Dragon Sparrow didn’t manage to strike its target, but seeing Sisi in such a disheveled state seemed to be satisfying enough, so it hummed contentedly and settled back down.
"Make fun of me, will you? Now it’s your turn to experience it."
Zhao Changhe unconsciously saved her, staring dumbfounded at Dragon Sparrow lying back down, then looking down at Sisi who had taken a nosedive into the water, his mind filled with ellipses.
That sensation just now... hmm...
Sisi’s head emerged from the water, glaring furiously at Zhao Changhe.
He scrutinized her face, impressed that even submerged in water there was no sign of the Disguise Technique shedding; indeed, the technique was badass. But her summer clothing lacked the resilience of the Disguise Technique; the moment she hit the water, everything became visible. The little stomach guard was quite cute, surrounded by exposed snowy white skin that was now indignantly heaving in a most appealing way.
Seeing her glare at him made Zhao Changhe chuckle. Why weren’t you this fierce when you were kissing earlier? Is it because the kiss was in a different spot?
"Why are you glaring at me? I saved you, didn’t I? Would you have preferred to take a hit from Dragon Sparrow?"
Sisi gritted her teeth and said, "Taking a hit from Dragon Sparrow would be better than taking a hit from you."
"...Listening to your words is just as good as hearing them," Zhao Changhe cheerfully responded.
In any case, he believed this young woman was quite open; her current act was all for show. Now that they were both soaking in the tub together, any man would have difficulty containing their wandering thoughts, and there seemed little reason for him to restrain himself. He reached out and embraced her directly, "Since we’re already frolicking like mandarin ducks, why not let me give you a hug?"
There was no escape in the small tub, and Sisi couldn’t help but be hugged tightly. She gritted her teeth and her thoughts raced.
In the script of a pure maiden servant, the progression should have changed a bit after being handed over to him by Tang Buqi. She should have sought to ingratiate herself with the new master of the house, coyly resisting and enticing as she submits, stimulating the master’s desire without being fully attainable. Then, she could take advantage of certain opportunities to pry information; that would have been the correct response.
However, Zhao’s broken knife had thrown a wrench in things, causing the script to fast forward dramatically, jumping straight to bathing together. At this stage, which master would throw her out after embracing her? Now, what would be the best way to act in this situation? Nᴇw novel chapters are publɪshed on n̷o̷v̷e̷l̷f̷i̷r̷e̷.net
Sisi finally made up her mind, her tensed body softened, and leaning gently against Zhao Changhe’s chest, she whispered endearingly, "Sisi is already yours, serving the master is but her duty..."
His reaction had been minimal to her earlier provocation, but this simple phrase made Zhao Changhe go "hmm" inside.
That coquettishness, that shy softness, and the substitution of "my lord" with the more intimate "yours" -- Zhao Changhe dared say few could withstand such allure.
Sisi felt his change of mood and chuckled softly, "But I’ve only been with you for less than half a day... I’ve always known that my master is a heroic figure, having reached the Mystical Gate Five Layer after studying martial arts for a short time, and ranking high on the Hidden Dragon List. Would you be in such a rush to devour a mere maid upon just meeting her?... The hero I envision in my heart... wouldn’t be ..."
Zhao Changhe smiled and asked, "Then what should I be like?"
Sisi glanced at him with feigned annoyance, speaking softly, "At least get to know each other a bit more, add some romance... Sisi is destined to be yours eventually, there’s no need to rush..."
Seeing that Zhao Changhe seemed about to speak, Sisi held a finger to his lips, leaning closer to whisper in his ear and gently kissed his earlobe, her breath as sweet as orchids, "Why not let Sisi serve you in your bath first..."
As she spoke, her nimble hands began to slowly scrub his body, genuinely cleansing his dirt.
Zhao Changhe went limp, resting against the edge of the tub without a word.
Even though he knew it was all an act, he couldn’t help but wish: if only there really was such a maid, any man would want one...
Alas, in the end, it was all fake.
She followed up with words that only highlighted the insincerity all the more, "Master..."
"That Dragon Sparrow, why would it chop someone on its own? Is there really such a spiritually awakened blade in this world?"
"There is, not only it, but there are many," Zhao Changhe said, adding a bit more face for the Dragon Sparrow, "Of course, ones as formidable as Dragon Sparrow are rare."
Dragon Sparrow: "..."
"Then..." Sisi massaged his body while quietly asking, "Master, you’ve only practiced martial arts for a short time, yet you’ve become so strong. Is it also thanks to Dragon Sparrow’s help?"
This girl had gotten close to him, and even tried to take control of him earlier, all because she found his rapid progress unbelievable... The night before, when he was learning the Shifting Acupoint Technique, she might have seen him from a distance outside the window, which made it all the more incredible, because it was a Cultivation Technique he had just acquired from the Maitreya Sect’s Secret Cave and mastered on the same day—a feat not achievable by a normal person with just a secret book; there must be a secret.
She must not have seen the merits of the golden foil from afar and could only guess wildly. At first, she thought she might as well take advantage of him being new to the Extreme Joy Method and see if she could control him with the effects of the technique; that way, she could dig out all the secrets. But that plan was foiled. Now, she was casting all her guesses onto the Dragon Sparrow, thinking it all had something to do with it.
The beginning and end should be —this girl, whether going to the Maitreya Sect or coming to the Tang family, was supposed to be doing something else, unrelated to him, and had just run into him.
Moreover, one could tell that this girl actually didn’t have much information. Someone a bit more knowledgeable, even Tang Buqi upon hearing these two words, would have some recognition, but she did not. She was totally unaware of what Dragon Sparrow meant or what abilities it truly had.
She definitely wasn’t a girl with a powerful backing... What was she fighting so hard and getting into all sorts of scrapes for? It was thought that she might be related to the Thief Sect, but based on her knowledge, she didn’t seem to fit the profile.
Perhaps... he should take the opportunity to ask Ji Chengkong, and might learn something.
Rotating these thoughts in his mind, but appearing to ponder only slightly on the surface, Sisi heard him say, "Dragon Sparrow indeed possesses many extraordinary aspects and is of utmost significance to me. However..."
Sisi pricked up her ears, expecting him to take the opportunity to touch somewhere inappropriate—she had also planned to endure it. However, Zhao Changhe did not take advantage of the moment, instead sighing once more, "Sisi, you’ve also practiced martial arts before, haven’t you?"
Sisi knew she couldn’t hide it and said, "I’ve practiced a little."
"If you’ve practiced martial arts, you should know that only one path is the most suitable for oneself... Did you notice when I was practicing with the broadsword this morning? I had many different sword and broadsword intents, which were once baffling, but now I have gradually discarded them, keeping only what’s most suitable for me. Tang Buqi’s Bibo Sword should also be a precious blade, but I would find it a burden even if it were given to me, that’s the rationale... Thus, your enthusiasm for the broadsword like Dragon Sparrow is meaningless. Better tell me what you have been practicing so that I may offer you some advice."
Sisi couldn’t help but tilt her head back several inches, raising her eyes to meet his.
Zhao Changhe’s gaze was very serious.
Sisi pursed her lips, then quickly turned her head with a sniff, "Us pitiful little maids... how can we afford the luxury of choosing from various sword and broadsword intents like the master? It’s just when we see something good, we can’t help but ask..."
She was avoiding the topic of what she practiced. Zhao Changhe watched her intently for a while, knowing that it wasn’t time to unveil their secrets to one another, so he said no more, but simply said, "I need to continue investigating the Blood Evil Secret this afternoon. Do you still want to follow?"
Sisi hesitated for a moment, then bit her lip and said, "If the master could speak about why he suspects there will be others afflicted by the Blood Evil, then... then Sisi would be willing to take care of you a bit more..."
"No need," Zhao Changhe interrupted directly, getting out of the tub, "Right now, it’s just a guess of mine; I’m afraid of being proven wrong and don’t want to say more... I’m currently waiting for a reply from Ji Chengkong, I just lack that one judgment. When the time comes, I’ll reveal everything to you; what’s the big deal? Why would I need to use such a trivial matter to take advantage of you... You’re my maid, we should be able to discuss anything openly. There’s no need to play wits over a bit of tofu."
Sisi watched wordlessly, biting her lip, as he busied himself drying off and dressing, oblivious to her gaze.
PS: The third update is here; it’s been a while since I’ve asked for a monthly ticket. The end of the month is approaching—some monthly tickets would be nice...