Chapter 36.2

The Mantis Stalking The Cicada (2)

“I’ll buy you a skirt. What color do you want?”

“What did you mean by what you said last night?”

The puppet on the window jumped up and down, dancing sword moves and clattering, but couldn’t reply.

After jumping for a while, the puppet suddenly stopped moving. Its round joints rotated once, and its limbs lay twisted on the window sill with silver threads as thin as a hair softly draped over its body.

The little puppet tilted its head to Lu Zhi Yao and looked straight at him with its small eyes.

“Boatman, how long until we arrive at the shore?”

Lu Zhi Yao tilted his head and “looked” over. The sun slanted across the wooden window hit his lips. Haloed with a light gold, his smile was gentle without any trace of hostility.

Many people present were compelled by this smile, and they loosened their hands which held swords.

The boatman had been speeding up to return to the shore. He paused for a moment, and his voice subconsciously softened a bit.

“We’ll be there soon.”

The boatman had been sailing for many years and rarely had he seen anyone as gentle as he was.

But he also remembered that he threw Miss Zhang off the boat with the same expression.

The boatman couldn’t help speeding up. It was Buddha’s blessing that these people didn’t fight on the boat. Once they were sent to the shore, it was none of his business anymore.

Several guards standing in the back row even leaned over to help him row the boat for fear that the person on the opposite side would suddenly attack them.

The boat slowly approached the shore, and the boatman’s eyes lit up with hope.

The guards took the cold-faced Zheng Mei off the boat and immediately pointed their swords to the painting boat, hearts beating fast.

Lu Zhi Yao held the hem of his robe and stepped onto the shore with his walking stick. The boatman left immediately after seeing everyone disembark, leaving only ripples to prove that he had been there.

Lu Zhi Yao smiled softly at the front and walked slowly. “The scenery I saw today was very good, and the lake breeze was also comfortable. What do you think?”

He learned this sentence in the teahouse. He didn’t know what the meaning of this sentence was, but people in the storybook said it after a lake tour. It must be a convention.

Zheng Mei’s nose turned crooked when she heard this. She twisted the water out of her hair, and her teeth chattered from the cold.

“Damn the lake tour, you murderer!”

“Is that so?” Lu Zhi Yao put the puppet into his arms indifferently. “I am also very happy.”

Lu Zhi Yao walked forward with his walking stick, seemingly oblivious to the dozens of swords in front of him.

“By the way.” Halfway through, he thought of something and said with a smile, “As for the reward after the lake tour, a piece of Xuan Iron from Zheng’s mansion would do.”

(TL/N: Xuan means black)

The so-called lake tour and invitation were no different from the reward orders hanging in the government here, and getting paid was a matter of course.

“You’re dreaming! It’s already good that I haven’t sent you to the official, how dare you covet my family’s Xuan Iron!”

The ten guards standing in front gave Zheng Mei courage,and she pushed back her wet hair and looked at Lu Zhi Yao arrogantly.

“That’s it.” Lu Zhi Yao was not annoyed and continued to walk forward, getting closer and closer to those sword tips. “Didn’t Li Ruo Shui tell you another thing?”

He drew out his soft sword, reached Zheng Mei effortlessly, curved his lips, and clutched her neck.

“It’s best to keep your word when you make a deal with me.”

Zheng Mei never thought that they would get so close in such a painful way.

The guards behind them wanted to step forward, but Zheng Mei was in his hands, so they didn’t dare to act rashly.

“Promise?”

Lu Zhi Yao held her patiently, enjoying her choking and pained voice.

This was the reason why he loved to choke people’s necks. He could slowly squeeze the pain into someone’s throat, let them suffocate, and make them plead.

And, it made him happy.

He didn’t feel this way when he strangled Li Ruo Shui last time. He thought something was wrong with him, but now it seemed that he was still fine.

Zheng Mei’s breathing gradually became heavy, and the sound from her throat was like a duck’s squawking. The broken intonation couldn’t spell out a complete word.

After enjoying it, his mood improved a lot. Lu Zhi Yao relaxed his grip and gave her room to breathe.

“Keep…I keep, promise…”

Zheng Mei hurriedly said these words. Her voice was hoarse. It was as if it had been sanded.

“Louder.” Lu Zhi Yao curved his lips, and his closed long eyelashes cast sparse shadows under his eyes.

Zheng Mei frowned and amplified her voice: “I will keep my promise, and I will give you the Xuan Iron!”

Lu Zhi Yao curled his eyes in a good mood and took out the puppet from his arms: “Answer me now…”

“Does it look good?”

“Looks good!” Zheng Mei said without hesitation, looking at that ugly puppet with anger.

Lu Zhi Yao nodded in satisfaction and let go of her completely. When he got up, he withdrew his sword, and put the puppet into his arms with a smile.

“I think it looks good too.”

He put the sword back into its sheath and held the walking stick: “I still have something to do, so I won’t kill people today. Can you get out of the way?”

The guards hesitated but gave way.

Anyway, they would be fired when they went back, so it was better to save their lives now.

Zheng Mei kept coughing, looking at the crowd with tears in her eyes. She was so angry, but she couldn’t do anything about it.

After all, she could tell that these people couldn’t beat him at all.

“Get the Xuan Iron ready, I’ll pick it up some day.” Lu Zhi Yao turned and left. His voice was like the spring breeze on the shore.

Zheng Mei grabbed her drenched dress and looked at his back angrily.

She wouldn’t let him go!