After the guards left and emptied the training ground, only Xiaowei and Gu Lan were left in the vast space filled with training equipment. Gu Lan, who watched the guards leave the area, glanced back at the woman who was still hiding behind him, cleared his throat with a cough, and said, "Everyone left. You can relax now."
Xiaowei, nervously clutching onto her skirt and with her head lowered from embarrassment, sighed in relief. She raised her head, stepped aside from Gu Lan's shadow, and stood in front of him to face him.
After everyone left, a sudden awkward silence settled between the two. Xiaowei pursed her lips and awkwardly stared at Gu Lan. She wanted to thank him for supporting her earlier; however, expressing gratitude for his words seemed unnecessary as it was his subordinates who were making fun of her and him, after all.
She stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to do or say to keep the conversation going. Generally, whenever she confronted him, sharp words came out of her mouth easily without any hesitation. However, for some reason, today she couldn't even utter a word facing him.
Was it because they were alone in the vast training ground, or was she feeling shy and embarrassed from the teasing comments earlier? She wondered.
While Xiaowei was going through an inner turmoil and wondering what to say, Gu Lan took the initiative and said, "I brought you here because His Highness wanted me to train you for self-defense." He started, trying to get to work directly.
Gu Lan didn't look into her eyes; instead, he kept his gaze on the boundary wall of the training ground behind Xiaowei and continued, "Self-defense training needs strict physical training, which will be difficult in your state. Neither your clothes nor your physical condition is strong enough to handle the strenuous training." He said while looking at her petite weak stature.
"So, we won't be doing the physical self-defense training today." He stated.
For self-defense training, one needs to change into a training uniform for smooth, restraint-free movements and needs to exercise regularly to make the body physically strong before learning any self-defense movements.
Gu Lan frowned at her awkward posture and took a deep breath before standing behind her. He held her hand, attempting to adjust her posture.
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Xiaowei, confused by Gu Lan's sudden move to stand behind her, flinched in surprise at the unexpected intimacy. "What...what are you doing?" She asked nervously. He was standing close behind her, holding her hand that gripped the bow and arrow. The proximity made her ears turn crimson with embarrassment.
Gu Lan, nervous about her reaction, explained, "I wasn't doing anything. I was simply trying to adjust your posture. If you stand stiffly like that, you will get a cramp in your hand or legs."
Although he told her not to get nervous, he couldn't help but feel nervous himself. Their close proximity made his heart beat faster, and he noticed her crimson earlobes, causing him to shy away at her response as well.
He attempted to act as normal as possible, tapping her shoulders and instructing her, "Relax your shoulders. Also, hold the bow and arrow together like this. Close one eye, focus on the red circle in the center of the target board, and release the arrow when you're ready." Gu Lan provided instructions while helping her hold the bow and arrow, standing behind her and emphasizing the need to focus.
However, Xiaowei, frozen in place, couldn't focus at all. How could she concentrate when Gu Lan was standing so close behind her, holding the bow and arrow with her? Her back was against his sturdy chest, and she could feel the warmth of his body, causing her cheeks to blush. This was the closest she had ever been to a man intimately. How could she possibly focus on the target in this situation?
Gu Lan observed the girl standing there rigidly, seemingly dazed, and an unfamiliar smile appeared on his lips. Managing to control himself from smiling, he tried to be as strict and professional as possible. Holding her hand, he stretched the arrow against the string while encouraging her, then shouted, "Shoot!"
~Shoong~