"You... did something happen?"
Why was the atmosphere so strange...
The academy had no classes today, and Meng Hongchen finally had some free time. As luck would have it, the villa's motion-sensing door had recognized Xu Qing's ID card!
So she'd decisively escaped her family to pursue love.
She'd just pushed open the courtyard gate, her heart full of anticipation as she imagined throwing herself into Xu Qing's arms and breathing him in deeply!
But the moment she stepped inside, she sensed a strange, indescribable atmosphere permeating the living room.
In the living room,
Xu Qing and the Ice Empress sat facing each other on opposite sofas.
Xu Qing looked utterly exasperated with her.
The Ice Empress sat ramrod straight, trying to look calm and composed,
but her amber eyes kept darting about, like she'd been caught red-handed after doing something shameful.
Guilt was practically written all over her face.
Had something happened that she wasn't supposed to know about?
Meng Hongchen blinked, her thoughts racing for a moment before she suddenly understood! Then her heart blossomed with joy!!
This woman had made Brother Xu angry!
And judging by the situation...
This was a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity!
What was so great about this cold-faced woman, anyway? Brother Xu insisted on keeping her by his side!
Was the villa I bought for you meant to house some outsider?!
Sigh... but there was nothing she could do. She couldn't refuse Brother Xu's request.
That was just how she was: gentle and considerate, virtuous and generous—in short, the perfect wife to have at home!
Heh heh, let her soothe Brother Xu's bad mood.
"Brother Xu! Xiao Meng has some good news to tell you. Want to guess what it is? Hehe, if you can't guess, Xiao Meng can give you a hint."
She skipped over to Xu Qing, then wrapped both arms around his arm and pressed herself against him, burying her face deep in it.
Mmm~ haa~~
She'd gotten what she wanted.
Wait...?
Meng Hongchen's nose twitched.
Why did it smell like another woman!?
No, no, no. Hahaha...
My nose must be acting up. It's definitely because I haven't seen Brother Xu in days...
This seems to be that cold-faced woman's scent.
Could it really be?
Meng Hongchen quietly circulated her Soul Power, letting her perception spread without a sound.
Meng Hongchen's mind blanked in that instant.
It really was you?!
This can't be! Could it be, could it be!?
Nooo! Not that! Please, not that!!
Waaah, but I was here first!
Her heart felt so awful, so heavy, as if a huge rock were pressing down on it.
"Waaah... Brother Xu..."
Meng Hongchen suddenly lifted her head and wrapped both arms around Xu Qing's waist, her eyes turning red.
"You're not pure anymore... Waaah, it's okay, Xiao Meng doesn't mind, she doesn't mind..."
Brother Xu doesn't stink, doesn't stink at all...
Xu Qing was utterly bewildered by her string of actions.
"What do you mean, 'not pure anymore'? Xiao Meng, you came at just the right time."
He put a hand on Meng Hongchen's head and gently pushed her away from his embrace, but she still had her arms around his waist and refused to let go.
"Find Xiao Bing a manners tutor. Have her take some etiquette lessons and learn how to be civilized and polite!"
Instead of sneaking up on an innocent young man in the middle of the night!
After the Ice Empress had been discovered last night, she'd immediately transformed into a Human-Machine Scorpion and fled in a panic. Then, early this morning, she'd acted as though nothing had happened and come over to ask for the Ice Marrow.
Even after he called her out, she'd been completely unapologetic and fearless.
Tsk... What if Xu Qing had actually mistaken her for a dream last night? Someone would certainly be bawling today.
"I don't understand what you're talking about."
The Ice Empress curled up on the sofa, drawing her legs in and tilting her head as she regarded the two of them with an innocent expression.
Her gaze shifted between Meng Hongchen and Xu Qing. Then she nodded, as if suddenly understanding.
"I'll head back to my room, then. I won't bother the two of you."
As soon as she finished speaking, the Ice Empress bolted!
After a few pattering footsteps, she vanished from sight.
Thud—!
The door closed. The Ice Empress leaned against it, breathing in small, quick gasps of relief.
"Whew... Hah..."
"Safe at last... This Empress will remember Meng Hongchen's contribution!"
"Damn... It seems like they saw through me. Xu Qing's expression was terrifying. It felt like he was about to pounce on me and devour me any second..."
She wiped the sweat from her forehead, then slowly slid down the door until she was sitting on the floor.
Honestly, all she'd done was disturb his sleep... What a miser.
In the living room.
Xu Qing looked at the firmly shut door and sighed silently.
Then he lowered his gaze to Meng Hongchen, who was still hanging off him.
"Xiao Meng, did you come to see me about something?"
Xu Qing grabbed the little hand that was trying to wander further and wanted to pull her away, but Meng Hongchen was pressed so close that even the slightest movement would make him touch somewhere he shouldn't.
"Sorry you had to see that. Please ignore her behavior. She's a problem girl, that's just how she is. Sigh..."
Meng Hongchen didn't answer. She only kept rubbing against Xu Qing while holding his large hand in hers. She spread her fingers, slid them between his, and clasped them tightly.
At the same time, she leaned all her weight against Xu Qing.
She wore a casual outfit, and all that stretching made the hem of her short-sleeved top ride up, revealing a glimpse of her slender waist, as white as the Far North's snow.
"Hehe..."
She gave a couple of little hums, buried her face in his shoulder, and said nothing more.
Her little movements kept Xu Qing from staying calm.
Her warm breath brushed his neck, and the girl's delicate fragrance lingered around him.
But the most dangerous thing wasn't the suggestive pose or the intimate atmosphere.
It was that Xu Qing needed to cross his legs.
"...Xiao Meng, how about you get up for now?" Xu Qing's voice was a little hoarse.
"No..."
The moment she said the word, Meng Hongchen realized something was wrong.
It was a little hot.
In an instant, a heady, suggestive atmosphere enveloped the sofa.
Though Meng Hongchen was bold and brave when it came to love, and always took action at full speed,
when things really came to this, she couldn't help feeling a little afraid.
Especially since she worried that her body might not be able to withstand Xu Qing, whose strength had already reached the level of a Soul Saint two months ago.
After all, even after taking the Mystic Ice Marrow to cultivate and tempering her body with the many precious medicinal ingredients her grandfather had bought, along with Whale Rubber,
her physical strength had only just reached the level of a fifty-seventh-rank Soul King.
If it really came to...
At the thought, Meng Hongchen's face flared red.
She had to admit she was outmatched... So, reluctantly, she got up from Xu Qing.
The two sat upright on the sofa, about twenty centimeters apart.
"Ahem, ahem... Well, Xiao Meng, what was the good news you mentioned?"
Xu Qing's voice was dry. Even after drinking several glasses of water, he still couldn't quench his thirst.
He'd never been through anything like this before.
Faced with Meng Hongchen boldly coming on to him, Xu Qing kept a straight face, but his body told the truth.
"Dummy..."
Meng Hongchen glanced at Xu Qing, swept up her hair, and tucked a few damp strands behind her ear, revealing the red tip of her ear.
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