Compromise

Seeing Yang Ning finally give in and walk toward her, the corners of Shi Xuanfei's mouth curled beneath her veil, forming the faintest trace of a scheme coming to fruition. She lowered the hands that had been propping up her chin, sat properly on the Embroidered Stool, and struck a pose of someone waiting to be served.

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

"Peak Master Shi, excuse me." His voice was flat, giving away nothing of his feelings.

"Go ahead~" Shi Xuanfei replied brightly, her voice full of anticipation.

Yang Ning first opened the bottle of Essence Dew and began explaining in a perfectly even tone, "Every morning and night, after thoroughly cleansing your face, take a small amount of Essence Dew into your palm."

At that moment, Shi Xuanfei was carefully watching Yang Ning behind her in the gleaming bronze mirror before her. His face showed no unnecessary expression, as still as a deep, ancient well. She deliberately studied his eyes as well. They were crystal clear, devoid of even the slightest hint of offense, desire, or admiration—only complete focus and... an almost cold serenity.

The teasing, self-satisfied smile that had been on Shi Xuanfei's face faded considerably. Her delicate brows even drew together ever so slightly, and surprise—and... displeasure?—flickered through her mind.

Then, following the instructions, Yang Ning took a small amount of the sparkling Essence Dew into his palm and continued, "Next, press with your palm and spread it evenly over your entire face."

As he finished speaking, he reached around her from behind. The instant his fingertips were about to touch her cheek, Shi Xuanfei's rounded jade shoulder gave an almost imperceptible tremble.

From this angle, Yang Ning only had to lower his head slightly to see straight through the thin veil over her shoulder and catch a glimpse of a ravine even more breathtaking and blood-stirring than yesterday's. Yet his gaze remained fixed straight ahead, locked firmly on the bronze mirror before him.

As Yang Ning's cool palm touched Shi Xuanfei's warm, smooth cheek, her delicate body trembled slightly despite herself. The slender hand resting at her side unconsciously clenched into a fist.

Yang Ning's voice remained perfectly even as he recited the instructions: "Next, gently pat and massage the forehead, cheeks, chin, and other areas to help the skin fully absorb the Essence Dew."

As he explained, his hands never stopped moving. He followed his own instructions to the letter, working over her flawless, porcelain-smooth face with unexpectedly gentle, practiced movements.

Once he had finished applying the Essence Dew, he immediately took out the bottle of Eye Cream and continued in that same level tone. "This is Eye Cream. Use your fingertip to pick up a small amount and dab it beneath the lower eyelid. Then gently dab from the inner corner of the eye toward the outer corner and up to the temple, before following the brow bone to the inner corner of the upper eyelid."

"Finally, dab the Eye Cream between the eyebrows and continue until it has been fully absorbed. Throughout the process, gently press and massage to help the surrounding skin absorb it."

As he spoke, Yang Ning carefully finished applying the Eye Cream, then began gently massaging her temples with his fingertips. His movements were slow and rhythmic, and his pressure was just right, bringing wave after wave of soothing comfort.

As he massaged, Shi Xuanfei's slightly tense body gradually relaxed. At some point, her clenched fist had quietly opened.

An eerie silence settled over the hall, broken only by their faint breathing and Yang Ning's occasional, utterly emotionless product instructions.

After a while, Shi Xuanfei seemed to finally come back to herself from the comfortable massage. With her eyes closed, she spoke as if casually, breaking the silence. "Boss Yang, when... when did you become an Advisor to the Law Enforcement Hall?"

Yang Ning's hands did not pause. His voice remained as placid as water. "That's right. Thanks to Hall Master Yun's favor, I took up the post three days ago."

Under Yang Ning's perfectly measured massage, a few faint, blissful hums unconsciously escaped Shi Xuanfei's throat. She seemed quite satisfied with the service and continued with her eyes closed:

"The Law Enforcement Hall is in a remote place, dark and damp. I know my senior sister well—she's an unfeeling block of ice, with no sense of romance, and she's difficult to get along with. Why not consider coming to our Jade Maiden Peak, Boss Yang? Whatever Yun Zishan is paying you in spirit stones, I, Shi Xuanfei, will offer you double. What do you say?"

Hearing this, Yang Ning's hands paused slightly, but his tone remained even. "Peak Master Shi must be joking. You dismissed all the male outer disciples who worked as laborers, but now you're inviting a strange man like me to serve as an Advisor to Jade Maiden Peak? Surely that wouldn't be appropriate, whether by reason or by custom?"

Shi Xuanfei smiled with narrowed eyes. "Wasn't driving out the male outer disciples... your own idea, Boss Yang?"

"My idea?" At last, Yang Ning's voice wavered.

Shi Xuanfei's eyes remained closed, but the smile that had only just disappeared returned to her lips, deeper than before. "If it wasn't your idea, why go to such lengths to spread rumors everywhere that the Demon Cult disciple caught by our Jade Maiden Peak's outer sect had coveted the beauty of the female cultivators on our peak?"