Could it be that Shen Rongyu disliked it for being too ugly and was embarrassed to say it, which led to his bad mood?

She thought this was the case and felt somewhat aggrieved. If he didn’t want it, then he just had to return it to her. There was no need for him to keep wearing it for her sake.

She really didn’t mind.

—— To be honest, I mind it a little bit.

Ji Qingzhou also fell into chaotic and contradictory thoughts. As a perfect-looking beauty, there were reasons why she stayed single for more than 20 years.

To this end, after considering it for a long time, Ji Qingzhou finally made a decision. If Shen Rongyu was embarrassed to say it, then let her do the deed.

“Xiao Yu-shixiong,” she called, her voice soft and gentle, akin to a feather flying past.

“Huh?” The stress in Shen Rongyu’s tone rose, unexpectedly radiating a hint of anticipation.

“Give it back to me.” Ji Qingzhou stretched out her hand towards him. When she said these words, her chest felt tight.

If you don’t like it, then don’t have it. I’ll take it back.

At this very moment Shen Rongyu felt that the Heavens must have sent Ji Qingzhou to punish him — Punish him for all his evil deeds.

His voice rang low and so was his speech: “What should I return to you?”

“The jade pendant, if you don’t like it,” Ji Qingzhou replied seriously.

Shen Rongyu looked at the hand extended towards him. He could no longer understand Ji Qingzhou’s way of thinking.

Return it to her? Why should he? She was the one who gave it to him.

“No,” he refused, his tone light.

Ji Qingzhou was also feeling annoyed. She rarely had such emotions, especially when facing Shen Rongyu. She knew from the beginning that he was a villain, so she didn’t expect much from him. Since she had no expectations, she seemed to be able to accept whatever he did.

Today, however, she really felt helpless.

Ji Qingzhou stood up and said to him, “Xiao Yu-shixiong, then I’ll go back for now.”

She prepared to leave, but just as she took two steps forward, Shen Rongyu grabbed her wrist.

After a long pause, Shen Rongyu said, “Zhouzhou, aren’t we going to practice today?”

Ji Qingzhou thought, Since you didn’t ask me, I can’t force you to practice.

Thus, she shook her head.

Shen Rongyu released her hand.

Ji Qingzhou walked forward, and after two more steps, Shen Rongyu got up and seized her wrist tightly again.

This time his grip was strong, and when Ji Qingzhou turned around, she found herself speechless.

Apologize? Shen Rongyu forbade her to do so.

So what else could she say?

Shen Rongyu asked her, “If you want to practice, why don’t you say it yourself?”

If it were a normal day, Ji Qingzhou would definitely speak for herself. She was quite sensitive to changes in the outside world but was just overly slow to certain emotions.

All she saw was that Shen Rongyu didn’t pay much attention to her after he blushed today. She didn’t take the initiative to suggest it, feeling that and it was quite embarrassing to be rejected.

Thus, she remained silent, without saying a single word, letting Shen Rongyu continue holding her hand.

Shen Rongyu raised his eyes to observe her and saw her eyes looking forward. There was no emotion in them. They were just empty, without a shadow of him deep inside.

“Let’s cultivate.” In the end, he still gave in. It was pointless to reason with this block of wood.

When given plenty of time to entertain all sorts of conjectures, she could come up with a conclusion like returning the jade pendant to her.

Was there anything else she dared not think about?

Ji Qingzhou sat back on the bamboo platform. She looked at Shen Rongyu’s shoulder. It just so happened that there were leaves falling in the courtyard and one landed on his shoulder.

Her attention was always in such strangest places. She observed the outline of the dead leaf, puffed up her cheeks, and blew.

She blew at the fallen leaf, but it remained motionless. The soft wind, however, grazed past Shen Rongyu’s ear.

Shen Rongyu turned his head sideways and looked at her. His eyes were like mysterious whirlpools, and also like the center of closed flower buds, deep and beautiful.

However, Ji Qingzhou’s attention was not on his beautiful eyes at all.

She thought for a moment and decided to coax Shen Rongyu, so she said, “Xiao Yu-shixiong, I’m really sorry. I…”

Shen Rongyu pressed her lips down. He ended up gritting his teeth, helplessly suppressing his anger. “If you ever apologize again, I will use this spot to practice.”

Ji Qingzhou immediately shut up. She carefully raised her hand by her side and removed Shen Rongyu’s fingers.

Shen Rongyu’s fingers left her lips. He was about to grab Ji Qingzhou’s wrist, but she continued talking.

“There are many things that I don’t know.” Ji Qingzhou decided to express herself openly and honestly. A virtuous woman admits her flaws.

“I have no idea why you blushed. I don’t know why you did…” Ji Qingzhou said softly, “Xiao Yu-shixiong, I-I don’t understand these things.”

Shen Rongyu leaned forward, bored into Ji Qingzhou’s serious eyes and was stunned.

“If you know, you can tell me and teach me.” It took a lot of courage for Ji Qingzhou to say this line.

After she finished speaking, she turned her head sideways. Her cheeks were already scarlet, and her heart began to pound.

The hair on Shen Rongyu’s shoulders slipped down. Ji Qingtuo’s words seemingly snapped the taut string in his heart.

His eyes fell on her lips, and he lowered his head.

Ji Qingzhou felt completely helpless. She thought, Does he really still want to use my lips to practice?

However, Shen Rongyu’s lips brushed against her ear with a fluttery, scorching breath.

The fallen leaves on his shoulders finally fell and issued a rustle.

He held her wrist and began to cultivate.