“And then what? Did the story end after the mermaid turned into bubbles?”
Mu Yao lay on the bed, her eyes wide open, looking at Jiang Huai, who was sitting beside her. All her sleepiness had vanished. Jiang Huai had been telling her a fantastical story about a mermaid in the deep sea and a prince from a mortal kingdom. In the end, the mermaid gave up on killing the prince and turned into colorful bubbles under the sunlight.
“It ends there.” Jiang Huai took a sip of the tea on the table and answered softly.
He was too lazy to think of a new story. “The Little Mermaid” had become his go-to lullaby.
“Why?!”
“Why what?”
“Why can’t people who love each other end up together?!” Mu Yao’s voice was full of accusation, but Jiang Huai just looked at her innocently. “There are always many things in the world that don’t go as planned.”
Mu Yao clenched her blanket, her shoulders trembling slightly with anger. But Jiang Huai still looked innocent, as if he didn’t feel the slightest bit sad for the mermaid in the story. Of course, the person who wrote the story was always so heartless.
She now truly believed that Jiang Huai was A Mumu. But so what?
“You should sleep,” Jiang Huai said to her softly.
“You tell me such a story, and then you expect me to fall asleep quickly?”
“I couldn’t think of a good story just now. I’ve told this story many times, so it’s less likely I’ll make mistakes if I tell it again.”
“You’ve told this story to many women?”
“Yes, this is the fourth or fifth time with you.”
Mu Yao threw off the blanket and suddenly sat up in bed, leaning against the bedside. She pushed the hair falling on her cheeks to the back of her head. Her eyes gazed at Jiang Huai seriously, her delicate pink lips slightly pursed. “I don’t want to hear stories that others have heard. I want to hear stories that belong only to me.”
“There are none left.” Jiang Huai shook his head.
“It’s not that there are none, it’s that you don’t want to tell me.”
“Yes.” Jiang Huai nodded innocently.
He hadn’t wronged Mu Yao in any way. It was just that he had been annoyed by her earlier out of boredom, so he ran back to the courtyard and beat her up to vent his anger. At this moment, he felt no guilt or remorse, just an innocent gaze at her eyes.
In a way, Jiang Xiaohu was also a troublemaker.
Seeing Mu Yao’s frantic expression, he felt as if the little devil in his heart was chuckling. But he quickly suppressed this malicious thought and said innocently, “Even if you don’t sleep, I should be going back.”
“You… you’re not allowed to leave.”
Before Jiang Huai could stay, Mu Yao reached out and gently tugged at his clothes. But this time, it was no longer a commanding tone, but more like a spoiled entreaty. However, Jiang Huai was no longer as gentle as before. He asked, “Then what should I do if I stay?”
“Whatever you want to do… I… I’m okay with anything.”
As she said this, Mu Yao leaned forward slightly, and the neckline of her dress lowered a bit, revealing a small patch of fair, soft flesh on her chest. But Jiang Huai remained indifferent, pretending not to see. He gently shook his head. “I don’t have anything I want to do anymore.”
“Am I not considered beautiful?”
Some girls say this with a hint of self-deprecation, but Mu Yao was an exception. She was indeed exceptionally beautiful, inheriting the beauty of her mother, Mu Lingwan. Her father was also a famously handsome man. The young woman before him had exquisite features and a delicate face, her figure as captivating as a painting. Though slender, her figure was not excessively so. Where she should have been full, she still possessed graceful, soft curves. She was currently wearing a thin white sling nightgown, and her legs below the hem were slender and well-proportioned. Her small feet at the ankles showed a hint of delicate pink.
Although her temperament was still that of a young girl, and her body had not yet fully developed, this youthful demeanor was like a white jasmine.
Her skin was fair and smooth like milk, and she exuded a faint fragrance. Yet, Jiang Huai just blinked innocently. “So what if I am?”
“Then why aren’t you moved?” queried Mu Yao.
“There are so many beautiful women in this world. If I were to be moved by every one I saw, I would have died long ago from greed,” Jiang Huai said as he stood up and slowly pried open her fingers from his clothes.
“My mother is Mu Lingwan, and my father is the Chess Saint.”
“So?” Jiang Huai looked at her helplessly.
“If you are nice to me, they will be nice to you too. From then on, you can have whatever you want in the Eastern Region…”
Jiang Huai chuckled, shaking his head. “I don’t care, and I don’t need it.”
“You don’t care? Why don’t you care?”
“Why should I care?” Jiang Huai’s gaze towards her now held a hint of pity.
This trace of pity drove Mu Yao almost mad. A wave of inexplicable anger surged within her, making her want to tear her hair out. The pity conveyed in his eyes was so… detestable, making her want to pounce on Jiang Huai and bite his neck off, or perhaps gouge out his eyes and swallow them.
“You say it so easily, acting like you’re the only sober one in a world of drunks. You don’t care? Do you know how many people envy me, how many people try to curry favor with my parents, yet my parents never even glance at them? You, you… why don’t you care?”
Jiang Huai watched Mu Yao’s chest heave with her rapid breathing. Instead, he reached out and rubbed her head, saying, “Do you know? Even the smartest people say foolish things when they get angry.”
“Everyone’s purpose in life is different. Some want immortality, some want fame, some want power. I don’t think I’m any better than them. On the contrary, I’m much more cowardly. Because I’m lazy, I don’t want much. I just want to live a simple life, spend time with the person I like every day, and fight against the boring times of the past.”
“The things they care about, I don’t. The things I care about, perhaps they don’t either, but there’s never been a distinction of high or low status.” Jiang Huai’s palm remained on top of Mu Yao’s head. He suddenly felt like he was stroking a spoiled cat.
Alright, he did think Mu Yao was a bit like a spoiled cat.
Mu Yao just sneered. “You don’t care? You don’t care about fame, then why are you participating in the Eastern Region Grand Competition?”
“Because the slots for the Five Regions Grand Competition are awarded to the top five from the Eastern Region Grand Competition. I need to get into the top five, and then participate in the Five Regions Grand Competition to obtain that leaf of the Life Divine Tree to treat my Master’s old injury.”
A moment later, Jiang Huai shook his head. “Forget it, it’s hard to explain to you.”
“It’s not that it’s hard to explain, you just don’t want to tell me…”
“If the principles don’t make sense, why talk so much?”
Mu Yao took a deep breath. This time, instead of Jiang Huai prying open her hands that repeatedly grabbed his clothes, she proactively let go of his robe. She pointed to the door. “Jiang Huai, I’ll give you two choices.”
Her eyes inexplicably began to turn red again.
“You say them.”
“Tonight, stay here and sleep with me.”
“And the second one?”
“Get out!! Get out now!”
“Alright.” Jiang Huai turned and walked out of the room, not forgetting to close the door behind her.
After walking a few steps, Jiang Huai faintly heard Mu Yao smashing things in the room. He quickened his pace. Indeed, such hot-tempered young ladies were not to be trifled with.
Women were terrifying.
………………………………
Back at the entrance of the courtyard, Jiang Huai froze for a moment.
Because under the tree in his courtyard, Xu Qing, dressed in a jade-white qipao, was standing there. The glow of the sunset filtered through the leaves onto her face. She turned her head upon hearing footsteps. Jiang Huai looked at her curiously. “Why are you here?”
The qipao she wore was elegant and gentle, perfectly accentuating her figure without being vulgar. Her temperament was as pure and graceful as a blooming lotus, complementing the magnolias on the qipao. For a moment, it was hard to tell who was enhancing whom.
“A few days ago, there was nothing to do at Qingmu Immortal Palace, so my mother taught me how to make sachets… I made two extra ones…” Xu Qing’s voice was no longer as shy as before. She finally dared to meet his gaze, her voice still soft. “Take a look and see if you like it. If you like it, keep one… If you don’t like it, I’ll keep it…”
“Let me see?”
Xu Qing immediately took out several sachets embroidered with various floral patterns. The embroidery was exquisite, and the scent of each sachet was unique. Xu Qing patiently told Jiang Huai the spices she had put in each sachet. Jiang Huai sniffed each one and finally chose an indigo sachet.
“Since you’re here, would you like to come in for a cup of tea?”
“Okay.” Xu Qing nodded gently and then walked in with him. As Jiang Huai walked beside her, he noticed she was wearing a pair of jade-white high heels, which made her look even taller. Her waist was held straight, and her posture was light and elegant as she walked. Her jet-black hair was tied up at the back of her head with a wooden hairpin.
Jiang Huai suddenly remembered the time he drunkenly put his arm around Xu Qing’s waist… Fortunately, most of his drunkenness had subsided now, and he was no longer like he was before.
“Did you drink again?” Xu Qing seemed to smell the faint scent of alcohol on him and asked softly.
“I had some with True Person Qingmu and the Chess Saint. Mu Yao was also there. I just came back from her place.”
“Oh, do you want to drink some more?”
Jiang Huai’s face immediately turned wary. “You know, after I get drunk, I never act like a proper person.”
Xu Qing looked at him innocently. “I know.”
“Then why do you ask?”
“I’m not afraid.” Xu Qing tilted her small face up, a hint of a cute smile on her delicate pink lips.
Jiang Huai also smiled. “Then I won’t drink anymore. My head will hurt if I drink more.”
“Oh? Does it hurt now?”
“It hurts a little already. Maybe it’s because the weather is too cold as the snow melts,” Jiang Huai said as he sat down on a chair. Xu Qing was already brewing tea. She had prepared wine and tea when she came, but she hadn’t taken out the wine now. After brewing the tea, she stood up and brought the tea to Jiang Huai, then went behind him.
“Sit up straight, I’ll massage your head.” Xu Qing leaned down slightly and said softly near his ear.
Jiang Huai suddenly felt a little awkward, but he unconsciously sat up straight. Xu Qing gently held his head. Her fingertips were light, and her movements were as gentle as possible. Jiang Huai’s headache soon subsided. He suddenly thought of something and said, “Do you remember I said before that if you wanted to open acupoints, you should tell me anytime?”
“I remember,” Xu Qing replied softly while gently massaging his head.
“Should we do it now? We’ll be going home in a few days, and if we meet again… it might be months later.”
Xu Qing’s hand trembled slightly, and her voice seemed to carry a hint of wistfulness. But she still gently shook her head. “Mm, let’s wait for later.”
“May I ask why?”
“Because Mu Yao said… I have to take off my clothes and apply medicinal liquid…”
“You don’t have to take them all off, though. You can just change into a lighter dress. Are you shy?”
“Not entirely preferential…” Xu Qing’s fingertips gently pinched Jiang Huai’s earlobe again and said softly, “If you like me, it shouldn’t matter, right? If you don’t like me, and you see my body, I feel like things will become a bit strange between us in the future.”
Jiang Huai paused for a moment, then softly replied, “It seems that makes sense. Then I’ll listen to you.”
Xu Qing leaned down slightly, and Jiang Huai’s head was gently held back by her. He seemed to notice that the back of his head was inadvertently resting on the girl’s soft, warm chest. Xu Qing’s fingertips gently caressed his face, tickling him slightly. She said softly, “But if you want to open acupoints for me, I will agree.”
“But after saying what I just said, if I say something like this, it will sound like I’m asking you to take off your clothes and show them to me…” Jiang Huai said slowly.
“Isn’t that the case?” Xu Qing rested her chin gently on his forehead, her slender, slightly warm fingers pinching his ear again. “Jiang Huai, do you think when you like someone, you will have lust for their body?”
“Yes… sometimes I do even when I don’t like them.”
“Hmph, my mother says all you men are like that.” Xu Qing’s palm gently rubbed Jiang Huai’s face. Jiang Huai simply closed his eyes and heard her softly say, “I’ve already convinced myself that I don’t like you, but when my fingertips touch your skin, I still feel inexplicably flustered and uneasy… What should I do?”
Her voice was light, truly conveying a hint of distress. Jiang Huai opened his eyes and blinked innocently at her. “Maybe you won’t if you get used to it?”
“Then lie down for a while longer. Don’t move around, let me pinch you for a while longer.”
“It’s quite comfortable. I don’t mind.”
Xu Qing chuckled, and her fingertips moved along the back of his head, gently gripping the back of his neck and kneading it. Gradually, she moved to his shoulders, arms, and hands. She held Jiang Huai’s hands in hers, as if playing with a beloved treasure.
Jiang Huai was quite sure that if he were doing this, it would look strange and a turn-off, especially when Mu Yao had hugged and rubbed against him in the illusion earlier, she was the epitome of a turn-off woman. But now, Mu Yao was carefully holding his fingertips, gently and delicately kneading them. Her eyes were inexplicably gentle.
They had finally grown accustomed to each other. She had shed the past illusions she had about him and was no longer as shy as before, as if they had truly become close friends. There was no reason to get any closer. It was peaceful and serene.
A moment later, Jiang Huai suddenly felt a sense of unease.
It was not impossible for there to be pure friendship between men and women, but generally, the one who firmly believed in pure friendship was often the one who was loved.
However, compared to Mu Yao’s attitude of “if you don’t like me, I won’t let you off easily,” Jiang Huai suddenly realized that Xu Qing beside him was far better. So much so that the thought of not liking her made him feel a trace of guilt at the moment.
