After Transmigrating, I and the Female Lead Both Found It 'Really Fragrant' (GL) - Chapter 37

“Junior Sisters!”

When Zhao Ke rushed over, he saw this scene: Shen Qiqi and Liu Shuang were standing on either side, backs to each other, neither looking at the other.

He opened his mouth and was about to ask Liu Shuang, but when he saw her standing there quietly, her figure as bright and clear as the moon in the sky, her side profile cold and indifferent, as if she had lost all her emotions without Shen Qiqi, he couldn’t give others even a little bit.

Noticing his gaze, Liu Shuang glanced at him, the coldness in her eyes as sharp as a frost sword.

Zhao Ke swallowed his words and turned to Shen Qiqi.

“Junior Sister!”

Shen Qiqi on the other side stared blankly at the place where the black mist had dissipated, her expression lost.

Hearing this, she turned to him and said hoarsely, “Senior Brother Zhao.”

Zhao Ke looked at her face and was startled, “You… have you been crying?”

Shen Qiqi’s face was as pale as paper, but her eyes were a fragile red. She shook her head and rubbed her face a few times, forcing a failed smile, “Senior Brother, how are you? Are you hurt?”

“No,” Zhao Ke said, “But the two of you, are you alright?” After saying that, he quietly glanced at Liu Shuang ahead.

Shen Qiqi didn’t answer directly, “Senior Brother, don’t worry about me and Senior Sister… that Mirage Turtle is dead.”

Zhao Ke nodded, hesitated for a moment and asked, “Then the black mist just now was…”

Shen Qiqi lied again with the reason she had used before, with a calm expression, “It’s my protective artifact.” This black mist definitely didn’t want to harm her, but came to help her, but the owner of the mist was reluctant to show up, probably for some unspeakable reason. Now that she was concealing their existence, she could erase a lot of unnecessary suspicion.

Seeing her expression as usual, Zhao Ke didn’t insist too much, so he took out a clean handkerchief from his sleeve and wanted to help her wipe her face.

As soon as he reached out, he felt a sudden sharp gaze from behind, like a thorn in his back.

Zhao Ke shivered and quickly stuffed the handkerchief into Shen Qiqi’s bosom, “Junior Sister, wipe your eyes!”

Shen Qiqi thanked him obediently, wiped the dust and tears off her face, and then held the handkerchief and hesitated, “Senior Brother, this… should I wash it clean and return it to you?”

Zhao Ke trembled, trying to reduce his sense of presence, and said in a low voice, “No, no, just keep the handkerchief, Junior Sister.”

Shen Qiqi didn’t insist anymore and casually put the handkerchief in her pocket.

After the Mirage Turtle died, only a mountain of ashes remained on the spot, which was scattered by the passing wind, like grains of gray snow under the bright light.

The two walked to the pile of ashes and, among the mixture of dust and ashes, saw a round object embedded deep in the ashes, faintly glowing.

Zhao Ke peeled away a little bit of the ashes with a spell, and the object gradually revealed its original appearance: a perfectly round pearl, about the size of a palm, with a light golden color, emitting a lustrous glow.

He held his breath and murmured, “This is the inner core of the mirage turtle!”

“The inner core of a Nascent Soul stage spirit beast…”

Shen Qiqi’s pupils turned a light amber color under the glow, she bit her lip and looked at Zhao Ke, “Senior Brother Zhao, can you give me this inner core first? I need it urgently…”

Zhao Ke said cheerfully, “Of course!” and handed it to her.

“Thank you! Thank you, Senior Brother!” Shen Qiqi thanked him repeatedly, overjoyed, holding it in her hands and examining it for a long time, before carefully putting it into her storage bag.

This inner core was perfect for curing the strange poison on Senior Sister’s face.

Thinking of Liu Shuang, she couldn’t help but turn her head to look. That clear and beautiful figure was standing not far away.

After the quarrel just now, Liu Shuang didn’t look at her anymore, nor did she talk to her again. The two of them just stood there in silence until Zhao Ke appeared.

I don’t know how long this cold war would last, Shen Qiqi lowered her head, her expression gloomy, and her heart was filled with resentment.

Seeing the gloomy atmosphere, Zhao Ke suggested, “Junior Sisters, why don’t we continue walking forward?”

Naturally, both of them had no objections.

But the following journey was beyond his imagination, it could even be described as painful.

The two junior sisters stood on each side, one on the left and the other on the right, their faces gloomy, as if a chasm separated them, with him as the axis. One was taciturn, the other preoccupied, and neither was willing to yield first.

The atmosphere along the way was so tense it could be wrung out. And every time he spoke to Shen Qiqi, a swift glance would pierce him from the side, making Zhao Ke break out in a cold sweat.

Zhao Ke felt utterly helpless: I’m shouldering all the burden.jpg

Continuing along the distant brown mountains, the sun began to set, still baking the ground fiercely. Shen Qiqi had finished another ice pop and was still in a very bad mood. Without Liu Shuang’s cool aura, she soon became sweaty and miserable.

Zhao Ke suddenly realized something, his eyes widened, and he whispered to Shen Qiqi, “Are the two junior sisters… quarreling?”

Shen Qiqi: “…Senior Brother, your reaction time is too slow.”

Zhao Ke was puzzled: “What arc?”

Shen Qiqi rubbed her forehead: “Nothing.”

They didn’t know how long they had walked, but the sun gradually moved behind the mountains, and the deep blue sky turned a shade of red, revealing the arrival of evening.

Shen Qiqi was startled, “How did time pass so quickly?”

Liu Shuang, who had been silent all this time, suddenly said, “Time flows differently inside and outside, perhaps the flow of time within the Nightmare Realm is faster than the outside world.”

Shen Qiqi’s ears turned red, and she couldn’t help but steal a glance at her, meeting Liu Shuang’s dark gaze and seemed to contain thousands of words.

Her heart pounded, and she nervously looked away.

Liu Shuang sighed silently.

The sun set in the west, and the deep blue sky was gradually replaced by pure black, like a boundless black curtain dotted with a few bright stars.

Just then, she saw a light burning not far away.

Shen Qiqi couldn’t help but wonder if she had seen it wrong, and exclaimed, “Senior Brother Zhao, did you see the light?”

Zhao Ke replied in a daze, “I saw it too!”

The three of them immediately quickened their pace and ran towards the light.

Upon closer inspection, Shen Qiqi was even more shocked. The light was not the campfire she had imagined, but was lit from a room. Through the window, the light was hazy.

There were actually many houses here, unlike the ancient buildings she had seen before, the houses here were all built with dry sandstone, and the styles of the houses were very peculiar, and the surface of the houses seemed to be painted with a special plant dye, turning a dark green.

Shen Qiqi stopped in front of a house, looked at the other houses on either side of the sandstone path, and said with certainty, “This is a small village.”

Zhao Ke said happily, “Perfect, we can rest here!” He walked to a door, cleared his throat, and knocked on the door with his knuckles, “Is anyone home? We are cultivators from the Qingli Sect, and we would like to stay here for the night!”

After knocking several times, no one answered.

Zhao Ke looked puzzled, “There’s clearly a light on inside, did everyone fall asleep?” He changed to another house, but still no one answered.

Shen Qiqi was startled and walked to the door opposite, and did the same.

“Is anyone home?” She shouted a few times, then put her ear to the door and listened for a long time, but there was no sound from inside, not even footsteps.

Shen Qiqi’s hair stood on end.

All the lights in these houses were on, but the doors were tightly shut, and no one answered.

Liu Shuang’s eyes narrowed, “Break down the door.” Without hesitation, she struck the door in front of her with a palm.

Amidst the flying debris, the room was empty, the bed was neatly made and clean as if no one had ever lived in it, and the oil lamp on the table was blown by the wind and shook a few times before suddenly going out.

Why was there no one living here, but the lights were on and the door was locked?

In the pitch black, Shen Qiqi instantly got goosebumps and subconsciously grabbed Liu Shuang’s sleeve, “Oh my god!”

Liu Shuang turned her head and glanced back, blocking her behind her without a trace.

Zhao Ke was also shocked, “Junior Sister Liu, aren’t you being a bit reckless?” When he saw the scene inside the room, his expression changed as well.

Shen Qiqi didn’t dare to raise her head and whispered, “Should we try opening the other doors?”

“Let me try.” Zhao Ke nodded and walked to a tightly closed door, chanting an incantation and striking out with his palm. He opened the door in a more elegant way, not simply smashing it like Liu Shuang, but using a talisman to shake the door open.

The door creaked open, making a long, ear-piercing screech.

Still no one.

“…We shouldn’t stay here for long, let’s go.” Shen Qiqi suggested earnestly. Facing so many empty houses, she had already seen the huge flag raised at the beginning of a horror movie.

Zhao Ke hesitated for a moment, then said, “But it’s already night, if we leave here, we probably won’t find another place to rest.” If they randomly stayed in the wilderness and encountered a spirit beast at night, they might only find their remains the next morning.

Just then, Liu Shuang said, “Let’s stay here tonight.”

Shen Qiqi looked at her and blinked.

“Set up some prohibitions on the door to prevent other monsters from entering,” Liu Shuang said softly, “It will be fine.”

Shen Qiqi gently loosened her grip on her sleeve and murmured, “…Okay.”

As soon as Senior Sister made a move, she felt an incomparable sense of security.

She thought, she’s only at the Qi Condensation stage, it shouldn’t be like this!

••••

That night, a white figure walked into Zhao Ke’s room.

Zhao Ke was originally sitting at the table, reading by lamplight, when he looked up in surprise at the visitor, “Junior Sister Liu?”

Liu Shuang nodded slightly to him and gently placed something on the table.

A fragrant aroma filled his nose, Zhao Ke was startled—it was a bowl of steaming wontons, crystal clear, with thin skin and tender filling, making his mouth water.

He scratched his head and said puzzled, “Thank you, Junior Sister Liu, but I’m not hungry…”

Liu Shuang pursed her lips, “…It’s not for you.”

Zhao Ke was stunned, then a sudden realization dawned on him, and he laughed, “I see, it’s for Junior Sister, right?”

Liu Shuang lowered her eyes, neither confirming nor denying it.

“If that’s the case, why don’t you take it to her room…”

Liu Shuang looked away, her voice cold, “You go take it to her.” After hesitating for a moment, she added, “Don’t say I made it.”

Zhao Ke sighed helplessly, “…Junior Sister Liu, if you personally took it to her, she would definitely be overjoyed.”

“No need.” Liu Shuang’s eyes flickered, “…She definitely doesn’t want to see me.”

No matter how much Zhao Ke persuaded her, she remained unmoved, so he had to take the wontons and enter Shen Qiqi’s room himself.

Shen Qiqi hadn’t gone to sleep yet and was lying on the bed reading a colorful folk storybook.

Just then, there was a knock on the door, and Zhao Ke’s voice came from outside, “Junior Sister!”

“Senior Brother Zhao?” Shen Qiqi was startled, sat up, and replied, “Is something the matter?”

“I brought you some late-night snacks.”

Late-night snacks!

Shen Qiqi was immediately hungry, her stomach growled, and she was about to open the door to welcome him, but suddenly became alert.

She walked to the door and said softly, “You have to answer the password I said before you can come in!”

“Password…?” Zhao Ke’s voice sounded extremely confused through the door, “What password?”

Shen Qiqi was satisfied, “That’s enough, come in.” The password was that there was no password!

Zhao Ke came in, holding a porcelain bowl. The steaming wontons were placed on the table.

Shen Qiqi’s eyes lit up, “Senior Brother Zhao, can you cook?”

Zhao Ke smiled, “Hahaha, yes!”

Shen Qiqi looked at his expression and narrowed her eyes, “…Did Senior Brother make this himself?”

Zhao Ke paused and nodded like a chicken pecking at rice.

Shen Qiqi looked at him for a long time and sighed, “Senior Brother Zhao, you really can’t lie.”

Zhao Ke was speechless.

Shen Qiqi lowered her head and looked at the clear soup in the bowl, “Senior Sister gave this to me, right?”

Second update, thank you all very much QVQ

T/N: Shen Qiqi is so lucky! Where can I find my Liu Shuang? 😭