CHAPTER 120: CHAPTER 120: WHAT ARE YOU THINKING

Walking out from Tang Ziqian, Li Mu looked up into the distance. The sky was as clear as if washed, with faint clouds at the horizon, and under the setting sun, it resembled a girl’s skirt, light and colorful.

He squinted and watched for a while, then walked towards the inner mansion.

Upon reaching the entrance of the inner mansion, he was stopped.

"Please inform the Second Miss, Ah Xiao is back," Li Mu said calmly.

Having gone for so many days without a clear explanation beforehand, who knows how worried the Second Miss might have been.

As for Tang Ziqian, he didn’t think explaining would calm her; perhaps the more he explained, the more unsettled the little girl would become.

Therefore, after the gatekeeper sent a maid inside to deliver the message, he still stood at the entrance.

The little girl, upon hearing he was back, would surely be eager to come out and see him.

Thinking of this, Li Mu brushed off his sleeves and lapels, adjusted his belt, and when he raised his head to smooth his hair, he caught sight of a figure dressed in pale yellow coming from the depths of the corridor.

Under the cover of the hanging vines and branches, the small figure appeared like a little sparrow with new feathers, lively and bouncing in his eyes, as if a feather had brushed against his heart, tickling it slightly.

Li Mu subconsciously raised the corners of his lips, and then—

It froze on his face.

The girl in a pale yellow shirt stepped out from the depths of the corridor, gradually walking into his line of sight.

Along with her, a young boy also entered his view.

As the girl walked out, she chatted with the boy, her brows curved and dimples appearing at times.

The boy also smiled, his voice still boyishly clear, "...Thanks a lot, Sister Xiao Bai!"

Li Mu’s expression darkened.

She is evidently the youngest daughter at home, where did this brother come from?

At this time, the girl also saw him, and her smile widened instantly.

Li Mu’s heart felt much warmer, just about to return her smile, when he saw her turn her face away: "I have something to do, I’ll walk you this far, let Cheng Zi take you out!"

The young boy nodded obediently: "Sister, please stop here, Ah Kuang will come visit you another day."

As he passed by Li Mu, he glanced at him with faint hostility.

Li Mu frowned immediately.

"This is a child from the Yu Family," Tang Xiaobai said, "Do you know about the Yu Family? It’s the maternal family of my second aunt, the wife of the Second Uncle Gu from before."

Second Uncle Gu of the Gu family had a wife with the surname Yu, who passed away a couple of years ago, leaving behind a son and a daughter. The daughter is Third Miss Gu, and the son is Gu Yuan.

Today, this Young Master Yu is the nephew from the maternal family of that Yu lady and a first cousin to both Gu Yuan and Third Miss Gu.

Li Mu nodded, Yu Family was also his mother’s family.

"He is the fifth young master of the Yu Family, and he’s even a month younger than me! Isn’t he adorable?" Tang Xiaobai said with a twinkle in her eye.

Yu Family’s fifth young master is named Yu Kuang, whom Sister had mentioned before. He’s the little betrothed she knew of but hadn’t met, because before she arrived, Yu Kuang went back to Jiangnan for his grandmother’s funeral and only entered the capital yesterday.

Little Yu Kuang was truly meek and sweet-talking, in stark contrast to Ah Xiao, who only behaved well when coaxed, and often inexplicably sulked like now—

"Are you tired? You look pale. You should rest quickly!" Tang Xiaobai feigned ignorance of his jealousy, advising him with great concern.

The young man gazed at her deeply and said, "I’ve been away for four days."

Tang Xiaobai nodded, "I know! Ah Xiao worked hard!"

"Second Miss—" He seemed eager to say something but forcefully held back.

Tang Xiaobai watched him with a twinkle in her eyes.

Not going to coax you!

"Doesn’t Second Miss want to ask where I went?"

Tang Xiaobai was surprised, "Weren’t you delivering a message?"

The young man showed a hint of struggle in his expression, then after a moment of internal conflict, gave her a look.

Tang Xiaobai understood and dismissed the people around them.

"The eldest young master asked me to send a message to an old acquaintance, requesting them to recommend a few experts to enter the Duke Yan Mansion for protection and to teach martial arts."

This time Tang Xiaobai was genuinely surprised, "To teach martial arts? Did Brother find a martial arts instructor for you?"

Li Mu nodded.

"Wow..." Tang Xiaobai was truly delighted, "Brother really is... just like Sister..." So duplicitous with his words versus his actions!

He claimed that following Ah Xiao would bring nothing but hardship, yet he quickly found a martial arts instructor for him!

"Does Second Miss have anything to say to me?"

Tang Xiaobai blinked and said, "Study martial arts well!"

"Anything else?"

Tang Xiaobai thought for a while, then said, "I met Prince Jin after I saw you off that day."

Li Mu nodded, "The eldest young master already told me."

According to Tang Ziqian, while he was away, only the Second Miss had unexpected contact with outsiders in the whole Duke Yan Mansion.

So what? What ill will could Second Miss have?

Anyone could betray him, except her.

Tang Xiaobai was a little surprised. Did Brother really tell Ah Xiao about this?

"Second Miss?" The little troublemaker asked again.

"Hmm?" Tang Xiaobai looked at him with a smile.

He hesitated for a moment before avoiding her eyes. "Didn’t Second Miss miss Ah Xiao?"

His face turned slightly away, just enough to reveal the gradually reddening tip of his ear.

The boy’s skin was pale and cold, with a hint of blush at the tip of his ear, like rouge, which matched perfectly and was incredibly appealing.

Tang Xiaobai stared at him for a while, hesitated momentarily, then walked closer to him, "Ah Xiao..."

The young man’s gaze returned, lowered to look at her, his eyes were clear and enchanting, very captivating.

Tang Xiaobai swallowed, and quietly asked, "You... you’re not a girl too, are you?"

Before she finished speaking, there was a rustling sound above her head, like the wind wafting through the leaves.

"Who!" Tang Xiaobai glanced alertly, "Who’s eavesdropping!"

Li Mu hastily gestured behind her back, "It’s the wind."

Tang Xiaobai didn’t believe him, "I didn’t feel any wind."

"Second Miss is small in stature, the wind doesn’t reach you."

Tang Xiaobai felt insulted.

Li Mu cleared his throat softly and asked, "What did you just say?" He must have misheard.

Tang Xiaobai, feeling guilty, glanced away, "Ah Xiao is so good-looking... I was just asking... are you really a boy?" With the precedent set by Ah Yuan, she thought it very possible her eyes were deceiving her.

After all, the little troublemaker was even better looking than Ah Yuan, not only were his features delicate, but his skin was also fair, and at the age of about thirteen or fourteen, not fully developed, making it quite uncertain...

Li Mu stared at her, speechless for a while, and then stiffly asked, "How does Second Miss want me to prove it?"

Tang Xiaobai thought for a moment, pulled him to a deserted place, and whispered, "How about... I touch to check?"

Li Mu’s face turned bright red in an instant, his speech stuttering, "Touch, touch what?"

Tang Xiaobai was startled, then blushed too, "What are you thinking, I just want to touch here—" with that, she extended a finger and poked his chest.

Uh... hard...

If it were a girl, even at thirteen or fourteen, there should be some development.

Before she could retract her finger, the handsome young man recoiled as if being frivolously treated, covering his chest and stepping back two paces, looking at her accusingly with wide eyes, his face so red it almost colored his mask.

Tang Xiaobai awkwardly withdrew her finger.

What started as only a couple of points of embarrassment was multiplied to seven or eight by the young man’s intense reaction...