Jiang Huai saw Chu Xianning in this state for the first time.
He lit a very small night light by the bed. By now, Chu Xianning had collapsed weakly on the bed, her skirt hem forming a graceful arc. Her snow-white, tender, and fragrant skin was slightly dewy, shimmering as if coated in a layer of oil. Her cheeks were flushed pink, and her cool, clear eyes were covered by a ribbon, so her expression was hidden, yet she appeared even more alluring.
In her current state of softness and weakness, trembling slightly, she seemed to be inviting Jiang Huai to do something mischievous, as if the atmosphere was just right, and Jiang Huai would not be rejected no matter what he did. Sometimes Jiang Huai would write in books, saying that one should not ask a woman what she wants, but rather judge for oneself if it is possible. By the time you ask her if it’s appropriate, she would have quietly calmed down and coldly refused you.
At this moment, it felt as if ten thousand voices in his heart were telling him to take advantage of the situation with Chu Xianning. The system by his ear also began to buzz frantically, and the rewards even seemed to have increased to thirty high-level Experience Scrolls.
But he reached out and bit his own finger hard.
It wasn’t out of instinctive fear of Chu Xianning. It was just that he always felt he should be obedient. If his Master said not to do other bad things, then he shouldn’t. If he did, perhaps his Master wouldn’t be angry now, but he might feel wronged if he remembered it later.
Chu Xianning’s hair was disheveled, her delicate pink lips parted slightly, and she was still breathing in small sips. Jiang Huai sat beside her, “Master, I’ll refine the spiritual energy in my body first, okay?”
Chu Xianning softly responded with a very light “Mhmm.”
Jiang Huai began to focus on his own Dantian. Now that he had received the System Reward of the Flower Spirit Physique, he started to try to repair the vortex in his Dantian. After completing a full cycle, he finally managed to draw Worldly spiritual energy into his body. At this point, Jiang Huai’s cultivation level had completely recovered.
This process took a little over half an hour. Jiang Huai slowly opened his eyes.
The small lamp in the room was still on. A fragrant aroma wafted to his nose. Chu Xianning was now hugging her knees, leaning by the bedside. Her skirt was spread out, her white dress was thin, and her eyes were gazing at Jiang Huai with both a cool clarity and gentleness.
Jiang Huai raised his hand, and a vortex appeared in it, signifying that his cultivation had truly recovered completely. He could now absorb Worldly spiritual energy into his body on his own. With this, reaching the Eighth Realm was only a matter of time.
“I didn’t lie to you, Master, did I?” Jiang Huai winked at Chu Xianning and said softly.
“Mhmm,” Chu Xianning nodded gently.
A flicker of confusion suddenly crossed her eyes. Almost a year ago, when she learned that Jiang Huai’s cultivation had been completely destroyed, the usually cool her had stayed by his unconscious bedside and quietly teared up. When Granny Jiuy mentioned that prescription, her first thought was whether Luo Yueguan would agree, not about herself.
When did it start? When did she habitually start to rely on Jiang Huai’s presence, instinctively hoping he would always stay by her side, wasting the long years together?
Chu Xianning did not know the answer.
Now that his cultivation had fully recovered, a great weight seemed to have been lifted from her heart. Gazing into Jiang Huai’s eyes, looking at his pupils, they stared at each other for a while before Chu Xianning looked away.
“Master, can you praise me?”
“Praise you for what?”
“I tried very, very hard just now not to do bad things to Master.”
Chu Xianning grumbled softly, “That’s what you should have done anyway.”
“You won’t praise me?” Jiang Huai suddenly looked wronged. Chu Xianning turned to look at him sitting opposite her, “I know you wouldn’t.”
“Huh?” Jiang Huai was stunned and tilted his head.
“I thought in Master’s eyes, I was already a little slutty dog.” Jiang Huai said dejectedly. After a moment, Chu Xianning dissatisfiedly lifted her calf and gently poked his chest, “That’s just something I say normally. I don’t really treat you like a puppy.”
“I don’t think being Master’s puppy is a bad thing.” Jiang Huai immediately started to put on a playful expression again. Chu Xianning gave him a cool look, “Shouldn’t you be sleeping?”
The bedside lamp cast a gentle glow. Jiang Huai quietly looked at Chu Xianning in front of him and said softly, “Do you want to bathe before sleeping?”
“You want to bathe with me?” Chu Xianning tilted her head up.
“I-I-I-I didn’t say that.” Jiang Huai immediately began to evade, but a moment later, seeing Chu Xianning’s eyes, he was suddenly stunned and then slowly said, “Of course, I do.”
“Since I have to bathe anyway, do you want to…”
“Want to what?” Jiang Huai was surprised, but his gaze unconsciously fell to Chu Xianning’s white and tender little feet.
“Ask again?” Chu Xianning crossed her arms, her eyes growing colder.
“No more asking, no more asking, but…”
Jiang Huai suddenly turned on the room light. Instantly, the room became bright. The light fell on Chu Xianning’s collarbone, her smooth, delicate snow-white legs beneath the skirt hem, and her crystal-clear, white and tender jade feet. Chu Xianning still had her arms crossed, her face turned away, “I didn’t say you could turn on the light.”
“But I want to see Master.”
Chu Xianning’s gaze met his. After a moment, she slowly lifted her white and tender little feet, her voice trembling slightly, “Only this once, and never again.”
But under the bright light, looking at Jiang Huai’s bright eyes, she couldn’t bring herself to shy away. After a moment, she still pouted slightly, “No… you looking at me makes me uncomfortable.”
“Then should we turn off the light?” Jiang Huai cautiously asked again.
It was already a great gift for his Master to voluntarily offer him something. He had to take it slow, not be greedy, not be greedy.
Chu Xianning hesitated for a moment, then lowered her folded arms and said to Jiang Huai, “You… sit in my arms.”
Jiang Huai was slightly stunned and obediently moved closer. Chu Xianning spread her legs, allowing him to lie in her arms, his back against her chest. Chu Xianning put her arms around his waist, rested her snow-white chin on his shoulder, and leaned her delicate pink lips near his ear. Her voice was cold, yet incredibly gentle.
“If I can’t see your eyes… it’s okay.”
As she spoke, she leaned closer and gently kissed Jiang Huai’s cheek. At this moment, her white tender legs were already slightly raised, adjusted to a more comfortable position, and she gently soothed Little Huai.
Jiang Huai felt as if struck by lightning, his head spinning, feeling almost overwhelmed. But Chu Xianning gently kissed his cheek again, and at that moment, he heard his cool Master’s question, “Why is your face red?”
“I-I-I’m not red! It’s Master who’s blushing!”
Jiang Huai turned his head, but Chu Xianning’s cheeks were indeed slightly red, though her eyes were no longer as shy as before.
Jiang Huai decided to add a second rule to his shame law: if one person felt more ashamed, the other’s shame would be halved. He looked at Chu Xianning’s delicate pink lips and softly said, “Chu Xianning.”
“Call me Master.”
“Mother.”
Chu Xianning immediately bumped Jiang Huai’s forehead in displeasure. Only then did Jiang Huai change his address, “Ningning.”
“You’re not allowed to call me Ningning.”
“I will call you Ningning. Ningning’s little feet are so soft, fragrant, and smooth. I like them so much.”
Chu Xianning fell silent. She gave him a deep look, as if recalling something. She leaned closer, her delicate pink lips parting slightly, and softly said, “Kiss.”
This was probably the best way to shut Jiang Huai up and prevent him from rambling.
***
Early morning, a hazy drizzle.
When Jiang Huai woke up, his head was fuzzy. He hadn’t drunk any alcohol last night, yet he felt as if everything had been a dream from a heavy intoxication, beautiful and tender, leaving him still slightly dazed.
When he looked down, Chu Xianning was nestled in his arms, sleeping soundly.
Last night, Chu Xianning held Jiang Huai in her arms, kissing him while earnestly and gently coaxing him. Later, they even bathed together. The only regret was thatChu Xianning only allowed Jiang Huai to apply bubbles to her back, not her chest. But Jiang Huai had taken advantage of her inattention, leaned closer, pulled her into his arms, and mischievously pinched her.
The price for this was being kicked several times in the water by Chu Xianning’s white and tender legs. When she kicked him, she had her arms crossed and her cheeks flushed red. She even chased Jiang Huai out of the bathhouse. Only when they returned to bed did she finally calm down and sleep obediently by his side.
Jiang Huai noticed a subtle shift in their affection progress. When he and Chu Xianning first slept together, they slept separately, neither disturbing the other. Then they slept face-to-face. Later, Jiang Huai was able to gently hold her in his arms. And now… now they had reached the ultimate form, where Chu Xianning would lift her legs to pin his body while sleeping, not allowing him to move around.
Jiang Huai put on his clothes. This slight sound caused Chu Xianning in the quilt to slowly open her eyes. She softly admonished him, her eyes still slightly dazed. It took a while for her to quietly come to her senses.
She began to recall everything from last night.
In Jiang Huai’s sight, Chu Xianning’s white and tender cheeks gradually turned pink. He wondered what she was thinking at that moment, finding it especially amusing. So he reached out and gently poked Chu Xianning’s white and tender cheek.
Chu Xianning didn’t react, just blinked softly.
The touch from his fingertips was soft and bouncy, so Jiang Huai couldn’t help but reach out and poke her again.
This time, however, Chu Xianning slowly turned her head, her lips parting slightly. Then her snow-white teeth gently bit his finger. The force was not heavy, and her eyes remained as cool and gentle as ever.
They looked at each other again. Chu Xianning released her mouth, but Jiang Huai leaned down and approached her lips, “I want to kiss you.”
“No kissing.” Chu Xianning turned her face away. She gently tapped his forehead with her fingertip, but now she wasn’t as shy as before. Her cool eyes seemed to reveal a hint of playfulness, “One cannot be too greedy.”
He supposed so.
Recalling everything that had happened last night, Jiang Huai still felt a sense of giddy elation, a hazy trance from which he had not yet recovered. Chu Xianning slowly sat up from the bed, petulantly lifting the strap of her clothes that had slipped down, and then reached out to poke his chest, “Go out, I need to change.”
“Oh, I want to stay and comb Master’s hair. I won’t look.” Jiang Huai obediently closed his eyes.
Chu Xianning sat up from the bed, took out her underwear from the wardrobe, and took off her white dress. Looking at Jiang Huai, who had his eyes closed tightly and was sitting obediently in front of her, she suddenly smiled faintly.
