The sunlight was bright and gentle.
Sunlight in the courtyard fell on the girl’s silk white dress, making it seem as if it were glowing. At this moment, Mu Yao was sitting by the table, her delicate and fair jade feet held in Jiang Huai’s hands.
Although Jiang Huai claimed he was serving her by massaging her little feet, this scene felt more like Jiang Huai was meticulously playing with her jade feet. Mu Yao’s toes curled slightly, her cheeks flushed. Her previous pride, arrogance, and indifference had all vanished, like a kitten that couldn’t help but rub against you when you stroked its head.
She had wanted to say many sarcastic things to Jiang Huai, mocking him for being so fond of girls’ feet. She had even thought about suggesting he take advantage of Xu Qing’s sleep, put on white silk, apply flower dew, and gently seduce Jiang Xiaohuai. Even though she knew Jiang Huai would righteously refuse, she couldn’t help but want to see him flustered, rather than his usual indifferent and polite demeanor.
But when she saw Jiang Huai’s profile, his focused and attentive eyes, she suddenly felt too ashamed to say those words. She had also wanted to show him her gentle and demure side, but he had always dismissed her. That’s why she always wanted to act crazy. However, perhaps it was the warm sunlight at this moment, which had even softened her tone of voice.
“You like it so much… should I serve you with my feet?” Her voice was like a gentle plea, so much so that Jiang Huai’s small hand trembled and flinched back. He looked at the girl in front of him and was about to question why she had suddenly changed her tune, and why her words didn’t carry any mockery. But seeing her languid and gentle eyes, he swallowed back the instinctual words of retaliation.
He shook his head, “No, no, it’s bad for your health, bad for your health.”
“Then what were you doing with Xu Qing just now?” Mu Yao pouted slightly, her voice still obedient.
“It’s private, I can’t reveal it.”
“You can’t reveal it… so it’s something you can’t show others. You clearly rejected Xu Qing earlier, but you still… what is your relationship now?”
“Don’t ask.” Jiang Huai lightly tapped her forehead with his finger. “Many times, the feelings between two people don’t need to be defined by a title.”
“I remember A Mu Mu wrote about this in a book? It seemed like some supporting female character wanted a title from the male lead, and the despicable male lead tricked her like this.”
“You can’t generalize.” Jiang Huai’s retort was not guilty. “A title is for the world to see, but mutual love doesn’t need to be shown to the world. As long as the two people know it in their hearts.”
“Eww, so you’re taking advantage of Xu Qing but don’t want to become Dao Companions with her?”
“Of course not.” This time, Jiang Huai didn’t argue back but replied gently, “I have to notify her parents first, then choose an auspicious day. Besides, you know me, I have to notify my other confidantes first, otherwise, it will always cause trouble. We need to plan carefully, no need to rush.”
“As expected, you are the kind of man who looks pure and kind but actually harbors a bunch of despicable thoughts.”
Jiang Huai shrugged innocently and didn’t retort. Then, Mu Yao suddenly blinked at him, “What about me? Can I become your Dao Companion in the future?”
She asked so sincerely that Jiang Huai also answered sincerely, “I would rather suggest that you shouldn’t like me.”
“I don’t accept your suggestion.” Mu Yao shook her head. “I don’t really care about becoming a Dao Companion. How about… we secretly indulge while hiding from others? I won’t tell anyone, and you won’t tell anyone. When we have time, we’ll have occasional secret meetings and do many… interesting things.”
Mu Yao’s voice was full of temptation. Jiang Huai looked at Mu Yao’s petite and slender body, and for a moment, he actually had evil thoughts in his mind. A moment later, he smiled bitterly and shook his head, tapping his own head as a form of self-punishment.
“No.” This time he refused quite decisively.
“Don’t you want to play with my body? You were so despicable, lewd, and greedy in the book.”
Jiang Huai casually reached out and tapped her head, “Read fewer trashy books!”
“Eww… you wrote it yourself.” Mu Yao glanced at him with a look of distaste again. Jiang Huai took out a lollipop from somewhere and, tearing off the wrapper, shoved it into her mouth. “Alright, be quiet.”
Mu Yao stopped talking and instead pulled the lollipop stick, her delicate pink tongue gently licking it. Her soft and tender little tongue was slippery, looking particularly alluring.
Jiang Huai stopped touching her little feet and leaned back on the lounge chair, basking in the sun.
After Mu Yao finished the lollipop, she playfully stepped on his chest with her white and tender little feet, asking him to play chess with her. Jiang Huai didn’t refuse and sat by the chessboard. Watching Mu Yao frown and grit her teeth in front of the chessboard, she still couldn’t win a single game against Jiang Huai all afternoon.
Seeing that the time was almost up, Jiang Huai got up and went to the kitchen, making a large table of dinner. He also called Mu Yao to go and call Xu Qing. Xu Qing, who had already changed her dress, blushed slightly as soon as she saw Jiang Huai, and her waist even straightened unconsciously.
She recalled the moment when the petals were kissed and dew dripped. Just a kiss had made her like this. What if the petals were ravaged… Xu Qing nervously avoided Jiang Huai’s gaze and suddenly understood why Jiang Huai had said they shouldn’t sleep together tonight.
She… wasn’t ready to completely give herself to him, but in her heart, she couldn’t help but start thinking about lewd things. It seemed that sleeping together would become a torment for both of them.
She came to the table and ate dinner. Her white and tender little feet under the table occasionally playfully rubbed Jiang Huai. Mu Yao by the table seemed to sense the undercurrents beneath the table, her eating pace seeming to become one of gritted teeth.
After dinner, Xu Qing looked at Jiang Huai and asked if he wanted to go for a walk. Jiang Huai got up and walked out of the courtyard with her. Mu Yao hopped and skipped along beside them, but Jiang Huai and Xu Qing were chatting the whole way, and she couldn’t get a word in edgewise. She pouted grumpily the entire time, like a little tagalong.
Back in the courtyard, Xu Qing stood on tiptoes, whispered something in Jiang Huai’s ear, and then headed for the bathhouse first. In the courtyard, Jiang Huai sat there innocently. Looking at Mu Yao, who was sitting there with her arms crossed, he tried to stand up after just one glance and said seriously, “I’m going for another walk.”
“I’m going too.”
“You’re not allowed to go.”
“You obviously want to take the path outside the courtyard that I can’t see, to the hot spring pool in the bamboo forest in the backyard, right?” Mu Yao sneered. Jiang Huai was immediately stunned. “You know that too?”
“It’s not the first time I’ve been to Xu Qing’s courtyard. Xu Qing is thin-skinned. When she whispered in your ear just now, I guessed it.”
“It shows your realm is still not high enough.” Jiang Huai walked past her. “If your realm were high enough, you would see through it but not say it.”
Mu Yao crossed her arms and looked at him with a lingering gaze as he walked directly towards the backyard hot spring pool without taking a detour, following the path Xu Qing had just taken. In the hot spring pool, Xu Qing, wearing a light bathrobe, was already waiting.
………………………………
Jiang Huai didn’t do anything lewd.
The lamplight falling on the hot spring pool and the flower petals floating in the bathhouse gave Xu Qing in front of him a hazy aura. Jiang Huai entered the bath and gently applied flower dew to Xu Qing. After a while, Xu Qing also reached out, her fingertips gently trailing across his back, slowly spreading the flower dew. The world seemed to become lazy and quiet, if not for the sound of footsteps… Mu Yao, wearing a sling white dress, suddenly appeared in the bamboo forest.
“You, why are you here?” Xu Qing covered her face, but her eyes secretly peeked at her through her fingers.
“I want to soak in the hot spring too.” Mu Yao’s cheeks puffed up slightly, her eyes feigning innocence with a look of pretending to be silly.
“There’s a hot spring pool next door…”
“You can all soak together, why can’t I?” Mu Yao came to the edge of the hot spring pool, first extending her white and tender little feet to test the water temperature before slowly stepping into the bath. She was not wearing underwear, and the hem of her dress clung to her skin, becoming almost transparent under the lamplight.
At this moment, Jiang Huai was in an extremely awkward position. But when shame reached its limit, he activated his thick skin. He first went to Xu Qing’s side, grabbed her wrist, and stopped her from covering her face. He said gently, “Let her soak if she wants to. We’ll be leaving soon anyway.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Mu Yao suddenly lifted her white and tender little feet in the water, splashing water all over Jiang Huai’s face. Jiang Huai immediately splashed water back. This time, Xu Qing, who was standing by, became dazed. After a moment, she came to her senses and joined the water fight.
The splashing made the dresses on both girls loose and soggy. At this moment, Jiang Huai, in the hot spring pool, dared not look around carelessly and could only stare at the water surface. Mu Yao, sitting on the steps of the bathhouse, raised her white and tender little leg. “Come and apply flower dew to me.”
“No.” Jiang Huai made a face at her.
Jiang Huai looked at Xu Qing beside him. Xu Qing’s body was veiled in mist, her body soft. Her white and tender little feet rubbed against his calf, and her voice became soft, “Apply flower dew.”
“Didn’t you just apply it once?” Jiang Huai looked at her coquettish and soft eyes and suddenly smiled.
“Apply it again.” Xu Qing knew Jiang Huai was feigning ignorance. She reached out and pinched his waist very, very lightly. Jiang Huai sat on the steps of the bathhouse and watched the girl in the hot spring pool lift her fair and slender beautiful legs. He took the flower dew and patiently applied it to Xu Qing’s legs. On the side, Mu Yao sat on the steps, her eyes lingering on the two of them, not speaking, watching their intimate display.
After Xu Qing’s flower dew was washed off, she leaned close to Jiang Huai’s ear and whispered aggrievedly, “Are we really not sleeping together tonight?”
“Then are you ready to be bullied?”
Xu Qing hesitated for a long time, then lowered her head again and mumbled softly, “Not yet…”
In fact, Jiang Huai knew why she wasn’t ready. It was because everything was happening too fast, which would make Xu Qing uneasy, and she was afraid of completely losing control after doing bad things. In fact, Jiang Huai had a way to coax Xu Qing; he always had many theoretical methods. After hesitating, he ultimately did not say it.
There was nothing wrong with slowing down.
Jiang Huai leaned close to her ear and said, “We can sleep together, but you have to kiss me first, Qingqing, otherwise I’ll really want to trick Qingqing into doing bad things.”
Xu Qing’s lips curved up immediately. “Qingqing will try her best to kiss.”
“Then do you want a kiss, Qingqing?” Jiang Huai looked at her bright eyes and couldn’t help but tease Xu Qing again. Xu Qing’s cheeks instantly turned scarlet hot. She lightly punched his chest with her small fist, then slumped into his arms, hugged his neck, and whispered very, very softly into his ear, “Of course I want a kiss.”
