It was just that she was still young and could not clearly articulate what this strange feeling actually was.
She only knew that when she got close to the youth before her, the anxiety deep in her heart would fade away by more than half.
The bonfire crackled and burned, its orange-red flames leaping up and illuminating Lu Xiao’s profile.
He had sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, with a handsome appearance.
There was not a trace of youthful exuberance in the depths of his eyes; instead, they exuded a composure and profundity that far surpassed his peers.
Ning Rongrong sighed inwardly, wondering how there could be such a good-looking person in the world, and could not help stealing a few more glances at him.
It was precisely at this instant that Lu Xiao seemed to sense something, slowly turning his head to look back.
Their gazes suddenly met.
From Ning Rongrong’s perspective,
the night wind suddenly stopped, and the rustling whispers of the bamboo leaves in the forest seemed to gently fade away.
Even the leaping orange-red light of the bonfire seemed to slow down by half a beat, quietly falling into the depths of their eyes.
Lu Xiao’s pair of eyes were too clean and far too calm.
Ning Rongrong’s pupils slightly constricted, and her dainty earlobes quietly turned red.
She hurriedly lowered her head, pretending to focus on devouring the roasted meat.
Having grown up in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, she had seen countless peerless geniuses within the Sect, but she had never seen such a unique youth.
Looking at Ning Rongrong’s strange behavior, Lu Xiao wore a puzzled expression.
“What is the matter?
Is the roasted meat not to your taste?”
Ning Rongrong hurriedly shook her head, her cheeks stuffed to bursting like a little squirrel stealing food, her soft and sweet voice muffled.
“So delicious!
It smells even more fragrant than the roasted meat made by the imperial chefs!”
Hearing this, Du Busi let out a sneer.
With a flick of his fingertips, he made another clean slash, causing a large piece of charred meat to fall off the beast’s leg, its grease crystal-clear and translucent.
“That is naturally the case!”
His tone carried a hint of arrogance.
“Roasted by this old man himself, it is certainly not something that ordinary worldly culinary skills can compare to.”
The people of their Body Sect grew up eating Soul Beasts since childhood, and saying their methods of cooking Soul Beasts were number one in the world was completely without fault!
“However, you little girl cannot eat too much of it.
There is a peculiar poison on this kind of Soul Beast; although it is harmless to the human body, it will cause people with weak Soul Power to fall into a drunken state!”
Ning Rongrong nodded, her mind entirely focused on Lu Xiao, so how could she still listen to Du Busi’s advice?
Seeing this, Du Busi smiled faintly and did not say anything more…
Ning Rongrong bit by bit chewed on the soft, waxy, and charred-fragrant roasted meat, eating with great relish.
At first, there was no abnormality at all, only feeling that the power contained within the meat warmed her entire body, making her exceptionally comfortable.
From time to time, she raised her eyes to steal glances at Lu Xiao, her eyes brimming with naive joy, and her heart feeling sweet and soft.
But before long, a subtle sense of dizziness quietly struck.
It felt like stepping on a soft cloud, her whole body feeling light and airy, while her originally clear vision gradually became covered with a layer of hazy water mist.
The bonfire, bamboo forest, and figures before her eyes all began to sway gently, and even Lu Xiao’s calm profile became hazy and incomparably tender.
Ning Rongrong shook her little head, attempting to dispel this strange lethargy, but her head became increasingly dizzy and swollen, her whole body lazy and powerless, making her somewhat unsteady even while sitting.
Only then did she belatedly remember Du Busi’s words just now, this roasted meat really could intoxicate people.
“So, so dizzy…”
The little girl muttered softly, her body swaying slightly before uncontrollably tilting and falling toward her side.
Lu Xiao’s gaze shifted slightly, and he raised his hand to gently and steadily support her slender shoulders, his hand meeting a soft and warm surface.
At this moment, Ning Rongrong’s little face was flushed and burning hot, and her clear eyes were filled with mist.
Du Busi glanced at the little princess, whose drunken state was on full display, and said indifferently, “I told you not to eat too much, but you refused to listen.
How is it now?”
Xiao Wu leaned closer to look at the dazed Ning Rongrong and softly suggested, “It is too late, and the wind in the back mountain is chilly.
Since she is drunk like this, how about letting her rest in the bamboo building for the night first?”
Lu Xiao nodded slightly.
Presumably Ning Rongrong should have told Ning Fengzhi when she came out, right?
There was no way he could send Ning Rongrong back in this state.
After all, it would be hard to explain!
He settled Ning Rongrong in a spare room of the bamboo building, gently tucked her in with the quilt, and then left the room.
Deep in the night.
Ning Rongrong, who had originally been sleeping soundly, grew increasingly feverish and restless in her dreams.
The drunkenness had not yet faded, her consciousness was in Chaos, and that reassuring, refreshing aura by her side had also disappeared.
Dazedly, she lifted the quilt, bare with a pair of dainty little feet stepping onto the slightly cool bamboo floorboards.
Her steps were unsteady and swaying, like a lost little white rabbit.
Between half-sleep and wakefulness, she completely forgot where she was.
Relying on the purest instinct, her small body stumbled and slowly shuffled toward that familiar aura.
In another room, Lu Xiao had already fallen fast asleep.
Being in a familiar and secure environment, he cast aside all his defenses.
The exhaustion of the past few days surged forward, causing him to fall asleep the moment his head touched the pillow, his breathing long and steady.
His brows and eyes were relaxed, shedding the composure of the day and gaining a bit of serene relaxation, completely unaware that a small figure was approaching him.
With a dizzy head, Ning Rongrong lightly pressed her small hand against the bamboo door, slowly pushing open the slightly cool door panel.
Tiptoeing with her exquisite and petite jade feet on the slightly cool and smooth bamboo floor, her steps were unsteady and drifting, her figure swaying like a wispy evening breeze.
Relying on the purest instinct deep in her heart, she shuffled step by step to the bedside.
Lu Xiao’s clean and crisp aura rushed over her face, completely enveloping her.
Drunkenness surged, and sleepiness weighed heavy.
Ning Rongrong leaned forward slightly, her slender little hand tentatively resting on the edge of the quilt, gently lifting a corner.
The next instant, her small body cautiously and softly curled up as she crawled inside.
Beneath the quilt, Lu Xiao’s warm body temperature gently wrapped around her frame.
In an instant, all the feverish lethargy throughout her body completely dissipated.
Only peace and comfort remained, allowing her dazed body and mind to completely relax.
She closed in without any hesitation, spreading her small hands to firmly wrap around Lu Xiao’s arm, cuddling up obediently against him.
“So soft…
So warm…
So nice to hug…”
The next morning.
Lu Xiao was awakened by a burst of urgent knocking on the door.
His consciousness still hazy, he subconsciously wanted to raise his hand to massage his brow, but abruptly noticed his left arm was stiff and heavy.
A wisp of soft warmth was tightly clinging to his arm.
Lu Xiao’s heart paused slightly, and the remaining sleepiness instantly dissipated by more than half.
Ning Rongrong was curled up entirely at his side, her arms firmly embracing his arm, her little face gently pressed against his sleeve, breathing evenly and steadily.
After a night of peaceful sleep, the flush on her cheeks had faded by more than half, leaving only a shallow pink glow.
Lu Xiao’s heart suddenly tightened, his mind instantly clearing up.
“Knock, knock, knock—”
The knocking outside the door sounded once more.
Gu Rong’s deep and husky voice came from outside the door, his tone awe-inspiring without anger, every word heavy: “Lu Xiao, open the door.”
Before Lu Xiao could recover his wits, the quilt beside him gently bulged, and a pair of slender, fair little hands lifted the corner of the quilt.
Xiao Wu, with slightly messy black hair, poked out her dainty head, blinking her big, sleepy eyes.
Rubbing her eyes, she muttered softly: “Lu Xiao, what is the matter?
Making such a noise early in the morning…”
At that instant, Lu Xiao completely froze, his scalp tingling.
“Xiao Wu!”
Lu Xiao reached out to block Xiao Wu’s mouth, shushing her: “Why are you here?”
On the left was Ning Rongrong, the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect who had yet to wake from deep sleep, and crawling out from the inner side of the covers was Xiao Wu, who had just woken up with a dazed expression.
Outside the door were Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong!
Unless Lu Xiao grew a mouth that could talk a dead person back to life, even if he jumped into the Life-Giving Lake, he would not be able to clear his name!
Outside the door, Ning Fengzhi’s gentle voice came once more, unhurried yet carrying a hint of seriousness: “Lu Xiao, open the door.
We have been waiting for quite a while.”