Chapter 61: The Fiery Qin Ruhua

Stepping out of the house, I gently closed the door behind me.

Qin Ruhua hurried over and asked with a curious smile, "Brother Fan, what were you two doing inside? Where is Xiaolu?"

I reached out to wrap my arm around her waist and smiled, "Nothing much, just discussing how to pay the tuition."

Without their consent, I thought it best not to pry into their private matters, especially since they kept to themselves. Who knew if they were deliberately hiding something?

"Is it really ten million just for a single meeting?"

Seeing how cute she looked in her astonishment, I leaned in and kissed her, chuckling, "She is also going to teach me some very useful knowledge, so ten million isn't that expensive. Don't worry! I'm not a fool, I won't be scammed."

"Mm." Qin Ruhua's attention was clearly diverted by the kiss. She offered a sweet smile and dropped the subject.

I held her close as we stood at the edge of the grassy patch in front of the house, looking out into the distance. The sky was a vast, cloudless blue, and distant green mountains rolled endlessly into the horizon. Not far below our feet lay Gaojing Village, its houses scattered irregularly—mostly mud-brick huts with only a few brick dwellings.

The surroundings were filled with the crowing of roosters, the chirping of birds, and the soft rustle of the wind—a symphony of pure, peaceful nature. The air was fresh, carrying the natural fragrance of grass and flowers, instantly invigorating the spirit.

This was the embrace of nature, completely removed from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Qin Ruhua gently rested her head against my shoulder, quietly gazing into the distance with me.

After a moment, she wrapped both arms around my waist. Lifting her face, she said with a dreamy expression, "Brother Fan, I wish we could live here forever."

I smiled faintly and replied, "Are you asking me to marry into your family and become your live-in husband?"

Qin Ruhua was momentarily startled, then broke into a sweet smile without answering. Suddenly, she closed her eyes softly, her long eyelashes resting against her cheeks and fluttering slightly, looking irresistibly lovely.

I lowered my head and kissed her gently, putting my eloquence to the test.

A soft moan escaped her lips, her breath burning hot, and we both felt as though we were melting away.

Her hands gripped me with unusual tightness, as if she wanted to press me into her very being.

The thin summer clothing offered no barrier at all; we had both turned into blazing furnaces.

Perhaps due to the secluded environment, this kiss felt even more passionate than our first one.

I was on the verge of losing control, dimly remembering only that there were three other rooms nearby, and Su Xiaolu was inside one of them.

With that thought, I glanced sideways and was startled to find a pair of eyes peeking out from the window of Su Xiaolu's room.

It was Su Xiaolu!

I was taken aback, jolting back to my senses instantly.

Qin Ruhua, however, noticed nothing, remaining completely engrossed, continuing to murmur softly and clinging to me tightly.

Once the initial shock passed, I suddenly found the situation even more thrilling.

Didn't Su Xiaolu say she rarely interacted with people? She had been so painfully shy even when I gave her a light hug just earlier. How intense must the impact on her heart be right now, witnessing such a passionate scene?

Even though she was so timid, she was still peeking. Her heart must be fluttering like a trapped fawn, torn between shyness and a craving for more!

Perhaps she would need to change her clothes soon!

As this wicked thought flashed through my mind, I could barely keep my composure. I pulled Qin Ruhua's waist tighter against me, pressing every inch of our bodies together.

After a long while, we finally stopped, breathing heavily.

I glanced over again, and Su Xiaolu was still watching.

I suddenly felt like I was corrupting an innocent young girl, yet instead of feeling any guilt, I felt deeply excited and exhilarated.

Qin Ruhua had completely melted by now.

Limping softly against my body, her cheeks flushed like glowing charcoal and her eyes moist and alluring, she reached up and gently stroked my cheek with her soft, boneless hands, radiating endless tenderness. Smiling faintly at the corner of her lips, she whispered, "Brother Fan, I love you."

I smiled slightly and was about to reply when Qin Ruhua suddenly let out a startled gasp and straightened up abruptly, turning to look toward Su Xiaolu's window.

Su Xiaolu had already crouched down out of sight in a fraction of a second.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Qin Ruhua offered a shy, nervous smile and whispered, "I almost forgot Xiaolu was right next door. Good thing she didn't see. Brother Fan, let's head down the mountain first!"

I pulled her close again and murmured, "I'm already aroused. It'll probably be a few minutes before I can walk."

"Ah!" Qin Ruhua let out a soft exclamation, gently pushing me back a couple of steps. Her eyes swept downward, and she immediately turned her back to me, lowering her voice shyly, "What should we do then? Let's wait a bit longer! Think about something else!"

I smiled, "Think about what? My mind is completely filled with the time we spent at your old rented apartment—"

"Brother Fan!" Qin Ruhua stamped her foot in embarrassment and whispered, "Xiaolu is still inside, stop talking nonsense."

"I didn't say it out loud! Alright then, sing me a song!"

"Sing? Does that even help? Just singing for no reason would be so embarrassing, and it might even draw Xiaolu out."

"Then tell me a joke."

"Fine! Let me think... There was an archaeology team that found the skeleton of a child in Cao Cao's tomb, and the experts claimed it was Cao Cao when he was a kid."

I got the punchline immediately and burst out laughing.

Hearing me laugh, Qin Ruhua's inspiration sparked, and she reeled off several more jokes in succession.

The jokes proved quite effective; as we laughed and joked, my body returned to normal.

"Alright. I can walk now, let's go down!"

Qin Ruhua turned around, cast a quick glance downward, shot me an embarrassed yet playful glare, and then suddenly burst into laughter.

On the way down the mountain, I carried Qin Ruhua on my back as before.

This time, she let go of all her inhibitions. Wrapping her arms tightly around my neck, she pressed close to my ear and whispered with infinite tenderness, "Brother Fan, say you love me, okay?"

So I muttered, "Huahua, I love you," and she got so excited she took full advantage of me.

That, of course, presented a new problem, rendering me unable to walk once more. Qin Ruhua was both embarrassed and amused, and had to tell me more jokes to distract my attention.

Once we reached the foot of the mountain, I put Qin Ruhua down and checked my phone—it was already nearing noon.

"Let's go! Let's head back for lunch first, and I'll take you around the neighborhood this afternoon. We can come back up later," Qin Ruhua said, linking her arm through mine with an unprecedented level of intimacy.

When we returned to her uncle's house, her uncle and aunt had just returned from farm work. They were typical rural folk—simple, honest, and warm. Upon learning I was Qin Ruhua's boyfriend, they bombarded me with questions, as if determined to dig up every detail of my background. Qin Ruhua sat nearby, listening with a smile, frequently casting affectionate glances my way and occasionally blinking mischievously, brimming with tenderness.

After lunch, I quickly used the excuse of exploring the surroundings to escape.

Qin Ruhua laughed until her stomach hurt.

Next, she took me on a tour around the village. The scenery wasn't particularly breathtaking, but because of its proximity to nature, everything felt clean and pristine.

When nobody else was around, Qin Ruhua would either affectionately link her arm with mine or jump straight onto my back.

In just half a day, our affection for one another skyrocketed like a rocket. Every time I saw her pure, untainted smile, a protective urge welled up inside me—a desire to ensure she could always smile with such innocence and joy.

Of course, she told me plenty more jokes along the way; as for the reason why—well, that part is unspeakable.

Around three in the afternoon, we headed back up the mountain. Su Xiaolu's grandfather hadn't returned yet, and the moment Su Xiaolu spotted us, she blushed scarlet and fled into her room. We had no choice but to return to her uncle's house to chat with Qin Ruhua's grandmother.

A little past five in the afternoon, we returned to the mountain once more.

This time, I saw Su Xiaolu's grandfather—the eccentric old man we had bumped into the previous night.

He was still wearing that same black robe, lounging lazily in a bamboo rocking chair on the grass, smoking a dry tobacco pipe. Su Xiaolu sat quietly beside him, listening to him speak.

When Qin Ruhua and I stepped onto the clearing, Su Xiaolu turned her head to look, her face instantly flushing bright red. She hurriedly stammered, "Grandfather, they're here," before darting into the house like a startled fawn and slamming the door shut.

I found it both amusing and slightly helpless; after all, if she kept hiding like this, even the most interesting things would lose their charm.

"Have you gathered the money?" Su Xiaolu's grandfather remained lying down, his expression no longer as vacant as the previous night. His eyes gleamed slightly with the cunning smile of an old fox.

Qin Ruhua and I sat down on the wooden bench Su Xiaolu had just vacated.

"I have the money, but I still don't know what you plan to teach me," I smiled.

Su Xiaolu's grandfather chuckled softly, "Hand over the money first."

"You can't transfer such a large amount here."

"Then pay a twenty-thousand deposit first. Use WeChat transfer." With a sly grin, the old man produced a brand-new iPhone.

Damn! His equipment was remarkably advanced and complete.

However, having witnessed Su Xiaolu's abilities and knowing how pure and simple she was, I figured he wouldn't scam me. Without hesitation, I added the old man on WeChat and transferred twenty thousand to him.

Upon receiving the payment, Su Xiaolu's grandfather perked up immensely. He sat straight up, looked me up and down, and cut straight to the point: "The Dao of Qi Refinement that I impart is divided into three grades: lower, middle, and upper! The lower grade costs one hundred thousand; the middle grade, one million; the upper grade, though priced at ten million, is priceless and relies entirely on fate. In these past few decades, aside from Xiaolu, you will be my very first student to be taught the upper-grade Dao of Qi Refinement."