Chapter 137 (1/2)

Chapter 137: Discovery

Nan Xun had made up his mind. He would not go easy on Jun Huang anymore. When she charged at him, he yanked her to the side by her wrist and hit her in the back with his palm when she lost her balance. Before she fell, Nan Xun caught her with an arm around her waist, but his attacks didn't stop here. A kick to the back of her knees made her stagger. She dropped down to one knee, unable to get up.

Nan Xun hardened his heart and stopped himself from looking away. He knew he had not done any permanent damage to Jun Huang.

Jun Huang propped herself up, eyes shooting daggers at Nan Xun as she charged at him again. She pulled back her fist when she was about to hit Nan Xun and ducked under Nan Xun's arm to gent behind him. She kicked him right in the hip, but her full force wasn't enough to knock Nan Xun off his feet. His knees only bent a little before he recovered his stance.

During the sparring session, Jun Huang was defeated again and again. Her back was still numb from Nan Xun's knifehand strikes. It felt as if her bones were going to fall apart. Sucking in a pained breath, she carefully sat down on the stool in the garden, her joints screaming in complain.

Over the next few days, new bruises appeared on Jun Huang's body almost every day, but she never complained. Nan Xun knew, nonetheless, that she must be in pain. To help sooth her pain, he ordered a servant to prepare Jun Huang a medicinal bath every evening, which could help with her circulation and accelerate healing.

Today, after a training session, Jun Huang bid Nan Xun farewell and went straight to her room. She didn't feel like eating, so she told the servants to not prepare her dinner. She took off her sweat-drenched clothes and immersed herself into the medicinal bath.

The bluish black medicine made her fair skin look even more striking. Her long hair draped over her shoulders, the color melting with the dark liquid.

Jun Huang closed her eyes and let the heat envelop her in a warm blanket. She was almost asleep when her door creaked open. Jun Huang jerked awake and asked from behind the screen, ”Who's it?”

Nan Xun stilled when he realized what Jun Huang was doing. He cursed himself for barging in. ”It's me,” he said after clearing his throat.

Jun Huang let out a sigh of relief. ”Wait outside for a moment. I'll be with you soon.”

”Alright.”

Jun Huang pulled herself out of the wooden barrel, bracing for the pain with a tightened jaw. Her wet hair stuck to her body. The contrast in color was striking.

She put on her clothes before sauntering outside her room. Her face was still red from the bath. She felt a little embarra.s.sed for facing Nan Xun in this state. Nan Xun too was mortified. He didn't immediately speak up about what he was here for.

”The training has been a little too heavy these couple of days,” said Nan Xun. ”I'm here to give you a ma.s.sage. It can help your muscles relax, and you won't feel as tired tomorrow.”

Jun Huang hummed. A ma.s.sage would be beneficial to her training. She nodded and sat on the empress chair in the room. ”Thank you.”

Nan Xun moved a stool to Jun Huang's side. Jun Huang had closed her eyes. She must be tired. Nan Xun didn't try to wake her.

He put one of Jun Huang's legs on his lap and gently rubbed circles over the acupuncture points along her calves. He remembered he had kicked Jun Huang under the knee a few days ago. He rolled her pants up and saw the bruise that had not faded even after days. It looked almost offensive on her fair skin.

When Nan Xun held onto Jun Huang's ankle, she jerked awake and looked up at Nan Xun with bashful eyes. A woman's ankles were sensitive. Jun Huang let out the breath she had been holding and lay back down on the chair.

”It is said that women are tender, but you have such strong backbone – so very unlike most women,” Nan Xun said teasingly. ”But you are not like most men either. Your skin is too soft and fair.”

Jun Huang's face heat up. She didn't know what to say about that.

She couldn't help the moan escaping her mouth when Nan Xun ma.s.saged her ankles. The air in the room grew thick.

Arousal hit Nan Xun right in his gut. It felt as if there was a cat scratching his heart. He shot to his feet and took a deep breath to stop himself from reacting.

A servant had heard Jun Huang when he was bringing tea to her room. He startled and dropped the teapot. The sound of it shattering cut through the silence. The servant thought that he had happened upon his master's ”business”. He scrambled to leave.

Nan Xun and Jun Huang were startled by the commotion outside. Jun Huang went still. Nan Xun staggered backward. This wasn't good.

”I have to go check,” he said. With a final glance at Jun Huang, he rushed out of the room as if he was fleeing from a beast.