Chapter Twenty-Four: Going to See the Old Witch

Watching as Liu Ling’er swiftly stripped him down to nothing but his undergarments in just a few moves, Bai Li Xian was utterly stunned, frozen in place like a statue. For a moment, the room was eerily quiet, save for the ambiguous creaking of the bed under Liu Ling’er’s movements.

To protect his last piece of clothing from further assault, Bai Li Xian edged away to the far side of the bed—keeping as much distance as possible from Liu Ling’er. Were it not for the sense that the two people hiding under the window outside were still peeking in, he would have bolted long ago.

But Liu Ling’er wasn’t having it. She was exhausted from rocking the bed, yet he just sat there, enjoying the show. And not only that, he wore an expression of detached indifference, as if none of this concerned him. So what if he was handsome? She, too, was more than a little attractive—if not a national beauty, then certainly a delicate and charming one. How could he bear to let a frail young lady like herself wear herself out all alone? Impossible! She was going on strike.

Liu Ling’er stopped rocking the bed and turned to glare at Bai Li Xian. Her gaze made his skin crawl. “Why did you stop? Keep rocking! The people outside haven’t left yet!”

Her answer came first in the form of a pair of feet, which kicked him off the bed with a loud thud. Then a lion’s roar followed: “Bai Li Xian, are you even a man? Can’t you be a little more proactive? Always making me do everything—aren’t you the least bit embarrassed?”

Seeing Bai Li Xian, disheveled and tossed off the bed, and hearing Liu Ling’er’s fierce words, the two eavesdroppers outside were completely thrown into confusion. Who could have guessed that the delicate general’s daughter was a shrew, and that the imposing Prince Xian was actually the submissive one in bed? There were too many surprises.

The shocks kept coming, especially when they saw Prince Xian didn’t get angry at all. Instead, he brushed the dust off himself, climbed back onto the bed obediently, and the ambiguous noises resumed. The onlookers’ eyes nearly popped out of their heads.

Yet their ears remained alert as ever, like windmills, because the sounds from inside were clear and crisp, enough to make anyone’s blood boil. Suddenly, one of the experts felt something cool trickling down from his nose. Wiping it and glancing at his hand in the weak candlelight, he realized he was having a nosebleed.

Thankfully, the night was dark and the wind high; otherwise, his embarrassment would have been immeasurable. If word got out that a top-ranked, sword-bearing imperial guard got a nosebleed while spying on someone’s intimate moments, he’d never live it down.

After vigorous exertion, Liu Ling’er’s clothes were thoroughly disheveled, her hairpins lost somewhere unknown, and her long hair spilled over her shoulders. The collar of her garment loosened, exposing her alluring collarbone and a fair shoulder bathed in the warm glow of the candlelight. It seemed as if a soft halo surrounded her, and for a brief instant, a string in Bai Li Xian’s heart—one that had never been touched, not even by women—began to quietly resonate.

He stared, entranced, and his hands slowed unconsciously. Liu Ling’er immediately shot him a sharp glance: “Bai Li Xian, if you don’t take this seriously, I’ll stop right now.”

Seeing her earnest expression, Bai Li Xian snapped back to himself. “Bai Li Xian, Bai Li Xian, it seems you still have some muddled debts left unpaid. How can you get involved again now?”

He flicked Liu Ling’er’s nose. “If you don’t mind, you can rock the bed yourself—even if you break it, I don’t care. Anyway, those two fools outside have already left.”

Liu Ling’er slapped her forehead. “Oh! You’ve annoyed me so much, you’ve actually lowered my IQ.”

After a round of complaints, Liu Ling’er pulled the blanket over herself. “I’m going to sleep. You can leave now. If you don’t mind sleeping on the floor, I can lend you a blanket.”

With a snort, Bai Li Xian gathered up his clothes and dressed, turning to give Liu Ling’er a dashing silhouette as he headed for the door. Just before stepping out, he turned back and said, “Get some rest. Tomorrow we have to meet the old witch.”

Meet the old witch? Liu Ling’er paused, confused. Who was that? Why did she have to meet her? The name sounded like a villain, but she was too exhausted to care. There would be a way forward when the carriage reached the mountain. Sleep was the real priority.