Chapter 73: War Flares Again

Li Feifei blinked open her eyes in a daze, her long lashes fluttering like butterfly wings a few times.

Warm fragrance seeped into her nostrils, domineeringly dispelling the lingering drowsiness.

She sat up wrapped in the blanket, like a vine that had just drunk morning dew, stretching lazily and contentedly.

Li Qingxuan set the bowl on the bedside table; in the amber broth, each noodle glistened invitingly, topped with fragrant stir-fried meat shreds and specks of verdant scallion.

Steaming vapors suffused the air, lending her just‑awakened face a richer flush.

"Stinky little brother, it's all your fault—you don't pamper me at all, I can't help wanting to recruit a few sisters to share the firepower… but it smells so good…" she cooed, nostrils flaring slightly, her stomach growling on cue.

"Um… hurry up and eat while it's hot." Li Qingxuan pretended not to hear, sat beside her, and handed her the chopsticks.

Li Feifei gave him a glance, took the chopsticks, picked up a small bundle of noodles, blew on it carefully, then put it in her mouth.

The warm, springy noodles, coated in rich meat and wheat aromas, slid into her stomach; warmth instantly spread through her limbs, dispelling the last trace of fatigue.

The meat shreds were savory and just right, the fragrant oil adding richness; she couldn't help but grab another chopstick, this time taking meat shreds and scallion together into her mouth, squinting with satisfaction as she chewed the simple yet priceless flavor.

"Mmm… it's hot, but the taste is absolutely divine!" she mumbled, cheeks flushed from the steam, "These meat shreds are fried to perfection, Little Brother Qingxuan—you're amazing."

Li Qingxuan quietly watched her eat with a satisfied expression, his lips perpetually curled in a smile.

He reached out, gently wiping a speck of oil and scallion from the corner of her mouth with his fingertip, the motion natural and affectionate.

"If you like it, eat slowly, watch the heat." His gaze fell on her focused profile as she tackled the noodles; those eyes, bright from the meal, made him feel more steadfast and warm than any ripe fruit in a greenhouse.

A bowl of hot noodles he had cooked for her, watching her eat with relish, this fireside tranquility is the very best interpretation of "abundance" right now.

Li Feifei quickly polished off the full bowl of noodles, drinking the broth down to the last drop.

She set the bowl down, let out a long sigh, her stomach filled with warm food, her whole body feeling cozy and lazy, just wanting to curl back under the covers.

"Full?" Li Qingxuan asked, taking the empty bowl from her hand.

"Mm, I'm full, so satisfied." She nodded, leaning her soft body against his shoulder like a contented cat, "I feel energized again. Little Brother Qingxuan, tomorrow… should we go check the rice fields? Accelerated Growth ought to be kicking in soon."

She lifted her face to look at him, the anticipation for tomorrow rekindling in her eyes, that light brighter than the simulated starlight inside the stronghold.

"You've got energy again?" Li Qingxuan asked with a mischievous grin.

Seeing Li Qingxuan's smirk, Li Feifei blushed again and pulled the blanket over her head.

"A moment of spring night is worth a thousand gold, don't hide, my lady." Li Qingxuan's low laugh came through the thin blanket, tinged with teasing.

Through the blanket he located her shoulder precisely, placing his warm hand over it and kneading gently, as if soothing a startled little creature, yet with an undercurrent of something else.

Li Feifei drew herself tighter inside the blanket, the tip of her ear peeking out flushed almost to transparency; she could clearly feel the warmth and strength of his palm, that heat seeping through the thin sheet to press directly against her skin, making her already unsettled heartbeat flutter a bit more.

Beneath the blanket she quietly clenched her fists, fingertips sinking into his soft palm, "Who's hiding…"

Her muffled voice came from under the blanket, laced with an unconscious coquettish whine, "I… I'm just sleepy!"

"Oh? Who was just saying they had energy again?" Li Qingxuan's fingertip traced her shoulder blade, then drifted down the spinal hollow, tracing a faint line through the blanket with unhurried ease, "You think hiding under the covers lets you dodge the bill?"

Li Feifei's body tensed abruptly, the touch through the blanket feeling like a current, making her spine involuntarily tighten.

She could even picture his expression right now—surely that smirk she both loved and hated tugging at his lips, his eyes dark with undisguised desire and indulgence.

"I… I didn't!" she finally burst out, flinging back a corner of the blanket to reveal her flushed, suffused cheeks and those glistening eyes, glaring at him annoyed, "You… you're just a stinky little brother! Can you…? Little dog!"

Fresh air rushed in, carrying the lingering faint scent of noodle broth and the unique sweet‑sweat mingling on her body after their intimacy.

A few strands of her hair clung damply to her sweaty forehead and temples, some sticking to the edge of her rosy lips, trembling slightly with her hurried breaths.

Li Qingxuan's gaze fell on her face, flushed with anger and shyness, the redness spreading from her cheeks to her collarbone before fading into the shadow of the sheet.

The shoulder revealed when the blanket was lifted was round and smooth, still bearing the faint pink marks he had left earlier, not yet fully faded, which stood out starkly in the dim light.

The smile in his eyes deepened, no longer mere teasing but settling into a deeper, possessive undercurrent.

He leaned in, not going for her lips right away but moving to her neck, inhaling deeply as if to imprint her very breath upon his memory; his warm breath sprayed onto her sensitive skin, eliciting a subtle shiver.

"Little dog?" his voice low and hoarse against her ear, as if bearing a tiny hook, "Just now… who was calling me good brother, begging for mercy…"

"Don't say it!" Li Feifei shrieked, flustered and embarrassed, lunging to cover his mouth, but he easily caught her wrist.

His fingers closed around her wrist bone, not strong but enough to keep her from breaking free; he then lowered his head and gently pressed his lips to her slightly parted ones, quietly sealing her protest and embarrassment.

This kiss differed from the previous fervor, carrying a fine grinding and savoring, like tasting the world's most precious delicacy.

He slowly traced the shape of her lips, lightly sucking her breath, his tongue tip exploring unhurriedly, wrapped in irresistible tenderness and a discernible strand of renewed desire.

Li Feifei's struggle faded, and in his lingering kiss her whole body went limp, as soft as if caressed by a spring breeze.

Reason told her she should push him away, at least protest his domineering ways, but her body betrayed her will, softening and yielding under his breath and touch, her fingers clenched on his collar having unknowingly loosened.

After the heavenly thunder stirred the earthly fire, several hours later Li Feifei fell into a deep sleep; Li Qingxuan wiped her clean, changed the sweat‑soaked sheets and blankets, and quietly left with the bowl and bedding.

Once everything was tidied, Li Qingxuan returned to the bedroom and held Li Feifei as they both sank into deep sleep.

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