Chapter 15. Cold Spring Silver bubbles glided past lowered long eyelashes, rising…

Bai Li Chuan got off the bed and came to the table, sitting down on the round stool where the other person had just sat, reaching down to pick up the wooden box on the table.

The box was exquisitely patterned, with two phoenix tail feathers intertwined, fire-colored gemstones inlaid in the eyes, vivid and lifelike, proud and noble, heads held high in disdain, untainted by mundane dust. The body of the box was carved with the image of phoenixes singing in harmony.

Although Bai Li Chuan didn’t have a deep knowledge of craftsmanship, Mei Ran Gong’s skills were well-known in the market, especially this box of phoenixes singing in harmony, which was her masterpiece. There were many imitations in the folk market, and naturally, there were also many ways to identify the genuine article.

The real box of phoenixes singing in harmony was originally in her possession.

Bai Li Chuan didn’t think much more, and reached out to open the lid.

He thought it would take some effort, but didn’t expect that for his convenience, she hadn’t set up the mechanism of the box.

A transparent ice porcelain bottle stood quietly inside.

He took the porcelain bottle out of the box, holding it and gently caressing the body of the bottle. The cold touch was as expected, with no trace of her body temperature left.

*

Xin Jiao Zhou was feeling somewhat restless, wandering aimlessly in the back courtyard.

Before she knew it, she had walked to the door of the back kitchen.

Hua Huan should have prepared the medicine by now.

Xin Jiao Zhou hesitated.

She had never been to the back kitchen before, she was just coming to take a look.

With that thought, she stepped into the doorway.

The first thing she saw was a stove brewing medicine, but there was no one tending to it.

Xin Jiao Zhou immediately felt a surge of inexplicable anger.

She frowned, casually grabbing a small stool to sit down by the stove.

The mighty leader of the demonic sect was now sitting on a small square stool in the kitchen, seriously watching the fire, for two whole hours.

Mu He had just finished fetching water and returned to the kitchen, only to see someone sitting inside. The person had their back to him, and judging by their clothes, they weren’t a servant from Feng Yi Lou. The person was sitting next to the medicine stove, seriously watching the fire of the medicine pot, while the servant who was previously here had disappeared.

Mu He became wary.

Xin Jiao Zhou heard the movement at the door and turned to look.

Their eyes met, and time stood still.

Seeing a “familiar face”, Mu He felt somewhat embarrassed. He quickly lowered his head and turned his body, wanting to act as if nothing had happened and naturally leave.

If he had known this person was the master’s love interest, he wouldn’t have taken that job that night no matter how idle he was. Originally, he just wanted to practice to keep his skills sharp, but after that night, he ended up practicing in the back kitchen for half a month, and now he was more familiar with the back kitchen than he could ever be!

Xin Jiao Zhou noticed his intention and stood up to call out: “Wait a moment.”

The other person stopped in place, with his back to her, not moving.

Xin Jiao Zhou walked to his side: “You—”

Mu He kept his head lowered tightly, his scalp tingling.

He only heard the other person say: “Are you the one who brews medicine here?”

Mu He forced himself to answer in a low voice: “No.”

After he answered, the other person showed no intention of letting him go, and continued to ask: “Then do you know the person who brews medicine here?”

Being in such close proximity to his former assassination target, not knowing if the other person had recognized him, Mu He’s scalp tingled, and he stiffly said: “Yes.”

Upon hearing that he knew, Xin Jiao Zhou frowned: “Brewing medicine for the master, yet not carefully watching over it, such negligence of duty. If ill-intentioned people were to take advantage of this, what punishment would be fitting?”

She turned with a swish of her sleeves.

As a subordinate, not even being able to do the most basic tasks, where exactly was the safety of one’s master being placed!

After speaking, she realized she had been impulsive. She usually didn’t even discipline her own subordinates much, how come she was now disciplining someone else’s subordinates? Moreover, what right did she have to discipline other people’s people?

Xin Jiao Zhou pursed her lips, speechless.

Mu He bowed his head and saluted: “Yes, this small one will remember.”

Xin Jiao Zhou’s brow relaxed slightly.

After a while, seeing that he was still standing there, she asked: “Is there anything else?”

Mu He cautiously said: “If the great one has any other matters to instruct this small one, this small one will note them all down and arrange them properly.” If she didn’t leave, how dare he move on his own!

So he had been waiting for her instructions all along.

Xin Jiao Zhou glanced at the medicine stove: “There’s nothing else, you may go about your business. I’ll watch over here.”

“Yes.”

Mu He quickly left the kitchen, rushed outside, and fetched several more vats of water.

Seeing the person leave, Xin Jiao Zhou sat back down in front of the medicine stove, once again staring at the flickering flames under the pot.

Her eyes were filled with intense red, the heat waves hitting her face, making her involuntarily think of that person’s flushed cheeks and hot skin.

Since that time, these images had been lingering in her mind, popping up from time to time to tease her, disturbing her peace of mind.

She remembered the cold spring she had discovered in her residence a few days ago, and immediately decided to go soak in the cold spring tonight to cool down.

*

Perhaps due to the rain yesterday, tonight’s sky was exceptionally clear.

The bright moon hung high, the Milky Way glimmered, and stars filled the sky.

Xin Jiao Zhou was fully immersed in the spring water, practicing meditation, carefully sensing, exploring for a moment, and finally found that energy different from internal force that was filling her body.

She initiated that energy from her dantian, slowly combing through it, controlling it to travel through her meridians.

In a place she couldn’t see, a mass of ink-black energy gathered at her brow, slowly revolving, gradually taking shape…

When Hua Yin came to find Bai Li Chuan, Bai Li Chuan had just finished drinking the medicine and put down the bowl.

The fishy sweetness in his mouth covered the original bitterness of the medicine. He didn’t know what that bottle of medicine she gave was made of, it was so miraculous. After adding that medicine to the ordinary cold medicine and drinking it, his body immediately felt much more comfortable, his waist no longer ached, his head no longer hurt, and even his martial power became more profound. Just after taking one dose, his cold was cured.

Bai Li Chuan gently rubbed the porcelain bottle with his fingertips, hearing the movement, he asked without even raising his eyelids: “What’s the matter?”

The person kneeling on the ground didn’t get up: “Prime Minister Jiang sent a letter, the Crown Princess is acting as regent, tomorrow we’ll meet at Zui Yun Lou.”

“Mm.” He put the porcelain bottle on the table, expressionless: “I see. You may withdraw.”

Hua Yin hesitated a bit, not sure whether to say: “Master, there’s one more thing.”

Bai Li Chuan frowned, somewhat displeased: “What is it, worth you hemming and hawing? Speak quickly.”

“Yes, Master. The martial arts conference is approaching, will Ming Xia Palace participate this time?”

Hua Yin used a more tactful way of speaking, but he believed the master would understand. Ming Xia Palace needed Mu He’s management. He and Hua Huan each had their own duties, and the result of the martial arts conference was related to the prestige Ming Xia Palace had accumulated over the years. It couldn’t be arranged casually, and Ming Xia Palace had always been managed by Mu He before. Now, Mu He was the best choice.

Hua Yin still didn’t know that nothing had happened to Mu He, and his disappearance for the past half month was just Bai Li Chuan punishing him by making him carry water and chop firewood.

Bai Li Chuan pondered for a moment, not immediately giving a clear answer: “You don’t need to worry about this matter, wait for my news when the time comes.”

Hua Yin paused slightly before answering: “Yes.”

Although the time was short, Bai Li Chuan still noticed it: “Mu He won’t be going back for now.”

How could he not understand his own subordinates? Mu He and Hua Yin had been doing missions together since childhood, going through life and death situations. The feelings between them had long surpassed friendship, they already treated each other as family.

The master saying this meant that Mu He was fine. Hua Yin suppressed the smile at the corner of his mouth and regained his composure: “Yes. Hua Yin takes his leave.”

After Hua Yin left, Bai Li Chuan quickly left his own chamber. When he arrived at the gate of Xin Jiao Zhou’s courtyard, his footsteps began to hesitate. But on second thought, since he had already come, what was there to hesitate about at this point?

Bai Li Chuan straightened his chest and raised his head, stepping into the courtyard.

He reached out to push open the door, but didn’t see the expected figure in the room.

Could it be that she had gone to bed?

Bai Li Chuan slowed his breathing, lightened his movements, and moved to the bedside.

The bedding was neat, and there were no indentations on the pillow.

Where had she gone? Could it be that his actions were too much and scared her away?

Bai Li Chuan suddenly panicked, afraid that things were as he thought. He searched the entire courtyard, and finally found some traces near a cold spring.

In a corner of the courtyard, under a pear blossom tree, a pool of spring water was deep blue, clear to the bottom, with the spring eye gurgling, creating rippling waves.

White petals covered the shore, and near the shore, the water’s edge was scattered with them, like moonlit stars fallen into the water. Neatly folded clothes were placed by the spring, but there was no sign of their owner nearby.

Bai Li Chuan was puzzled, the clothes were here, where could the person have gone?

By the moonlight, he searched carefully, and finally discovered a place in the spring water that was obviously different from its surroundings.

The person at the bottom of the water showed no movement for a long time, and Bai Li Chuan’s heart suddenly tightened.

Could something have happened?

He dared not continue thinking, not even taking time to remove his outer clothes, only taking off his embroidered shoes before jumping into the water.

Xin Jiao Zhou’s meditation had reached the realm of profound truth, and her perception of the surrounding movements was very clear. She hadn’t expected that Bai Li Chuan would come to her courtyard to find her tonight.

When she knew Bai Li Chuan had arrived, she almost jumped out of the water surface in excitement for a moment.

Thinking of her previous decision, Xin Jiao Zhou decided to continue staying in the water, not meeting him.

Originally thinking that he would leave after not finding her in the room, she didn’t expect that not only did he find this cold spring, but he also jumped in.

A huge splash of water rose not far away, catching Xin Jiao Zhou off guard, and she opened her eyes underwater.

The clear blue waves rippled the red gauze, the owner of the red clothes ignored the spreading lapels, coldly gazing forward, eyes only on the sole concern.

Xin Jiao Zhou was submerged in the water, wearing only a white undergarment, hesitating whether to swim over, as the undergarment soaked by the spring water would not look very elegant.

The person not far away suddenly became unstable, seeming to be sinking. Xin Jiao Zhou hurriedly swam over.

Who would jump into the water wearing such heavy clothes?

A strong arm wrapped around the waist of the person in the water, letting him lean against her embrace. Just as Xin Jiao Zhou was about to exert force to surface, the arm encircling her neck suddenly tightened, pulling her down sharply.

Silver bubbles constantly rose around them as they continued to sink.

The person in her arms looked up at her, panicked, like a frightened small animal. The other person stared at her for a few moments, then blinked, suddenly frowning, and urgently leaned over. Before she could push him away, he began to give her air, so clumsily that he choked on water a few times in between.

Silver bubbles slid past the lowered long eyelashes, rising to the surface to burst into small round moons, the delicate skin in the water coated with a layer of silver velvet.

Ripples spread out in circles on the water surface.

The person in her arms had much less strength, the arm around her neck no longer pulling her down. Xin Jiao Zhou sensed something was wrong, gave a few breaths back into the mouth of the person with tightly closed eyes in her arms, gripped the other’s waist, and in a few moments brought the person to the surface.

Bai Li Chuan coughed violently a few times, opened his eyes, and saw the person half-kneeling beside him. The other person was only wearing an undergarment, which was now soaked through, with hair clinging to their body, dripping water continuously.

They both spoke almost simultaneously: “Why did you jump into the water?”

Bai Li Chuan turned his face away, not looking at the other person.

Xin Jiao Zhou said: “I was practicing meditation.”

The water on the hair of the person opposite gathered into droplets and slid down their face along the hair ends, a string of transparent water droplets sliding down the neck and into the collar.

— His sideburns were dripping water.

Xin Jiao Zhou’s mind wandered.

“Recently, my body has been a bit unwell, soaking in a cold spring can help regulate it.”

So it was because of this.

Bai Li Chuan’s face instantly flushed red, embarrassedly turning his head to look at the spring water beside him, ripples of light dancing in his eyes.

He stared at the water surface for a while, his pearly teeth lightly biting his pale pink lower lip, his voice as faint as a mosquito’s buzz: “I thought you… were in danger…”

Although his voice was very soft, Xin Jiao Zhou still heard it.

“Thank you.”

The surroundings were very quiet, with occasional night insects chirping.

After a while, Bai Li Chuan secretly turned his head, only to find that the other person was looking at him, his little actions just now had been completely seen by the other.

The beautiful person’s eyelashes fluttered, his ears turning bright red.

Cute.

Xin Jiao Zhou unconsciously curved her lips, stood up, walked to where she had placed her clothes, and picked up her outer garment.

She returned to Bai Li Chuan’s side, draped it over him, her eyes revealing a gentleness she herself hadn’t noticed: “The night is deep and the dew is heavy, use this garment for now. It’s getting late, let me send you back.”

“Mm.” But the other person sat by the spring, not moving.

“What’s wrong?” Xin Jiao Zhou asked.

“No strength left, legs are weak…” The person by the spring lowered his head, saying softly.

Without much thought, Xin Jiao Zhou bent down and scooped him up in her arms.

The other person reacted, turning his head blankly to look at her.

Xin Jiao Zhou’s heart felt like it had been kicked by a rabbit’s leg, her face suddenly heating up.

Afraid that her blushing would be noticed, she hurriedly turned her head to look at the sky: “Ahem, let’s… let’s go.”

“Mm.” The person in her arms gently rested his head in the crook of her neck.