The chopsticks and bowl in her hand were gripped tighter and tighter, as if she wanted to crush them to pieces. But she held back. She had finally seen it clearly. This bastard, Bandit Li, had a personality far worse than she had imagined. When facing her, he was probably just teasing her for his own amusement. Just thinking about it made her furious. She gritted her teeth for a moment, a fierce resolve forming in her heart. Just wait, there will come a time when you won't find it amusing. Soon, she composed herself and waited patiently, pondering Li Daoqiang's intentions. Where could he be going at this hour?
She waited for quite a while. When Li Daoqiang reappeared, it was still without a sound. His voice echoed in the room. But Huan Huan was stunned, her eyes fixed on what Li Daoqiang was holding, as if she had seen something unbelievable. Li Daoqiang handed the item to Huan Huan and said with a smile, "I ate a bowl of noodles from you, so I won't take advantage of you. Here's a pair of shoes. From now on, wear them. A grown girl running around barefoot all day—what's that about? No need to thank me." With that, he shoved a pair of small, delicate, milky-white embroidered shoes into Huan Huan's arms.
Huan Huan hugged the shoes blankly. After a moment, her expression shifted unpredictably, and under her skirt, her exquisite, perfect jade-like feet curled up adorably in frustration. Li Daoqiang found it quite amusing. "Chief, do you find this funny?" Huan Huan couldn't hold back anymore, gripping the shoes as if they were something hateful, grinding her teeth. Damn embroidered shoes. That Bandit Li wasn't even human.
Li Daoqiang thought about it seriously for a moment, then nodded slightly. "Not bad." "Heh, I really should thank you, then," Huan Huan said with a stiff smile, the full curve of her chest rising to its peak, as if it might burst at any moment. "I told you, no need to thank me. Just wear them tomorrow. It wasn't easy buying a pair of shoes this late at night. Don't waste my kindness." Li Daoqiang said calmly and confidently. He paused, as if something occurred to him, and glanced at her seemingly fragile, fair feet, saying with interest, "Why don't you try them on? I'm confident in my judgment, but I measured them from a distance. It's better to see if they fit. If not, I can exchange them."
The full curve of Huan Huan's chest slowly deflated. She kept telling herself not to get angry, not to get angry. If that Bandit Li wasn't acting like a human, she'd just play along. Who was afraid of whom? She was ready to go all out. "Hehe." A silvery laugh rang out, and Huan Huan said with a thousand charms, "The Chief's judgment must be flawless. Chief, I haven't worn shoes in a long time. If I wear them tomorrow, could you reward me?" "This pair of shoes is your reward," Li Daoqiang said with a raised eyebrow, a hint of surprise in his voice. "Chief, don't tease me. I just want you to take a bit less silver," Huan Huan said coquettishly.
Li Daoqiang found it even more amusing. Huan Huan was still planning to keep up the act. Fine. He pretended to understand, frowning slightly. "Is it about your master?" "Mm-hmm." Huan Huan nodded repeatedly like a little girl. "How can that be?" Li Daoqiang shook his head without hesitation, firmly insisting, "We've already agreed. How can we go back on it?" "This... we can go back on it," Huan Huan pouted, looking delicate. "No. Other things are negotiable, but not silver." Li Daoqiang sat on the bed, resolute. "Chief, I'm begging you." Huan Huan approached him, holding the shoes, tugging at his shoulder with a pitiful expression, her face on the verge of tears. "How could the Yin Gui Sect have that much silver? What you're asking for is too much. Just reduce it a bit, and I'll listen to you and wear shoes from now on." "Huan Huan, that's not right." Li Daoqiang's face turned serious. "Giving you shoes to wear is for your own good. How can you turn around and make demands of me? And if I agreed, what would that make me? It would be like forcing you to do something with money, which is an insult to you."
Huan Huan's heart trembled as a thought crossed her mind—a courtesan. Then, with a fierce resolve, she bit her lip and said, "I'm willing." Li Daoqiang clicked his tongue inwardly. Ruthless. With Huan Huan's pride, she could still hold back. He shook his head firmly. "You may be willing, but I'm not." Huan Huan was about to say something, but Li Daoqiang cut her off. "Alright, it's getting late. Men and women should keep their distance. You haven't married me yet. Go back now. Be good." With that, he moved his hand slightly. Huan Huan felt a powerful force pushing her out of the room, irresistible. She was shocked—was this Li Daoqiang's strength? But prepared as she was, her thoughts quickly turned to anger. Bastard, how dare you talk about keeping distance between men and women? Before she could think further, she was outside. The door slammed shut with a bang.
Facing the closed door, Huan Huan's face darkened. She raised her hand to smash the shoes against the door but stopped herself. She glared at the shoes, crushing them out of shape. With a light snort, she turned and left. There was still time; she would succeed.
Inside the room, sensing Huan Huan's departure, Li Daoqiang smiled. Suddenly, he felt a deep understanding. No wonder pillow talk was the most powerful wind. Huan Huan's wasn't even pillow talk, and he knew she was faking it, yet he still felt a slight temptation. That little act of hers was truly captivating. A flicker of curiosity arose—would Huan Huan wear the shoes? He had run all over half the city to buy them. It would be a shame if she didn't. Of course, he was more curious about what she would look like wearing them. After a moment's thought, he resumed his cultivation.
Meanwhile, over two hundred miles from Xiangyang, amidst the vast army stretching across the land, Si Hanfei was deep in conversation with a middle-aged figure of imposing stature and grandeur. Si Hanfei's aura seemed somewhat diminished, his expression grave. "Wang Di, are you alright?" the middle-aged figure asked with concern. "Rest assured, Wang Xiong. Wang Chongyang's Xiantian Gong is formidable and caught me off guard, but it's nothing serious. I'll recover in a day." Si Hanfei shook his head, a hint of wariness in his eyes before speaking calmly. "Good. No need to rush. Our real goal is just probing. Take it slow." The middle-aged figure nodded. "I understand." Si Hanfei replied, then shifted the topic to recount the day's events.