Master, Please Help Me Break the Love Curse! - Chapter 25

Throughout the day, Shang Qianye remained in the mountain cave, engrossed in the books she had brought.

She hadn’t brought many—only twenty or thirty volumes—but aside from a few random romance novels, the rest were all related to Gu techniques. Following her usual reading habit, Shang Qianye marked passages with symptoms similar to those of the love gu, intending to show them to Luo Jiu upon her return.

She read until sunset.

The Heavenly Dao Brake was situated deep within the valley, where sunlight was already scarce. As the sun dipped westward, the cave grew even darker. Shang Qianye lit a lamp and continued reading for a while longer before deciding to prepare dinner.

Tonight, she simmered a pot of Eight Treasures Congee.

The congee simmered until it was soft, fragrant, and sweet, bubbling gently in the pot.

After making her final mark, Shang Qianye looked up and glanced outside the cave. The sky was completely dark, yet Luo Jiu still hadn’t returned.

Shang Qianye set down her book and rose to peer out the entrance.

Why isn’t Master back yet?

She felt like a young wife waiting for her lover to return, her eyes darting between the simmering pot and the crack in the cave wall, anxious not to miss Luo Jiu’s silhouette. Even after the fire beneath the pot had died out, there was still no sign of her.

Unable to sit still any longer, Shang Qianye grabbed a lantern and set out to search for Luo Jiu along the path.

The valley was protected by numerous barriers, so Shang Qianye wasn’t worried about Luo Jiu being in danger. However, her failure to return so late did raise concerns. She glanced at the deep, dark fissure and began to worry that Luo Jiu might have accidentally fallen in.

After walking for about the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, Shang Qianye spotted a faint, azure glow in the distance. As she drew closer, she realized it was Luo Jiu sitting beside the fissure, channeling her spiritual energy into the barrier to repair it.

Relieved to see Luo Jiu was unharmed, Shang Qianye slowed her pace and approached quietly.

Luo Jiu was so focused on repairing the barrier that she didn’t notice Shang Qianye’s approach until she was right beside her. She turned her head, her expression one of surprise.

“What are you doing here?”

Shang Qianye stopped, holding up the lantern. “It got dark, and Master hadn’t returned yet, so I came to look for you.”

Luo Jiu withdrew her spiritual energy, placed a hand on her knee, and stood up. “I’m usually here alone,” she explained. “I completely forgot you were waiting for me back at the cave.”

“Does Master usually repair the barrier this late?” Shang Qianye asked, stepping forward to support her.

“I usually sleep wherever I’m repairing things,” Luo Jiu said, accepting Shang Qianye’s support. “That way, I can get right back to work when I wake up. I’ve been doing this for so many years, it’s become a habit. It’s you being here that I’m not used to.”

Shang Qianye pressed her lips together. “I made congee tonight, Master. Please have some.”

When her hand brushed the back of Luo Jiu’s, she noticed how cold it was. This was likely due to overexertion of spiritual energy, leaving none to spare for warmth. The valley was already cold, bearable during the day with sunlight, but bitterly cold at night.

Without hesitation, Shang Qianye took Luo Jiu’s hand and began channeling her own spiritual energy into her, warming her body.

Luo Jiu froze for a moment, then didn’t resist.

“Let’s go, Master,” Shang Qianye murmured. “We should head back.”

As they walked back to the cave, Shang Qianye carried a lantern in one hand and held Luo Jiu’s hand with the other. Neither spoke. In the silent valley, the only sounds were the occasional hum from colliding fissures and the soft footsteps of the two women.

Warmed by Shang Qianye’s spiritual energy, Luo Jiu awkwardly turned her head away, yet couldn’t bring herself to release the other woman’s hand.

Whenever her spiritual energy was depleted, Luo Jiu would always feel cold, but she usually endured it on her own. After all, her spiritual energy would gradually recover on its own, and she’d be back to normal in an hour or two at most.

This was the first time someone had proactively helped her warm up after her spiritual energy was exhausted.

It felt… truly wonderful.

Luo Jiu couldn’t resist stealing glances at Shang Qianye. She realized that the little girl who used to be shorter than her knee now stood tall and graceful, even half a head taller than herself. Qianye was gentle, considerate, and thoughtful in everything she did.

The one I raised myself is the one I can trust.

“Master, we’re here.”

Just as Luo Jiu was lost in thought, they reached the cave entrance. Noticing the candlelight inside, Luo Jiu murmured an “Oh” and released Shang Qianye’s hand, stepping inside.

Shang Qianye rubbed her palms together, reluctantly watching Luo Jiu go. She sighed inwardly.

After hanging the lantern on the cave wall, Shang Qianye rolled up her sleeves and began serving the Eight Treasures Congee.

The congee had been simmered to perfection, its soft, sweet aroma filling the air. Paired with a side dish of pickled vegetables, it made for a truly delicious and comforting meal.

Luo Jiu picked up a strand of shredded radish with her chopsticks and took a bite. “How much did you bring with you?” she couldn’t help but ask. “It’s like you have everything!”

Shang Qianye stirred her porridge with a spoon, smiling as she said, “I didn’t bring much.”

You probably moved your entire house here, Luo Jiu thought, but she still accepted the bowl and spoon Shang Qianye offered and began to eat.

After they had eaten their fill, Shang Qianye dutifully started washing the dishes.

While washing up, she also prepared warm water for Luo Jiu to wash up, tending to her every need. By the time Luo Jiu was soaking her feet and yawning, she looked thoroughly exhausted.

When Shang Qianye returned from outside, she found Luo Jiu preparing to meditate for the night.

“Master,” Shang Qianye approached, bowing slightly. “This stone bed is too cold and hard. Would you like an extra blanket? I brought bedding and pillows.”

Luo Jiu glanced at her. “Why don’t you just move your whole house here?”

Shang Qianye chuckled.

In the end, Luo Jiu couldn’t refuse Shang Qianye’s kindness. Soft bedding was spread over the stone bed, making meditation much more comfortable.

Seeing Shang Qianye about to meditate on the nearby pile of straw after making the bed, Luo Jiu, even with her iron will, couldn’t bear to send her back. She quickly called out, “Hey!”

“You can rest on the stone bed tonight,” Luo Jiu said, turning her head away. “It’s big enough for both of us.”

Shang Qianye’s eyes widened in surprise. As she gazed at Luo Jiu’s flushed earlobe, she seemed to understand something. “Alright,” she said, her voice filled with delight. “Then thank you, Master.”

The next morning, Luo Jiu opened her eyes.

She was no longer lying on the cold stone bed but on soft, warm bedding, covered by a thick quilt. Behind her, Shang Qianye’s warm body pressed close, enveloping her in comforting heat.

The previous night, Luo Jiu had woken up shivering halfway through the night.

Perhaps she had exhausted too much spiritual energy during the day, as it hadn’t recovered even after several hours. Glancing at Shang Qianye, who was sleeping soundly on the inner side of the bed, she felt a surge of resentment.

Why should I freeze while meditating while this guy gets to sleep so comfortably under the covers?

Refusing to accept this, Luo Jiu crawled over, lifted the quilt, and slipped inside.

As a proper bed-warming maid, Shang Qianye’s bed was indeed warm. Luo Jiu’s icy hands and feet quickly warmed up, and she fell asleep without even realizing she had been pulled into an embrace.

Dawn had broken outside the cave, but Luo Jiu lingered in the warm bed, reluctant to get up.

She frowned, her eyes still closed. During her previous secluded cultivation periods, she had done nothing but work. Never had she experienced such comfort—plenty to eat and drink, a warm bed… If this continued, the Barrier, which she had planned to repair within seven days, would likely be delayed.

But… if every day could be like this, postponing it by a day or two wouldn’t be such a big deal.

It was mostly because Shang Qianye had been taking such good care of her.

Luo Jiu rolled over and lay flat, thinking she’d struggle for a bit before getting up. After all, work was never truly finished.

The moment she turned, Shang Qianye’s arm instinctively wrapped around her. She rested her head beside Luo Jiu’s pillow, her hand gently settling on her waist, pulling her slightly closer.

Luo Jiu didn’t resist, letting the woman pull her into her embrace.

Though the position was awkward, being held was undeniably warm. Just a little more sleep, Luo Jiu thought, then I’ll get up.

That “little more sleep” stretched until the sun was high in the sky.

When Luo Jiu finally opened her eyes and saw the sun blazing outside, she didn’t immediately react. But when she realized what time it was, she felt like the sky was about to fall.

See? You should never sleep in!

She looked around and found she was the only one left on the stone bed. Shang Qianye, who had been clinging to her this morning, had vanished from the cave.

Since she was already late, Luo Jiu took her time getting up. Her hair felt tangled from sleep. She glanced around, crossed her arms, and muttered, “She always has so much stuff prepared, but when I need a mirror, there’s never one around?”

Luo Jiu used to meditate to sleep, so her hair never got messy. Now that she had tossed and turned in bed, she would definitely need to redo her hairstyle.

Noticing the pastries left on the stone table, Luo Jiu guessed they were her breakfast. She sat down and began eating while waiting for Shang Qianye to return and fix her hair.

Before long, Shang Qianye entered, covered in dust.

“Oh, Master, you’re awake!” Shang Qianye brushed the dust off her sleeves and looked at Luo Jiu eating. “I thought you might want to sleep in a bit longer, so I didn’t wake you.”

Luo Jiu chewed on a mung bean pastry, eyeing Shang Qianye. “What were you doing, getting yourself so dirty? Did you fall into a hole?”

Shang Qianye smiled and walked over. “I just dug another cave nearby. That way, if Master suddenly wants a bath, you won’t have to get this place wet.”

Luo Jiu raised an eyebrow. My disciple must have been a mole in her past life, she thought. Why else would she love digging holes so much?

“Whatever,” Luo Jiu said, clapping the pastry crumbs off her hands. “Go wash your hands and fix my hair.”

Her commanding tone came so naturally, as if Shang Qianye were born to serve her.

Fortunately, Shang Qianye was delighted to comply. She quickly washed her hands and came over to comb Luo Jiu’s hair.

As if by magic, a bronze mirror and comb appeared from Shang Qianye’s pocket. Along with these, she produced colorful hair ribbons, pearl hairpins, hair oil, and fragrant powder—everything one could need.

Shang Qianye, now acting as Luo Jiu’s personal maid, first untied Luo Jiu’s hair ribbon. Then, she picked up a peachwood comb and began meticulously combing through Luo Jiu’s long, glossy black hair. Luo Jiu, meanwhile, curiously picked up a dark green hair ribbon and examined its intricate embroidered patterns with keen interest.

Noticing Luo Jiu’s actions, Shang Qianye asked curiously, “Does Master like this ribbon? If so, we can use it today.”

Luo Jiu casually placed the ribbon on the stone table and said indifferently, “It’s too flashy. I was just curious about the patterns. If I were making it, I’d at least add some talismanic runes.”

Shang Qianye reached out and picked up the dark green ribbon, gently tying it around Luo Jiu’s black hair. The pearl tassels at the ribbon’s ends cascaded through her hair, creating a particularly beautiful effect.

Touching the ends of Luo Jiu’s hair, Shang Qianye gazed at her with adoration. “Then… for my birthday in a few days, could Master give me a hair ribbon like this?”