Chapter 98

Zhao Ling'er hung her head, almost burying her whole face in the bowl; her heartbeat echoed in her ears like a drum, and her scorching cheeks pressed against the cool bowl wall, yet she still couldn't dispel the lingering heat.

Li Feifei's gaze moved among the three silent people, and in the end she said nothing else, only silently nudged a plate of pickles toward Zhao Ling'er.

After finishing breakfast, Li Feifei got up to clear the dishes, moving briskly and breaking the subtle silence at the table. She stacked the empty bowl in front of Shuang'er and said warmly, "Shuang'er, could you help sister carry the empty plates to the Chufang sink?"

"Okay!" Shuang'er immediately jumped down from the chair, lifted the stacked dishes, and trotted toward the Chufang, temporarily forgetting the earlier incident.

Only three people remained at the table, and the air seemed to solidify a bit more; Zhao Ling'er's fingers unconsciously twisted the hem of her clothing, almost crushing the thin fabric.

She could even keenly sense the probing hidden beneath Li Feifei's calm gaze across from her, as well as the tenderness flowing in Li Qingxuan's eyes beside her.

The oppression in the air wrapped her so tightly she could barely breathe; the heat on her cheeks rose uncontrollably again, and she sprang to her feet, the chair legs scraping a harsh sound across the floor.

"I… I'll go check on Shuang'er, don't break the bowl," she said hoarsely, with a clear intent to flee, her eyes not daring to look at anyone.

She chased after her sister's steps as if fleeing, hurried out of the Canting, leaving only Li Qingxuan and Li Feifei inside.

Li Qingxuan's gaze withdrew from the doorway where Zhao Ling'er had vanished in panic and settled on Li Feifei.

Li Feifei was delicately wiping the tabletop with a cloth, her movements unhurried, as if nothing that had just happened had occurred, yet beneath her lowered lashes lay a calm that saw through everything, which Li Qingxuan discerned clearly.

He lifted the half cup of water that had long since gone cold before him and drank it in one gulp.

"Why didn't you seize the chance?" Li Feifei wiped the table clean, folded the cloth and set it aside, lifted her eyes to Li Qingxuan, her tone as casual as everyday chatter.

"Shuang'er is right there, it's not appropriate," Li Qingxuan said, a hint of awkwardness in his voice, setting the cup down, his fingertip lingering on the cup's rim for a moment.

"Just take both, wouldn't that be fine? You big man, why don't you take the initiative?" Li Feifei said provocatively, looking at him.

Her gaze fell on Li Qingxuan, carrying a barely perceptible scrutiny and depth, "At times like this, people tend to overthink." She said with a hint of implication, her voice low yet clearly cutting through the Canting's silence, "Being straightforward and taking it outright is actually better."

Li Qingxuan did not reply immediately; he remained silent, quietly pondering Li Feifei's words, his thoughts drifting to the Canting that had just endured a silent storm, and to the frantic, tangled‑hearted girl who had fled in panic.

Outside the mist, the howling wind and snow came in successive gusts, like an invisible beast roaring beyond the fortress, further highlighting the fragility of the brief calm inside.

Li Qingxuan rose and walked toward Li Feifei, his steps steady, as if intending to dispel the lingering subtle atmosphere in the Canting with his actions.

The Chufang door was ajar, and from inside came Shuang'er's crisp humming and the faucet's gurgling Flowing Water.

"Qingxuan." Li Feifei's voice sounded, not loud, yet carrying a strange penetrating quality.

He pulled Li Feifei into his arms, his gaze landing on her face; a faint, ambiguous smile lingered at her mouth, and her sharp eyes held a hint of provocation, as if she could easily see through all the thoughts hidden beneath his steady exterior.

"Earlier Ling'er and Shuang'er were here, some things are hard to say," Li Feifei settled into a comfortable spot in Li Qingxuan's embrace, her voice dropping lower to ensure the kitchen's water sound could drown out their conversation, "You good-for-nothing, it's just the two of us now, let me speak to you properly."

She tilted her head slightly up to look at him, the anger in her eyes deepening. "You can stay calm, huh. That Ling'er girl, her skin is as thin as paper, her thoughts written all over her face, almost ready to say them outright. Shuang'er's thoughts are simple and sensible, but you…"

She paused, her gaze sweeping the Chufang to ensure no one was eavesdropping, "Can't you, as a big man, be a bit more proactive? Last night's situation… perfect timing, place, and people, and you're just sitting there like Liu Xia Hui, unmoved."

Li Qingxuan's Adam's apple shifted imperceptibly, his deep eyes meeting Li Feifei's probing gaze, emotions churning within, "I know you mean well, that I should cut through the mess swiftly, but has everything happened too fast? Moreover, we still need to cultivate feelings with them, right?"

"I'm no stud; I'm a Pure Love War God," Li Qingxuan muttered softly, looking at Li Feifei.

Li Feifei let out a light laugh, tinged with a hint of frustrated steel‑that‑won't‑harden, stepped closer, almost pressing against his ear, and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, "What's so fast? The world's practically ending, and you're still a Pure Love War God, clueless? Besides, they're twins—double the joy; I don't believe you're not moved." Warm breath brushed his ear, the words blunt to the point of being almost explicit.

Li Qingxuan's pupils suddenly contracted, his lips quivered, unable to speak, as if his secret had been pierced.

He chuckled twice, "Yesterday the incident also happened suddenly, and I don't know the thoughts of the two of them; if I end up making things worse, that'd be bad." An awkward smile lingered on Li Qingxuan's face as he quietly defended himself.

Li Feifei, however, seemed not to notice the awkwardness in his eyes; instead she met his gaze, the hint of a profound smile at the corner of her mouth deepening, with a certainty that saw through everything, "What's with the pretended gentleman? This damned place, who the hell knows what tomorrow brings. If you like her, go seize it; cowering isn't your style."

She raised her hand, her fingertips lightly tapping Li Qingxuan's solid chest muscles, the gesture flirtatious, "Look at Ling'er's shy, bashful demeanor, Shuang'er's innocent, carefree look; I'm moved just watching them, let alone you. Hmph!"

The water in the Chufang continued to roar, Shuang'er still humming an off‑key tune, and the passage from the Canting to the kitchen felt as if the air had solidified.

Li Qingxuan had nothing to say, as each of Li Feifei's sentences struck like stones tossed into a deep pool, stirring a surging Undercurrent in his seemingly placid heart lake.

He stared at the bold and shrewd woman before him, his gaze complex—both the embarrassment of having his thoughts exposed and the shame of his darker intentions being forced into the sunlight.

Li Feifei's fingertips still prodded his chest, through the thin fabric she could feel his heart's steady, powerful beat, and the muscles that had tensed a moment earlier slowly relaxing; seeing the turmoil in his eyes finally settle, she gently patted him as if to comfort.

"I didn't expect you to adapt so quickly; even I have to admire you. Why don't you ask them? As long as they agree, I'm sure there's no problem," Li Qingxuan said, completely setting aside his tangled emotions and speaking calmly.

"You're still sure there's no problem." Li Feifei, after hearing Li Qingxuan's words, pounded his chest in irritation, "I've been worrying for you; that Ling'er girl's thoughts are as fine as a needle tip. If you keep dithering, she might wind herself into a dead end on her own."

(PS: A free love‑powered donation helps the author stay motivated; if you enjoy this book, feel free to leave a review. Thank you, everyone.)