Chapter 14

At the hour of Hai (9-11 PM), the forest was unusually quiet, broken only by the occasional howl of a wolf, which startled Leng Xueran, causing her to move even closer to the man. Xi Yimin's lips curled into an undisguised smile. She tightened her arms, lifting Leng Xueran off the ground and leaping onto a branch of a tree about half a meter thick. Sitting on the branch, leaning against the trunk, she pulled the woman in her arms onto her lap. The woman struggled slightly and then angrily said, "What are you doing?" Xi Yimin smiled and looked down at the woman in her arms, saying, "There are ferocious beasts below; it's safer up here." The woman retorted, "How can I sleep sitting up? Let's go down!"

"That's true. I remember there was a wooden house up ahead, I wonder if it's still there." With that, he carried the woman in his arms and flew towards the wooden house. But there was no wooden house there anymore; it had long since decayed and merged into the earth. Looking at the scene before him, Xi Yimin laughed, "It's alright, Xue Ran, watch me." With that, he drew his sword and chopped down eight straight trees the size of a wrist, trimmed their branches, strung up vines, and tied them side-by-side to two large horizontal branches. Half an hour later, he sheathed his sword and came to Leng Xue Ran's side, saying happily, "This is our bedroom here, are you satisfied?" Hearing this, Leng Xue Ran blushed slightly and said coquettishly, "Always saying such impetuous things."

"What's so reckless about it?" Ignoring the person beside her, she tried to fly up using her less-than-stellar lightness skill, but unfortunately, she was starving and almost fell halfway up. Luckily, the person behind her caught her and carried her onto the simple wooden bed. Leng Xue Ran broke free from the hands holding her, lay on her side with her back to Xi Yi Min, and stopped talking. But her stomach started rumbling at an inopportune moment. The person behind her laughed, making Leng Xue Ran blush slightly with embarrassment. She scolded, "Don't laugh!"

"Does Xue Ran know what I'm laughing at?"

"It's definitely not a good thing!"

"But I think it's a fantastic thing."

"What I'm laughing at is that Xue Ran's awkwardness is quite charming."

"Shut up!" Xi Yimin suppressed a laugh. "Alright, Xue Ran, I'll be right back!" Hearing this, Leng Xue Ran suddenly turned around and said, "Go..." Before she could finish speaking, her lips were pressed against the lips of someone who had somehow gotten close behind her. Forgetting to move, Xi Yimin took advantage of the situation and moved even closer, their lips touching, and he actually kissed her. His hand quietly climbed up Leng Xue Ran's slender waist and pulled her into his arms. After a moment, she woke up and pushed the person in front of her away, saying awkwardly, "Don't do such things. How can women do this to each other?"

"Why not? There's so much more joy between women! Xue Ran, would you like to try it?"

"Don't talk nonsense. What kind of fun can women do together?" Hearing this, Xi Yimin chuckled deeply, "Xue Ran, you're truly naive. You'll understand in time!" Hearing this, Leng Xue Ran thought about it more and more, her face flushing red. She angrily retorted, "Nonsense..." Looking at the woman before her, Xi Yimin's smile deepened. "Xue Ran, I saw some fruit on the tree when I came. I'll go pick some to eat." The woman awkwardly asked, "When will you be back?" Xi Yimin didn't answer immediately, smiling at the woman before him. Suddenly, he kissed her and flew away. Behind him, the woman scolded, "You have no manners at all! Shameless!" But the man replied, "Why should my lady be shameless..." A quarter of an hour later, the man indeed returned with many wild fruits, smiling at Leng Xue Ran, "They're so sweet, try some." He picked up the largest one and fed it to the woman's lips, but she hesitated to open her mouth, only staring at him intently. "Xi Yimin," the man said softly, "What's wrong, Xue Ran?"

I'm afraid that in the end, you still won't have me by your side!

"If Xue Ran really doesn't want to be with me, then there won't be anyone else by my side."

"But I can't afford to owe anyone anything, I don't want to owe anyone anything."

"Xue Ran owes me nothing, and you shouldn't feel that you owe me anything. I had ulterior motives, I wanted Xue Ran's heart, I wanted Xue Ran's life, but I failed to achieve my goal. It's just that my fate with her was too shallow. So, Xue Ran, put your mind at ease and don't be afraid that you owe me anything!" After a long silence, she opened her mouth and took a bite of the wild fruit, and then reached out to take it.

After eating, sleepiness came over me. "Xue Ran, go to sleep."

As dawn broke and the morning light swept down, Xi Yimin smiled as he looked at the woman still asleep. He gently poked her smooth cheek, and she frowned but didn't open her eyes, continuing her sweet dream. Perhaps she had been frightened the night before and slept late. Xi Yimin gently lifted her head, removed his arm from under the covers, and silently leaped down from the tree. When Leng Xueran opened her eyes, she saw Xi Yimin roasting a wild rabbit under the tree, the aroma filling the air. Seeing the woman in the tree awaken, he immediately grabbed the roasted rabbit meat, leaped onto the wooden bed, tore off a leg, and held it to her lips. Leng Xue Ran took it, opened her mouth, and took a bite, smiling slightly, "So delicious!" Xi Yi Min's eyes widened in disbelief; he had probably never seen Leng Xue Ran smile like that before. Seeing her staring at him, he stopped smiling and began eating the rabbit meat seriously. Xi Yi Min, however, laughed, "Xue Ran's smile is enough to melt even the snow in winter. Every man in the world who sees her is captivated and loses his soul. But I lost my heart and soul even before I saw your smile, and now that I see it, I'm even more bewitched. Xue Ran, what should I do?" Looking at the person speaking sweet words before him, he said disdainfully, "If all men in the world were like you, how many ignorant women would you mislead? No, they should be cross-dressing beauties, with a face that could bring ruin and a heart full of passion. With that appearance alone, how many people would you ruin?"

"So, Xue Ran also thinks my appearance is good? Then... has it caught Xue Ran's eye and pleased Xue Ran's heart? Xue Ran, do you know that no matter how many women there are in the world, there can only be one who enters my heart? Has Xue Ran seen anyone else in my heart?" Looking at Xi Yimin holding the rabbit meat in his hand, she said disdainfully, "How do I know if there is anyone else in your heart!" Xi Yimin said anxiously, "But Xue Ran is already in my heart. Why don't you open your eyes and see if there is anyone else in them?" Seeing that she couldn't argue with him, Leng Xue Ran stopped talking and started eating the rabbit meat seriously. Seeing that she was no longer paying attention to him, Xi Yimin also quickly started eating the rabbit meat. After finishing their meal, it was nearly 9 AM. Xi Yimin looked at the clear sky through the gaps in the trees and smiled at the woman to his right, saying, "Xue Ran, look how blue this sky is, just like my heart right now—azure, clear, and understanding." Leng Xue Ran glanced coldly at the woman to her left and said, "As a woman, I don't quite understand why you, as a woman, use so many sweet words. But there aren't many truly affectionate people in this world, so how could I happen to meet one, and another woman at that? If it wasn't premeditated, then it must have been love that grew over time. We haven't known each other long, so it must have been premeditated!" Xi Yimin smiled at the woman before him, "Clever as Xue Ran is, although I had been planning this for a long time, it just backfired. My plan failed, and I lost my heart. But I also feel that after spending these days with Xue Ran, we should have become familiar with each other. It seems that Xue Ran should naturally be in my life." Leng Xue Ran, rarely paying attention to the eloquent Xi Yimin, walked towards Fengcheng.

Earlier, in his haste to find Leng Xue Ran, he had overexerted himself with his light-footed skills, and hadn't fully recovered yet. So, Xi Yimin stopped using his light-footed techniques. Since he wasn't in a hurry, he quickly caught up with Leng Xue Ran. "Xue Ran, look at the overgrown weeds and thorns underfoot. How about I carry you?" Leng Xue Ran still ignored him. He continued, "Xue Ran, you don't need to avoid me anymore. What are you going to Fengcheng for? Do you know most of my family's business is in Fengcheng and want to settle there with me?" Leng Xue Ran stopped, turned to look at Xi Yimin, and sneered, "I've never seen such a shameless woman. Besides, I have my own business in Fengcheng. As for you, I should still avoid you. Leng Ying told me to stay as far away from you as possible."

"Go where are you going? To find your mother? Besides, Leng Ying told you to stay away from me, so just stay away. Even though she's your sister, there's no need for you to give up your husband!" Hearing this, Leng Xue Ran blushed and scolded, "What husband? Don't talk nonsense." "I'm not talking nonsense. We are engaged. From what we said last night, I felt that Xue Ran still has feelings for me, but she has too many concerns and doesn't dare to face them. But I believe that one day, Xue Ran will open her heart to me."