406: Chapter 406 Squeeze In

It is just a pity...

Now, nothing can be seen.

But precisely because nothing can be seen, it is even more enticing to imagine.

What kind of scenery lies beneath those layers of clothing?

That plump curve that appeared faintly that day? And those two moist spots...

Ling Hao shifted his gaze slightly,

"Cough, must not think about it."

The mountain breeze brushed past, bringing a faint, warm, sweet scent—it was milk.

It was even fainter than that day, ethereal, as if a wisp that had managed to escape from the layers of clothing, caught by the wind and carried to the tip of his nose, vanishing in an instant.

Ling Hao cleared his throat, pushing down all those messy thoughts.

"Lady Shi Ji, regarding the events of the past two days, it was I who caused White Rock Holy Land embarrassment."

Shi Yunyu was slightly taken aback, then shook her head, saying:

"Fellow Daoist, you speak too seriously. This was Ji Xuanming's own doing, it has nothing to do with you."

She paused, her gaze looking into the distance, her voice soft and slow:

"I have always known of his ambition. But he was previously the number one person besides me; without sufficient cause, I could not attack him without reason. Minor matters would not have been enough to cause him serious injury."

She turned her eyes to look at Ling Hao,

"His actions were what truly embarrassed White Rock Holy Land. It is you, Fellow Daoist, who helped repeatedly, allowing this alliance to be reached. It is I who should be thanking you."

Ling Hao smiled: "The term 'Fellow Daoist' is too distant; it would be better to just call me Ling Hao, or..."

He paused, his gaze filled with a hint of probing.

"Hao would also work."

Shi Yunyu's delicate body stiffened slightly.

Hao.

This character was too intimate, intimate to the point of being overstepping.

She should have refused.

But looking at his smiling eyes, the words on the tip of her tongue could not be spoken.

Besides, his given name only has one character, so calling him by his name shouldn't be anything.

Mm, a normal form of address.

Shi Yunyu lowered her eyes, revealing a smile.

That smile was extremely faint and light, yet it was like spring snow just melting, mountain flowers just blooming, causing Ling Hao to be slightly stunned.

"Alright, Hao."

Her voice was so light, as if afraid of startling something:

"You should also call me by my name, Yunyu."

"...Yunyu."

"...Hao."

Each other's names touched lightly between their lips and teeth, like some sort of tacit confirmation.

The two continued walking forward.

The mountain breeze brushed past, carrying the fresh fragrance of grass and trees, fluttering her wide sleeves like ripples on water.

After walking a few steps, a withered leaf drifted down from a branch, slowly spinning between them, tracing an arc, and falling to the ground.

Ling Hao reached out his hand, and the leaf happened to land in his palm.

He stopped, lowering his head to look at the withered yellow leaf in his palm, his gaze distant and vacant, passing through the mountains, looking toward some far-off place.

Shi Yunyu looked at him sideways, and seeing his unusual expression, asked softly:

"What is it? Do you still have any requests? Regarding resources, or anything else, feel free to speak."

Ling Hao was silent for a moment, then sighed softly:

"Yunyu, actually, I invited you out today because I have something to ask of you."

Shi Yunyu was slightly taken aback: "Please speak."

Ling Hao showed a "look of difficulty," as if embarrassed to speak. He twirled the leaf in his hand, and after a long while, said softly:

"The stone heart jade marrow I drank that day... it was truly unforgettable."

Shi Yunyu's figure stiffened.

Ling Hao's gaze held a hint of reminiscence as he said:

"These days while I Cultivate, I keep thinking about that taste. When I drank it, my whole body felt warm, like... like being wrapped in something, especially at ease. My Cultivation was even smoother."

He turned his head to look at Shi Yunyu, his gaze sincere:

"I wonder... if I could ask for some more now?"

Even with Shi Yunyu's ten-thousand-year state of mind, at this question, her face flushed red instantly.

She lowered her eyes, her eyelashes trembling slightly, and after a long while, said: "There is no more."

"Is that so..."

Ling Hao lowered his head, placing the withered leaf gently in his palm, his fingertips rubbing the texture of the leaf veins. The mountain breeze brushed past, and the leaf trembled slightly in his palm, as if it could be blown away at any moment.

"Actually, in this world, I have never seen my father or mother."

Shi Yunyu raised her eyes to look at him, her eyes showing surprise, as if she didn't understand why he was suddenly saying these things?

Ling Hao's gaze fell on the leaf in his palm, his voice as calm as if he were speaking about something unrelated to himself:

"Before creating the Moonshadow Sect, I Cultivated alone. I had no parents to love me, and even my relatives are not here. I have walked this path to today, though I have received help from many people. But sometimes, in the dead of night, I always feel empty inside, as if something is missing."

Ling Hao turned his head, locking eyes with Shi Yunyu, his voice even softer:

"And that day when I drank that jade marrow, it felt the same as the scent of a mother I had heard about when I was a child. Warm, secure. It really felt like... like a mother's scent."

"I understand, this is what I wanted!"

Shi Yunyu's heart trembled violently.

She looked at him, looking at that face that was usually composed, and at the trace of "loneliness" revealed at this moment, her heart felt as if it had been hit hard by something.

Yesterday, he was so high-spirited, suppressing a Mahayana Supreme with one palm, sweeping away all the dignity of the Ji Family.

Today, he stood in the mountain breeze, looking at a withered leaf in his palm, looking at her, revealing his vulnerable side.

The contrast between these two postures was too strong, so strong that a soft place deep in her heart suddenly collapsed.

Was this the feeling when adopting Xiaoxuan, the emotion called maternal love?

She bit her lower lip and lowered her eyes:

"It is not that I am unwilling... it is just... this item... as I said before... there is only that much each month..."

She paused, her face turning even redder:

"I gave it all to you a few days ago."

A trace of "disappointment" flashed in Ling Hao's eyes, but it was quickly concealed by him. He smiled, his voice gentle:

"Then never mind. Let's go, let's look at the scenery for a while longer."

He turned to leave, and the leaf in his palm was swept away by the wind, drifting slowly toward the stream.

Shi Yunyu watched that leaf land on the water surface, drifting away with the current, and impulsively spoke:

"If... if you truly need it..."

Ling Hao's footsteps paused.

Shi Yunyu's face flushed to her neck, she turned her head away, not daring to look at him, her voice growing smaller and smaller:

"I will squeeze out... I will squeeze out some time... to collect some... perhaps... perhaps there might still be some..."

Ling Hao turned back abruptly, his eyes brightening:

"Really?"

Shi Yunyu turned her head away and gave a soft "Mm."

Her heartbeat was like a drum.

What happened? Why did she agree?

Ling Hao smiled.

That smile was "warm and sincere," like mountain sunlight falling on the stream, glittering and shining.

"Yunyu, thank you."

Ling Hao reached out his hand, brushing lightly over Shi Yunyu's shoulder.

A withered leaf that had landed there at some unknown time was plucked by him, and he let go of it casually, the leaf drifting down slowly.

Shi Yunyu's body stiffened slightly, then relaxed.

Stuck to that leaf was clearly a strand of hair that had fallen from her shoulder.

His fingertips had just barely brushed her clothing.

No, it hadn't touched at all.

But she just felt that the spot had been scalded by something.

Her face grew even hotter.

The mountain breeze blew gently, and the stream gurgled.

The two stood side by side, silent for a time.