The moment she stepped out of the small courtyard, Shen Lingxi felt like an entirely different person.
Inhale.
She took a deep breath, feeling the beauty of the world outside the courtyard.
Watching the adorable Shen Lingxi, the corners of Gu Ming’s lips curled up unconsciously.
“Next, are we going to my house?” Shen Lingxi tilted her head, a look of anticipation on her face.
“Sure, let’s go together,” Gu Ming said with a smile. “However, I don’t know where your home is, so you’ll have to lead the way.”
“Of course.”
Shen Lingxi nodded vigorously.
Then, she seemed to think of something. Her body became a bit fidgety, and her gaze drifted upward from time to time.
Gu Ming, not understanding, asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Are we really going to my house?” Shen Lingxi asked with some embarrassment.
“Of course,” Gu Ming nodded without hesitation.
“But my family is very poor.”
“I don’t mind.”
“My home is poor and deep in the mountains. We have to walk a very long way on mountain paths, and the roads are rugged and muddy.”
“I don’t mind.”
“My mother’s cooking is terrible.”
“I don’t mind.”
“My father not only loves to drink, but he also likes to chew on garlic, and his breath is very smelly.”
“I don’t mind.”
“I mind!” Shen Lingxi shouted, her face flushing red.
Gu Ming was stunned for a moment. Then, he stepped forward and reached out to touch Shen Lingxi’s forehead while placing his other hand on his own, comparing the temperatures between the two.
Shen Lingxi’s cheeks turned slightly red, but she stared blankly at Gu Ming’s face, lost in thought. Looking closely, the boy in front of her was actually quite handsome.
“You don’t have a fever,” Gu Ming muttered.
Shen Lingxi quickly used her hand to move Gu Ming’s hand away from her forehead and took one step back. “I didn’t have one to begin with.”
“Then why won’t you let me go?” Gu Ming asked.
“It’s not that I don’t want you to go…” Shen Lingxi acted coyly, lowering her head while her eyes darted up to occasionally check Gu Ming’s expression. “It’s just, just that I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed.”
“How could I be…” Gu Ming found it somewhat amusing.
“How could you not be?” Shen Lingxi said excitedly. “You are the brother of the Alliance Leader and come from a noble background. You’ve received an education in Noble Etiquette since you were young, whereas I’m just a farmer’s daughter. I speak rudely and know nothing of etiquette. I can’t compare to the young ladies of prestigious families.”
“Why do you have to compare yourself to them?” Gu Ming countered curiously.
“Because, because only then would I be a match for you.”
After hesitating for a long time, Shen Lingxi finally spoke the words she had been suppressing in her heart.
Gu Ming froze. He looked at Shen Lingxi for a long while before finally being unable to hold it in, letting out a soft laugh.
“What are you laughing at?”
Shame and annoyance filled Shen Lingxi as she stared at Gu Ming reproachfully.
“It’s nothing. I just think you’re very cute.”
Gu Ming tried his best to suppress his laughter, but seeing Shen Lingxi’s flushed, huffy cheeks, he couldn’t help laughing out loud again.
“Don’t laugh! Stop laughing…”
Seeing this, Shen Lingxi waved her small fists and lightly hammered Gu Ming’s chest.
It took a while for Gu Ming to stop laughing.
He caught Shen Lingxi’s wrists as she hammered him and said seriously, “Lingxi, look into my eyes. What do you see in them?”
Shen Lingxi leaned in and peered closely. After a long while, she mumbled, “What is there?”
“You, Shen Lingxi.”
“Eh.”
Shen Lingxi was stunned for a moment. Only after a long while did she finally realize what he meant. Her face turned red, and she pouted. “Liar, I don’t believe you.”
She turned her back to him, not wanting Gu Ming to see her completely flushed face.
“Do you remember something you said to me before?”
“Hmm?”
“You said, ‘What exactly do you want? You come every day, aren’t you annoying?'”
“Don’t mimic me… That was because back then…”
Gu Ming imitated Shen Lingxi’s tone from that time, causing her to hammer his chest again in shame and annoyance.
Gu Ming ignored her playful hits and spoke in a serious tone, “My answer now is the same as before. I like you. So, regardless of whether you’re a young lady from a prestigious family or what your original family is like… that will never change.”
Shen Lingxi gradually stopped her movements. Her head hung low, and her face was as red as a ripe apple.
“So, can I go to your house now?”
“You can…”
Shen Lingxi pouted, her voice as faint as a mosquito’s buzz.
Gu Ming reached out his hand, and Shen Lingxi reached out hers to grasp it. Then, the two small figures left, one following the other.
***
After taking Shen Lingxi away from the courtyard, Gu Ming instructed a servant to prepare a Fire-wheeled Carriage for him. Then, he and Shen Lingxi went to the market to buy some supplies.
There were many people at the market, making it bustling and lively.
Since it was Shen Lingxi’s first time in such a crowded place, she couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous. She hugged Gu Ming’s arm tightly, but her gaze was still drawn away by the dazzling array of goods on the stalls to her left and right.
“Is there anything you want?”
Seeing Shen Lingxi like this, Gu Ming smiled.
Shen Lingxi thought about it but eventually shook her head.
She knew what he meant, but she didn’t want him to think she was a greedy girl. Therefore, she could only suppress the desires in her heart.
“Then try this.”
“Eh?”
Gu Ming pulled Shen Lingxi to a stall and picked up a Jade Hairpin, sliding it into her hair.
After inspecting it, Gu Ming nodded with great satisfaction. “Yes, it’s very nice.”
“This seems quite valuable.”
Shen Lingxi quickly took it down, wanting to return it, but Gu Ming stopped her.
“It’s fine. This is the first gift I’m giving you.” Gu Ming closed one eye and teased her, “Otherwise, if I only ever give you trinkets, a certain someone might get angry.”
“That’s because before — I didn’t even know what your intentions were,” Shen Lingxi pouted and argued.
“And now?”
“As long as you’re the one giving it, I won’t refuse anything!”
“That’s the spirit.”
Gu Ming tucked the Jade Hairpin back into Shen Lingxi’s fingers. Only then did she realize something. “Oh, you tricked me!”
Gu Ming smiled but didn’t follow up on that.
“By the way, what do your father and mother like? I should bring some gifts for them.”
“My father likes to drink, and my mother likes to make new clothes…”
“Oh, then we’ll buy one case of wine first and then go to the fabric store for one bolt of cloth.”
“No, there’s no need — “
“If I don’t bring gifts the first time, it’ll seem very rude. It would also leave a bad impression on the two elders.”
“But.”
‘It’s a waste of money.’
Shen Lingxi couldn’t bring herself to say those final words. She just stared blankly at the back of the person walking in front of her, who hadn’t forgotten to keep hold of her hand.
She made a silent resolution in her heart. She must — she absolutely must — become a girl who was worthy of him.
As for how to stand by his side…
The only thing she could think of was to become the true Saintess of Saintess Mountain.