Chapter 1235 - 1236: Worry
"It's getting late, let's rest." Song Xiaodong stood up and said upon seeing Qi Lanqin yawn.
"Oh..." Qi Lanqin's face flushed red, as she stood up with Song Xiaodong.
Song Xiaodong looked at Qi Lanqin's shy expression, smiled slightly, and said, "Go ahead, you stay inside, I'll stay outside."
"Ah?" Qi Lanqin looked at Song Xiaodong in surprise.
Song Xiaodong said with a grin, "What's up? Did you think this big lecher was going to share a bed with you?"
Qi Lanqin met Song Xiaodong's eyes, then said with a bit of playful mischief, "Yeah, I thought you would."
Song Xiaodong shrugged and said, "You know, even if I shared a bed with you, I wouldn't dare make a move, so it would just be asking for trouble. Better not do such things."
Qi Lanqin pouted a little and said, "So, Big Brother Song, when you share a bed with a girl, it's to do bad things. Luckily, you didn't try anything the last two times, truly a blessing."
Song Xiaodong knew Qi Lanqin was teasing him, which actually indicated that Qi Lanqin's mindset was slowly changing, becoming less reserved and gradually developing an equal rapport with him.
This was definitely a good thing, as Song Xiaodong did not want Qi Lanqin to harbor feelings of inferiority. He patted her on the shoulder and said, "Go to sleep, you're my little princess. I can't let you sleep outside—it would make me look very ungentlemanly."
"Then I'll... go to sleep." Qi Lanqin looked up at Song Xiaodong, her cheeks blushing slightly. She stood there but didn't move.
Song Xiaodong gave Qi Lanqin a hug and gently patted her back, saying, "Be good, go to sleep."
"Okay." Qi Lanqin nodded, gave Song Xiaodong a sweet smile, and said, "Good night!" Then, she turned and went into the suite, closing the door softly behind her.
Song Xiaodong smiled slightly; Qi Lanqin had been waiting for his hug, perhaps even hoping for more, like a kiss.
However, Song Xiaodong did not kiss her, not because he didn't like Qi Lanqin, but because he didn't want their relationship to progress too quickly. Moving too fast could make future interactions much more difficult to manage. Sometimes, taking a slow, steady approach to love can be wonderfully enjoyable.
The next day, Song Xiaodong spent the whole day with Qi Lanqin, going to nearby attractions, which delighted her immensely.
Initially, they were just holding hands, but later Qi Lanqin took the initiative to wrap her arm around Song Xiaodong's as she immersed herself in the sweetness of their romance. Gradually, she became more open-hearted and her feelings of self-doubt began to fade away.
In the evening, Song Xiaodong called over Dragon Seven and Dragon Six.
"Dragon Seven, Dragon Six, I want to meet our Dragon Gate Elders now. I need to know more about Dragon Gate."
Dragon Six immediately said, "Young Master, both Elders contacted me a few days ago saying they would visit you soon, but they didn't specify the exact time."
Dragon Seven quickly added, "Young Master, each Elder of Dragon Gate is highly esteemed. Please don't blame their lack of manners. We, and those like us, might not concern Dark Night Sect, but the Elders are people Dark Night Sect wishes to eliminate. Until we have the power to resist, it's better they remain hidden."
Dragon Six continued, "Young Master, the Elders haven't contacted you directly but speak through us. They also want to see your strength and observe your growth. If you don't meet their standards..."
Song Xiaodong nodded and said, "I understand. They're assessing whether I'm qualified to be Dragon Gate Young Master and whether I can lead everyone to restore Dragon Gate's glory."
Dragon Six nodded and said, "That's right. This has always been our tradition at Dragon Gate. If a Sect Leader doesn't have enough strength, Dragon Gate people won't truly follow."
Song Xiaodong wasn't annoyed; instead, he smiled slightly and said, "It seems that the enduring splendor of Dragon Gate is largely due to its meritocratic approach. An unworthy leader doesn't deserve to be Master of the Dragon Gate."
Dragon Seven hesitated and then said, "Moreover, Young Master, we all now have different identities, and the Elders... also have ordinary identities, which make it inconvenient for them to visit you."
Song Xiaodong paused for a moment, then his expression turned subtle. Dragon Nine and Dragon Seven appeared to be ordinary individuals without special identities, but Dragon Six was a CEO of a listed company.
Considering the scale of Dragon Gate, it's a place where the capable rise. The Elders must all be exceptionally talented. By hiding their Dragon Gate identities, they probably achieve great things elsewhere.
It's possible that among the people he knew before, there were Dragon Gate Elders. Even if he knows now, it's not convenient for them to reveal their identities.
Dragon Six and Dragon Seven looked at Song Xiaodong with a bit of concern and said, "Young Master, please don't be upset about this matter."
Song Xiaodong waved his hand and said, "No worries, no worries at all. I'm actually more eager to gather with Dragon Gate people now. I'm really curious about the achievements everyone has made."
Dragon Six and Dragon Seven breathed a sigh of relief. If Song Xiaodong, as Dragon Gate Young Master, had really blamed the Elders for this, it could have caused discord within Dragon Gate, planting a ticking time bomb.
Song Xiaodong looked at Dragon Six and Dragon Seven and asked, "How do you think my current strength compares to that of the Elders?"
Dragon Six and Dragon Seven, having frequent contact with Dragon Nine, clearly understood Song Xiaodong's current progress in strength.
After a moment's hesitation, Dragon Six lightly coughed and said, "Young Master, you've made significant breakthroughs recently. Your strength has indeed increased greatly, but... pardon my frankness, at your current level, you probably can't defeat any Elder."
"So strong..." Song Xiaodong's face was full of surprise.
Dragon Seven added, "Indeed, all Elders are born geniuses, almost all have reached the formidable aura of True Qi protection. If one day the Young Master reaches this formidable aura, then you'll be able to contend with the Elders."
Song Xiaodong's lips twitched slightly, and for the first time, he felt a bit worried as he said, "The Elders are so strong; surely, the Sect Leader and Vice Sect Leader are even stronger. Yet, they were all forced into dispersion by Dark Night Sect, which makes their power unimaginable."