Chapter 33 Happy New Year, Morax thought so
The fingertips touched the ground lightly for a moment, then quickly lifted up.
That touch of red stood out starkly against her fair skin. Qiao Xi blinked, gazing at Morax in a daze in the dim light.
Morax glanced at her briefly before quickly looking away. His expression remained unchanged, and he said calmly, "Pack your things and let's go."
After saying that, he turned and left. Qiao Xi remained sitting there for a moment. She unconsciously raised her hand and touched the spot between her eyebrows. She then looked at her finger in front of her eyes. The color on her finger was very faint.
Outside the door, Morax took a few steps and then stopped. He raised his hand to look at the lip rouge on his middle finger, pressed his lips slightly, and sighed softly.
After a while, Qiao Xi took the safety buckle bracelet and prepared to go to the cave, but as soon as she opened the door, she saw Morax standing at the door.
This surprised Qiao Xi. She said, "You haven't left yet?"
Morax said, "I'll wait for you."
Qiao Xi blinked, hesitated for a moment, her fingers lingering on the safety buckle bracelet, then looked up at Morax and said, "I've prepared a gift for you."
"Hmm?" Morax lowered his eyes slightly, as if he remembered that Qiao Xi had said at some point that she would give him a New Year's gift.
Qiao Xi took out the bracelet and gave it to Morax.
Morax took it and examined it in his palm.
Qiao Xi asked him cautiously, "Do you like it?"
Morax continued to look at the bracelet. The safety buckle was beautifully polished and paired well with the gold cord. He said calmly, "It's alright."
He returned the bracelet to Qiao Xi.
This action made Qiao Xi feel a little disappointed. What did "it's okay" mean? What did it mean to give it back to her?
But Qiao Xi still accepted it. She thought to herself, if she didn't want it, she didn't have to. She had spent a whole day polishing this bracelet, and her hands were peeling. If Morax wouldn't wear it, she would wear it herself. Her wrists were thin, so she could save some gold thread.
Qiao Xi pursed her lips, but before she could show her disappointment, Morax had already extended his wrist to her.
Qiao Xi looked up and stared at him blankly.
"Did they not cut it because they didn't know the size?" Morax said.
Qiao Xi nodded, holding the bracelet in her hand.
Morax raised his wrist in front of her, indicating, "Come on then."
Qiao Xi: "Shall I put it on you?"
Morax tilted his head and looked at her, expressionless, saying nothing, yet it seemed as if he had said everything.
Qiao Xi thought that if there were a voice at this moment, Morax would definitely be asking her: Are you stupid?
Qiao Xi smiled, took the bracelet, and put it on Morax's wrist.
Morax always wore gloves, and although there were several hand-to-hand contacts, Qiao Xi never actually touched his skin.
When the skin on her wrist was exposed, Qiao Xi pressed the bracelet against it to measure its size. Her fingertips pressed against Morax's skin from time to time, revealing the bare, unprotected skin.
Qiao Xi couldn't help but look up at him, only to see Morax's gaze fixed on her wrist. He seemed to be frowning. Qiao Xi didn't know what he was thinking, and she was momentarily lost in thought as she looked at him, causing her hand movements to become sluggish. Morax then looked away from her and back at her.
Their eyes met, and Qiao Xi quickly lowered her head. She tightened the rope and asked Morax, "Is this size okay?"
“Okay,” Morax said.
Qiao Xi: "Then I'll tie a slipknot for you, so you can take it off anytime."
“No need,” Morax said, looking at her.
Qiao Xi looked up: "No need?"
"Um."
Qiao Xi didn't quite understand; wouldn't a slipknot be more convenient?
She asked Morax uncertainly, "A dead knot?"
“Yes, a dead knot.” Morax said the last two words very softly.
Qiao Xi nodded. Maybe different people have different habits.
But she added, "This knot is impossible to untie."
Morax didn't speak; he simply gave a soft "hmm."
As the new year begins, winter is about to draw to a close, ushering in a brief spring that carries the breath of summer. The wind blows, from the lush growth of grass and birdsong to the flourishing of branches and leaves, to the blooming and withering of flowers and the decay of all things. The seasons cycle endlessly, and all things need not be given a single "solution".
Morax thought so.
*
Inside the cave, it was quite lively. Apart from Maxius, who was still in the mortal realm, almost all the immortals that Qiao Xi knew had come.
Qiao Xi counted them: besides her two masters, there were Gui Zhong, A Ping, Li Shui, Xiao Yue, and several Yakshas.
She followed Morax, her gaze occasionally drifting to his wrist.
For some reason, Morax rarely shows his wrists on ordinary days, but today, perhaps because he wore new clothes, his wrists are showing from time to time, and the safety buckle bracelet on his left hand is particularly eye-catching. Is it because the sleeves are too short?
Qiao Xi felt a little embarrassed. She just wanted to give Morax a gift, but she didn't want anyone to see it. She would feel awkward and conflicted.
As expected, Yi Xiao, who was sitting outside, was the first to notice Morax's bracelet. He smiled and said, "Is Your Majesty wearing a peace buckle today?"
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's eyes turned to look in their direction.
Qiao Xi followed behind Morax, waving cautiously to greet everyone.
Morax raised his hand in response to Yixiao's words. The six safety buckles made a crisp sound as they rubbed together. With that, everyone could see what the bracelet looked like.
Qiao Xi only begged Morax not to reveal that she was the one who did it.
Her prayer was answered.
Morax didn't say it was Qiao Xi who made it; he just said, "Well, it was a gift from a junior."
Besides Qiao Xi, there are many members of the Thousand Rock Army and some lesser immortals on this mountain who haven't cultivated enough.
Yi Xiao said, "This bracelet is indeed exquisitely made, and you can tell how skilled the person who made it is."
Yi Xiao paused for a moment, then called out, "Xiao Xi."
Qiao Xi felt a chill run down her spine, thinking that Yi Xiao had figured out that she was the one who did it.
She walked over, winked at Yixiao, and said, "Master, what do you need me for?"
Yi Xiao didn't notice Qiao Xi's expression and continued to say what he wanted to say: "Look at their skills, learn from them."
"Huh?" Qiao Xi blinked.
Morax had already put his hand down. Liu Yun glanced at it quickly and felt that the jade used to make the safety buckle on the bracelet looked familiar, but she couldn't remember it at the moment.
Qiao Xi realized what Yi Xiao meant and followed up, saying, "Yes, I also think that person's craftsmanship is exquisite and quite rare."
Hearing her boastful words, Morax couldn't help but cough lightly.
After taking his seat, Morax poured himself a cup of tea.
Yi Xiao then asked Morax, "It's rare to see the Emperor wear jewelry, so it seems the Emperor really likes it this time?"
Qiao Xi wondered why Master Yi Xiao was talking so much today.
She looked at the table; the dishes were untouched because they were waiting for Morax, but the wine in front of the chef was half gone.
However, upon hearing this, Qiao Xi couldn't help but look at Morax with some curiosity.
Morax put down his teacup, glanced indifferently at the safety amulet on his wrist, and said in a flat tone, "Hmm, I like it."
Qiao Xi, sitting beside him, paused for a moment because of his words.
At the dinner table, Liu Yun quietly told Qiao Xi that Gui Zhong's mechanical skills were superior to hers. Once Qiao Xi had completed her transformation and gained enough power, she would take Qiao Xi to Gui Li Yuan to learn from Gui Zhong.
Qiao Xi was very excited after hearing this. She had been here for so long, but had hardly ever left Tianheng Mountain.
She asked Liu Yun, "If I study hard, can I finalize my appearance earlier?"
Liu Yun did the math: "At the very least, it will take half a year, but with your attitude towards learning, it would be good if you could finish on time."
Qiao Xi took a big bite of food. Although she was very dissatisfied, Liu Yun's words made a lot of sense.
After dinner, Qiao Xi and Morax walked back.
She could have gone back on her own or talked to the other masters, but she subconsciously followed Morax.
Liu Yun noticed this and whispered it to A Ping, Gui Zhong, and the others. Yi Xiao and Li Shan saw it and wanted to go over to listen, but they were fooled by the others with laughter.
On the way back, Qiao Xi ate a lot, but she kept thinking about how Morax said "I like it" from time to time.
At that time, the light in the cave was soft, so soft that it blurred the sharp features on Morax's face, making his words "I like it" sound gentle and tender.
Morax walked ahead, the safety buckle on his bracelet occasionally rubbing together with his steps, making a crisp sound.
Qiao Xi ran over and stood beside him. She looked up and said, "Morax, Master Liu Yun said that after I take shape, he will take me to Guili Plain to learn mechanical arts from Sister Gui Zhong, no, Master Gui Zhong. Is Master Gui Zhong really more powerful than Master Liu Yun?"
Morax thought for a moment, then looked down at Qiao Xi and said, "Both have their strengths, so it's good for you to learn from them."
Qiao Xi nodded, then asked, "Morax, what does Guili Plain look like?"
There is a field, a field of glass lilies, and a lake.
Qiao Xi then asked, "Morax, if I finalized my form ahead of time, would you think I'm amazing?"
Morax frowned: "You have so many questions."
Qiao Xi pursed her lips.
But Morax quickly added, "Very impressive."
Qiao Xi smiled, her eyes narrowing, and said, "Morax, you're so kind."
The sudden praise left Morax momentarily confused about what the girl was trying to do, but Qiao Xi simply left those words behind and ran ahead, hopping and skipping like a rabbit.
Morax watched her light and agile figure walk away, and called out, "Qiao Xi."
Qiao Xi paused, turned around, and the moonlight shone on her. She tilted her head and smiled.
She was standing on such a high place that Morax had to look up to see her.
Morax walked over and handed her a red paper package. Qiao Xi took it and asked, "What's this?"
Morax: "Let's take it apart and see."
Qiao Xi opened the package and poured out two golden coins. She held them in her hand and looked at them in the moonlight for a while. There were no patterns on them.
Qiao Xi looked down and asked Morax, "What is this?"
Morax didn't speak. He looked up and smiled, the silver moonlight casting its glow on his face, the wind rustling the tassels on his earrings. Everything seemed just right.
He said, "Happy New Year, Qiao Xi."
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Author's note: See you tomorrow.
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