Compromise

Seeing Yang Ning finally compromise and walk towards her, the corners of Shi Xuanfei's lips, hidden beneath her veil, curved into a triumphant arc. Her hands, which had been supporting her chin, were lowered, and she sat up straight on the embroidered stool, assuming a posture of waiting for service.

Yang Ning walked silently behind Shi Xuanfei and gently placed the gift box on a low table nearby.

"Peak Master Shi, please forgive me," he said, his voice flat, betraying no emotion.

"Come on~" Shi Xuanfei's tone was light and expectant.

Yang Ning first opened the bottle of Essence Dew and began to explain in a voice devoid of any fluctuation, "Every morning and night, after thoroughly cleansing your face, take a small amount of Essence Dew into your palm."

At this moment, Shi Xuanfei was observing Yang Ning behind her through the bright bronze mirror in front of her. She saw that his face was devoid of any superfluous expression, as calm as a deep, ancient well. She then looked closely at Yang Ning's eyes—those eyes were crystal clear, without a trace of offense, desire, or astonishment, only complete focus and... an almost indifferent calmness.

The playful and triumphant smile on Shi Xuanfei's face instantly faded considerably. Her delicate brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, and a flicker of surprise and... displeasure? flashed through her mind.

Next, Yang Ning followed the instructions, taking a small amount of the clear Essence Dew into his palm and continuing, "Then, press it with your palms and apply it evenly all over your face."

After speaking, he reached out from behind Shi Xuanfei. The moment his fingertips were about to touch her skin, Shi Xuanfei's smooth, round shoulders trembled almost imperceptibly.

From this angle, if Yang Ning merely lowered his head slightly, his gaze could easily penetrate the thin veil on her shoulders, revealing a more breathtaking and blood-pumping view of her cleavage than the day before. However, Yang Ning's gaze remained fixed straight ahead, locked onto the bronze mirror before him.

As Yang Ning's slightly cool palm pressed against Shi Xuanfei's warm and smooth cheek, her delicate body trembled uncontrollably, and her slender hands, which had been casually resting by her sides, unconsciously clenched into fists.

Yang Ning's tone remained calm and steady as he recited from the instructions, "Next, gently pat and massage the forehead, cheeks, chin, and other areas to promote the skin's full absorption of the Essence Dew."

As he explained, his hands continued to move, strictly following his own words as he worked on that flawless complexion. His technique was surprisingly gentle and precise.

After the Essence Dew was used up, he immediately took out the eye cream and continued in the same monotonous tone, "This is eye cream. Use your fingertips to take a small amount, dot it onto the under-eye area, then gently dot it from the inner corner to the outer corner of the eye towards the temples, and then along the brow bone to the inner corner of the upper eyelid."

"Finally, dot the eye cream in the area between the eyebrows until fully absorbed. Throughout the process, use gentle pressing and massaging to promote the absorption of the surrounding skin."

As he spoke, Yang Ning meticulously applied the eye cream for her, then began to gently massage her temples with his fingertips. His movements were slow and rhythmic, with just the right amount of pressure, bringing waves of relaxing comfort.

As he massaged, Shi Xuanfei's slightly tense body gradually relaxed, and the fists she had clenched had, at some unknown point, quietly loosened.

A strange silence fell over the hall, broken only by their shallow breaths and Yang Ning's occasional, emotionless product explanations.

After a while, Shi Xuanfei seemed to finally snap out of the comfortable massage. Closing her eyes, she spoke as if casually, breaking the silence, "Boss Yang, when... when did you become an advisor for the Law Enforcement Hall?"

Yang Ning's hands did not stop, and his tone remained as calm as water, "That's right. I was honored by Hall Master Yun's regard and took office three days ago."

Due to Yang Ning's perfectly timed massage, Shi Xuanfei unconsciously let out a few very soft, very contented hums from her throat. She seemed very pleased with the service and continued with her eyes closed, saying, "The Law Enforcement Hall is located in a remote, damp, and dark place. I know my Senior Sister; she's an unromantic, icy block of a person and difficult to get along with. Why doesn't Boss Yang consider developing your career on Jade Maiden Peak? Whatever salary Hall Master Yun offers you in Spirit Stones, I, Shi Xuanfei, will offer you double. How about it?"

Yang Ning's hands paused slightly at her words, and his tone remained flat, "Peak Master Shi is joking. You've already dismissed all the male disciples from the outer sect, and yet you want to invite a stranger like me to be an advisor for Jade Maiden Peak? It probably wouldn't be appropriate, either logically or emotionally."

Shi Xuanfei narrowed her eyes and smiled, "The matter of expelling the male disciples from the outer sect, isn't that... Boss Yang's own idea?"

"My idea?" Yang Ning's tone finally showed a ripple of emotion.

Shi Xuanfei kept her eyes closed, but the smile that had just disappeared reappeared on her lips, even deeper than before. "If it weren't your idea, Boss Yang, why would you have gone to such lengths to spread rumors everywhere that the Demonic Cult disciple caught by our Jade Maiden Peak was lusting after the female cultivators on our peak?"