Jiang Yu nodded.
Hua Ling smiled and said, ‘What would you do?’
Jiang Yu: ‘……You mean if I encounter such a thing?’
Hua Ling nodded.
Jiang Yu decisively said, ‘Impossible.’
Hua Ling: ‘Why not?’
Jiang Yu impatiently said, ‘The duty of a sword spirit is to protect its master. If one master dies, there will be another. Where would there be time for romance?’
Hua Ling spread his hands: ‘Just imagine. Suppose you weren’t a sword spirit, but just an ordinary man, and you encountered this kind of thing?’
Jiang Yu didn’t hesitate: ‘I’d chop it off.’
Hua Ling’s mouth curled up into an inscrutable smile.
Jiang Yu fidgeted and scratched his hair: ‘I don’t know, I’ve never thought about it.’
Hua Ling raised an eyebrow: ‘Didn’t you just say you would — “chop it off”?’
Jiang Yu said with a frown, ‘Well, it’s just an assumption. I’m a sword spirit with principles. Besides, what’s all this lovey-dovey nonsense? It’s none of my business and it just annoys the hell out of me.’
While they were talking, the waiter came over with the wine.
Two tall glasses, each filled with a quarter of wine. One glass was handed to Hua Ling and the other to Jiang Yu.
Hua Ling slowly shook her glass and took a small sip.
Jiang Yu imitated her by shaking the red liquid in the glass: ‘What is this? It smells like wine but isn’t wine.’
The waiter thought he doubted the authenticity of the wine and hurriedly explained, ‘Sir, please try it. It’s from 1982…’
‘The wine is very good. Thank you,’ Hua Ling interrupted.
The waiter nodded slightly and politely withdrew.
Hua Ling explored the glass and gently touched it to the one in Jiang Yu’s hand: ‘Try it? See if it’s as good as Huadiao.’