Chapter 2 The Duties of a Bodyguard

"Wh...what?!" Zhou Wenyuan was struck dumb as if by a thunderbolt from the heavens, and his whole body froze instantly.

He stared dumbfounded at the woman with delicate features but an indifferent expression, who was also carrying a sword, and then at Tang Xiaoning, who was clinging tightly to her with a look of "deep affection".

His lips trembled like leaves in the autumn wind, and it took him a long time to find his voice, which was incoherent:

"Xiao, Xiaoning, you, you mustn't talk nonsense! This...this is outrageous!"

My mother said... my mother said..."

He was so anxious that his face turned red, as if Tang Xiaoning had said something incredibly shocking and outrageous.

Li Minghua was completely stunned by Tang Xiaoning's sudden and shocking move.

Her arms were pressed tightly against a soft, warm body. The unfamiliar touch and Tang Xiaoning's faint sweet fragrance made her scalp tingle and her whole body feel uncomfortable.

She looked down at Tang Xiaoning and saw that the other was frantically winking at her, her small nose almost wrinkled up, her eyes filled with "Cooperate with me, cooperate with me".

In a flash, the weighty contract of "ten taels of silver, food and lodging included," along with the enticing aroma of braised pork hock and roast chicken from the kitchen, clearly overwhelmed the turmoil in her heart and the pride of a chivalrous knight.

The inner struggle lasted only a moment; the instinct for survival and respect for the contract prevailed.

So, under Zhou Wenyuan's gaze, which seemed to shatter the world, this former Qingfeng Sect master tried his best to maintain his usual expressionless face, ignoring the heat rising in his ears, and solemnly nodded to his "affectionate" employer in his arms.

"Hmm." A low, short reply shattered Zhou Wenyuan's last glimmer of hope like a heavy hammer blow.

To increase credibility, she even put on a serious face and tried to make her gaze appear "focused" on Tang Xiaoning's face.

Although her focus was a little unfocused, she did try her best.

Zhou Wenyuan: "..."

He lost his voice completely, his mouth opening and closing repeatedly, his eyes vacant.

He felt that the worldview he had cultivated since childhood about "childhood sweethearts eventually becoming a couple" had shattered into pieces.

Tang Xiaoning was overjoyed, feeling like she had a lively little rabbit in her arms.

She suppressed a laugh that almost spilled from her throat, adopted a "we're in a hurry" posture, and casually waved to the petrified Zhou Wenyuan, her tone light and cheerful:

"Alright, alright, Brother Wenyuan, let's go back and have our meal. Lady Li is starving! You... please help yourself!"

After saying that, she forcefully pulled Li Minghua, who was still somewhat stiff and almost moving in unison, and walked into the mansion with light steps like a deer, her skirt fluttering. She did not look back.

Zhou Wenyuan was left standing there, completely bewildered and alone in the sweet spring breeze.

Only after walking about ten steps, rounding a rockery, and confirming that Zhou Wenyuan could neither see nor hear him, did Li Minghua slightly turn his head.

In a low voice, barely audible to the two of them, she asked with a hint of confusion and embarrassment, "Miss Tang, 'I will marry no one but you'..."

She paused, seemingly choosing her words carefully: "...Is that also within the scope of a bodyguard's duties?"

Her arm was still stiff, clearly not fully recovered from the "feat" she had just performed.

Upon hearing this, Tang Xiaoning burst out laughing, her bright smile like a flower blooming in spring.

Instead of letting go, she patted Li Minghua's strong forearm even more affectionately, looking earnest and experienced.

"Oh dear, Miss Li! You just don't understand!"

The world is a dangerous place, and people's hearts are unpredictable, especially when dealing with this kind of effeminate man...

She winked slyly: "That's called 'adaptability'! See how effective it is? It defeats the enemy in one move!"

Li Minghua silently lowered her eyes, her gaze sweeping over her arm that was being tightly held, and then looking at the smiling young lady beside her, who was spouting a bunch of fallacies.

The aroma of braised pork hock still seemed to linger in my nose, while the weight of ten taels of silver weighed heavily on my heart.

She sighed almost inaudibly, swallowing back the protests that were about to come out, such as "This seems to damage my reputation as a chivalrous person" or "Is this too frivolous?" along with a subtle sense of embarrassment.

That's all...

She reluctantly compromised in her heart.

When you're in the world of martial arts, how can you not have to bend over?

Especially when a penniless, down-on-her-luck female knight-errant encounters such a quirky, wealthy, and resourceful employer.

This "job" seems to be more challenging than I imagined.

Feeling the lingering warmth on her arm, she quickened her pace silently—running towards the life-saving pork hock and roast chicken.

The aroma of food filled the Tang family's flower hall, creating a somewhat subtle atmosphere.

On a round huanghuali wood table, a variety of delicious dishes were laid out, each with its own unique color, aroma, and flavor.

The braised pork hock was stewed until tender and the sauce was rich and glistening, making it look incredibly tempting. The golden-yellow roasted chicken emitted a mouthwatering aroma, and several plates of bright green stir-fried vegetables were served as garnishes, adding a refreshing touch.

Li Minghua sat upright in the carved wooden chair, his posture as straight as a pine tree, trying his best to maintain the composure of a martial arts master.

Her gaze, however, seemed to be drawn by invisible threads, firmly fixed on the plate of tempting braised pork hock.

Her Adam's apple bobbed so subtly it was almost an illusion; only she knew the almost irresistible longing within her.

Tang Xiaoning took in Li Minghua's subtle reaction and found it extremely interesting.

Her eyes curved into crescent moons as she personally picked up her silver chopsticks, took a large, trembling piece of pork hock covered in thick sauce, and placed it steadily into the white jade bowl in front of Li Minghua.

She urged with a smile, "Miss Li, please don't be shy, eat up! You'll have the strength to protect me when you're full, and... you'll also have the strength to tell me those exciting stories of the martial arts world!"

Her voice was clear and melodious, carrying an undisguised eagerness and a hint of coquetry.

"Thank you, Miss Tang," Li Minghua said immediately, his voice low and steady.

Her movements as she picked up the bamboo chopsticks appeared refined and composed, but her chopsticks moved with lightning speed, precisely picking up the piece of pork hock.

She lowered her head slightly, focusing intently on the food in her bowl, her movements carrying a peculiar rhythm.

Chewing is silent; the cheeks move rhythmically and slightly, yet the efficiency is astonishing.

The huge piece of pork hock disappeared into her bowl almost at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Throughout the entire process, she remained solemn, as if she were performing an extremely solemn ceremony, not even sparing a glance for anyone else.

Tang Xiaoning barely ate anything herself. She rested her rosy cheeks on her hands and stared at Li Minghua with great interest, as if she were appreciating some novel and interesting performance.

The candlelight danced in her clear eyes, reflecting her boundless curiosity.

“Miss Li,” she couldn’t help but ask, her voice soft and sweet, “what did your Qingfeng Sect eat on a daily basis when you were on the mountain? Was it like in the stories, where heroes gather together, drinking and eating heartily, full of heroic spirit?”

She could already picture herself drinking by the campfire.

Li Minghua had just swallowed the food in his mouth when he heard this. He looked up at Tang Xiaoning very seriously and answered truthfully:

"Life on the mountain is hard and resources are scarce. On weekdays, people mostly eat homegrown vegetables, pickled vegetables, coarse grain rice, and tofu."

Meat and fish are only occasionally seen during festivals or when people go down the mountain to buy them.

Her tone was flat; she was simply stating the facts.

"Huh?" Tang Xiaoning's pretty brows immediately furrowed, her small face filled with disbelief and deep disappointment.

"That's so boring!" This austere life was far removed from the carefree life she had imagined.

However, she quickly rallied, leaning slightly forward to get closer to Li Minghua, her eyes regaining their sparkle of excitement.

"Then, Miss Li, after you went down the mountain, you must have done some chivalrous deeds, right?"

Tell me quickly! Have you ever encountered a vicious, ruthless bandit who kills without hesitation?

Or...have you ever done anything truly righteous, like robbing the rich to help the poor or acting on behalf of Heaven?

She blinked expectantly, as if she could hear a thrilling story any second now.

Li Minghua paused in mid-air as he was about to pick up some food with his chopsticks.

She paused slightly, seemingly searching her memory for a moment, before speaking in a factual, almost reporting tone:

"Since coming down the mountain, about half a month has passed, and I have been in three fights."

The first time was when two vegetable vendors in the city got into a fight over territory, and I separated them.

The second time was when I helped an old man selling steamed buns on a street corner retrieve a meat bun that had been snatched away by a stray dog.

The most recent one...

She raised her eyes and looked calmly at Tang Xiaoning: "It was today, outside your esteemed residence, that I caught you when you accidentally fell."

Tang Xiaoning: "..."

The excitement and anticipation on her face froze instantly, as if she had been doused with a bucket of cold water. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out for a long time.

This was completely different from the magnificent and turbulent world of martial arts described in the storybooks she treasured!

Xiao Cui, who was standing to the side, had already covered her mouth with her hand, but her shoulders were shaking violently uncontrollably as she tried to suppress her laughter, tears welling up in her eyes.

This female knight's story is so... down-to-earth!

"...It's...it's pretty good!"

Tang Xiaoning finally found her voice and forced a smile, trying to save face for this excessively chivalrous woman:

"This shows that you, Miss Li... uh... have a chivalrous heart that is close to the people's livelihood! Close to the people's livelihood!"

She quickly picked up her chopsticks, shoveled a couple of mouthfuls of rice into her mouth, and decided to forcefully change the subject of this disillusioning story.

Her gaze swept over the bamboo chopsticks beside Li Minghua, and her eyes lit up again:

"Then...then Miss Li, your martial arts skills must be extremely high, right? Could you...show me a little bit? Hmm...for example,"

She pointed at the chopsticks, her mind wandering: "Let's use these as darts? Let's see if we can hit the flower in that vase over there?"

Following the direction of her finger, Li Minghua looked at the simple bamboo chopsticks in his hand, then at the celadon vase with a few sprigs of winter plum blossoms on the antique shelf not far away, and shook his head decisively.

“Chopsticks,” she said earnestly, with a hint of instruction, “are utensils for eating.”

She paused, then added what she considered an even more important reason: "Besides, it's wrong to harm flowers."

Tang Xiaoning was speechless again. Looking at Li Minghua's matter-of-fact and serious expression, she felt that this heroine was really... making her both laugh and cry.

This is completely different from the free-spirited and unrestrained martial arts figures she had imagined!