The Sickly Beauty and Her Guide Leopard - Chapter 29

Jian Li blurted out, “Then why are you keeping it? We should plant a new one. By summer, we could be eating big, juicy peaches!”

Yan Qingshuang asked, “Do you like peaches?”

Jian Li imagined the peach blossoms in full bloom in March and exclaimed excitedly, “Of course! I love all seasonal fruits!”

Yan Qingshuang hummed in acknowledgment.

Jian Li circled the tree, its bark dull and lifeless. It was indeed beyond saving.

She stomped on the compacted earth, picturing the peach blossoms in March, and said excitedly, “Once we plant a new tree, I’ll brew peach blossom wine here and bury it!”

Trees nourished by the spiritual spring would surely produce flowers and fruit a hundred times more delicious than anything from modern times.

Jian Li was getting lost in her fantasy of becoming a little farmer.

Yan Qingshuang poked her furry ear. “Can you even drink?”

Jian Li had never tasted alcohol, but the idea sounded wonderful. She settled down, her voice rising with confidence. “Don’t worry, I can drink a thousand cups without getting drunk!”

Yan Qingshuang replied, “Hmm, I’m not as strong as you.”

Does Yan Qingshuang not drink? Jian Li let out a meaningful “Oh,” then asked, “Have you ever been drunk?”

Yan Qingshuang teased, “Do you want to see me drunk?”

Jian Li’s eyes widened, shining with unusual clarity in the night. “Really?”

Yan Qingshuang remained silent, opening her arms to draw Jian Li into her embrace. “Go back to sleep.”

Just before drifting off, Jian Li remembered why she had asked Yan Qingshuang to bring her here in the first place. She patted Yan Qingshuang’s cheek. “You left me a peach blossom this morning.”

Yan Qingshuang, cradling the warm body close, nuzzled her face against Jian Li’s paw. “Mm, did you like it?”

“I liked it, but where did you get it? This peach tree hasn’t bloomed in ages.”

Yan Qingshuang walked into the room and placed her Bamboo Staff by the bedside, within easy reach for the morning. “I won’t tell you.”

Jian Li refused to give up. “Why are you being so mysterious? Did you pick it from another mountain? Wait, it’s autumn everywhere else too.”

Yan Qingshuang replied, “Why must we always seek answers? Simple affection is the rarest thing in this world.”

This sudden philosophical turn left Jian Li puzzled. She didn’t understand Yan Qingshuang, but she respected her—after all, Yan Qingshuang herself was a bundle of mysteries.

Remembering Zhang Yuan’s task of caring for the Little Raccoon, Jian Li raised her paw earnestly. “I have something to do tomorrow. Zhang Yuan wants me to play with a Spiritual Beast. Three hundred Spirit Stones!”

Yan Qingshuang had never heard of Senior Sister Zhang having a Contracted Spiritual Beast. “When are you going?” she asked.

“After lunch,” Jian Li replied.

“Alright,” Yan Qingshuang said, beginning to undress, leaving only a thin layer of clothing as she prepared to wash up.

Jian Li rolled over in the blankets, propping her chin on her paw. “You look so beautiful today,” she teased. “If I were human, I might try to get handsy with you. Ah, did anyone try to flirt with you at Sect Master Peak?”

Yan Qingshuang froze at the words, a strange, sensual image flashing through her mind: the girl’s pure face uttering such provocative words.

“No one touched me,” she replied casually, her back turned to Jian Li. “Don’t you have a Form Transformation Pill?”

Jian Li yawned. “What’s the point? A human form that only lasts a day is useless.”

“Go take a bath. I’m sleeping until noon. Don’t wake me.”

“Okay,” Yan Qingshuang replied.

The next day, Jian Li woke up at noon as she’d hoped, drawn by the aroma of food and an unfamiliar scent she couldn’t quite place.

“Little Shuang, where are you?” she called out.

Yan Qingshuang’s voice drifted from the kitchen. A moment later, Jian Li sensed another presence behind her.

Jian Li, her paws padding softly, approached Yan Qingshuang. With a sudden burst of energy, she leaped in front of Yan Qingshuang, waving her claws menacingly.

“Boo!”

Yan Qingshuang reached out and patted Jian Li’s head. “You’re awake.”

Jian Li darted to the side, dodging Yan Qingshuang’s hand, and puffed out her cheeks in mock displeasure. “Why aren’t you scared of me?”

Yan Qingshuang hummed in understanding, straightened up, turned, and picked up a pastry with exaggerated solemnity. “Let’s try again. I promise to scream for help this time.”

She’s treating me like a three-year-old! Jian Li couldn’t help but laugh. “Alright, you can be so adorably silly sometimes.”

Yan Qingshuang: “You’re even more adorable.”

Jian Li couldn’t withstand Yan Qingshuang’s strange flattery. She grabbed Yan Qingshuang’s arm and tugged her down. “What are you cooking? It smells amazing! I woke up because of the aroma.”

Yan Qingshuang pinched a piece of Spirit Milk Cake and held it to Jian Li’s lips. “Soft cake made with spirit milk. Try it.”

The rich, milky fragrance filled the air. Jian Li sniffed it appreciatively before taking a bite. The cake melted instantly in her mouth, its flavor indescribable—sweet but not cloying.

“This is heavenly! The most delicious thing I’ve ever tasted! You should try some too,” Jian Li exclaimed.

Yan Qingshuang: “I want to eat the one in your hand.”

“Ah, this…” Jian Li glanced at the remaining third of the cake in her palm, thinking Yan Qingshuang was being a bit stingy—and perhaps a little unhygienic.

Hesitantly, she offered the pastry to Yan Qingshuang. “Here, eat this.”

Yan Qingshuang took a delicate bite. “Xiao Li’s are the best.”

Jian Li’s heart fluttered inexplicably. Yan Qingshuang’s violet-smoky eyes shimmered like spring water, warm and luminous. Her every smile and glance carried the same fresh, unfamiliar scent she’d had upon waking.

Flustered, Jian Li blurted out, “This whole plate… are they different flavors? Did you save the best one for me? Little Shuang, you’re so kind! Ha ha ha!”

Yan Qingshuang flicked her ear and gathered the dishes. “Come eat,” she said, leaving the kitchen.

“Okay,” Jian Li replied, watching the scattered flour on the stove and the lingering cooking smoke. Trailing behind Yan Qingshuang, she voiced her curiosity: “Little Shuang, where do you get the ingredients every day?”

“There’s a town and farmland at the foot of Jianxing Peak,” Yan Qingshuang explained. “After the tenants pay their monthly dues to the Sect, they sell the surplus crops at the market.”

Jian Li gnawed on a tender, braised pig trotter. “Why didn’t we see the town when we returned from Zhao Yu’s place last time?”

“The Elephant Beast teleported us directly to the Sect gates,” Yan Qingshuang replied. “You wouldn’t have seen it.”

“Don’t eat so fast. Slow down.”

“Okay,” Jian Li said, her eyes lighting up. “I want to visit the Foothill Town! What’s fun to do there?”

“I’m sorry,” Yan Qingshuang replied. “I’ve only been there on missions.”

The unspoken implication was clear: she’d never been there for leisure. Jian Li bluntly called Yan Qingshuang dull and boring, criticizing her for running missions for He Guhua—a thankless and exhausting endeavor.

After her rant, she added, “How have you survived all these years? Your childhood must have been utterly joyless.”

Yan Qingshuang remained silent.

Jian Li knew her words had struck Yan Qingshuang’s most vulnerable spot. In her momentary outburst, she’d forgotten Yan Qingshuang’s precarious position within the Sect.

For twenty-six years, Yan Qingshuang had endured constant criticism and scorn, forcing herself to grow stronger amidst the abuse.

A sharp ache rose in Jian Li’s throat, and she couldn’t hold back her tears.

Large teardrops landed between Yan Qingshuang’s fingers as she held her chopsticks. Startled, Yan Qingshuang set down her utensils. “Xiao Li, don’t cry. What’s wrong?”

Jian Li wiped her tear-streaked face. “I’m crying for you, not because of you. Just ignore me.”

Yan Qingshuang chuckled softly, gently moving Jian Li’s hand away so she could see her tearful face. “If you’re crying for me, it has everything to do with me.”

Jian Li sobbed harder, her voice choked with tears. “I said terrible things in the heat of the moment—that no one cares about you, that no one loves you. I’m sorry. Please don’t be upset.”

If she gets upset, my favor points will drop again, Jian Li thought frantically. I don’t want Yan Qingshuang to whip me or use those weird torture devices on my butt.

“If what you say is true, why would I be unhappy?” Yan Qingshuang replied. “I’ve already told you about losing both my parents. My mother…”

Jian Li cut her off, pressing her paw pad against Yan Qingshuang’s mouth. The word “matricide” was too horrifying, too ominous to utter. “As long as you’re not unhappy, that’s all that matters.”

“Mm, it’s so salty,” Yan Qingshuang murmured.

Confused, Jian Li noticed her paw pad was soaked with glistening tears. Suddenly, she didn’t feel so sad anymore. Instead, she pressed the paw pad firmly against Yan Qingshuang’s lips.

“Little Shuang, you’ll have to endure the saltiness.”

Yan Qingshuang activated her Spiritual Sense, her gaze piercing Jian Li’s watery blue eyes. She pressed a finger against Jian Li’s lips. “What about mine?”

Jian Li found herself mesmerized by Yan Qingshuang’s intense, smoky purple eyes.

Her hand unconsciously lowered, as if bewitched. She extended her tongue and licked Yan Qingshuang’s soft fingertip, then bluntly declared her verdict: “Cool, no taste, like an ice pop. Delicious.”

Yan Qingshuang’s eyes flickered. She lowered her gaze, turning her flushed cheek away, though her fingertip remained pressed against Jian Li’s lips.

Having tasted the sweetness, Jian Li licked twice more before simply biting down on the finger.

The soft skin rubbed between her teeth, and she glimpsed Yan Qingshuang’s earlobe peeking through a gap in her hair—red as dripping bl00d.

“Little Shuang…” Jian Li’s throat tightened. She released the finger. “I, um, I’ve had enough. It’s not salty at all.”

Yan Qingshuang took a deep breath and withdrew her finger.

Jian Li watched as the glistening saliva slid from Yan Qingshuang’s first knuckle to the palm of her hand.

A sudden heat flushed through her, and a strange churning sensation arose in her stomach. She stuck out her tongue to cool down. “Little Shuang, I feel a bit strange.”

Yan Qingshuang rubbed the slick saliva between her fingertips, deciding not to wipe it off yet. Her voice was husky. “Mm, that’s normal. It’ll pass soon.”

Jian Li nodded. “Oh, right. Why does your scent smell different now?”

Yan Qingshuang knew Spiritual Beasts had keen senses of smell, but the Aromatic Pills should have masked the metallic scent of bl00d. She picked up a handkerchief to wipe her fingers, her tone relaxed. “Do you dislike it?”

“Not dislike,” Jian Li replied, “but I prefer your old scent.”

Yan Qingshuang smiled and ruffled Jian Li’s hair. “Mm, it’ll return in a few days.”

Assuming Yan Qingshuang was feeling unwell, Jian Li said considerately, “Then let’s go play in Foothill Town once you’re feeling better.”

“Alright,” Yan Qingshuang agreed.

After lunch, Jian Li, ever diligent, insisted on going out to complete a mission without even taking a nap. Worried she might get hungry, Yan Qingshuang packed some pastries into her Storage Pouch.

Jian Li slung the Storage Pouch over her shoulder and left, repeating her usual routine of only letting Yan Qingshuang see her to the door.

Once Jian Li had disappeared from sight, she activated her Teleportation Watch and entered her destination.

Upon arriving at the Disciplinary Hall, Jian Li had learned her lesson. This time, she anticipated the descent and landed firmly on her feet.

She activated the Spirit Mirror. I’ve reached the Disciplinary Hall.

After waiting a moment, Zhang Yuan approached with a dark expression. Jian Li was startled by her oppressive, gloomy aura. You’ve been through something.

As if venting her frustration, Zhang Yuan abruptly grabbed Jian Li and vigorously rubbed her head.

“Meow!!!”

Jian Li kicked and struggled, her body spinning like a top until she finally broke free from the demonic grip.

She pounded on the Spirit Mirror, making it clang loudly. Rude!