Chu Qingyuan ran off with reddened eyes.
Ao Xiu chewed on pastries, mouth working away, secretly watching and thinking.
Ah, Zhang Yuan really has such a nasty mouth. He's bullied someone into tears again.
Zhang Yuan nodded in satisfaction.
Another little nuisance taken care of. Not bad. Things should stay quiet for a while now.
As expected, over the next few days, no one from the Chu Family, including Chu Qingyuan, came to visit again. It was as though there were no such person as Zhang Yuan in the guest courtyard.
Zhang Yuan enjoyed a rare spell of peace. Apart from refining his Sword Qi and contemplating Mystic Wonder each day, he simply took pastries out of his Dao Domain to feed Ao Xiu. He made little progress with Mystic Wonder, but Ao Xiu's appetite kept growing. After several days, the pastries Xiao Shi had given him were almost gone.
He had no idea why Ao Xiu, a True Dragon, loved pastries so much.
That night, a bright moon shone over the heavens, and a gentle breeze stirred. Zhang Yuan brought a reclining chair into the courtyard and rested with his eyes closed.
"Knock, knock, knock."
The familiar knocking came, but before Zhang Yuan could speak, a figure slipped inside on tiptoe.
Zhang Yuan opened one eye, looked at the furtive Chu Qingyuan, and raised an eyebrow.
"What is it this time?"
Caught off guard when she realized Zhang Yuan had noticed her, Chu Qingyuan froze on the spot. Her fingers rubbed the hem of her skirt, and she looked rather awkward.
Zhang Yuan gave Chu Qingyuan a once-over.
Today, Chu Qingyuan wore a pale purple dress and a light touch of makeup. Bathed in moonlight, she had the youthful beauty unique to a young girl, lively and radiant.