Chapter 69 Be Gentle:
Following Long Shaoye's advice, Shen Bingsi personally trimmed the grass and flowers inside and outside the yard, and cleaned the dust off the ground and roof beams. He felt he had done a good job and called the three children over to take a look.
The three younger ones had been on tenterhooks these past few days, wondering why the head of the manor had suddenly changed his personality. Just to be on the safe side, they still showered Shen Bingsi with the most effusive praise for her work.
Shen Bingsi was very satisfied and rewarded each of the three with a handful of spirit stones as pocket money.
So when Rong Xie returned, he saw the result of his labor, which had been tidied up but was rather sloppy.
Shen Bingsi was originally lying in ambush in the backyard, listening to Rong Xie and Shen Yan's conversation with his spiritual sense. He then transmitted his voice to Shen Yan, instructing her to say what he wanted. He wanted to wait for Rong Xie's attitude to soften before going out and admitting that he had mowed the lawn, apologized to Rong Xie, and said that he would take care of mowing the lawn from now on.
But things didn't go as he expected. The pruning work he thought he had done very well was seen by Rong Xie as "a spur-of-the-moment thing" and "for show," which made Shen Bingsi feel a little hurt.
But it must be admitted that Rong Xie was right.
Shen Bingsi had always known that managing the resort was not a simple matter. However, he had always been the one enjoying the benefits and hadn't thought about many of the issues in detail. Now that he was doing it himself, he realized that even something as simple as mowing the lawn had so many intricacies.
The most important key is to put your heart into it.
He dared not think about how much effort Rong Xie had put into making Huanxue Manor so impeccable, and he dared not think about what Huanxue Manor would become if Rong Xie left, and what his life would become.
Huanxue Manor cannot exist without Rong Xie, and he cannot live without Rong Xie!
Thinking this, when Rong Xie hinted that he was leaving, Shen Bingsi could no longer hold back and rushed out of the middle gate to Rong Xie.
"Why are you leaving again!"
Rong Xie was clearly taken aback.
While Rong Xie was in a daze, Shen Bingsi racked her brains to think of something to keep him there. Of course, it was impossible for her to admit that he had mowed the lawn, so she simply pushed all the blame onto the three servants. They were completely incompetent at cleaning and tidying up the manor, and what if they ruined it?
As expected, Rong Xie hesitated. Shen Bingsi thought sadly that using the manor as leverage was indeed more effective and more likely to make Rong Xie waver than using himself as leverage.
However, Shen Bingsi was willing to try anything that could sway Rong Xie and make him reluctant to leave.
Rong Xie hesitated for a moment, then said, "Don't worry, I will teach them one more time before I leave, making sure they all learn it before I go."
Shen Bingsi choked.
That's not what he meant. Why does it sound like he's worried that Huanxue Manor will be left unattended, which is why he's preventing Rong Xie from leaving? What do you mean by "I'm worried"... He's not at ease unless it's Rong Xie!
"No, you can't leave." Shen Bingsi thought for a long time before finally managing to squeeze out a dry sentence.
Rong Xie seemed quite helpless, and he looked at him again with the same look he had when examining the relics. Shen Bingsi had just seen with her spiritual sense that when Rong Xie stood outside the gate, he was looking at the lintel and roof tiles of Huanxue Manor with the same look.
If you can't bear to leave, why go in the first place? Is it because you've caught that "love" disease?
Shen Bingsi hated "liking" someone. If it weren't for "liking," he and Rong Xie would still be doing well...
Suddenly, Shen Bingsi had a flash of inspiration.
He recalled the long lecture his new strategist, Long Shaoye, had given him, which could be summarized as: as long as the person you like neither accepts nor rejects you, and you are gentle with them, they will be irresistibly drawn to you and will naturally follow you wholeheartedly.
Gentleness, the key is gentleness.
His temper was still too impatient. To persuade Rong Xie, he couldn't just rely on dryly saying "You're not allowed to leave."
Even if the lawn-cutting operation fails, he can still do other things. He shouldn't give up completely just because one operation fails.
Shen Bingsi composed himself and softened his tone. He noticed that he was gripping Rong Xie's shoulder tightly, and Rong Xie's expression showed slight discomfort. Shen Bingsi immediately released his grip and instead gently touched Rong Xie's shoulder, lightly brushing away the dust.
Rong Xie was only a little uncomfortable from being pinched, but seeing Shen Bingsi's actions, he couldn't help but feel a little confused. He thought that Shen Bingsi would throw a tantrum again, and that their meeting this time would end badly, but it didn't.
Shen Bingsi touched Rong Xie's shoulder a few times, as if she was carefully smoothing out the wrinkles in his clothes. Finally, she looked up, revealing a strange smile, and spoke slowly and softly: "I'm sorry, did I pinch you too hard?"
Rong Xie shuddered and looked at Shen Bingsi suspiciously. Shen Bingsi had been very agitated just now, but suddenly she started laughing and her tone of voice changed, which was a bit scary.
"It's...it's alright," Rong Xie replied hesitantly.
"You must be tired from your journey. Come in and rest. I'll make you some hot water. We can talk after you've rested." Shen Bingsi smiled and stepped through the middle door first.
Rong Xie stared in astonishment at Shen Bingsi's retreating figure. If it weren't for the fact that Shen Bingsi's cultivation had already surpassed the Nascent Soul stage and that this was Huanxue Manor, Rong Xie would have thought that he had been possessed by a demon or monster. How could his appearance have suddenly changed?
Rong Xie looked at Shen Yan standing to the side. Shen Yan was also somewhat surprised and puzzled. However, since Shen Bing Si had been in an abnormal state these days, Shen Yan was not as surprised as Rong Xie.
"What's wrong with him?" Rong Xie couldn't help but ask.
"I don't know either." Shen Yan shook her head. She had wanted to tell Rong Xie about Shen Bingsi asking Long Shaoye, that cunning strategist, but after thinking about it, she decided against it. That matter probably had nothing to do with Rong Xie. The person Shen Bingsi mentioned who liked him must be someone else, definitely not Brother Rong.
"Alright then." Rong Xie asked Shen Yan to come in with him. As they walked, he asked about the situation at the manor over the past month, how Long Shaoye and Fang Renji were doing, and whether Shen Bingsi had made things difficult for them. Shen Yan answered truthfully.
Except for mowing the lawn.
"How could it have been cut like this..."
As Rong Xie walked further into the backyard, more and more patchy grass appeared before his eyes. He looked at the bald patches of grass in surprise and couldn't help but ask repeatedly, "Is this really the lawn that Shen Yan and the others trimmed?"
"Hmm..." Shen Yan dared not deny it, after all, Shen Bingsi hadn't gone far.
Rong Xie observed for a while and realized something was wrong.
"This wasn't done by you, was it? The grass was cut very neatly, it looks like it was quickly trimmed in one go. It's just that the person mowing the lawn was distracted and didn't know how to use their strength. Sometimes they would cut an entire patch of grass away. If you had trimmed it slowly, you definitely wouldn't have achieved this effect."
Rong Xie said with certainty, "This was repaired by Shen Bingsi, wasn't it?"
Shen Yan sighed inwardly. As expected of Brother Rong, he was very perceptive. This was not something he said; it was Brother Rong who deduced it himself.
“Yes, the manor lord trimmed the backyard first. He wasn’t very skilled at it then. But he became much more skilled when he trimmed the front yard, especially the area right inside the gate. The manor lord put a lot of effort into that. Apart from you, Rong-ge, who could spot the flaws, the three of us really couldn’t see them,” Shen Yan said.
"So that's how it is." Rong Xie's previous odd observations now made sense. But why did Shen Bing Si suddenly decide to mow the lawn? If she's going to mow it, why didn't she tell him?
Rong Xie couldn't understand, but they had already arrived at the bathroom door. Shen Bingsi had obviously gone in to boil water, and wisps of white steam were floating out of the half-open door. He wondered what kind of commotion Shen Bingsi had been making inside.
Rong Xie felt a chill run down his spine when he thought of the patchy, bald patches of grass. He turned back and instructed Shen Yan to take Long Shaoye and Fang Renji to the front yard first, to do whatever they needed to do, and to try not to come to the back yard. He would go find them after he had dealt with Shen Bingsi.
"Yes!" Shen Yan breathed a sigh of relief, but was still a little worried about Rong Xie. "Brother Rong, please be careful."
"Yes, don't worry."
Fortunately, Shen Bingsi was quite skilled at boiling water.
Rong Xie walked into the bathroom and saw Shen Bingsi standing amidst the rising mist, with three large buckets of hot water in front of her.
Rong Xie hesitated for a moment, but still couldn't resist the temptation of taking a hot bath after a long journey. He stepped forward and reached out to test the water temperature.
It was a little warm, but you could imagine that after soaking in it, the fatigue and coldness in your bones would be expelled, and every muscle and skin would feel soft and comfortable.
Rong Xie looked up at Shen Bingsi, intending to thank him, but saw that he still had that strange smile on his face, looking at him without saying a word.
Rong Xie clenched his fists warily.
Suddenly, a fragrant breeze blew by.
Petals fluttered down from Shen Bingsi's raised hand and landed on the water's surface.
Rong Xie looked at the water surface in surprise, which was covered with flowers from who-knows-where. Shen Bing Si not only knew how to boil water, but now she could also scatter flower petals?
Shen Bingsi, who used to only think of eating noodles when taking a bath, is now scattering flower petals? He used to think this kind of fussy and impractical behavior was crazy, but now he's actually doing it too.
Could it be... that Shen Bingsi has really been possessed?
Perhaps because Xie's suspicious gaze was too obvious, Shen Bingsi coughed and said, "Then I'll go out."
"Hmm..." Rong Xie breathed a slight sigh of relief, at least Shen Bingsi didn't ask to take a petal bath with him.
“I’ll be right outside, if needed…” Shen Bingsi walked to the door, then turned back.
“Okay… I don’t need anything,” Rong Xie said.
"The bathrobe is on the cabinet outside." Shen Bingsi opened the door, turned around again, stood in the doorway, and said to Rong Xie.
Rong Xie was about to take off his coat, which was damp from the steam, when he heard this and tightened his collar: "Okay... fine."
"Call me if you need anything," Shen Bingsi said again before slowly closing the door.
Rong Xie saw Shen Bingsi's shadow standing outside the door. After a while, she walked to the side and crouched down, presumably sitting on the bench next to the cabinet.
Rong Xie frowned, tilted his head in confusion at the water's surface, and thought for a while, but couldn't figure it out.
The urge to take a bath overwhelmed everything. Rong Xie took off his clothes, stepped onto a small stool, and entered the bathtub, where hot water surrounded him from all sides.
"Phew...that feels so good."
Rong Xie slowly leaned against the edge of the bathtub and sighed comfortably.
Honestly, the petals smelled even better after being steamed by the heat. I wonder where Shen Bingsi got those petals in late autumn.
Taking a bath felt so good; Rong Xie felt all the fatigue from being in the bath was released.
Just as Rong Xie was emptying his mind and feeling blissfully ecstatic, there was a sudden knocking sound on the door.
Rong Xie suddenly sat up, shrank into the bathtub, and looked at the shadow that was approaching the door again with surprise and suspicion.
"Uh, I just wanted to ask if you need a shoulder massage... I can do that too..." Shen Bingsi's voice came through.
"No, no need."
Although taking a bath was very comfortable, Rong Xie couldn't relax and soak in it because he could see Shen Bingsi's shadow swaying in front of the door whenever he looked up.
Rong Xie finished washing and tidying up as quickly as possible, got out of the bathtub, took out a bathrobe from his personal pouch, changed into it, and went out.
When Shen Bingsi saw him come out dressed neatly, his expectant gaze immediately vanished. He pointed at Rong Xie and asked, "You... brought a bathrobe?"
"Yes, I brought it." Rong Xie couldn't help but worry and reached out to touch Shen Bing Si's forehead.
Shen Bingsi was overjoyed. Sure enough, the new strategist's words were useful. As long as he helped Rong Xie with some small things and was gentle, Rong Xie would not have the heart to push him away. Not only did he not push him away, but he also took the initiative to touch him. No one knew how comfortable it was to be touched by Rong Xie's cool and soft hands. Shen Bingsi could hardly suppress the corners of his mouth.
"...Bing Si, did you practice too hastily and damage your sea of consciousness?"
Rong Xie removed his hand from Shen Bingsi's forehead and gripped his sleeve tightly. "No, let's go to the main peak to find Sect Master Xue! Or, let's go to the Supreme Immortal Mountain to find your master...?"
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