Uma Musume: From Beginner 120
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 80
Uma Musume: I Want All 95
I Can Copy Unique Skills 84
Summoning an Evil God, but the 66
Supernatural Multiverse 83
My Harem Is Indescribable 75
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 81
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 67
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 75
Still playing traditional Honk 55
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 60
What Should I Do After Switchi - Volume2/3
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 57
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 45
Transmigrated as Sukuna 55
Checking In in Demon Slayer 60
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 65
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 35
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 35
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 39
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 58
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 30
Why did they assign me to Uma 35
MYGO Beauties 42
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