"Thank you for the time we spent together. I heard you''re going into closed cultivation?"


    It was evening. Xie Qing and Li Yun descended from the mountain to the nearest town and, being in a restaurant, ordered a private room and were now dining together.


    Li Yun, who was like a little bird, ate the meat in small bites, chewed the food, swallowed, and nodded, wiping her mouth with a napkin. Only after that did she speak.


    "Yes. Although I don''t want to, Master insisted on it. Moreover, Master obtained a high-quality pill for me that will elerate cultivation, so I simply must enter secluded cultivation," the girl reported, slightly pursing her lips, expressing her displeasure. She bowed her head and muttered, "I wanted to spend more time with you."


    "It''s nice to hear," Xie Qingughed loudly and gently grabbed her hand, rubbing her palm. The man smiled, saying in a tender voice, "Don''t worry, the next two days I am all yours. Is that a good enough reward?"


    "This…" Li Yun widened her eyes in surprise, then her cheeks flushed and she sweetly smiled, eximing, "More than enough!"


    ***


    The next few days they spent walking together through cities, through forests—in general, they had a great time, spending almost every second with each other. This feeling was quite refreshing for Xie Qing.


    Compared to other women he had been close to, Li Yun was more calm andpliant, gentle and especially caring. With her, he felt as if they had been married for a century.


    And so, the days flew by unnoticed. The night of the second day arrived, and Xie Qing and Li Yun were in a hotel in a fairlyrge city on the Western Continent. They sat in Xie Qing''s room, enjoying wine.


    "I didn''t expect you to want to drink with me. I thought you didn''t like alcohol," Xie Qing said, pouring wine into the girl''s ss, then cing the bottle on the table and returning to his seat, sitting on a chair opposite Li Yun.


    The girl blinked her charming empty eyes and, like a curious cat, brought the ss to her nose and sniffed. Her eyes widened, and her ears twitched—truly like a cat.


    "This… smells sweet! Amazing! Master''s wines smell strange, immediately bitter…" Li Yun expressed her thoughts, rubbing her nose in surprise.


    "Well, naturally. Lady Zhang prefers strong alcohol, and the taste should be either sour or bitter," Xie Qing replied with a calm expression, pouring himself wine, and then he added with a smile, looking at his ss, "I know you love sweets, so I bought something sweet with a little alcohol content."


    "Oh… I''m sorry, you had to spend money because of me…" Li Yun said apologetically, bowing her head.


    "Hm?"


    Xie Qing raised his eyebrows, looking at her, and stared at the girl in confusion. Only after a few seconds did the man think to respond.


    "Ah, sorry. I didn''t understand what you meant at first. Do you really still worry about money with our rtionship?" Xie Qing shrugged in bewilderment and, seeing Li Yun''s bowed head, he propped his chin with his left hand and sighed, half-closing his eyelids, "Do you really need to worry about such things with our rtionship? Listen, you''re not some random girl from the street, you''re Li Yun. My Li Yun."


    "Eh… ''your… Li Yun''?"


    The girl whispered to herself, repeating Xie Qing''s words, and her beautiful face turned red, her lips trembling.


    However, if Xie Qing usually allowed her to step back from this, this time he was much more assertive. The man grabbed the chair and moved to sit next to the girl.


    "Eh…?"


    Li Yun shuddered, raising her head and looking at Xie Qing with a puzzled expression as he sat down next to her.


    Then, the gentle touch of his hand fell on the girl''s shoulders, slowly, like a snake, his fingers rose up her slender and delicate neck, reaching her soft and red cheeks, which seemed as soft as moths.


    Then, Xie Qing gently rubbed her cheeks—Li Yun shuddered, and her eyes widened, showing her shock, but she only clenched her fists, cing them on her thighs, leaning to the left, towards the man, as if encouraging him to continue.


    "Mmm…" the girl let out a weak moan and shuddered when Xie Qing''s gentle touch and caress descended to the back of her head. The man gently stroked her silky pink hair, which she had taken great care of. He carefully brought a strand of hair to his nose, then gently kissed it.


    "Li Yun… no, Yun. I know what you feel. You have many doubts and often restrain yourself…" Xie Qing began to speak, releasing the strand of her hair and smoothing her hair, fixing it. He lifted his head, being in a slightly inclined position, so the girl looked at him from above.


    He fell silent, as if trying to think deeply about his thoughts before expressing them. Then…


    "I love you, Yun," the man finally said and straightened his posture, taking the girl''s clenched fist in both hands, gently stroking her clenched fingers with his thumbs, "I love your beautiful eyes, I love your voice, your happy face. Everything about you attracts me, does not let go, and intoxicates. Although I am not the best man who would deserve you, I sincerely want to be a part of your life and…"


    "Ha-ah…?"


    Li Yun widened her eyes—again and again, Xie Qing''s words pierced her heart with an incredible pleasant effect, making her heart tremble with excitement and happiness. Her throat went dry, so the girl let out a hoarse voice, her shoulders trembling as she looked at the man.


    His eyes were deep, ck in color. To someone, these eyes might seem frightening, as if you are looking into the abyss.


    And although Li Yun could not see his face, she felt the man''s intent gaze. And she was sure that in his eyes at that moment there was only her reflection. That''s why she trembled, and her emotions burst out.


    "This…"


    Xie Qing blinked, and his face was filled with panic when he saw tears streaming from the corners of Li Yun''s eyes.


    "Uh…"


    "W-wait, did I say something wrong? Did I offend you?" Xie Qing asked in a panicked voice, gesturing exaggeratedly. He thought his words might have upset her.


    "N-no…" was all Li Yun could say with a slight hoarseness, wiping away tears with the wrists of both hands and bowing her head, hiding her face with her hands, muttering in a muffled voice, "I-I''m sorry… I… am very happy… sorry for my behavior…"


    Xie Qing sighed in relief, cing his hand on his heart. He really got worried seeing her tears. Usually, everything happened very easily and without extra emotion.


    "It''s okay," the man replied to her changes and, standing up, knelt down in front of her, gently stroking her hands, which still covered her face, "With me, you don''t have to restrain yourself."


    "Y-yes…" the girl said in a trembling voice, interrupted by sobs.


    The man smiled tenderly, gently stroking her head until the girl calmed down.