Chapter 5: Find out stories of getting rich quick

After enduring what felt like an eternity, Tang Xiaoning felt her arms were sore and numb, as heavy as if they were filled with lead.

She cried out "Ouch!" and collapsed onto the cold stone floor, completely disregarding whether her gorgeous "butterfly battle robe" would get covered in dust.

She rubbed her poor arm, wincing in pain, and yelled at Li Minghua, who was still standing as straight as a pine tree:

"No, no, Miss Li, I feel like my arm doesn't belong to me anymore!"

We desperately need some spiritual nourishment!

"Quickly, tell me the most exciting and epic tales of the martial arts world you've ever heard, so I can experience that same boundless heroism!"

She looked up at Li Minghua with her small face full of expectation, as if she desperately needed a dose of martial arts "chicken blood" to regain her former glory.

Looking at her disheveled yet vibrant appearance, a barely perceptible smile flickered in Li Minghua's calm eyes.

She pondered for a moment, seemingly searching through the corners of her memory, and finally chose a rumor that she thought was "江湖" (a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry) enough.

She walked to a spot a short distance from Tang Xiaoning, her hands instinctively behind her back, and spoke in a steady voice:

"I have heard that in the desolate wilderness beyond the Great Wall, there lived a swordsman who wielded a swift blade."

Her tone was calm, as if she were narrating an ordinary event: "To pursue the shepherdess he admired, he stubbornly knelt in front of her simple yurt for three days and three nights, braving the wind and snow."

"Wow!" Tang Xiaoning was immediately drawn in, her fatigue seemingly vanishing.

Her eyes sparkled, and she seemed more energetic, asking with a romantic and dreamy air:

"And then? Did his devotion finally move heaven and earth and win the girl's heart?"

Did they endure many hardships, finally riding across the grasslands and becoming a couple?

She had already sketched out the silhouettes of heroes and beauties under the setting sun in her mind.

Li Minghua shook his head, the movement was very small, and his face remained calm. He simply looked at Tang Xiaoning with his clear eyes and clearly uttered the rest: "Then, he got sick from the cold."

She paused, then added a detail that she considered crucial: "And he spent all his savings—to pay for medical treatment."

Finally, she gave the ending: "The girl felt that his actions were too foolish and impulsive, and that he was not worthy of being entrusted with anything. So, while the swordsman was recuperating in bed, she went with a passing horse trader who promised to provide her with stable accommodation and a flock of sheep."

The story ends abruptly, cleanly and decisively.

The expectant, sparkling expression on Tang Xiaoning's face instantly froze as if it had been frozen in ice.

Her mouth was slightly agape, her eyes filled with immense disappointment and disbelief. After a long pause, she finally found her voice: "...Huh? That's it? That's it?!"

She almost jumped up: "Not romantic at all! Not heroic at all! What kind of chivalrous tale is this?! It's just... just... so disappointing!"

She complained angrily, her cheeks puffing out like a wronged little pufferfish.

"This is the world of martial arts." Li Minghua's tone remained calm and even, as if stating an age-old truth. "Often, reality and the legends in stories are far apart."

Her words carried a calmness born from the trials and tribulations of life.

"I don't believe it!" Tang Xiaoning retorted defiantly.

She propped herself up on her aching arms, trying to sit up straighter to boost her confidence: "You must have only heard... well... a lot of realistic bad news! I refuse to believe that in such a vast world, there isn't a single touching romance!"

Her eyes rekindled with hope, and she began to construct her ideal vision:

"For example... for example, two peerless heroes, due to a misunderstanding, fought in the desert, and the battle was so earth-shattering that even the sand dunes under the moonlight changed shape!"

As they fought, they discovered they understood each other perfectly and cherished each other's hearts...

Finally, they reconciled and joined hands to travel the world together, upholding justice and chivalry!

She became more and more excited as she spoke, as if she were one of the protagonists in the story, her face radiating a captivating glow.

Li Minghua fell silent as he looked at Tang Xiaoning's radiant and hopeful expression.

Unlike before, she didn't immediately burst this beautiful bubble with harsh reality.

She didn't refute, but listened quietly, her eyes thoughtful.

She turned and walked to the stone table in the corner of the courtyard, picked up the celadon teapot that was warming on the stove, and poured a cup of tea at the perfect temperature.

Then, she walked back to Tang Xiaoning's side, bent down slightly, and steadily handed her the teacup.

"Take a short rest." Her voice seemed a little softer than usual.

Only after watching Tang Xiaoning obediently accept the tea and sip it did she add a sentence in a low voice.

His tone carried an almost self-evident, pragmatic consideration: "At least, in the world of martial arts I've seen and heard of, we'll travel the world hand in hand..."

She paused, her gaze sweeping over Tang Xiaoning's slender fingers holding the cup and her expensive clothes: "The most important thing is to have the ability to survive and protect each other."

Her gaze finally settled on the teacup, as if she had thought of something more important. Her voice lowered, tinged with serious worry: "And... enough money to cope with wind, cold, rain, snow, injuries, and accidents... for travel expenses."

She emphasized the word "travel expenses" with exceptional clarity, revealing its extreme importance in her mind.

Tang Xiaoning was drinking water to moisten her throat when she suddenly heard Li Minghua's serious yet worried addition about "travel expenses," which instantly tickled her funny bone.

"Pfft...cough cough cough!" She almost choked on a mouthful of tea, clutching her chest and coughing, tears welling up in her eyes.

After finally catching her breath, she looked up at Li Minghua's honest face, which was filled with the message that "I am seriously considering your long-term and practical difficulties," and could no longer hold back.

With a soft "pfft," followed by an uncontrollable "giggle giggle," the laughter crisp and clear, like wind chimes under the eaves.

She smiled so broadly her eyes curved into crescent moons, her cheeks flushed, and she pointed at Li Minghua:

“Miss Li, oh Miss Li,” she said, her voice laced with amusement, “I’ve discovered… you’re actually quite humorous at heart! And it’s the kind of dry humor that’s delivered with a straight face! Hahaha…”

Li Minghua was puzzled by her laughter, and his handsome brows furrowed slightly in confusion.

She blinked, a clear look of confusion on her face.

Humor? She was simply stating an obvious, essential fact about survival.

What is dry humor?

Looking at the employer's radiant, carefree smile, so bright and cheerful, and at how her laughter made her face even more vibrant and cheerful, a subtle ripple seemed to stir deep within Li Minghua's heart, as if gently touched by the laughter.

She thought, this... seems pretty good too.

At least, it's much more interesting and... much brighter than wandering aimlessly for a living under the scorching sun or in the freezing wind, or facing the calculating gazes of employers.

"Still practicing?" Li Minghua asked after Tang Xiaoning's laughter subsided, his tone now calm.

"Practice!" Tang Xiaoning took a deep breath, as if she had been injected with new energy.

She handed the teacup to Xiao Cui, who was already waiting nearby and couldn't help but laugh, then scrambled to her feet.

Although the movements were still a bit clumsy due to fatigue.

She picked up the simple bamboo broom that had accompanied her through a long and arduous journey, and struck a pose that, while still not quite perfect, was brimming with eager anticipation.

"However, Miss Li..."

She wrinkled her small nose slightly, her tone slightly pleading and coquettish:

"Next time... could you tell a story with a better ending?"

For example... for example, which great hero went through countless hardships and finally won the heart of the beauty...

Uh, or maybe you win the hero's heart and, incidentally... make a fortune?

A sly glint flashed in her eyes as she pointedly emphasized "get rich."

Li Minghua looked at the energetic young lady in front of him, who always imagined the "jianghu" in a colorful way, and saw her eyes that were still full of interest even though she was exhausted.

Her expression remained serious, as if she were listening to an important mission assignment.

Meeting Tang Xiaoning's expectant gaze, she nodded solemnly, her eyes carrying a sense of mission that "I will do my best to search for martial arts materials that meet the employer's needs."

"Okay," she replied, her voice steady. "I'll try my best... to keep an eye out and inquire for you in the future."

After all, keeping the employer satisfied is also part of a bodyguard's job.

Moreover, stories of getting rich... are indeed more pleasant to hear than stories of people getting sick and spending money on medical bills.

Li Minghua thought silently.