Chapter 58 Pressing the Advantage

Upon hearing this, Yan Chixia couldn’t help but let out a bemused laugh. “Heh… How amusing! She Meier, how am I supposed to give you strength?”

“Ah? Yan Chixia, you laughed!” She Meier’s heart fluttered at the sight of Yan Chixia’s smile. “Yan Chixia, my handsome young man, you are so dashing and gallant. When you smile, you’re striking and radiant, so charming that you make me lose my senses, my heart all astir… I just want to… I really want to…”

“She Meier, don’t let your thoughts run wild!” Before she could finish, Yan Chixia’s smile faded and he spoke sternly.

But She Meier continued in a coquettish voice, letting her imagination soar. “No, I just want to… I want to be close to you! Yan Chixia, don’t just stand there, it must be exhausting! Lie down… lie next to me… I really want to…”

“Enough!” Yan Chixia snapped. “She Meier, I am a man of righteousness. Whatever I do is open and aboveboard! As for those illicit, shameful acts, I would never stoop so low! So, She Meier, I advise you to set your mind straight and guard your words!”

“Hmph!” Before Yan Chixia could finish, She Meier, ashamed and angry, cut him off and struck back, “Yan Chixia, fine! You’re a righteous man, open and honorable; I, She Meier, am shameless and ignoble—does that satisfy you? Boohoo… boohoo…”

At that, She Meier covered her blushing, peach-like cheeks with her fair hands and burst into tears.

This was truly unexpected!

Yan Chixia stood beside her, hand on his Crimson Hero Sword, looking down at her as she sobbed helplessly, utterly at a loss.

Lying there, She Meier wept loudly, but through the gaps between her fingers, she was secretly watching Yan Chixia’s reaction.

To her delight, her tactic of “the beauty in tears” was working.

Yan Chixia stood there, clearly flustered, his anger gone, replaced by a look of tender concern.

Seeing this, She Meier felt a surge of joy. To herself, she thought, “Yan Chixia, you think I can’t outwit you? If force doesn’t work, I’ll use softness. I’ll just keep crying… Let’s see how you handle me! Yes, that’s the plan!”

With a resolve not to give up, her sobs became all the more plaintive and affecting.

Sure enough, Yan Chixia couldn’t bear it. Watching her cover her face and weep so miserably, he sighed, crouched down, and gently tried to comfort her. “She Meier, don’t be like this…”

“What do you mean, don’t be like this?” She Meier asked between sobs, her heart leaping with glee. “Wonderful! Just as I expected… Yan Chixia can’t handle softness! Hehe… Since that’s the case, I won’t let up yet. I’ll keep this up a little longer before letting go.”

She then took her hands away, her tear-filled eyes gazing at Yan Chixia, her voice choked with emotion, hesitant to let the matter drop.

“She Meier, I am a woman of dignity and feelings—am I wrong for liking you? It’s because I like you that I want to be close to you… If you don’t want to do such things, you could have refused me politely, but was it necessary to humiliate me with such pointed words? Do you realize how serious the consequences of your words were just now? My self-respect has been deeply wounded… I feel so awful! Boohoo…”

Her words, each one dripping with sorrow, left Yan Chixia speechless.

He crouched there, stunned, replaying her words in his mind, realizing she was right—he shouldn’t have lashed out at her so harshly, causing her such hurt. Filled with remorse, he hastened to apologize. “I’m sorry, I was wrong! She Meier, please accept my apology. I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that. Forgive me! Please don’t cry anymore—it’s not good for your health…”

Hearing this, She Meier cheered inwardly, “Ah! At last, the words I most wanted to hear… I’ve won! Time to press my advantage…” She stopped crying and spoke softly, “Yan Chixia, at least you have a conscience! Since you’ve apologized, I’ll forgive you. But… I have a request, and you must grant it!”

Yan Chixia was startled. “What request? She Meier, let’s be clear: I feel guilty for hurting you, so you may ask one thing of me to make amends—but it mustn’t be excessive! Otherwise, I’ll have to refuse.”

She Meier burst out laughing. “Yan Chixia, look at how scared you are, as if I’m going to eat you. Relax, I won’t…” Then her eyes sparkled with mischief. “Yan Chixia, my tears were caused by you, so I want you to wipe away the tear-stains from my face with your own hand—then, lie down beside me and keep me company for a while. If you do that, I’ll be content. How about it? That’s not too much to ask, is it?”

Yan Chixia, crouching before her, looked at the tear-tracks on her rosy cheeks and, moved by pity, finally nodded. “All right, She Meier, I agree.”

He set down his Crimson Hero Sword, reached out his right hand, and gently wiped the tears from her face.

At once, She Meier was enveloped in happiness. Overjoyed, new tears welled up in her eyes.

Seeing this, Yan Chixia asked, “She Meier, why are you crying again? This time, it’s not because of me…”

She Meier smiled sweetly. “That’s right! This time, these are tears of happiness.”

Yan Chixia hesitated, then asked, “And… should I wipe away these ‘tears of happiness’ too?”

She Meier shot him a playful, reproachful look. “Isn’t it obvious? Of course you should! Or do you want my tears to dry on my face?”

Yan Chixia said no more, and dutifully wiped away her tears of happiness as well, then went to lie down five feet away from her.

Seeing this, She Meier teased, “Oh! Yan Chixia, are you really that afraid I’ll eat you? You’re lying so far away… That’s a safe enough distance!”

“Heh…” Yan Chixia managed a rare smile. “Distance brings beauty… She Meier, you can chat with me now.”

“All right!” She Meier agreed cheerfully. “Yan Chixia, you and Bai Xiaoyue seem very close… How did you meet?”

With hands behind his head, Yan Chixia gazed up at the sky with bright, spirited eyes, and replied, “It’s a long story…”

So he began to recount in detail how he and Bai Xiaoyue had met.

When She Meier finished listening, she couldn’t help but feel envious of Bai Xiaoyue. “Ah, Bai Xiaoyue is so lucky! Yan Chixia, tell me, who’s prettier, me or Bai Xiaoyue?”

“Do you want the truth?” Yan Chixia shot back.

“Of course I want the truth,” She Meier replied.

“You’re prettier,” Yan Chixia answered without hesitation.

She Meier beamed with pleasure at this. “Thank you for the compliment! Yan Chixia, you sure know how to talk…”

But before she could finish, Yan Chixia added, “But Bai Xiaoyue is even more beautiful.”

“You…” She Meier nearly fainted with exasperation, glaring at Yan Chixia with wide, almond-shaped eyes. “You really are something! With a mouth like yours, you could ruin any good mood in an instant!”