Within the candle lit room, Li Luo's surprised gaze remained on the lightly perfumed Jiang Qing'e who stood by his bedside. He continuously gulped as his heart was literally thumping against his chest despite his strong mental fort.i.tude.
"Sister Qing'e, are you serious?" In the end, Li Luo couldn't help but to break the stalemate.
"Aren't you satisfied with this reward? Never mind then." Jiang Qing'e then turned and pretended to leave.
Li Luo hurriedly raised his hand, directly grabbing onto Jiang Qing'e's cool jadeite hand, "I was simply taken aback by this great fortune. It naturally caught me off guard."
His fingers playfully hooked onto Jiang Qing'e's palm and the heat in his gaze seemed like an ignited flame. In fact, it even felt like it would scorch her skin.
"Don't imagine perverted things." The ruddy red which colored her cheeks increased in intensity as she hurriedly explained. "I'm just sleeping next to you tonight. You... you are not allowed to do anything else."
"Huh?" Li Luo's expression turned bitter. "Is this a punishment or a reward?"
Having to share the same bed with her but yet unable to do anything... Was this trying to torment the devils in his heart?
Jiang Qing'e's face was still red as she felt a little embarra.s.sed. She had been forced by Li Luo to come up with a suitable reward and could only come up with this temporarily. However it would be a bit too soon if she were to do anything funny with Li Luo.
In such a situation, even the usually collected Jiang Qing'e felt at a loss.
When Li Luo saw her reaction, he couldn't help but to grin. Seeing such a reaction was simply too rare.
As he thought about it, he did not press forward either. It was to prevent her from feeling so embarra.s.sed that she would simply fly away. They had to take things step by step and this reward was already a step forward in terms of causing her to take bold action on her own.
With this reward as the foundation for the next, wouldn't it mean he would get to advance yet another step when he was rewarded yet again?
Thus Li Luo pretended to sigh with disappointment. "Alright, who asked me to feel sorry for my dearest Sister Qing'e. It seems we will just share a bed tonight and engage in idle conversation, pouring our hearts out to each other."
This caused Jiang Qing'e to sigh in relief. She didn't know what would happen if Li Luo continued to push her. Would she relent or not? Either way they were both engaged to each other and even if they went that far, it would be justifiable anyways.
Alas in her heart, she had always hoped for Li Taixuan and Tan Tailan to first return safely. Only then would their engagement be properly approved and they would be officially wedded. At that time, she would give herself over to Li Luo without reservation.
"However, I do have a condition." Li Luo suddenly spoke up.
"Speak." Jiang Qing'e blinked lightly.
"I'm the boss tonight so you have to listen to me." Li Luo grinned happily.
Jiang Qing'e hesitated briefly when she saw his evil smirk but nodded her head in the end.
He then stood up and reached out towards her waist. His palm lightly pressed down upon the gauze-like pajamas before his arm hooked around her, hugging her.
Jiang Qing'e didn't escape either as her golden eyes watched Li Luo. In such close proximity, she could feel Li Luo's hot breaths inundating her soft cheeks.
He grinned as he stretched his finger out, lightly lifting Jiang Qing'e's pointed chin. "Let's start with you calling me Elder Brother Li Luo..."
Yet in a blink, his smile froze on his face. A slender fist with five clenched fingers had unceremoniously struck his abdomen almost mercilessly.
Jiang Qing'e unhappily glared at him before she tunneled into the sheets, wrapping them all around her.
Li Luo bitterly and painfully spoke out. "You're cheating again..."
However with the wave of his hand, all of the candles were winked out as he happily jumped into the sheets as well. At the same time, he courageously stretched his hand out towards Jiang Qing'e, feeling the warmth of the beauty in his arms as he felt a hint of excitement coursing through his body.
The fatigue acc.u.mulated over the fierce battles melted away in an instant. Jiang Qing'e silently remained in Li Luo's embrace, shyness seen within her golden eyes giving off a different sort of charm amidst the dim background.
Li Luo felt a sense of satisfaction simply holding Jiang Qing'e and it also meant that their relations.h.i.+p had advanced yet again.
She was originally slightly tensed up and was slightly wary but after seeing that Li Luo planned to act honestly, her misgivings mostly disappeared and she gradually relaxed. She continued to watch his handsome face as her gaze eased. The two of them had grown up together and they were more than just childhood friends.
The emotions they held for each other had developed over countless months and years and far surpa.s.sed many emotions. In the past, Jiang Qing'e might have thought that Li Luo was a younger sibling that required her constant protection but the previously helpless youth had now matured into someone that had the ability to stand independently.
The emotions in her heart similarly experienced a change.
She knew that it was impossible for her to hold any affection for anyone else in this life. Li Luo would be her one and only.
She suddenly stretched out her hand and grabbed Li Luo's sneakily wandering hand and asked. "Li Luo, I have to ask you something."
Li Luo's hand was now pressed against her smooth and flat belly as he casually reploied. "Go ahead."
"Am I the Genesis Seed obtained from the Sacred Void Resonance Sect by Master and mistress?"
Jiang Qing'e's sudden question immediately extinguished any restless flames in Li Luo's heart. His whole body couldn't help but to shake a little as his eyes were full of shock.
"Sister Qing'e... what, what are you talking about? Aren't I the Genesis Seed?" Li Luo dryly smirked.
He had never thought that Jiang Qing'e would have come up with this conclusion.
Jiang Qing'e lightly shook her head. "Do you think I never had any suspicions towards this? I have no memories of my life before House Luolan and had always grown up with you. My body is full of secrets and I've always known about this since I was young. In terms of being special, I should be much more special when compared to you. Outsiders might find it difficult to make this deduction but I am not the same. I have a higher probability of being the supposed natural Genesis Seed when compared to you. That also means that Qin Lian wants to capture me instead of you as well. You knew about this but never said a word... I suppose you wanted to bear the danger on behalf of me." When Li Luo heard Jiang Qing'e's soft words, he fell into deep thought before giving a bitter smile.
"Sister Qing'e, all of this is just our own guesses. Perhaps we will only know the truth when Father and Mother are back. Thus you cannot let others know about this."
Jiang Qing'e lightly beamed at him. "Is this your plan to protect me?"
"What's wrong with protecting my future wife?" Li Luo snorted as he hugged her ever more tightly.
Jiang Qing'e stretched her hand out and lightly caressed Li Luo's handsome face. "It seems like this younger brother from back then has become quite spirited."
"Hey who are you calling a younger brother?" Li Luo fumed. "If you hadn't begged for mercy just now, I would have let you know just what a husband means."
Jiang Qing'e chuckled lightly as she knew that Li Luo was simply teasing her and didn't mind. Instead she ignored him and spoke quietly. "Li Luo, when I broke into the Duke stage, I could distinctly feel that my body contained a humongous secret. Its implications are grave and I'm afraid when the day comes, it will change everything. That includes both me and you."
Li Luo's heart began to palpitate as he hugged Jiang Qing'e yet again and said seriously, "There is nothing in this world that can change us. You don't need to worry about this. There are also countless secrets within my body and who knows just who is more impressive. That remains to be seen." He consoled. Jiang Qing'e remained within Li Luo's embrace as her golden eyes gradually closed. In the darkness, she quietly murmured. "Li Luo, no matter what happens, in my heart... House Luolan is my only home."
When Li Luo opened his eyes lazily in the early morning, the soft body in his arms had already vanished. He got up in a hurry and saw Jiang Qing'e standing by the window. She had already changed her clothes and was looking at the training ground in the distance, where the sounds could be heard.
Jiang Qing'e had noticed his movement and turned her head around. "Oh you've awakened?"
She had returned to her usual calm composure. Li Luo pouted when he saw this, as he said with a reluctant look, "Give me back the gentle Jiang Qing'e!"
During the previous night, Jiang Qing'e had been demure and shy and this was a really rare sight even for Li Luo.
Jiang Qing'e rolled her eyes back at him. "I will head over to the training ground first. In the next few days, there is no need for us to take on any missions. You can focus on your cultivation."