Chapter 175

Having grown up with Pei Ji, it had seen this child locked in dark rooms, scolded and beaten, transforming from a white, jade-like boy into the scar-covered person he was now. As time went by, it gradually got used to Pei Ji’s luck, which was like being possessed by the god of bad luck and no longer reacting strongly to his pain.

But seeing Ning Ning’s injury made it look away, trembling like a heartbroken old mother.

Pei Ji dipped his thumb into the ointment and leaned forward.

“This might hurt a bit.”

Ning Ning extended her hand and nodded obediently.

“I’m not afraid of pain.”

Her arm was slender and pale, her fingers long and delicate, like frost on her fingertips, radiating a cold, beautiful white. The scar on her wrist was like a jagged line on ivory, faintly tinged with blood, making it look particularly gruesome.

Pei Ji’s gaze darkened slightly. His left hand held her wrist, while his right thumb gently touched the edge of the wound.

The ointment seeped into her flesh, feeling like a knife slicing through skin. Ning Ning’s fingers trembled slightly.

Since childhood, he has learned to apply medicine to himself. As he grew older, he often deemed it unnecessary, letting minor wounds heal on their own without leaving scars.

He should be used to this.

But touching Ning Ning’s skin made him hesitate.

After a brief pause, Pei Ji slowly moved his thumb, gently brushing over her scar.

Unlike Ning Ning’s smooth skin, his fingers were long but covered in old scars and calluses, creating faint, unclear friction as they moved across her wrist.

This starkly reflected their vastly different childhoods, cruelly highlighting the disparity between them. Ning Ning never cared about such details, but Pei Ji felt a gnawing frustration.

The gap between them was too large, and he didn’t know when he could ever catch up to her.

Ning Ning sat on the bed, not daring to move. Occasionally, she would glance curiously at Pei Ji, only to quickly look away.

He was very handsome, with long, narrow eyes and dark pupils. His long lashes fluttered gently as he applied the ointment, reminding her of a butterfly’s wings.

The redness in his eyes highlighted the tear mole at the corner, making it stand out against his pale skin. His messy bangs softened his usually cold and fierce look, giving him a gentle, harmless appearance.

This look was surprisingly pleasant.

“Why are you being so careful, Pei Xiaoji?”

Cheng Ying teased him internally.

“You are not applying medicine; it’s like you are planning to pawn your family heirloom and say your final goodbye to it—it’s not like this when you apply medicine to yourself. My goodness, as soon as you close your eyes and purse your lips, the medicine pours onto the wound with a ‘clang’ sound, and you can almost hear the sound of blood spurting out. Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk, you can’t bear to do it now?”

Pei Ji’s brow furrowed as Cheng Ying continued with more advice.

“Let me tell you, just applying medicine like this is absolutely not enough. We need to use a more lethal method—once you finish applying the ointment, lower your head and blow air on her wound. Wow, this blow! It definitely blows out a small spark of tenderness and sweetness, blowing out a small sapling that stands on the same page! It’s so romantic!”

Pei Ji mentally noted that this was the 1,082nd time he wanted to get rid of this middle-aged man.

Ignoring Cheng Ying’s bad ideas, Pei Ji finished applying the ointment to the short scar on Ning Ning’s hand. As his fingers left her arm, he could still feel the warmth of her skin.

“Thank you.”

Ning Ning, unaware of the turmoil beneath his indifferent gaze, smiled and tried to withdraw her arm. Unexpectedly, Pei Ji’s left hand still held her wrist, pressing down as she tried to pull away.

Ning Ning’s heart skipped a beat, and she looked at him in surprise.

Pei Ji seemed surprised by his own instinctive action, biting his lip awkwardly. His bony fingers tightened, hesitating before speaking in a low voice.

“Senior Sister.”

“Hmm?”

Ning Ning responded without much thought. She saw Pei Ji raise his still slightly red eyes without even looking at her, and he quickly lowered his head.

He then leaned down and gently blew on her wound.

Cheng Ying was stunned.

Cheng Ying rolled over and over, his spirit body rising to heaven like a drunken butterfly: “Ahehehehahahahahahahahahaha, good boy, good boy——”

The action was over quickly, and before Ning Ning could register what happened, her fingers twitched reflexively.

…It tickled a bit.

The breath was faint, like a cool breeze in the stifling summer heat, gently brushing over her burn. It felt like a trickling spring, soothing the scorching pain and leaving a cool, lingering sensation.

This was unlike anything Pei Ji would normally do. He seemed awkward, his entire body visibly tensed, his puffed cheeks resembling a frog—

No, no, not a frog.

Ning Ning mentally corrected herself, apologizing to him in her heart.

He looked more like a round, white marshmallow.

After blowing on her wound, Pei Ji expressionlessly let go of her hand, his forced stern expression making him look ready to draw a sword and chop someone.

“You are…?”

He seemed more flustered and confused than she was. Amused by his reaction, Ning Ning paused, her smile widening.

“Are you transferring some immortal energy to me?”

Not only did the little senior sister not blush or shy away, but she also teased him without mercy.

So this was the “blowing out a tender and sweet small sapling that stands on the same page” that Cheng Ying had mentioned. It was indeed very romantic.

Pei Ji felt a burning sensation behind his ears, his brow throbbing with frustration.

He began seriously contemplating how to kill someone who couldn’t die.

“I heard that this can make it hurt less. Cool air can—”

He started to explain, but the more he spoke, the more irritated he became. The heat in his ears seemed to be ready to spread to his face. He decided not to argue further and coldly changed the subject.

“You still have a wound on your face. Let’s continue applying the ointment.”

Ning Ning, not knowing where Pei Ji had heard this method from, could see his discomfort and nodded in agreement, not pressing the issue.

“Thank you, junior brother.”

Cheng Ying, perhaps worried that Pei Ji might lose his temper, remained silent after the plan succeeded. Enjoying the brief peace, Pei Ji found it even harder to concentrate when his fingers touched Ning Ning’s facial wound.

Her face was different from her wrist. Earlier, he could avoid her gaze while applying the ointment, but now…

A few strands of his black hair fell down, almost mingling with Ning Ning’s.

His vision was filled with her fair cheeks and slightly curved red lips, a soft floral scent overlaying the medicinal smell. With just a slight movement of his thumb, he could feel the warmth and softness of her skin.

The scar on her face was deeper and hurt more when he applied the ointment. Ning Ning instinctively flinched.

Pei Ji, focused on applying the ointment, saw her flinch and, without thinking, reached out his left hand to steady her other cheek.

The unexpected touch made both of them freeze.

His hand was cold and thin, like a piece of hard, cold iron, not particularly soft.

Ning Ning felt like a student caught sleeping in class by the teacher, instantly straightening up.

Realizing his intention, she hurriedly apologized.

“Sorry, sorry…! I won’t move again.”

She naturally assumed Pei Ji would let go soon.

However, contrary to her expectations, he didn’t let go.

Instead, he softly said, “Hmm,” moved his thumb to her chin, and adjusted his position to cup her entire cheek.

Pei Ji’s movements were gentle and natural. When he met her surprised gaze, his eyes darkened, and his voice, lower and more rigid than usual, said, “Don’t move.”

She certainly… wouldn’t move.

So close…so close that she can’t move.

Her face felt the cold touch of his fingers, and his well-defined profile was right before her.

Forced to look into his eyes, Ning Ning tried to stay calm on the surface while her heart raced wildly.

“Okay.”

She didn’t know what to say; her body was stiff and unmoving. She grasped the bedsheet with her right hand, releasing it quickly, her mind filled with various thoughts.

For instance, Pei Ji’s manner of applying medicine could be described as “gentle.”

This word didn’t seem to suit him, but few knew that he was inherently a gentle person.

Or that his fingers were cold, but his body was warm when he leaned close to her—

Bah, bah, bah, she’s just imagining something….

Ning Ning remained silent for a while. To break the awkward silence, she tentatively asked, “Pei Ji, when we leave this secret realm, what do you want to eat?”

Pei Ji replied curtly, “You decide.”

“Then later, what do you plan to do?”

“You decide.”

“How about?” Ning Ning took a soft breath and looked at the ground, blinking, “We go see Qiao Yan and the Spirit Fox Clan together?”

Pei Ji didn’t hesitate, probably not even processing what she had said, and immediately agreed.

“Okay.”

After a pause, he spoke again, his voice deep.

“If you get hurt in the future, don’t hide it from me. I can…”

He hesitated; his voice was much quieter.

“Help you apply the ointment.”