The dinner was done very quickly since he only cooked some basic things. That was all he could afford, after all, so he hoped it would be enough for Meihui since it seemed like she lived a well-fed life.
'Hope this gamble works out.'
Soon, he heard the door opening and looked up, only to have his breath taken away. At the entrance stood a fairy who seemed to have stepped down from the heavens. The dim lighting enhanced her beauty even more.
She stepped in fresh from the bath, a trace of warmth still clinging to her skin. Her long blonde hair was slightly damp, a few strands sticking to her neck and collarbone. Moisture left a faint sheen along her shoulders, catching the light when she moved.
Her eyes were half-lidded, relaxed, with a small, satisfied smile resting on her lips. Not sleepy, just comfortable, at ease in her own skin.
She wore a fitted sleeveless dress in white and teal, the fabric smooth and light. A high collar framed her neck, secured with dark decorative knots. The dress certainly highlighted her blessed blossoms well.
Subtle floral patterns ran across the cloth, visible only when the light hit just right. Teal tassel earrings brushed her jaw as she tilted her head.
She looked beautiful even in such simple attire.
Ye Jun looked at her longer than expected, which made Meihui smirk in satisfaction as if she had won some hidden contest only she was aware of.
He shook his head to remove the strange thoughts forming in his mind and said, "Come. Let's eat. Then, we can discuss our matters."
Meihui happily came over to sit before him and said, "You really live in the worst place."
"Not really. You can easily find worse places than here," Ye Jun shrugged as he gave a portion of rice along with some side dishes to her. "It's pretty peaceful here, which is the best perk. Then, we have a forest nearby and a river too."
"Now that you put it like that, it isn't that bad," Meihui said. "The location, I mean. Hmm. The food is also pretty decent. The only problem is you."
Ye Jun raised an eyebrow.
"You can make this a better place to live," Meihui pointed out.
"I can't," Ye Jun denied instantly while eating his portion. "If my dear clansmen see I'm living happily, they'll make sure my house is broken."
Meihui paused and looked up. "Surely they won't go that far, right? It's just a house you built."
"Oh, but they will. Why do you think I took this risk?" Ye Jun shook his head.
"But... why to such an extent?" she asked in confusion. "What did you do to them that they hate you so much?"
"Exist!" Ye Jun shrugged. "Sometimes that's enough for others to wish death upon you. My family can act on their wishes, of course."
Meihui looked down at her food and muttered, "The world is the same no matter where you go."
"Pretty much."
They ate in silence afterward.
Ye Jun could see that his words had affected Meihui more deeply than he expected. It came as a surprise since he didn't think she would sympathize with his situation.
'I guess everyone has skeletons in their closet they don't want others to see.'
By the time they finished, Meihui was back to normal, though Ye Jun could sense that she had lowered her guard slightly around him. Perhaps she trusted him because of a similar situation or maybe for some other reason.
But this was a better situation than he had hoped for.
"Alright, so first let me tell you a short story about myself so you understand the situation. It'll help you protect me better and also keep yourself hidden better."
With that, Ye Jun gave a rough idea of his situation, not going into too much detail since it would bring back some terrible memories. Even though he hadn't experienced them himself, they were still within him, and he could feel the pain the previous Ye Jun went through.
The things that the Ye Clan had done to break him filled him with so much anger that he wanted to bring hell to Ye Clan.
That was why he left out those details.
"I don't understand one thing," Meihui pointed at him and said. "You can cultivate."
"Someone helped me," Ye Jun admitted. "But the clan still doesn't know it. I would like to keep it that way until I can escape their influence."
Meihui rubbed her forehead and said, "You're doing the right thing. They know they can't control you, so if you show potential now, they'll make sure you're dead."
"Exactly!" Ye Jun smiled. "So, I won't intentionally pick a fight now, but I don't expect things to remain peaceful for long. When that time comes, I want you to protect me."
"Smart! If you were going around provoking others and expecting me to protect you, I would have slapped you to death," Meihui said cheerfully. "But I like this arrangement."
"Noice!" Ye Jun's lips curled up. "So, anything about you? I told you so much about myself after all."
"Knowing my secrets will just endanger you, so are you willing to take that risk?" Meihui asked, staring right into his eyes.
Ye Jun stared back before shrugging. "Never mind then. I have enough on my plate."
"Good! You know when to back off," Meihui nodded. "I'll give you a rough idea. I basically have some enemies, and they're after me for no other reason than because I was born. That's my fault."
'Ah! That's why she changed her behavior. We're basically in the same boat,' Ye Jun thought.
"I managed to hide for some time, then they sent people after me. I killed them, but their poison and mysterious techniques injured me. I can heal external ones quickly, but internal ones are different."
Ye Jun tilted his head sideways and said, "So I made the right call. You do need a place to stay and recover."
"I like the arrangement, that's why I agreed," Meihui nodded. "Don't worry. Even in my weakened state, I can protect you."
They talked a bit more, and Ye Jun realized that his new tenant was pretty easygoing. She also understood his conditions and didn't complain about anything.
They also had many things in common...
"Alright, I'm going to sleep," Ye Jun said, standing up. "Good night."
"Wait! You're taking the bed?"
Ye Jun stopped and turned to face her. "It's my bed."
"Are you going to let a lady sleep on the floor?" Meihui asked, blinking her big, captivating eyes in innocence.
Ye Jun stared deep into those eyes for a second before replying flatly.
"Yes! I believe in gender equality. You can sleep on the floor."
"I hate you!"
"Sure, sure. Good night, Miss Bodyguard."