After Breaking Off the Engagement, I Started Pursuing My Master - Chapter 246

Chapter 246: Fingers

“Are you alright?”

Jiang Huai blurted out involuntarily, even thinking of reaching out to touch Xu Qing’s forehead to see if she was ill or if her brain had overheated. But a moment later, he laughed at his own thought.

“I’m fine,” Xu Qing’s eyes showed a trace of confusion, seemingly not understanding Jiang Huai’s concern. She simply stood there in front of him, her gaze gentle.

“Forget it, it’s nothing.” Jiang Huai scratched his head, took out the sword manual he had, and handed it to Xu Qing, “I flipped through it last night and made some minor improvements according to the manual. You can take it back and discuss with your mother to see if these improvements are worth learning.”

“Okay.” Xu Qing reached out to take the sword manual. Jiang Huai walked past her, and it took her a few steps to come back to her senses, “Where are you going?”

“I’m going to see if I can find something to eat; I’m hungry.”

“Can I come with you?”

“I didn’t say you couldn’t.”

So Xu Qing hurriedly followed him, walking beside Jiang Huai at a comfortable distance. Jiang Huai didn’t speak, and Xu Qing didn’t make a sound to disturb him. As they walked, Jiang Huai realized the streets weren’t so silent after all. He soon saw a breakfast stall with buns and wontons for sale.

Jiang Huai suddenly smiled.

Come to think of it, he really had to thank that Ziyun Pavilion transmigrator senior. Many of his ideas seemed to align with Jiang Huai’s, which is why he could see these street vendors in Ziyun City, and why many people’s clothes were styles from his memories. This made him feel a sense of familiarity in this completely foreign world, a strange sense of belonging.

Jiang Huai and Xu Qing sat down in front of the bun shop. Jiang Huai ordered two baskets of steamed buns and a bowl of wontons, while Xu Qing ordered a small basket of steamed buns. They sat opposite each other, silent, with wisps of cooking smoke rising beside them and the aroma of breakfast filling the air.

“Are you going back to Tianxuan Sect?” Xu Qing asked softly.

“Yeah, back to Tianxuan Sect. I’ll go to Qingmu Immortal Palace in half a month. Maybe we’ll meet again if fate allows?”

“Mm…” Xu Qing nodded lightly.

The two began to eat their breakfast quietly, without further conversation. Jiang Huai found the steamed buns quite tasty, so he ordered another basket to take back for Luo Yueguan to try. After breakfast, they walked back towards the Ziyun inn.

Xu Qing’s steps were slow, and Jiang Huai didn’t rush either. Leaves fell from the branches and twirled down to the ground in the breeze, while the distant sun gradually rose, brightening the once dim world. Xu Qing kept her head down, watching her toes as she walked, until Jiang Huai stopped, and she realized they had arrived.

“So, this is goodbye…”

“I, I…” Xu Qing suddenly looked up at Jiang Huai.

Jiang Huai paused, his words halting, but at that moment, he noticed Xu Qing’s fair cheeks blush a little more. It’s probably a downside to having such fair skin; even a slight blush is so evident, impossible to hide.

“Mm, go on, I’m listening.”

“Are we… friends now?” Xu Qing’s voice was hesitant.

“That sounds like something kids would say while playing house.”

Jiang Huai couldn’t help but laugh, “Do you talk like this with others too?”

“No…” Xu Qing looked down dejectedly, “It seems it’s only with you.”

“Alright, it doesn’t really matter. Of course, we’re friends. Go on, I’m listening.”

“I wanted to ask you… after we go back, can I still consult you about swordsmanship when you have time?”

“How will you consult me after you go back? Through letters? That’s not convenient. I’ll teach you when we’re at Qingmu Immortal Palace.”

“I bought… this…” Xu Qing took out two jade stones, a pair of pendants, one black and one white.

Jiang Huai was curious and asked, “What’s this?”

“It’s a spiritual treasure developed by Ziyun Pavilion last month, similar to a mother-child voice transmission pendant, but it works over much greater distances. Even if I’m on Aolai Continent and you’re on Yuelan Continent, we can still communicate. It contains spiritual energy that can transmit two hundred messages and two images with sound, each lasting the time it takes an incense stick to burn.”

Hearing this, Jiang Huai’s interest was piqued. He took the black jade stone from Xu Qing’s hand. He had also made a pair of jade mirrors capable of transmitting messages, previously giving one to Luo Qingyu, but they would fail over long distances. How did these pendants manage to transmit messages, and even images and sound, over such distances? Jiang Huai couldn’t help but be curious and examined it for a while, quickly sensing the power of the formations within. However, his soul was still weak and he couldn’t probe or deconstruct it.

“How much did you pay for it?” Jiang Huai asked curiously.

“Three hundred thousand spiritual stones,” Xu Qing muttered softly.

Jiang Huai’s eyes widened, “You bought it even though it’s so expensive?”

Perhaps sensing the urgency in Jiang Huai’s tone, Xu Qing became somewhat sheepish, “I thought it was interesting… so I bought it.”

“So, you mean you want me to keep one and teach you swordsmanship when I have time?”

Jiang Huai voiced Xu Qing’s thoughts, and she nodded eagerly, her cheeks reddening even more. Jiang Huai hesitated briefly, “Okay.”

He could do so without guilt, perhaps even have Qingyu sit with them during the lessons and reiterate that he was already betrothed. After that, Xu Qing should know to back off.

Or maybe she had already given up and just wanted him to teach her swordsmanship? Was he being too narcissistic thinking that way just now? Jiang Huai thought to himself as he pocketed the jade pendant.

He planned to study the formation within when he had time, to see if he could make a few himself. It would make traveling far more interesting, and he could chat with people using the pendant when he had nothing else to do.Jiang Huai scratched his head, “I remember three years ago you clearly said that you would definitely beat me in the future, now you’re being so modest, it’s making me uncomfortable.”

Xu Qing’s eyes immediately filled with grievance. Seeing her like this, Jiang Huai couldn’t help but laugh, heartlessly amused.

“Then I’ll go up first? After sect master Luo wakes up, I’ll have to go back with her.”

“Mhm,” Xu Qing nodded lightly.

Jiang Huai turned and walked upstairs to Luo Yueguan’s room, reached out, and gently knocked on the door. Luo Yueguan’s voice came from inside, “Who is it?”

“Who else could it be?”

After Luo Yueguan responded, Jiang Huai pushed the door open, closed it firmly behind him, and saw Luo Yueguan lying on the bed. At this moment, her clothes were neatly placed on the cabinet beside the bed, along with a stack of towels that still seemed slightly damp, and a pile of crumpled handkerchiefs with some water stains on them.

“Have you… woken up?”

“I didn’t sleep.” Luo Yueguan lay flat on the bed, covered with a quilt, her eyes fixed on the ceiling before she turned to look at him, “I’ve been lost in thought for a long time, seriously considering many things.”

“Oh, have you eaten anything?” Jiang Huai sat on a chair nearby, taking out a basket of steaming hot xiaolongbao.

“If you feed me, I’ll eat.”

Jiang Huai pinched a dumpling and brought it to her lips. Luo Yueguan sat up slightly, the quilt slipping down, revealing that she was indeed wearing nothing underneath. It seemed she had lost even the most basic sense of shame in front of Jiang Huai; even as the quilt slipped down to her waist, she didn’t bother to pull it up.

Jiang Huai couldn’t help but admire Luo Yueguan’s figure, which was truly excellent, with full and round curves in all the right places and slender where it should be. Luo Yueguan’s lips parted slightly, biting into a dumpling.

Jiang Huai fed her one dumpling after another, unhurriedly, until she had eaten them all. He took out a clean handkerchief to wipe his hands, then said, “Shouldn’t we get up and head back to Tianxuan Sect?”

“Help me get dressed.”

“You’re spoiled.” Jiang Huai pursed his lips and didn’t move. Luo Yueguan’s gaze stayed fixed on him for a while before she finally lifted the quilt and began to dress herself, while Jiang Huai no longer deliberately avoided looking. He neither avoided nor stared intently, as if everything was gradually becoming indifferent.

But in Luo Yueguan’s eyes, there was a trace of resentment.

“You looked at me.”

“So what if I did?”

“You didn’t dare to before.”

Luo Yueguan didn’t hurry to get dressed but turned to face Jiang Huai, her round and tender knees resting on the edge of the bed, her delicate and soft legs parted to each side, revealing her fair and lovely feet and ankles. She leaned back slightly, her fingertips sliding down her waist, slightly parting her fingers, revealing the tender and moist rosebud, glistening with dew. Jiang Huai still hastily closed his eyes.

Luo Yueguan finally showed a triumphant smile, but moments later, more panic arose in her heart.

If this time proves he still desires you, what about the next time? And the time after that? Will he grow tired of you as time goes on? Then what will you have left to keep him treating you well?

She became anxious and fearful, her body starting to tremble. Crazy thoughts flooded her mind, and she began doing what she had done all of the previous night.

Until Jiang Huai heard faint panting sounds, but when he opened his eyes, Luo Yueguan was crying.

He had never seen such a scene before, and the impact of the image nearly stopped his breath. He asked blankly, “Why are you crying again?”

“You don’t like me as much as you did a few days ago.”

“If all I had for you was desire, you would grow tired of me. But if I didn’t have it, you’d be anxious and insecure. Doesn’t that mean you’re just overthinking things?”

“Then admit you haven’t grown tired of me.”

“I haven’t.”

“Swear it.”

“I swear I haven’t grown tired of you.”

“I want to bite your finger.”

“What?”

“I want to bite your finger.”

Jiang Huai was puzzled but still extended his hand, bringing his fingertip to Luo Yueguan’s lips. She gently bit his index finger.

After a while, Luo Yueguan extended her slender finger toward him, her knuckles as delicate as spring onions, the only flaw being that they were damp at the moment.

“You bite my finger too.”

“I suggest you get yourself together and get dressed before I leave you behind and return to Tianxuan Sect alone.”

“Just one bite,” Luo Yueguan insisted, looking at him stubbornly.

Jiang Huai, seeing her hopeful eyes, reluctantly bit her finger lightly, and Luo Yueguan immediately smiled happily.