Page 24

She was too tired. Right now, she only wanted to lie on the ground until the end of time.

Clear Snow Peak was protected by an array, warm as spring all year round. Song Zhizhi basked in the gentle mountain breeze, her eyes half-closed as sleepiness washed over her.

Suddenly, a corner of snow-white robes entered her field of vision. Song Zhizhi followed it upward and saw a cold, stern face.

Their eyes met. Sword Venerable Mingxiao bent down and held out a hand to her, seemingly intending to pull her up.

Song Zhizhi was already too sleepy to think clearly. Catching the faint, cool fragrance on Xie Xiuji, she thought she had once again dreamed of that night a month ago.

Since this was a dream, she could do whatever she wanted.

"I'm so tired. I don't want to move." Song Zhizhi closed her eyes and muttered with a frown.

The mountain breeze was wonderfully comfortable, and Song Zhizhi's breathing gradually grew slow and even.

As her consciousness sank, she seemed to hear a soft sigh—or perhaps it was only an illusion.

Suddenly, Song Zhizhi felt herself being lifted into someone's arms. She startled awake for an instant, but when she saw a familiar profile and smelled that familiar cool fragrance, she relaxed again. Her arms curled around Xie Xiuji's neck of their own accord, her head resting in the hollow of his shoulder. Like a little cat, she rubbed against him once, then fell peacefully asleep.

Sword Venerable Mingxiao's body stiffened for a moment. His gaze darkened, then soon returned to normal. Carrying Song Zhizhi, he headed toward her little building with an unchanged expression.

Sword Venerable Mingxiao entered the little building and quickly found Song Zhizhi's bedroom after looking around.

The bedroom, which had originally contained only a bed and a table, was now filled with Song Zhizhi's personal belongings. Sword Venerable Mingxiao kept his gaze lowered and did not look around. He placed Song Zhizhi on the bed, his eyes resting for a second on the white Cloud Quilt before he hesitated. He did not remove her outer robe, only her shoes. He gently picked the blades of grass from her clothes, cast a Cleansing Spell on her, then raised a hand to hold her arm and sent some spiritual energy into her aching limbs.

In her sleep, Song Zhizhi felt the sweaty stickiness vanish from her body. Waves of warmth flowed through her sore, swollen arms, as though she were soaking in a hot spring, and she could not help letting out a comfortable moan.

Sword Venerable Mingxiao's movements paused. A series of dim, scorching images suddenly surfaced in his mind, and the tips of his ears grew faintly hot.

After tucking the quilt over Song Zhizhi, he left the little building. His figure flashed, vanishing into Clear Snow Peak.

When Song Zhizhi woke again, the soreness in her body had completely vanished, and she felt much lighter. Sitting up in bed, she looked down at her neat, clean clothes. Blurry images flickered through her mind and disappeared, leaving behind only the deepest impression: the faint cool fragrance within that broad, solid embrace.

"It's not like he's never held me before. What am I embarrassed about?" Song Zhizhi's face felt a little hot. She rubbed her ears, shook her head, and tossed those chaotic thoughts from her mind before calming herself and walking out of the little building.

Clear Snow Peak was silent in the afternoon. Now and then, crisp, pleasant birdsong drifted over from afar. The fragrance of flowers mingled with the scent of food, and Song Zhizhi's stomach growled several times—she was hungry.

Perhaps her sword practice that morning had been too exhausting and had used up the Fasting Pill's medicinal power. She had taken one in the morning, yet by afternoon, she was already hungry.

Song Zhizhi looked toward the source of the aroma. Sword Venerable Mingxiao, dressed in white, sat on a stone bench beneath the tree outside her courtyard. A red food box sat on the stone table beside him, and the fragrance was drifting from it.

Song Zhizhi swallowed, and her stomach gave another loud rumble. Her face reddened in embarrassment as she gave Xie Xiuji an apologetic smile.

"Hungry?" Sword Venerable Mingxiao turned to look at her. Raising a hand, he opened the food box and brought out the steaming dishes within, arranging them on the table. His voice seemed somewhat gentle, though on closer listening, it felt like an illusion. "There's food here. Eat quickly."

With the lid no longer blocking it, the food's domineering aroma burrowed into Song Zhizhi's nose, making her mouth water. She swallowed, walked over to the stone table, and sat down. Picking up her chopsticks, she grabbed a piece of meat and stuffed it into her mouth.

The meat tasted somewhat like beef, but it was more tender and fragrant, with a faint milky flavor. It was more delicious than any meat Song Zhizhi had eaten before.

She ate until her eyes narrowed happily, her cheeks puffing slightly from the food. It reminded Sword Venerable Mingxiao of a little squirrel hiding food in its cheeks, making one's heart itch to pinch her face.

Sword Venerable Mingxiao rubbed the index finger and thumb of his right hand together, then quietly looked away. His gaze landed on the distant flowerbeds, as though he had suddenly developed a deep interest in the bees gathering nectar among the flowers.

"Xie... cough, Senior Brother Mingxiao, which restaurant did you get this food from? How did I not realize there was such a skilled chef nearby? Tell me its name. When I have time next time, I'll go eat there with my friends." Song Zhizhi swallowed the meat in her mouth and asked.

Sword Venerable Mingxiao glanced at the food box and answered something else entirely. "The restaurant is rather far away. If you like it, I'll bring you more tomorrow."

"I see..." Song Zhizhi felt a little regretful. If even someone at the Mahayana stage considered it far away, then it must truly be very far. But hearing Xie Xiuji say he would bring her food again tomorrow, she brightened up and immediately pushed her luck by ordering dishes. "Then can you bring me sweet-and-sour fish tomorrow? I haven't eaten fish in a long time."

"Alright." Sword Venerable Mingxiao nodded.

There was not much food Xie Xiuji had brought—three dishes, one soup, and a small bowl of spiritual rice. None of the dishes came in large portions. Thinking of her ever-growing appetite lately, Song Zhizhi had worried that it would not be enough.

Yet after she finished eating, she found that the amount was neither too little nor too much—just right. The food was incredibly rich in spiritual energy. After eating, her lower abdomen felt pleasantly warm, and her body seemed filled with strength.

Song Zhizhi cleaned up the bowls and plates, packed them into the food box, and thanked Xie Xiuji.

Sword Venerable Mingxiao's expression remained indifferent. "No need to be polite. Before your master left, he entrusted me with taking good care of you." The unspoken meaning was that this was what he ought to do.

He put away the food box and said to Song Zhizhi, "Now that you're full, it's time to begin sword practice."

Ranking List

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Transmigrated into a Book

Sweet Romance

Time Travel and Rebirth Romance

Tu Yanyan

Amnesia Trope