219: Chapter 219 Mo Han and Hua Jieyu: A Strange Friendship

The morning breeze brushed through the Imperial Palace, carrying the fragrance of the distant Spirit Herb Garden.

Xu Chen stood on the terrace, his gaze passing through layers of glazed tiles to land on the Meditation Pavilion not far away.

That was originally a quiet place for the clan's younger generation to sit in meditation, planted full of elegant Meditation Flowers.

But ever since the "enchantress" Hua Jieyu moved into the nearby side palace, the style of this place had changed abruptly. The Meditation Flowers had been completely uprooted and replaced with the Hehuan Sect's specialty, "Pink Mist Begonias," leaving a faint, cloying sweetness permanently lingering in the air.

At this moment, a ridiculous "teaching session" was taking place in the pavilion.

Dressed in a pinkish-purple sheer gauze dress, Hua Jieyu lay lazily on her side on a soft couch, idly waving a circular fan.

Her expressive peach blossom eyes were staring at the person in front of her with a look of disappointment in a failing student.

Opposite her, Mo Han was dressed in a tight, sleek black night-suit, kneeling on a prayer mat.

Her back was perfectly straight, her hands were placed neatly on her knees, her face was expressionless, and her eyes were as cold as blades, radiating a murderous aura that screamed "do not approach."

When these two were together, it looked like a lazy Persian cat trying to teach a wary black panther how to act cute.

The corners of Xu Chen's mouth curled up. He didn't rush over, but instead concealed his presence and crept closer, wanting to hear what these two were up to.

"Sister Mo Han, this won't do."

Hua Jieyu sighed and helplessly rubbed her forehead. "Your gaze is too fierce. The Young Master is your husband, not your assassination target. When you look at him, you need to put away that killing intent and replace it with... longing."

"Longing?"

Mo Han tilted her head, a hint of confusion flashing through her calm eyes.

She seriously considered the logic of an assassin and then asked tentatively:

"Like longing to... kill the target?"

Pfft—

The spirit tea Hua Jieyu had just taken a sip of was sprayed right out.

Ignoring the tea stains on her mouth, she looked at Mo Han with a look of total collapse.

"Good heavens, you really are a true assassin! I mean longing to be cherished by him, longing for his body... that kind of soft, watery gaze, do you understand?"

"I don't understand."

Mo Han shook her head honestly. "It's too complicated. Can't I just do it directly? I think the Young Master likes things to be direct."

"..."

Hua Jieyu was speechless. She could see now that this girl was a blank slate when it came to feelings—one cast in molten iron, so hard it would break your teeth.

"Forget it, let's try a different approach."

A glint of cunning flashed in Hua Jieyu's eyes as she leaned closer to Mo Han, her voice becoming seductive.

"Sister, don't you want the Young Master to like you more? Don't you want to... be like Sister Hongyi, give the Young Master a child, and have a home?"

At the mention of "home" and "child," a ripple finally appeared on Mo Han's eternally frozen, icy face.

She lowered her head and glanced at her flat belly, the image of Xu Chen holding a child with a doting, warm smile at yesterday's Saint Banquet surfacing in her mind.

That was a light she, an assassin walking in the darkness, had never dared to dream of, yet yearned for immensely.

"Yes."

She nodded. Though her voice was still cool, it carried an unprecedented firmness.

"That's more like it!"

Hua Jieyu snapped her fingers. "Come, Big Sister will teach you a finishing move. This is the Hehuan Sect's secret technique, 'Soul-Hooking Eyes.' Once you learn it, I guarantee the Young Master will crawl into your bed tonight."

"Watch closely. First, the body must be soft..."

Hua Jieyu stood up and instantly transformed into a boneless enchantress. Her waist swayed like a water snake, and her gaze became hazy and lingering as she made a blood-pumping gesture toward the air.

"Then, your eyes should be 'refusing while inviting.' Imagine him as your favorite... food!"

"Food?"

Mo Han's eyes lit up. She understood this analogy.

"Yes! Like a delicacy you finally see after being hungry for three days and nights! You want to eat it, but you can't bear to finish it in one bite!"

Mo Han nodded thoughtfully.

She stood up, took a deep breath, and began to try and mimic Hua Jieyu's movements.

First, the waist twist.

Crack—

A crisp sound of bones popping rang out.

Mo Han's tempered, resilient waist twisted extremely stiffly into a bizarre angle. It didn't look like acting cute; it looked more like the prelude to drawing a blade.

Then, the gaze.

She stared intently at the air in front of her, imagining her favorite candied hawthorns in her mind.

And so, her gaze changed.

It was no longer cold killing intent, but an extremely pure 'appetite' tinged with ferocity.

She stared with her large, clear eyes, looking straight ahead as if she were about to pounce in the next second, bite through her prey's throat, and feast.

Hiding in the shadows, Xu Chen felt his scalp tingle.

How was this "Soul-Hooking Eyes"?

This was clearly "Soul-Taking Eyes"! Anyone stared at with that look would definitely draw their sword in self-defense rather than indulge in romantic fantasies.

Clap, clap, clap—

Xu Chen couldn't take it anymore and walked out from the flowers, clapping.

"Wonderful, truly wonderful."

With a playful smile on his face, he teased, "I didn't expect the Saintess of Hua to not only be skilled in charm but also top-tier at leading others astray."

"Ah! Young Master!"

Hua Jieyu cried out, but there wasn't a hint of panic at being caught. She slumped back onto the couch, her collar slightly open to reveal a breathtaking glimpse of snowy white skin, her voice so cloying it was almost liquid.

"Why did you come? You didn't even make a sound, you scared me to death~"

Meanwhile, Mo Han's body stiffened.

Looking at the suddenly appearing Xu Chen, Hua Jieyu's instruction to "treat him as food" immediately echoed in her mind.

And so...

She took a deep breath, tried her best to maintain that "appetite-filled" gaze, and stared straight at Xu Chen.

Xu Chen: "..."

Being stared at by his own wife like he was a piece of braised pork was truly... an indescribable feeling.

"Cough, Mo Han."

Xu Chen walked up to Mo Han, reached out to pinch her small face which was stiff from overexertion, and said with a laugh:

"Don't listen to this enchantress's nonsense. You are who you are; you don't need to learn those messy things."

"But..."

The light in Mo Han's eyes dimmed slightly. She lowered her head, her fingers nervously twisting the hem of her clothes, and whispered somewhat aggrievedly:

"Sister Jieyu said I'm not feminine enough... If I don't learn, the Young Master won't like me anymore and won't give me a child."

"Nonsense."

Xu Chen glared at Hua Jieyu, who was watching the show, then cupped Mo Han's face in his hands, making her look into his eyes.

"Who says you aren't feminine? In my eyes, you are perfect just as you are."

"Really?"

"Truer than real gold," Xu Chen said seriously. "Everyone has their own style. Hua Jieyu is glamorous, while you are cool and elegant. If you really started twisting around like her, I'd actually be uncomfortable and think you'd been possessed."

Hearing this, the unease in Mo Han's eyes finally vanished. The corners of her mouth turned up slightly, revealing an extremely faint smile that was enough to melt ice and snow.

"Mhm."

She nodded heavily and then asked somewhat shyly:

"Then... what about the child?"

Pfft—

Xu Chen nearly choked on his own saliva.

This girl's focus was always so direct and hardcore.

"Wanting a child is something between two people; it's not something you can achieve just by practicing your gaze alone."

Xu Chen helplessly rubbed her head, his gaze softening.

"Besides, you aren't ready yet, are you? Last night, Hongyi and the others said childbirth is very painful. Even though you aren't afraid of pain, I want you to enjoy a few more days of easy life."

"I'm not afraid of pain."

Mo Han looked up, her gaze stubborn. "I want a home. Like the Young Master yesterday, holding the child... it felt very warm."

Looking into those clear eyes that were filled only with him, the softest part of Xu Chen's heart was deeply touched.

This silly girl.

From the killing machine she once was to the little woman who now understood the longing for a home and warmth, Xu Chen had seen all her changes and felt for her.

"Alright."

Xu Chen stopped trying to persuade her and instead nodded solemnly, taking her slightly cool hand.

"When your body is well-rested and ready, we'll have them. We can have enough for a whole football team."

"A football team... what is that?" Mo Han showed that adorable, confused expression again.

"It's just many, many children—enough to start a group fight."

Xu Chen explained with a laugh, then turned to look at Hua Jieyu, who had a "shipping it" look on her face.

"And you."

"Stop teaching children bad things all day. If you have this much free time, why not refine a few more batches of 'Hehuan Pills' to generate income for the family's pill shop?"

"Hmph, the Young Master is so biased."

Hua Jieyu curled her lip, stood up from the couch, and leaned against Xu Chen as if she had no bones, her breath like orchids.

"I'm doing this for the Young Master's sake. Sister Mo Han is so skilled; if she learns charm, then when the two of us serve the Young Master together, one responsible for hooking the soul and the other responsible for... ahem, wouldn't that be double the happiness?"

"Hmm?"

Xu Chen's eyes narrowed slightly.

A cold and adorable assassin, and a flirtatious enchantress.

That image...

Hiss—

Xu Chen quickly cut off those indescribable images in his mind and pushed away Hua Jieyu's restless hand with a serious face.

"Cut it out! Am I the kind of person who only seeks pleasure?"

"Alright, you two keep chatting. I'm going to see Hanyan. She's close to her due date and her body has been heavy lately; I need to go massage her legs."

After saying that, Xu Chen fled the Meditation Pavilion.

Behind him came Hua Jieyu's bell-like laughter and Mo Han's thoughtful inquiry:

"Double the happiness... what exactly is that?"

"Well, you'll understand once you've had a child..."