“I promise, I promise not to say anything. Can you get up now?” Jiang Huai finally gave in.
Wen Fufu was pressed so close that her faint scent reached Jiang Huai’s nose. It was similar to Wen Wanwan’s, yet with subtle differences. However, their current positions reminded him of when he used to “bully” Wen Wanwan, who had recently learned to sit on him with her legs crossed while he wore high heels.
“Hold me a little longer, then I’ll get up.”
“You’re pushing your luck.”
Wen Fufu stared at him for a good few seconds. Seeing a hint of mist forming in her dark eyes, Jiang Huai gently wrapped his arms around her waist and patted her back. “Okay, okay, I’ll hug you. Is that enough?”
“So perfunctory. Not sincere at all.”
Jiang Xiaohu was so irritated he was grinding his teeth, but he said nothing. He just gently patted her back. Wen Fufu’s body gradually softened, and she no longer pressed against him so tightly. The legs that had been wrapped around his waist slowly lowered, and she seemed exceptionally obedient. When Jiang Huai inadvertently looked into her eyes, he realized they had become incredibly soft.
It turned out she was really that easy to coax.
“How many more days until my older sister comes back?”
“Two days.” Jiang Huai felt Wen Fufu already knew, but she was asking again because she missed her. Wen Fufu softly hummed, muttering, “Still so long… It was thundering last night. Does my brother-in-law know?”
“Then should I have Bai Li come keep you company?”
“Brother-in-law, you’re so annoying.”
Jiang Huai was speechless for a moment. “Do you want me to sleep with you then?”
“Mhm.” Wen Fufu nodded so quickly.
“Aren’t you afraid your older sister will kill me?” Jiang Huai looked at her faintly.
“Wouldn’t brother-in-law find it more exciting?” Wen Fufu reached out and pinched Jiang Huai’s face. “Besides, my sister definitely wouldn’t…”
“You’re not your older sister, how do you know she wouldn’t?”
“You’re not me, how do you know that I know your sister definitely wouldn’t?”
“…” Jiang Huai, with his face being pinched, had no strength to retort, merely looking at her faintly. “Then can you obediently get up now?”
“Brother-in-law… so stingy.”
Despite saying this, Wen Fufu finally stood up obediently. A faint blush lingered on her cheeks, perhaps from the heat of sitting on Jiang Huai earlier? The moonlight in the courtyard was quiet. As Jiang Huai looked back, Bai Li had successfully tamed the reluctant cat in her arms and was currently stroking its head. Jiang Huai stood up and said gently to Wen Fufu, “Then Bai Li and I will head back first.”
“Mhm.” Wen Fufu nodded lightly. This time, she didn’t act spoiled or reluctant. It seemed she had a good grasp of her boundaries, always stopping at a level that would make Jiang Huai slightly flustered but not truly angry. Jiang Huai suddenly thought of something and took out the ending of “Warm Jade Exquisite Melody” from his hand, thrusting it into Wen Fufu’s hand. “Here, Ziyun Pavilion should be releasing it soon too. This is the early version.”
Wen Fufu received it like a treasure. She hugged the small book to her chest, her eyes becoming incredibly bright. She tilted her small face up, intending to say some words of thanks, but seeing the expression of fear on Jiang Huai’s face, the corners of her lips curved upwards, and she said softly, “Thank you, brother-in-law. Then tonight, Fufu won’t think of you… or do naughty things.”
“I thank you.” Jiang Huai playfully tapped the top of Wen Fufu’s head. Wen Fufu covered her head, looking at him aggrievedly, and then continued to pester him, “Brother-in-law hit me, so I’ll think of you tomorrow morning, until all my fingers are wet.”
Jiang Huai was about to hit her again, but Wen Fufu had already disappeared. She returned to her room and gently held the door. “Then Fufu won’t see you off.”
“Go to bed early after reading,” Jiang Huai’s voice was weak.
“Mhm.” Wen Fufu nodded obediently.
Jiang Huai glanced at Bai Li, who waved her hand, and the cat obediently ran into Wen Fufu’s room. Bai Li came to Jiang Huai’s side, and they walked towards the door together. After a few steps, Jiang Huai thought of something and looked back at Wen Fufu. Her door was still open, and she was standing by the door, quietly watching Jiang Huai’s retreating back.
“So, do you want to come to my courtyard to play tomorrow?” Jiang Huai asked softly.
Wen Wanwan wasn’t home, so he did have an obligation to look after Wen Fufu. It was just that his sister-in-law was too enthusiastic, and he seemed a bit overwhelmed.
“I’d better not come. I’m a bit afraid of Fairy Chu…”
Jiang Huai wanted to persuade her further, but after some thought, he didn’t force it. After a moment of hesitation, “Then shall I and Bai Li come to find you tomorrow afternoon?”
“Really?”
“If I lie, I’m a puppy.”
“Mhm, then Fufu will obediently wash up and wait for brother-in-law in the courtyard.”
Jiang Huai glared at her fiercely, but Wen Fufu had already closed the door. Jiang Huai had no choice but to turn around and leave the room with Bai Li.
***
“Should I help you keep it a secret?”
On the way back up the mountain, Bai Li suddenly asked playfully.
“What secret?” Jiang Xiaohu asked knowingly, feeling inexplicably guilty for a moment.
“I saw everything. You and your sister-in-law have a questionable relationship.”
“Wh-what relationship is questionable? Didn’t you see me being righteous and holding my ground?!”
“Oh? So holding someone and letting her straddle you and “hugging” you counts as holding your ground? So much integrity!” Bai Li lightly slapped Jiang Huai’s shoulder. Jiang Huai’s eyelid twitched uncontrollably. “I can explain.”
“Mhm, explain. I’m listening.” Bai Li looked at him playfully. Jiang Huai organized his thoughts for a long time but felt it was too convoluted to explain clearly. “Ah, forget it. There’s nothing to explain. It’s all innocent!”
“So this is what innocence looks like.” Bai Li nodded thoughtfully, then tilted her head. “Then, are we innocent too?”
“We…” Jiang Huai was caught in a dilemma, unable to speak. Bai Li then pressed her advantage.
“We do seem to be innocent, don’t we? You just ‘innocently’ stuffed medicine down my throat, and I ‘innocently’ fed you something, and you even accidentally left a tooth mark?”
“There was no tooth mark?!”
“Mhm? So you admit you drank my *something*? Didn’t you say before that it was better to forget it, that it was all a misunderstanding and we shouldn’t overthink it?”
Seeing Bai Li’s cunning smile, Jiang Huai was even more beyond explanation. It seemed that after spending a long time with Luo Qingyu, Bai Li’s intelligence had sharply increased, and she had now become a demon who played with people’s hearts.
Jiang Xiaohu seemed to cower before anyone. It could even be said that he couldn’t outplay Wen Wanwan, and was always manipulating her. It was just that he was willing to do so.
“When did I say I didn’t admit it? It’s just that your face turned incredibly red after that… that’s why I said what I said.” Jiang Xiaohu replied. Bai Li gave a meaningful “Oh,” “But if I recall correctly, your face was even redder than mine?”
“You’re mistaken. Your face was redder.”
“It was you.”
“It was you.”
“It was you, it was you! Want to do it again and see? We can look in the mirror and see whose face is redder?”
“No, no, no, no, no! My face is redder, my face is redder, okay?” Jiang Xiaohu had no choice but to surrender.
They were nearing the courtyard. The evening breeze by the roadside was cool, and the tree shadows flickered. Bai Li suddenly thought of something and asked softly, “Was it tasty?”
Jiang Huai’s face darkened, but her tone was so serious that he felt as though if he joked or retorted again, she might get angry. So, after hesitating for a second or two, he replied, “It was… quite tasty.”
Bai Li turned to look at him. This time, Bai Li’s cheeks indeed flushed slightly. She hummed softly, then turned her face away and said, “Then… you tasted good too.”
Jiang Huai’s head began to spin. What the hell!
He certainly remembered everything that happened in that cave, inexplicably absurd and comically funny. But he also remembered Bai Li’s tears that day. He would never forget it; it was his fault, and something he should feel guilty about, yet he never knew how to make amends.
They had returned to the edge of the courtyard. Jiang Huai gently pushed open the door, and Bai Li walked towards her room. After a few steps, she cast a meaningful glance at Jiang Huai.
Jiang Huai couldn’t decipher the meaning in her eyes. However, when he returned to his room and lay on the bed, he tossed and turned, repeatedly replaying Bai Li’s gaze in his mind.
Midnight.
He got out of bed and went outside Bai Li’s room. If Bai Li were already asleep, he would obediently go back to his room and perhaps not suffer from insomnia. But the light in Bai Li’s room was still on. Jiang Huai reached out and gently knocked on the door. Bai Li, who opened the door, was wearing a black silk nightgown, her silver hair draped over her shoulders.
“Mmm? Did you finally lose control ’til the beastly urge attacked you after tossing and turning all night?”
“That’s right. I was tossing and turning and couldn’t sleep, so I came to ask if you wanted to have a drink?”
“Drinking too much might lead to mischief.”
“Yes, yes, yes.”
“Hmph, who knows who’s going to get whom drunk.” Bai Li welcomed Jiang Huai into the room. Jiang Huai placed the spiritual wine on the table and also brought out several small plates of snacks. They often drank and enjoyed themselves like this in the secret realm before. However, compared to the past, they both seemed to have fewer worries now. As a result, Bai Li got drunk, while Jiang Huai leaned on his chair, his eyes still somewhat clear.
“You’re stalling on the wine.”
“I’m not stalling. Not a single drop left!” Jiang Huai showed her the empty cup. But Bai Li was insistent. She stood up from her chair, swayed, and nestled into his embrace. She reached out to pull at his collar, touching a few drops of water that had landed on his collarbone. “Here, what’s this?”
“I spilled some just now because I drank too fast. How can you call that stalling?”
“If you didn’t finish it, then you’re stalling. Still playing stubborn, stalling on the wine… you deserve to be punished.”
Jiang Huai had no choice but to confess. “Alright, alright. I’ll have another drink as punishment.”
“Wait…” Bai Li’s small face was flushed.
“Mmm?”
As Jiang Huai looked down at her, the girl in his arms had transformed from a Holy Dragon Lady back into a petite Loli. The dress was now loose on her. She reached out and picked up the wine cup on the table, filling her mouth with the wine. Her cheeks puffed out. Before Jiang Huai could react, Bai Li was already straddling him, her hands gripping his shoulders, and she leaned close to his lips.
This time, it wasn’t just Jiang Huai’s collar that was stained. A lot of the overflowing wine dripped from their lips, wetting each other’s clothes.
“Why are you so insistent on feeding people?” Jiang Huai was neither annoyed nor angry. Instead, he reached out and pinched Bai Li’s soft little face. Looking at the Loli-like Bai Li at this moment, he thought, yes… she was more familiar like this.
“You fed me first.” Bai Li tilted her head up, answering righteously.
“Then you’re also stalling on the wine.”
“This was meant for you in the first place, so it’s fine if it spills. Consider it your stalling.”
“It’s easy to spill like this, isn’t it?”
“I don’t care. You’re a stubborn dog anyway.”
“You’d spill it too if it were you.” Jiang Huai picked up the wine cup and took a large gulp, his cheeks puffing out. Looking at Bai Li, Bai Li suddenly started to laugh. She grabbed Jiang Huai’s face with both hands and squeezed, and Jiang Huai couldn’t help it, spilling the wine from his mouth all over Bai Li’s chest.
Bai Li looked down at her wet clothes, tilted her head, “Okay, this time you’ve gotten my body dirty too.”
“Are you being unreasonable?”
“As if I’ve always been reasonable in all the time we’ve known each other,” Bai Li snorted. This time, she obediently parted her lips slightly. “Here, let me feed you properly again, and then… carry me to bathe.”
Her delicate pink tongue slid out, deliberately changing into a forked, small pink tongue shape.
She was betting that Jiang Huai wouldn’t dare.
But the next second, Jiang Huai picked up the wine cup and drank it down in one gulp. He put down the cup, put one arm around her neck, and pinched her chin with the other.
Hmph, want to escape?
