Chapter 7: Obedient

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Ling Zhao relaxed his grip on her hand and, from the inside of his robe, took out a delicate little brocade box, quickly slipping it into Xiao Ming’s palm. “Found it by the roadside. It would be a shame to throw it away, so keep it.”

Xiao Ming was slightly surprised—what was the meaning of this? A gift to apologize?

“Not interested!”

After how he had been so harsh with Mr. Mo just now and shown her no respect, she had no intention of accepting his favor.

“The things I give, no one has ever refused.”

“Who else have you given gifts to?”

Ling Zhao was momentarily stunned. Who was even worthy of receiving his gifts? Just as he was about to explain, he stopped himself—why should he have to explain so much to her?

But then he thought, since he had kissed her earlier today, it was ultimately his fault.

—Forget it. For the sake of repaying Grandfather Xiao’s lifesaving kindness, he would make an exception and indulge her a little.

Clearing his throat, he pondered for a moment before finding a topic: “I heard the Xiao family estate has a private library, with rare editions even more numerous than those in the imperial Wen Yuan Pavilion. Is that true? Have you read them all?”

At this, Xiao Ming’s mood instantly darkened.

Seeing the sudden worry etched across her brow, Ling Zhao felt uneasy—had he said something wrong again?

He sighed bitterly, wondering why talking to women was so exhausting.

“I don’t know how many volumes remain now,” Xiao Ming said softly, stepping to the corridor and leaning gently against the railing. “Though my grandfather was a merchant, he was passionate about collecting books, gathering tens of thousands from all over the world. My father loved and treasured books just as much, collecting many famous calligraphy and paintings. By the time my parents passed, the Xiao estate’s library held fifty-six thousand volumes, each a masterpiece, a treasure. But now, the imperial court has borrowed ten thousand volumes, and most of the rest have been sold by our distant relatives for money...”

Xiao Ming pressed her lips into a small smile, tinged with embarrassment. “Father always said I have a good memory and urged me to read more. But I was always distracted, and I’ve been to the library fewer times than I’ve been to the opera...”

If she could do it all over, she would follow her father’s advice, studying diligently every day. Even if she couldn’t become the top scholar, she would at least be a talented woman!

But alas.

A gentle breeze swept through the corridor, carrying a grain of sand that irritated Xiao Ming’s eye. The pain made tears well up instantly.

Seeing her rub her eyes, the tears only increasing, Ling Zhao was at a loss. He had meant to coax her into accepting the gift, but hadn’t even started, and now she was crying?

He hadn’t understood before why his mother’s tears made his father soften and coax her, but now he knew—the tears of this young lady were truly a soft blade, piercing his heart with invisible pain.

Awkwardly, he lifted his hand, mimicking his father’s way of comforting his mother, patting Xiao Ming’s head. “Don’t cry.” Then, as if remembering something, he added, “Be good.”

Far off, Sui Feng, who was waiting, was utterly stunned by that single word, dumbfounded, unable to close his mouth.

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Is this really his master?

Why is he acting like a big dog?

Xiao Ming stopped crying and stared at him wide-eyed. The grumpy, black-faced demon she remembered suddenly radiated a kindness like that of her grandmother at this moment.

It was like a warm spring breeze.

Ling Zhao usually kept strict boundaries with women, but in these few days, for this person, he repeatedly broke his own rules, leaving him a little flustered.

“Just take it,” he quickly shoved the brocade box at her.

Fine.

She forgave him.

Xiao Ming took the box and opened it. Inside was a lip balm, cherry scented.

She wiped her tears and forced a faint smile. “Thank you.”

Ling Zhao thought he had soothed her and relaxed. “Don’t misunderstand, your lips were too dry. It was uncomfortable after the kiss.”

So he gave her lip balm not to coax her, and not because he liked her.

A sudden wave of indescribable embarrassment surged through her. With a snap, she closed the box and pressed the balm back into his hand, stepping closer. “Why do you always pick on me? What did I ever do to you?”

Ling Zhao was startled by her sudden anger. As a martial artist, his instinct was to twist her arm, but she was so small and fragile, a sudden twist might cripple her and leave him to care for her forever.

A scheming woman full of lies and shamelessness—why would he want to support her for life?

Caught in these thoughts, Ling Zhao was backed up against the railing of the corridor, with a spring pool right behind him.

But she showed no sign of stopping. “Ling Zhao! Tell me! How have I offended you? Why do you want to humiliate me like this?”

She boldly grabbed his collar and pulled him close.

“You bastard! Do you think I’m easy to bully?”

The anger long bottled up poured out.

Her flushed, angry face was vivid before his eyes—eyebrows like distant mountains, clear almond eyes, peachy cheeks—her every glance bright and radiant.

Suddenly, a faint scent of gardenia drifted into his nose, then seemed to penetrate his heart, making his breath catch.

Xiao Ming pressed closer, and he could only retreat step by step.

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Suddenly, he lost his footing and tumbled straight into the deep spring pool behind him!

With a splash, before anyone could react, Ling Zhao had climbed out of the water, sitting on the steps with a sullen, embarrassed expression.

The moment was awkward beyond words.

“Oh no!”

Sui Feng hurried over in a panic but bypassed his master to pull out a pile of small brocade boxes from his pocket, dumping them all at Xiao Ming’s feet. “Miss Ming, these are all gifts from our master. He’s just like this; please don’t take it to heart.”

Xiao Ming held the boxes helplessly.

She hadn’t expected this either. Now that her anger had passed, she felt a little regretful. She quickly went to Ling Zhao’s side and reached out to help him up.

“Dog... sir, are you alright?”

“No need for your help!”

Ling Zhao dodged her hand, not out of anger but because he felt utterly humiliated. The proud eldest son of the Ling family, a general of a nation, had been pushed into the pool by a little girl.

The shame was almost unbearable.

“Are you hurt?”

His silver robe was stained with large patches of red. Upon closer inspection, it was just the lip balm melting into the water.

“Ling sir, I’m sorry... I didn’t mean to make you fall into the pool...”

She crouched beside him, trying to make amends, dabbing at his robe and hands with a handkerchief.

But the moment she touched his hand, it was as if she had been struck by lightning. He sprang up and took several steps back.

Xiao Ming’s hand froze midair, her heart sinking. It was over. Her careful, cautious year of walking on eggshells had been in vain.

She had offended the living ancestor of the Ling family. He was going to drive her away and never help her investigate her parents’ case again.

Thinking this, she bit her lip gently, her eyes suddenly filling with tears. The pitiful look made it seem as though he was the one who had bullied her.