Chapter 97: It’s… It’s fine… 

“Miss Jiang, the water’s ready. Warm your feet first.”

After calming down in the courtyard, Lin Xun walked in, holding a basin of hot water.

“Miss Jiang?”

He placed the hot water beside Jiang Nongqin’s small feet and looked up. Although his eyes were once again obscured by the world’s highest peaks, preventing him from clearly seeing the girl’s face, Miss Jiang seemed somewhat silent and shy.

It made sense; late at night, with just a man and a woman, it would be strange if she wasn’t shy.

“Young Master, Nong Qin can do it herself,” Jiang Nongqin said softly, her insteps tensed straight, her two small feet intertwined.

Your Highness wouldn’t want to wash my feet, would he? No, no, Your Highness has already fetched the water for me, how could I let Your Highness wash my feet?

“Alright then.”

Lin Xun nodded and naturally stood up.

Actually, he hadn’t intended to wash Nong Qin’s feet. He had merely re-tested the water temperature. Washing Nong Qin’s feet was too much; even in his previous life, it was an extremely intimate act.

Seeing Lin Xun stand up and sit on a stool, Nong Qin also let out a sigh of relief. Her jade-dew-like toes gently dipped into the basin, testing the water like a kitten drinking, and then her entire fair foot submerged.

Nong Qin bent down to wash her own feet. For an ordinary woman, this action was simple, but for Nong Qin, it was somewhat difficult.

Lin Xun instinctively glanced, then quickly averted his gaze and poured himself a cup of tea.

After washing her feet, Jiang Nongqin insisted on pouring out the foot-washing water herself, and Lin Xun naturally agreed.

However, when Nong Qin returned, she was holding a basin of hot water.

“Young Master, Young Master should also soak his feet…”

“Miss Jiang, there’s no need. I’ve already rinsed my feet,” Lin Xun quickly refused, even taking off his slippers and wiggling his old feet.

“No, Young Master should soak them.”

“There’s really no need,” Lin Xun refused again.

“Is Young Master displeased with Nong Qin?” Standing at the doorway holding the water, the girl’s eyes were already misty.

“No. I… Sigh… Forget it, Miss Jiang, just put it aside.” Seeing Nong Qin’s dejected and sad expression, Lin Xun sighed softly in his heart.

Each holding a basin of water, it should balance things out, right?

Even so, why did it still feel wrong?

He soaked his feet in the hot water Nong Qin brought. The water temperature was just right, very comfortable. But the next moment, Lin Xun felt a tofu-like touch gently caress his calloused feet.

He snapped back to reality, only to realize that Nong Qin hadn’t stood up after putting down the basin; instead, she was washing his feet.

Lin Xun instinctively pulled his foot out of the basin. Nong Qin was startled at first, then a heartbreaking look of sadness and disappointment flashed in her eyes.

‘Ah, this.’

Looking at Nong Qin’s clear, sad eyes, Lin Xun felt like he was going to explode with guilt.

‘Last time! This is the last time! I absolutely cannot let Qinger know! Miss Jiang’s emotions are a bit unstable tonight, this is just a temporary measure, to help Miss Jiang. Miss Jiang and I are innocent!’

After forcefully convincing himself, Lin Xun put his feet back into the basin.

He decided he must delete the memory of tonight! He absolutely couldn’t leave a single trace of it in his mind!

Five minutes later, after washing his feet… “Miss Jiang, can you tell me what happened?”

Sitting in front of Jiang Nongqin, Lin Xun poured her a cup of tea.

Lin Xun always felt that Nong Qin wanted to tell him something.

“It’s… it’s fine. Nong Qin… Nong Qin just had a nightmare.”

Clutching her skirt tightly with slender hands, Nong Qin shook her head.

Originally, she had wanted to confess on this last night before leaving, but now she really had no courage left.

The girl’s eyes subconsciously looked at Lin Xun’s feet again, feeling the lingering touch of His Highness’s feet in her palm.

Only then did the girl realize that His Highness’s feet were so large and covered with many calluses, which were traces of His Highness’s early Cultivation, but she loved everything about His Highness.

Immediately after, a hint of disappointment appeared in the girl’s eyes.

This was her first time washing His Highness’s feet, would it also be the last?

She longed to be able to wake His Highness up in the morning, to have His Highness rest his head on her chest, and for her to wash His Highness’s face and tie his hair.

After His Highness ate the breakfast she made, he would go to teach, and she would wash His Highness’s clothes in the courtyard while waiting for His Highness to return.

Approaching noon, she would cook for His Highness, so he could eat fragrant dishes as soon as he returned.

In the afternoon, His Highness would nap on her lap, and she could quietly watch His Highness’s sleeping face, gently tucking stray hairs behind His Highness’s ear.

And in the evening, after dinner, she could heat water for His Highness to bathe. In winter, she could even warm His Highness’s bed.

If only she could always serve by His Highness’s side, she didn’t want to be a Cultivator; she only wanted to be by His Highness’s side.

If only she could be like Sister Qinger, able to care for His Highness at all times.

The more she thought, the wetter the girl’s eyes became, and a tear even quietly traced a path down her cheek.

“Miss Jiang!”

Seeing the girl suddenly shed fragrant tears, her tear-streaked face startled Lin Xun.

“Young Master… It’s fine… Nong Qin just remembered the nightmare. It’s fine. Nong Qin is fine.”

Even as the girl said she was fine, her tears increased, and the teardrops that slid fully down her face didn’t fall to the ground but were intercepted halfway by her chest.

Lin Xun didn’t know what to do for a moment, he could only hand her one handkerchief after another, just like ten years ago when he saved her in the Demonic Beast Forest.

At that time, Lin Xun also didn’t know what to do, he could only stay by her side.

And just like ten years ago, once this delicate and weak girl truly started crying, she became oblivious to everything. The girl grabbed Lin Xun’s sleeve and wiped her tears.

Nong Qin only stopped crying after half an incense stick’s time. Looking at his sleeve in front of her, soaked with her tears and capable of being wrung out, the composed girl’s cheeks were flushed, but her small hand still clutched Lin Xun’s sleeve, not letting go.

“Miss Jiang, that… my sleeve.”

(“Hey! Haven’t you cried enough? It’s just a Demonic Beast, isn’t it?” The ten-year-old Lin Xun was a little impatient.)

“Mm.” The girl clutched Lin Xun’s sleeve tightly.

(“Wait, wait a little longer.” The Little Girl, also ten years old, held his sleeve tightly, afraid he would abandon her and run off.)

“Can you let go for a moment, Miss?” Lin Xun was a little helpless.

(“If you don’t let go, I’m really going to get angry!” The ten-year-old boy was destined to be single.)

“Mm.” The girl nodded, but still didn’t release his sleeve.

(“Immediately, I… I’ll let go immediately.” The ten-year-old Little Girl, instead, gripped even tighter.)

Lin Xun didn’t speak again, he just stood by her side, quietly accompanying her.

(The ten-year-old Masked Boy sighed softly, put down his long spear, and sat by her side.)

It was the same night, under the same moonlight. Ten years later, the girl still hadn’t released his sleeve, and the grown-up boy was still accompanying her.