Hearing such words from Xun'er, Xiao Mei was momentarily taken aback, and then a flush of embarrassment crept over her. Had it been any other maiden of the clan who spoke thus to her, she might have leaned upon her beauty and talent to gain some ground in the exchange. But with Xun'er as her opponent, she could only feel thoroughly defeated.
She glanced once at Xiao Yan's calm, unruffled countenance, mouthed a self-mocking bitter smile in her heart, and could do nothing but slink away in humiliation.
In the training grounds, the crowd stared at Xiao Yan, whose arm was so intimately looped around by Xun'er, and a twinge of envy rose unbidden in more than one breast. As the clan's most dazzling pearl, when in their lives had any of them ever seen Xun'er treat a man in such a fashion?
Watching Xiao Mei's embarrassed retreating back, Xiao Yan blinked in surprise. Feeling that tender, soft sensation upon his arm, he turned his head and met Xun'er's beaming smile, and could not resist teasing: "Little lass, what on earth are you about?"
Xun'er continued to hold fast to his arm, her limpid autumn-water eyes sweeping idly over the surrounding crowd, who had all gone slack-jawed at the intimacy of her gesture. Then, as though perfectly innocent, she asked: "Was Xiao Yan-gege not just about to refuse her?"
At this, Xiao Yan rolled his eyes. That a refusal should spring from two different mouths yet carry two entirely different meanings — recalling the awkwardness on Xiao Mei's face just now, he shook his head in helplessness, slanting a glance at the coyly smiling Xun'er, and muttered to himself: This little lass is surely doing this on purpose.
"Xun'er simply does not care for the swiftness with which she turns her face. Heh — to learn Dou Techniques together, going to the Dou Technique Hall... such an invitation as that has never before been extended." Drawing Xiao Yan slowly toward the entrance of the training grounds, Xun'er paid no heed to the gazes all around, and murmured to herself, a faint thread of coldness in her voice. She was genuinely put off by the disparity in Xiao Mei's attitude.
Shrugging slightly, Xiao Yan gave a nod of agreement, sharing her sentiment, and let out a wry laugh. Three years ago, his relationship with Xiao Mei had not been at all bad. It was only after he had been branded a waste that he had come to see with true clarity just how worldly this woman truly was.
Watching Xiao Yan and Xun'er walk out of the training grounds so intimately, Xiao Ning, off in the distance, felt the muscles of his face twitch fiercely. His fists clenched so hard that his knuckles cracked, and the envy within him was such that his very eyes turned red.
"You little bastard — in a month's time, I'll have you coughing up teeth!" Xiao Ning gnashed his teeth and gnawed out the words, then, with a belly full of fury, stormed off the training grounds.
On the high platform, Xiao Zhan, who had been about to take his leave, found himself shaken by this very sight. His gaze fixed tightly upon the two intimately linked figures, and after a moment of surprise, a flicker of hidden worry passed through his eyes. "This child, Yan — he could not... could he have taken a liking to Xun'er? One should know, her background is far above that of Nalan Yanran. Even with such a terrifying talent for cultivation, winning the recognition of the power behind her would be no easy feat."
After a stretch of silence, Xiao Zhan heaved a soft sigh, shook his head, and slowly took his leave.
...
Held by the young maiden's arm as they walked, his elbow could not help brushing from time to time against something warm and soft. That exquisite sensation set a certain someone's mind to wandering most shamelessly.
Turning down yet another little path, Xun'er suddenly released Xiao Yan's arm with her small face flushing bright red. Her cheeks puffed out slightly as she shot him a reproachful, pouting glare.
With that soft, delightful sensation gone, a void opened in Xiao Yan's heart, and could not help but let out a light sigh of wistful regret. His gaze moved against his will, drifting over the maiden at his side. That small, slightly swelling bosom, hidden beneath the pale-green robes, was still green and unripe, yet it had already begun to take shape, bearing a temptation all its own — pure and forbiddingly alluring, like an unripe fruit.
Sensing the inadvertently scorching eyes resting upon her, Xun'er's clear, elegant little face was at once suffused with rosy red. Her small hand instinctively rose higher, and she protested with mingled shame and petulance: "Xiao Yan-gege, you..."
"Cough... cough..." Startled back to his senses by Xun'er's reproachful voice, Xiao Yan coughed violently a few times, his face turning rather red. He smiled an embarrassed smile, and silently howled within his heart: What a beast I am — to have such feelings for my own little sister!
For although Xun'er and Xiao Yan shared no bond of blood, the two had lived together for more than ten years, and their affection was in no way inferior to that between true brother and sister. And now Xiao Yan had been taking liberties with his own nominal little sister — no wonder he felt a pang of guilt...
This sudden little incident had thrown the atmosphere between them into disorder, and for a time, the air hung quiet and tremulously intimate.
With her face still flushed, Xun'er hung her head low. All that serene aloofness of hers had vanished utterly beneath the shyness of having so forbidden a place touched; now and then she would dart a sidelong glance, only to meet Xiao Yan's face, which was studiously looking straight ahead.
In this strange atmosphere, a path that was hardly long at all stubbornly dragged on like a Long March, yet somehow the end never seemed to come.
Of course, even a Long March must have its end. When they reached the fork in the road, Xiao Yan, with a sheepish word of farewell, turned to make good his escape.
"Xiao Yan-gege."
Watching the boy fleeing in such disarray, Xun'er was momentarily taken aback, then broke into a suppressed smile and called out to him in a low voice.
"Huh?" His steps halted, Xiao Yan turned to look at the maiden standing demurely beneath the willow tree, and his restless heart leaped once more.
The young maiden was clad in pale green, rendered all the more elegant and striking against the lush verdure of the willow. A light breeze passed, stirring the raven-black hair that fell to her waist; a purple sash about her slender waist traced out the graceful lines of her figure.
"Tomorrow... will you accompany Xun'er?"
Beneath the willow tree, the young maiden's delicate little face was faintly flushed, her pearly teeth nibbling at her tempting rosy lips. A pair of beautiful autumn-water eyes bore upon Xiao Yan, not far off, with brimming anticipation and a strange, ineffable quality of feeling.