Jin Ping'er froze for a moment. A strange glint flashed in her foxlike eyes beneath the moonlight.
She said nothing, only watched him as the lazy smile at the corner of her mouth gradually softened.
After clearing away all the Beast-Attracting Powder, the two of them headed back.
Jin Ping'er walked beside him, the oversized outer robe swaying loosely on her. The neckline kept slipping down, and she would pull it back up, only for it to slip again. It happened over and over.
Lu Jiuyuan's gaze accidentally swept over her neckline. The robe had slipped down again, leaving it open, and the distinct contours beneath were faintly visible.
Moonlight streamed down from overhead and spilled deep into her neckline. Her snow-white skin stood out against the bluish-gray robe, and her soft breasts pressed together, forming a deep valley. They swayed gently with each step.
Lu Jiuyuan's gaze lingered for a moment.
Then he looked away, his Adam's apple bobbing.
Jin Ping'er hadn't noticed. She was looking down, kicking a small stone along the ground. The hem of her robe dragged across the earth, gathering dew and bits of grass.
"Jin Ping'er."
"Hmm?" She looked up.
"Your clothes."
Jin Ping'er glanced down at her neckline. In the moonlight, that expanse of pale skin really was rather conspicuous.
She froze, then looked up, meeting his eyes just as he struggled to keep his expression calm.
The corners of her mouth slowly curled into a teasing smile.
She didn't pull up her neckline. Instead, she took a step forward and moved closer.
"Lu Jiuyuan, what were you looking at just now?"
"Nothing."
"If you weren't looking at anything, how did you know there was something wrong with my clothes?"
Lu Jiuyuan was momentarily at a loss for words. Jin Ping'er took another step forward, bringing them so close that they could feel each other's breath.
Jin Ping'er lifted her face. Moonlight fell across it, and his reflection shone brightly in her foxlike eyes.
She deliberately tugged her neckline lower, moving as slowly as if she were unfolding a painting before his eyes. More of her pale skin was exposed, glowing with a lustrous sheen in the moonlight.
"Is it pretty?" Her voice was soft, touched with a deliberately restrained sensuality.
Lu Jiuyuan took a deep breath and looked away from her neckline, gazing into the night in the distance. "Jin Ping'er, don't tease me."
"I'm not teasing you." Jin Ping'er moved closer still, her warm breath brushing his chin. "I'm asking you a question. Is it pretty?"
"It's not."
"Liar." She rose onto her toes and leaned close to his ear, her voice as quiet as a secret. "You were looking for several seconds. I was counting."
Lu Jiuyuan's ears began to burn.
Jin Ping'er laid her fingers on his shoulder, lightly tracing the collar of his robe. It was exactly the same unhurried motion she'd used in the hot spring earlier, with a rhythm that made his skin tingle.
"Master Lu..."
"Jin Ping'er." Lu Jiuyuan's voice dropped, carrying a note of warning.
"Hmm?"
"Do you think I won't do anything to you?"
Jin Ping'er's fingers paused at his collar. She lifted her head and looked at him.
Her eyes shone like two stars beneath the moonlight. She wore a smile, but there was no fear in it—only the challenge of someone daring him to try.
"Then why don't you do something to me?"
As soon as she'd said it, Jin Ping'er saw Lu Jiuyuan's expression change.
The shift was subtle, but she stood right in front of him, close enough to see her reflection in his pupils.
A dark flame rose in his eyes, like embers in the depths of winter, fanned until the ash blew away.
Jin Ping'er's heart skipped a beat. Before she could react, her feet left the ground.
Lu Jiuyuan wrapped one arm around her waist and supported her knees with the other, lifting her into his arms.
His movements were decisive and utterly sure.
Jin Ping'er gasped and instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck. The oversized outer robe fell open as he moved, its hem dangling and fluttering in the night wind.
Her face turned scarlet.
It wasn't a faint, barely perceptible blush. The color burned from her ears down to her neck, hot and impossible to hide.
She was Jin Ping'er, the Miao Gongzi of the Hehuan Sect. She'd seen countless storms and faced countless brushes with death. Yet, now that someone had swept her into his arms, her heart was racing wildly.
"Y-You... what are you doing?"
Lu Jiuyuan looked down at her, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. The dark flame still burned in his eyes. "Didn't you tell me to do something to you?"
Jin Ping'er opened her mouth, but found she couldn't say a word.
Held in his arms, she was like a cat caught by the scruff. All her allure, all her teasing, all her tricks were useless now.
Lu Jiuyuan carried her deeper into the village. His steps were quick but steady, as if he were afraid of jostling her.
With her arms around his neck, Jin Ping'er could feel the warmth of his chest through the thin fabric. It was burning hot and strong, with a steady strength that made her feel safe.
"Y-Where are you taking me?" Jin Ping'er's voice was much quieter than usual, touched with a nervousness she hadn't even noticed herself.
"You'll find out when we get there."
Lu Jiuyuan turned into a narrow alley and stopped in front of a house.
The house was larger than the others in the village, and looked like it had once belonged to the village chief.
The roof was still intact, as was the door. Though the windows were broken in a few places, it was far better than the other drafty, half-ruined walls.
He'd happened upon it after entering the village. At the time, he'd merely taken a second look, never imagining it would come in handy now.
He pushed the door open with his foot, went inside, and set Jin Ping'er down on an old bed.
As she landed on the bed, the outer robe slipped open, revealing what lay beneath.
Moonlight shone in through the broken window and fell across her, outlining her graceful figure.
Her long hair spread across the bed like a spill of black silk. Her cheeks were flushed, her breathing unsteady, her chest rising and falling with each breath.
Jin Ping'er gazed up at him. Her foxlike eyes held none of their usual calculation or languor—only pure, unconcealed nervousness and anticipation.
"Lu Jiuyuan..."
Lu Jiuyuan crouched in front of her and took her chin between his fingers, his thumb gently brushing her lips.
His hand was hot, but his fingertips carried a hint of coolness. The touch was as vivid as a brand.
"Jin Ping'er." Lu Jiuyuan's voice was hoarse, restrained in a way she'd never heard before. "Do you think I'll keep indulging you every time?"
Jin Ping'er's heart skipped another beat.
She looked into his eyes. The dark flame inside them burned fiercely, but beneath it lay restraint, reason, and a boundary she'd never seen before.
"I haven't been indulging you," Lu Jiuyuan said calmly. "I've been holding myself back."
Jin Ping'er paused, then laughed.
It was a soft, gentle laugh, like a flower that had finally bloomed after a long wait.
She reached out, hooked her arms around his neck, and pulled him down.
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