Chapter 9, but I didn't say I'd treat everyone...
Li Minghua didn't bother to waste words with him at all, and suddenly tightened the fingers that were gripping his pulse point!
"Ouch—!" The man let out a bloodcurdling scream, his back bent in pain, his hands involuntarily opening and trembling violently.
With a soft "thud," an exquisite silk purse embroidered with lotus scrolls and adorned with two round pearls—clearly a valuable item—fell to the ground.
It was the one that Tang Xiaoning had tied around her waist when she went out, which still stood out somewhat against her plain dress.
Only then did Tang Xiaoning belatedly exclaim in surprise, and abruptly lowered her head to grope her waist—it was empty!
"My purse!" she exclaimed, realizing what had happened.
The woman holding the child was also stunned, her face deathly pale. She backed away, her mouth trembling, "No...it's not my fault...he...he..."
Clearly, she was also used as a tool to create chaos and attract attention.
Li Minghua didn't even look at the woman, bent down quickly to pick up the money bag, and stuffed it back into the hand of Tang Xiaoning, who was still somewhat dazed.
Then she released her grip on the pickpocket's wrist, coldly uttering a single word from her thin lips, carrying an invisible pressure: "Get lost."
The man, feeling as if he had been granted a pardon, clutched his wrist, which was almost crushed, and scrambled to his feet, not daring to utter a single harsh word. He then slipped into the gaps in the crowd of onlookers and disappeared without a trace in the blink of an eye.
The entire process, from the woman hitting the table to the thief disappearing, happened in the blink of an eye.
The tea drinkers around, and even the bodyguards at the next table who were talking loudly, were mostly unaware of what had happened. They only saw someone bump into the table, then a woman quickly grab another man, and then the man ran away clutching his arm, without even having time to cry out in surprise.
Only the tea stall owner and the few bodyguards who were closest to the scene witnessed the entire process, and their eyes instantly filled with surprise and awe as they looked at Li Minghua.
Tang Xiaoning clutched her recovered purse tightly, her heart still pounding wildly from the shock and the sudden turn of events.
She subconsciously moved closer to Li Minghua, seeking a sense of security.
Li Minghua's tense body finally relaxed slightly.
She immediately turned around and quickly scanned Tang Xiaoning with her sharp eyes.
She grabbed Tang Xiaoning's wrist, her voice tinged with anxiety, and asked in a low voice, "Are you hurt? Did I bump into you?"
She breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that Tang Xiaoning was unharmed except for a few drops of tea splashed on her dress.
His handsome brows furrowed again, and he pointed at the money pouch in Tang Xiaoning's hand, his tone tinged with helplessness and reproach, his voice low:
"Didn't we agree that we shouldn't flaunt our wealth? This exquisite purse, tied to the hem of your skirt, is a bright target. Next time, protect your purse first, instead of just watching the show."
Despite the reprimands, the concern in their eyes was genuine.
Tang Xiaoning looked at Li Minghua's profile, which was close to hers, serious yet showing concern. She felt the warmth of the hand on her wrist that was gripping her wrist slightly with tension. Recalling Li Minghua's lightning-fast and decisive actions just now, she was still a little dazed.
She nodded obediently and quickly stuffed the troublesome purse deep into her bosom, saying, "I know... I'll definitely hide it better next time."
Tang Xiaoning clutched the money pouch she had just recovered tightly, watching Li Minghua calmly walk back to the tea stall as if he had done something completely ordinary, and sit down again.
She even calmly picked up the rough porcelain bowl and took another sip of the bland tea, as if her swift and decisive move just now was really just casually swatting away an annoying fly.
However, Tang Xiaoning's heart was pounding wildly in her chest, unable to calm down for a long time.
Half of it was the joy of surviving a disaster and not losing any money, and the other half was... an indescribable excitement mixed with thrill, admiration and a strange sense of security, like scalding spring water flowing through my limbs.
The bodyguards at the next table were secretly observing Li Minghua with awe, whispering among themselves, clearly having witnessed the clean and efficient scene just now.
“Li…Minghua,” Tang Xiaoning took a deep breath.
This time, she didn't use her usual teasing or admiring title of "heroine." Her voice was filled with soft amazement and dependence, and her body involuntarily leaned towards Li Minghua.
"How...how did you spot the thief? I...I didn't notice at all!"
When that woman bumped into me, all I saw was the tea spill!
Her eyes widened, eager to know the answer, as if that would allow her to grasp some of the secrets of this "real world".
Li Minghua put down his teacup and looked at Tang Xiaoning's still pale cheeks and her surprisingly bright eyes.
Her tone remained calm and even, as if stating an obvious fact:
"He was too close, his eyes were darting around, and he was only staring at the money pouch at your waist."
The woman's banging on the table, creating a loud noise and commotion, was intentional, designed to attract attention and make it easier for her accomplices to carry out their attack.
She paused for a moment, then added, "Among the lowest of the low in the martial arts world, feinting to the east while attacking in the west is the most common trick."
Her explanation was concise, clear, and insightful.
Finally, looking at Tang Xiaoning's expression of both fear and curiosity regarding these "street tricks," a barely perceptible ripple seemed to pass through her eyes, like a gentle breeze rippling across a calm lake. She asked in return:
"Do you still find this 'jianghu' interesting now?"
Tang Xiaoning nodded vigorously, like a chick pecking at rice, her eyes shining as if they were filled with stars: "Interesting! So interesting!"
Her voice trembled with excitement: "Although...although it's not quite like those elegant thieves in the storybooks who fly through the air and leave their fragrance under the moon, but..."
She paused, her gaze falling on Li Minghua's sharply defined profile, and unconsciously curved her lips into a smile, her voice light and cheerful, tinged with a natural intimacy:
"But with you here, it feels even more exciting and reassuring! It's like... like having a super reliable talisman with you!"
Then, she wrinkled her small nose, glanced down at the bowl of murky tea with disdain, and muttered a complaint:
"This tea... tastes so weird, it's bitter and astringent, like dishwater."
She pouted, looking all wronged.
Looking at her, who was excited one second and frowned the next because of the tea, Li Minghua felt that her vivid and lively expression seemed to pry open a crack in her hardened heart.
She didn't say anything, but silently put down the bowl of tea that was hard to swallow, stood up briskly, and succinctly offered a solution: "Let's go."
"Huh?" Tang Xiaoning looked up, puzzled.
"I'll take you to get some sweet soup." Li Minghua's gaze swept over her face, which hadn't fully regained its color, and his voice seemed a little softer than usual. "To calm your nerves."
"Really? That's great!" The gloom on Tang Xiaoning's face vanished instantly, as if the clouds had parted and the sun had appeared.
She immediately forgot about the fright she had just experienced and the unpleasantness caused by the tea.
She practically jumped up with a cheer, and with an extremely natural movement, she reached out and affectionately took Li Minghua's arm again.
She leaned half her weight on Li Minghua, as if he were the most secure support in the world.
"Minghua, you're so good!" She looked up at him, her eyes filled with pure joy and dependence.
Her lips were as sweet as honey as she began to list all the good things about the other person:
"Not only is he highly skilled in martial arts and can fight, but he is also meticulous and can catch thieves. Now he can also take care of people and knows how to treat guests to sweet desserts!"
My bodyguard... oops, I mean, my江湖 (jianghu, the martial arts world) consultant, was absolutely worth it!
She dragged out the word "too" with a hint of coquetry, and excitedly pulled Li Minghua toward the direction of the dessert stall she remembered.
Li Minghua was half-dragged forward by her, but his steps matched her rhythm.
The warm touch and slight weight on my arm clearly reminded me of the presence of the person next to me.
Her clear, chattering voice, like that of a bird in spring, filled my ears, while before me stretched a bustling, vibrant street full of life.
The air was filled with the sounds of vendors hawking their wares, children playing, women haggling over prices, and the smells of food and dust.
Amidst this noisy yet vibrant backdrop, a strange warmth quietly washed over Li Minghua's heart.
She recalled the days after the Qingfeng Sect disbanded, when she wandered alone with her sword.
Looking at this vast world back then, I felt that the road ahead was uncertain, cold, and empty.
At this moment, feeling the real dependence and warmth on my arm, and listening to the energetic voices of the people around me, the outline of this "jianghu" that had once seemed gray and bewildered because of the loss of its home is gradually becoming clearer, and even... being tinged with warmth.
At least, it's much more flavorful and comforting than sitting alone in a corner, silently drinking bland, tasteless coarse tea.
This realization stirred a subtle yet undeniable ripple in her tranquil heart.
She glanced sideways at the girl beside her, whose bright eyes and brows were crinkling as she tried to find her way to the dessert stall:
"But I didn't say I'd treat everyone to the dessert!"
Tang Xiaoning's smile seemed to crack open.
Although Li Minghua felt that the grip on her arm hadn't changed, she could clearly hear the person's almost gritted teeth tone:
"It's on me, okay?"
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