Chapter 119: He Laughs at Me

In truth, for Ji Tianxin, eating chilled food in the middle of winter had no effect on her at all. Her primordial spirit and cultivation base kept every part of her body radiating with warmth. Martial artists were generally indifferent to the extremes of cold and heat, and this became even more pronounced the higher one’s cultivation reached.

However, just as she reached for more, the small table and the food upon it vanished. She parted her lips, a trace of cherry juice staining them, deepening their natural hue. She stared at the empty space before her, then shifted her gaze to the storage pouch at Sikou Yan’s waist. Her eyes gleamed with craving. "More."

Whatever Ji Tianxin wanted to say, she said without a moment's hesitation. If she wanted to eat, she asked; if she wanted something, she took it. To others, this simplicity marked her as a child, for only in the world of a child was everything so uncomplicated.

Sikou Yan chuckled. "You've had enough. If you eat any more, your stomach will feel uncomfortable."

Sikou Yan had let her eat those treats because he knew she would enjoy them, but satisfying her craving was enough. Too much was simply not allowed. Xin'er was still young; fruit wine was wine, after all, and drinking too much was out of the question. As for the chilled cherries, she could have a taste to satisfy her appetite, but that was all. Excess would only chill her stomach. Had it not been for how much she clearly enjoyed them, he would have put a stop to it much sooner.

Sometimes Ji Tianxin thought Ah Yan was quite pleasant, but at other times, she disliked him—especially when he prevented her from eating.

She wore a look of mild displeasure on her small face. Seeing her like this, Sikou Yan almost relented, but he held firm. A smile played on his lips. "You mustn't finish all the delicious things at once."

Ji Tianxin frowned and countered with complete seriousness, "If I finish it, there will be other delicious things."

Sikou Yan was taken aback for a moment, then burst into hearty laughter.

"What is your Prince laughing at?" Su Qing nudged Lin Si’s arm.

Lin Si jumped back in alarm. Just as he was about to lecture her on the impropriety of physical contact between men and women, he was caught by the sound of his master’s laughter. What was he laughing at? He had no idea. Miss Ji didn't seem particularly funny, either. Her cold, detached way of speaking was slow and deliberate; she didn't look like the type of person who would be amusing. So, what was the Prince laughing at?

"Master!" Seeing Ji Tianxin leap down from the rooftop, Su Qing immediately brushed past Lin Si and followed her down.

Ji Tianxin landed on the ground and, without looking back, walked straight ahead. Though her steps were small, in the blink of an eye, she had dwindled to a tiny white speck. Su Qing had to exert considerable effort to catch up.

"What is the matter, Master?" Seeing the gloom on Ji Tianxin’s face, Su Qing couldn't help but ask.

Ji Tianxin’s voice was cold. "He wouldn't let me eat, and he laughed at me."

Su Qing was speechless.

Ji Tianxin was unhappy. It was one thing for him to deny her food, but to laugh at her as well?

Su Qing nearly stumbled as she walked, unable to resist asking, "Then... what was he laughing at you for?"

Ji Tianxin paused, her small face showing a hint of confusion. "I don't know."

Su Qing was speechless again. What kind of person was that young nobleman, to be able to make her master angry without being struck down by her?

Ji Tianxin wasn't exactly angry, but she was annoyed. And she felt a sense of melancholy. Melancholy? She pondered this for a moment; it seemed like a very, very long time since she had felt this way.

She looked up at the sky. The night was hung with stars, twinkling like tiny specks of light against the black curtain of the void. She was still here, yet the sky above her had changed. She was still here, she was still alive... but for her, how long would this lifetime truly last?