Li Wei followed Xue Ying through the bustling streets of the city, his eyes darting around as he tried to keep up with her brisk pace.
He couldn't help but notice that she had no guards or maids accompanying her, which was unusual for someone of her status.
"Excuse me, Miss," he said tentatively, "but may I ask why you are not accompanied by any guards?"
Xue Ying hummed at his question, but her mind was preoccupied with the way Li Wei looked different than she remembered him this morning.
She stole a glance at him, taking in his well-defined jawline and the way his hair fell perfectly over his forehead.
It was a dangerous thought, and she scolded herself inwardly for feeling attracted towards a mere servant.
How could she, a noble lady, be so foolish as to entertain such inappropriate thoughts?
Shaking her head, she cleared her mind and refocused on Li Wei's question.
"Well, well, well, are you suggesting that I need protection from you?" she said, emphasizing each word with a teasing tone, hoping to distract herself from her previous thoughts.
Li Wei felt his cheeks flush with embarrassment, realizing his mistake.
"No, no, I didn't mean it like that," he stammered, flustered.
Xue Ying laughed, a musical sound that sent a shiver down Li Wei's spine.
"Relax, Li Feng, I'm just teasing you," she said, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
"I prefer to travel alone, and besides, nobody can harm me anyway. I am a Grade-5 Qi refining expert," she added, demonstrating her power by picking up a nearby rock and smashing it to pieces in her hands.
Li Wei swallowed hard, feeling his heart race as he thought about the potential consequences of his secret being exposed.
'If my little secret gets exposed, I might as well start digging my own grave,' he thought anxiously.
Xue Ying noticed the sudden change in his demeanor and asked with concern.
"Are you alright?"
Li Wei stammered out a response, his voice shaky with nerves.
"Uh, y-yeah, I'm fine. Just a bit... nervous... I mean, it's a bit dark out here, and I'm not used to walking in the dark."
Xue Ying raised an eyebrow in disbelief.
"We have lanterns to light the way. You're sweating like you just trained for hours."
Li Wei nervously laughed, trying to brush off her suspicions.
"Ha-ha, yeah, I guess I'm just a sweaty guy. Nothing to worry about!"
Xue Ying couldn't help but roll her eyes at his unconvincing response, but decided not to press the matter further.
After a few minutes of walking, they arrived at a large gate.
As they walked through the gate, the guards' respect for Xue Ying was evident in their polite and humble greeting.
"Young Miss Xue! It's a pleasure to see you," one of them said, bowing deeply.
Xue Ying returned their greeting with a kind smile and said.
"Would you please open the gate?"
"Of course, Young Miss," the guards replied in unison, quickly unlocking the gate and holding it open for them.
As they entered, Li Wei was struck by the beauty of the clan's compound. Despite the darkness, he could see the intricate decor and well-manicured gardens, illuminated by the soft glow of lanterns scattered throughout the premises.
"Wow," Li Wei muttered, his eyes scanning the area in amazement.
Xue Ying noticed that Li Wei had stopped at the entrance and turned back to see him admiring the scenery.
Seeing this, Xue Ying smiled, finding his response to be odd but assuming that it was due to his amnesia and forgetting ever coming here.
"Don't just stand there," she said, waving him over.
"Yes!"
As Li Wei followed Xue Ying, his attention was drawn to a petite maid standing beside her. She wore a simple cotton dress, which swayed gracefully in the gentle breeze. The fabric flowed around her petite figure in a mesmerizing dance that left Li Wei captivated.
He couldn't help but stare at her, admiring the gentle curve of her hips and the way her long, dark hair fell across her shoulders.
Feeling his intense gaze, the maid felt her cheeks flush with warmth, and she shifted nervously from foot to foot.
Xue Ying suddenly felt a sour taste in her mouth. She didn't want the exchange to continue in front of her, so she cleared her throat to bring Li Wei's attention back to her.
"This is Mei, one of our maids. She'll be guiding you to your temporary room while I go and ask permission to visit the Medical Master of our family," Xue Ying said, introducing the maid.
Li Wei quickly averted his gaze, feeling slightly embarrassed for staring.
"Please, allow me to lead the way," Mei's voice was as soft and gentle as the rustling leaves, as she motioned him to follow her.
As they walked, Li Wei found himself drawn to the graceful sway of Mei's hips with each step she took, unable to tear his gaze away.
He quickly scolded himself for his unbecoming thoughts, but couldn't help feeling captivated by her every move.
'System, am I under the effect of any hypnosis?'
[Newbie Protection package active. Detected 0 Mental Affecting energies in the vicinity.]
Li Wei breathed a sigh of relief, but then the System continued.
[Identifying cause of attraction...Detected that Host's hormone levels are high.]
Li Wei felt a flush rise to his cheeks as he realized that his attraction to Mei was purely biological.
[It is found that host is currently sexually aroused]