If Luo Yao knew her past relationship with Ling Xi, she wondered if this little girl would still be so kind to her every day.
It was strange, she had only known Luo Yao for less than half a month, what made her treat her so sincerely?
Did a person with no blood relation truly exist in this world who would entrust their sincerity to you?
Or was it that after so many years in a corrupt environment, her heart had become too dark?
As her thoughts wandered, a piece of fish landed in her bowl. Following the chopsticks, she saw Mu Heng picking at the dishes in his bowl, not saying a word, then he picked another piece for her.
Ye Ziling frowned, looking at Mu Heng with confusion.
Why did she feel like this person had been acting strangely these past few days?
It was as if she wouldn't have many more meals to eat.
This action quickly caught the attention of the two people opposite her, and they both looked over, their gazes clearly more puzzled than hers.
Mu Heng felt a little uncomfortable being stared at by several people, almost choking. He patted his chest and said, "You like fish... eat more."
Ling Xi saw the surprise in Ye Ziling's eyes and extended his chopsticks to give her a piece too.
As he reached the middle, Mu Heng's chopsticks blocked him, and his eyes glared vigilantly at Ling Xi's face, his eyes carrying a cold glint.
You damned scumbag, draw your sword!
Eating from one bowl but looking at another, I can't stand such fickleness.
Ling Xi raised an eyebrow, looking at the meat in his bowl, a playful smile curling at his lips as he continued to extend his chopsticks.
Seeing the tension between the two, Ye Ziling remained indifferent and continued eating.
"She has hands, she can pick for herself. Today is Miss Luo Yao's birthday, why aren't you picking for her?" Mu Heng glared at Ling Xi, acting like a protective mother hen, as if afraid her chick would be bullied.
Logically, if a subordinate was disrespectful to others, the master should stop them. Seeing Ye Ziling's indifferent demeanor, Ling Xi clearly acquiesced to Mu Heng's meaning. He feigned calmness, withdrew his hand, and placed the dish into Luo Yao's bowl.
Luo Yao's eyes brightened, and she passed the dish to Ye Ziling again, smiling brightly and saying softly, "Miss Ye, you've worked hard today."
Ye Ziling was suddenly taken aback, and she offered a polite, perfunctory smile, "Thank you, Miss Luo Yao."
Mu Heng finally ate his dishes with peace of mind.
Ling Xi watched this action, his eyes flashing several times. When Ye Ziling wasn't paying attention, he forcefully placed the dish into her bowl, his expression growing colder, yet he remained silent.
Mu Heng hadn't expected Ling Xi to be so persistent. Since it was someone's birthday tonight, he didn't want to spoil the mood, so he could only endure it silently.
He found both of them thoroughly displeasing.
Ye Ziling noticed the palpable tension at the table, her expression placid as she continued eating.
She was used to it.
It didn't matter.
The moon climbed above the treetops, and a spring breeze blew ten miles. The pear blossoms in the courtyard were exceptionally bright under the moonlight, their petals scattering and falling to the ground.
She looked at the beautiful scenery outside the window, couldn't help but climb out, and caught the falling petals with both hands.
This scene was perfect for sleeping.
She gently tapped her toes, and the fallen petals swirled with her movements. Her lithe body glided under the moonlight, and in a flash, she was leaning softly on a treetop.
She chuckled in amusement, a faint glow flickering in her eyes as she smelled the fragrance of the flowers and admired the moon overhead.
Ye Ziling was a light sleeper. Whenever she couldn't sleep, she would lie on the treetop and stare at the moon in the sky, which always brought on sleep quickly.
She closed her eyes, and soon, her breathing became even, and she fell asleep comfortably.
Under the moonlight, a figure in black flitted across the corridor, and a piece of cloth descended the stairs.
Ling Xi strode forward, arriving at her door, and knocked softly.
After a long time, there was still no response.
He wanted to push the door open, but he restrained himself, pacing back and forth in front of the door, heavy with thought.
Logically, when this person was angry, besides being sarcastic, she wouldn't ignore him. Could she have already slept?
Ling Xi clearly remembered that Ye Ziling was a light sleeper and could be easily woken up even when asleep.
But if he didn't explain, he would toss and turn restlessly tonight. It was better to clarify things with her.
A gentle night breeze blew, and a corner of a gauze skirt fluttered on the treetop in the courtyard, dancing with the petals in the wind.
His eyes lit up, his clear and handsome brows relaxing slightly. He moved with the wind, slowly approaching the pear tree.
The person before him breathed evenly, her long and dense eyelashes unmoving. The bright moonlight illuminated her excessively stunning face, to which even all the pear blossoms in the tree paled in comparison.
As expected, she still liked sleeping on the treetop.
In the heavenly realm, he had found the immortal trees in her palace courtyard too plain, so he had a sudden inspiration and personally hung red ribbons on a large tree, each word written by his own hand.
Ling Xi reached out, gently removed a fallen petal from her face, and draped his cloak over her.
Ye Ziling was startled awake by the sound of the wind. The moment she opened her eyes, she saw a figure dancing with a sword freely under the moon.
His figure was tall, and every move and stance stirred up a flurry of petals with his sword wind. When he danced, it was like a painting.
She withdrew her gaze, her eyes falling on the cloak on her body, and she suddenly lost herself in thought.
"...Ling Xi?" Her voice, still drowsy from sleep, called out his name with a hint of languor.
The figure under the moon, sleeves fluttering, nimbly executed a sword flourish. Hearing her call, he walked towards her with long strides.
"Why aren't you sleeping?" She raised her hand and rubbed her sleepy eyes, lightly flipping down from the tree and walking towards him.
Ling Xi gazed at her for a moment, then extended his palm. A bright night-shining pearl lay flat in his palm, emitting a faint white light.
He lowered his gaze, his eyes brightening, and his sight fell on her face. His voice was warm as he said, "I remember, I still owe you a night-shining pearl."
Ye Ziling remembered.
Before, in the heavenly realm, Jun Lan had accidentally broken one of her night-shining pearls. He had promised to compensate her with one, and it was only now that he was fulfilling that promise.
"I had almost forgotten if you hadn't mentioned it." Ye Ziling looked at the shimmering pearl in his palm, her eyes sparkling, and reached out to take it.
She reached out to take it, but as she was about to grasp it, he caught her hand. No matter how she pulled, she couldn't get it back.
He examined her for a moment, and seeing that something was missing from her hair, his eyebrows furrowed slightly.
"The hairpin I gave you, why aren't you wearing it?"
He questioned her, his voice clearly displeased.
The hairpin?
Ye Ziling raised an eyebrow, shifted her gaze from his face, and calmly said, "I don't know, perhaps I lost it."
Her wrist was suddenly gripped tightly, and he repeated, "Lost it?"
A token of their affection, and she had lost it so carelessly?
A coldness shot into his eyes, and his palm tightened, gripping her hand firmly.
"It's just a hairpin, I'll compensate you if it's lost." She said leisurely, retrieving her hand with a slight effort and casually rubbing it.
"Compensate?"
"Ye Ziling, in your eyes, everything I give is insignificant?"
"This hairpin is one of a kind in the world, what can you use to compensate?"
Ling Xi's tone was sharp, unleashing a torrent of words at her.
He laughed in anger, and from beneath his sleeve, he had somehow grabbed an immortal-binding rope. The veins on his wrist were becoming increasingly prominent.