How come I was the one being targeted?

Chapter 5: A Tribute to the Legendary Cat Trainer Tingyun

As the sun set, the shadows of buildings and people became very long, covering the shops on the roadside. The merchants gradually put away their umbrellas and yawned deeply.

The sky transitioned from bright to a brilliant glow like a flame, and the twilight of the burned-out sun was replaced by deeper leaden clouds. However, it was not yet nightfall, and Changletian was still bustling with people, with tourists coming and going, and star ships entering the city like clouds and mud. It was not at all decadent like during the day, and it was full of prosperity.

It was a picturesque scene, but Tingyun had no intention of appreciating it, because in her eyes, there was something far more attractive than this scene.

Looking at Bai Jun's face changing from surprise, fear, hesitation, and finally to despair, such a rich change could be seen in one breath on his usually cold face, which made Tingyun chuckle in his heart, and even his fluffy fox ears trembled with joy.

Although she was very cute, Tingyun was a little dissatisfied with the fact that Bai Jun always looked so vigilant as if facing a flood or a beast when he saw her.

I just came back from a merchant group. I calculated the time perfectly and rushed to the road you must take to wait for you on your way home without even taking a break.

But these words must not be spoken out loud, at least they must be disguised as a perfect encounter.

"I hope you are well, benefactor." Tingyun, who was standing by the railing, took out a folding fan and said with a smile.

Bai Jun knew he couldn't escape, so he simply waved his hand resignedly and said, "It's Miss Tingyun. I didn't expect you to return with the Minghuo Merchant Group so soon."

"Oh? From what you said, benefactor, could it be that you are dissatisfied with my coming back too soon..."

"How is that possible? I'm so happy! I think this trip will be smooth sailing only thanks to Miss Tingyun's wisdom and eloquence."

Bai Jun naturally had no prejudice against Tingyun. It was probably because he had stayed in Yaoqing for some time that he now had an inexplicable fear of fox women.

Ting Yun smiled, and her folded fan slightly closed, her previous resentment vanished: "My benefactor's skill in speaking is inferior to mine, but..."

"only?"

"Well, it's just that considering the friendship between me and my benefactor, and the fact that the young lady is a little unfamiliar with me, isn't it?" Tingyun frowned slightly, her tone sounding a little troubled.

"Well, as long as you don't call me benefactor, I can call you anything you want." Bai Jungang said, then immediately realized the loophole in his words and quickly added: "Of course, the name must be within the range of common sense."

Unlike the popular "Qingyan", every time he heard Tingyun call him benefactor in a soft voice, he always felt a bit corny, as if someone was tickling his chin with a feather.

"That won't do. A benefactor is a benefactor. I will never forget Yao Qing's kindness. Fox people have always lived by trust. If I go unrequited in such a kindness, I will be unworthy of being the ferry envoy of the Tianbosi Merchant Corps." Tingyun half-covered his face with a fan, hiding his smile. His gentle brows rarely revealed a hint of determination.

The two looked at each other for a moment, and the match ended with Bai Jun's defeat.

He sighed helplessly. He was already used to this kind of result. "Forget it. It's up to you."

The smile on Tingyun's face became more and more charming, her pair of eyes as bright as water curved into crescents, and even her delicate and beautiful fox tail swayed behind her with her mood. For her, nothing could be more pleasant than occasionally letting Bai Jun suffer a loss on her part.

Bai Jun is like a proud but non-clingy little cat slave. If you just tease him with a cat teaser occasionally, he will definitely get tired of it after a long time. Therefore, the cattail that you use after teasing him is very important. If you can coax him according to his temperament, he will shed his cold appearance and reveal his soft and warm heart to you.

In other words, now is the time when Schizonepeta tenuifolia comes in handy.

"My benefactor, I brought you some gifts on this merchant group trip..."

Before Tingyun could finish her words, Bai Jun reached out to stop her: "Stop! It's always like this. I don't have room to store gifts at home anymore. And I've already stressed this many times before, so I definitely won't accept it this time!"

After saying that, he turned his head away from Tingyun, his attitude showing a very firm determination.

"You always say the same thing, benefactor. I anticipated this, so I sent someone to deliver it to your door. I think it's here by now." Tingyun still had a gentle smile on her face as she walked gracefully to Bai Jun's side.

"And don't worry, benefactor. I only brought you one or two gifts this time. They won't take up much space. Besides, if you think those gifts are cumbersome and useless, you can just pawn them off. I can just spend some money to get them back, right?"

As if he had imagined that scene, Tingyun lowered his eyes in a wronged manner and tapped Bai Jun's shoulder lightly with his fan.

Bai Jun scratched his cheek in annoyance. That was not his original intention. Those gifts were thoughtful gifts regardless of whether they were useful or not. To be honest, he actually liked these things very much.

It’s just that the gift Tingyun gave him was so precious that he didn’t know how to give back.

Those clear, emerald eyes seemed to always read Bai Jun's thoughts. Before he could speak, the exquisitely carved white jade fan rested against his lips. "Well, my benefactor, don't worry. If it really comes down to the value of a gift, I don't have anything that can compare to this fan you gave me."

This is not a flattering lie. In order to prevent dangers during travel, most traveling merchants will carry weapons for self-defense.

But Tingyun was an exception - at first she had no intention of equipping herself with weapons, but fortunately Bai Jun came to her aid with his sword in the incident with Yaoqing, otherwise she would have become a dead soul at the hands of Bu Liren. It was this incident that made her determined to carry weapons.

But what to use made her feel troubled: knives, spears, swords, halberds and the like were generally too rigid and strong, and could not be considered soft and elegant;

But if you use hidden weapons such as darts or silver needles, you will appear to be vicious and cruel, which is really not decent.

Just when she was at her wit's end, Bai Jun gave her a beautifully carved folding fan. He said at the time, "Miss Tingyun, as a ferry envoy, carrying a weapon would be detrimental to friendship and business. But if you were to use a fan, it would be elegant and graceful, showcasing your character and is worth using."

Since then, this fan with the words "Liu Jing" faintly engraved on the end has always been by his side.

Speaking of which, this folding fan has solved countless problems for her. If she really counts them, she probably will never be able to repay the favor she owes Bai Jun in this lifetime.

But it doesn’t matter. If he can’t pay it back, then he can’t pay it back. The worst that can happen is that I can just give myself to him.

"It's nothing precious. I just bought it from an apprentice." Bai Jun was stunned and quickly denied it while pinching his chin.

"Oh? Really?" Tingyun put the folded fan against his thin lips and stared at Bai Jun, as if he wanted to find out something from his face.

"Yeah." Bai Jun put his hands on his hips with confidence.

This is obviously nonsense. Even Master Gongshu couldn't produce such exquisite craftsmanship, so how could it be made by a little apprentice?

Of course, Tingyun had a way to respond to Bai Jun's clumsy words: "I appreciate the thought, but a thought is something you can't buy, you know?"

"Gu..." Bai Jun immediately looked away awkwardly like a deflated pufferfish.

The fiery afterglow of the sunset reflected on his fair face, and the warm yellow tones made the atmosphere between the two more ambiguous.

Perhaps others would not be able to figure out Bai Jun's personality, but it is much simpler for Miss Tingyun, who is well versed in petting cats.

After spending time with him, you will find that Bai Jun is the kind of person who, if you express your feelings to him in a roundabout way, he will heartlessly reject you in a roundabout way. But if you play it straight, he will look away with red ears.

Seeing his awkward expression, Tingyun's smiling eyes never left his face, and soon Bai Jun began to grumble in dissatisfaction:

"Why are you always staring at me?"

"Well, because I'm obsessed with looks, since you're so handsome, naturally I have to look at you more." Tingyun nodded as a matter of course, and then, as if remembering something, he smirked and moved closer to Bai Jun. "If you mind, I can imitate you and start looking from the legs up every time."

"No, no..." Bai Jun froze after being poked in the vitals, and he stammered and looked away.

He said no, but his cold expression and nervous demeanor seemed particularly incongruous, and inadvertently revealed some information.

Humph, Bai Jun, you are still interested in me!

Tingyun's smile widened. He took out two tickets and waved them gently in the air. "My benefactor, the Minghuo Chamber of Commerce happens to have a few left. They're about to expire if we don't use them. Please accompany me to the Xingcha Sea Center tonight."

"No......."

"Okay, benefactor, I've been traveling so hard. I heard that the streetball game is going to be held tonight, and the Fox Team will compete with the Immortal Boat Team for the championship. Just accompany me to relax." Tingyun poked Bai Jun's cheek with her slender fingers. Her movements were gentle but with a hint of anger. She abruptly cut off the words of rejection that were about to come out of Bai Jun's mouth.

It was not an invitation. From the very beginning, Ting Yun had no intention of leaving Bai Jun any room for maneuver. She wanted to use a series of actions to completely pull Bai Jun into her rhythm!

"If you're tired of watching, why don't we go to Chahai Wharf to watch the acrobatics and then listen to the fox drum and the fairy boat pendant at the end?"

"Yes, it's quite good..."

There was a hint of hesitation in Bai Jun's voice, and Tingyun was delighted. Although she was surprised at the smooth development of the situation, she still calmed down in time and hurriedly pursued the victory.

The air was filled with the fragrance of citrus, and the soft and warm body pressed against him without any hesitation. Bai Jun immediately felt his arms sinking into two balls of soft cotton. At the same time, a finely groomed plush fox tail quietly climbed up his waist. "Is that right? If you feel sleepy, we can still go to the Yichen Inn. I have a membership there~"

"Really?!" Bai Jun's throat moved slightly, and he looked at Tingyun with a little expectation: "Just, just go and accompany you to relax, is that enough..."

Tingyun suppressed a smile and swore solemnly, "Yes, I promise you! Just accompany me to relax. I will definitely book two rooms at the inn, not just one~"

Looking at the calm yet lingering affection in Tingyun's eyes, Bai Jun's eyes trembled and his lips moved slightly: "It sounds really good..."

"Yeah, yeah, so agree, hurry up and agree?"

Tingyun seemed like a witch who wanted to drag people into the endless abyss. She kept whispering in Bai Jun's ear to seduce him. Faced with such an offensive, she believed that Bai Jun had no reason to refuse.

But the next second...

Bai Jun's expression changed instantly. His initial hesitation disappeared, replaced by a rock-hard determination: "But I refuse!"

"W-what!?" Tingyun made an unbelievable sound.

"One of my favorite things in life is to say NO to those self-righteous guys!"

With an expressionless face, Bai Jun pushed away Tingyun's soft face that was pressed against him, and at the same time pulled away the big tail that was wrapped around his waist. His movements were as smooth and efficient as flowing water, and he turned around to escape.

The situation developed far beyond expectations, causing Tingyun to crash for a few seconds. However, thinking of the golden opportunity that was right before his eyes, if he let Bai Jun slip through his fingers, it would be difficult to find such an opportunity again.

Ting Yun's heart hardened, and she simply put on a delicate and aggrieved expression, with tears in her eyes. Her fingers gently grabbed the corner of Bai Jun's clothes, not letting him escape: "Don't ask for it, benefactor, just agree to it this time, just this once~"

On the surface, this seemed like a desperate struggle with many stupid moves. However, based on Tingyun's understanding of Bai Jun, he knew that as long as he acted coquettishly to Bai Jun, who was tough on the outside but soft on the inside, the effect would be unexpectedly high.

This is an open and aboveboard conspiracy, a plan within a plan!

As expected, the toughness just now disappeared. Bai Jun frowned slightly and rubbed the corner of his lips with his thumb, as if he was thinking about something.

Tingyun swallowed softly, looking at Bai Jun's hesitation with a hint of anticipation in her eyes. Just as she was about to try and persuade him to change his mind, Bai Jun suddenly widened his eyes, pointed behind Tingyun, and shouted in surprise, "We won! We're the Fox Champion!"

"Huh? Really!"

Ting Yun, who had always had 100% trust in Bai Junhua, turned around in surprise, wanting to see the team he had supported for so many years win the championship, but then he thought, the streetball game hasn't even started yet, how can the winner be determined?

Besides, although the fox people have keen senses and incredibly agile reactions, there is a clear gap in physical fitness between them and the immortal species like the Xianzhou people. There are only a few brave and powerful fox people. Unfortunately, the physical fitness of the fox people in Luofu belongs to the poor category. Over the years, the fox team has never defeated the Xianzhou team. How can they win easily?

Realizing that he had been deceived, Tingyun pouts and turns around in shame and anger, only to find that Bai Jun, who had been standing next to him, has disappeared without a trace.

"Eh? Where are the people..."

After a brief moment of confusion, Tingyun finally realized that he had escaped.

It’s hard! The clenched fist is hard!

Tingyun gritted his teeth angrily, but in the end he just sighed softly and said nothing.

Maybe I was too impatient and scared Bai Jun?

That's all, but I gained a lot from it, and I'll definitely be able to use it next time...

Although she said so, she still couldn't help pouting in grievance, stroking her newly bought hairpin, thinking about how she didn't get a single compliment for her carefully dressed up look. Tingyun lowered her eyes with crimson eyeshadow in discouragement.

Really, I guess he didn’t even notice his changes until the end?

However, a voice that came from nowhere suddenly reached her ears.

"That hairpin is pretty good. It suits you very well."

Hearing the gentle yet slightly embarrassed voice on the wind, Tingyun was startled at first. His rosy lips involuntarily curled up, a faint pink appeared on his fair face, and his soft fox ears drooped shyly: "Oh, it's always like this, but..."

Women dress to please themselves. Although she knew Bai Jun had already walked away, she still smiled, gently closed the exquisitely carved folding fan in her hand, and murmured in a voice that only she could hear:

"I just like this kind of benefactor."

ps: New author, new book, please collect, recommend, and vote for me. Your support is my greatest motivation~

Image: "She's so pretty", Location: "Images/1725373346-100414977-112063632.jpg"

Chapter 6: Solving the Problem of Madness with Classical Mechanics

High up in Changletian, Bai Jun leaned on the railing, supporting his cheek with his left hand, and watched Tingyun, who was below and hadn't noticed him, as a smile returned to his face. Only then did he slowly feel relieved.

"Oh, really, it's obvious that she's mad. Maybe she won't bother me next time."

Bai Jun curled his lips helplessly, and subconsciously touched the sword on his waist. This was a habit he had developed at some point. The cold touch of the hilt could help him calm down quickly, but after a while of groping, he found that he had touched nothing.

"and many more......"

Only then did he realize that he had skipped work, uh, no, he seemed to have forgotten to take the knife out of his cabinet when he got off work.

With an unhappy "tsk", Bai Jun temporarily gave up the idea of ​​going back and turned to walk towards the government office.

Under the governance of General Jing Yuan of the Divine Strategy, Luofu's public security level is considered outstanding compared to other ships of the Immortal Boat Alliance, at least compared to Yaoqing. It's not as ideal as having no one picking up things on the road and leaving doors unlocked at night, but Luofu's martial virtues are not as abundant as Yaoqing's. The people live and work in peace and contentment, and there are no perverts who would pop up to ask you for advice or to fight you in a life-and-death arena.

Most of the pedestrians you see walking on the streets of Luofu are ordinary people who are unarmed and there is no need for them to carry weapons.

Bai Jun was not a kid who liked to act cool by holding a knife. Maybe he had that idea before, but these thoughts of wielding a sword to speak out for justice and the rosy halo would often slowly fade away with the passage of time and the changes in reality, and those emotions had long since disappeared under the blows of reality and the pressure of age.

The reason I carry that knife with me is simply because it was a gift from a friend, and I don't want to let this kindness go unnoticed.

The sky began to darken gradually, and lights were already flickering in all directions of the cave.

The wind gently caresses people's cheeks, and in the green belts made of marble slabs on both sides of the road, one can faintly smell the fresh scent of soil and green grass sprouts.

While lazily walking on the way to the government office, Bai Jun had the absurd thought: "If I can rest during the day, it would feel good to be on duty at night?" However, this idea was quickly overturned by himself.

Am I really sick? Why would I think going to work is a good thing?

Shaking his head vigorously to get rid of this thought, Bai Jun silently quickened his pace, and soon saw the government office that made people love and hate it.

He pushed open the door with ease and saw Butler Songyan standing on tiptoe to get a book from the bookcase in the entrance hall. He caught sight of Bai Jun from the corner of his eye, and his eyes widened in surprise: "Huh? Qingyan, why are you back?"

"Come back to get something." Bai Jun walked forward and used his height advantage to help him take the unreachable book from the top shelf of the bookcase.

"Thank you, but it turns out you came back to get something. I thought you came to accompany me on night duty." Song Yan took the book handed to him by Bai Jun and said gratefully with a smile.