182 Show Me What You Know (1/2)

”Are you sure you want to teach me?” Li Xueyue asked, hoping he'd understand her hint. She wanted him to realize that Li Wenmin was probably planning something. If Yu Zhen taught her, Wenmin would definitely pester her to show him what she learned.

Nonetheless, she could not throw Li Wenmin under the carriage and reveal his plan, since it was mere speculation.

If he caught onto her hint, he didn't react in any way. Instead, he touched the braid he tied for her, his fingers ran down the length of her hair that stopped near her breast. Before his hand could graze her chest, he lifted her hair and played with the ends of it.

”It'll be fun,” he said, his eyes twinkling.

Li Xueyue wasn't sure if his meaning of ”fun” would match hers. ”I'm a slow learner,” she admitted. ”It takes me forever to understand a technique, but I would learn it in the end.”

”That's alright, I'm patient.” He stood up, dropped her hair, and offered her an outstretched hand. ”Let's begin?”

Li Xueyue nodded. She took his hand and stood up, smiling to herself when he immediately wrapped his fingers around hers.

He lightly swayed their entwined hands as his thumb occasionally rubbed her skin.

Yu Zhen didn't know why, but it was oddly comforting to hold a woman's hand. He used to think small things like this was stupid and a pointless display of affection. Now that he found someone to share these moments with, he realized maybe it wasn't so bad afterall.

When he caught her taking frequent peeks at their entwined hands, he nodded to himself. It truly wasn't a bad idea. He squeezed her hand, bringing it up to his lips. He stared into her eyes before kissing each of her knuckles, earning small peals of laughter from her.

Seeing her smile made him smile. Maybe she was right, he was too cheesy.

Yu Zhen couldn't help himself around her. The things he refused to do and abhorred, he found himself doing almost all of it with her. When he was with Xueyue, it was as if nothing in this world mattered. No request was too little or small, so long as it made her happy, it would be his command.

- - - - -

”Aren't you going to change?” Li Xueyue asked once they were behind the manor and walking towards the training field often used by her and the twins.

”No, are you?” Yu Zhen questioned, nodding towards her perfectly smooth hanfu.

Today, she was dressed in cool tones that complemented her complexion. He found that any color worked on her, regardless of how horrendous the color was. Perhaps he was a fool for love, but she was picture-perfect in every way, even if she did not feel so.

”Well, I usually put on training clothes,” Li Xueyue responded, pointing towards the heavy-curtained tents.

Often, when she did not feel like running back to her room to change clothes, her handmaidens would change her inside of the tent. It was fully stocked with clothes that were always washed and pressed, regardless if they would be worn or not.

”Go change, Sunshine. You'll injure yourself without the proper attire,” he said, specifically referring to her pointed shoes.

Li Xueyue nodded and released his hand, taking a step forward only for her to be tugged back. She turned her head, confused by his actions, her eyes widened when he swiftly leaned in and pecked her on the lips. It happened so fast that she didn't register his kiss until it was gone.

She absentmindedly touched her lips, glancing up at him in shock. He simply winked, and lightly shoved her in the direction of the tents.

”Go.”

She didn't need to be told twice. Huffing to herself, wishing it was more than a simple kiss, she began heading in the direction of the tents. Her handmaidens hurriedly scurried after her, their footwork swift and concise, not wasting a single second.

They dressed her so frequently that everything was basically muscle memory at this point. Her braided hair was parted and twisted into a secure bun, held in place by ribbons tied into perfect bows. The hairpin firmly held everything in place, so that no matter how fast she moved her head, her hair would never fall down.

Her handmaidens efficiently dressed her in body-hugging clothes that would allow her to move freely. Her knee-high boots were secured by the leather strings that were tightly tied.

Less than ten minutes later, she strolled out of the tent, more comfortable than before. She walked with pride as if everything was beneath her. When she wielded the sword in her hand, the easygoing glint in her eyes was instantly replaced with deadly sharpness.

Yu Zhen was nowhere to be found. That was the first thing she noticed upon strutting to the center of the enormous field.

Where could he be?

Li Xueyue looked around, pivoting on the ball of her feet curiously. Perhaps he went to change?

Yu Zhen had half a foot in the training field when he suddenly had the urge to curse the Heavens yet again. Standing there with clothes that tightly hugged every part of her delectable body, almost nothing was left to the imagination.

Yu Zhen clenched his jaw, frustrated at himself and the handmaidens who let her walk out, dressed like that. She was a sight that not many could tear their eyes from. All she had to do was lower her guard for a brief second and he could sweep in for a taste.

She rested her sword behind her back, swaying her body, the sight mesmerizing and fluid. He wanted to pounce on her at any given chance he had.

Breathing in deeply, he forced himself to remain calm.