"What’s going on?" he asked, sounding resigned but quickly thinking of a reason, "Could it be that the book I found is of use to you?"
Other than that, what other reason could there be for this girl to suddenly become so enthusiastic towards him again? Before, she had seemed to want to keep him a thousand miles away.
"No, it’s not just useful!"
"It’s incredibly useful, extremely useful, very, very useful indeed!"
Chiang Xiao excitedly hooked around his neck, repeatedly exclaiming.
She carried a faint, subtle fragrance that he had already noticed when they were sparring, and he had trapped her in his embrace—now it was even more distinct.
But the scent was light and ethereal, indiscernible in nature, with a hint of sweetness, a hint of aroma, distant and elegant—it was delightful.
Meng Xinian felt somewhat dazed.
He placed his hands instinctively on her waist to prevent the young lady from falling.
This was the first time he had seen her this excited, this childlike.
"So you’re not angry with me anymore?" He regained his composure and looked at her slightly flushed face.
Chiang Xiao gave him a sidelong glance, "As if I’ve ever been angry."
Then who was that petulant girl before? The one who all of a sudden wanted to settle accounts with him penny by penny—who was that person?
"I’m telling you, that book is exactly the one I’ve been searching for. You’re so amazing; I looked through so many, and not one was right, and then you just casually find the right one! Tyrant Meng, you really are my lucky star!"
Chiang Xiao was still lost in her excitement and joy, unable to extricate herself.
She had actually been looking forward to it quite a bit. The Space was so extraordinary, the Bamboo Hut was so extraordinary, so that book, preciously placed on the second-floor desk, must also have its extraordinary uses!
Having been unable to understand the text in the book, she had been itching with frustration for a long time. Now that the problem was resolved, just the thought of uncovering another layer of the Space’s secrets, discovering another treasure, how could she not be excited?
She was even tempted to give him a kiss!
Chiang Xiao really jumped at him, leaning towards his face, and Meng Xinian, completely unprepared for such a move, instinctively held her, only to see her lips approaching his own.
His body tensed sharply.
"Chiang Xiaoxiao..." What do you think you’re doing?
His deep, soft call suddenly snapped Chiang Xiao back to reality, and as she realised just how intimate they were, she blushed fiercely.
She was wrapping her arms around his neck, while he had embraced her whole body.
And she had been about to peck his cheek!
Chiang Xiao took a sharp intake of breath, her heart racing wildly, and in a flurry, she slid down from him, taking three large steps back, her face burning.
In her previous life, she had never been this absurd, truly never!
Of course, it seemed there was never anything in her thirty years of life that could excite her to such joy; apart from those gullible moments, her existence had always been calm as still water.
In her twenties, Deng Qingjiang’s nephew, Chen Liting, had pursued her, been her boyfriend for two years. But now, when she thought about it, even accepting him was due to a desire to repay a favor, because she was used to following Deng Qingjiang’s words.
When Deng Qingjiang said he was a good young man, talented and promising, she listened.
When Deng Qingjiang said he was family, a known and trusted entity, and dating him would be reassuring as she was so naive and less likely to be deceived, she also listened.
Later, some of her paintings, which she hadn’t given to Deng Qingjiang, were discovered by that so-called boyfriend, who sneakily took them to Deng Qingjiang.