"As your master, I am very fond of your gift."
She must have gone to great lengths to acquire this, Su Bei thought.
The Sword Maiden’s face flushed crimson, yet she was pleased by his reassurance. She gestured:
"Master, are you going to South Wind Ancient Country?"
However, he noticed the Sword Maiden’s expression seemed somewhat solemn and anxious. "Then, Master, you must be careful..."
Su Bei smiled and held her, feeling her, as light as snow, just as in the past, while he gazed at the myriad stars in the sky.
Upon returning to his courtyard, Su Bei entered his room and lay down on the bed. After Mo Li came in to pay his respects and then hastily departed, Su Bei leaned against the pillow, legs crossed, pondering the day’s events.
I still haven’t made the ice cream for the Saintess.
I previously promised Ji Nanjue a visit to Dongting Stream. However, delaying the treatment of the Evil Qi in Dan Wulan’s body any longer will have increasingly adverse effects on his future. I’ll have to find Ji Nanjue tomorrow and explain. Check latest chapters at 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡·𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖·𝔫𝔢𝔱
Come to think of it, I do have some vague impression of the Southern Border from that dream. And on the night of the Lantern Festival, that Er Xia from the Confucian School seemed to invite me to Empty Cicada Lake.
Hmm, so many things are piling up.
He yawned softly, his gaze fixed on the moonlight outside the window.
I’m about to leave the Sacred Land... Queen Lin’s bellyband...
He suddenly smacked his forehead, realizing he had forgotten this. Swallowing nervously, his expression became somewhat panicked.
Clearly, at this late hour, Xiao Ruoching must already be asleep... Am I really going to steal her bellyband in the middle of the night?
Asking her for it directly is out of the question.
The only option now is—
Su Bei gritted his teeth and steeled his resolve. It’s just a bit of petty theft! Nothing to it!
The moonlight was particularly stark, as if aware of someone’s sinister intentions. Not a single cloud obstructed it; it shone brightly, bathing all of Wu City in its pure, water-like glow. Countless black rooftops rose and fell like waves, among which a dark, fish-like shadow seamlessly melded into the darkness.
Su Bei had deliberately changed into a tight-fitting black outfit, cutting a rather strange figure. He stood at the window, then stealthily leaped into the room, turning to close the window behind him.
All this was done without a sound. Su Bei took a deep breath, his gaze drawn to the woman sound asleep on the bed.
Her arms were spread wide as she lay on her back, her skin fairer than snow. The sheer nightclothes she wore in the privacy of her room made her appear even more graceful. Xiao Ruoching wore only a thin silk robe and white silk pants. Beneath them, the faint outline of a bright red bellyband could be seen, along with her long, jade-like legs, entwined together.
Su Bei muttered a silent prayer and cautiously moved closer.
Next, he extended a wisp of Divine Sense into Xiao Ruoching’s storage ring, meticulously searching for the gold-threaded, Phoenix-embroidered bellyband.
Huh? Why isn’t it here?
Su Bei confirmed that the familiar bellyband was not inside the ring.
His mind raced. Where could she have hidden it?
His gaze wandered aimlessly before settling on the patch of red beneath Xiao Ruoching’s silk robe...
The sound was perhaps too loud. Xiao Ruoching’s eyelids fluttered, and she murmured a few words.
Su Bei didn’t dare move, frozen like a statue until she turned over.
The silk robe failed to conceal the tender, fair skin beneath. Even through the sheer fabric, he could imagine its smoothness and delicacy.
The corner of Su Bei’s mouth twitched. What now?
Queen Lin’s bellyband... his profligate disciple was actually wearing it!
Do I have to take it off her?!
His eyes filled with a complex emotion as he looked at his profligate disciple. Steeling himself, he took out another bellyband from his storage ring.
All I can do now is attempt a deft switch. Hopefully, nothing goes wrong... I’m doing this for justice, after all!
Observing her lying on her side, Su Bei reached out and steadied her waist, feeling its fullness and tenderness. A woman’s waist was a sensitive area. The touch sent a tingling sensation through her body. Even in her sleep, Xiao Ruoching’s delicate brows furrowed, and her face gradually reddened as if caught in a dream.
Su Bei sighed internally. Dan Wulan’s figure is similarly delicate and soft, but leaner, lacking the roundedness of my profligate disciple.
Bit by bit, he eased off her robe. Each inevitable touch sent a shiver through him.
Good, I can still hear her steady breathing. She must still be asleep.
Luckily, she was a restless sleeper, always tossing and turning. Aided by her movements, he finally managed to remove the robe completely. It revealed her smooth skin, a pair of slender, jade-like legs, and, at their end, several rosy toes glinting in the moonlight.
Su Bei rubbed his hands. Now for the critical part!
How can I do this without her noticing... Su Bei wondered, then gently undid the ribbon tied around her waist.
If she just turns over, it should slide off naturally.
With the perfect plan formed in his mind, he reached out tentatively towards her.
Just as he’d hoped, she turned over.
Except, her eyes—now wide open—stared directly at Su Bei. He was half-crouched over her, his hand aiming straight for the prize.