Chapter 75: A Spring Night Is Worth Its Weight in Gold

When Yan Chixia saw that She Meier was sulking in silence, he didn’t want the atmosphere to freeze, so he quickly laughed and coaxed her, saying,
“Heh heh... She Meier, don’t be angry. When I said that I was outrageously handsome, wasn’t I just joking with you? Honestly, no matter how good-looking I am, I could never compare to you!—Why else would you dare call yourself ‘She Meier’, while I wouldn’t dare call myself ‘Yan Meier’?”
At his words, She Meier couldn’t help but burst out laughing, and then, unable to resist, she replied,
“Yan Chixia, you have a knack for spinning both compliments and insults. You almost infuriate me to death! ‘Yan Meier’—how did you even think of that? Since when do men take a woman’s name?”
“How can you say that?” Yan Chixia retorted, sounding confident. “In our village by the mountain, Chen Xiaobao’s father is called ‘Chen Wuya’; and not only that, Chen Xiaobao’s mother is named ‘Tang Saier’.”
“Really? That’s unheard of.” She Meier smiled sweetly.
Seeing that she was no longer angry, Yan Chixia relaxed and asked,
“She Meier, seriously now, I’d like to know: what ingredients does your master need to make the ‘Beauty Elixir’? Surely deer antler alone isn’t nearly enough?”
“Of course not!” She Meier’s interest was piqued immediately. “Why? Yan Chixia, do you want to make the ‘Beauty Elixir’ as well? If so, I’ll tell you: apart from the essential deer antler, my master uses fourteen other herbs and ingredients. Those medicinal items are... Oh! That’s a secret of my sect, Yan Chixia, I’m sorry, I can’t say!”
“Oh?” Yan Chixia smiled. “Really?”
“Really!” She Meier nodded solemnly. “The methods for crafting all sorts of miraculous pills are secrets of my sect, so I absolutely cannot tell—no matter what, not even under threat!”
“Heh heh...” Yan Chixia gave her a meaningful smile. “She Meier, I didn’t expect you to be so vigilant! ‘Not even under threat’? Truly? If I promised you now, ‘Let’s undress and make passionate love together’... would you still not tell me?”

She Meier’s heart immediately began to race wildly. She gazed at Yan Chixia’s impossibly handsome face, her thoughts running wild, and her cheeks flushed a deep red as she said,
“Yan Chixia, who would have thought you’d have such an idea! You little rascal, since we’re both willing, then hurry up!—I promise: after we’ve made love and spent a night entwined together, I’ll tell you the secret recipe for the ‘Beauty Elixir’ without reservation!”
As she spoke, she stood up in excitement, unable to wait as she reached her delicate hands toward her belt...
Yan Chixia saw this and his expression changed drastically. He hurriedly stood up and cried,
“She Meier, what are you doing?”
“What else? Of course I’m undressing!” She Meier laughed, her face radiant with shyness as she worked at her belt. “Yan Chixia, if I don’t remove my dress and reveal my flawless womanly form, how can we become close and experience bliss together? A moment of spring night is worth a thousand gold... You silly rascal, why are you standing there in a daze? I can’t wait any longer, you should hurry and take your clothes off, too!”
“Ah?!” Yan Chixia was so startled he nearly jumped. This was completely unexpected! Flustered, he broke into a sweat and cried,
“She Meier, stop! I was only joking just now, how could you take it seriously?”
“What?” The smile froze on She Meier’s lovely face, her hands halted, and she gazed at Yan Chixia’s regretful expression, tears welling in her eyes, as she exclaimed,
“Yan Chixia, you... you were teasing me?”
“She Meier, I’m sorry!” Yan Chixia’s face flushed deeply and he was filled with remorse. “I shouldn’t have spoken so carelessly... When you said ‘not even under threat’, I found it amusing and wanted to test you, so I blurted it out... Who knew you’d believe me?”
“Oh heavens!” She Meier cried, tears streaming down her cheeks in shame and distress. “I’m mortified! Sob... sob...”
“Ah?” Yan Chixia saw her collapse onto the seat, hands covering her face as she sobbed uncontrollably, and he panicked, hastily trying to comfort her,
“She Meier, don’t cry! Please don’t cry... I’m sorry, it’s all my fault... I promise you, that was the first and last time I’ll ever joke like that with you! From now on, I won’t say such things to you, no matter what! Please forgive me...”
“Forgive you? Never... sob sob...” She Meier wept bitterly, her voice full of heartbreak. “Yan Chixia, you’ve wounded my pride... I’m too ashamed to face anyone! Sob sob... How can I go back now? I’ve decided... I won’t leave. I’ll stay here in ‘Deadly Valley’ for the rest of my life! Sob sob...”
Yan Chixia heard this and immediately began to complain inwardly,

“How can that be? She Meier, my master is gravely ill—he’s enduring the agony of ‘scorched flesh’... If you don’t return, my master will have no ‘Heartfruit’ or ‘Reviving Stone’, how can he make the ‘Scorched Gold Pill’? Without it, can my master live much longer?”
“What does that matter to me? He’s your master... not mine... sob... I said I wouldn’t go back, and I won’t! Sob sob...”
“This...” Yan Chixia was at a loss for words. Watching She Meier cry so bitterly, he was beside himself with worry, blaming himself for his careless words, wishing he could slap himself. Suddenly, he sighed helplessly, his voice soft and sorrowful,
“She Meier, please stop crying! Seeing you so heartbroken, I truly feel pained... Right now, as long as you stop crying, I’ll do anything you ask.”
“Really?” She Meier removed her hands from her face, her tearful eyes fixed on Yan Chixia, her voice choked,
“Yan Chixia, you said it: as long as I don’t cry, you’ll do anything?”
“Yes.” Yan Chixia nodded sincerely, though he suddenly sensed something amiss and quickly added,
“But, She Meier, let’s be clear: you can’t ask me to do anything excessive, like...”
“Like undress...” She Meier finished his sentence, her face reddening in embarrassment. “Don’t worry, Yan Chixia, I, She Meier, am not shameless—I know where I stumbled, and I won’t make the same mistake twice...”
With that, she blushed as she retied her belt, then looked up at Yan Chixia and suddenly gave a mischievous smile,
“Hee hee... Yan Chixia, since you said you’ll do anything I ask, then... I won’t stand on ceremony!”
“Mm, don’t hold back!” Yan Chixia braced himself and replied, “She Meier, whatever you want me to do, just say the word!”
“Good!” She Meier gazed at Yan Chixia’s face, which looked even more handsome for being flushed red. She longed to press her cherry lips to his and steal a kiss, but dared not act rashly... Suddenly, her eyes lit up as inspiration struck,
“Yan Chixia, I want you to kiss me!”