Chapter 56 To Get Her
In the evening, Jiang Shen'er, as the host, prepared a sumptuous feast at Qimeng Villa to treat Ning Jue and Bai Hua to a meal.
Jiang Shen'er sat alone in the main seat, while Ning Jue and Bai Hua sat kneeling on either side of the table.
The maids, all dressed in purple and with beautiful faces, lined up and entered the main hall one by one with their eyes lowered, gracefully pouring the warmed wine into the cups.
With a smile, Jiang Shen'er began to introduce, "I heard that you haven't had a chance to properly savor the delicacies of the Southern Region since you arrived in Guocheng. The chef in my manor is just as good as the famous restaurants outside. There's also this specially made Nanzhu wine, which has the effect of nourishing and replenishing qi. Try it and see if it suits your taste."
Ning Jue raised his glass in response, but Bai Hua did not make a move.
The day after tomorrow would be their life-or-death battle. However, at this moment, the two who had signed the life-or-death agreement both had calm and serene expressions. Only Bai Hua, who was not directly involved, was worried and solemn, and could not eat anything at all.
She couldn't understand how the two of them could be so indifferent in the face of life and death.
Jiang Shen'er noticed Bai Hua and lowered her gaze slightly. Their eyes met, and she asked with a smile, "Is the food not to your liking?"
Bai Hua shook her head and replied, "It's because I don't have a good appetite."
Jiang Shen'er suggested, "You can use some wine to whet your appetite. This wine is not strong; it's mild and won't make you feel uncomfortable if you drink it on an empty stomach. On the contrary, it can bring you a pleasant feeling."
Bai Hua nodded and drank half a cup of wine.
Ning Jue glanced at her, his eyes showing a hint of worry. She was always drunk after just one drink and had a very limited alcohol tolerance.
Fortunately, the Nan Zhu wine was mild enough for her to drink. Although she drank more than half a cup in one go, her face did not turn red and her eyes remained clear.
Ning Jue looked away and drank a cup himself.
Jiang Shen'er looked at Xiang Baihua and said, "Miss Apeng looks very serious and has lost her appetite. She must be worried about the martial arts competition the day after tomorrow. Don't worry, although we signed a life-or-death agreement, it's just a standard procedure. We don't necessarily have to fight to the death. Don't worry, your young master will not be in any danger."
These words did not comfort her.
Bai Hua knew in her heart that Senior Umbrella Immortal might only regard the competition the day after tomorrow as a normal exchange, but Young Master would definitely go all out, rise to the challenge, and never give up until he achieved his purpose of testing her.
In addition, since the two are roughly equal in martial arts skills, when they face off, they will both use their best skills. In a life-or-death situation, who will hold back in order to protect themselves?
If it really comes down to a situation where it's either you or me, no one will be the kind person who would be willing to sacrifice themselves.
Jiang Shen'er teased Ning Jue again, saying, "It seems she's really afraid you'll lose your life. In her eyes, you're not as good as me."
Ning Jue said calmly, "We'll know who's better the day after tomorrow."
These words struck Bai Hua's ears harshly, causing her heart to skip a beat in fear.
Senior Umbrella Fairy's attitude was not aggressive, but the young master was clearly menacing and unforgiving.
She didn't interrupt the conversation, listening as the Umbrella Immortal continued, "If tomorrow were my last day, I would like to rush to the outskirts of Qi, the capital of Great Yan. But then I think the journey is too far, and I can't get there in a day. It would be pointless to go through all that trouble. It would be better to stay comfortably in Qimeng Manor and have a good night's sleep. What about you? If tomorrow were your last day, what would you like to do?"
Upon hearing this, Bai Hua also shifted her gaze to the young master.
Ning Jue picked up his wine cup and drank it down. After putting the cup down, he paused for a moment, then looked up and locked his gaze on Bai Hua.
He said clearly, word by word, "I want to marry her."
Bai Hua's gaze froze, and the panicked beating of her heart suddenly turned into a frantic pounding, thump thump thump... Her fingers, hidden under her skirt, clenched tightly into her flesh, unable to calm down for a moment.
Jiang Shen'er covered her mouth with her hand, her eyebrows curved as she chuckled softly, her eyes full of novelty and excitement.
She said, "Your answer is truly unexpected... It just so happens that there hasn't been a happy occasion in my Qimeng Manor for quite some time. How about I send you wedding clothes and nuptial wine tomorrow, and you can bow to heaven and earth?"
It was a joke, and Ning Jue did not respond.
Jiang Shen'er stopped staring at Ning Jue and instead looked at Bai Hua with amusement, saying with a smile, "What do you think, Miss A Peng? You are loyal to your master, don't you want to fulfill your young master's last wish at this critical moment of life and death?"
Bai Hua was at a loss for words at her senior's teasing. A blush quickly rose on her cheeks, and she stood there at a loss for what to do.
However, constantly hunching over with her neck drooping and head down would make her look too petty. Bai Hua cheered herself up, took a deep breath, and finally sat up straight, looking ahead.
As a result, their eyes met.
She didn't know how long the young master had been looking at her, or if he had just glanced at her. The moment their eyes met, Bai Hua felt restless and naturally recalled their private conversation in the room a few hours earlier.
"Sharing the same bed and sleeping in the same room, intimately close."
The two seem to have reached a consensus on this matter.
But before everything was finalized, a figure appeared outside the door. It was a maid from the manor knocking to deliver a message that the master intended to host a banquet.
The two had to stop talking.
Afterwards, Ning Jue remained calm and composed, as if nothing had happened, while Bai Hua's emotions were outwardly displayed, her heart pounding uncontrollably.
Ning Jue's nonchalant attitude made Bai Hua wonder if what she thought was a consensus was just wishful thinking and a misunderstanding.
She had been lost in thought for a while when Ning Jue revealed that his dying wish was to marry her.
Marry.
It was a rigorous and formal term that she hadn't imagined.
Bai Hua's breathing slowed, unsure of how to respond.
Fortunately, Jiang Shen'er didn't press the matter. Her gaze swept between the two of them, and she roughly understood the situation. Then, her red lips curved into a smile, and she said in a light tone, "Look at me, what a silly question I asked. You two are in love, why do you need me to play matchmaker?"
Upon hearing this, Bai Hua felt even more embarrassed. She lowered her head again, thinking that it was fine to appear petty, but she didn't want to have her face flushed red and be stared at by everyone.
Ning Jue replied, "Senior, you should focus on yourself. How are we going to compete the day after tomorrow? I broke your umbrella, and now you don't have a suitable weapon. Senior, would you like to get a new one, or to be fair, I won't use my sword either?"
Jiang Shen'er: "The Sword Saint's disciple doesn't use a sword, what kind of martial arts are you competing in? Neither of you uses any weapons... Do you think this is child's play? Just use your own and show your true skills, otherwise you won't get the upper hand here."
Having been mistreated by his good intentions, Ning Jue said no more.
The meal ended quietly, and Jiang Shen'er didn't bring up any more topics. Ning Jue and Bai Hua naturally didn't try to make conversation.
Before the event ended, Jiang Shen'er said to Ning Jue, "Your friends have been lingering outside my manor suspiciously. You should spread the word as soon as possible that you'll stay for a couple more days, otherwise things will get ugly if a fight breaks out between the two sides."
Ning Jue showed no change in expression and replied, "Understood."
In fact, he had already made arrangements with Chen Fu and the others before he came. After he broke into the manor alone, they would secretly lie in ambush and wait for an opportunity to come to his aid.
He carried two signal flares with him, one red and one green. The red one indicated an emergency, and once released, they would need to break down the door to provide assistance immediately. The green one, on the other hand, indicated that the situation was safe and under control.
Ning Jue had initially expected Jiang Shen'er to use diplomacy first, but it seemed she only intended to be polite and had no intention of resorting to force. After the banquet, Ning Jue stood in the courtyard and released a green signal flare to confirm that he would be staying at the villa that night, sending a signal to Chen Fu and the others that it was safe.
Jiang Shen'er stepped down the stairs and walked to his side, saying, "I won't be at the manor tomorrow. I have to go back to the city. His Majesty summoned me, so I can't put on too much airs. But you can't go out. Just stay at the manor peacefully for the day. If you need anything, just call the maid. The martial arts competition is imminent, and life and death are uncertain. If there's anything you want or hope for, you should hurry up and do it."
As she said this, her eyes darted around somewhat casually, a smile playing on her lips, yet also hinting at a flirtatious undertone.
As for this thread, it was naturally entangled between Ning Jue and Bai Hua.
Jiang Shen'er left, and her maids followed her away. Several rough-clothed servants entered the courtyard and quietly tidied up the leftover food on the table.
Ning Jue left with Bai Hua.
They were settled in a side courtyard, the same courtyard where the two had met during the day. It was behind the main courtyard, not exactly remote, but very quiet and elegant.
On the way, the two walked along the covered walkway. A gentle night breeze was blowing. Ning Jue walked slowly, intentionally accommodating Bai Hua's pace.
He had something to say, but he didn't speak immediately, carefully considering his words.
After a long pause, he finally said, "If I'm not mistaken, there's only one bedroom in the side courtyard, so we'll have to stay there tonight."
Bai Hua already knew, and she responded softly, "...Mm."
Ning Jue then said, "How about you sleep on the bed and I sleep on the floor? The canopy bed is very big, and the floor is spacious enough. I can lay out a mat and bedding and make do for one night."
Bai Hua's lips moved slightly, and she mustered her courage to say, "Di Pingliang, the young master will be officially competing the day after tomorrow. Don't let the cold affect the results of the competition."
The meaning of this is quite obvious.
Ning Jue gave her a deep look, but didn't stop. He took a breath, his heart pounding, his blood boiling, his palms getting hot, and his breathing becoming heavier.
He didn't reply verbally, but instead took Bai Hua's hand and walked forward side by side, his pace seemingly quickening.
Bai Hua struggled to keep up, taking two steps to catch up with him one, looking very flustered.
Her skirt swayed like the green lotus leaves fluttering in the wind, rippling with vivid curves, occasionally revealing a small section of her fair ankle, even more tender than a fresh lotus root.
...
The two had slept in the same bed before.
However, the previous situation was special. The two were sailing on a ship when they encountered a storm. Because she was afraid of thunder, the young master slept in the same bed with her to protect and take care of her. Compared with the current situation, the circumstances are very different.
What was once an emergency plan has now become... a voluntary co-sleeping arrangement.
The bed curtains were drawn, and Bai Hua quickly washed up and lay down on the bed first. After hesitating for a moment, she took off her outer robe, leaving her in only a thin undergarment.
Having already agreed to share a bed and be intimately close, she tried to overcome her shame, closed her eyes, and threw her light pink outer garment out of the quilt and tossed it to her feet.
A short while later, Ning Jue also came out of the bathroom.
He was wearing a white undergarment, leaving his outer garment in the bathroom. As he approached the bed, he bent down and reached out to grab a corner of the blanket, lifting it slightly with a gentle touch.
Bai Hua showed no sign of resistance, and naturally rolled over and moved further into the couch, leaving him plenty of space.
After getting into bed, Ning Jue remained silent. He lay flat for a moment, staring blankly at the ceiling beams, before suddenly rolling over, bracing himself with his arms, and pressing down on Bai Hua, completely enveloping her.
She didn't show obvious surprise, but she was somewhat taken aback.
Even if you are mentally prepared beforehand, it's inevitable to feel nervous when doing something like this.
Their hearts were pounding so hard that they almost shook each other because they were so close together.
Bai Hua reached out and gently touched his chest, calling out to him, "...Young Master."
This was her most common way of addressing him, something she had heard hundreds, if not thousands, of times in her daily life.
It used to be ordinary, but now, hearing that "young master" again, he felt a deep, tender emotion, so tender it made his eardrums tingle.
Ning Jue reached down with one hand, trying to lift her waist, while simultaneously pushing his knees up, attempting to help her separate her knees.
Bai Hua held her breath nervously, her entire face and neck turning almost completely red.
Fortunately, the moonlight outside the window was hazy, and the candlelight was not lit, so the room was dim. He could not see her blushing face, which looked like it was about to bleed, and could only look into her bright eyes.
Her eyes were bright and beautiful, but they also held a hint of tension, panic, and unease.
Ning Jue's eyes, however, were dark and unfathomable, staring straight ahead with undisguised desire, greed, and possessiveness.
Tonight, he is determined to have her.
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