The autumn rain finally fell, and Jiang Huai had already boarded the spirit boat.
The spirit boat belonged to Mu Yao; she had directly borrowed her father’s spirit boat. This spirit boat was extremely fast, hence its consumption of spirit stones was also no small matter. Fortunately, Mu Yao didn’t care about these spirit stones. At this moment, she was in the spirit boat’s room, tossing and turning, the bell on her neck jingling.
Meanwhile, Jiang Huai was still flipping through the little book Mu Yao had given him, which recorded the terrain, regions, demonic beasts of the secret realm, and the spirit treasures and secret techniques of cultivators who had explored and died there. These would be of great use at crucial moments. Sometimes, life and death were just a matter of a moment’s oversight; he had to be extremely careful.
The sound of Mu Yao’s jingling bell pulled him back to reality. He looked down to see Mu Yao’s skirt hem disheveled. The shawl she had been wearing was already discarded. Now, this camisole dress had its hem wrinkled from her wild rolling. It was slightly lifted, and the sling on her shoulder had slipped down, revealing some soft flesh of her chest and the white bandeau underneath. The girl’s thigh skin was like congealed fat and beautiful jade, her calves slender and fair, and her ankles were wrapped in white socks with white lace trim.
As soon as she saw Jiang Huai’s gaze shift to her, Mu Yao’s eyes became cunning. “We’ll be on this spirit boat for a full two days.”
“Mm, okay,” Jiang Huai nodded.
“There won’t be any outsiders. Do you still have to pretend to be a righteous gentleman?”
Jiang Huai merely glanced at her before continuing to flip through his notebook, softly replying, “When did I pretend?”
“You don’t even look at me more.”
“What’s so appealing about me?” Jiang Huai replied naturally, but after an instant, Mu Yao’s gaze became like that of a puppy wanting to bite.
Mu Yao had just turned eighteen not long ago. She was still a girl, with a slender figure like a tender willow branch. Her chest and delicate buttocks had the proper perky curves, but in Jiang Huai’s eyes now, they were not provocative at all. Her cheeks were indeed exquisite and beautiful, but perhaps because she had been able to snuggle with Chu Xianning recently, gotten intimate with Wanwan and Fufu in various ways, or even bullied the tender and guilt-inducing Jun Anshui a while ago, Jiang Huai felt very calm at this moment.
Even though they were a solitary man and woman in the same room, he felt at ease now, not worried about being tempted by lust.
“I saw the latest underwear from Ziyun Pavilion made from the snow-silk ice thread from the Northern Region. Do you want to see it?” Mu Yao, lying on the bed, whispered to Jiang Huai, who was reading on a chair beside her. Jiang Huai glanced at her askance. “I don’t want to see it.”
“You must see it.”
“I really don’t want to.”
“How will you know if you don’t see it?”
“Then let me see it.” Jiang Huai’s voice was listless, which caused Mu Yao, who had thought of countless ways to tease him in her mind, to feel a quiet sense of disappointment.
This guy was so cold.
Mu Yao gritted her teeth slightly and sat up a bit. The safety shorts that had been covering her delicate buttocks under her skirt were pulled down. Yes, the wicked Ziyun Pavilion, when you buy this kind of knee-high dress, they would also send safety shorts that wrapped your buttocks tightly. She lifted the hem of her skirt, gently bit the hem with her teeth, and then kicked Jiang Huai, who was still looking at his book, with her fair and tender legs.
Jiang Huai turned his head.
Eh? A little white thing with white lace trim. Because it was a light sheer material, it was semi-transparent, giving a hazy feeling. It was a bit provocative, indeed. Mu Yao was still smooth and tender, like a little white jade tiger. Jiang Huai took a look, then continued to flip through his book.
Mu Yao was so angry that she kicked her legs on the bed. After a long while, she poked Jiang Huai’s waist with her little foot. Jiang Huai turned his head again and found her sitting on the bed in a cross-legged position. The skirt and straps had all slipped from her shoulders, now loosely hanging on her arms. Her snow-white and plump breasts were half-revealed. Just a slight tug downwards would reveal the tender pink tips. Jiang Huai looked at her again with a polite appreciative gaze, nodded, and commented, “Not bad.”
Then he turned his head and continued to flip through his book.
Mu Yao was so angry that she started rolling on the bed, her tender pink little fists pounding the bed. She muttered, “Too much, too much, too much, too much!”
“I’m preparing for the secret realm ahead. Be good and take a nap.”
“There are still two whole days. Can’t you play with me for a while first?”
“Didn’t you say there are still two days? Sleep. I’ll have plenty of time to play with you later.”
Although his tone was so calm, Mu Yao’s body trembled slightly, and a hint of pink appeared on her fair and tender cheeks. “Play with me? What do you want to play?”
“…Spoke carelessly.” Jiang Huai shrugged helplessly, then looked out the window at the wind and rain.
He used to be driven crazy and dizzy by Mu Yao, so how had he become so calm now? Was this the legendary渣男 (scumbag) rule? No matter how pure, shy, or introverted you are, as long as you interact with women more, you will gradually learn how to deal with them, just like practicing swordsmanship. The more you practice swordsmanship, the more the moves naturally appear in your mind? When others attack, you no longer fear them?
No, you haven’t toyed with her feelings yet, so you can’t condemn yourself like that.
Jiang Huai continued to flip through his book with peace of mind. Mu Yao leaned her profile on the pillow, puffed out her cheeks, and gazed at his profile with her eyes. But gradually, she became entranced.
When Jiang Huai noticed that Mu Yao hadn’t moved for a long time, he turned to look at her and found her eyes entranced.
He had already memorized everything in the book. This secret realm was not very dangerous, as long as he didn’t explore the dangerous areas. If he really couldn’t find the Ice Soul Snow Crystal Flower, Jiang Huai wouldn’t force it. He wasn’t so stupid as to risk his life for cultivation resources.
“Do you still like me?” Jiang Huai closed the book and asked Mu Yao directly. But Mu Yao instinctively pulled the quilt over her face, only revealing her eyes. Looking into Jiang Huai’s eyes, she replied hastily after a moment, “You asked so directly…”
“Just asking casually. You can answer casually.”
“I like you.” Mu Yao mumbled softly.
“What do you like about me?”
“You’re good-looking.” Mu Yao muttered softly.
Jiang Huai glanced at the mirror not far away. Well, this was something that couldn’t be changed.
“You have good taste.” Jiang Huai no longer insisted on telling Mu Yao not to like him because it would have no outcome, as he had already said it before. Feelings are like drinking water; you know how cold or warm it is yourself. If you insist on a certain type of pathological unrequited love and self-torture, your persuasion would be meaningless.
Mu Yao wasn’t a fool; she wouldn’t fail to notice the affection and would eventually understand. With her status, talent, and cultivation level, she wouldn’t have to hang herself on his little locust tree.
“I’ve removed the beds from the rooms next door,” Mu Yao cunningly blinked at him.
“It’s okay, I’ll sleep on the floor,” Jiang Huai replied softly.
A moment later, Mu Yao’s eyes became wistful again. “I showed you such cute underwear, you have to sleep with me.”
“Then shall I show you mine too?” Jiang Huai sneered. Mu Yao’s eyes lit up, and she nodded like pounding garlic. “Okay, okay.”
Jiang Huai ultimately couldn’t bring himself to do it. He set up a tea set on the table by the bed and began to make tea. Mu Yao sat up from the bed, her jade-white and slender legs crossed. This posture allowed Jiang Huai to see her semi-transparent white lace trim underwear. Jiang Huai casually tugged at her skirt, pulling it down a bit more, and reminded her, “Be mindful.”
“I’m deliberately showing it to you.”
“If your heart doesn’t move, your body won’t move.”
“You weren’t like this before.”
“I’ve been drained.” Jiang Huai casually fobbed her off.
Every trip to the succubus cave was intense. Little Huai was already experiencing all sorts of intimate gameplay with Wanwan and Fufu. Mu Yao bit her lips lightly, looking at Jiang Huai. “You’ve become bad.”
“Everyone grows up.”
“Accompany me for a nap.”
“No,” Jiang Huai shook his head and refused.
“It’s just sleeping, letting me lean on you or hug you for a bit. You won’t die.”
“No.” Jiang Huai shook his head. “What if you sneak a kiss while I’m asleep?”
“You’re shameless!” Mu Yao made a funny face at him. Jiang Huai immediately retaliated with an even more exaggerated funny face. They went back and forth, changing their expressions several times. It was Mu Yao who was amused first, laughing so hard that her chest heaved. Jiang Huai looked at her bright clavicle, her delicate cheeks, and his mind suddenly drifted elsewhere.
In the past, he had always had an inexplicable sense of awe towards beautiful girls, perhaps thinking that they were too difficult to deal with because of their tender appearances. But only gradually did he realize that no matter how beautiful a girl was, she was ultimately human. She had her joys and sorrows, desires and troubles, and was never so unattainable.
“Sleep with me,” seeing that force wouldn’t work, Mu Yao leaned closer and hugged Jiang Huai’s arm, her soft chest pressing against his arm as she acted spoiled, her eyes like a well-behaved kitten’s, clinging to him.
Jiang Huai looked down. Her loose neckline and chest did not fit tightly together, and her fair, soft, and elastic skin looked fragrant and smooth to the touch. He quickly pulled his hand away and gently flicked the bell on her neck, making a ding-dong sound.
Mu Yao’s eyes looked pitiful at this moment. It was clear that she was also skilled at acting spoiled. Fortunately, Fufu, whom Jiang Huai knew, was even more skilled at acting spoiled, so his immunity had been greatly heightened. He reached out and pinched Mu Yao’s porcelain-smooth face. “Sleep obediently.”
Seeing that neither soft nor hard tactics worked, Mu Yao finally puffed out her cheeks, curled up her body, and after a moment, pulled the quilt over herself, wrapping herself tightly like a hedgehog, not even showing her head, as if she were sulking.
Jiang Huai knew that he didn’t need to comfort her too much. He continued to study his Vermilion Spirit Marrow by the table. A few days ago, he had made a pair of earrings for Wanwan and Fufu, and there was still a lot left. Jiang Huai was still slowly researching, drawing designs for half a day, then taking out the small carving awl and patiently drilling. After who knows how long, Jiang Huai looked up inadvertently, only to find that Mu Yao had lifted the quilt at some point and was now looking at him with an angry expression.
“You clearly said in the book that liking someone is a very happy thing.”
“Yes.”
“Then why does liking you always make me sad?”
“Don’t take things out of context. The book also says that if liking someone makes you suffer and torment, then you should stop liking him.”
“I refuse to,” Mu Yao snorted, then energetically climbed up. “What are you doing?”
“Making jewelry for my Dao Companions.”
“I want one too.”
“You want…”
“I’m shameless.” Mu Yao’s fair and tender face leaned closer. “Do you have any scraps? I want a small pair of earrings.”
Jiang Huai took a small piece of Vermilion Spirit Marrow he had cut off and carved a hollow ball. His micro-carving skills had become increasingly exquisite. After carving patterns on the small ball, he carefully strung it with a silver hook. A perfunctory and simple pair of earrings was made. He handed it to Mu Yao. Mu Yao happily accepted it, took off the earrings made of the precious Ice Shard Demonic Snake Spirit Crystal she was wearing, put on the new ones, and even went to the mirror to look left and right, as if it were some kind of treasure.
Jiang Huai looked at her eyes. The brightness in her eyes was not fake.
He regretted it a little.
Mu Yao saw his gaze and, after a moment, her body tensed warily. “This is a gift from you, you’re not allowed to take it back.”
Jiang Huai finally sighed helplessly. “Of course not.”
“You continue. I won’t disturb you.” Mu Yao lay back down, her cheek turned to the side, staring at him without blinking for a long, long time. Her eyes were always so bright, without a trace of fatigue.
