The twilight was gentle. Specks of rosy light filtered through layer upon layer of leaves, spilling across the shaded path in Shrek Inner Court.
Su Ming stood beneath a tree, his gaze lingering for a moment before he slowly turned toward Zhang Lexuan beside him.
He leaned slightly forward, his handsome face drawing closer. In an instant, the distance between them shrank to almost nothing, leaving barely two and a half fists' worth of space.
At such close quarters, they could clearly see each other's long lashes fluttering and feel their warm breaths mingling and entwining.
His usually clear, bright eyes now brimmed with undisguised heat and focus. His burning gaze settled steadily on Zhang Lexuan's lovely features, frank and fervent, without the slightest trace of evasion—so direct it made her heart tremble.
Under the boy's such heated, frank gaze, Zhang Lexuan, who had always been calm and unruffled, felt fine ripples stir in her heart for no apparent reason.
A faint blush quietly spread across her fair, translucent cheeks, creeping over her delicate skin. Her long-steady heartbeat abruptly lost its rhythm, quickening with soft thumps.
But she was, after all, the esteemed Senior Sister of Shrek Inner Court, a composed and dignified Soul Douluo who had always known how to keep herself in check.
Even with embarrassment and fluster stirring in her heart, she still forced herself to maintain her usual composure. She furrowed her brows in feigned reproach, her voice gentle yet carrying the sternness of a scolding:
"You little rascal, who gets this close and stares straight at a girl? You have no sense of propriety at all."
The soft evening breeze drifted through the woods, stirring the leaves with a rustle. Mottled shadows and light slowly shifted over the two of them, lending the surroundings a quiet, tender air.
Zhang Lexuan stood where she was. Though Su Ming had pressed close and fixed his gaze on her, she did not retreat or try to avoid him.
Her simple, neat Shrek uniform stirred at the hem and cuffs in the evening breeze. Her raven-black hair flowed over her shoulders, gently swaying with the wind.
Her features were calm and tender, her beauty surpassing the ordinary. The imposing sharpness of a Soul Douluo had faded from her presence.
All that remained was a waterlike gentleness and serenity. Standing quietly, she seemed like warm jade steeped in moonlight and evening breezes, elegant and otherworldly, untouched by the mundane world.
Her gaze fell gently on Su Ming, and a long, tender sigh welled up in her heart.
For a fleeting moment, he seemed just as he had been years ago.
Back then, Su Ming had just entered the academy. He was still childish, small and thin, undernourished, and barely came up to her knees.
She had gone to look after Bei Bei at Mu En's request, and happened to come across the two of them. Then they had both looked after Su Ming.
He had been a clingy but obedient little rascal, always following right behind her and sweetly calling her Sister Lexuan.
He relied on her for everything and followed her every step. Whenever he ran into a problem, he would obediently ask her for guidance; whenever he felt wronged, he would quietly come to her and confide in her. His small figure was always right behind her.
But time flew by. In just a few short years, the little one who had needed her care and protection had completely shed his childishness.
The Su Ming of today was tall and slender, with broad, relaxed shoulders and a lean, straight figure. At a full 1.8 meters, he was strikingly handsome and upright.
He was even a little taller than her, though she was around 1.8 meters herself.
The boy's features had grown more defined, his brows and eyes clean-cut and handsome. He was wrapped in a vibrant, dazzling air of sunshine, youthful and in the prime of life.
His mature, steady bearing had only grown stronger. He had long since become an outstanding young man who could stand on his own, dazzling all of Shrek.
Once, he had looked up at her with eyes full of dependence. Now, she looked straight at him, taking in the unique brilliance of the young man before her—and still seeing how he relied on her.
At the thought, a gentle, wistful feeling quietly welled up in Zhang Lexuan's heart. The corners of her lips relaxed unconsciously, and the faintest, softest smile spread through her eyes, leaving her utterly tender.
Standing shoulder to shoulder, they were both tall and well-proportioned, perfectly matched in stature. At such close quarters, their shoulders and arms nearly touched, their warm breaths mingling and entwining.
The evening breeze wove between them, carrying Zhang Lexuan's faint, refined scent of grass and trees and Su Ming's clean, fresh youthful air. Their scents intertwined tenderly, lingering and moving.
On one side stood an elegant woman, gentle and serene after years of experience, her temperament as mild and tranquil as water. On the other stood a vibrant, carefree young man, dazzling with youthful spirit, bright and ardent.
There was nothing forced or presumptuous about their close companionship; everything felt natural and harmonious. Beneath the twilight sky, the atmosphere was quiet and gentle, tinged with an unspoken, lingering intimacy.
Su Ming appeared calm, still maintaining his composure, but deep in his eyes lay a flicker of anticipation he could not conceal.
He slowed his speech, his voice clear and warm, with a hint of cautious probing:
"Sister Lexuan, you've taken care of all the odds and ends at the academy and finished your assignments, right? Now you can finally have some time to yourself and take a good rest."
As soon as he finished speaking, he gazed at her without blinking, his dark eyes brimming with sincere hope as he quietly waited for her answer, looking earnest and obedient.
Zhang Lexuan looked down at his eager, hopeful expression, then remembered how clingy and soft-spoken he had been as a child.
The old and new images overlapped quietly in her heart. The contrast grew even sharper, and a mischievous thought instantly sprang to mind.
She deliberately decided to tease the expectant young man and immediately reined in the tenderness in her eyes.
She put on an expression of helpless regret, though the corners of her lips were secretly fighting back a mischievous smile. Her tone sounded utterly convincing:
"How could it be that easy? The academy is full of complicated affairs, and all sorts of tasks keep piling up. I'll probably be sent out on another mission before long.
"I don't know when I'll be back, either. Who knows whether I'll get a chance to take a break?"
Those words, like a gentle evening breeze, instantly snuffed out every glimmer in Su Ming's eyes.
The hope on the boy's face vanished at once. His brows drooped, his bright eyes clouded over with disappointment, and his whole being seemed to wilt. His voice brimmed with helpless grievance:
"Huh? You still have to go on a mission... You don't even get a little time to rest and relax?"
With all his hopes dashed, Su Ming was thoroughly dejected. He turned around with a sullen look and slowly headed down the path toward the lakeside.
His long strides dragged lazily as he walked, his mood low. Every so often, he nudged a little stone off the path with his toe. It rolled along the ground with a soft, scattered rattle.
As he plodded along, he muttered under his breath, grumbling in the indignant, protective manner of a young man:
"The elders at Sea God Pavilion are way too good at slacking off. They take it easy every day and never do any of the dirty or tiring work, but the moment there's a mission, they dump it all on you.
"Sister Lexuan, you're just too gentle and honest. You take on everything for the academy and never know how to refuse or give a little ground. That's why they keep ordering you around.
"Next time they try that, you have to be brave and say no. Don't keep swallowing every grievance by yourself."
Zhang Lexuan followed his pace from behind, quietly listening to the boy's childish complaints.
Watching his dejected back as he trudged along, and seeing him kick pebbles to vent his frustration while muttering to himself, she could no longer hold on to her usually composed serenity.
The laughter she had been holding back burst forth. Her clear, lilting laugh rang through the twilight woods like silver bells swaying in the breeze.
Her eyes curved into crescents, glistening with tears. Even her shoulders trembled gently with laughter. The smile she had been suppressing moments ago had made the corners of her eyes slightly damp, and she looked tender and charming, nothing like the dignified, distant Senior Sister she usually was.
"Hahaha, little Su Ming, you fall for it way too easily!"
Zhang Lexuan laughed as she hurried forward, lifting her slender fingertips to gently wipe away the tiny damp traces of laughter from the corners of her eyes.
With her eyes curved into two gentle crescents, she looked at the disappointed boy and tenderly revealed the truth:
"I was only teasing you. I finished every task I had ages ago, and all the remaining odds and ends have been taken care of, too.
"I have no assignments away from the academy before or after the Freshman Grand Competition. For quite a while, I'll be staying at Shrek Academy to cultivate in peace. I have plenty of free time."
Su Ming's steps abruptly halted, and his whole body froze in place.
He whipped around to face her. When he saw the mischief in Zhang Lexuan's eyes and her warm expression, he immediately realized that gentle, serene Sister Lexuan had given him a thorough teasing.
The boy's fair cheeks instantly flushed red, the color spreading from his cheeks to the tips of his ears. Embarrassed and flustered, his earlier disappointment turned to chagrin, and a childish, bristling look rose in his eyes.
"Sister Lexuan!"
He gave a low, gritted huff. A sly, unyielding glint lit his eyes, like a small beast that had been gently teased and refused to back down.
He spun around and lunged at Zhang Lexuan, who was smiling brightly. His voice brimmed with petulance and defiance:
"I was genuinely worried about you and stood up for you, and you deliberately tricked me just to have a laugh! Today, I'm going to show you what I can do!"
Watching Su Ming charge over, instantly bristling and shedding every trace of composure until only the pure childishness of a young man remained, Zhang Lexuan's smile grew even wider.
She moved with light, nimble grace. Soul Power flickered beneath her feet as she shifted to the side, gently and unhurriedly evading his playful lunge without a hint of panic, letting him chase after her.
The evening breeze whispered through the trees, shadows swayed, and the lakeside shimmered. The gentle twilight blanketed the land.
The two tall, straight figures chased and dodged, laughing and playing beneath the shade by the lake.
The boy's crisp, mock-angry shouts mingled with the woman's warm, lilting laughter, echoing tenderly throughout Shrek Inner Court.
The last glow of the setting sun slowly sank behind the mountains, and the brilliant evening clouds gradually faded. Soft night settled in, but the gentle playfulness by the lakeside lingered on, tender and unending.