Ning Ning's heartbeat was a little chaotic.

Luancheng was bustling with traffic at night, but Pei Ji didn't like crowds and noise, so when she sent him back to the inn, she deliberately chose a quiet alley.

It was dark now, and there was no one around. The night was like a scroll of ink on rice paper, pouring down from the horizon. The gray clouds reflected the stars, like fine grains of quicksand falling one by one, turning into lights that never go out between the buildings, connecting to a long and bright Milky Way.

They were shrouded in the shadow of the high wall. The wandering light gently caressed the quiet night. Everything was hazy, such as the noisy voices on the street, the faint barking of dogs in the distance, and Pei Ji's whispers. He was

very tall, and when he stood in front of Ning Ning, he blocked all the lights, whether bright or dim. When she opened her eyes, she could only see Pei Ji's deep pupils.

It was like a black curtain that was so heavy that it made her breathless.

He was calling her "Ning Ning", not the once cold and distant "Senior Sister".

She felt that there must be something wrong with her.

There were so many people around her calling her name, why did her heart beat faster for no reason when she heard Pei Ji say these two words?

This was obviously just an ordinary little thing.

"... Pei Ji."

Ning Ning was shy. She was shy when he stared at her, and she was also worried that someone would pass by and see their ambiguous posture. Therefore, she pressed her palm on his chest with a little force, trying to push Pei Ji back a little: "Stand still first." After

pushing him like this, she couldn't help but pause.

Because it was summer, Pei Ji's clothes were very thin. Through a layer of soft and fluffy fabric, she could clearly feel the heat of his skin.

Especially when she put more force on her hands, she could even feel the firm texture of his muscles and his violent heartbeat.

Ning Ning's ears were hot from the shock of this strange touch.

Pei Ji was drunk, and she pushed him backwards, but she didn't let go of his hands on his shoulders.

A house beside the alley turned on the lights, and the light spread silently like mist, soaking the angular face of the young man.

Because he had drunk, there was a circle of pink around his eyes, like peach blossoms soaked in water in spring, spreading from the end of his eyes to his face, getting lighter and lighter, and more and more scattered, making the tear mole hang like a drop of blood, and like a tear dyed red.

Pei Ji still looked down at her, his expression was cold, but his tone revealed a bit of grievance: "Do you hate me?"

After being drunk, his thoughts were simple and straightforward. When he saw that he was pushed away by Ning Ning, he subconsciously felt that he was rejected. His already hot and unbearable heart became even more uncomfortable, burning and painful in his chest.

Ning Ning was not stupid, and soon understood why he said this.

No matter how strict Pei Ji's logic was, she couldn't reason with an unconscious person, so she had to follow his meaning and responded: "How could I hate you?"

Pei Ji frowned.

His eyes were pure black, and under the influence of alcohol, he looked dazed and lifeless, but because of this, he looked more innocent and harmless. Ning Ning heard him whisper, "You...you pushed me."

"Pushing you away means I hate you?"

She had drunk some wine before, but she didn't feel drunk.

At this moment, whether it was the lingering charm of Jiuzhou Spring Returns or her head was hot in panic, Ning Ning clasped her hands together, gently grabbed Pei Ji's collar, pulled him to her side, and said with a smile, "Then I pulled you over, does that mean I like you?"

Pei Ji was slightly stunned.

Ning Ning watched his white jade face quickly turn red, and then he lowered his head hastily, as if he was quite shy, and stammered "um".

Ning Ning was in a dilemma.

- Why are you saying "um" so embarrassedly! That's not what she meant! This is a rhetorical question, a rhetorical question!

This is a joke, but she forgot that drunk people don't understand jokes and always take them seriously.

Thanks to Pei Ji, Ning Ning also felt an invisible fire burning from the back of her head, burning her already hot face even more.

"That's not what I meant... I just want to say that I don't hate you."

Ning Ning was afraid that he would think the wrong thing, so she emphasized: "No matter what, I definitely won't."

Pei Ji's strength finally weakened a little, and his expression could almost be described as "cautious": "Really?"

Ning Ning nodded vigorously: "Really!"

After a pause, she added tentatively: "How about you let go of your hands first? I'll take you back to the inn to rest, we can't stand here all the time."

The boy, who was immersed in darkness, hesitated for a moment, lowered his head and moved his hands away.

No one has ever liked him.

His mother scolded him for being a bastard, his fellow disciples laughed at his bloodline, and even when he was wandering alone and his demonic energy was acting up and was seen by strangers, he would be scolded and called a "monster".

He doesn't care about those people's likes, and it's even more impossible for him to beg for their care. Even if he is alone for the rest of his life, he can still live.

But... when Ning Ning said that she didn't hate him, Pei Ji still felt unprecedented happiness.

He is not a dog who wags his tail and begs for mercy. He will not be devoted to her because of a little favor. The reason why he feels happy is probably because it is her who said this.

As long as she doesn't hate him, it's enough.

If possible, he is still secretly hoping for a little bit of love, just a little bit.

"Pei Ji?"

Ning Ning saw that he was in a daze, and habitually poked Pei Ji's arm: "Will you come back with me?"

His consciousness was in a mess, and he nodded vaguely.

Then Ning Ning grabbed his sleeve and pulled gently.

The thick darkness in front of him dissipated instantly, and the boy was pulled out of the shadow of the alley by her and placed under a dim light.

His steps were unsteady, and he staggered forward a few steps with the force, and happened to fall into Ning Ning's arms.

Because of the contact just now, she seemed to have been mentally prepared and expected it to turn out like this.

However, Ning Ning did not push Pei Ji away without saying anything this time, but patted him on the back gently, her voice was very close to his chest, lingering between the folds of his clothes, a little depressed and a little helpless: "Okay, okay, can you stand up by yourself?"

She knew that Pei Ji was particularly sensitive and inferior because of his childhood experiences, and she didn't want him to feel that she was hated again, so she pushed him away without hesitation. She

was so gentle that he was at a loss.

Even though he was drunk, Pei Ji still instinctively felt his heartbeat quicken, and his consciousness that was wandering outside of his consciousness was barely pulled back a little. After a brief daze, he straightened up and nodded with a wooden face.

"I'd better support you."

He seemed to be more obedient than before. Ning Ning reached out and supported Pei Ji's arm.

The young man's arms were slender and powerful, and his muscles were firm and tight due to years of sword training.

After all, she was a good young person who grew up in the 21st century. She didn't have the strong barriers between men and women like the ancients, but she still felt nervous walking closely with him like this.

As they walked gradually into the alley, the sounds around them gradually became smaller and were swallowed up by the dark black.

Pei Ji walked unsteadily, and Ning Ning followed him carefully. Unexpectedly, she heard the slightly hoarse voice of a boy.

"...Don't always be with Senior Brother He."

It was very quiet all around, and Pei Ji's voice seemed extremely abrupt and clear, like rough sand passing through the eardrum, causing an inexplicable itching.

Ning Ning was stunned for a moment.

She wondered if this was her hallucination after drinking, and with some confusion, she tilted her head and raised her eyes, just right, and met Pei Ji's eyes.

Seeing Ning Ning was stunned, he thought she didn't hear clearly.

So she put on a stern face and repeated it seriously word by word: "Don't always be with Senior Brother He."

As soon as these words came out, even Chengying felt that something was wrong. If this kid continued to talk wildly according to the current trend, he might do something earth-shattering. I'm afraid that by the next day, he won't even have the courage to see Ning Ning.

——Although it did want to see Pei Ji's face a little bit.

As a good brother and a good mother who had been through thick and thin for many years, Chengying felt it necessary to remind him, and immediately lowered her voice and asked tentatively: "Wait wait, Pei Xiaoji, do you know what you are saying?"

According to his usual habit, Pei Ji should have replied silently in his heart.

Unexpectedly, he looked directly at Ning Ning and said in a serious tone, "I know what I'm talking about, very clearly - very clearly."

Ning Ning was startled again.

Then he looked at the black-clothed boy in front of him, his eyes flickered slowly, and finally stopped in front of her eyes. The corners of his eyes and eye sockets were red, and he said vaguely but seriously, "I can also... accompany you."

Chengying: ...

Chengying couldn't bear to watch, and closed his mouth with a twisted expression. Later, he couldn't help laughing, and laughed out loud, floating freely in the sea of ​​consciousness.

Even if Pei Ji wakes up tomorrow, he might kill it in anger, but for the happiness at this moment, it's worth it!

"I can cook, do housework, play with you, and fight and hack people--"

He said halfway, probably because he felt that "fighting and hacking people" was not suitable to talk about in front of girls, and he looked flustered for a moment and swallowed the rest of his words.

Such a tone and expression was almost like acting coquettishly.

Ningning listened in a daze, her mind in chaos.

- Is this the truth or nonsense spoken after drinking? Pei Ji actually cares about her and He Zhizhou being alone together? And all those cooking, housework, sword-drawing and hacking people...what is the connection?

In a daze, she heard Pei Ji's rustling voice again, which was much softer than before, like a cat's whisper: "So, you can come and see me occasionally, and don't always be with Senior Brother He."

Ning Ning: ...

Ning Ning's face flushed red.

She didn't know Pei Ji's true thoughts, but in this quiet and dim alley with only two people, such words seemed too ambiguous.

The palm of her hand on his arm was hot, as if every moment with the boy next to her would make her body warmer.

Ning Ning wanted to stay away from him, but she was worried that Pei Ji was drunk and would fall if no one supported him.

Ah... really.

At this time, she was still considering him so carefully.

The girl standing in the alley pursed her lips lightly, her whole body shrouded by the tall shadow beside her.

She hurriedly avoided Pei Ji's sight and responded in an inaudible voice: "Okay."

This road was extremely long, and they finally reached the inn. When she helped Pei Ji to bed, Ning Ning breathed a sigh of relief.

She hadn't felt so nervous for a long time. When she thought that Pei Ji would be sober tomorrow, if he could remember what happened tonight...

she simply didn't dare to think about it.

The alcohol had subsided, replaced by a strong sense of tiredness. Pei Ji obediently washed up and went to bed, burying his whole body in the soft quilt. She was about to say goodbye and leave, but her sleeve was pulled.

The young man lying on the bed had let go of his hair tie, and his long black hair was all cascading down on the snow-white sheets. Pei Ji stared at her with his slightly upturned peach blossom eyes, half of his cheeks were hidden in the sunken pillow, like a quiet deer.

He spoke without any emotion as usual: "I'm afraid of the dark."

He said this without hesitation this time. He was so stubborn before, and kept saying "I just don't like the dark."

Ning Ning nodded in understanding: "I won't turn off the lights when I leave."

Pei Ji shook his head, staring at her without blinking.

She paused, and then she understood what he meant: "You want me to stay?"

This, this, this, this is not good.

Although they had slept together in a cave before, a man and a woman alone in the same room in the middle of the night, these words combined together, no matter how you think about it... it's not good!

Pei Ji did not react, but looked at her steadily with a pair of dark eyes.

He was not as coquettish as before, and was a bit like usual. Even asking for help was cold and expressionless.

But there was a hint of implicit expectation and timidity.

"Then you... you have a good rest in bed."

Anyway, this is not the first time this has happened, and Ning Ning is the most vulnerable to being soft-hearted. She quickly succumbed to such a look and pointed to the table and chair beside her stiffly: "I am meditating here to practice."

People who practice Taoism use the spiritual energy of heaven and earth as their nutrition. Using meditation instead of sleep can not only allow the body to get enough rest, but also improve cultivation, which is of great benefit.

Pei Ji didn't know what he was thinking after hearing this. He paused for a long time before nodding gently.

His expression was hesitant and slow. Suddenly, he pulled Ning Ning's sleeve again. When the latter looked down, he pulled the corners of his mouth upwards a little nervously, revealing a stiff smile.

"I practiced in front of the mirror for a long time... I'm not faking it."

The night wind blew in from the window, and he moved his head, his hair brushing across his fair face.

Pei Ji lay on the bed, gently raised the corners of his lips to her, smiling gently and shyly, his dark pupils reflecting the water light, like apricot blossoms and spring rain, revealing a bit of pure color for no reason: "If you are here, you can turn off the lights." Cheng

Ying took a deep breath, rolled his eyes, and spun up to the sky like a rocket just launched.

Ning Ning stood aside, thankful that Pei Ji was drunk at this time and would not notice her wolfish and panicked appearance.

Oh no.

She almost covered her face with her hands to stop the boiling blood.

... This look seemed to be really a little cute, just right in her heart.

Ning Ning took a deep breath quietly, suppressed her pounding heart, and quickly turned around to turn off the light.

The little girl's stiff voice, pretending to be calm, rang out in the darkness: "Good night."

=====

No.

Ning Ning sat on a wooden chair, buried her head in her arms, and tried her best to close her eyes.

She was upset and couldn't sit still or fall asleep. She could only lie on the table and count sheep over and over again, but the more

she counted, the more flustered she became. Pei Ji slept very quietly, without making any sound. When she thought of the words he said unconsciously, her heartbeat accelerated uncontrollably.

- Even if she knew that those were probably drunken nonsense, it was still very embarrassing.

The wind brought the rustling sound of leaves from the window, along with one or two unclear conversations of passers-by. Ningning was lying motionless on the table, when she suddenly heard footsteps.

Getting closer and closer.

It was Pei Ji who got out of bed and approached her.

He probably thought she was asleep, so his movements were incredibly light, and when he stood beside Ningning, he didn't even make any sound of breathing or the friction of clothes. She was wondering what Pei Ji was going to do, when she felt a hand covering her back without any warning.

Then her whole body was suspended in the air.

An unfamiliar heat instantly enveloped her whole body, and the tip of her nose was filled with the wood fragrance belonging to Pei Ji. He actually held her in his arms and walked forward step by step.

Ning Ning didn't dare to move or open her eyes, and she kept sleeping. Not long after, she felt herself being gently put down and lying on a soft place.

There was still a reassuring warmth under her body, and a familiar breath surrounded her body. This was the bed that Pei Ji had slept on before.

"Pei Xiaoji, you don't want to sleep in the same bed with Ning Ning, do you? No, no!"

Cheng Ying was frightened by this action and twisted: "When she wakes up tomorrow, she will definitely be scared! Calm down!"

It screamed wildly in its heart, but Pei Ji ignored it. Instead, he stood quietly in front of the bed, his long eyelashes drooping, silently looking at the little girl with her eyes closed.

There was endless darkness and unknown around him, but he did not leave. Ning Ning was so nervous that she quietly clutched the bed sheet, not knowing what the other person would do next.

Suddenly, a light breeze brushed past her ears, and after a moment, she realized that it was Pei Ji's breath.

Ning Ning's heart was beating like a drum, and she didn't move.

The warm air slid down her face, getting closer and closer to her, and finally stopped beside her ear. This is an extremely sensitive area. Just a light blow caused an invisible electric current to flow into her blood, making her back numb.

Pei Ji's voice still contained a smile, and the smile was so real that it seemed to overflow from the bottom of his heart. He pronounced each word very slowly, as if he was treating a precious treasure and was reluctant to let them be damaged in the slightest.

Pei Ji said in a very small voice very close to her ear: "Good night."

Then the air flow suddenly came close, almost touching her skin.

A soft and warm touch fell on the earlobe.

It didn't feel like a finger, but something softer.

Ning Ning's pounding heart suddenly twitched, and she subconsciously held her breath.

No way.

... No, no no no no!

Her heart seemed to explode suddenly, making her dizzy for a moment, and her whole mind turned white, as if magma was surging in a volcano, breaking out of the ground at this moment.

If Ning Ning was not pretending to sleep, she would immediately cover her face and curl up.

Pei Ji kissed... kissed her earlobe, while she was asleep?

This action ended very quickly. The man who was so close to her seemed to be discovered by her. He quickly stood up and left, sitting on the wooden chair where Ningning had been before.

He was still drunk and walked unsteadily. When he hit the wooden table, there was a muffled bang. In order not to wake her up, he quickly stopped the action.

Pei Ji would never notice that Ningning, who had been lying straight on the bed before, quickly covered her entire head with the quilt and bent her body like a shrimp.

She should have hated such a touch.

But at this moment, she was dizzy and thought, since Pei Ji dared to kiss...

why only in that place.

=====

It was almost noon when Pei Ji woke up. He was used to getting up early in the morning. When he opened his eyes and saw the sunshine in the sky, he couldn't help but be slightly stunned.

This was the guest room where he lived. It was empty except for him. The quilt on the bed was neatly folded into a tofu block, which looked stupid and silly. It was not his style at all.

The back of his head was aching.

Last night -

last night he and his disciples went to Tianxiang Tower. At Chengying's instigation, he blocked the wine for Ningning, and then -

Pei Ji's expression suddenly froze.

In his heart, Chengying pretended to be dead, lying flat on the side without moving.

Pei Ji: ...

Pei Ji: "Did I call her name?"

Chengying finally twisted like a tapeworm, his voice was barely audible: "Well, um, ah."

Pei Ji closed his eyes and took a deep breath, and continued to ask: "I also asked him not to associate with Senior Brother He... to spend more time with me?"

Chengying couldn't help but giggle, and after realizing that this behavior would only make Pei Ji more embarrassed, he said with a brotherly face: "It seems to be the case."

Silence.

It noticed that Pei Ji's ears were a little red, but his voice was still cold. After hesitating for a long time, it whispered: "I--"

He said one word and couldn't continue. He gritted his teeth as if he was extremely ashamed, and said coldly in a desperate tone: "I kissed her secretly?"

This time it can't be blamed. Anyone who thinks of that scene will smile uncontrollably.

It's just that Chengying was more exaggerated and directly let out a happy goose cry.

Seeing its performance, Pei Ji understood what happened last night. The chaotic and vague memories in his mind were not false. He really -

"Pei Xiaoji, it's okay. Although you did speak the truth after drinking, Ningning doesn't know. Just pretend to be stupid and say that you were drunk and talking nonsense. She won't mind."

Chengying comforted earnestly: "And as for the secret kiss, she was asleep and didn't realize it at the time. Just pretend it didn't happen."

Pei Ji's eyes were vicious and he clenched his fists tightly.

It was a pity that he was defeated in a moment. His knuckles spread without much strength, and the light red climbed up from the ears and spread to the eye sockets.

For the first time in his life, Chengying felt that this child, who had always been a mad dog and a lone wolf, was inexplicably a bit like a red-eyed rabbit with its fur blown up.

However, Pei Ji was worthy of being Pei Ji. He quickly suppressed the undercurrents in his heart and picked up the sword from the table with a cold face.

Chengying was frightened: "Pei Xiaoji, calm down, be calm! It's just that someone was lost, you won't commit suicide!"

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, and walked straight to the door: "Practice sword."

Yes, this is a sword cultivator.

Chengying was relieved: "Practice sword if you want to, don't kill others or yourself!"

Pei Ji ignored it, walked out with a sullen face and red eyes, but he didn't expect that before he left the room, the half-closed door was suddenly opened.

Ningning walked in.

The sword energy around the boy softened instantly.

"Ah, you woke up?"

Ningning yawned, her expression not much different from usual, walked to the wooden table and put something on it: "I bought you a hangover soup and breakfast, the soup seemed a bit bitter, so I also bought some sugar and hawthorn - do you like sweet or sour?"

Chengying was as frightened as Pei Ji at this time, and Pei Ji was as at a loss when he saw Ningning.

Fortunately, she didn't look different, maybe she really didn't take last night seriously, and didn't realize what he did secretly.

When Pei Ji encountered a wild python in the wilderness as a child, he was not as nervous as he is now. He tightened his right hand holding the hilt of the sword and replied dryly without any fluctuations in his tone: "It's all right."

Ning Ning nodded, took a step back and pointed at the table: "If your head doesn't hurt, you don't have to drink the sobering soup. You should eat breakfast first. The results of the first round of the Dharma Assembly will be announced soon. We can't be late."

The back of his head was still aching because he stood there for a long time. When he took a step forward, the accumulated alcohol rushed to his head again.

His mind was almost blank. Pei Ji had no time to react. He staggered in a heavy dizziness. Ning Ning was quick-witted and stepped forward to hold him up.

This was a subconscious action, caused by Pei Ji's several falls last night. Ning Ning thought she should be used to it, but when she touched the young man's thin and upright body, her breathing was dull.

...By the way, Pei Ji was not drunk at this time.

When sober, Pei Ji smelled less drunken than last night, and had more knife-like coldness, but his heartbeat was faster and more violent than last night. When she pressed her palm there, she was almost numb from the shock.

Strange, could it be that he looked calm, but was actually very nervous in his heart?

"Sorry."

Pei Ji felt hot and stuffy when his chest was touched, and he felt his whole body was dry. He quickly stood up, walked to the table and sat down with his back to her.

Later on, she thought that she really shouldn't leave like this, as if she was running away.

Ningning breathed a sigh

of relief when she saw him turn his back. The reason why she hid her nervousness secretly and pretended to be calm to come and see him was that in addition to urging Pei Ji to eat breakfast and drink sobering soup, she also wanted to see what he looked like after he sobered up.

Fortunately, he seemed to have no memory of what happened last night, and acted as if nothing had happened, even a little cold.

That's great.

Fortunately, Pei Ji didn't know that she was not asleep when she was secretly kissed on the cheek.

If he knew, she would be ashamed to death.

"Hehehe, Ningning bought me breakfast hehehe."

Chengying was in high spirits, regaining his vitality, and looked at the food on the table: "When you two become a couple, it will probably be like this hehehe."

Pei Ji: ...

Pei Ji frowned and took a bite of the soft custard bun. He rarely eats sweets on purpose, and at this moment, the warm milky aroma filled his tongue, making him reluctant to swallow it.

He did so many ridiculous things last night, and the most rebellious one was that -

that kiss.

Just thinking of this word can make his heart sink.

Fortunately, Ningning doesn't know about that. Once she knows...

This thought flashed through his mind, and the boy's face quickly turned red.

Pei Ji lay on the table and rubbed his cheek with his arm, but this clumsy action did not reduce the burning heat at all. Instead, it made him more irritated after repeated rubbing.

If Ning Ning knew about this, he would be ashamed to death.