Chapter 36 Being Misunderstood "Do you want to see my true face under the mask?" ...
Hearing the man's question, Shen Wenji's breathing suddenly stopped, and the redness on his ears spread to his cheeks like a tide, and even the skin immersed in the spring water turned a little red.
She suddenly turned her face away to avoid the burning gaze, her fingertips clenched white in the spring water.
The remaining touch on the side of my neck has not yet dissipated, and the residual warmth from my fingertips rolling over my skin is actually hotter than spring water.
"It has nothing to do with the host." Shen Wenji's voice was extremely dry, and the softness that had just been evaporated by the water vapor completely disappeared, leaving only a tense stiffness.
"The OP never reveals his true self. Everyone has secrets, and I'm sure he understands them. Why bother digging into them?"
Xie Yunqing seemed completely oblivious to her sarcasm. He rested his slender fingers on the black-gold mask and tapped it a few times leisurely. A hint of playful laughter trailed off his words, "You want to see my true face beneath the mask?"
Shen Wenji: "..."
It's hard to explain to this kind of person.
Seeing that she didn't say anything, Xie Yunqing's arm seemed to slide over her bare shoulders unintentionally, trapping her between his arms and the edge of the pool, creating a sense of oppression and dilemma.
He tilted his head slightly, and the edge of the mask brushed against her sweaty temples, bringing a slightly cool and itchy feeling.
"Is it nothing to do with me?" His voice became even softer, like a whisper between lovers, but with a firmness that brooked no argument. "But remember, Miss Shen just gave me a love letter today."
"If Miss Chen already has a lover or a Taoist partner." He paused, his voice beneath the mask tinged with coldness, "I shouldn't have gotten involved in this mess."
"Or rather," Xie Yunqing hummed, with a bitter sarcasm: "Miss Shen wants to have her feet in two boats?"
Don't talk nonsense like that. It's really unfair.
Shen Wenji's heart sank. She tried to turn her head, but bumped into the cold mask. Her throat tightened: "The host is joking. The love letter was a misunderstanding..."
"Miss Chen, do you mean to deny what happened today?" Xie Yunqing interrupted her and slammed the love letter to the edge of the pool.
His fingertips slid to her chin and gently pinched it, forcing her to turn her head: "Or do you think I have a good temper and you can tease me at will?"
Their intersecting gazes penetrated the mist and fell on his obscured eyebrows. The temperature of the warm spring seemed to rise suddenly, and she had difficulty breathing.
Shen Wenji tried to struggle to get up, but his shoulder bumped into his arm and was tied even tighter.
The water in the spring pool was stirred by the movement, and the black hair was entangled in the two people's crossed arms, wet and ambiguous.
"That's not what I meant." Shen Wenji's cheeks were burning hot, and his voice was filled with panic: "Let me go first, this place is not suitable for conversation. Wait until I change my clothes, and then I will explain it to you properly."
"There's no rush for this matter. There are more important things to do." Xie Yunqing responded calmly, as if his previous ruthlessness was just an illusion, which made Shen Wenji confused.
"What else?" She frowned.
Xie Yunqing did not answer, but slowly loosened his grip on her, took out a white jade porcelain bottle of ointment from his arms, and put it aside.
He stared at the wound on her neck with deep eyes, his brows slightly furrowed, and a trace of... regret surged in his eyes?
No, why should he be upset? It wasn't him who caused it...
For a moment, Shen Wenji couldn't understand his emotions.
While her thoughts were in a mess, she heard the person opposite her speak.
"Although the Yangling Spring can remove scars, this bite mark is too deep." Xie Yunqing lowered his eyes to look at her reflection in the spring water, and said in a serious tone, "I happen to have a flesh-growing ointment with me. It won't leave scars after applying it."
As he spoke, he picked up the white jade porcelain bottle, opened it, and dipped his fingertips in a little light green ointment. He gently supported her neck with one hand and held the other hand with the ointment in front of her: "I'll help you apply the ointment. This time, I'll be gentler."
Shen Wenji turned his face away, picked up the wooden spoon beside him, dipped some ointment in it, and pressed it on the wound on his neck. His voice was muffled: "Don't bother the host, I can do it myself."
Xie Yunqing didn't withdraw his hand, but instead pinched her wrist holding the wooden spoon, staring quietly at her gradually reddening earlobe, and suddenly chuckled: "Miss Shen just said that the wooden spoon was too hard."
Shen Wenji: "..."
This person did it on purpose.
She closed her eyes and finally gave up resisting. Well, someone was eager to help her apply the medicine, so she wasn't at a disadvantage.
The touch with thin calluses fell on the side of the neck again, but this time it was unusually light. The fingertips, with the coolness of the ointment, carefully circled the red and swollen area, and even his breathing became much lighter.
"Ah!" A sharp female scream suddenly rang out.
The two people beside the spiritual spring paused and turned back in tacit understanding.
Lingzhi was seen standing stiffly at the door, the tray in her arms fell to the ground with a clang, and the medicine bottles inside rolled all over the floor.
She covered her mouth and tremblingly stretched out a finger, first pointing at the man in black, and then shaking it back and forth between the two of them in horror.
The voice changed in tone due to fear: "Miss, who is he?"
Shen Wenji's heart skipped a beat, his thoughts instantly cleared up, and he shrank back into the spring water in panic.
Xie Yunqing pinched her exposed shoulder and stopped her in a deep voice: "You just applied the medicine, you can't get it wet."
Seeing this strange man touching Shen Wenji unscrupulously. Ling Zhi couldn't sit still anymore. Although her calves were still trembling, her angry voice was loud and clear: "You lecher, keep your hands away, or I'll call for help!"
The coolness of the pool wall passed through his back, and Shen Wenji managed to regain some composure.
"Lingzhi, please don't be rude." She raised her voice, trying to suppress the panic in her voice, "This is... the owner of Zuihua Tower."
Hearing Shen Wenji defending this strange man, Lingzhi's eyes widened.
She looked at the red mark on the side of her young lady's neck, which was covered by the ointment but was still faintly visible, and then looked at the man in black who was squatting by the pool with some traces of ointment on his fingers.
There was a buzzing in her head and Lingzhi almost fainted on the spot.
Her young lady was bathing in the Yangling Spring of the Hehuan Sect when a strange man appeared beside her. He was a man in black who looked not to be trifled with.
This scene... anyone who sees this scene will have some weird thoughts!
Xie Yunqing seemed to be fine. He slowly stood up and calmly washed his fingers stained with ointment in the copper basin.
He turned his face to the side, and his voice under the black and gold mask was calm and calm: “Miss Shen’s maid is loyal.”
To Lingzhi, these words sounded more like a provocation.
She snapped back to her senses, rushed to the edge of the pool, opened her arms and blocked Shen Wenji's way, her voice full of the stubbornness of protecting her master: "Even if it's someone you know, you shouldn't trespass into the Yangling Spring without permission. Don't you know the difference between men and women?"
Xie Yunqing nodded slightly and bowed: "It is true that I was rude. I apologize to Miss Shen."
How could Shen Wenji dare to accept his gift, as he still owed a huge favor and explanation.
She reached out and tugged at Lingzhi's clothes: "It's okay, the host...is here to deliver medicine."
Even she herself felt that this excuse was far-fetched. Ling Zhi even had a look on her face that said, "Miss, please stop lying to me." She was almost crying. "How could you deliver medicine to the spring? Miss, were you coerced by him?"
Seeing that Shen Wenji was unable to hold back, Xie Yunqing curled the corners of his lips and took the initiative to help cover up the lie.
He bent down and picked up the white jade porcelain bottle beside the spring pool, fastened the lid and threw it to Lingzhi: "This is the flesh-growing ointment I brought for Miss Shen. Now you should believe it."
Lingzhi took it in a hurry, and when she looked down, she found that it was almost the same as the regenerating ointment she had just taken, and the quality of the ointment was even better than what she had taken.
She stood there in a daze, and when she looked up at Xie Yunqing again, a hint of hesitation finally appeared in her suspicious eyes.
Could it be... that he really came to deliver medicine?
"I just saw that you haven't returned for a long time. Miss Shen's wound is not feeling well, so I overstepped my bounds." Xie Yunqing said calmly, as if he was really just helping out. "Since you are back, please serve your young lady well."
After saying that, he didn't even look at Shen Wenji, turned around and walked towards the door. When he passed Ling Zhi, he paused slightly and said lightly: "Remember to clean up the medicine bottles on the ground."
Lingzhi was intimidated by the invisible aura from him and nodded subconsciously.
It wasn't until the black figure disappeared into the night that she suddenly came to her senses. She turned around and rushed to the edge of the pool, lowering her voice and asking anxiously, "Miss, is he really just here to deliver medicine? He didn't hurt you, did he? What...what were you doing just now?"
Shen Wenji was overwhelmed by her barrage of questions, and his ears began to burn again.
Deliberately avoiding Ling Zhi's inquiring gaze, she said vaguely, "It's the owner of Zuihualou who I worked with before. Besides delivering the medicine, he also had some other matters to discuss. He stumbled in by accident and saw that I was having trouble applying the medicine, so...he just lent a hand. It's really nothing."
"Do I need to be so close to lend a hand?" Ling Zhi was obviously unconvinced and muttered, "A grown man is bound to be clumsy. Let me help the young lady reapply the ointment to the wound."
Her eyes fell on the side of Shen Wenji's neck, but she was surprised to find that the ointment was applied extremely evenly and meticulously, as if he knew it like the back of his hand, taking care of even the smallest red marks.
Ling Zhi suddenly paused, as if she had thought of something, her expression suddenly changed: "Miss, this injury could be..."
Shen Wenji felt uncomfortable under her knowing look and interrupted her abruptly: "Don't let your imagination run wild! Quickly pack your things, the host is waiting to discuss important matters with me in detail."
Lingzhi wanted to ask more, but she saw that Shen Wenji looked embarrassed and annoyed, unwilling to talk about what happened yesterday. She had no choice but to swallow her questions, squatted down, hurriedly picked up the medicine bottles on the ground, and helped him put on his dress.
The warm spring was still misty, but the vague ambiguous atmosphere just now had long been dissipated by Lingzhi's disturbance.
Shen Wenji looked at his blurry reflection on the water, his cheeks still burning hot. The touch of his fingertips and the low voice just now once again uncontrollably surged into his heart.
She took a deep breath, suppressed her chaotic thoughts, and her eyes fell on the pink envelope next to the fountain. She frowned and opened it carefully.
Although she was mentally prepared, she still felt embarrassed when she saw the sticky love words in the letter, and she even had the urge to tear it up.
She took the letter and quickly walked out of Yangling Spring, and saw the owner of Zuihua Tower leaning against a flourishing Albizia tree with his arms folded.
Hearing her footsteps, he raised his eyes lazily: “Miss Shen, are you ready to explain?”
Shen Wenji nodded: "This letter was written by my elder imitating my handwriting. That day at the Wangyou Inn, she misunderstood our relationship and kept trying to bring us together. I'm really sorry for causing you trouble."
She was afraid that the other party would not believe her verbally, so she handed the letter over and took out the post she had just asked Lingzhi to get, which was the post on which she practiced calligraphy.
Pointing to certain strokes on the letter paper that were deliberately imitated but still different, he said, "Look, the turning and ending of the strokes here are different from what I'm used to. This letter really wasn't written by me."
"I see." Xie Yunqing's voice was calm, but he felt relieved in his heart.
He looked at Shen Wenji's pale cheeks in the moonlight, his heart moved slightly, and he asked tentatively: "Miss Shen is anxious to cut off ties with me, is there someone she likes?"
“I…” Shen Wenji was speechless.
"Could it be that you're trapped in love? If you don't mind, you can tell me about it." Xie Yunqing pretended to be profound and coaxed him: "After all, I run such a big Zuihualou, and I've seen a lot of love affairs."
Perhaps it was the perfect atmosphere, or perhaps it was the frustration she had pent up in her heart with nowhere to vent, but looking into those deep eyes, she spoke as if possessed by a spirit: "You guessed right, I'm frustrated by love."
The corners of her mouth barely arched up, the bleak moonlight adding a hint of bitterness. Her voice was so soft it sounded like a sigh: "What if the person you love... doesn't love you back?"
The one he loves? Xie Yunqing pricked up his ears quietly, his heart beating fast.
What does this mean? Could it be that Shen Wenji has someone else in his heart? No wonder he rejected my confession yesterday...
A nameless jealousy suddenly surged up, and he practically gritted his teeth as he spoke in a cold, hard voice, "Of course, we should make a decision when necessary. Since ancient times, have those who were wishful thinking ever had a good ending?"
Shen Wenji was slightly stunned. This answer was cold and direct, but it was also expected. But it was easier said than done. Because if the word "emotion" could be easily controlled, how could it be called a dilemma?
She smiled bitterly, lowered her eyelashes, and said, "Thank you for your advice, I will consider it carefully."
Xie Yunqing patted her shoulder soothingly: "There are many beautiful women in the world. Instead of reminiscing about them, you should pay more attention to the people around you..." For example, I confessed to you yesterday.
Shen Wenji was no longer in the mood to talk about romance. She handed him the booklet she had just asked Lingzhi to fetch and said, "I've read the secret manual of martial arts written by the OP. He also wrote down some thoughts and revision plans. I wonder if the OP would be willing to take the time to study it with us tonight?"
Xie Yunqing took the booklet and paused. If they finished discussing it today, what excuse would he use to ask her to go to Zuihualou in three days?
He coughed lightly, his mind racing. "I knew Miss Shen had brilliant insights, but my memory is poor. The complete manual and many subsequent deduction details are all kept by Xie Yunqing. He also has considerable experience in this area, and many of our ideas were developed together."
He paused, speaking slightly faster, with a barely perceptible sense of guilt: "Why don't you... go ask him."
"Can……"
"Oh, I suddenly remembered that I still have some important matters to deal with at Zuihualou. Now that the story behind this love letter has been clarified, I won't stay any longer. See you another day."
Shen Wenji stood there in a daze, holding the booklet, secretly complaining: Masters are indeed weird and puzzling.
I had originally planned to have a good rest, but as soon as I closed my eyes, all I could see was Xie Yunqing's face, and I felt inexplicably annoyed.
She couldn't fall asleep either way, and she didn't want to be affected by love, so she got up and tried to clear her mind of distracting thoughts through practice.
Just as she entered into a state of meditation, she was suddenly pulled by a force, and her surroundings instantly fell into chaos.
When my vision cleared, I looked at the layout of the surrounding scene and it seemed like I was in the devil's world?
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The author has something to say: Xiao Xie is now complacent, thinking that he has solved his love rival by using the vest. He will cry in the future. [狗头] Now I will order a song for him, "If I Could Do It Again"
Thank you all for your subscription support! Thank you for the nutrient solution irrigation! [Starry Eyes] I would like to order a song for everyone, "Confession Balloon" [Kiss][Red Heart] I love you all, bow~
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