Cultivation Begins with Caring for Sister-in-law

"Hao Zhining, don't be angry!"

These words fell into Xia Zhining's ears, and she felt her dainty body tremble. She became somewhat weak and powerless, as if all her strength had been drained away, and her struggles grew fainter.

Hao Zhining, this was the first time this idiot had called her this way; usually, it was for her sister. For a moment, she felt the previous displeasure in her heart vanish, and an unstoppable sweetness welled up from her heart.

In moments of intimacy, any subtle change can be magnified. Chen Mo hugged Xia Zhining tightly and naturally felt her changes.

He helped Xia Zhining arrange the loose strands of hair by her ear, blew a gentle breath of warm air, and took advantage of the situation to say, "The reason I was entangled with your sister earlier was mainly out of anger at you. Who told you not to give me a response last time, not to believe me.

But you can see, with your sister, I wasn't as infatuated as when I was with you. Your body makes me obsessed, wishing to merge you into mine."

Chen Mo's voice was so gentle, like the warm waters of a spring river, intoxicating.

Xia Zhining's jade face blushed slightly, the whole person seemed enchanted, actually contemplating this idiot's words. Indeed, when he was with her sister, it wasn't as long or filled with variations as with her; it was more like going through the motions.

Her beautiful eyes, slightly open, were misty with water vapor, and she instinctively pressed her cheek against Chen Mo's chest, her heart pounding.

When he said he was putting the necklace on her, she unexpectedly responded with a soft "Mm."

Chen Mo placed the pearl necklace around Xia Zhining's jade neck, the heart-shaped pendant resting above her collar, below her clavicle.

He had guessed correctly that a woman with Xia Zhining's personality shouldn't be treated well from the start. One must suppress her completely, then wait for her to become agitated, extremely aggrieved, and coax her with sweet words and tenderness.

This method, although it may not necessarily make the other submit to you, will certainly leave a deep impression in their heart.

For both men and women, it's not that they're afraid of the other not liking them but that they don't have an impression of you in their mind.

If you have money, show your wealth, make them picture you as wealthy.

If you are handsome, display your charm to the fullest.

"How about it, do you like it?" Chen Mo caressed the heart-shaped pendant.

Feeling the slight coolness of the pendant against her skin, and the touch of his fingers on her collarbone, Xia Zhining, somewhat lost in the moment, suddenly reacted.

She quickly struggled, but after a while, her hands pushing away became increasingly weak, almost collapsing like water in Chen Mo's arms, looking at the boy with shame and anger.

The words spoken by the boy earlier were like poison, softening her bones, more lethal than tormenting her.

But how could she admit to such thoughts? At once, she snorted coldly, raised her icy, mysterious eyes, her curved eyelashes fluttering uncontrollably, and said instinctively, "I don't want your stuff, trying to buy me with such... things, no way."

If it weren't for seeing the gold ring back on Xia Zhining's finger, and the jade hairpin that originally belonged to Xia Zhiqing, Chen Mo might have believed her.

However, Chen Mo didn't expose her and reached out to grasp Xia Zhining's slender hand, intertwining their fingers, saying, "Then do me a favor and accept it."

"Why... why should I give you face?" Seeing a hint of flattery in the boy's demeanor, Xia Zhining's heart felt as if it were filled with honey. This idiot had never treated her like this before.

"Let's just settle it." Having roughly figured out her character, Chen Mo knew that making her "wholeheartedly accept" was not easy.

He pinched Xia Zhining's chin, pecked her lips, and gently said, "Don't be angry, Zhining, I need your help."

Saying this, Chen Mo again spoke of her leading a hundred people.

Of course, Chen Mo didn't make her a squad leader just to please her; after all, she was an Eighth-Grade Martial Artist with the strength and knowledge of tactics, and she could help him.

And if she were to go to battle, the Guard Liu Ze, a Seventh-Grade Martial Artist, would probably follow her, which would be a great asset.

Leading troops into battle has always been Xia Zhining's dream.

It's just that being a woman had always made it unachievable, and now Chen Mo could fulfill it. To say she wasn't tempted would be a lie.

But agreeing to him so lightly, wouldn't that seem like she was submitting to him?

Xia Zhining pondered for a while, her jade face slightly paused, and she softly said, "You're... nothing to me, why should I help you?"

"Just tell me." Chen Mo said.

"Once I help you, our accounts are settled; when it's over, you let my sister, Guard Liu, and me leave." Xia Zhining said.

"Do you really want to leave me so badly?"

Chen Mo displayed a hurt expression, then contemplated for a long time, reluctantly saying, "Fine, I promise you."

"Then it's... settled." Seeing Chen Mo like this, Xia Zhining's heart also grew complicated.

"Mm-hmm." Chen Mo pulled the beauty closer and then whispered in Xia Zhining's ear, "Zhining, holding you is much more comfortable than holding your sister."

"Stop talking nonsense." Xia Zhining said angrily.

"That's my honest feeling; how could you call it nonsense?" Chen Mo caressed Xia Zhining's beautiful hair, then said, "Since we won't be able to embrace again like this in the future, would Zhining be willing to grant me one request?"

Xia Zhining's jade face paused slightly: "What do you want now?"

Chen Mo whispered a few words.

Upon hearing them, Xia Zhining's face immediately showed anger: "You lowly bastard, filthy thing, actually... actually..."

She wanted to outright refuse, but remembering that the last time he brought this up, and she refused, the idiot started ignoring her. Last time, he even said she was a substitute to anger her.

If I refuse again, this bastard probably will...

"Can't you ask for something else?" Xia Zhining's voice softened.

She herself didn't realize it, but when she said this, it was destined for her to fall into Chen Mo's web of affection.

"What could compare to you, Zhining? In my eyes, you are all I want." Chen Mo said warmly.

Xia Zhining's eyes were like water, rippling with emotion, and her heart was filled with a moth-to-flame impulse, wanting to agree to any request from him.

Feeling the change in the beautiful woman, Chen Mo also softened a little, leaning closer to whisper, "Hao Zhining, just agree with me this once."

As soon as he said this, Xia Zhining was completely numb, her whole heart turning to mush.

The men who came to propose before always had their eyes on her sister, never choosing her first; she had never heard a man say such words to her before.

Before she could think, she quickly felt her tender lips being kissed by that bastard, who was wantonly devouring everything from her.

Her hands, which initially pushed away, involuntarily wrapped around Chen Mo's waist.

After a long time, they separated.

Chen Mo sighed, "Well, since you're unwilling, then let's pretend I never said it. I originally thought... Alas, it seems I was too sentimental; never mind, this is quite good as well."

After speaking, he no longer held her but supported her with one hand until she could stand steadily before keeping some distance from her.

Xia Zhining: "..."

Just as Chen Mo was about to turn and leave.

Guided by a mysterious force, Xia Zhining's delicate jade hand reached out to grab Chen Mo's hand, saying, "You must not touch my sister again in the future, I... I agree with you once."

"I'm infatuated with you, and I never wanted to touch your sister." Chen Mo said.

Xia Zhining took a deep breath, her face turning red, and whispered, "You... you should bathe first; your body is covered with my sister's scent."

Chen Mo: "..."

...

Chen Mo and Xia Zhining took a mandarin duck bath, looking at the official's daughter bowing willingly, feeling an indescribable sense of achievement.

Xia Zhining didn't know how she returned to the private room, her mind a tangled mess.

How... how could she agree to such an unreasonable request from that bastard?

Now, in front of him, she had no dignity left at all.

What she didn't know was that a person's bottom line is like that; once breached, it gradually lowers on its own.

If she observed closely, she would realize that she wasn't actually as strongly humiliated as she thought.

Raising her hand to stroke the heart-shaped pendant on the pearl necklace, she suddenly wondered if that bastard wasn't so bad after all?

"Zhining, where did you go? Why is your hair all wet?" Xia Zhiqing had already woken up, seeing her sister in such a state, and asked puzzledly.

Her thoughts interrupted, pulling Xia Zhining back to reality, she shivered all over and said a little flustered, "It's hot, so I took a bath."

After speaking, she unconsciously raised her hand to wipe the corner of her mouth.

Fortunately, Xia Zhiqing wasn't entirely focused on her sister and didn't notice her odd behavior, but she did see the pearl necklace around her neck.

It was too dazzling to ignore.

"Zhining, that pearl necklace is—?"

Xia Zhining originally wanted to hide it a bit, but when the words came out, she felt like showing off instead, and said, "It's a gift from that bastard."

"Why did he give you something again?"

Xia Zhiqing's eyebrows knitted slightly, thinking Chen Mo did it on purpose; she thought the necklace should have been for her initially, but because she gave the jade hairpin to her sister, he took revenge by giving the necklace to her sister.

After all, such a delicate necklace with a heart-shaped pendant must be for the woman he desires.

Chen Mo doesn't even like my sister.

"Because... he wanted me to help him with something, yes, just to help him with something." Xia Zhining's eyes shifted, saying, "As long as I agreed, all our past arguments would be settled, and this necklace was the reward he gave me in advance."

Xia Zhiqing was taken aback: "Help with what?"

"He's about to go to war, and wants me to help him lead a squad, to help him kill enemies?" Xia Zhining replied.

Xia Zhiqing: "Are you insane? He's a rebel, which means when he goes to war, it's against the court. If the court finds out, we'd be considered conspirators; how would our sisters survive then? How would our deceased father rest?"

Xia Zhining's face froze; she was initially attracted by the idea of leading troops without thinking it through thoroughly, but now that Xia Zhiqing pointed it out, she immediately realized the severity of the situation.

What would she do when it came to that point?