Fortune Across the World

Chapter 158: The Enchanting Dance of Long Silk (Part 1)

Upon hearing Ding Qiyu's teasing, Le Zhuyi felt a spark of annoyance. This rascal was only focused on pleasing her junior sisters and hadn't thought of her at all. She had put so much thought into preparing a gift for her! Though a small flame of irritation flickered within her, Le Zhuyi maintained her alluring demeanor, her eyes shimmering with a hidden fire as she stepped closer. Gently playing with the fabric of Ding Qiyu's collar, she looked up into her eyes and said, "So, Qiyu didn't prepare a gift for me?" Her voice was so soft and tender it could melt anyone's resolve, yet it wasn't overly sweet or cloying, laced with a hint of grievance that was hard to resist.

Ding Qiyu felt as if the fiery red floral mark on Le Zhuyi's forehead was burning brighter, her nervousness intensifying. She instinctively wanted to step back but found herself held in place by Le Zhuyi's swift grip on her collar. Realizing she had pushed her teasing too far, she quickly reassured, "No, no, how could I forget about Zhuyi? I prepared a gift for you long ago."

The small flame within Le Zhuyi was instantly extinguished, though she remained skeptical. "Really?"

Ding Qiyu nodded eagerly, "Of course, it's true. I'll show you right now." She hastily retreated to the safety of the house, away from the bewitching allure, and returned with a long box in hand. Handing it to Le Zhuyi, she said, "Here's your gift."

Le Zhuyi opened the wooden box to find a bamboo flute nestled inside. It was simply adorned with the words "Feather Falling on Light Ripples" and a few leaf-like engravings, yet the craftsmanship and sound holes spoke of the care that went into its making.

Ding Qiyu, unfamiliar with flutes, had spent considerable effort consulting many of the sisters in Qianli Palace, obtaining several flutes for study, and experimenting countless times to create this one, which boasted both exquisite appearance and sound.

"You've seen me play the flute casually before, haven't you? Why this gift?" Le Zhuyi asked, though her delight was evident in her voice despite her words.

Ding Qiyu smiled warmly, "Whether you're skilled or not doesn't matter. If you don't like playing it, it can serve as an ornament. Besides..." She twisted the flute's end counterclockwise, revealing a gleaming blade hidden within the flute body.

The bamboo flute doubled as a dagger, with the flute end serving as the handle and the flute body as the sheath. "It's also a small dagger. Having an extra weapon for self-defense is always good when traveling," Ding Qiyu explained, handing the flute and dagger to Le Zhuyi.

Le Zhuyi raised an eyebrow, clearly pleased with the thoughtful gift, though she joked, "Are you giving me this so I can end my suffering on Moonwatcher nights?"

Ding Qiyu laughed, "You wouldn't do that. Because you're Zhuyi." The strongest Zhuyi. Ding Qiyu believed that such a resilient girl would never give up on life easily.

Le Zhuyi met Ding Qiyu's gaze, remaining silent for a moment before a bright smile spread across her face. "Thank you. I love it," she said sincerely, carefully storing the precious gift. Without waiting for Ding Qiyu to respond, she added, "I have a gift for you too."

Surprised and delighted, Ding Qiyu asked, "Really?"

"Of course. Hand me your sword," Le Zhuyi instructed, her heart softened by the carpenter's endearing reaction.

Ding Qiyu quickly fetched her Wuchang Sword, presenting it to Le Zhuyi with both hands.

Le Zhuyi carefully removed the original black silk from the sword hilt and replaced it with a neatly folded red silk, embroidered with gold threads. She expertly wrapped it around the hilt, avoiding the mechanism triggers, and left two trailing ribbons at the end, adding a touch of elegance to the sword. Satisfied with her work, she admired the transformation.