When Jiang Huai woke up, a familiar fragrance tickled his nose.
Without opening his eyes, he knew it was the subtle scent of Chu Xianning. Now that he possessed the Flower Spirit Physique, it was entirely different from Chu Xianning’s. To this day, Jiang Huai was still captivated by the faint aroma emanating from Chu Xianning, which, beyond the floral notes, seemed to carry a hint of tea, making it hard to describe.
He slowly opened his eyes. Chu Xianning was sitting on the edge of his bed. The quilt covering him still held Chu Xianning’s faint scent. He slowly turned his head, his body still a little weak.
Sensing the movement, Chu Xianning turned her head and said softly, “You’re awake?”
“How long was I unconscious?”
“Three shichen.”
“That’s good,” Jiang Huai replied softly. “My cultivation level is sufficient now, unlike before. Aside from the considerable spiritual Qi consumption, there’s nothing else.”
Jiang Huai quickly reassured Chu Xianning that he was fine, to prevent her from worrying. Chu Xianning nodded gently, the slight frown on her brow smoothing out. She then said calmly, “While you were unconscious, several people came to see you.”
“Who?”
“Bai Jin, Bai Li, Jun Anshui, Su Qiang, Su Qingyi, and that Grand Princess from the Central Province, Ji Qingxuan.”
“That many…” Jiang Huai’s voice faltered for a moment.
Chu Xianning, who no longer hid her emotions from him, could occasionally become a little jealous. Thus, he felt a bit guilty. Fortunately, Chu Xianning didn’t seem to mind and simply informed him.
“Luo Yueguan is drinking tea just outside the courtyard. She was here earlier, but I found her too noisy and asked her to leave.”
Jiang Huai found himself at a loss whether to laugh or cry. He started to get up from the quilt, only to realize his clothes were gone. Jiang Huai froze, confused, “My clothes…?”
“Luo Yueguan said your body had too much blood energy, so she carried you to the bathhouse to wash you,” Chu Xianning said calmly, turning her face away. Jiang Huai finally understood, and Chu Xianning had already stood up and walked out the door.
***
Dressed, Jiang Huai went into the courtyard. Luo Yueguan, in a purple qipao, was sitting by the table. Her legs were crossed beneath the qipao, and her white and tender little feet, clad in iridescent stockings, were slightly raised.
Wait.
Jiang Huai clearly remembered that she wasn’t dressed like this during the day. In the daytime, she was much more demure. Now, in this alluring dress, he surmised she had changed after bathing with him. Jiang Huai sat down opposite her, with Chu Xianning also by his side. Luo Yueguan’s eyes lit up when she saw him, “You rascal, you’re finally awake.”
“I’m fine,” Jiang Huai scratched his head.
“I know you’re fine,” Luo Yueguan suddenly snorted. “If you were not fine, why would your “thing” be so restless when I was cleaning you while you were unconscious?”
“Huh?” Jiang Huai tilted his head. Luo Yueguan glanced at him playfully and reproachfully. “Your Master was supposed to help me bathe you, but as soon as her hand touched your chest, you became restless. Hmph, she got lazy and just sat aside, watching me finish bathing you before she was at ease.”
“…” Jiang Huai was speechless for a moment.
“How did your cultivation level increase by four minor realms in these few days?” Luo Yueguan looked down at her white and tender toes, which were slightly raised. Her tone was sweet, but at that moment, it sounded like she already knew the answer, as the playfulness was too evident.
Jiang Huai’s gaze began to wander. “You know, I’m a genius. I broke through realms without even trying.”
“Perhaps it’s because you’ve been spending your nights with your good sister, Jun Anshui, that you’ve reached this level?”
Jiang Huai didn’t dare to speak. He hadn’t kept the matter of him and Chu Xianning going to the Dragon Clan a secret from Luo Yueguan, he had just glossed over some details. When Luo Yueguan wanted to probe further, he would spank her. After a few times, Luo Yueguan stopped asking. Now she finally had an opportunity to bring it up again, so Jiang Huai could only beat around the bush to appease her.
It seemed alright if Luo Yueguan knew about this, but if she also knew what he and Bai Jin had done… then Luo Yueguan might become resentful. However, Chu Xianning was also aware of this matter, as he hadn’t kept it from her either.
He realized that whenever he looked at Chu Xianning’s cold and aloof eyes, he couldn’t hide anything. Instead, if he ever had something to hide from Chu Xianning, he would feel guilty and unable to keep it in. Chu Xianning, on the other hand, disliked gossip, so it was unlikely she would tell Luo Yueguan.
Chu Xianning silently picked up her teacup and took a sip, calmly saying, “Perhaps it wasn’t just with the Dragon Emperor.”
Jiang Huai’s forehead immediately broke out in a sweat. But Luo Yueguan’s interest was piqued. Her beautiful face leaned closer, her eyes scrutinizing Jiang Huai’s pupils, “Then who else?”
“With, with Bai Li, Bai Li and I have been as close as Dao Companions for a long time…” Jiang Huai stammered his reply.
However, Luo Yueguan was an expert at reading people. With Chu Xianning present, Jiang Huai was subconsciously suppressed, and even his attempts to lie made his expression unnatural. Luo Yueguan continued to press, “But from your tone… it sounds like you’re hiding something else…”
“This, this… and also, Ji Qingxuan…”
“I knew that woman visiting you must have a reason!” Luo Yueguan slammed the table. “What’s your relationship with her now? Confess and you’ll be treated leniently!”
“This…”
Jiang Huai looked crestfallen. He hadn’t mentioned this to Luo Yueguan yet. He had thought about Ji Qingxuan’s reputation, and at that time, his relationship with Ji Qingxuan wasn’t as intimate as it was now. But it seemed he could say it now, but…
He could only stammer and recount the recent events. Luo Yueguan angrily poked his chest several times, grumbling, “Womanizer! Promiscuous! Little bastard!”
Jiang Huai had no way to refute and could only accept it obediently. Chu Xianning, meanwhile, remained silent, calmly sipping her tea. “Is that all?”
As her eyes looked towards Jiang Huai, he felt guilty. When Luo Yueguan sensed his guilt, her face leaned closer again, “Is there more?!”
“This…”
Jiang Huai’s legs were trembling, wanting to flee. He couldn’t lie in front of Chu Xianning. Chu Xianning seemed to be there just to point out the trigger, while Luo Yueguan acted as the interrogator. He could only comply and confess his intimate relationship with Bai Jin. Luo Yueguan’s eyes widened, and after a while, she regained her senses but didn’t know what to say. Finally, after thinking for a long time, she puffed up her cheeks and angrily poked Jiang Huai’s forehead.
“Little pervert!”
“…” Jiang Huai didn’t dare to retort. He looked at Chu Xianning with mournful eyes, but Chu Xianning sat there, cold and calm, slightly tilting her chin, her eyes looking at him in a way that implied… if you don’t want anyone to know, don’t do it in the first place.
Fortunately, Luo Yueguan showed no signs of exploding at Jiang Huai. It wasn’t the first day she knew how many women Jiang Huai was entangled with. Instead, she crossed her arms. Most of the qipaos she wore in the courtyard were sleeveless, revealing a hint of her side cleavage due to her full chest. Now, with her legs raised, she unceremoniously placed her white and tender feet on Jiang Huai’s leg, calmly saying, “Then tell me exactly which women you’re entangled with, one by one? Tell me today, and I won’t be angry. If there’s anything I don’t know later… I’ll bite you.”
“No lying. Your Master is sitting beside you to keep you in check. You can’t lie to me. If you lie, I’ll step on you…”
Chu Xianning picked up her tea again and took a gentle sip, sitting quietly like a frozen sculpture. Jiang Huai gazed at her profile, wondering why he suddenly had a strange feeling that although Luo Yueguan was interrogating him now, the one truly interrogating him was Chu Xianning!
But there was nothing he could do. He had to start by grabbing the jade-white feet wrapped in ultra-thin glass stockings on his leg and begin detailing his romantic history as if recounting treasures…
***
Jiang Huai himself hadn’t realized how long his romantic history would take to narrate. From Wanwan to Fufu, from Xu Qing to Mu Yao, Luo Yueguan sat beside him, counting on her fingers. When she ran out of fingers, she tilted her head, and then her white and tender feet stomped angrily on Jiang Huai’s leg.
The glass stockings on her legs were so thin, as if they were a veil covering her jade-white, tender, and soft little feet. But this only enhanced a subtle, hazy seductiveness. Jiang Huai’s mind had been trembling frequently lately, filled with wicked thoughts, so he dared not look too much. Luo Yueguan listened to all the stories, her cheeks slightly puffed out, her eyes staring at him without blinking.
Perhaps it was due to being interrogated too often lately, but Jiang Huai had become smarter. He couldn’t show the slightest hint of remorse now; he had to be tough. As long as he was tough enough, Luo Yueguan’s attitude would soften. Hmph, that girl was like this. She would take advantage of any opportunity to push her luck, but if you were stronger than her, she would be as obedient as a kitten in front of you.
“Accompany me tonight,” she suddenly said.
“Okay,” Jiang Huai nodded obediently. A few seconds later, Luo Yueguan turned her face away, “Don’t make a sound…”
Her voice still carried a hint of guilt. Jiang Huai nodded swiftly, and then Luo Yueguan’s lips curved into a smile. “Get up, I want to play chess with Chu Xianning.”
Jiang Huai had no choice but to get up obediently and watch them play chess from the side, serving tea for both of them. But as they played, Luo Yueguan gradually lost patience. Her chess skills were on par with Chu Xianning’s, with wins and losses for both sides. They were at a level that Jiang Huai couldn’t match without cheating. In fact, Jiang Huai felt Luo Yueguan’s chess skills were even better, but she lacked patience and was prone to being overly eager for quick success.
Perhaps it was because the game was a bit boring, Luo Yueguan rested her chin on her hand and looked at the calm Chu Xianning in front of her, suddenly saying, “Why don’t we bet on something?”
Chu Xianning’s eyelashes didn’t even flutter. “No bet.”
Chu Xianning understood the principle that the best bet was no bet.
“Scared?”
Chu Xianning gave her a calm glance. She wouldn’t fall for such a cheap provocation. Luo Yueguan twirled a strand of hair by her cheek with her fingertips, leaning forward slightly. “If you win against me, how about I let you have Jiang Huai tonight?”
“No,” Chu Xianning shook her head.
Jiang Huai thought Chu Xianning would never agree. She was impeccable. But Luo Yueguan looked at her with a smiling face, “Really not betting?”
“No betting.”
“Then tonight I want to sleep with you, tomorrow night too, the day after too, and always afterwards. I want to pester you every day and annoy you, annoy you, annoy you.”
“Immature,” Chu Xianning glanced at her sideways.
Jiang Huai suddenly realized that Luo Yueguan’s current posture was somewhat familiar, just like when she was throwing a tantrum and rolling around in front of him in front of Chu Xianning. Luo Yueguan seemed to have learned the essence. Chu Xianning preferred tranquility, while Luo Yueguan was lively and energetic at the moment. Luo Yueguan tilted her face slightly upwards. “If you win, when the Five Regions Grand Competition ends, I will obediently go into seclusion for two months to eliminate the last traces of my inner demons and won’t bother you at Tian Xuan Sect. Otherwise, I’ll follow you and stay at Tian Xuan Sect. Hmph, doesn’t someone remember what they said to me the night before the day before yesterday?”
Chu Xianning’s eyelashes slightly lifted. Finally, she let out a helpless sigh and picked up a chess piece with her slender jade hand. Luo Yueguan finally smiled with satisfaction, her eyes cunning, “But if you lose… tonight you have to join me in punishing this little pervert with your feet.”
Jiang Huai, standing aside, trembled all over and sat up straight.
… He was already calculating if there was any way he could help Luo Yueguan cheat.
