“Previously, you said you wanted to punish me ah, Xiao Xing?” Wu Ruyi asked as he lifted his dark eyebrows. His eyes gleamed with a bit of teasing.

Wu Ruyi was currently accompanying Zhao Xing at the ancestral hall. He just snuck out and brought some of her favorite desserts to lift her mood. And of course, they were not stupid enough to kneel all night long. They even had a mattress, quilt and hand warmers.

Although Zhao Xing felt somewhat guilty, she ended up not even caring after all! She was enjoying a great time with Ruyi, sitting on top of soft pillows and the sheets! This bodyguard of hers was the best! Absolutely!

Zhao Xing blinked her eyes innocently upon hearing Ruyi’s questions. At the moment, her right hand held a candied wintermelon as her left hand was busy stuffing hawthorn cake inside her mouth.

Swallowing her desserts, the girl answered, “Of course! Who told you to land on the tigress’ den ah? She really thought that you were one of her pursuers, Big Brother!”

“I’m not blind yet!” Wu Ruyi snorted coldly.

The second miss laughed unrestrainedly upon seeing his disgusted looks. She thought, Wu Ruyi might be the only man who’ll say these kinds of things. While the menfolks in capital were worshipping Zhao Qing like she was a goddess, this lad despised her greatly.

“What?” Wu Ruyi glared at the girl before him. Even though the man appeared as if he were annoyed, deep inside he was holding back himself from smiling. Zhao Xing had such a contagious smile and laughter. She would makeanyone smile with her—he was no exception.

Zhao Xing found it hard to stop laughing, but she tried with all her might. “Ruyi-ah, previously, if you pretended that you were indeed one of her pursuers, she might’ve given an excuse to let you go!”

“Nonsense!”

Ruyi gulped the wine from the jar and wiped his mouth with his sleeves. A bit of the wine spilled from the corner of his lips and down to his neck.

For a moment, Zhao Xing had remembered just how beautiful the male was. With his robes slightly opened to reveal smooth skin and haunting eyes that pierced through her, she became a bit stunned at the sight. However, she quickly shook her head and landed her gaze to the wound on the corner of his tempting lips.

“Ruyi-ah, come closer!” Zhao Xing ordered as she dug into her sleeves to take out a small jar of ointment.

“Huh?” Wu Ruyi was surprised at Zhao Xing’s sudden order.

“Tsk! I need to treat the wound on your lips ah!” Getting impatient, the transmigrator jumped closer to Ruyi. She positioned herself right before the man, leaning in close before takinga pinch of the ointment with her pinky finger.

“Oh!” Facing this kind of scene, the man wasn’t awkward at all. This wasn’t the first time Zhao Xing treated his wounds, so he was quite familiar. However, being this close with his mistress, it was something new for Wu Ruyi.He wasn’t the type of person who would feel shy or awkward, so he boldly gazed at Zhao Xing.

The second miss frowned upon seeing the wound. “Ruyi-ah, why didn’t you slap her hand when she was about to slap you? If she left a mark, the beauties in the capital and your fans will cry a river ah! Your future wife will also be disappointed!”

“Will you?” Wu Ruyi locked his gaze with the girl’s eyes.

“As your best friend, of course I won’t mind! But I don’t think your future wife will be as magnanimous as me!”

An unusual, magnetic laughter was came out from Ruyi’s mouth. He was laughing at her words and her wooden brain at the same time. She was so dense! But... that’s good. That meant she might not understand in the future if someone else tries to court her. He still has a chance!

In Zhao Xing’s ears, Ruyi’s laughter was filled with scorn toward her. Lately, this person always made fun of her no matter where they were at. Thus, she glared at the man and poked at the small injury.

“If I wasn’t so magnanimous I wouldn’thave helped you to deal with that snake! So hateful!”

“Ouch! Be gentle ah!” Wu Ruyi grimaced in pain, making him hissed. His laughter was forcefully stopped because of it.

The transmigrator only snorted in annoyance and placed her ointment back inside her sleeves. And she returned to her mattress, busying herself with her candied winter melons.

Wu Ruyi’s eyes immediately softened upon looking at this young lady. She was so pure and out of this world. Her mind wasn’t scheming, and she was so soft toward everyone. If she decided to help someone, she would do it sincerely without expecting anything back. She was so different with those girls in the palace or the other noble ladies.

“Xiao Xing?”

Zhao Xing lifted her head in instant. “What?”

The man hugged his knees. He looked directly at Zhao Xing’s eyes as he asked, “Back then, why did you save me?”

The transmigrator mentally rolled her eyes. Did she need any reason to save a person? This Ruyi was really something ah!

“Ruyi-ah, if you see someone being bullied by a group of people and they’re heavily wounded, woudn’t you help him out as well?” Zhao Xing tilted her head, her eyes blinking brightly as she awaited Wu Ruyi’s answer.

Almost without thinking, the man answered, “I won’t!”

“...” The girl’s lips twitched.

“What if that person has a dark background and history? Or he might turn out to be a bad person?” Ruyi lifted his eyebrows as he looked expectantly at Zhao Xing.

The transmigrator narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

“Ruyi-ah, don’t say... you’re someone from jianghu[1] dark sect? You’re their leader who went missing,and you lost your martial art abilities! And then you unfortunately met with a group of bandits before being sold as a servant? My poor Wu Ruyi! No wonder you’re so heartless to others! Ah... what a sad man you are!”

This time, it was Ruyi who rolled his eyes. He poked Zhao Xing’s forehead with his finger as he spoke. “Your imagination is too wild!”

The second miss clutched her forehead and pouted her cherry-lips, making her appear more adorable.

“Quickly take a rest, I will guard you from the outside!” Wu Ruyi pushed her away gently before grabbing a soft blanket and wrapping it around her shoulders. Zhao Xing scooter closer to the male and felt him slightly flinch.

“What? It’s cold. A blanket can not satisfy me alone! Hurry and come closer!”

Zhao Xing took the large blanket and also wrapped Wu Ruyi inside of it, making him comfortable and warm as they sat inside the chilled room. Zhao Xing already regarded this man as her Elder Brother, thus she didn’t feel anything when she was close to him.

But, Ruyi was different case...

“Okay...” Ruyi’s cheeks flushed red and he coughed before looking away frantically.

He scooted a bit closer and was stunned when Zhao Xing rested her head on top of his shoulder. He didn’t say anything, he just wanted to cherish this moment and closed his eyes, feeling the girl’s warmth.

Who knows when there may be another time when he can get so close to her like this?

In the morning, the news of Zhao Xing voluntarily being punished for her guard reach the princess’ courtyard. As her mother, the princess naturally didn’t accept such schemes from a mere daughter of a concubine! Thus, she marched to the prime minister and asked for justice.

See? Succumbing doesn’t mean losing! Hehehe...

● ● ●

Several days after the camping night in the ancestrall hall, Zhao Xing decided to hang out and stroll around the capital city. The main reason was not only because she was dying from boredom, but it was also to look for certain medicinal herbs to make a pill for her body.

“Young Miss, the capital city is so lively ah!” Xiao Yi exclaimed excitedly as she walked beside her young mistress.

Both of them currently walked along the main road of the city. Beside them, various shops, restaurants and tea houses stood proudly at both sides of the road. Street vendor stalls also lined up along the curbside, making the city appear more lively.

Zhao Xing didn’t disguise herself as a youngsterfor this day. The transmigrator was wearing a pale, sky-blue hanfu with sapphire colored Qingniao[2] bird embroideries.A matching silken belt encircled her willow-like waist while a navy jinbu adorned with jade hung from it.

The transmigrator didn’t pay much attention to her surroundings, she didn’t know that the moment she came out from the manor, all eyes were locked onto her fairy-like figure.Everyone who was stuck just staring at her felt like the heavens just blessed them with her ethereal beauty.

“Young Miss, in front of us is the most famous antique shop in capital city. Didn’t Young Miss want to visit this store several days ago?”

Zhao Xing stopped and looked up at the large, two-story building before her. She contemplated for several moments before murmuring, “Actually, it’s useless to visit this place. That mask won’t be here. But since we have nothing to do, let’s go inside and take a look. If we find something good, let’s buy it as a gift for Mother!”

“That’s right! Her Highness will be very happy after receiving a gift from Young Miss!” Xiao Yi smiled happily, the corners of her lips reaching from ear to ear.

When the two just passed the entrance, a familiar voice suddenly greeted them from inside the antique shop, “Xing’er? It’s rare to see you come out from the manor!”

Zhao Xing suddenly regretted her decision to visit the antique shop. If only she had a radar that could detect this snake like a GPS, she definitely would have never entered this place at all! Now, the transmigrator could only glance up at the ceiling with a face full of grievance.

Heavens ah! What kind of trial is this?

 

Author’s Note:

[1] The Chinese word jianghu (江湖) literally translates to “rivers and lakes” but it means so much more.Jianghu is the name of the brotherhood of outsiders that existed in old China. It is the counterculture society of workers who made their living with the skill of their own two hands: craftsmen, beggars, thieves, street performers, fortune tellers, wandering healers, and many martial artists.

[2] The Qingniao (traditional Chinese: 青鳥; simplified Chinese: 青鸟; pinyin: qīngniǎo; "Blue (or Green) Bird (or birds)") were Blue or Green Birds which appear in Chinese mythology, popular stories, poetry, and religion.