Versus Shi Jingtian (Part 2)

"Extortion! From a small-minded uncle." Mingyue blinked her wide eyes a few times as she stared directly to Miss Chen's eyes. "I asked him to give me this grass, and he approved."

"How many you get?"

"Enough for the three of us."

"That uncle gave in? What did he make you do?" Miss Chen's gaze changed as she looked at every nook and cranny of Mingyue's body. She pulled up both of Mingyue's hand, checked for any unusual sign or foreign smell on Mingyue's body, but fortunately, she didn't found anything. Letting Mingyue hug her again, she just smiled.

Miss Chen concluded that it was safe, for now.

"Don't worry, big sis. I am smart."

But Liao Yun rolled her eyes as she snorted in her mind, [Yeah, too smart to be true. How many people you have tricked?]

Miss Chen ruffled Mingyue's hair as she heaved a relief. "Okay. You can hold the Blood Rose Grasses for yourself as the Mercenary Guild's personnel will not take it for you – it is important for any newcomer, especially you guys."

"Wait a minute, Miss Chen. I cannot approve of your conduct." Shi Jingtian had his pair of thick eyebrows furrowed as if he was in deep contemplation. "Accepting these Blood Rose Grasses from another can be considered as receiving external help. So, I think they should be disqualified."

"Why? The rules state that the participant is not allowed to receive external help, but they are allowed to rob another participant, right?" Miss Chen's tone was cold, unlike the usual charming her. Her gaze was also kind of chilly, kind of intimidating someone. "Hence, extorting can be considered as robbing, can't it?"

"It's not my point, Miss Chen-"

[ENVIOUS! SO ENVIOUS-]

"They aren't really breaking the rules here, even though it is a shortcut. The ability to adapt to any kind of situation is one of the important factors as a mercenary, isn't it? Or am I wrong?"

"What I mean is the participant should be able to handle their examination with the right and proper way. Not some unscrupulous way or some shortcut. It is the examination for a mercenary, a right and proper mercenary, not some kind of bandit nor thug."

[What I mean is I should be able to replace this little girl's position. I should be having fun in those soft mounds. It is the right and proper way. Not some random kid is allowed to. She is MINE, a right and proper property of mine, not for some kind or random kid or bug.]

"Bandit is a bandit, a thug is a thug, but the adaptability based on the situation is a strong point of a mercenary. One has to be flexible when one has to bend, forcing through with only a raw strength is no different from a stupid attempt."

"Adaptability is indeed one of the mercenary's strong points. But everything also has a responsibility. How can we trust someone who will shirk on their own responsibility?"

"But they are not a full-fledged mercenary yet!"

"I understand, Miss Chen. But we cannot be rash. Holding them off until the next examination is the best outcome, I believe. You have to trust me, Miss Chen. I am doing this for the good of these poor and misguided children." There was a miserable expression pasted on Shi Jingtian's face.

Shi Jintian held back some of his hostility, but how could it escape the sharp sense of Mingyue. Not only that, but Mingyue also recognize the lust in Shi Jingtian's expression every time his gaze swept toward Miss Chen. Even though it might be his unconscious reflex toward the opposite sex, it annoyed Mingyue as the part of the opposite sex.

At first, she wouldn't care about a random cat or dog, since it would waste her strength. But even so, it wouldn't prevent Mingyue to play a trick or two.

With teary eyes, Mingyue hid her face in Miss Chen's soft and ample bosom. As she hugged Miss Chen's body, a familiar scent tickled her sensitive nose. But she didn't remember it.

[No, no. Think about it later. My current priority is to make this egg-head becomes miserable.]

"Big sis Chen. Is he a bully?" Mingyue's voice was not loud, but it was enough to let Miss Chen and Shi Jingtian to listen. Her voice was full of insecurity and frailness, especially looking at her small frame.

She was akin to a wounded small animal.

Liao Yun knew that Mingyue was playing, thus he took down Fu Tao in case he ruined the show.

"Look at what you have done! She is scared. . ." Miss Chen's motherly instinct awakened as she hugged back the frail small animal in her embrace.

"But, but it is my job as one of the examiners to make sure the rule is enacted. I cannot possibly be biased toward a certain party." Shi Jingtian flustered a little when he realized that the amiable and cordial Miss Chen was no more. He didn't expect that Miss Chen would be so overprotective.

"I don't care! You care only on what you care, and I care what I care. Don't force me to not care what I care only because you don't care what I care. And what I care is her, look at her! The poor little girl, and you have to behave like a girl?"

"Sigh. I am sorry if I didn't think about it too much, but I have my responsibility. I cannot be in leisure and let anyone that passed the examination become mercenary. I have to be vigilant, and it is what I am doing. So, if I have offended Miss Chen in any way, I will apologize." Shi Jingtian cupped both of his hands and lowered his body, but he was adamant in his statement. He only explained the reason for his vigilance, but not the rejection of the trio Mingyue, Liao Yun, and Fu Tao.

It was a word-play.

But unfortunately, Miss Chen already had a dissatisfaction toward Shi Jingtian and the former realized the word-play.

Shi Jingtian was known as straight-forward, a hard-to-bend man, and had a high pride. No matter how much he adored Miss Chen, he couldn't possibly rid of his own nature, the part of himself. Akin to the flow of blood inside his body

Thus, Shi Jingtian was not willing to compromise nor take a step back.

And Miss Chen sure realized it.

As her expression darkened, Miss Chen scoffed, "Ho? So you blame your job? You blame on your responsibility? You will blame everything that is unrelated to you, right?"

Mingyue snickered as she made Shi Jingtian's consciousness a little blurry, making him revealed what Shi Jingtian really thought.

"It's not about my job, but about my integrity as one of the Mercenary Guild's instructors, my conscience, and also my capabilities. Miss Chen is a member of the same Mercenary Guild, but we are in different position. An instructor and a receptionist are two different positions. A mere receptionist doesn't understand-"

Shi Jingtian stopped his speech as he realized that his temper had taken over his speech earlier. He didn't understand what had happened, so he attempted to present himself as righteous. He couldn't let Miss Chen's impression of him changed. "I am always with the new recruit as their instructor, so I understand their limitation, weakness, shortcoming, and even their fragility. But they are mould-able. I can teach them and they are growing up. But for them."

But there was an underlying meaning behind Shi Jingtian's sentences.

'I understand new guy more than you, a mere receptionist. I am an instructor, not a mere receptionist like you. And I understand them more, unlike you. So shut the hell up.'

Of course, it was not what Shi Jingtian meant, but that was what Miss Chen felt.

Miss Jingtian flashed her attractive smile as if she had forgotten the clash of their opinion earlier. "I see Mister Shi Jingtian's point. But there is not only one examiner, but three. Don't forget that I am bestowed with the role of examiner because there is something that I understand. Please be understanding."

Even though her sentence was more polite than before, it was clear that Miss Chen raised a wall between them.

Shi Jingtian coughed a few times in surprise while his face had an unbelieving expression. "Mi-miss Chen, why are you- Please call me Old Shi like usual."

"Oh? What are you talking about?" Miss Chen had a cordial expression, but it was scary enough for Shi Jingtian.

With a cramped smile, Shi Jingtian wiped the non-existent sweat on his shiny forehead. "Ye-yeah, Old Shi is easier to say, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is."

"Then-"

"But, I am a mere receptionist, while the grand and mighty Mister Shi Jingtian is much much much better than a mere receptionist."

"No, that is not what I mean, Miss Chen. It is a little misunderstanding, and please let me explain what I just said." Shi Jingtian had a pleading expression while his shiny head grew sweaty.

"Yes, I sure understand what you mean." But before Shi Jingtian could rejoice in his mind, Miss Chen continued, "We are here not as a receptionist or instructor. You don't need to consider my position as a receptionist, and vice versa. We are an examiner, nothing more, nothing less. Just do our job without dragging something like a mere receptionist or instructor. It is childish, unsightly performance for an examiner."

Miss Chen didn't let go Mingyue in her embrace and tightened her hug toward the latter. "Also, I think it is unsightly for you to bully a little girl like that."

Shi Jingtian choked as he heard the last sentence.

[Little girl? That is the main reason of why you are so adamant in protecting them?]

[Fine. As long as it is not the little girl, I am free to do anything I want, right?]

Shi Jingtian moved his heavy gaze toward the direction of Liao Yun and Fu Tao. It was a little problematic if he fought the woman in case of another blame, thus he shifted his attention toward the only male. Fu Tao.

". . . Fine. Then, shall we continue their second examination?"

And his hostility leaked at the end of his sentence.

…