Chapter 45 Once Bitten by a Snake

The news that Liu Yiyi had failed in her attempt to commit violence in the street and was handed over to the authorities quickly spread throughout the small county town.

The entire Tang family was filled with lingering fear. Master Tang personally strengthened the security of the mansion and expressed his deepest gratitude to Li Minghua.

However, the two parties at the center of the incident reacted differently.

Tang Xiaoning was genuinely terrified. She developed a low-grade fever that night and dreamt of Liu Yiyi's venomous eyes and a gleaming dagger.

Li Minghua stayed by her bedside almost every step of the way, feeding her water and medicine, his eyes filled with worry and self-blame.

When administering medicine, Li Minghua would always gently blow on it to cool it down before carefully placing the white porcelain spoon containing the medicine to Tang Xiaoning's lips.

"It's all my fault..." Li Minghua muttered to himself as he watched Tang Xiaoning still frowning restlessly in her sleep.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, she subconsciously reached out her hand, hesitated for a moment, and finally only dared to gently place it on Tang Xiaoning's slightly trembling hand through the quilt.

Her other hand, gripping the sword hilt, had knuckles that turned white from the force: "If I had been more alert, you wouldn't have been so frightened."

Xiao Cui, the personal maid who was guarding outside the door, watched this scene through the half-open door. She tiptoed back a little and silently mouthed something to her companion beside her:

"Miss Li is really devoted to our young lady..."

The next day, Tang Xiaoning's fever subsided, but she was still somewhat listless. Wrapped in a thin blanket, she nestled on the soft couch in the warm room, staring blankly at the gray sky outside the window.

The thin blanket slipped off her shoulders without her noticing.

Li Minghua brought in a steaming bowl of calming soup. Seeing her absent-minded and frail appearance, his heart ached, and his brows furrowed instantly.

She quickly stepped forward, silently pulled the thin blanket back up, and carefully tucked the edges in.

Li Minghua's fingertips touched Tang Xiaoning's delicate skin on her neck and shoulders, the warmth lasting only briefly. He then hurriedly placed the soup bowl on the small table beside the couch.

She sat down on the edge of the soft couch, remained silent for a moment, took a deep breath, and then spoke, her tone carrying an almost solemn vow:

"It was my oversight that led me to underestimate the wickedness of human nature. I will never let such a thing happen again."

Tang Xiaoning was brought back to her senses by her actions and words, and slowly turned her head.

She looked at Li Minghua's taut jawline, the faint dark circles under his eyes, and his deep eyes filled with lingering fear and determination.

She knew she must have spent the whole night without sleep.

The last vestiges of fear in my heart were instantly replaced by a surge of heartache.

She reached out and instinctively tugged at the sleeve of Li Minghua's cinched waist armor, her fingertips holding a touch of dependent strength:

"It's not your fault, Minghua. It's that person... he's just too wicked."

She tried to force a smile, but her pale face made the smile seem particularly fragile.

"Besides, didn't you protect me in time?" She tilted her head slightly, trying to make her tone more playful. "Our Lady Li is the best!"

Looking at her, whose sickly appearance hadn't faded yet who was trying so hard to comfort herself, Li Minghua felt a pang of sadness and tenderness in his heart, as if something had struck him hard.

She almost immediately turned around and tightly wrapped Tang Xiaoning's slightly cool hand, which was tugging at her sleeve, in her warm, rough palm.

The pressure was a little too strong, as if afraid that if I loosened my grip, this fragile and beautiful person in front of me would be harmed in the slightest.

The warmth of their palms touching was clearly transmitted; Tang Xiaoning's fingertips trembled slightly, but she did not pull them away.

She let Li Minghua hold her hand, and a warm and reassuring feeling spread from her fingertips, dispelling the last trace of chill in her heart.

"Hmm." Li Minghua's throat bobbed as he responded softly, his gaze fixed on their tightly clasped hands, lingering there for a long time.

The warm room was quiet, with only the occasional soft crackling of the charcoal brazier. A sense of intimacy and peace of mind flowed in the air, more powerful than words.

The old butler, who had brought in snacks from outside, paused upon seeing this scene, gently put down the plate, and quietly withdrew, not disturbing the tranquil companionship.

In the following days, Li Minghua's "protection" reached a point of extreme anxiety and paranoia.

If Tang Xiaoning wanted to bask in the sun and get some fresh air in the yard, she would always go first and carefully survey the area as if facing a formidable enemy.

They didn't even miss the flowerbeds or the crevices of the artificial hill, their sharp eyes scanning every corner to make sure it was safe before leading Tang Xiaoning out.

Tang Xiaoning followed behind her, watching her tall and focused back, feeling both warm and bittersweet inside.

The kitchen delivered freshly made, exquisite hibiscus cakes, their aroma enticing.

Li Minghua insisted on being the first to grab a piece, carefully break it open, taste it himself, savor it for a moment, and only after confirming that it was safe did he push the plate in front of Tang Xiaoning, saying in a hoarse voice:

"Okay, it's alright, eat up."

Tang Xiaoning looked at her serious expression, then at the piece of pastry with a missing piece, and her heart stirred slightly. She picked up the piece of pastry that Li Minghua had bitten, gently put it in her mouth, and chewed it carefully, as if it had acquired a special flavor.

The maid standing nearby couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle. She was glared at by the head maid and hurriedly lowered her head, but the mischievousness in her eyes was still evident.

Even when he went to bed at night, Li Minghua not only insisted on sleeping on the couch in the outer room, but also carefully tied an extremely thin thread that was almost hidden in the darkness to the inside of Tang Xiaoning's door.

The other end was connected to a small silver bell, which hung on the headboard of her outer bed.

She focused intently on adjusting the tension of the silk thread, her long eyelashes lowered, moonlight falling on her slightly pursed lips and taut profile.

Tang Xiaoning stood at the door of the inner room, wearing an outer coat, looking at her focused and tense figure in the moonlight, feeling both amused and heartbroken.

“Minghua,” she pointed to the thread that was almost invisible in the moonlight, her voice tinged with helplessness, “Isn’t this… a bit too much? Hasn’t Liu Yiyi already been locked up?”

After tying the last knot, Li Minghua straightened up and turned to face Tang Xiaoning, his expression still one of unquestionable seriousness.

The moonlight outlined her heroic features and reflected her parting lips: "Just in case."

Her gaze fell heavily on Tang Xiaoning's face as she said, word by word, "The world is dangerous, and we must be careful... I cannot let you take any more risks."

Looking at the worry and stubbornness in her eyes, Tang Xiaoning was repeatedly touched in the softest part of her heart.

She sighed softly, knowing that she was still shaken by what had happened and no longer tried to dissuade her, letting her continue with this overly heavy burden of protection.

But looking at her already thin face, her features became even more defined due to the tension and hard work of the past few days.

Even the bluish-black bruises under her eyes had deepened, and Tang Xiaoning felt a mix of intense emotion and endless tenderness.

She murmured softly, "You..."

That sigh contained so many complex and tender emotions.

Upon hearing this, Li Minghua stiffened slightly, but only gave her a deeper look before turning and walking back to the outer room.

That day, Tang Xiaoning felt much better and her spirits had recovered. Looking at Li Minghua beside her, who still had a tense look on her face, she decided to cheer her up.

"Minghua," Tang Xiaoning deliberately moved closer to Li Minghua, who was wiping her longsword, blocking her view.

She tilted her head slightly, a bright and slightly mischievous smile blooming on her face. "Don't I look much better today?"

She even reached out and gently touched her cheeks, which had regained some of their rosy color, her eyes sparkling as she waited for a response.

Li Minghua stopped wiping and looked up to examine her closely.

Sunlight streamed through the window, falling softly on Tang Xiaoning's porcelain-white skin and long eyelashes.

Li Minghua's serious expression softened unconsciously, and a simple syllable escaped his throat: "Mm."

"Shall we play a game?" Tang Xiaoning saw that Li Minghua's expression softened, so she immediately took advantage of the situation and tugged at the wristband of Li Minghua's sleeve, her tone full of excitement.

"I'll hide and you'll search? This mansion is so big, it'll be quite interesting!" She imagined Li Minghua searching for her all over the courtyard, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up.

Li Minghua frowned instantly, and almost instinctively grabbed Tang Xiaoning's hand that was pulling at her wristband, her grip firm and tense: "...That's not appropriate."

She glanced quickly at the courtyard outside the window: "You've just recovered, so it's not advisable for you to engage in strenuous activity. There are still hidden corners in the mansion that could be dangerous."

Her reasons for refusing were valid, and she adopted a habitually protective stance.

But the hand that held Xiaoning's wrist unconsciously caressed her delicate skin with its fingertips before letting go, as if confirming her presence and warmth.

Tang Xiaoning was somewhat discouraged by her nervousness and pursed her lips, but seeing the lingering worry in her eyes, she felt a little sorry for her.

Her eyes darted around, and she changed her strategy: "How about... we play chess? That should be alright, right? It'll be quiet!"

“Okay.” This time, Li Minghua agreed with unusual ease, quickly sheathing his sword, getting up, and setting up the chessboard, his movements so swift as if afraid she might change her mind.

However, once the black and white pieces were settled, Tang Xiaoning quickly realized that this suggestion was simply self-humiliating.

Li Minghua, playing black, made his moves with a clear strategy, as precise as a military strategist, displaying a fierce offensive and an impenetrable defense.

Within ten steps, Tang Xiaoning's white pieces were surrounded on all sides, becoming fish on a chopping board.

"Oh dear!" Tang Xiaoning looked at her miserable "army" that had been surrounded and annihilated, and finally pushed the chessboard away in a huff.

She said with a slight reproach, "I'm not playing anymore! Playing chess with you is no fun at all! It's like fighting a war!"

Her cheeks puffed out slightly, like an annoyed little rabbit, her eyes glaring at the chessboard and then at Li Minghua, filled with a charmingly resentful look.

The servant boy, Zhu Zi, who was tending to the flowers and plants nearby, shrugged as he tried hard to suppress his laughter.

Looking at the ruffled little rabbit in front of him, a fleeting smile crossed Li Minghua's deep eyes.

She said nothing, but silently reached out her hand, her well-defined fingers patiently gathering the scattered chess pieces back into place one by one, her movements steady and focused, as if she were completing an important task.

The room was quiet for a while, with only the crisp sound of chess pieces colliding remaining.

After a while, Tang Xiaoning couldn't resist any longer and sat down next to Li Minghua.

She tilted her head, looking at Li Minghua's sharply defined profile, a mischievous glint in her eyes: "Minghua—"

She drew out her words, with a hint of coquetry: "I want to eat a sugar figurine! You know, the kind we saw at the street corner last time we went out, the little rabbit-shaped ones! They're so sweet and pretty!"

Li Minghua abruptly stopped in his tracks, his brow furrowing instantly. Almost instinctively, he objected, "You've just recovered from your illness; you shouldn't eat sweet or greasy foods. Besides, you're going out..."

Her worries surged up immediately, like a conditioned reflex.

"I know I can't go out!" Tang Xiaoning interrupted her before she could finish speaking.

She naturally reached out and hugged Li Minghua's arm, gently shaking it, her cheek almost brushing against her shoulder: "But I just want to eat it... I'm so craving it!"

She paused, her eyes gleaming with even more mischief, then tilted her head back, looking at Li Minghua with eyes full of trust and expectation:

Or... could you make one for me? Just... carve one out of a radish?

"With your swordsmanship so excellent, and your sword flourishes so beautifully, carving a little rabbit would be a piece of cake for you!"

Her tone was certain, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

This request is really asking for trouble.

Ask a master swordsman, skilled enough to cut hair in an instant and roam the martial world, to go to the kitchen, grab a radish, and carve a sugar figurine as a substitute?

Li Minghua was visibly taken aback, then looked down to meet Tang Xiaoning's expectant eyes.

The pure trust and coquettish dependence within it clung to me like soft seaweed.

She remained silent for a moment, her thin lips slightly pursed, as if she were going through a great internal struggle. In the end, she actually stood up, her tone carrying a sense of desperation: "...I'll give it a try."

She turned and walked towards the door, her pace quickening slightly, leaving Tang Xiaoning looking on with surprise.