Chapter 21
Although the thatched hut was uninhabited, it was very clean and had been carefully tidied up. Xi Yimin led the woman into the main hall. To the left of the main hall was the kitchen, and to the right was the bedroom. Inside the main hall was a square table and four long benches. A reclining chair was placed to the north, facing south. Next to it was a small table, which was against the wooden wall to the north. There was a window in the south wall, and from the reclining chair, one could see the endless pear blossoms outside. Xi Yimin, watching the woman surveying the main hall, smiled and asked, "Xue Ran, do you like it?" The woman turned to look at Xi Yimin, a smile playing on her lips, and whispered, "It's passable!" Seeing her satisfaction, he was delighted and pulled her into the bedroom. "Xue Ran, take a look at our bedroom." Hearing this, Leng Xue Ran blushed and said coquettishly, "What do you mean, 'our bedroom'? Yimin sleeps on the recliner in the main hall tonight." Xi Yimin immediately retorted, "How can anyone sleep there? You'll definitely be sore all over in the morning. So, Xue Ran, please, let me sleep in the bedroom too, okay?" Looking at the pitiful woman in front of her, Leng Xue Ran ignored her and looked around the bedroom. To the left of the entrance, against the wooden wall, was a seven-foot-wide bed, just right for two people. Opposite the bed was a desk against the wall. A round-backed chair stood before the desk, and a wardrobe faced directly from the entrance. Seeing that the woman had looked around enough, Xi Yimin shamelessly said, "Xue Ran, I'll be sleeping in the bedroom tonight. There are no blankets outside; you'll catch a cold. Can Xue Ran bear to see that?" Seeing Xi Yimin's concern, she murmured an "Mmm" and remained silent. Xi Yimin knew she was shy. "Xue Ran, there are clean blankets in the wardrobe. Make your bed first. I'll go get something to eat. I didn't eat lunch today, and I'm starving!" Hearing this, she felt a pang of guilt. "Where will we find food? There doesn't seem to be any wild game in this pear grove. It's getting dark; don't go too far!" Hearing this, Xi Yimin teased, "Xue Ran, are you afraid of this desolate place? Don't worry, I'm in the kitchen; I won't go out." "There are the ingredients I ordered the servants to prepare in the kitchen." Hearing this, Leng Xue Ran felt relieved, but still denied it, saying, "What do I have to be afraid of? This young lady has some martial arts skills. How could I let wild cats and dogs bully me?" Seeing the woman's stubbornness, Xi Yi Min didn't expose her, but smiled and stole a kiss on the woman's cheek before slipping out. "In that case, I'll go up the mountain to find some more game." The woman retorted coquettishly, "You dare!!" A voice came from the kitchen: "Yi Min really wouldn't dare, wouldn't dare leave my beautiful lady alone in the mountains, letting the wild animals spy on her." Leng Xue Ran was too lazy to pay attention to that person, opened the wardrobe, took out the bedding and put it on the bed, made the bed, and when she went to the wardrobe to get a pillow, she carefully looked at the wardrobe. There were still two sets of Xi Yi Min's... The clothes on the pillow suggested that the person occasionally came here, as there was nothing else. Just as she picked up the pillow, a scroll fell out. Leng Xue Ran placed the pillow on the bed, picked up the scroll, sat down at the desk, and slowly opened it. The painting depicted a woman with flowing hair and white robes, a warm smile on her lips, like a spring breeze. Before her was a pear orchard in full bloom. The woman in the painting looked into the distance, where a figure stood with his back to the setting sun, his face obscured. The figure wore clothes found in the wardrobe; it wasn't hard to guess that the person was Xi Yimin. The woman in the painting was herself. Her face flushed, her gaze gentle. Looking at the figure in the painting, she was even more certain that she had feelings for him; otherwise, why was her heart pounding so fiercely? The name Xi Yimin was written in the lower left corner, along with the date: spring of the sixteenth year of Yuanfeng. The woman's expression suddenly changed. Something was wrong. She and Xi Yimin had only known each other for a few months; why was this painting done a year ago? Xi Yimin's words implied that they had only known each other for a few months, so how could she explain the painting? Hearing Xi Yimin calling her to dinner outside the door, she quickly put away the painting, hid it under her desk, and got up to walk towards the main hall. Two dishes and a soup were already laid out on the table. Seeing that the woman was standing still, Xi Yimin came over and pulled her to sit down, smiling, "Are you moved?" Leng Xue Ran didn't speak, but just looked at Xi Yimin's smiling face. Seeing that the woman didn't answer, she looked down at her and saw that Leng Xue Ran was looking at her seriously. She asked worriedly, "Xue Ran, what's wrong? Is there something on my face?" The woman ultimately didn't voice her doubts. "It's nothing, let's eat first, we've been starving." Although Xi Yimin was puzzled, he didn't ask, only smiling and saying, "Okay." Looking at the food on the table, Leng Xueran said softly, "Yimin, isn't it said that a gentleman stays away from the kitchen?" Hearing Leng Xueran call Yimin so naturally pleased her. "Just be a gentleman in the eyes of outsiders, and a husband who is presentable in public and capable in the kitchen by Xueran's side!" Seeing his frivolous reply, she said displeasedly, "Yimin, where did you learn such glib talk? Don't ruin your reputation as a gentleman!"
"What use is the empty reputation of a gentleman in front of Xue Ran? Just be a good husband."
"With such words, Xue Ran began to doubt that Yi Min was a woman."
"Xue Ran, what makes you say that?"
"How could any woman in the world be so unreliable?" Upon hearing this, Xi Yimin quipped, "There are countless women in the world, how could Xue Ran know that they are all reliable?" Seeing that she couldn't win the argument, Leng Xue Ran said coquettishly, "Don't talk while eating, hurry up and eat, the food is getting cold." Xi Yimin chuckled, "Yes, madam!" but this earned him a sharp glare!
After tidying up by 7 PM, they entered the bedroom. Leng Xue Ran had slept during the day and wasn't very sleepy. She sat on the edge of the bed, watching the person searching for something in the wardrobe. After searching for a while without finding it, he turned around and asked, "Xue Ran, did you see a scroll in this wardrobe?" Leng Xue Ran pretended not to know, "What scroll?" Xi Yi Min stammered, "A painting of this pear orchard from last year!" Leng Xue Ran finally asked, "Is it the scroll under the desk?" Sure enough, it was there. Coming back to his senses, Xi Yi Min turned to look at the woman sitting on the edge of the bed and tentatively asked, "Xue Ran, have you seen it?" Leng Xue Ran smiled. "I've seen it, now I'm waiting for your explanation," said Xi Yimin. Pretending not to understand the true meaning, Xi Yimin smiled and said, "I only painted the person in my heart." Leng Xueran stopped smiling and said seriously, "Yimin should know what I'm talking about." Seeing he couldn't hide it any longer, Xi Yimin sat down next to Leng Xueran, took her hand, and said with deep affection, "Last year, when the imperial court sent troops to suppress the martial arts forces, as the leader of the martial arts alliance, I infiltrated the general's mansion to find out the truth. I wanted to ask my adoptive father why he was hunting me down and why he was suppressing the martial arts world. That night, my adoptive father wasn't in the mansion, but I saw you standing under the pear tree, looking at the pear blossoms, your lips..." A smile played on her lips, yet her eyes held a myriad of sorrows. Under the moonlight, she appeared ethereal and untouchable. It was then that I conceived this thought! Leng Xue Ran listened, gazing at Xi Yi Min with a distant look, seemingly disbelieving that he had fallen in love at first sight. Seeing Leng Xue Ran's disbelief, he hurriedly said, "Back then, I didn't understand either. But when I saw you again, that intense possessiveness overwhelmed me, frightening even myself. When did I become this kind of person?" Leng Xue Ran coldly laughed, "In such a situation, Yi Min still harbored such thoughts. How big is your heart?" Xi Yi Min blushed, "Xue Ran, don't disbelieve me. At that time, I also felt guilty. As the leader of the martial arts alliance, a member of the martial arts world..." So many people died in the Shi and Guan families, yet I fell in love with a woman. It's truly not the act of a human being, but how can one resist matters of the heart? Otherwise, why would I have suffered this torment of inner demons for a year?" Leng Xue Ran looked at the person tormented before her and sighed, "Yi Min, why do you suffer like this?" Xi Yi Min replied urgently, "But what I cannot have is even more painful. I could not keep the one who has passed away, so I no longer want to hide the one in my heart. It is so painful to hide!" Hearing this, Leng Xue Ran felt a pang of sorrow and leaned into Xi Yi Min's arms. Xi Yi Min was flattered and looked down at the woman in his arms. After a long while, he raised his hand to embrace her. At least for now, he did not have to worry about the past grievances and grudges. "Xue Ran, it's getting late, let's rest." Hearing this, Leng Xue Ran blushed again, only humming in agreement. She got up, took off her coat and placed it on the stool, sat on the edge of the bed, took off her shoes, and lay down on the inside of the bed, her back to the person still sitting on the edge. Xi Yimin, seeing that half of the bed was empty, was overjoyed. He quickly took off his coat and shoes, followed her onto the bed, and said softly, "Xue Ran, turn around, okay?" Hearing her say this, she felt even more shy and said coquettishly, "Xi Yimin, don't push your luck." Seeing that the woman was unwilling, Xi Yimin pressed closer and directly hugged her from behind. Her body trembled in his arms, but he heard Xi Yimin say gently, "Xue Ran, I just want to hold you to sleep, I have no improper thoughts. Since Xue Ran is not willing, I will definitely not overstep the bounds and force myself on you." Hearing her such bold words, her face burned fiercely, but unexpectedly... Ignoring her, he closed his eyes and pretended to sleep. Looking at the woman feigning sleep in his arms, Xi Yimin felt a surge of tenderness and ultimately remained silent. He closed his eyes, trying to drift off, but his mind was filled with the image of the woman in his arms. Her warm, soft body and fragrant body disturbed his thoughts. The woman in his arms was also awake. She sighed softly and turned to face him. "Yimin, are you asleep?" Xi Yimin smiled, opened his eyes, and looked at the woman in his arms. "How could I sleep?" Leng Xueran asked curiously, "Aren't you sleepy?" "Extremely sleepy, but with the person in my heart, how could I bear to waste time sleeping? I must savor the warmth of the person in my arms and listen to their breathing." Hearing her speak so nonsensically, she playfully scolded, "Don't talk nonsense. Go to sleep quickly, it's getting late, I want to watch the sunrise tomorrow." "Okay." She obediently closed her eyes.
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