Chapter 24

Chapter 24

When Amelia turned around, she was surprised to find Li Qingzhi standing at the entrance.

The young man, who had unexpectedly returned, looked at her with a hint of confusion as she opened the alchemy furnace. "Amelia?"

She quickly withdrew her hand, feeling a slight tension while trying to give Li Qingzhi a shy smile. "Why are you back? Didn't you go to eat with Bruce?"

Li Qingzhi walked towards her, explaining, "I just couldn't shake off this nagging feeling, so I decided to take the alchemy furnace back to the dorm for two days."

Given that the pill was crafted for Ludwig's sister, Beril, Li Qingzhi couldn't afford any mistakes.

"However," Li Qingzhi inquired, feeling curious as he noticed the girl had previously opened the alchemy furnace. "Why did you suddenly open the furnace just now?"

Amelia replied with a hint of regret, "I got a bit hungry while reading, so I wanted to check if there was any chocolate inside. But I found it filled with medicinal herbs instead."

"I'm sorry, the contents must be important, right? Would my action affect their efficacy?"

The usually gentle and composed girl seemed to be flushed with embarrassment. Li Qingzhi studied Amelia for a few seconds before shaking his head. "It's alright."

"Bruce is still waiting outside. You should join him for dinner. I have some matters to attend to."

Li Qingzhi didn't press further, knowing that even if he sensed something amiss, persistent questioning wouldn't yield any substantial results.

After a few seconds, Li Qingzhi turned his attention away from Amelia. As he waved his whisk, he activated his True Qi. With the help of his recent dedication to studying magic, his True Qi had become more stable. The Three Purities School's hovering technique came in handy at this moment.

Soon, the alchemy furnace began to float gently beside him. Li Qingzhi, concerned about the pills inside, carried it out of the potions classroom.

Next, he informed Headmaster Augusta of his intention to take the furnace back to his dormitory for two days. After receiving Augusta's permission and safety reminders, Li Qingzhi promptly brought the furnace to his room.

He decided to spend the day studying in his dorm so he could keep a close eye on the furnace. This way, he could prevent any fire accidents while ensuring the pills inside were refined correctly.

The preparation of the cold remedy was relatively straightforward. Although Xiao Zuo and Xiao You had devoured all the pills he had brought, he still had plenty of medicinal ingredients from the Three Purities School. Upon hearing about Beatrix's symptoms, Qing Lian had given him formulas that were gentle yet nourishing, without any harmful side effects to the body.

Moreover, the preparation time for these formulas wasn't long. After attempting to expedite the process using his True Qi, Li Qingzhi noticed by dusk that the cold remedy pills were almost ready.

The secret formula Qing Lian had given him separately required a full cycle of two small heavenly cycles to refine. Therefore, Li Qingzhi decided to complete the production of these cold-specific pills before delving into the formula Qing Lian had provided.

As night fell, Li Qingzhi, who was about to meet Ludwig and continue his magical studies at Leo's castle, carefully placed the three finally-refined cold pills, now a faint red color, into a small gourd he had brought. Though they appeared ordinary, they emitted a warm aura and the fragrance of herbs, identical to the description Qing Lian had given him for the cold remedy.

It seemed that the attempt had succeeded in one go!

After an entire afternoon of reviewing and alchemy, Li Qingzhi finally let out a sigh of relief now that his task was accomplished. Despite burning his finger during the process, he was currently oblivious to the pain on his fingertip, his heart brimming with joy as he carried the pill he had crafted, preparing to head to the Student Council to find Ludwig.

However, this cold remedy was something he had personally synthesized. Although the ingredients were medicinal herbs for healing and nourishment, and the formula was just a common cold pill, Li Qingzhi didn't dare to hastily administer it to the ailing Beril.

On his way to the Student Council, after some cautious deliberation, he promptly took one pill himself and let its slightly bitter taste spread across his tongue.

A few minutes later, Li Qingzhi felt no discomfort; instead, he experienced a mild warmth throughout his body, causing him to break into a slight sweat.

After a while, the sensation of sweating subsided, leaving behind an extraordinary lightness and refreshing vitality in my body.

Feeling no discomfort, Li Qingzhi allowed himself a small measure of reassurance, but he still decided to consult with Ludwig first.

Upon meeting Ludwig and joining him in the carriage, Li Qingzhi, during their journey to Leo's castle, took out the small gourd he had been carrying with him. For some reason, just as he was about to speak, he suddenly felt a bit awkward. Halfway through his sentence, he found himself unsure of how to proceed.

"Ludwig..."

The seemingly indifferent young man, however, quickly lifted his eyes upon hearing his name called out, "Hmm?"

Upon receiving Ludwig's response almost instantaneously, Li Qingzhi, for some reason, felt a sense of ease wash over him. He quickly picked up the momentum and continued.

"Today, following my senior sister's recipe, I prepared some pills specifically for treating colds. I tested one myself, and the effects seem accurate. I was thinking of letting Beril try them. Since she doesn't respond well to magical potions, perhaps these pills might work, given that they're crafted from entirely different ingredients."

"Still, I believe it's not wise to administer it to Beril without caution. It would be best to have your family physician examine it first. We can proceed only if he deems it safe."

The blond youth appeared slightly taken aback after hearing his words, seemingly not having expected Li Qingzhi to be so concerned about Beryl's illness.

After a few seconds of pause, Ludwig nodded. "We can have Justus take a look first. As an Apothecary, he's most skilled in assessing the effects of potions."

Upon hearing this, Li Qingzhi heaved a sigh of relief. "Alright, let him read it first before deciding."

Just as Li Qingzhi thought that Ludwig wouldn't say anything more, the latter's voice softly resounded in front of him once again:

"Thank you."

Realizing what Ludwig was referring to, Li Qingzhi hastily shook his head. "There's no need to thank me; it was just a small favor."

"And besides, we still don't know if it will be effective or not."

Moreover, he genuinely wished for the little girl to recover and no longer be confined within that opulent room that ultimately exuded loneliness.

Only then would Ludwig truly find some joy.

With this thought, Li Qingzhi felt more at ease. Even his burned finger seemed to have lost its pain.

Upon arriving at Leo's castle, Li Qingzhi accompanied Ludwig to Beril's chamber door.

Butler Felix promptly escorted the physician out. Upon learning of Li Qingzhi's purpose and request for an analysis of the potion, Justice, the doctor, pushed up his glasses and nodded in agreement.

"Very well, Miss Beril, please show me your pill. It happens that she hasn't taken her medicine today."

Though he said so, Justice didn't expect that a young magician still studying at Armont could concoct any extraordinary potion. At best, it would be a common healing elixir, something he had already given Beril countless times with no effect.

However, to Justice's surprise, instead of producing a few bottles of mundane low-grade potions, the eastern youth pulled out a small gourd from his side and gently poured out a red pill-like substance. "Here you go."

Justice was momentarily stunned but instinctively took the pill from Li Qingzhi.

The moment he held the pill, Justice's gaze turned complicated. Feeling a warmth in his palm, he recited an advanced potion incantation in front of Ludwig and Li Qingzhi.

Soon, above the red pill in Justice's palm, peculiar characters began to materialize. Thanks to the Language Charm, Li Qingzhi quickly recognized them as the names of the herbs he had used – ingredients he knew all too well.

It turned out that Justice, as an advanced Alchemist, had mastery over the magic to analyze potion ingredients and could directly perceive the effects of the potions.

This magic seemed to work on Eastern pills as well. After a moment, Justice nodded. "Indeed, this is a remedy for wind-related ailments. There doesn't seem to be any adverse side effects. However, I'm unsure if it will be effective for Miss Beril."

Finished inspecting the pill, Justice wiped his hands and delicately wrapped it in a clean handkerchief. Then, he looked up at Ludwig. "Should I administer this medicine to Miss Beril right now?"

After a few seconds of contemplation, Ludwig nodded. "Yes, go ahead."

Upon seeing Justice turn and enter the house, Li Qingzhi couldn't help but feel a twinge of worry. "Perhaps I was too hasty. Maybe I should try it myself for another couple of days."

The blond youth, however, shook his head. "Justus, as an apothecary, couldn't possibly fail to recognize even the most basic side effects of medicine. Furthermore, he has been overseeing Beryl's condition for so many years. If it wasn't suitable, he would have spoken up. Otherwise, he wouldn't have stayed here this long."

Upon hearing this, Li Qingzhi finally felt reassured. "That's good then."

Sincerely hoping that those medicinal pills would prove effective for Beril's ailment, Li Qingzhi, whose heart had been subtly weighed down by the girl's pallid countenance these past two days, inwardly made a silent wish.

Fortunately, the girl showed no adverse effects after consuming the pill; she even mentioned that the warmth in her body made her feel much better. In the company of Li Qingzhi and Ludwig, the girl happily chatted for a long while. After receiving their promise to accompany her again the following day, Beatrix fell asleep with ease. Perhaps it was due to the efficacy of Li Qingzhi's secret remedy for the cold, or perhaps because her mood had significantly improved, but the girl's formerly pale cheeks now seemed to have gained a healthy flush, and she slept soundly.

After Beatrix retired early to bed, Li Qingzhi and Ludwig could finally relax and continue their magic studies in the backyard.

Li Qingzhi had diligently memorized the content of the Magic History and Spellwork classes during the day. As for Flying and Potions, they were subjects he excelled in. Thus, Ludwig decided to focus on the remaining three subjects: Summoning, Beast Mastery, and Magical Botany, which were all related to magical beasts. In the early years, the academy emphasizes the foundation of magic involving magical beasts. Li Qingzhi had already studied summoning and the core of plants thoroughly, leaving only the magic for controlling beasts to be reviewed.

"Beast Mastery is divided into everyday control and combat control. Everyday control is relatively simple, mainly involving getting them to perform basic actions based on commands, such as running, jumping, manifesting their magic cores, and simple communication."

"Combat control is a higher level of manipulation magic, requiring the beast to attack a target. Generally, magical beasts have their own offensive skills, but of course, using these skills consumes their magic power."

"Lecturers should have covered the theoretical aspects. Let's proceed directly to practical training."

With those words, Ludwig smoothly summoned Moritz. It had been several days since Li Qingzhi last saw the Flame Specter. Time seemed to have alleviated the resentment and anger from being sent away by Li Qingzhi. Now, upon seeing Li Qingzhi, Moritz didn't display any hostility. Instead, the familiarity led it to stare at Li Qingzhi for a while.

After summoning Moritz, Ludwig chanted a spell. Promptly, the Flame Specter soared into the sky and spewed a series of scorching flames upward. Thanks to precise control, the flames, though powerful, did not harm the garden's flora. Li Qingzhi could sense an intense heat, but the flames dissipated into the air before they could reach anyone, resembling fireworks fading away without causing damage to the backyard.

It was hard to imagine the destructive force such a wide-spread flame would unleash if it were to directly attack someone. The final brilliant hues of the fire reflected in Li Qingzhi's dark eyes, and he couldn't help but subconsciously murmur in admiration, "Impressive..."

"Are Xiao Zuo and Xiao You capable of utilizing such powerful techniques as well?"

As Li Qingzhi expressed his amazement and curiosity, Ludwig, while signaling for Moritz to return, directed his gaze towards the black-haired youth: "They are likely affiliated with the plant element, but magical beasts of the plant element can also wield formidable abilities, their power not necessarily inferior to that of fire."

"Do you possess the skills to unlock their potential now?"

Upon hearing this, Li Qingzhi exerted himself to recall. Indeed, Teacher Ernest had mentioned in the previous Magic Beast Control class his hope that they would foster a good relationship with their magic beasts and gradually uncover the various uses of these creatures. But the specifics were something they needed to figure out on their own.

Recently, Li Qingzhi had been occupied with nurturing vital Green Vine Cores alongside Xiaozuo and Xiaoyou, leaving no time for practical combat skill training.

At this thought, Li Qingzhi couldn't help but shake his head in disappointment. "No, I don't know how to do it."

Teacher Ernest hadn't delved into teaching this aspect yet, so it might not be tested in the midterm. However, seeing Moritz, Ludwig's magic beast, skillfully using flame magic, Qingzhi couldn't help but feel envious.

Noticing Li Qingzhi's dejection, Ludwig pondered for a moment before suggesting, "As far as I know, most plant-element magic beasts are quite adept at controlling basic plant spells. Their magic cores are also green vines. Perhaps you could try starting with manipulating vines."

After hearing Ludwig's words, Li Qingzhi indeed recalled that many of his classmates from the Plant Department seemed to have already mastered the ability to control vines when they first summoned their magic beasts.

In the meantime, Ludwig had already flipped through his spellbook, finding the section on plant elements and passing the book to Li Qingzhi. "The incantation for controlling vines is in this chapter. Try reciting it while channeling your magical energy."

With the help of Ludwig, the genius mage well-versed in various spells, Li Qingzhi's approach to training his magical beasts quickly took shape. He had been previously lost, but now he had a clear objective.

Li Qingzhi nodded promptly. After familiarizing himself with the incantation, he channeled his magic power towards Xiao Zuo and Xiao You while reciting the spell to control the vines.

Sure enough, in the next second, the two stone lions, as if responding to Li Qingzhi's command, turned their heads toward him, emanating a faint green glow around their bodies.

Seeing this, Li Qingzhi continued to direct his magic power towards Xiao Zuo and Xiao You. The green light on the stone lions intensified, and soon, it seemed that the spell had been fully conveyed to them. The two lions attempted to use their magic, straining forward.

In an instant, the concealed vines sprouting from the lions rapidly grew and entwined forward. Overwhelmed with surprise, Li Qingzhi extended his hand. The two sentient stone lions quickly grasped his intention and extended the vines towards him, gently touching the palm of his open hand.

Li Qingzhi turned joyfully to Ludwig. With the other's method, Xiao Zuo and Xiao You had effortlessly unleashed their skill:

"It actually worked!"

Ludwig didn't seem surprised but nodded approvingly, "Yes, magical beasts with a plant element generally find it easy to master the vine manipulation spell. Now, you just need to continue training and refining it. Along the way, explore any other possible skills they might have."

"The higher the rank of a magical beast's core, the more and stronger their skills will be."

Under Ludwig's guidance, the top student in the academy, Li Qingzhi swiftly mastered how to make Xiao Zuo and Xiao You use the vine spell. He even felt that his rapport with the two stone lions had become more harmonious.

On this day, Li Qingzhi, still marveling at his newfound knowledge, unintentionally continued practicing until late into the night. Ludwig didn't comment or signal for him to stop. Instead, he accompanied Li Qingzhi and the Flame Specter Beast, Moritz, in their practice with the stone lion until Li Qingzhi felt he had thoroughly mastered it.

By the time Li Qingzhi felt somewhat satisfied with the outcome, the servants at Leo's castle had already lit small lamps in the backyard garden. Realizing that he had stayed far too long, Li Qingzhi hastily lifted his eyes to look at the blond youth before him.

"Apologies, I didn't realize it was so late. You should head back and get some rest."

"I'm also getting ready to head back to school. See you tomorrow!"

Little did they expect that, after bidding his farewells, Ludwig would lower his gaze and say, "It is indeed quite late now."

"Well, you can simply stay here, then."

Upon hearing this, Li Qingzhi instinctively wanted to decline. He didn't feel that there was any danger in flying back to Ailment alone. On the contrary, it would be more awkward to disturb Ludwig.

Yet, just as Li Qingzhi was about to decline, he suddenly recalled his promise to Ludwig that he would stay once Beril recovered.

Realizing this, Li Qingzhi, who suddenly felt it was not easy to decline, looked into Ludwig's eyes and indeed found the man's stance firm. He did not approve of Li Qingzhi flying back to Almont on his own at this moment.

"Well then." Li Qingzhi blinked, a smile escaping her lips as she sensed Ludwig's rare display of subtle concern. "In that case, I won't hold back."

The young man followed Ludwig into the house, and the butler, Felix, had clearly been waiting for them. Upon seeing their arrival, he promptly attended to the preparations for bedtime.

After ascending the long corridor on the second floor of Leo's castle with Ludwig, Li Qingzhi witnessed him extend his hand to unlock a room:

"This is my study, which you're free to use if needed."

"The books inside are available for you to read as well. I've placed some introductory magic texts for beginners in there, just in case."

Upon hearing this, Li Qingzhi seemed to recall something and quickly looked at Ludwig, "Oh, I forgot to bring my magic history book today. Could I borrow one from you now? If I can't fall asleep later, I could read it to pass the time."

Ludwig nodded. "Yes, do come in."

With that, the blond youth led him into the study. Li Qingzhi looked up and, sure enough, spotted a neat row of magic books on the shelf, many of which contained familiar content he had recently studied.

Upon recognizing the familiar book on magic history, Li Qingzhi reached out to retrieve it. However, as he was about to depart, his gaze inadvertently swept across a peculiarly bound volume lying on the table.

In an instant, Li Qingzhi noticed that the book's cover depicted the map of the Eastern Continent. The familiar outline captivated his gaze, and without conscious effort, he found himself uttering the title aloud:

"Basics of Eastern Characters..."

Glimpsing the book's oriental theme, Li Qingzhi couldn't help but feel intrigued. As he gently picked it up, he chuckled at Ludwig, "You have this kind of book here?"

Only then did Ludwig realize he had forgotten to put away the Eastern books he usually read. Normally composed, he was momentarily flustered, but before he could say anything, Li Qingzhi had already curiously opened the volume.

"Rustle—"

As Li Qingzhi flipped through the pages delicately, countless letters suddenly cascaded onto the floor from within the book. He hurriedly bent down to collect them, only to freeze in place when he saw the contents of the papers:

"This... ."

Gazing at the familiar sheets of paper adorned with hearts and the overly recognizable flourish of Eastern script, Li Qingzhi couldn't help but be utterly bewildered.

"Aren't these the letters I wrote to you?"

"You... you've kept them all this time."

At this moment, Ludwig truly wished to drag his careless self out and flog himself a hundred times. "..."

An inexplicable silence spread between the two, one born of awkwardness and the other of confusion.

After a brief moment of silence, the dark-haired youth, seemingly oblivious to the awkward tension lingering in the air, picked up all the letters from the ground and, with a smile, lifted his eyes to meet Ludwig's gaze.

"I thought you had discarded them all."

But why enclose them all within this book?

The ever-proud blond youth was loath to admit that he had yet to decipher these Eastern characters. Primarily, the Eastern text books he managed to find contained only a limited selection of characters, and those were the most rudimentary ones at that. However, Li Qingzhi's letters frequently employed a myriad of characters and vocabulary terms that were conspicuously absent from basic texts. Though Ludwig devoted every spare moment to attempting translations based on his books, his efforts had thus far proved fruitless.

Thus, Ludwig, who still couldn't think of a suitable response, fell into another few seconds of silence. "..."

Meanwhile, Li Qingzhi, on the other side, suddenly understood something after glancing at the book titled 'Fundamentals of Eastern Characters' in his hand. "Ah, I see, you can't read what I've written!"

It was then that Li Qingzhi finally realized the situation in a daze.

After all, he usually relied on Language Charms for reading and communication, so he didn't encounter any language barriers. Over time, he had gradually forgotten that other Westerners couldn't understand what he wrote. Thus, when writing to Ludwig, he instinctively used characters only he could comprehend.

Furthermore, his master, Ling Shen, had only given him a single highest-tier Language Charm, which he had already used. Hence, there was no way for him to immediately make Ludwig understand the contents of the letter.

After some thought, Li Qingzhi suddenly remembered something and hastily fished out a thick exchange student handbook from his backpack. "Here, take this!"

"This was brought to me by my senior sister. Initially, she was worried about my language barriers, so she added many written translations on it. Perhaps it could be of assistance to you."

Upon hearing the words, the blonde youth quickly frowned slightly and shook his head, as if he didn't need the manual at all.

"Of course, I understand the meaning behind those letters."

Yet, Li Qingzhi couldn't help but laugh. "Really? Actually, I can recite these beliefs to you right now, so you won't have to search for each character."

Little did they expect that Ludwig's expression would change abruptly upon hearing his words, and he swiftly shook his head almost immediately. "No need! I've already told you, I can read it."

Yet, after finishing his words, the blond youth slightly lifted his chin, his tone still carrying a hint of pride that refused to fully subside.

"If you insist on leaving it here, I assure you, I won't glance at it."

At this moment, the blond teenager, on the surface, indeed appears to be completely indifferent.

Yet, upon seeing Ludwig's reaction, Li Qingzhi, who was well-acquainted with the prince's contrary nature, couldn't help but smile even more warmly. "Very well, I'll leave it here then."

At this moment, Ludwig gazed into Li Qingzhi's deer-like eyes, feeling somewhat disoriented by the gentle laughter in them. Just as Ludwig's heart stirred and he was about to say more, Butler Felix's voice softly echoed from outside the study door.

"Sir Ludwig, everything is in order."

Though Ludwig was loath to acknowledge it, Felix had indeed arrived at the nick of time, halting the situation from spiraling further into an uncontrollable state.

The blonde teenager let out a slight sigh of relief, and as the warmth on his cheeks began to subside, he nodded towards Felix, "Understood."

Only then could he look at Li Qingzhi with comparative ease and composure, as if nothing had just transpired between them.

"Let's go."

"I'll escort you to your room."

A few minutes later.

Li Qingzhi, following Ludwig deeper into the corridor, was led by the young man to halt at the doorway of one of the rooms.

"This is one of the larger rooms Felix has cleaned up. Take a look and see if it suits your needs. If not, he can show you the others."

Li Qingzhi said, "There's no need to look further, this one is excellent."

Ludwig nodded gently and was about to continue when he noticed the black-haired youth suddenly looking at him with curiosity.

"By the way, Ludwig, where is your chamber?"

Ludwig couldn't help but feel a twinge upon hearing this, but he still coughed lightly and asked, "My room is upstairs. What is it?"

To everyone's surprise, Li Qingzhi revealed an unmistakable look of disappointment. "Ah, I thought my room was right next to yours."

Fresh from the misadventure, Ludwig's nerves were still on edge. As his ears burned, he intuitively sensed Li Qingzhi's intentions and found himself instinctively "on guard" against this young oriental's every move.

"...Why do you insist on sleeping in the room next to mine? Isn't this one satisfactory?"

Only to see Li Qingzhi reply with a quick smile, "At a friend's home, it's always the most fun to sleep alongside a friend!"

"Sleep! In! The! Same! Bed!"

The moment those four words reached Ludwig's ears, they were deafening, instantly jolting the typically composed and indifferent Western youth, leaving him disoriented for a few seconds: "...?"

Ludwig could hardly believe his own ears.

If it weren't for the temporary absence of servants in this corridor, Ludwig might have felt he could leave immediately.

He had actually considered the possibility that Li Qingzhi might develop other feelings after tutoring at his home. After all, the Easterner had repeatedly expressed his affection so candidly; desiring further progress was only natural.

What Ludwig hadn't anticipated, however, was just how leapfrogging and audacious Qingzhi's steps would be!

It was as absurd as a newborn baby aspiring to learn flight before even attempting to walk – a direct jump from crawling to soaring!

Surely, you could take it step by step!

Ludwig's cheeks flushed hotly, and as he struggled to maintain his composure, he turned his head slightly, gritting his teeth in an attempt to make the audaciously amorous Eastern youth before him regain some sense of propriety and self-restraint.

"Residing in just one room is out of the question..."

Before he could finish speaking, the young man who had been looking at him with smiling eyes full of anticipation suddenly lowered his gaze, and his expression dimmed significantly.

"To think about it, back when I was on Mount Three Silent, my fellow disciples and I who were close would share a bedroom. It was a bit cramped, but we'd talk for hours upon hours every day."

"But now..." Li Qingzhi let out a sigh, his eyes revealing his undeniable disappointment. "It's been so long since I've had a conversation with someone before sleeping. I lived alone in Elmonte too. I truly miss those joyful nights of shared chatter."

"I've actually been quite looking forward to having a chat with you, Ludwig, under the moonlight, as we've never done that before..."

On the other side, Ludwig, observing the black-haired youth with his eyes slightly lowered in sorrow, couldn't help but see him as a pitiful, damp little puppy.

As the young man with blond hair looked at the scene before him, he clenched his teeth so tightly that they almost shattered: "Not this again!"

Yet soon, it became evident that Ludwig truly had no defenses against Li Qingzhi's forlorn expression and earnest gaze.

The blond youth suddenly turned around, his tone giving away no superfluous emotion. With his back now to Li Qingzhi, Ludwig's true expression at this moment was concealed from view.

"Let's go."

Ludwig's tone was calm and natural, though his ears had betrayed a subtle flush. "But let me make it clear, you must not overstep your bounds."

"School is tomorrow."

Upon receiving permission, Li Qingzhi nodded gleefully, not noticing the peculiar aura around Ludwig's ear. "Great!"

"I knew Ludwig would be the best!"

At that moment, Ludwig was exasperated but couldn't help the racing of his heart.

Sometimes, one truly couldn't tell if this Easterner was genuine or just acting. His pitiful and sincere demeanor always made even the coldest people unable to ignore him and left those skilled in refusal at a loss on how to turn him down.

As Li Qingzhi, having received permission, cheerfully went off to take a bath, Felix, the butler who knew they would be sharing a room that night, couldn't help but smile. "Young Master and your relationship is truly remarkable. Otherwise, he wouldn't allow anyone except the servants into his room."

Watching Li Qingzhi preparing to bathe, Felix took out a set of neatly folded clothes. "These are Young Master's pajamas. I apologize if they might not fit perfectly, but they've been washed. Would they do?"

Li Qingzhi, who disliked bothering others, quickly nodded. "It's alright, I can manage!"

Soon, Li Qingzhi entered the bathroom alone and luxuriated in the bathtub prepared by Felix. The faintly familiar scent of iris in the water involuntarily relaxed him.

However, as he got up to dress, looking at the size of the clothes, Li Qingzhi couldn't help but hesitate for a moment:

They seemed to be quite oversized indeed...

Ludwig was already significantly taller than him, and now it appeared that his shoulders were broader too. The pants even hung all the way to the ground.

After some contemplation, Li Qingzhi carefully rolled up the excess fabric on his sleeves and pant legs. Indeed, the outfit felt much more fitting now, though the collar was still rather loose. It would easily expose large patches of skin when he bent over, but Li Qingzhi didn't mind; as long as it didn't hinder his movements, he was content. After a few minor adjustments, he was unusually pleased with the result.

A few minutes later, Li Qingzhi made his way to Ludwig's room. Upon knocking, the door opened automatically before him.

Looking up, Li Qingzhi saw that Ludwig was already sitting on the bed, clearly having finished his bath. The silk pajamas he wore were indeed very similar to Li Qingzhi's makeshift attire.

As Li Qingzhi entered, the door behind him closed gently by itself.

Inside the room, Li Qingzhi offered Ludwig a smile. "I'll just sleep on the floor, don't worry about me."

Upon finishing, Li Qingzhi deftly reached for the satchel slung behind him, intent on retrieving the bedding he had brought from Elmont.

Yet on the other side, Ludwig was immersed in an eerie silence: "..."

Gazing at Li Qingzhi, freshly bathed, Ludwig couldn't help but be taken aback, noticing the sleepwear adorning the young man.

Why would Li Qingzhi be wearing my pajamas?

Shouldn't Felix have prepared a new set of pajamas for him two days ago?

The sight of the familiar pajamas he usually wore now adorning Li Qingzhi was too much for Ludwig to process, leaving him utterly stunned for a moment.

In his astonishment, Ludwig's gaze involuntarily wandered over Li Qingzhi's form.

It was evident that his pajamas were considerably roomy on the black-haired youth. Although the legs and cuffs had been rolled up, the loose-fitting top still hung loosely, barely staying in place. With the collar open, one could catch a glimpse of Li Qingzhi's delicate and smooth skin at his nape. Beneath the oversized garment, the slender waist of the young man remained subtly discernible.

At this moment, Li Qingzhi was bent over, searching for something, when his loose shirt began to slip up slightly, revealing a stretch of fair skin. To Ludwig's surprise, two dimples on either side of his waist became visibly clear.

In that fleeting moment of flushed cheeks, Ludwig couldn't help but recall the earlier instance when he had inadvertently held Li Qingzhi's waist, an experience accompanied by a strange sense of how naturally her waist fit in his hand. Now, it dawned on him that it must have been because his thumb had unknowingly nestled into those two dimples at her lower back, creating such a perfect alignment.

That indelible sensation resurfaced instantly in Ludwig's mind, stirring a tumultuous whirlwind of emotions. Amidst his efforts to suppress wandering thoughts, he found himself unable to divert his attention from Li Qingzhi at this moment. Gradually, he lost control of the urge to grasp her hands once more.

As Ludwig's gaze wandered, Li Qingzhi, who was rummaging through her treasure pouch for her bedding and unaware of the intensity of Ludwig's stare, struck up a casual conversation while searching.

"The water you use for bathing also carries a delightful scent. I wonder how it's prepared; it seems to have an aroma reminiscent of you, gentle and alluring."

At this moment, Li Qingzhi was exerting every ounce of strength to drag his heavy quilt out from the confines of his small yet jam-packed treasure pouch. Unbeknownst to him, his oversized clothing had become grotesquely disarranged in the process.

As she spoke, Li Qingzhi couldn't help but turn to Ludvig with a smile, her lovely deer-like eyes shimmering. "Do you know what I'm referring to? Back then, I always felt that there was a subtle yet pleasant floral scent about you. Haha, who would have thought that I'd end up smelling just like you today."

Observing Li Qingzhi's laborious efforts to prepare a makeshift bed on the floor, Ludwig's heart jolted intensely upon hearing his words. For an instant, his mind went blank.

In that sudden surge of accelerated heartbeat, Ludwig, with a blank mind, involuntarily blurted out,

"…You should sleep on the bed."

"The floor can be very cold."

Li Qingzhi, who was still rummaging through his belongings for bedding, blinked in surprise upon hearing this. "Huh? Is it really that cold?"

"I don't think it feels too bad."

Recalling how his sleeping posture had been criticized by his senior at Sanqing, Li Qingzhi couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed as he continued, "Besides, I have terrible sleeping habits. It might disturb your rest if we sleep together."

Ludwig quickly shook his head. "It will get very cold at night."

Seeing that Ludwig was actually willing to share a bed with him, Li Qingzhi didn't overthink it. After all, Ludwig had initiated the invitation, and he had previously slept in large communal bunks with his fellow disciples. Sharing a bed with just one other person felt quite spacious to him.

Moreover, deep down, Li Qingzhi genuinely wanted to sleep beside Ludwig.

After all, it's this kind of setting that fosters the intimacy of sharing stories by candlelight face to face!

And sharing a bed is a sign of a close relationship~ Ludwig agreeing to it now means that we have a great bond already~

With this thought, Li Qingzhi, feeling cheered, put down the disarrayed bedding he had been fiddling with. Relieved and anticipating, he ran over to Ludwig's bedside, "Then I won't hold back~"

Finishing his words, Li Qingzhi, with a mind free of any stray thoughts, happily burrowed into the blond teenager's covers.

Amidst several heartfelt marvels at the plushness of Ludwig's bed, Li Qingzhi, now unexpectedly sharing the silence with his uncharacteristically quiet friend, made a significant discovery shortly after lying down.

After a brief moment of silence, the voice of the young man from the East echoed again in the spacious room, filled with curiosity:

"Ah? Ludwig, why are you so warm?"