Chapter 143: The Feeling of Happiness

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Hearing this, She Mei'er immediately smiled and said:
"Well, that's more like it! Yan Chixia, since I don't get a long vacation, you must teach me the [Paper Talisman Magic Art] just like before—sometimes, you even have to teach me hand in hand!"
Yan Chixia was almost driven to the verge of a breakdown, thinking to himself, "She Mei'er, are you trying to drive me to my grave?" Although he was a hundred times reluctant in his heart, he replied with his mouth:
"Alright, no problem..."
"Hee hee..." She Mei'er couldn't help laughing happily, "Yan Chixia, is there really no problem? Why does it sound like you're gritting your back teeth when you say that?"
"I..." Yan Chixia really wanted to knock her out with a single palm strike, but with a helpless and bitter smile, he said, "No, there really is no problem!"
"Good! Yan Chixia, you said that with your own mouth," She Mei'er said very triumphantly. "Since there's no problem, then I'm going to start learning how to paint now. Yan Chixia, the orchid you painted today is difficult, all winding and turning. I definitely can't paint it by myself; I need you to teach me hand in hand!"
"This..."
"What? Another problem?" She Mei'er teased.
Yan Chixia gritted his teeth and said:
"No problem! She Mei'er, sit down, and I'll teach you hand in hand..."
She Mei'er was overjoyed and uttered a "Good," then sat down very obediently, picked up the cinnabar ink brush, and waited for Yan Chixia to guide her hand in hand...
Seeing this, Yan Chixia couldn't help but sigh inwardly. He then stepped behind She Mei'er, reached out his right hand to grasp her right hand which was holding the ink brush, and began teaching her how to paint the orchid step by step.
Aside from being terribly clumsy at learning the [Paper Talisman Magic Art], She Mei'er possessed a high talent for cultivation in all other aspects. By now, her cultivation realm was at the late stage of the "Golden Elixir," just like Yan Chixia's. Her magical power in setting up "boundary barriers" had greatly increased, her [Breeze Dispersion] escape technique was becoming increasingly formidable, and her [Fire Control Art] and [Alchemical Art] were growing more and more refined.
At this moment, standing behind She Mei'er and teaching her to paint the orchid hand in hand, Yan Chixia thought to himself, "How wonderful would it be if She Mei'er were just as talented at learning the [Paper Talisman Magic Art]?"
Meanwhile, She Mei'er was absent-minded. While pretending to paint the orchid, she was racking her brains trying to figure out how to make Yan Chixia fall for her. Thinking and thinking... she wrung every last bit of ingenuity from her mind, and suddenly, her eyes rolled as a clever idea struck her:

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"Yan Chixia, I'm tired and want to rest for a while to talk with you, okay?"
Just as Yan Chixia was also feeling somewhat tired from guiding her hand in hand, he seized the opportunity to release his grip and said:
"Alright!"
"Yay!" She Mei'er sprang to her feet as if granted a grand amnesty, turned to face Yan Chixia, and said, "Yan Chixia, you are so wonderful! Knowing you truly is the greatest happiness of my life, She Mei'er!"
Hearing this, Yan Chixia couldn't help laughing:
"Ha-ha, She Mei'er, I never expected that while your [Paper Talisman Magic Art] leaves much to be desired, your skill in flattery and bootlicking has grown tremendously! Do you think that by saying flattering words to me, I will like you?"
"Oh!" She Mei'er looked at Yan Chixia's peerlessly handsome face with utter joy and said, "Yan Chixia, what are you talking about? Who is flattering anyone? I just feel exceptionally happy when I'm with you!" At this point, her cheeks suddenly flushed crimson, and her large, crystal-clear sapphire-like eyes gazed intently at Yan Chixia's rosy, vibrant lips. She had a strong impulse to lean in and plant a kiss right on them, but she exercised strict self-control and held back, saying, "Yan Chixia, today is your birthday, and I am genuinely very happy for you! Hee hee... Yan Chixia, I want to catch a bit of your birthday good fortune and auspiciousness. May I?"
"Oh?" Yan Chixia blinked. "You want to catch some of my birthday good fortune? Ha-ha, how interesting! She Mei'er, how do you plan to catch it?"
"Hee hee..." She Mei'er giggled coquettishly, "Yan Chixia, as long as you kiss me on the face—preferably right on the lips—your good fortune will naturally..."
"Stop right there!" Before She Mei'er could finish, Yan Chixia interrupted her in a stern and severe tone, "She Mei'er, don't even think about it!"
"Hmph!" She Mei'er's expression instantly darkened as well. "Yan Chixia, you cross a bridge and smash it down behind you; you are ungrateful and devoid of conscience!"
Hearing this, Yan Chixia couldn't help asking:
"She Mei'er, how have I crossed a bridge and smashed it, or been ungrateful?"
She Mei'er argued with complete conviction:
"Yan Chixia, put your hand on your heart and think carefully. Back then on our trip to the 'Death Valley', if it hadn't been for me, She Mei'er, would your life have been lost long ago under the sword of the Mysterious Venerable? How could you even be celebrating your eighteenth birthday today?"
Hearing this, Yan Chixia's face flushed red, as though he had just been slapped across the cheek:

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"This..."
"This what?" She Mei'er said righteously and sternly, "Yan Chixia, back then I risked my life to save you, yet today it can't even buy me a single kiss from you... Tell me, isn't this crossing a bridge and smashing it, being completely ungrateful?"
"I..." Yan Chixia found himself at a loss for words, "I..."
"I what?" She Mei'er pressed her advantage, "Yan Chixia, ask your conscience, is my request excessive?"
"This..." Yan Chixia was left completely speechless. Lowering his head to ponder, he realized She Mei'er's words were not entirely unreasonable; he truly owed her a great deal... Therefore, he raised his head and looked at She Mei'er with an apologetic smile: "She Mei'er, what you say is correct! Considering the debt of gratitude I owe you for saving my life, the way I just treated you was indeed crossing a bridge and smashing it, ungrateful and heartless. However, She Mei'er, to be honest, asking me to kiss you is something I truly cannot do... How about this? To repay your kindness, I will give you a hug right now—a very pure and innocent hug—and in this manner, I will pass my birthday good fortune on to you. How does that sound?"
"Alright!" She Mei'er was overjoyed and exclaimed, "Yan Chixia, then hurry up and hug me!"
Looking at the ripples of radiant happiness dancing across She Mei'er's face, Yan Chixia thought to herself, "This She Mei'er usually appears so arrogant, yet she is actually so easily satisfied! I merely offered to hug her, and she's already this happy! Ha-ha, viewed in this light, have I, Yan Chixia, perhaps been far too harsh on her in the past?"
With this thought, Yan Chixia felt a deep sense of having wronged She Mei'er. Consequently, a wave of guilt welled up in his heart... Without a moment's hesitation, he opened his arms and pulled She Mei'er into a tight, warm embrace.
Instantly, She Mei'er was utterly conquered by Yan Chixia's passionate embrace! She couldn't help letting out a soft gasp of "Ah," and immediately wrapped her own arms tightly around him as well. While abandoning herself to the blissful sensation of holding Yan Chixia, she murmured softly:
"Yan Chixia, I am so happy! Yan Chixia, I... I... why do I feel like I'm about to faint?"
Just at that moment, the door suddenly swung open, and Bai Xiaoyue rushed in with a radiant smile, exclaiming:
"Sister, Brother, let me tell you some good news! I..."
Before Bai Xiaoyue could finish her sentence, she suddenly caught sight of Yan Chixia and She Mei'er locked in a tight embrace. Her face instantly flushed crimson with embarrassment, and she froze right in her tracks!