The Entire Harem has Transmigrated - Chapter 16

Ruan Qingqing couldn’t understand why Li Qianxuan had such a misunderstanding and felt compelled to explain.

“How did the Imperial Preceptor become my elder?” Ruan Qingqing muttered. “When I was little, my Master took care of me. Jiang Li just stood by the side. She never even hugged me when I cried. It wasn’t until Master left to roam the world that Jiang Li started teaching me, but by then I was already capable of taking care of myself. Besides, who would think of a beautiful older sister as their mother? By seniority, she’s my Senior Sister, and by her actions, she’s just another one of my Masters.”

Li Qianxuan rested her cheek in her hand, looking puzzled. “Why are you getting so worked up, Your Majesty?”

“I’m not worked up!” Ruan Qingqing retorted.

Li Qianxuan frowned, then suddenly asked anxiously, “You don’t… you don’t actually like Jiang Li, do you?”

Ruan Qingqing’s voice rose even louder. “I only have respect and reliance for the Imperial Preceptor! There are no impure thoughts!”

Li Qianxuan sighed in relief and smiled again. “I knew it! Jiang Li isn’t even our age. How could you possibly like her? Besides, she has no warmth at all—always cold and aloof, with no desires. And she wears that blindfold all the time. She’s utterly boring.”

Ruan Qingqing desperately wanted to say something but held back.

For some inexplicable reason, she recalled that fleeting glimpse from that night.

The woman still possessed a frost-kissed, snow-like beauty, her features exquisitely refined yet radiating an icy aloofness that kept others at arm’s length.

The only difference from her past life was her short hair, which made her appear even younger than before.

“Qingqing?” Li Qianxuan called out again.

Ruan Qingqing snapped out of her reverie. “Huh?”

Li Qianxuan asked, “So who do you like the most? The Empress?”

Ruan Qingqing replied earnestly, “Qiuqiu is wonderful, but she doesn’t have romantic feelings for me, and I don’t have romantic feelings for her either.”

Li Qianxuan couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Ruan Qingqing playfully punched her with a small fist. “What are you laughing at?”

Li Qianxuan shook her head, composing herself before saying, “Darling, how can you not have romantic feelings for anyone? Are you still… clueless?”

Ruan Qingqing settled deeper into her chair, swinging her legs. “I’m only nineteen. There’s no rush to ‘get it.'”

As she spoke, Ruan Qingqing avoided Li Qianxuan’s gaze. By the time she realized it, a warm hand had already settled on her head, gently stroking her hair.

Li Qianxuan had never been one for gentleness, yet her movements were now slow and deliberate, radiating an indescribable tenderness. A gentle breeze drifted through the open windows, carrying the rustling of leaves and her soft murmur into Ruan Qingqing’s ears.

Ruan Qingqing heard her say, “You need to grow up quickly.”

Grow up?

At that moment, the butler approached to announce that Qian Shengjin had awakened. Ruan Qingqing gathered her thoughts and prepared to leave.

Though not a celebrity, Li Qianxuan was a world champion and a well-known figure. Ruan Qingqing waited until she had put on her hat and mask before escorting her out.

Fortunately, Qian Shengjin paid no attention to this.

He had been unable to sleep properly for ten consecutive days, his body and mind teetering on the brink of collapse. Despite trying every remedy, nothing had worked—until now. Thanks to the talisman Ruan Qingqing had given him, he had finally enjoyed a rare, peaceful night’s sleep.

At that moment, Qian Shengjin’s trust in Ruan Qingqing reached its peak.

Ruan Qingqing maintained her air of profound wisdom, going through the motions of a ritual using the props Yu Yunfei’s assistant had purchased.

Li Qianxuan suppressed a smile as she watched Ruan Qingqing brandish the peachwood sword. When the sword’s tip touched the talisman paper, flickering flames erupted, giving her the air of a charlatan.

Suddenly, the flames extinguished, and an eerie wind swept through the room. Seeing Qian Shengjin trembling with fear, Ruan Qingqing dipped her fingertip in water and flicked it outward, making two ritualistic gestures.

The wind ceased, but Ruan Qingqing’s expression turned grave. She turned sharply, her voice cold and stern, and demanded, “Is there anyone born in the third month of the Jiaxu year who has been intimate with you?”

Qian Shengjin panicked, grabbing his butler and frantically asking if there was such a person. The butler replied, “Miss Bai was born in that month.”

Like a startled bird, Qian Shengjin seized the butler’s wrist, his nails digging into the man’s flesh. “Who?” he hissed.

The butler kept his head bowed, his expression unwavering, and answered calmly, “The actress you’ve been keeping, Miss Bai Qiaoying.”

Ruan Qingqing requested a photo of Bai Qiaoying. After examining it, she shook her head repeatedly. “Boss Qian, how could you be so foolish?”

Qian Shengjin bowed repeatedly, his face filled with terror. “Please enlighten me, Master!”

Ruan Qingqing clasped her hands behind her back and said, “The Essentials of the Five Elements states: ‘Metal must be forged to become a vessel. Yet if the metal is heavy and the fire light, the task is arduous; if the metal is light and the fire heavy, the metal will be consumed.’ Your fate carries the element of metal, but it remains unrefined. Miss Bai, however, possesses a destiny of blazing fire. Initially, your closeness will seem harmless, but over time, it will either weaken your body or, in the worst case, cost you your life!”

Qian Shengjin panicked completely. “Th-then what should I do?”

Ruan Qingqing sighed, her expression solemn. She cast a divination with copper coins before speaking again: “Was there a fire at Miss Bai’s residence recently?”

Qian Shengjin recalled the incident. “Yes, there was.”

Ruan Qingqing declared with righteous indignation, “Do you understand why? It’s because she’s been stealing your life force, fueling her fiery destiny. The backlash wouldn’t have come so quickly under normal circumstances, but the Master who performed the ritual for you passed away, and the protective formation at the Qian Family Old Residence has failed. The vengeful ghost Bai Xiulian’s resentment has surged, and she’s exploiting Miss Bai’s shared surname to establish a sinister connection, aiming to harm you and claim your life!”

“No wonder I felt even worse after Bai Qiaoying visited me yesterday,” Qian Shengjin said with a grimace. “Master, what should I do? You have to save me! Please, save me…”

“There is a way,” Ruan Qingqing replied. “From now on, follow my instructions exactly.”

That day, Qian Shengjin poured countless sums of money into Bai Qiaoying’s projects, but this time it wasn’t to promote her, but to completely blacklist her. Ruan Qingqing watched as he made call after call, transferring funds until she was satisfied everything was done. Only then did she raise her peachwood sword and declare she could begin the ritual. She instructed Li Qianxuan to stay while everyone else left the room.

Qian Shengjin naturally complied. But as soon as he was gone, Ruan Qingqing calmly sat down and peeled a banana for herself.

Li Qianxuan, sitting beside her, chuckled. “Was the fire on Bai Qiaoying’s film set really caused by what you said?”

Ruan Qingqing burst into laughter and handed her a banana. “You actually believe that?”

The real cause of the fire was the director smoking late at night and carelessly discarding a cigarette butt, which ignited flammable materials. The news had already reported it.

Li Qianxuan: “Then what about the ‘gold life’ and ‘fire life’ stuff?”

Ruan Qingqing chewed thoughtfully on another bite of banana before saying, “It was all a bluff. Almost nothing I told Qian Shengjin was true. But because I have genuine skills and had already earned his trust, he believed every word of my nonsense.”

As she spoke, her long eyelashes fluttered, her almond-shaped eyes sparkled, and her expression was pure and adorable. Li Qianxuan couldn’t resist pinching her cheek and calling her, “Little liar.”

Ruan Qingqing rubbed her cheek and insisted it was all for A-Yun’s sake.

Li Qianxuan felt a pang of jealousy. “Why are you so good to her?”

Ruan Qingqing replied matter-of-factly, “I’m not just good to her—I’m good to all of you. This time, someone was bullying A-Yun right in front of me, and I couldn’t stand by and watch. If anyone ever bullies you, Xiao Yu, or Qiuqiu, I’ll stand up for you too.”

Li Qianxuan didn’t doubt her sincerity; Ruan Qingqing had always acted this way.

Yet this impartial kindness only made Li Qianxuan feel even more bitter.

You could say Ruan Qingqing was a player, but she had only ever been genuinely kind to them, never once deceiving their feelings or even seeking anything in return.

Even when rejecting romantic advances, the Little Emperor was forthright, direct, and decisive.

Besides, she liked Ruan Qingqing, so she couldn’t blame her.

“If anyone’s to blame, it’s probably just the fact that you’re a girl,” Li Qianxuan said abruptly.

Ruan Qingqing looked at her, puzzled. Li Qianxuan raised an eyebrow. “Because I’m attracted to women.”

“Why are you suddenly bringing this up? You’re not still interested in me, are you?” Ruan Qingqing clutched herself defensively, asking with a hint of hurt, “Can’t we just be good sisters and friends?”

In truth, that would be wonderful.

If Li Qianxuan simply wanted to be Ruan Qingqing’s friend or sister, she would be truly happy.

But alas, her intentions were far from pure.

“Just teasing you,” Li Qianxuan said, patting Ruan Qingqing’s head, masking her true feelings with a radiant smile. “Master, how much longer do you plan to stay here?”

Ruan Qingqing relaxed, grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds, and split them with Li Qianxuan. “Conning people is exhausting too. I’ll rest a bit longer, and when I’m ready, I’ll leave.”

At the same moment, several cars pulled up to the entrance of the Qian Family Old Residence.

In the back seat of the lead car sat an elderly woman and a young girl. The woman was remarkably spry, her face glowing with vitality, while the girl possessed exquisite features and captivating peach blossom eyes that held not a trace of warmth.

“Jiang Li,” the old woman said, tapping her cane against the ground as she stepped out of the car and glanced sideways. “You’re nineteen now, aren’t you? Why dye your hair silver? Are you going through a rebellious phase?”

Jiang Li, supporting the old woman’s arm, stared straight ahead, her expression unchanging. “Grandma, it’s silver-gray.”

Her voice was light yet icy, radiating complete indifference from the moment she spoke. Grandma Jiang, infuriated, rapped her cane against the ground before sighing. “Fine, I don’t care what color you dye your hair. The ghost in this old residence has been suppressed for twenty-one years and is nearly dissipated. It should be easy to handle. Why don’t you try dealing with it today?”

“Are you joking?” Jiang Li’s thick lashes lowered, her eyes remaining downcast as she replied calmly, “I don’t know how to exorcise ghosts.”

Grandma Jiang gritted her teeth. “Can’t I teach you?”

Jiang Li’s response was equally resolute: “I can’t learn.”

Finally losing patience, Grandma Jiang raised her cane and struck Jiang Li. “Jiang Li, you are the heir to the Metaphysical Sect! One day, you will inherit my mantle. You can avoid it for now, but can you avoid it forever?”

Jiang Li allowed the blows to fall without flinching, her tone remaining cold. “I have no talent for this, nor any interest in it. As the leader of the Metaphysical Sect, you should understand better than anyone that many things in this world cannot be forced.”