657: Chapter 68 A feast for the eyes, a snowy landscape to brighten the soul

The next morning.

Meng Li was startled awake by a knock on the door, exiting his state of meditating on the Dao.

He opened the door and saw that it was Lan Kui knocking.

"Elder Brother Meng, it's time for breakfast." Lan Kui stated her purpose as soon as they met.

Seeing that it was only Lan Kui, Meng Li's eyes flickered. He reached out to wrap his arm around her slender waist, pulling her into the room while closing the door with his other hand.

Before Lan Kui could cry out in surprise, her lips were sealed...

After a long while, their lips parted.

Lan Kui's eyes were misty, and a rosy blush spread across her cheeks. Her expression was a mix of reproach and joy. "Elder Brother Meng, you..."

Meng Li smiled. "Didn't you tell me to eat breakfast?"

Lan Kui was stunned, then said in bashful annoyance, "Who eats like that? I'm not breakfast."

"Why not?" Meng Li countered. Then, with his nose against hers, he stared into her eyes and said, "This is called 'a feast for the eyes'."

As he spoke, he pecked her lips again.

Overcome with shame, Lan Kui instinctively tried to flee, but with Meng Li's arm around her waist, she couldn't break free. She could only bury her Face in his chest and mumble, "You only know how to bully people. You're simply terrible."

Just as she finished speaking, the door was suddenly pushed open from the outside.

Startled, Lan Kui and Meng Li looked toward the sound and saw it was Hong Kui.

Seeing them embracing, Hong Kui immediately crossed her arms, wearing an "as I expected" expression. She said irritably, "He didn't come over after being called for so long; I knew you two were up to no good here."

Lan Kui felt awkward and was too embarrassed to speak.

Meng Li, however, reached out to Hong Kui and invited her with a smile, "Want to join?"

Hong Kui rolled her eyes. "Cut it out. Something's happened outside."

"What happened?" Hearing this, Meng Li regained his composure, let go of Lan Kui, and walked up to Hong Kui to ask.

Lan Kui tidied her appearance slightly and walked over as well.

Hong Kui replied, "That Yun Ting came with a bunch of gifts, saying he's looking for Tang Xuejian. Brother happened to run into them and started arguing with Tang Xuejian again."

Meng Li's lip twitched. He wondered aloud, "He spoke the truth after getting drunk last night, and Xue Jian should have heard it. Why are they arguing again?"

"It seems Brother wants to save Face and won't admit that what he said while drunk last night was true. I also heard this from Maoshan; I'm not entirely sure about the details." Hong Kui spread her hands, looking somewhat helpless.

"Then let's go take a look quickly," Lan Kui said.

Meng Li nodded, and then went to the scene together with Hong Kui and Lan Kui.

As soon as they arrived, they saw Jing Tian slam the table and stand up. "You White Tofu, why didn't you say so earlier?!"

Xu Changqing said helplessly, "You didn't give me a chance to speak just now."

Before he could finish, Jing Tian hurriedly ran out.

Lan Kui instinctively called out "Brother," but it was to no avail.

Meng Li walked to the side, found a seat, and asked Xu Changqing and Xu Maoshan, "What happened?"

Xu Maoshan sighed. "Boss and Eldest Young Miss Tang had another argument."

Xu Changqing added, "This matter is a misunderstanding."

Then, the two of them took turns explaining the situation in detail.

Simply put, early this morning, Yun Ting brought some gifts to find Tang Xuejian and invited her to be a guest at the Yun Manor. Having heard Jing Tian's drunken confession last night, Tang Xuejian knew he liked her. To avoid a misunderstanding, she didn't plan to agree at first.

Coincidentally, Xu Changqing came over at that time.

Through the Mirror of Clear Insight, he confirmed that the thunder spirit pearl was on Yun Ting's person and found an opportunity to inform Tang Xuejian.

Then, the two of them thought about it and felt that Yun Ting's invitation was an opportunity.

Tang Xuejian changed her mind and prepared to accept Yun Ting's invitation, using the chance to investigate further.

To avoid the change appearing too abrupt, Tang Xuejian put on a little act, but she didn't expect Jing Tian to see it.

Consequently, Jing Tian erupted with jealousy once again.

Due to Yun Ting's presence, Xu Changqing and Tang Xuejian couldn't speak the truth.

Jing Tian then got into an argument with Tang Xuejian and, in the heat of the moment, denied his drunken confession from the previous night.

In a fit of rage, Tang Xuejian left with Yun Ting on the spot.

Seeing this, Xu Changqing originally wanted to explain everything to Jing Tian immediately.

Unexpectedly, under Jing Tian's Life Qi, he went on and on with a long string of complaints.

It wasn't until just now that Xu Changqing found a chance to speak.

What happened after that was what Meng Li and the others saw: Jing Tian slamming the table, complaining, and then running out, presumably to chase after Tang Xuejian.

And as expected...

Because before long, Jing Tian and Tang Xuejian returned, and the situation was vastly different from before.

There was no bickering, no tension, but instead, they were holding hands, talking and laughing.

Xu Maoshan was greatly surprised. "Boss, what are you two...?"

Jing Tian said with a smile, "Pig Woman and I have cleared things up."

As he spoke, he looked at Tang Xuejian and said seriously, "I like you."

"I like you too, Stinky Tofu," Tang Xuejian responded with a smile.

Clap, clap, clap!

Xu Maoshan immediately began to clap, saying happily as he did, "That's great! You've finally admitted it. No more fighting."

Jing Tian, however, said, "We'll still argue, just not so fiercely. At most, it'll be bickering."

Lan Kui walked over, took Tang Xuejian's other hand, and said, "Sister Xue Jian, then you'll be my sister-in-law from now on."

Hong Kui wasn't good at being intimate with others, so she didn't go over, but a smile curled at the corner of her mouth.

Tang Xuejian was both embarrassed and delighted by Lan Kui calling her "sister-in-law." She said softly, "What sister-in-law? It's far from certain yet. Let's talk about it after we return to Yu Zhou City."

Even as she said this, her hand gripped Jing Tian's even tighter.

Xu Changqing said with a smile, "Brother Jing, Miss Xue Jian, congratulations."

Jing Tian chuckled and said without thinking, "The same to you, the same to you."

Xu Changqing: "..."

Where is my joy?

Noticing his strange expression, Jing Tian said bluntly, "Alright, White Tofu, stop pretending. Pig Woman just told me that you got drunk with me last night. We came back with Elder Brother Meng and my sisters."

"After we got drunk, I was shouting 'I love Pig Woman,' and you were shouting 'You love Zi Xuan'."

"Before, when we were exorcising demons, you were hit by that demon's trick and shouted the same thing."

"That time, we all heard it loud and clear."

"Elder Brother Meng said at the time that this is a 'Heart Demon,' also known as a 'heart knot.' It's something a person can't let go of, yet dares not Face, and can only choose to escape from."

"Both times, it clearly shows that you still love Zi Xuan in your heart..."

"Do not speak nonsense!" As soon as the keyword came out, Xu Changqing was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, immediately interrupting excitedly.

Realizing he was being a bit excessive, he hurried to explain, "Words spoken while confused by a Demonic Technique or lost to drunkenness—how can they be taken seriously?"

Then, he criticized himself, "I didn't expect that I would speak such nonsense and be so ridiculous after getting drunk. It's clear that alcohol is not a good thing. Brother Jing, we'd better not drink in the future, lest we lose our dignity and delay matters."

These words left Meng Li, Hong Kui, and the others somewhat speechless.

Then, Tang Xuejian said, "Grandmaster Changqing, it's not that I want to criticize you, but even Stinky Tofu is such a coward..."

"How am I a coward?"

"Shut up!"

Jing Tian: "..."

Tang Xuejian continued, "Even as a coward, he dares to Face his own heart and speak his feelings. You are much braver than him and far more capable, so why do you always choose to escape?"

"I am not escaping," Xu Changqing flatly denied, though his confidence was lacking.

Tang Xuejian noticed this and wanted to say more, but she was interrupted by Meng Li.

"Cough, Jing Tian, Xue Jian, since you two went out, have you found out more about the thunder spirit pearl?"

...