Sometime before…
When Qing Xue was returning to the barracks, the people he encountered along the way could almost see a dark cloud hanging around him. He was heading to the junior officers’ quarters in large heavy strides, and everyone who saw him thought better than to get in his way.
Everyone, that is, except Xiang Ming. He had spotted Qing Xue from where he was idling in the sparring yard. Glancing around to double-check that none of their other friends was around, he then caught up with him.
“Back so soon?” Xiang Ming called from behind in greeting. Qing Xue glanced over his shoulder but did not stop walking, leaving Xiang Ming to jog to get to his side. On top of that, Qing Xue didn’t answer him, but he brushed that aside to say further, “I thought you were supposed to be out unt
