Chapter 27 Will You Get Bored?

Liu Yiyi's departure was like a gentle breeze sweeping across a calm lake; the initial ripples quickly disappeared without a trace.

Everyone in the manor seemed to tacitly agree to seal away the name and that incident, never to mention it again.

Time flowed by like water, and on the surface, everything seemed to have returned to the way it was before that persistent figure appeared.

But upon closer inspection, the air seems to be filled with a completely different atmosphere than before.

Without the so-called "threat" from the outside world, Tang Xiaoning found that her dependence on and closeness to Li Minghua was like spring vines, growing uncontrollably and wildly.

She took walks arm in arm with Li Minghua more and more frequently, almost hanging on her body. Her soft sleeves clung to Li Minghua's slender forearms, and her steps were light and cheerful, typical of a young girl.

A passing maid carrying a tea tray saw her mistress leaning almost half her body against Miss Li from afar. She couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle, whispering to her companion, "Look at Miss, she's clinging to Miss Li like honey."

She would shove the pastries she thought were the best into Li Minghua's hands without a word, her eyes sparkling as she urged, "This almond cookie is freshly made, you have to try it!"

Even though Li Minghua frowned and swallowed the overly sweet pastry, she just smiled and handed him another one.

In the evenings, she would take advantage of the situation, often snuggling up in the armchair in Li Minghua's room like a spoiled kitten with her newly acquired storybooks, or simply curling up in a corner of his tidy bed.

Or he might pester her to tell him stories of the martial arts world that are neither romantic nor even particularly tedious, such as how a certain escort agency escaped danger while on a mission, or how the leader of a certain sect cleaned up his own ranks.

It wasn't until Li Minghua closed the book and silently "urged" her with his calm eyes that she reluctantly muttered "Okay, okay," and then slowly got up and went back to her room.

At this moment, an outer robe, carrying Li Minghua's body heat and a faint scent of soapberry, would always fall onto her shoulder at just the right time, accompanied by a simple reminder: "It's chilly at night."

Li Minghua remains the same Li Minghua, who is taciturn and expressionless.

However, she showed surprising tolerance in the face of Tang Xiaoning's increasingly "overstepping" and almost spoiled behavior.

Those hands, once wielding swords and as steady as a mountain, were now allowed to entwine like vines around Tang Xiaoning.

She doesn't crave sweets, but she will quietly accept any snacks Tang Xiaoning offers, even if her taste buds protest.

When Tang Xiaoning refused to leave, she wouldn't scold her harshly. Instead, she would silently pick up her coat and carefully adjust the collar for her, her movements as focused as if she were polishing her sword.

The servants on night duty, carrying lanterns, would glimpse the silhouette of Miss Li at her door and simply shake their heads with a smile.

The young lady, carrying her book, kept turning back to look at him as she went, while Miss Li stood by the door until Tang Xiaoning disappeared around the corner of the corridor.

That night, the moonlight shone like mercury spilling onto the ground, bathing the courtyard in a clear and bright glow.

The two sat on the cool, smooth stone bench in the courtyard. Tang Xiaoning was engrossed in reading a newly acquired storybook, using the moonlight and the light from the lanterns under the eaves.

Li Minghua tilted his head slightly, his deep gaze fixed on the bright moon in the deep night sky, his profile clearly defined in the moonlight.

She seemed to be... looking at the moon? Or perhaps using the moonlight to cleanse her heart?

“Minghua,” Tang Xiaoning suddenly looked up from the pages of her book. The moonlight fell on her upturned face, making her eyes shine brightly.

She closed the book, gently tapped Li Minghua's arm with the spine, and asked tentatively:

"Now that there's no more of Liu Yiyi's annoying stuff, and even that jerk Zhou Wenyuan hasn't bothered you for days, don't you feel... a little, um, bored?"

She trailed off her words, her gaze fixed intently on Li Minghua, as if afraid to miss any subtle change in her expression.

Upon hearing this, Li Minghua slowly withdrew his gaze from the sky.

That clear, cool gaze, like moonlight itself, fell upon Tang Xiaoning's face, which was filled with curiosity and a hint of trepidation.

She shook her head, her dark hair brushing against her neck in the night breeze, and simply said, "No."

"Why?" Tang Xiaoning pressed on relentlessly, her body unconsciously leaning towards her.

The two women gently rubbed their sleeves against the stone bench: "At least before, there was always a 'trouble' that required your help, Lady Li, to handle. It was quite a lively scene."

"Now he's so carefree, spending all his time either with me, or facing his sword... or gazing at the moon."

Her tone carried a hint of playful teasing.

Li Minghua looked at her, and in the moonlight, Tang Xiaoning's image was clearly reflected in those eyes that always seemed overly calm.

She seemed to have thought about the question very seriously, then her thin lips parted slightly, her voice low and clear, like moonlight piercing through the treetops: "In the past, we had to deal with troubles."

She paused, seemingly choosing the most accurate words, her gaze fixed intently on Tang Xiaoning's face:

“Now…” The night breeze carried the clear chirping of insects, and her voice blended into it, filled with certainty, “Just looking at you makes me never bored.”

"What's so interesting about looking at me..." Tang Xiaoning's heart suddenly started beating erratically.

A burning heat instantly spread from the tips of my ears to my cheeks, leaving no room to hide in the cool moonlight.

She hurriedly lowered her head, her long eyelashes fluttering rapidly like butterfly wings, trying to conceal the turmoil in her heart.

The voice, barely audible, seemed to melt into the wind, but deep within her heart, it was as if a firecracker coated in honey had been thrown in, exploding with a dazzling "boom," its sweet fragments filling every corner of her heart, so brilliant that it made her dizzy.

Li Minghua did not reply.

She simply turned her gaze back to the unchanging moon, its gentle light shining on her serene profile.

At the edge of her tightly pursed lips, the moonlight still caught a faint, almost imperceptible curve.

The curve was so shallow, yet it was enough to make the heart of anyone who caught a glimpse of it pound like a drum.

The night sky was clear and the moonlight was like silk.

The courtyard was quiet, with only the gentle rustling of the breeze through the leaves.

In this natural harmony, what can be clearly discerned is another heart beating wildly and sweetly under the moonlight, having lost all rhythm.

Tang Xiaoning can finally "dominate" her heroine Li around the clock without any scruples or reservations.

Practicing swordsmanship, reading books, strolling in the garden, or even just sitting side by side under the eaves in a daze, watching the clouds drift by, she found everything fascinating, simply because she had her by her side.

The afternoon sun shone warmly through the carved window lattice into Tang Xiaoning's small study.

She enthusiastically spread out a sheet of Xuelang Xuan paper, rolled up her sleeves, and vowed to design a "unique" outfit for Li Minghua that combined ethereal elegance with dashing heroism.

"Look here!" Tang Xiaoning picked up the purple brush, the tip hovering over the paper, and lightly outlined the lines of the cuff.

"Make sure the cuffs are tightly bound, and densely embroidered with flowing cloud patterns in silver thread, so that you can easily wield your sword—"

With a deft flick of her wrist, she mimicked a sword flourish, creating a gentle breeze, "so that when you move, your clothes will flutter as if you're walking on clouds!"

She became more and more excited as she spoke, and her dimples deepened.

“And here,” she paused deliberately as she moved the pen to her waist, glancing up at Li Minghua, who was leaning against the desk with his sword, a hint of smugness in her eyes.

"The waist belt needs to be redesigned! It can't be too tight, but it must... well, it has to accentuate your figure!"

She gestured with her fingertips along her slender waist, making a suggestive gesture.

"As for the color..." She tilted her head, her gaze sweeping over Li Minghua's calm face, and suddenly smiled, "Moon white! The clear, cool moon white suits you best! Like snow on a high mountain, or like clouds on the horizon!"

Li Minghua's gaze swept over the intricate patterns and exaggerated designs on the Xuan paper, which clearly violated ergonomics. His thin lips parted slightly, and his voice remained calm and composed as he poured cold water on the situation:

"For those who practice martial arts, the most important aspects of clothing are convenience, durability, and inconspicuousness."

The cloud-like patterns are intricate and easily outlined; the silver threads shimmer and easily reflect light; the moon-white color…

She paused, then stated the facts, "It doesn't hold up well to dirt; even bloodstains are very noticeable."

"Oops!" Tang Xiaoning's enthusiasm was greatly dampened, and the tip of her pen "snap" on the paper, leaving a small blot of ink.

She puffed out her cheeks, like a child whose candy had been taken away, and glared at Li Minghua reproachfully:

"Miss Li! Can you please stop being such a spoilsport? It's beautiful! The most important thing is that it's beautiful, don't you understand?"

"Life is the most important thing." Li Minghua met her gaze, his tone as calm and serious as ever, stating the cruel rules of the martial world, "When facing an enemy, if your clothing is too conspicuous, you become a sitting duck and a path to death."

"Where did all these enemies come from!" Tang Xiaoning simply put down her pen, took a few steps closer to her, looked up at her, and their breaths were almost touching.

She blinked her big eyes, a mischievous glint in her eyes:

"Aren't we living in peace and tranquility now?"

"Can't you... dress in a way that pleases me once in a while?"

The golden rays of the setting sun fell perfectly into her eyes, and Li Minghua's figure was clearly reflected in her clear eyes, nothing else.

Li Minghua looked down at the smiling face so close to his, filled with expectation, and his Adam's apple bobbed almost imperceptibly.

After a moment of silence, she spoke softly, her voice a little slower than usual:

"Trouble in the martial world often begins with the slightest sign of trouble. We must never let our guard down."

"I know, I know! Li Minghua, always be cautious!" Tang Xiaoning complained, but deep down she felt a warmth and reassurance from Li Minghua's constant vigilance that kept her safety in mind.

She picked up her pen again, the nib poking at the waistband, making a concession, but her tone still carried a hint of stubbornness:

"Then... can we at least embroider some subtle patterns?"

It's embroidered on the inside edge of the collar or the inside of the placket, the kind that only... only I can see when I get close!

It absolutely won't stop you from being a sitting duck!

As she spoke, her cheeks inexplicably felt hot.

Looking at her determined and slightly flushed face, Li Minghua's deep eyes seemed to flicker with a faint ripple, a hint of indulgent compromise.

She nodded almost imperceptibly, as if tacitly agreeing: "...Whatever you say."

"That's right!" Tang Xiaoning's face lit up instantly, as if she had won a crucial battle, and the lines under her pen became light and graceful.