The man squatted on the ground, his gaze fixed on the dangling feet. They were a pair of beautiful, fair, and tender feet, so delicate as if they had never walked a step. Beneath the pale skin, faint bluish-green veins resembled jade, and the bones were elegantly slender. They seemed to exude a faint fragrance.
Occasionally, they would sway gently, and Rong Hua's heart, for reasons unknown, swayed along.
As if bewitched, he leaned closer, his cheek nuzzling the prominent ankle with great care. He even seized the opportunity to quickly extend his tongue and lick it.
Seeing no reaction from the owner of the foot, as if she hadn't noticed at all, the man couldn't help but break into a joyful smile.
A soft, warm breath caressed the instep, startling Shen Yue, who recoiled as if a startled rabbit, her face paling slightly.
Upon realizing there was another familiar presence in the chamber, Shen Yue's expression turned icy, and she spoke each word distinctly, "Rong Hua!"
This cold aura sent a shiver through the man, his face flushing red. He looked at her pitifully, "Master... Master smells so good, I wanted to kiss."
That faint, delicate fragrance lingered around his nose, somewhat sweet, more pleasant than the scent of flowers outside. He simply couldn't resist smelling, licking, and tasting.
Was it sweeter than peach blossoms?
Shen Yue's jaw nearly dropped at his audacious words, her earlobes, hidden beneath her dark hair, turning a bright red. She clenched the book in her hand, "You are not allowed to kiss!"
Rong Hua felt extremely wronged. Not allowed to hug, nor to kiss. Master was so fierce.
His gaze, uncontrollably, fell upon that foot again. He stared intently at the fair, tender skin as if ravenously hungry, his gaze practically devouring it, like a long-coveted, drooling hound.
Shen Yue couldn't see, but she felt profoundly uncomfortable under such a gaze. She issued another cold command, "You go out."
Rong Hua clung to his spot, refusing to leave. He even whined softly, "No, no, Master smells so good, I really want to lick..."
Shen Yue was too embarrassed to listen further. Flustered, she dropped the book in her hand and covered the man's mouth.
Her voice was urgent and angry, "Shameless!"
Rong Hua didn't know what "shameless" meant. He only knew that Master smelled good everywhere, even her fingers were fragrant. Then...
A wetness spread across his palm. Shen Yue, as if electrocuted, quickly withdrew her hand. Now, like a startled little bird, she stumbled up from the cushioned stool and fled as if pursued by a monstrous flood.
The man behind her pursued step by step, his voice cloyingly sweet, as if it could be spun into threads.
"Master..."
"Master..."
—
The addled Rong Hua was far too bold. Shen Yue truly hadn't expected anyone to be more shameless than she was. He was so audacious that she was left speechless, and what's more, he was a simpleton who wouldn't understand if she tried to reason with him.
The plot seemed to be growing increasingly bizarre. Shen Yue wondered if Rong Hua, upon recovering his senses, would be mortified to death recalling his actions.
Shen Yue had a daily habit: she would water the withered branches of a long-dead potted plant, day and night. During the day, she would place the potted plant in her study, where there was better light and it could bask in the sun. At night, she would carry it back to her chambers.
The little tree spirit seemed particularly fond of the green shoots in this potted plant, always sleeping curled up beneath it.
Today, after she had finished attending to some matters concerning the Qingyun Sect, she went to water it as usual. Reaching out to touch a familiar spot, she encountered unfamiliar patterns, not the ones she was accustomed to.
She felt the leaves and branches in the pot. They were soft and tender. Shen Yue was startled. She touched it again, unsure, and only then did she realize this was not the potted plant Chang Sheng had given her.
It had been swapped.
And it was Chang Sheng's.
A sense of panic washed over her. Without a second thought, Shen Yue knew who was responsible.
"Rong Hua!"
The man, who was busy raiding a bird's nest in a tree, had sharp ears. Hearing his master calling him, he abandoned the nest and scrambled down from the tree in a flash, running towards the study with lighthearted steps.
His voice arrived before he did.
"Master!"
The man's clothes were covered in flower petals, and he carried a waft of clear fragrance as he ran.
He approached joyfully, his eyes shining like stars.
But upon seeing Shen Yue's ice-cold face, he nervously began to rub his clothes, wanting to approach but daring not. He could only call out "Master" helplessly.
Shen Yue remained silent for a moment. "Where is the potted plant I left here?"
Her voice was as calm and collected as ever, but her slightly trembling tone revealed that she was not as composed as she appeared, and even her intonation carried a hint of sharpness.
Rong Hua didn't realize he had done anything wrong. Mentioning it, he couldn't help but flash a happy, ingratiating smile.
"I thought Master liked it, but the branches inside had withered. So I found a prettier one for Master. Aren't you happy?"
His tone was cautious, filled with expectation and eagerness.
But Shen Yue's expression grew increasingly distant. Still cool as the white moon, no emotion could be discerned. Yet, Rong Hua, highly sensitive, sensed an unsettling emotion. He became even more nervous, his clothes rubbed into wrinkles.
"Master... Master doesn't like it?"
Shen Yue's brows gradually turned cold. "Where did you throw it away?"
Rong Hua hugged his head and thought, but he couldn't remember. He nervously pursed his lips, his voice softer than a mosquito's.
"I... I don't remember."
This time, Shen Yue seemed unable to contain her inner fury. With a casual wave of her hand, the potted plant on the desk crashed to the ground, shattering into pieces. The delicate, vibrant purple petals seemed to instantly lose their life, withering rapidly.
"If you can't find it, don't come back."
As if unwilling to spend another moment with him, Shen Yue coldly walked past him and left.
Rong Hua instinctively reached out to grab Shen Yue's hem, but when he reached out to grasp, he caught nothing.
Only then, with a slight delay, did he realize that Master was angry.
A dull ache spread through his chest. The man's eyelashes fluttered as he whimpered with grievance. He clenched his fists tightly, digging into his flesh without realizing it.
He muttered to himself, his words jumbled and nonsensical, a slightly neurotic whisper.
"Must, must find... no... can't let Master be angry... can't let Master be angry..."
As if a realization dawned, the man's face broke into a smile again, innocent and romantic, yet his eyes were red. He turned, and bolted outwards.
Shen Yue searched for a long time but couldn't find it. The scent emitted by the potted plant was very faint, making it difficult for Shen Yue to sense. She could only search clumsily, trying to feel her way, with no other recourse.