I'm not a drama god

"My...home?"

Lee Layder's expression was somewhat subtle.

"But didn't you ask me to join the Twilight Society? It doesn't seem appropriate for an outsider like me to enter the headquarters..."

"You, you really didn't join the Twilight Society..."

Chen Ling looked at Li Lai De before him, his ruby-like eyes seemingly deeper than the starry sky. He paused, and in the quiet alley, only the rustling of the swaying tree branches in the wind could be heard.

After an unknown amount of time, he spoke again:

“...Lee Rider”.

"What?" Li Laide frowned slightly, somewhat confused about what Chen Ling was trying to say.

After a brief silence, Chen Ling's voice rang out again:

"Would you like to become my disciple?"

Li Laide stood there, stunned.

rustle--

A gentle breeze ruffled the ends of Li Lai De's dark hair, and his deep blue eyes narrowed slightly.

This was a sentence he had never imagined... From the very beginning, when Chen Ling kept him by her side, he had considered every worst possibility. Even after Chen Ling no longer showed him any malice, he did not relax his guard at all; on the contrary, he became even more vigilant.

He never believed that anyone would be kind to him for no reason, except for his own mother.

However, everything that happened afterward changed his impression of Chen Ling. He found that Chen Ling didn't seem to have any ulterior motives. In fact, after discovering that the other party was also a heretic, he felt a strange sense of identification with her.

Li Lai De may not have realized it himself, but at some point, he had truly begun to believe in Chen Ling and accept his kindness towards him.

The moment those words echoed in Li Laide's ears, it felt as if a huge stone had silently fallen to the ground in his heart.

All the goodwill and help seemed to have a foundation at this moment. It turned out that from the very beginning, he really thought highly of him and wanted him to become his apprentice... In this way, everything made sense.

For some reason, Li Laide suddenly felt a sense of peace, though he didn't know where this peace came from… Was it because he no longer had to live a life of hiding and running in the Cheng Tian Realm? Was it because he had finally found a powerful backer? Was it because he could finally accept Chen Ling's kindness? Or…

Because I don't have to worry about being suddenly abandoned by Chen Ling one day?

In that instant, countless thoughts flashed through Li Laid's mind, but his subconscious reacted immediately.

puff-

He knelt gently in front of Chen Ling.

The swaying shadows of the trees moved silently on the ground. Li Laid took a deep breath and kowtowed heavily to the figure in the theatrical robe:

"Disciple Li Laide..."

"Meet the Master."

……

The Realm of Heavenly Embrace.

royal palace.

Beneath the vermilion-red walls, a figure gallops along the palace road on horseback.

This road runs through the palace and its gates. Normally, apart from the emperor and powerful ministers, no one else can easily step onto it; they can only enter and exit through a side gate.

It is like a sharp arrow nocked from the dragon throne, with the palaces on both sides as the string and the Qinghe River protecting the city as the bow, the arrowhead pointing straight at the world.

On horseback, a figure in black robes fluttered in the wind. He Jing's eyes were slightly narrowed, his expression calm. However, his already mature gray hair was inexplicably shrouded in a layer of decay, and several old wrinkles appeared on his face, as if he had aged more than ten years overnight.

The officials who were entering and exiting through the side gate at that moment widened their eyes in disbelief when they saw someone daring to ride a horse at breakneck speed along the main road.

"Who dares to ride a horse in the palace?!"

"Is he out of his mind??"

"This person has challenged His Majesty's imperial authority. It's estimated that his head will roll on the ground soon... I wonder which family's fool is this."

"That person looks unfamiliar to me; he doesn't seem like an official..."

"Have you seen him?"

"never seen it……"

"I haven't seen it either."

"Hmm? Is he from the Imperial Observatory? I saw him before, when he was with Lord Chong..."

"Where did this scoundrel come from, daring to cause trouble in the palace?! Quickly, stop him!"

"..."

Numerous figures attacked simultaneously, rushing towards the horse-riding figure. These officials were usually timid and hesitant, but last night the Imperial Observatory was massacred, which must have created many vacancies for official positions. This was a great opportunity to show their loyalty to His Majesty, so how could they possibly miss it?

Just then, Eunuch Zuo appeared, riding on a streak of light, following behind He Jing!

At the same time, he opened a golden imperial edict in his hand, and the imperial pressure of a demigod descended suddenly, forcibly pressing everyone back to the ground!

The resonant voice of Eunuch Zuo echoed leisurely within the palace walls:

"By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees:"

"Yesterday, the Grand Historian's Office suffered a devastating massacre, and on the same day, the former head of the Grand Historian's Office died in the Gray Realm while on duty... The Grand Historian's Office is the pillar of the nation and cannot be without a leader for even a day."

"He Jing is hereby appointed as the new Chief of the Imperial Observatory, in charge of military construction and transportation in all regions. He is free to enter and leave the palace, and no one may obstruct him."

"So be it—"

Upon hearing this, the expressions of all the ministers changed drastically!

They stared in disbelief at the figure riding away from the palace, never imagining that His Majesty would appoint He Jing as the new Chief Historian... Didn't that mean that the biggest piece of the prize had already been snatched away?

If they want to snatch the next small piece of meat, they still have to consider the attitude of this new boss.

For a moment, everyone's thoughts raced, their eyes fixed on the direction He Jing had left, each pondering and calculating something in their hearts.

……

Royal study room.

A figure slowly emerged from behind the beaded curtain.

Ying Fu's figure was no longer as hunched as in the previous reflection. Although he still looked somewhat old, his posture was much straighter. He glanced at the two dice on the gambling table, one with a three and the other with a four.

The one at four o'clock landed in the direction where Ying Fu had just sat down.

He won.

Ying Fu took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked in the direction He Jing had left... No one knew what he was thinking; his gaze was incredibly deep.

Ying Fu didn't help anything around him, but walked to the edge of the study on his own, his gaze slowly turning to the wall...

On the innermost wall of the Imperial Study, there hangs a painting.

The painting depicts a delicate and shy young girl. Although it is not a modern realistic painting style, and the technique is not particularly sophisticated or rare, the vividness in her eyes and brows makes it seem as if the figure is about to leap off the paper...

"A-Qian..."

Ying Fu stood before the painting, gazing at the figure of the girl within, a complex and indescribable weariness and emotion welling up in his eyes…

Beneath his sleeves, his hands, etched with shallow wrinkles, clenched silently as he murmured to himself:

"There are only ten years left until that star returns..."

"I……"

"You won't be disappointed."