Chapter 503: I’ll Bite!
The next day, early in the morning.
Mu Yao found herself increasingly disliking Ji Qingxuan.
Even though Ji Qingxuan hadn’t done anything to provoke her, Mu Yao couldn’t help but wish Ji Qingxuan would leave the cave immediately. It felt like the woman’s beauty, or perhaps her striking appearance, was inherently irritating to Mu Yao, fueling a sense of jealousy. Regardless, Mu Yao wanted her gone to avoid disrupting her and Jiang Huai’s private time.
Last night, Jiang Huai had already started touching her legs. If Ji Qingxuan hadn’t been there, could she and Jiang Huai have taken their relationship a step further? Mu Yao’s mind wandered to strange fantasies. After Jiang Huai left, Ji Qingxuan, having taken her second Dragon Blood Treasure Pill, once again had her skin flushed pink. Mu Yao, now experienced, tilted her head. “Do you need me to tie your hands up again?”
“Mm.”
So, Mu Yao tied her hands tightly with a rope. No matter how much Ji Qingxuan fantasized, she couldn’t soothe herself. She could only press her legs together tightly to alleviate the cravings within her body. Mu Yao pouted her lips, feeling that if Jiang Huai were present, he would surely enjoy such a sensual scene.
By the time Ji Qingxuan’s medication wore off completely, she was already limp on the bed. Red marks from struggling were visible on her wrists. Her lips were slightly parted, and she panted deeply. Below her skirt, the area was already wet and messy. Mu Yao reluctantly went closer, took out a basin, and filled it with snow water using spiritual qi. She untied Ji Qingxuan, removed her clothes, and carefully bathed her in the water.
Despite her dissatisfaction, her movements were gentle. After all, it was a mission Jiang Huai had entrusted to her. If she intentionally slacked off, she felt Jiang Huai would dislike her.
“Thank you, Miss Mu.” Although her voice was cool and clear, Ji Qingxuan’s cheeks remained flushed and hot. Mu Yao had witnessed her embarrassed state. Even if Ji Qingxuan could endure it, an assassin would inevitably show some shame. Mu Yao, however, was indifferent. “It’s nothing. Focus on recovering from your injuries and get well soon.”
And then leave quickly!
Thinking this, Mu Yao couldn’t help but become frantic. It wasn’t until Ji Qingxuan whispered in her ear, “Once my injuries are healed, I will leave as soon as possible.”
Mu Yao blinked slightly, tilting her head. “I never said I was asking you to leave.”
Ji Qingxuan’s eyes held a trace of helplessness as she softly replied, “I know what I’m doing.”
Mu Yao’s lips immediately curved into a smile. Suddenly, she didn’t dislike Ji Qingxuan as much. Come to think of it, the woman wasn’t inherently annoying. It was just that having this extra person around inevitably affected her time alone with Jiang Huai. Mu Yao knew very well that after leaving the Ancestral Secret Realm, there would be no more opportunities for such private time with him. Once they were in the outside world, all his free time would be spent with his other Dao Companions, leaving no room for her.
She feared all her efforts would be in vain. With each passing day in the secret realm, her anxiety grew, yet she was powerless. It seemed like a deadlock. The more she liked Jiang Huai, the more foolish she became in front of him, and the more foolish she was, the less he seemed to like her.
“You and he… don’t seem to be Dao Companions?”
Ji Qingxuan’s soft question shattered Mu Yao’s defenses with ease. She gritted her teeth slightly and replied indignantly, “We’re not now, but in the future, in the future…”
Her voice trailed off as she spoke, her tone becoming increasingly dejected. She lowered her eyes. “Maybe not in the future either.”
“Miss Mu is bright and adorable. I’m sure any man would like her.”
“I already told you, he’s surrounded by beautiful women. Many are as pretty as you are, and more. Being beautiful doesn’t matter to him anymore.” Mu Yao spoke with growing despondency. She helped Ji Qingxuan out of the bath, dried her with a towel, helped her put on her underwear and dress, and returned her to the bed. Ji Qingxuan gently pulled the quilt tighter, looking at the young girl before her with slightly lowered eyelashes, unsure of what to say.
She had never cherished someone before and couldn’t empathize with Mu Yao’s feelings, so she remained silent.
***
Jiang Huai returned at the appointed time. He hadn’t found anything delicious while hunting today, so he used the ingredients he had brought with him, stewing a pot of clear beef broth. After feeding Ji Qingxuan as usual, Jiang Huai lay down on the mat. He saw Mu Yao curled up in a corner, appearing dispirited today, unlike her usual vibrant self. He wondered what was wrong.
Jiang Huai looked at her curiously and reached out to poke her cheek. Mu Yao didn’t respond, still looking dazed. Jiang Huai, confused, leaned closer. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Mu Yao’s voice was soft. She then snuggled into his embrace. Today, however, she was exceptionally obedient, neither fussing nor fidgeting. Jiang Huai, though puzzled, gently held her in his arms, asking her softly several times. But Mu Yao only shook her head, saying she was fine, before curling up in his embrace and quickly falling asleep.
***
The third day.
Jiang Huai still hadn’t found the Ice Crystal Snow Soul Flower. However, when Jiang Huai returned from outside the cave, Ji Qingxuan was no longer wrapped in blankets. She had changed back into an orange palace dress, and her jet-black hair was neatly and elegantly styled. Wearing a hairpin, her features were cool and aloof, no longer showing any signs of her previous frailty.
“Your injuries are healed?”
“They are completely healed.” Ji Qingxuan nodded gently. Jiang Huai gestured for her to extend her hand, then placed his hand on hers. He felt that her acupoint injuries had healed, with no lingering hidden ailments, and her spiritual qi had mostly recovered. He nodded gently. “Mm, indeed, you’re alright.”
“Then I will take my leave.” Ji Qingxuan hesitated for a moment before softly saying, “I will keep an eye out for that Ice Crystal Snow Soul Flower for you. After we leave the Ancestral Secret Realm, if you have time, please accompany me to the Imperial City in the Central Province. Come to my Central Province treasure vault, and choose any gift you like.”
“Okay.” Jiang Huai didn’t refuse. He nodded gently in agreement. Ji Qingxuan then leaped, and soon her figure disappeared into the wind and snow. Jiang Huai turned his head and saw Mu Yao still curled up in the corner, hugging her knees, looking sickly and completely lacking vitality, as if she had suddenly wilted.
Logically, she should have been happy that Ji Qingxuan was leaving.
Jiang Huai moved closer to her, reaching out to poke her cheek. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m fine.”
“Why do you look so sickly? Are you uncomfortable?” Jiang Huai reached out to take her pulse but found that her body was otherwise normal. Mu Yao looked up at him, then buried her face in her knees again.
Jiang Huai gently took her fingers. “What exactly is wrong?”
“Don’t bother me,” Mu Yao turned her face away, muttering softly. This made Jiang Huai alternately amused and exasperated. He leaned in front of her. “Did that woman upset you?”
“No.”
“Then why have you been wilting like this since last night?”
“I’m in a bad mood.”
“Why are you in a bad mood? Tell me about it.”
“I don’t need your care. I’ll be fine on my own later.”
Seeing this, Jiang Huai hesitated for a moment before saying anything more. Instead, he moved closer to her, sitting beside her. He mimicked her posture, hugging his knees, and stared blankly with her.
Half an hour passed.
The cave was quiet and a little cold. Mu Yao looked up at Jiang Huai’s face. “Will you never like me?”
Jiang Huai blinked slightly, then suddenly understood the reason for Mu Yao’s sadness.
When you deeply like someone, it’s inevitable to be insecure.
Jiang Huai suddenly started overthinking. Love is a hazy and dreamlike thing, but sometimes it is also cruel and real. Mu Yao didn’t understand the so-called secrets of being loved, which was why she acted so foolishly in front of him. From the beginning, Jiang Huai saw her true self beneath the mask, not a subconscious, instinctive mask put on to be loved.
“If I say yes, then you won’t like me anymore?” Jiang Huai turned his head and replied softly.
Mu Yao also looked up, her eyes now red. “Does it matter if I don’t want to like you anymore? I’ve wanted to stop liking you for a looooong time… but I can’t.”
“Then you can’t blame me,” Jiang Huai spread his hands. “Not being able to do it is your own problem.”
Mu Yao stared at him intently, speechless for a moment. She suddenly wanted to lean over and punch Jiang Huai hard. So she gritted her teeth, clenched her fists, and brought her small, pink fists to smash into his chest.
Unfortunately, it didn’t hurt.
But Mu Yao seemed to have found a switch to vent her emotions. She leaned in, her tender pink fists repeatedly pounding Jiang Huai’s chest, muttering, “For not liking me!”
“For liking other women!”
“For feeding that Grand Princess!”
“For spanking me!”
“For ignoring me!”
“For pretending in front of me!”
Jiang Huai sat there obediently, letting her hit him a dozen times. By the time Mu Yao was tired, her eyes continued to stare intently at him. Jiang Huai spread his hands. “Are you done venting?”
“No!”
“Then do you want to hit me a few more times?”
“I’m tired.”
Mu Yao stood up angrily, lifting her fair, tender calf. She kicked the seated Jiang Huai in the chest with her delicate pink *jade foot*, continuing to mutter. Jiang Huai looked at her flying skirt helplessly, watching her snow-white calf swing. He felt like a puppy throwing a tantrum. After a while, when she was tired from kicking and panting, Jiang Huai reached out and grabbed her ankle. Her body lost its balance, and she fell, easily caught in his arms by Jiang Huai.
“Don’t hug me!!!”
“Why could I hug you before, but not now?”
“If you don’t like me, you’re not allowed to hug me!”
“Oh…” Jiang Huai released his hand and pushed Mu Yao out of his embrace. Mu Yao lay on the mat, looking at the cruel and heartless man before her. She pointed a finger at his nose. “You, you, you… you have such a cruel heart!”
Seeing that Mu Yao’s eyes were about to well up with tears, Jiang Huai reached out a hand towards her. “You said it yourself.”
“I’m angry! I’m really angry!”
Jiang Huai blinked at her innocently. Although it was a bit much, seeing Mu Yao’s frantic state was inexplicably cute. He leaned closer and looked into her eyes. “Then what can I do to make you not angry?”
Mu Yao stared at him with cold eyes. “You… let me bite you.”
Jiang Huai extended his arm, looking at her innocently. “Bite away. Whatever makes you happy.”
“Not bite here,” Mu Yao shook her head, her eyes fixed on him. “When you are completely awake, let me… bite you again, and I won’t be angry anymore.”
Jiang Huai looked strange, unsure how her logic was structured. He reached out and squeezed her fair, tender cheek. “Biting me won’t benefit you. It’s uncomfortable and awkward, so why bother?”
“I just want to bite! I want to see you not liking me, yet being bitten by me, with a face full of reluctance!”
She seemed to want to see Jiang Huai embarrassed, or perhaps unwilling, but instead, Jiang Huai looked at her current intense, yin-yang gaze, her frantic and angry expression, and suddenly nodded. “Okay.”
The next moment, it was Mu Yao who was taken aback. She tilted her head. “Huh? Why did you agree?!”
“Can’t I agree?”
“No, no, you shouldn’t have agreed.”
“So the script is you continue to act up, and then I catch you and spank you, right?” At this moment, it was Jiang Huai’s turn to smile sinisterly. He rubbed his hands. “I get it.”
Unfortunately, before Jiang Huai could approach, Mu Yao, standing not far beside him, raised her leg and pressed it against his chest. “No! No! You, you just promised! You… sit there obediently, don’t move, let me bite!”
“Okay, go ahead?” Jiang Huai stared at her intently, his eyes unblinking.
“You, you, you don’t look at me! Don’t look, don’t look!”
“Before, when I was asleep, you were so bold. Now that I’m watching you, you’re afraid?”
“No, no! You, you close your eyes, close them…” Mu Yao’s cheeks turned red, but Jiang Huai didn’t close his eyes. He watched her face playfully, as if he was certain that under his gaze, she wouldn’t dare.
All the accumulated grievances seemed to surge to the forefront at this moment. Mu Yao looked at him resentfully, knelt on the bed. “Okay… stare if you want… okay… okay… Who told you I wouldn’t dare… You, you wait… I… I’ll bite you to death, I…”
The more she spoke, the more embarrassed she became, her cheeks flushing even redder.
