Chapter 18: Fleeing Into the Night

"Ah!!"
Now it was Zeng Xiaofan’s turn to cry out in pain. At the crucial moment, he could only cover his own mouth with his other hand.

However, Bai Qingyao had no intention of letting him off so easily. Her pearly teeth bit down even harder!

It felt as though she was determined to bite right through his finger and swallow it out of sheer anger.

There was nothing he could do. Though the pain was intense, Zeng Xiaofan could only grit his teeth and stifle his cries.

His brows knitted tightly together from the agony.

Bai Qingyao was still fuming, her eyes growing rounder with anger. Yet, even in her rage, she was breathtakingly beautiful.

His hand ached, but Zeng Xiaofan’s heart was a confused tangle of delight and pain—a sweetness and a sting mingled together.

“Hmph~” Bai Qingyao finally snorted coldly and released his finger.

Her cold snort made Zeng Xiaofan even more ashamed.

He hurriedly reached out with both hands to help her up, but in his fluster, his hand slipped from her intended grip and landed on her shoulder instead.

“Hey!” Bai Qingyao shot him a fierce glare over her shoulder and scolded in a tone of playful reproach,

“Where do you think you’re grabbing? Let go!”

“Oh, sorry, sorry… my hand slipped… it just slipped…” Zeng Xiaofan stammered, apologizing in a flurry.

“Don’t move!” Bai Qingyao’s eyes suddenly turned icy, and she dug her fingernails sharply into his hand, issuing a gravely serious warning:

“When I say don’t move, you don’t move! If you move carelessly and touch something you shouldn’t…”

“I’ll kill you!” Her cheeks flushed such a deep red it seemed they might bleed.

But the darkness in the room was so absolute that Zeng Xiaofan couldn’t see Bai Qingyao’s expression—he could only feel the frantic, hurried rhythm of her breath.

“Alright, I won’t move. Auntie, you get up slowly on your own.”

Zeng Xiaofan’s heart was pounding wildly, his voice trembling, his whole body burning hot.

Feeling the warmth of his concern, Bai Qingyao gradually calmed herself.

“Mmm~” she grunted softly, and finally managed to stand.

At that moment, a shaft of bright moonlight fell through the window,

spilling over Bai Qingyao and revealing her exquisite figure in silver luster.

For the first time, Zeng Xiaofan gazed at her beauty so closely—

and in that instant, he felt as though Aunt Yao was radiant, glowing with otherworldly light.

Like a jade rabbit descended from the moon, like a fairy, like the most beautiful goddess from every ancient myth…

Bai Qingyao had barely steadied herself, exhaling in relief, when she suddenly felt Zeng Xiaofan’s long, slender hands settle over hers once more.

Startled, Bai Qingyao’s voice trembled with both anger and alarm:

“You brat! What are you trying to do now?”

Zeng Xiaofan’s voice shook as he replied,

“Aunt Yao… the thing you said you’d help… help me with…”

“I… I now… now…”

“I… I can…”

He was too excited to form a full sentence, but his grip on her hand grew even tighter.

Bai Qingyao instantly understood his meaning. Her delicate body shuddered, a trace of confusion flashing in her eyes—

but it was gone in a blink. The next second, she shoved his hand away and snapped,

“That was Xiao Changgai lying to you!”

“I never agreed to anything!”

“If you want something, go ask him!”

With that, Bai Qingyao snatched up a bucket of cold water, doused herself, wrapped her body in a towel, and hurried out.

Now, only Zeng Xiaofan was left in the shower room. After a brief daze, he finally came to his senses and was overcome with mortification.

“Aaahh!!!”

“Damn it!!!”

“How could I have done something like that just now?!”

“I should have known Aunt Yao would never agree…”

“Argh!!!”

“Uncle Changgai, you’ve ruined me!!!”

The more Zeng Xiaofan thought about it, the more distraught he became. He had no idea how he could ever face Aunt Yao again.

Yet, even as shame consumed him, he couldn’t help but recall, over and over, the awkward intimacy of their recent contact.

…

This conflict of emotions tormented him. In the end, unable to endure it any longer, he bolted out the door and ran wildly through the fields under the deep night sky.

He didn’t stop until he was drenched in sweat and gasping for air, his mood finally beginning to settle.

No matter what, he was too embarrassed to go back tonight. Staring at the sea of stars overhead and the silver-lit fields and mountains,

Zeng Xiaofan found himself at a loss. Then, suddenly, the ample figure of another woman sprang to mind.

“I almost forgot!”

“Sister Xian told me to find her tonight…”

He gave himself a gentle tap on the head and chuckled at his own foolishness.

As he made his way to Li Bixian’s house, the night was alive with the chorus of frogs.

Zeng Xiaofan couldn’t help but mimic a nature documentary narrator,

“Spring has arrived, and it’s that season for the animals once again…”

He burst out laughing at his own words, listening to the frogs croak by the roadside. Suddenly, an idea came to him.

“That’s it!”

“Tonight, I’ll go see Sister Xian and take care of this matter first.”

“She’ll definitely be willing to help!”

With his mind made up, Zeng Xiaofan’s steps grew lighter and more cheerful.

Li Bixian’s house stood beyond a grove of bamboo, and there were few other homes along the way.

As he approached, the distant barking of dogs rose and fell in waves.

After all, she was a young widow, and Zeng Xiaofan worried that being seen visiting her so late would give the villagers something to gossip about.

On a sudden inspiration, he began to channel his newly cultivated Art of the Celestial and Earthly Fiends.

As his energy surged to his feet, a sensation of weightlessness swept over him—his footfalls became utterly silent.

Sure enough, the dogs in the distance soon quieted. Unbeknownst to Zeng Xiaofan, each place his feet touched the ground shimmered with a faint, dark golden starlight.

This was the outward sign of his mastery over the Earthly Fiend’s power—just as the pattern of stars appeared on his palms when he cultivated the Celestial Fiend’s power.

With the aid of his lightfoot skill, Zeng Xiaofan soon arrived at Li Bixian’s door.

Her big yellow dog recognized him. Instead of barking, it wagged its tail enthusiastically and trotted over to greet him.

Zeng Xiaofan patted the dog’s head and whispered with a smile,

“Good dog! So clever. I’ll find you a wife one day.”

The dog whimpered as if it understood, wagging its tail even harder and licking his hand.

Zeng Xiaofan couldn’t help but laugh—spring had truly come, and even the dogs seemed to be thinking about such things.

Afraid of disturbing Li Bixian’s parents, Zeng Xiaofan made no sound and went straight to her window.

At that moment, Li Bixian was still awake, her lamp lit as she lounged idly in her room.

“That little rascal… why isn’t he here yet…”

“Sister is waiting for you to come and help her with a deep study of traditional medicine…”