If you're determined to make it a challenge you'll have to narrow it down yourself.
[Begrudgingly he has to admit she is being fairly reasonable, even if inquisitiveness is still a barely hidden motivation, and even if the tiger squabbles are fascinating and possibly beneficial for all parties, including his. Or would be, without such an unsavory spectre to contend with. But no matter how directly the comparison was made, it just...sticks, in the same unyielding part of his nature that won't let other discrepancies stand, past some line in the sand inscrutable even to Di Feisheng. She's being reasonable, but that can only take her so far, when half the comparison isn't his to make.]
I barely understand what he saw even now. You're no subordinate of mine. If there's power you want, you won't get it by betraying me. Or marrying me into your house. And you enjoy qi too much to want to break my will.
[Well, he's being no help in determining his preferences, but at least she's gaining a bit of knowledge nonetheless. The picture that he paints is... chaotic? That might be the best word. Someone had aspirations, but the trajectory of their means sounds tawdry. A base variety sort of ambition. She's seen the type before.]
[Now she feels a little insulted.]
Well, that's quite the ghost to contend with. I certainly don't harbor any of those intentions, though I suppose it won't do much to simply say so.
[There's a notable delay in her texts, a brief pause of thought. Should she say more? He says that he doesn't see it and barely understands it, and she appreciates that candid assessment. But he's also borrowed this lunacy before. Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to put even that speculation to bed.]
You're right, though. I'm no subordinate of yours. I have no interest in power (whatever that should entail here), even less interest in men, and I find your willfulness to be one of your most endearing qualities. Frankly, and I hope you don't mind my forwardness-- I was expecting a little better from this ghost. They sound dreadfully common.
However... I can understand his concern. I hope they didn't cause you too much trouble.
[As far as he understands, insulted is a pretty appropriate way to feel. Designating Jiao Liqiao as 'dreadfully common' doesn't begin to return the insult in full, but it certainly is unexpected enough to get a small amused sound out of him anyway. She can't possibly know how funny that is, and he isn't about to explain, and that seems a waste honestly.]
[The rest is just a lot of confirmation and agreement that unfortunately isn't really called for; the lunacy he borrowed was barely adjacent, he doesn't need any of these assurances. He has maintained from the beginning that there's no point in targeting him. She's presumptuous, and weird, and probably some amount of dangerous, but probably not enough of any of these to do real harm for no benefit. Calling him endearingly willful inspires a fleeting expression of distaste but is a great example.]
I warned you she wasn't worth the curiosity. But she caused more trouble than her life was worth in the end. It's for the best you understand.
You're right that just saying so won't do much, but I don't know what would. Maybe there's no need now anyway.
[The confirmation that the ghost is indeed a ghost-- not quite literal but not strictly metaphor-- is nice as well. At least tells her that the issue was dealt with in an acceptable manner. Not that it would be something to concern her, but it does feel like something that should be more easily put to rest for everyone that had been involved.]
[Why she's being compared to a dead woman is beyond her. Can't Li Lianhua just consider her a unique problem of his? It's so confining, being framed in someone else's shadow simply because ...what? She make a joke about his friend's intentions? Tch.]
I do understand now. I thank you for the explanation.
No need because the altercation has passed? Or because the lunacy has?
[Most unfortunately, beyond her it will have to stay. The casual and even affectionate disrespect with which he treats Li Lianhua's ongoing contentions with the weird scholar next door is a strange fault line with the stonewrought sense of duty he's adopted for some of Li Lianhua's secrets. His house can stay his own, the aetiology of his illness can stay a mystery, and the name Li Xiangyi won't be so much as breathed to her, meaningless as it would be. But these are just some of the many narrow perils of diplomatic undertaking. He's already done an exceptional amount of work he's not well suited to. The idea that anyone will fall prey to an overzealous woman on his account again is as ludicrous as thinking he could hand dye the stripes off any tigers.]
Don't hold your breath for the latter, though I think this particular ghost at least has passed. But words don't work on lunacy. I nearly said as much the first time we talked.
Alas. So much for promising no ill intentions when I next pretend to flirt with you.
[Which she will. Understanding the nature of Li Lianhua's concerns doesn't mean she's interested in curbing her own. It just gives her an idea on how to mitigate any feathers that she ruffles, how to side-step disputes that she doesn't feel like having, and that's good enough for her.]
Is it endearing, to have someone be so protective of you?
[The less said, the better. Conversationally the equivalent of playing dead. Unfortunately, he understands why it's so amusing. Li Lianhua would be much better off if he just enjoyed the liberty being inflicted on Di Feisheng, like a sensible person.]
It's not just for my benefit. If he were right and not insane, who would you target first?
[Unfortunately, the playing dead does still make her smile. Such is life.]
If he were right about what? That I have some predatory interest in you? That I'm dangerous to you? This is a very silly hypothetical, and the idea of "targeting" anyone is beyond me.
But if I have to answer, then it would have to be him first, no? And if I did that, then I don't imagine you would like me very much, and my days would be very boring. So where would I even be?
See, it all falls apart the moment you take more than two seconds to think about. I'm a little insulted that I'm expected to be so devoid of reason.
The way conversations normally work, and not like an interrogation. You're familiar, I think. The other person's words are usually an important part of it.
I'm familiar, yes. I don't entirely mean to interrogate, but asking how to answer my question is hardly much of a conversation either. I gave you the answer that I had, which is to say that I didn't have one. I'm not in the habit of telling others how they should feel.
And it seems strange for you to want to hear what I think about two men who have known each other far longer than I've known them. Do you plan to grade me on my guesses? Measure how closely they hit their marks? I'll feel very silly if I'm wrong, but you don't seem to have any consideration for that.
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[Begrudgingly he has to admit she is being fairly reasonable, even if inquisitiveness is still a barely hidden motivation, and even if the tiger squabbles are fascinating and possibly beneficial for all parties, including his. Or would be, without such an unsavory spectre to contend with. But no matter how directly the comparison was made, it just...sticks, in the same unyielding part of his nature that won't let other discrepancies stand, past some line in the sand inscrutable even to Di Feisheng. She's being reasonable, but that can only take her so far, when half the comparison isn't his to make.]
I barely understand what he saw even now. You're no subordinate of mine. If there's power you want, you won't get it by betraying me. Or marrying me into your house. And you enjoy qi too much to want to break my will.
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[Now she feels a little insulted.]
Well, that's quite the ghost to contend with. I certainly don't harbor any of those intentions, though I suppose it won't do much to simply say so.
[There's a notable delay in her texts, a brief pause of thought. Should she say more? He says that he doesn't see it and barely understands it, and she appreciates that candid assessment. But he's also borrowed this lunacy before. Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to put even that speculation to bed.]
You're right, though. I'm no subordinate of yours. I have no interest in power (whatever that should entail here), even less interest in men, and I find your willfulness to be one of your most endearing qualities. Frankly, and I hope you don't mind my forwardness-- I was expecting a little better from this ghost. They sound dreadfully common.
However... I can understand his concern. I hope they didn't cause you too much trouble.
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[The rest is just a lot of confirmation and agreement that unfortunately isn't really called for; the lunacy he borrowed was barely adjacent, he doesn't need any of these assurances. He has maintained from the beginning that there's no point in targeting him. She's presumptuous, and weird, and probably some amount of dangerous, but probably not enough of any of these to do real harm for no benefit. Calling him endearingly willful inspires a fleeting expression of distaste but is a great example.]
I warned you she wasn't worth the curiosity. But she caused more trouble than her life was worth in the end. It's for the best you understand.
You're right that just saying so won't do much, but I don't know what would. Maybe there's no need now anyway.
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[Why she's being compared to a dead woman is beyond her. Can't Li Lianhua just consider her a unique problem of his? It's so confining, being framed in someone else's shadow simply because ...what? She make a joke about his friend's intentions? Tch.]
I do understand now. I thank you for the explanation.
No need because the altercation has passed? Or because the lunacy has?
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Don't hold your breath for the latter, though I think this particular ghost at least has passed. But words don't work on lunacy. I nearly said as much the first time we talked.
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[Which she will. Understanding the nature of Li Lianhua's concerns doesn't mean she's interested in curbing her own. It just gives her an idea on how to mitigate any feathers that she ruffles, how to side-step disputes that she doesn't feel like having, and that's good enough for her.]
Is it endearing, to have someone be so protective of you?
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[The less said, the better. Conversationally the equivalent of playing dead. Unfortunately, he understands why it's so amusing. Li Lianhua would be much better off if he just enjoyed the liberty being inflicted on Di Feisheng, like a sensible person.]
It's not just for my benefit. If he were right and not insane, who would you target first?
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If he were right about what? That I have some predatory interest in you? That I'm dangerous to you? This is a very silly hypothetical, and the idea of "targeting" anyone is beyond me.
But if I have to answer, then it would have to be him first, no? And if I did that, then I don't imagine you would like me very much, and my days would be very boring. So where would I even be?
See, it all falls apart the moment you take more than two seconds to think about. I'm a little insulted that I'm expected to be so devoid of reason.
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I've already said you don't need to reassure me. Or are you trying to do the opposite with all these words? You understand my point, and agree.
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I understand your point, though it didn't need to be made. My question was genuine. Do you enjoy his fussing over you?
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I don't know if you did understand, or you wouldn't call it that. Should I enjoy it?
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I can't tell you if you should enjoy it or not. That's up to you to determine.
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Why? Have you finally run out of words?
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I could wax poetic all day about the nature between the two of you, but why should I? I'd much rather have your words than mine on the matter.
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Congratulations, you've discovered one half of conversation.
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You're avoiding the question, though. Is it really so difficult to answer?
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It's not a free show, get out of the drawer.]I'm not avoiding it, it's just too wrong to answer. And that's not how conversations work. Or wuxing, for that matter.
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The way conversations normally work, and not like an interrogation. You're familiar, I think. The other person's words are usually an important part of it.
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And it seems strange for you to want to hear what I think about two men who have known each other far longer than I've known them. Do you plan to grade me on my guesses? Measure how closely they hit their marks? I'll feel very silly if I'm wrong, but you don't seem to have any consideration for that.