Chapter 62: If… 

In a small courtyard on East Street, two young women successively brought dishes from the kitchen into the main hall.

Looking at the table full of dishes she had prepared, Jiang Qingshang placed her small hands on her slender waist, which could be encircled by a single grip. Her eyes curved slightly, and she let out a proud “Hmph hmph” laugh, full of girlish charm and a hint of impatience.

Jiang Nongqin, who had helped out, watched the girl’s happy and charming appearance, feeling both envy and a touch of longing in her heart.

Jiang Nongqin’s thoughts couldn’t help but drift, imagining a day when she cooked a table full of food, waiting for Your Highness to return.

Your Highness would stroke her head and praise her, saying, “You worked hard.”

Or perhaps, after she had prepared the hot water, Your Highness would lift her up and carry her into the bathtub together.

“Wait a minute. What am I thinking? I, I.”

Jiang Nongqin touched her burning cheeks, quickly shook her head, and tried to dispel the “presumptuous” thoughts in her mind.

But this small thought was like a tiny flame, igniting the entire plain in the girl’s heart, which could no longer be calmed.

“Sister Nongqin? Your face is so red, are you feeling unwell?”

Jiang Qingshang extended her fair, small hand, gently lifting the bangs from Sister Nongqin’s forehead, and the two girls pressed their foreheads together.

Sensing the girl’s sudden tenderness, Jiang Nongqin’s heart gradually calmed down.

Jiang Nongqin observed the girl’s face, which was now inches away.

Long eyelashes, fair and smooth skin, slightly upturned peach blossom eyes. Her lips were small but clearly defined; a slight purse turned them into a fine line, thin like a soup dumpling with a delicate skin, as if a gentle bite would cause sweet juice to spill out.

She really is beautiful.

She was clearly a mortal woman, clearly having never undergone the Cultivator process of “Marrow Cleansing and Impurity Removal,” yet she was as pristine as a handful of clear spring water.

If she could cultivate and then undergo the complete Marrow Cleansing and Impurity Removal of the Cave Mansion Realm and the Nascent Soul Realm, how beautiful would she become?

For a moment, Jiang Nongqin gently lowered her gaze, a faint trace of sadness flashing in her eyes.

However, to prevent the girl from noticing her unusual behavior, Jiang Nongqin quickly cheered up and smiled:

“I’m fine. I just feel like I’ve gained a bit of weight recently, and my skirt feels a little too tight, making it hard to breathe…”

“Gained weight? No way…”

But when Jiang Qingshang looked at Jiang Nongqin’s chest, and then looked down at herself, her heart was instantly filled with mixed emotions.

She had never paid much attention before, but now, for the first time, Jiang Qingshang felt the difference so acutely and up close.

Moreover, the other party seemed intent on widening this gap even further!

For a moment, Jiang Qingshang felt a little self-conscious.

But this truly couldn’t be blamed on Jiang Qingshang.

Jiang Qingshang’s figure was excellent too, but unfortunately, the other party was simply too Heaven-Defying.

“Qinger? What’s wrong?” Jiang Nongqin was fine now, but Jiang Qingshang appeared slightly disappointed.

“Sister Nongqin.” Jiang Qingshang raised her eyes, held Jiang Nongqin’s hand, and asked seriously, “What are your usual dietary habits? Would you mind telling me?”

“Hmm?”

Walking on the streets of Luo City, Lin Xun and Xia Xiaomeng walked side by side, but between them was a bouncing Little Fox Demon.

Lin Xun already understood that the reason Yaya appeared in the teahouse was because she happened to be passing by while running an errand for Chu Yaoyao to buy Rouge.

Then Yaya smelled Lin Xun’s scent.

Yaya had an excellent impression of this Big Brother who gave her Lollipops, so naturally, she went to find the Big Brother.

Finally, Yaya happily pushed open the room door.

However—

Lin Xun looked at Yaya, who was holding his hand and bouncing along.

What surprised Lin Xun was that the Magic Formation in the teahouse private room was at least at the Nascent Soul Realm level, a level that would already serve as a Mountain-Protecting Grand Formation for some small Sects.

But Yaya was just a small white fox whose transformation wasn’t even complete. How did she break it open? Furthermore, she didn’t seem to notice breaking the Magic Formation at all; it was as simple as just pushing open a door.

Legend has it that the Ancient Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox could break Ten Thousand Laws.

Could it be—

Just as Lin Xun was immersed in his own conjecture, Xia Xiaomeng, who was holding Yaya’s other small hand, kept her gaze fixed on Lin Xun’s hand.

Although Xia Xiaomeng knew that Yaya was just a Little Girl and Lin Xun treated her like a younger sister, seeing Lin Xun’s large hand wrapped around her small hand made her feel very uncomfortable.

Moreover—

As she thought about it, Xia Xiaomeng couldn’t help but pout, her large eyes glistening with moisture.

She hadn’t held his hand and gone shopping with him for a long time.

Just as Xia Xiaomeng was feeling secretly wronged, they had already walked Yaya back to the entrance of the Cloth Shop.

“Don’t eat too much candy, okay? You’ll get cavities.” Lin Xun instructed with a smile.

“Mhm, Yaya is very obedient.”

“What about that ‘game’ Yaya saw in the restaurant?”

“Game? Yaya met Big Brother on the street, where was there a game?” Yaya blinked her eyes and said adorably.

“Indeed, a promising child.” Lin Xun, who had bribed Yaya with a bundle of Lollipops, patted her little head contentedly.

Although Yaya was still a Little Fox Demon whose mind hadn’t fully developed, in certain aspects, the Fox Clan truly possessed innate talent.

“Alright, let’s go. Hurry back.”

“Mhm, goodbye, Big Brother~~~~”

Lin Xun and Xia Xiaomeng turned and left. Yaya hugged a bundle of Lollipops in one hand, while the other was raised high, standing on her tiptoes at the doorway and waving continuously.

After walking out of the alley, only Lin Xun and Xia Xiaomeng remained. Lin Xun deliberately chose to walk on the main roads to prevent Xia Xiaomeng from taking advantage of the situation.

Although his identity had been exposed in the teahouse, Lin Xun was determined to deny it to the death.

Lin Xun felt that if he didn’t admit it, he was still Lin Xun, and there would always be room for subtlety between the two of them.

If he admitted it, that layer of separation would vanish, and Lin Xun felt that unimaginable things might happen!

Of course, Lin Xun wasn’t sure if this self-deception would work on Sister Mimi, but it was all he could do.

On the way home, Lin Xun was on edge, but he noticed that Sister Mimi seemed very quiet, walking behind him with her head lowered.

This left Lin Xun very confused.

Could Sister Mimi be brewing some big move… But regardless, once they entered the courtyard, they would be safe. At least Sister Mimi probably wouldn’t act recklessly in front of Qinger.

The journey was uneventful. Lin Xun and Xia Xiaomeng arrived in front of the courtyard. The Palace Enshriners did not approach further but stayed nearby to guard them.

Just as Lin Xun was about to push the door open, he suddenly felt his sleeve being gently tugged.

Lin Xun turned his head and saw the girl, who had been keeping her head down, lift her beautiful face. Her clear peach blossom eyes shone with a translucent luster under the moonlight.

However, these gem-like eyes were veiled by a layer of misty tears that made his heart ache.

“Miss Mixia.” Feeling the slight trembling of his sleeve and seeing the girl looking like a nervous little animal, Lin Xun’s heart tightened, and he slowly spoke.

“If.”

The girl gently bit her red lip, looked at Lin Xun with a dazed expression, and slowly spoke.

“If… I put my hand in your palm right now, would you push me away?”