Chapter 137 (2/2)

The servant was nowhere to be seen. Nan Xun frowned. He had a bad feeling about this.

Jun Huang lay down on the empress chair and smothered herself with a pillow, her face flushed. What had she been thinking?!

At night, Jun Huang was having troubles sleeping. Her heart had not stopped pounding ever since what happened in the evening. She kept remembering Nan Xun's gentle look. Her heartbeats were deafening.

She fell asleep after the day had broken. The maid in charge of taking care of Jun Huang didn't want to disturb Jun Huang, but the sound she made when cleaning up the shattered teapot woke Jun Huang up.

Jun Huang rubbed her eyes and tried lifting her arms and legs. Because of the ma.s.sage, her muscles were not as sore as they could have been. She asked for things to clean herself up with before getting off the bed.

She made her way to the dining hall after getting ready for the day. Nan Xun gave her a brief glance and looked away. Embarra.s.sed, Jun Huang greeted him and took a seat far from Nan Xun. She finished a bowl of congee before laying down the utensils.

Seeing how little Jun Huang had eaten, Nan Xun asked, ”Do you not like the food?”

Jun Huang shook her head without a word. Nan Xun didn't ask again.

They went to the courtyard they had been training in and let their bodies digest. Then it was time to start training again.

Because of what happened last night, Nan Xun was hesitant to have any physical contact with Jun Huang. He didn't know how Jun Huang felt about him. To be on the safe side, he taught Jun Huang a couple moves and told her to practice herself.

Jun Huang was distracted. She wasn't so much practicing the moves as performing the actions without putting any force behind it. She was so distracted she most likely wouldn't notice Nan Xun even if he walked past her now.

”Focus!” Nan Xun snapped. ”This is not a game!”

Jun Huang jumped, turning to Nan Xun with unfocused eyes. She soon recovered and started practicing the moves with all her heart.

Nan Xun nodded approvingly and took a seat. He watched Jun Huang train in earnest with a hand supporting his head, drinking tea every once in a while.

When Qi Yun entered the manor with his page boy, it was still early in the morning. The world had only started to awaken. Surrounded by vibrant lives, Jun Huang repeated the same movement again and again. Nan Xun watched her with a cup of tea in his hand. It seemed as if he was indifferent to what he was seeing, but Qi Yun knew that wasn't true.

Qi Yun greeted Nan Xun after a pause. ”I heard the servants say that brother Nan is teaching gentleman Feng how to fight. I didn't believe them, but it is true. How unexpected.”

Nan Xun threw him a cool glance and nodded. ”His body is in a poor condition. That has to be changed. This will help with his health.”

Qi Yun nodded. Jun Huang was brave and clever, but her health was a problem. He hoped that Jun Huang would be able to a.s.sist him for many years to come, so he accepted Nan Xun's explanation easily. He sat down under the shade and watched her train.

After about the time for an incense stick to burn, Jun Huang stopped, her face covered in sweat. Only then did she realized that Qi Yun was here. She approached them with a frown.

Nan Xun took a handkerchief from a servant before handing it to Jun Huang. She wiped away her sweat and slowed her breathing down. ”I didn't know Your Highness had come,” she said to Qi Yun with her hands cupped. ”I hope Your Highness won't blame me for not greeting you earlier.”

”The gentleman is too kind. I have visited without notifying you two in advance. I've intruded upon you.” Qi Yun shot to his feet and helped Jun Huang up.

Jun Huang straightened her back. She was going to hand the handkerchief back to the servant, but Nan Xun suddenly reached out to take it. She stilled, dropping the handkerchief on the ground. Jun Huang bent down to pick it up just as Nan Xun was doing the same.

Their fingers touched. Jun Huang jumped away. The awkwardness in the air was smothering.

Qi Yun narrowed his eyes at them. What had happened to these two? He didn't voice his question. After a brief moment of silence, he drank some tea and said, ”I visited today because I've found something in the palace. After some deliberation, I came to the conclusion that it's wise to tell gentleman Feng and brother Nan.”

Nan Xun and Jun Huang shared a look. They put aside their discomfort and awkwardness. Qi Yun must have found something important.

”What is it?” asked Jun Huang.