Chapter 53: Not Jealous, But Direct Intervention!
Li Minghua's voice suddenly rose, filled with obvious embarrassment and stuttering, as she tried to use the volume to cover up her guilty conscience:
"How could I be such a petty and calculating person! I... I was just... concerned about your past social interactions!"
She became increasingly agitated as she spoke, feeling as if she were about to burst into flames if she stayed any longer. So she abruptly turned and fled from this "battlefield" that made her feel utterly ashamed.
"I...I'm going to practice my sword! It's time!"
Before he finished speaking, he had already been blown away like a gust of wind.
But his usually agile and nimble steps now seemed somewhat disordered and hurried.
Even... a familiar, hilarious scene of people using the same hand and foot simultaneously appeared!
That upright figure now seemed to scream "fleeing in panic."
"Pfft... Pfft hahahahahahaha!!!"
Only after Li Minghua's figure completely disappeared outside the moon gate did Tang Xiaoning finally let out a soft laugh, as if she could no longer hold back.
She collapsed onto the cold stone table without any regard for her image, her shoulders heaving violently, laughing until tears streamed down her face. Her heart was filled with sweetness, as if something was about to burst forth from her chest.
"Oh my god... Xiao Cui! Xiao Cui, did you see that! Hahaha..."
Her lips couldn't stop smiling. Pointing in the direction Li Minghua had disappeared, she called out haltingly to Xiao Cui, who was also covering her mouth and laughing so hard she was almost choking:
"She admitted it! She really is jealous! But she's still being stubborn! She's still refusing to admit it!"
'How could someone be so petty?'... Hahaha... I can't help it, he's too cute!
Xiao Cui, standing to the side, was laughing so hard she was wiping away tears: "Oh, my lady, please spare Miss Li!"
She's as thin-skinned as a freshly peeled egg; she can't stand your teasing!
Look how embarrassed she is, she ran faster than a rabbit!
She smiled as she patted Tang Xiaoning's back to help her breathe.
After laughing for a while, Tang Xiaoning finally managed to stop, wiping away the tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes. Looking in the direction Li Minghua had left, her eyes were filled with sweet warmth.
Her wooden-chested heroine... not only has she learned to confess her feelings and flirt, but now she can even... subtly get jealous!
This clumsy yet incredibly sincere care, imbued with a strong sense of possessiveness, made her happier than the sweetest honey in the world.
Hmm... Tang Xiaoning's fingers unconsciously twirled a strand of hair hanging in front of her chest, a lively light flashing in her beautiful almond-shaped eyes.
It seems I'll have to remind this blockhead of my sweetheart more often about the importance of my "status"!
For example... from time to time, casually mention "cousin" and "Zhou Wenyuan" in front of her?
A sweet smile, tinged with the cunning of a little fox, quietly bloomed on Tang Xiaoning's lips.
And at this moment, on the training ground—
"Bang!" "Thump!" "Smack!"
The heavy, grating sounds of striking echoed in rapid succession.
Li Minghua was unleashing a furious barrage of chopping, hacking, and stabbing at the innocent wooden dummy!
The blush on her cheeks had not completely faded, and the tips of her ears were even redder than blood.
Her movements were swift, but her eyes were somewhat vacant, her mind uncontrollably replaying Tang Xiaoning's mischievous words from just now:
"Settling old scores...secretly inquiring about love rivals..."
"Settling old scores...secretly inquiring about love rivals..."
"How could I be a petty person!" she suddenly shouted, and with a powerful strike, she slammed her hand down on the "shoulder" of the wooden dummy, causing the dummy to shake.
She's really not stingy!
She just... just wanted to know more about Xiaoning's past!
Find out who she knows and what she has been through!
Yes, that's it! It makes perfect sense!
While firmly reaffirming this belief in her heart, Ms. Li poured out her complex emotions even more vigorously onto the wooden dummy.
However, her ears, which became even redder with each movement, and her slightly rapid and disordered breathing completely betrayed her explanation that she was "not stingy."
She seemed... to accept this burden willingly, even with relish.
Ever since Tang Xiaoning pinpointed her subtle jealousy when she was embroidering the purse last time...
Instead of restraining himself, Li Minghua seemed to have obtained some kind of permission. Under Tang Xiaoning's intentional or unintentional indulgence and teasing smile, his possessiveness became increasingly "justified" and even quite "open and aboveboard".
The most direct manifestation of this was in dealing with Zhou Wenyuan's persistent attentiveness.
On this day, Zhou Wenyuan arrived again, beaming with joy, carrying a brocade box, saying that he had found a novel and interesting Western item.
It is a small, exquisite clock inlaid with gemstones.
"Xiaoning, please look, this is a rare item from the West. Every hour on the hour, a small mechanical bird comes out and chirps to announce the time. It's very ingenious..." Zhou Wenyuan opened the box as if presenting a treasure.
Before the brocade box was fully opened, a hand with distinct knuckles reached out and steadily took the clock.
Li Minghua held the exquisite contraption expressionlessly, turning it over from side to side. His fingertips traced the intricate gears and gems, the force of which made Zhou Wenyuan's eyelids twitch.
Then, in her characteristically cool and calm tone, yet with an inherent sense of judgment, she objectively evaluated:
“The mechanism is too complicated and cumbersome,” she pointed to a slender gear connection with her fingertip, “This area is weak and easily damaged.”
She looked up, her gaze calmly sweeping over Zhou Wenyuan's instantly frozen smile, and added a definitive conclusion:
"It is all show and no substance, and will not last long."
Tang Xiaoning tried hard to purse her lips so that the corners of her mouth wouldn't turn up too high.
Looking at Zhou Wenyuan's frustrated expression, as if he had turned a "treasure into a disgrace," and then at her own heroine's serious demeanor as if she were stating objective facts, a little bubble of excitement welled up inside her.
She suppressed a laugh and nodded in agreement with a serious expression:
"Yes! Minghua is absolutely right!"
This thing doesn't look very sturdy; it'll be hard to fix if it breaks. Uncle Fu—"
She called out to the old butler who was waiting nearby, "This Western clock is too delicate. Store it deep in the storeroom to avoid any bumps or knocks."
Uncle Fu respectfully stepped forward and took the brocade box: "Yes, Miss." He then quickly withdrew.
The smile on Zhou Wenyuan's face completely vanished, turning into a look of sorrow and desolation.
Looking at Li Minghua's cold face, which seemed to say "I'm being realistic," and his eyes like those of an abandoned puppy, he could only reluctantly take his leave.
Once again, they arrived full of enthusiasm, only to leave disappointed.
A few days later...
It was Zhou Wenyuan again, who sent over a piece of overseas silk that was said to be worth a thousand gold pieces. It was shimmering and could change into seven colors under the sunlight.
The same process is being repeated.
Li Minghua stepped forward without hesitation, her slender fingers picking up the gossamer-thin fabric. She examined it for a moment in the sunlight, her brow furrowing almost imperceptibly.
"The color of this gauze is...too dazzling and vibrant."
She unfolded the shimmering, iridescent silk gauze slightly, her tone even carrying a blatant hint of disdain:
"The excessive use of bright red and purple, and the patchwork of colors, lack a sense of composure and dignity." The concluding statement: "Too flashy and extravagant, it is unfit for refined tastes."
"Pfft..." Tang Xiaoning couldn't help herself this time and quickly covered her mouth with a handkerchief and coughed twice to suppress her laughter.
But she nodded just as seriously:
"Yes, yes, Minghua has such good taste!"
The colors are too flashy; wearing them out would probably dazzle people.
"Uncle Fu, put the storeroom away!"
As Zhou Wenyuan watched his carefully selected treasure being relegated to the "cold palace" once again, his gaze toward Li Minghua was no longer one of resentment, but rather one of accusation.
Later, it was a box of beautifully packaged, fragrant imported face powder.
Li Minghua smelled the box through the glass, then frowned and took a half-step back.
"The fragrance is too strong and sweet, almost pungent," she said, gently fanning her nose with the back of her hand as if to dispel the invisible fragrance. "Such a scent is very likely to attract bees, butterflies, insects, and ants, causing only trouble and doing more harm than good."
The conclusion is succinct: "It is not advisable to get close."
“Minghua is absolutely right!” Tang Xiaoning immediately chimed in, looking completely convinced. “This fragrance is too strong! What if it attracts bees and stings someone? Uncle Fu, please put it away…”
"The warehouse!" Zhou Wenyuan said it through gritted teeth, then turned and left in a huff, his face full of grief and indignation.
Xiao Cui secretly gave Tang Xiaoning a thumbs up, her smile so wide her eyes disappeared.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
