Chapter 14 Duty
At this moment, Tang Xiaoning finally looked up from the mystery of the nine-linked steel rings.
Perhaps due to squatting for too long and poor blood circulation, she cried out softly as she tried to stand up. Her legs felt weak and numb, and her body swayed uncontrollably, on the verge of losing her balance.
Almost simultaneously, Zhou Wenyuan, who was fawning over her, and Li Minghua, who had been standing quietly guarding her, both reacted instinctively.
Zhou Wenyuan, who was closer, had a hint of concern and a desire to show off in his eyes. He quickly reached out his hand, aiming directly at Tang Xiaoning's slender wrist.
Li Minghua was incredibly fast, so fast that everyone felt as if a swift, silent indigo shadow had swept past them, bringing with it a barely perceptible breeze.
The next instant, Li Minghua was already standing firmly beside Tang Xiaoning, one hand almost in a declarative gesture supporting Tang Xiaoning's arm.
At the same time, he subtly turned his body to the side, using his own body to block Zhou Wenyuan's outstretched hand, cleverly keeping him at a safe distance.
Her movements were fluid and efficient, and it was only natural that she should do it.
"Be careful." Li Minghua's voice was low and deep, still in that calm and even tone, as he spoke in her ear.
But the hand that was supporting her arm did not immediately let go after she regained her balance. Instead, it lingered for a moment, providing a silent sense of support.
Tang Xiaoning regained her footing with the steady support from Li Minghua's arm, patted her chest with lingering fear, and smiled brightly:
"It's nothing, my leg just went numb for a second!"
She looked up and flashed a bright, innocent smile at Li Minghua, completely unaware of the silent struggle between the two "guards" and Zhou Wenyuan's hand frozen in mid-air just moments before.
Zhou Wenyuan's hand froze awkwardly in place, his fingertips barely an inch from Tang Xiaoning's sleeve, yet it felt as if there was an insurmountable chasm between them.
His expression instantly turned ugly. He pursed his lips, glanced at Li Minghua's possessive figure with a gloomy look, and reluctantly withdrew his hand.
Tang's mother, who was sitting upright to the side, took in everything. Her fingers, which were holding a teacup, twitched slightly, and her eyes lingered on Li Minghua for a moment, seemingly lost in thought.
Tang Xiaoning's attention, like a kite being pulled by a string, instantly flew back to those novel gadgets.
She picked up the creaking little wooden figure with great interest, and held it up to Li Minghua's face like a treasure, almost touching her nose, her eyes sparkling with pure excitement:
"Minghua, look! This mechanism is so ingenious! It can move by itself after turning a few times! Do those great heroes and masters in the martial arts world also know this kind of amazing mechanism?"
Li Minghua's gaze fell on the wooden lump that she considered useless for defense or protection, before slowly shifting back to Tang Xiaoning's bright, expectant eyes, which were filled with a desire to share.
The light in those eyes made the inexplicable bitterness that had just arisen in her because of Zhou Wenyuan quietly dissipate.
She stated the facts objectively: "Martial arts techniques are mostly used to set traps and create hidden weapons to conceal fatalities."
She paused for a moment, and seeing Tang Xiaoning's face fall slightly, she added, "These kinds of items, intended only for appreciation, are rare."
"Oh..." Tang Xiaoning indeed showed obvious disappointment, her little mouth pouting slightly, but her emotions were as fickle as the weather in June, and she quickly composed herself again.
She shook the wooden figure in her hand, trying to reassure herself or seek validation: "But it's quite interesting, isn't it? This little thing is silly, but it makes you happy just looking at it! Right, Minghua?"
She tilted her head back, patiently awaiting Li Minghua's evaluation.
Li Minghua looked at her face, which had instantly brightened from gloom to sunshine, and her vibrant anticipation, and remained silent for a moment.
Her gaze lingered on her face for a moment, then she finally nodded, letting out a low syllable: "Mm."
This response seemed to be a little gentler than when he was commenting on the mechanical arts.
Standing to the side, Zhou Wenyuan took in the entire scene of the two of them acting as if no one else was around.
The rare gadgets he brought seemed to win his favor only for a moment before quickly becoming a topic of conversation between Tang Xiaoning and Li Minghua.
That aloof and taciturn female guard could make Tang Xiaoning smile with just a casual comment or even a nod.
A strong sense of frustration and utter rejection gnawed at his heart like a venomous snake.
He sullenly sat back in his chair, his face ashen, feeling like a complete, superfluous, and ridiculous outsider.
They sat there for a while longer, the atmosphere so oppressive and awkward it was suffocating.
Zhou Wenyuan felt utterly bored and frustrated, so he forced a smile and got up to say goodbye.
Tang's mother politely asked her to stay a couple of times before instructing Xiao Cui to see the guests off.
After seeing off the gloomy Zhou Wenyuan, Tang Xiaoning, carrying the pile of "trophies"—a small wooden figure and a nine-linked ring—walked back side by side with Li Minghua, completely satisfied.
She suddenly remembered the neglected box of rose sugar, pulled it out from under the wooden figure, opened the lid, and the rich, sweet fragrance filled the air once again.
She picked up a pink candy, smelled it, and then naturally held it to Li Minghua's lips, smiling brightly.
"Minghua, are you really not going to try some? It smells so good and sweet!"
Li Minghua's gaze fell on the candy that gleamed temptingly on Tang Xiaoning's fingertip, and the hypocritical smile and provocative tone of Zhou Wenyuan when he handed over the candy box flashed through his mind.
The bitterness that had just been dispelled in my heart, like sediment at the bottom of the water, rose up again in an instant, bringing with it a strong sense of rejection.
"I won't try it." Her refusal was unusually decisive, even carrying a hint of obvious disgust.
She turned her head away, avoiding the sweet scent, as if the sugar were something filthy.
Tang Xiaoning finally realized, belatedly, that Li Minghua seemed to have been acting a little strange since earlier.
She withdrew her hand, holding the candy box, and curiously tilted her head to get closer to Li Minghua.
She scrutinized Li Minghua's sharply defined profile, trying to find some clue in those always calm and unwavering eyes:
"Hmm? What's wrong? Are you in a bad mood? Is it because Zhou Wenyuan is too noisy, always buzzing around, is it bothering you?"
Her tone was filled with genuine concern.
Li Minghua was slightly startled by her sudden close observation.
The girl's warm breath, carrying the sweet scent of sugar, brushed past her ear, and her clear eyes gazed at her inquisitively.
What could she say?
Could it be that seeing Zhou Wenyuan fawning over his employer made him feel... annoyed?
This reason not only sounds unprofessional, but is also so absurd as to be embarrassing.
She subconsciously pursed her lips, took a deep breath, and forcibly suppressed the strange emotions surging within her that she couldn't quite understand.
She tried to regain her usual calm and even slightly serious tone: "It's nothing. I just feel..."
Her gaze swept over the wooden figure and the nine-linked rings in Tang Xiaoning's arms: "These novel toys are easy to become addicted to. Playing with toys can lead to a loss of ambition and is of no benefit to your self-cultivation or improvement of your martial arts skills."
She found herself the most legitimate "shield".
Tang Xiaoning blinked her big eyes and looked at Li Minghua's serious face and dry "grand principles" to cover up his emotions. Suddenly she found it particularly interesting, and even a little... cute?
A sly smile crept onto her lips.
She deliberately picked up another piece of rose candy, fearlessly waving it under Li Minghua's nose again, teasing her with a drawn-out tone: "Really—not—eating? It's—so—sweet—!"
The cloyingly sweet aroma almost wafted onto Li Minghua's face.
As expected, Li Minghua was forced to take a small step back with a frown, his voice carrying a hint of warning and coldness: "Take it away."
"Okay, okay, I won't eat it then." Tang Xiaoning knew when to stop and happily took back the candy.
He quickly popped the candy from his fingertip into his mouth, squinted his eyes in satisfaction, and mumbled:
“But Minghua,” she swallowed the sweet taste, turned her head, and looked at Li Minghua with a bright smile, “the way you helped me just now was so timely! Your movements were quick and steady! Better than some…”
She paused deliberately, then gestured meaningfully towards the door: "...much more reliable than that 'outsider' who just stupidly reaches out! Our Minghua Heroine is truly amazing!"
Li Minghua paused almost imperceptibly.
She turned her head to look at the girl beside her.
The golden rays of the setting sun slanted down, outlining Tang Xiaoning's bright features and reflecting on her smiling lips, where tiny specks of unmelted, sparkling powdered sugar shimmered like tiny diamonds.
In an instant, the lingering, bittersweet feeling in my heart was quietly dispelled by that unreserved, radiant smile and that unintentional yet deeply touching word, "reliable," like morning mist meeting the rising sun.
She turned her head, looked straight ahead again, and the corners of her mouth, which had a slightly hard and cold look, curved upwards in a very subtle arc.
"Mm," she responded, her voice low and steady, unusually gentle: "It's my duty."
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