Chapter 101: Tenderness in the Night

Even though Murong Qiuxue had already steeled herself mentally, she couldn’t help but blush under Long Yue’s gaze and questioning, her embarrassment deepening. Murong Qiuxue managed an awkward smile and said, “Since his people are with me, naturally his sword is here as well.”

Long Yue’s expression grew even stranger at these words. Her bright, lively eyes measured Murong Qiuxue carefully. “Where is it?”

“On the bed.”

Long Yue trembled at this, her graceful figure stiffening as her face darkened. Her gaze bore into Murong Qiuxue with a sharpness like a thousand blades.

“What did you two… What did you do?” Long Yue finally asked.

Murong Qiuxue burst out laughing, pinched Long Yue’s nose, and said, “Don’t think so poorly of your big sister! We’re like sisters—would I steal your beloved? Your Brother Feng was only injured.”

Long Yue’s mouth fell open in surprise. For a moment, she didn’t know whether to be glad or worried.

“Sister Qiuxue, you’re teasing me again,” Long Yue pouted.

Murong Qiuxue laughed heartily. “Actually, I think that fellow is quite something. If you’re willing to let him go, your sister would gladly accept him.”

“I would never!” Long Yue blurted out. Seeing Murong Qiuxue’s mischievous smile, she realized she was being teased again, her cheeks flushing even redder.

Murong Qiuxue laughed. “Who knows what tricks Chu Feng used to melt our icy, untouchable jewel? Enough teasing. Don’t worry, his injuries aren’t serious—he’s fine now. Though, I must admit, I’m partly to blame for what happened. Please don’t hold it against me.”

Long Yue let out a sigh of relief, curiosity growing. “What really happened?”

“It was that scoundrel Liu Yantao, of course!” Murong Qiuxue said through gritted teeth, and began to recount the events.

When she finished, Long Yue said, “That lecher is truly hateful. Now that you have him, you can’t just let him go. Sister Qiuxue, I’ll help you.”

“I’ll leave that to you, then,” Murong Qiuxue replied with delight. Having such a skilled ally made tormenting Liu Yantao all too easy.

At that moment, Liu Yantao had no idea that a few simple words between two women had already sealed his miserable fate.

In a daze, Chu Feng felt a wave of relief wash over his body. When he opened his eyes, he was stunned to see a flawless, beautiful face before him.

“Brother Feng, you’re awake,” Long Yue said with a smile.

“Xiaoyue, you’re back!” Chu Feng’s eyes widened in disbelief. To wake and see Long Yue again made his heart surge with emotion.

“It’s been so long, Brother Feng,” Long Yue said softly.

Sitting up abruptly, Chu Feng found his arm nearly healed after a night’s rest. He embraced Long Yue, smiling gently. “It’s so good to see you.”

Long Yue’s cheeks colored as she stammered, “This past year… Did you miss me, Brother Feng?”

A spark flared in Chu Feng’s heart. He held Long Yue’s shoulders and, grinning, said, “I missed you terribly—every day and every night, I thought of you.”

“Ahem, sorry to interrupt, but it’s time for dinner,” Murong Qiuxue called from the doorway, glancing at Chu Feng. “Little sister, this fellow might have picked up some bad habits from Liu Yantao—you’d better watch out.”

“I—” Chu Feng was at a loss before Murong Qiuxue.

“Get up, you rascal! That’s my bed, and if you stay too long, someone might get jealous,” Murong Qiuxue said with a wicked grin.

“Sister Qiuxue…” Long Yue protested, tossing a coy look over her shoulder, her beauty striking.

Murong Qiuxue laughed as she went, “I’ll wait for you both in the living room.”

Chu Feng was left a little embarrassed and dazed, his head still fuzzy. He asked, “Xiaoyue, why am I here? I remember drinking with Brother Liu… Wait, someone attacked us!”

“Brother Feng, it was Sister Qiuxue who ambushed you. Please don’t blame her,” Long Yue said, somewhat sheepishly.

“What? Her?” Chu Feng was shocked.

Long Yue then explained everything to him, and at last Chu Feng understood, exclaiming, “So that rascal was peeping on Murong Qiuxue again—he really is fearless! And I ended up taking a hit for nothing…”

Chu Feng was somewhat disgruntled. He hadn’t expected to suffer for Liu Yantao’s misdeeds again, and to have his meal ruined by Murong Qiuxue—it all felt most unjust. Still, since Liu Yantao suffered alongside him this time, he felt a bit more balanced.

Of course, learning that Liu Yantao had shielded him and taken most of the attack left Chu Feng genuinely moved.

“Liu Yantao was badly injured. How is he now?” Chu Feng asked.

“Sister Qiuxue saw to him. He’s gone back now,” Long Yue replied.

In truth, Liu Yantao was still locked in the training chamber, trapped by a powerful barrier that Long Yue and Murong Qiuxue had set together. No matter how skilled he was with barriers, his cultivation was not enough to escape theirs. Given Liu Yantao’s repeated offenses, Murong Qiuxue would never let him go easily, and Long Yue, being so close to her, naturally offered support.

Fearing Chu Feng would be too soft-hearted, the two women had decided to keep this from him.

After tidying himself up, Chu Feng joined the two women for dinner. Later, he and Long Yue bid farewell to Murong Qiuxue, who gave Long Yue a mysterious smile before they left.

The two walked along a wooded path, the moonlight casting everything in a tranquil glow.

Holding Long Yue’s delicate hand, Chu Feng felt a sweet warmth. After a year apart, there was so much to say.

Long Yue was truly happy that Chu Feng had joined the Heavenly Battalion—they’d be able to see each other much more often.

Chu Feng cursed the matter of the Eastern King, and though Long Yue had heard some rumors since her return, Chu Feng glossed over the details, omitting the part about being hunted by a hundred soldiers to avoid worrying her.

“By the way, Xiaoyue, Murong Qiuxue was acting very strange earlier. Is something going on?” Chu Feng asked.

“It’s nothing,” Xiaoyue replied with a smile, her cheeks flushing as she looked at him. “You’ve grown taller, Brother Feng. You’re practically an adult now.”

Indeed, Chu Feng looked every bit a young man, while Long Yue herself was already over seventeen—a far cry from their childhood days. At their age, ordinary folk would already be married with children.

Long Yue, too, had grown in the last year and a half, her most notable change being her fuller, more alluring figure.

Faced with such a shy, stunning beauty, how could Chu Feng not be moved? His gaze lingered for a moment on her chest before he hurriedly looked away, his heart pounding. The memory of using the peeping artifact on Murong Qiuxue flashed through his mind, and he chided himself, thinking, “What am I doing? I’m letting Xiaoyue down.”

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Chu Feng awkwardly patted Long Yue on the head and grinned. “You’ve grown up too, Xiaoyue.”

Long Yue didn’t miss his glance, and her cheeks reddened further. Watching his subsequent actions, she couldn’t help but feel puzzled.

Staring at him, she asked seriously, “Brother Feng, what were you just thinking? Looks like Liu Yantao really has corrupted you!”

“N-no, nothing at all…” Chu Feng stammered, even his thick skin unable to hide his embarrassment. To blame Liu Yantao was unfair, for they’d only shared a few drinks, never anything improper.

“No, it’s definitely him! If not for that peeping incident, I would never have had such thoughts myself!” Chu Feng rationalized, making excuses in his mind.

“Really nothing?” Long Yue clearly didn’t believe him, her face drawing closer as she fixed Chu Feng with a fierce stare.

With such a beautiful woman—and his most cherished love—so close, her fragrance enveloping him, Chu Feng’s self-control faltered.

The next moment, he pulled Long Yue into his arms and kissed her tender lips with deep affection.

Long Yue felt as if she’d been struck by lightning, her whole body trembling. Her eyes widened in shock, her face flushed to the roots of her hair, her heart pounding wildly.

Gradually, she closed her eyes and embraced Chu Feng in return.

When the kiss finally ended, Long Yue was so shy she could hardly lift her head. No one would believe that this was the frosty jewel of the Heavenly Battalion. Breaking free from his arms, she pushed him gently in the chest and chided him softly, “You scoundrel!”

With that, she turned and ran ahead, not looking back.

Chu Feng, lips still tingling with her sweetness, felt a rush of happiness. Touching his lips and watching her retreating figure, he murmured, “Have I really gone bad? But if this is bad, I like it!”

“Xiaoyue, don’t run so fast!” he called, chasing after her. He didn’t realize that it wasn’t that he’d grown bad—he’d simply grown up.

Yet Chu Feng understood that this gentle, lovely Long Yue was her true self. All those years in the Spirit Battle Pavilion, her strength, forcefulness, and aloofness had been just a mask. The thought of her spending four lonely years there brought him a twinge of sorrow.

He chased Long Yue until they reached the pavilion on the lake. Under the hazy night, Chu Feng sat on a wooden bench, and Long Yue nestled by his side. Neither spoke, content to bask in the quiet tenderness.

Suddenly, Long Yue asked, “Scoundrel, how do you like my villa’s decor?”

“It looks nice,” Chu Feng replied casually.

“And Sister Qiuxue’s?”

“Hers is nice, too.”

“And her bed?”

“It’s soft. Uh, why do you ask?” Chu Feng was puzzled. Seeing Long Yue’s wounded expression, his heart skipped a beat.

Long Yue pouted, stood up, and fixed him with a fierce look. “You must really like Sister Qiuxue’s bed, don’t you?”

“Absolutely not!” Chu Feng replied, flustered. Now he understood—Murong Qiuxue was right, this girl was finally getting jealous.

He found himself at a loss; Long Yue’s jealousy had its own unique charm.

Chu Feng grinned mischievously. “Xiaoyue, are you jealous?”

“I am not!” Long Yue protested, but her cheeks betrayed her, growing even redder. Chu Feng couldn’t help but laugh inwardly at her reaction.

“Thank goodness Xiaoyue doesn’t know about the peeping artifact, or I’d be in real trouble,” Chu Feng thought.

Pulling Long Yue down to sit beside him, Chu Feng said solemnly, “You know you’re the only one in my heart. Brother Feng could never love another.”

Long Yue’s bright eyes met his, her face shy as she stammered, “Then tonight… sleep in my bed…”