In short, that supposedly foolproof plan had completely fallen through.
A rumor began to spread in the Wan Jian Sect about a certain junior brother Xu who had gone mad, loving to run around the mountains with Elder Qingyun's big dog. The dog was frightened to the point of foaming at the mouth, while he continued to wag his tongue around, resembling a wild man.
It was all rumors, all rumors!
Xu Ye sighed, feeling so cold that even his lungs were frozen, hurting and aching.
At this moment, he and Senior Sister Su sat together in the contemplation room of the interrogation hall, copying sword scriptures, without speaking to each other for a long time.
If she saw that scene, she would definitely think he was a fool.
As Xu Ye was lost in his thoughts, his gaze shifted away from the scriptures, sneakily glancing at Su Qinghan.
They sat facing each other at the wooden table, with lush spiritual plants in the middle. Although it was winter, the spiritual plants were still lush and green, their branches reaching out in all directions, conveniently blocking his view.
Annoying, so annoying, even the leaves were tormenting him.
Senior Sister Su was completely focused on copying, probably wouldn't look up to see him. Nervous, Xu Ye tentatively reached out his sinful right hand, pinching one of the leaves and tugging at it quietly.
The leaf fell, revealing a tiny gap. From his angle, he could see Su Qinghan's eyes.
She was actually very beautiful.
Quietly thinking to himself, there must be another reason why Su Qinghan didn't like to dress up.
He knew about Su Qinghan's past, born into a family of sword cultivators, all her relatives perished in the battle between immortals and demons, and she was adopted by their master at a young age.
Not good at socializing, single-mindedly focused on cultivation, but when strolling in Luancheng, she would briefly stop and linger at the jewelry stalls on the street, like any ordinary young girl.
Growing up in an environment like the Wan Jian Sect, perhaps no one had told her how to live beyond sword practice.
Through the gap in the leaves, Xu Ye gazed at those eyes that seemed as cold as ice and snow.
He was extremely nervous, fearing being discovered, his heart hanging in his throat, not daring to beat, trembling and huddling in the corner.
Suddenly, the candlelight in the room dimmed.
Su Qinghan's long lashes fluttered slightly, but in an instant, she unexpectedly raised her head.
A heart-pounding gaze met.
Her eyes were like blazing fire, burning away all his pretenses.
Xu Ye was at a loss, his brain racing, an unconscious phrase bursting out of his mouth, "Su, Su senior sister, look at this pot of spiritual plants, they are so beautiful ha-ha."
But Su Qinghan did not respond.
She must have realized that she was being watched.
The long-held secret, now laid bare before her without reservation. Heat spread from his cheek to his limbs, Xu Ye didn't know what to do, gripping his clothes tightly.
"This spiritual plant is a very precious Spirit-Infusing Grass."
Su Qinghan said, "Don't pull its leaves randomly."
He had indeed been scolded.
Xu Ye felt both fortunate and lost, unable to express the exact feeling in his heart. He could only respond softly, "Um... I'm sorry." Then silence filled the narrow, dim room, devoid of any sound. Suddenly, Xu Ye saw Su Qinghan rise and move the pot of Spirit-Infusing Grass to the other side of the table. With the wooden table now empty between them, there were no obstacles. Su Senior Sister's voice remained cold as Xu Ye vaguely heard her say, "If you want to see it, just look openly." Xu Ye stared at her blankly. The fiery blood boiled and bubbled, his gaze pierced through the table and landed on her outstretched right hand, revealing a hint of white as pure as snow under her sleeve. On the hand accustomed to holding a sword, she wore the white jade bracelet he had gifted to her. Incompatible yet strangely fitting, she actually wore it. Xu Ye was almost unable to resist grinning foolishly. "Su Senior Sister!" Like fireworks bursting uncontrollably, Xu Ye's mind was muddled, speaking without much thought, "When I saw this bracelet, I immediately thought of you. It's beautiful, just like Su Senior Sister." What on earth was he saying? Su Senior Sister's face clearly started to blush. Su Qinghan lowered her gaze and softly uttered, "Um." Xu Ye also lowered his head and suddenly asked, "During the New Year, does Su Senior Sister have any plans?" As expected, Su Qinghan responded with a simple "No." She had few friends, her only home being in the Wan Jian Sect, with no relatives to visit. "The winter in the capital city is beautiful." Awkwardly, Xu Ye stammered, hesitating, "It's... snow, firecrackers, and fireworks everywhere, very lively." The contemplation room lacked sunlight, with only a flickering candle. Xu Ye touched his flushed face and quietly asked her, "Su Senior Sister, would you like to go to the capital city with me during the New Year?" Waiting was excruciating, every moment felt prolonged. Fortunately, Su Qinghan didn't make him wait. Her clear voice echoed leisurely, and at that moment, with silence surrounding them and only the two of them left in the room, Xu Ye belatedly realized that Su Senior Sister's tone carried imperceptible helplessness and indulgence when speaking to him, a kind of indulgence reserved only for him. Like ice and snow melting, revealing a gentle new color, Su Qinghan replied, "Okay." Xu Ye couldn't help but start giggling foolishly.
As the dinner at the restaurant ended, the group from the Xuanxu Sword Sect returned to their sect late into the night. Ning Ning, not used to alcohol, felt slightly tipsy despite drinking sparingly; Pei Ji had shielded her from most of the alcohol and accompanied Ning Ning back to her courtyard, his steps equally unsteady. "Is this candy... a snake or a dragon?"
Ning Ning held a candy figure bought from the foot of the mountain, the alcohol dissipating in the cold wind, relieving her dizziness. "Yao Mountain Candle Dragon." Pei Ji adjusted the outer robe belonging to him on her, intentionally walking in the direction of the night wind to block the chilly breeze: "It's said to reside long on the Yao Mountain, eyes like torches, scales like jade, only those destined can see it—see that broken horn on its head, the distinct feature of the Yao Mountain Candle Dragon." Pei Ji always seemed to know everything. Because he often read books, spanning thousands of years of folklore and historical accounts, from the mundane to the canonical, nothing seemed beyond his knowledge. Sometimes, as she listened to him recount stories from all over, Ning Ning felt like the king in "One Thousand and One Nights," with a beloved always ready with endless tales to make her happy every night. Ning Ning laughed continuously, stuffing the candy figure into his mouth, hugging Pei Ji's right arm: "Hmm, we're amazing, Pei Ji." He didn't expect Ning Ning to suddenly throw herself at him, somewhat awkwardly taking a sharp breath, reluctantly murmuring, "I'm cold." The young girl beside him cuddled against his arm: "It's okay, I'm warm." The sweet candy woke Pei Ji up from his tipsy state. Soon, they arrived at Ning Ning's courtyard, nearing the farewell moment, she suddenly tugged at his sleeve. "Today is your birthday." Perhaps due to the alcohol, the lingering scent of alcohol shimmered in Ning Ning's eyes, overly moist, especially when she smiled, her eyes seemed to gleam.
