The Villain is Soft and Clingy [Transmigration] - Chapter 15

She suddenly realized she wasn’t alone in the room. A black-clad woman had pulled up a chair and was sitting with her back to her, by the head of the bed.

Xia Zhitiao quietly pushed aside the bedding a little and lifted her head, catching sight of a slightly slender profile.

The person’s features were remarkably clean and well-defined. Despite the weariness on her face, her stunning beauty was undeniable, like a meticulously carved jade sculpture.

She pursed her lips, dressed in black, her collar disheveled, and her hands tightly clasped as she stared blankly out the window.

Even with her blurred vision under Shuijing Lake, based purely on the identical feeling, Xia Zhitiao could pretty much confirm—

This was the person who saved her yesterday.

As if hearing the slight rustle of bedding, the black-clad woman suddenly came to her senses, quickly turned around, and softly asked, “Are you awake?”

The voice was like the clinking of jade pendants, clear and cool, filling her ears.

Xia Zhitiao instinctively shut her eyes tightly, holding her breath slightly, feigning sleep. She didn’t know if the other person genuinely hadn’t noticed or was pretending, but either way, she narrowly escaped.

The other person sighed softly, their voice very low: “You’re too badly hurt.”

A faint floral scent wafted to her nose. Xia Zhitiao felt the other person draw closer, and a wave of nervousness washed over her. But then, the other person simply placed their hand on her forehead, checking her temperature.

She leaned down slightly, her ink-black hair falling from her shoulders, the ends brushing Xia Zhitiao’s cheek, leaving a trace of cool dampness.

Slightly cool fingertips covered her forehead for a moment, then quickly left.

“Still a bit feverish,” the person sighed, their voice slightly weary. “What should I do…”

It was too late for Xia Zhitiao to pretend to wake up now. She could only treat it as a desperate measure and secretly listen to the other person’s murmuring.

*It’s even a little thrilling, what do I do?*

The person didn’t speak much. The small wooden house quickly returned to its previous quiet atmosphere, with only faint breathing sounds.

Xia Zhitiao had only caught a glimpse of her profile earlier before hastily closing her eyes, but as she thought about it, something felt off.

The other person was dressed in black, not quite like a Yashan master, and Xia Zhitiao had clearly never met this person before, yet she inexplicably felt the person was familiar.

The room was too quiet. Xia Zhitiao lay there for a long time, her heart itching with curiosity, unable to resist.

She secretly lifted her head slightly, cautiously peeking out.

The black-clad woman hadn’t left; she was still sitting beside her. Her features were sculpted, her dark hair cascaded, covering her neck, revealing just a hint of delicate white skin.

The other person seemed lost in thought, not noticing her. Xia Zhitiao boldly stole several glances. It was pleasing to the eye; she felt like she had gained something.

Her wound hadn’t fully healed, her abdomen ached faintly, and she started feeling sleepy again shortly after waking up.

Xia Zhitiao closed her eyes drowsily for a moment. When she opened them again, she was startled by the scene in the room—

“Junior Sister Xia / Senior Sister / Senior!”

Five or six different voices rang out simultaneously. Xia Zhitiao stared at the room full of people, dumbfounded: “Huh?”

*What’s going on? Is this a market? This small room is already cramped with three or four people, and you all crammed in six more?*

—

A group of people chattered incessantly. Xia Zhitiao listened for a long time without understanding. She caught sight of a familiar face and quickly grabbed a sleeve, seeking help: “Senior Sister Lu Guo, what happened?”

Lu Guo told the others to be quiet and explained the situation to Xia Zhitiao: “At first, I couldn’t find you anywhere, and the spiritual birds kept circling in place, so I went to seek Master Qin Zhi’s help.”

*I was pushed into the Ruoshui, cutting off my connection to Yashan’s spiritual birds, so of course they couldn’t find me.*

Xia Zhitiao “hmm-ed” and said, “What happened after that?”

“Who knew Master Qin couldn’t find you either? We were all frantic,” Lu Guo said. “Luckily, Junior Sister Yuan Shuang spotted traces of a fight by Shuijing Lake and, with great difficulty, pulled you out.”

*So, it was Yuan Shuang who saved me.*

Xia Zhitiao felt a surge of gratitude, thinking that she had survived such a dangerous situation thanks to “Yuan Shuang” arriving in time.

A gray-robed woman was pulled forward by Lu Guo. She slightly lowered her head, embarrassed: “I just happened to be passing by. Since I couldn’t break through the Ruoshui, I could only use an immortal rope to pull Senior Sister Xia ashore.”

The woman had delicate features, wore simple clothes, and even had an outer sect disciple’s wooden plaque. But as Xia Zhitiao observed her, a sudden suspicion arose in her heart.

*No, it wasn’t her.*

The one who saved her was clearly a black-clad woman who had stayed by her side for a long time. How had she suddenly become “Yuan Shuang,” whom she had never even met?

Although Xia Zhitiao thought this, she didn’t show it on her face.

She gently held Yuan Shuang’s hand and solemnly said, “Thank you, esteemed disciple, for saving me. I will surely repay this great kindness in the future.”

“Senior Sister Xia, you don’t have to,” Yuan Shuang said, lowering her head, her palm slightly damp. “It was only proper.”

“They say a kindness of one meal must be repaid, and a grudge of a single glance must be avenged,” Xia Zhitiao smiled faintly. “And Junior Sister Yuan’s life-saving grace makes me truly at a loss for how to repay it.”①

Yuan Shuang heard this, slightly lifted her head, and tightened her grip on Xia Zhitiao’s hand: “I am still an outer sect disciple. If, if Senior Sister is willing…”

*You casually take credit for someone else’s work, and then have the audacity to want me to speak well of you to the Grand-master so you can enter the inner sect?*

*Keep dreaming about such a good deal.*

Xia Zhitiao smiled as she withdrew her hand, gently saying, “Of course. I will speak to the Grand-master on an auspicious day.”

However, only Xia Zhitiao herself knew what “auspicious day” she was referring to.

She chatted a bit more with the other disciples who were concerned about her, generally reassuring them that she was fine and her spiritual power was flowing normally.

Xia Zhitiao looked at their concerned expressions, feeling something was missing: *Normally, the junior sister, who would get upset if I left for a bit, and who always wanted to stay in my room, the one who loved clinging to me the most, why isn’t she here?*

As she thought this, she blurted out the question: “Where’s Zhang Lan? I haven’t seen her.”

To her surprise, the disciples reacted very strongly. Lu Guo slammed the table and cursed, “You’re still worried about that little beast! She’s been taken to the main hall for interrogation! She’s probably already had her spiritual roots crippled and been kicked off the mountain!”

“Watch your words!” Xia Zhitiao was thoroughly angered by that address, her voice rising a few pitches. “How can you refer to a junior sister like that!”

Xia Zhitiao usually had a gentle demeanor, speaking softly and never getting angry. This sudden burst of fury, her aura abruptly pressing down, startled Lu Guo into silence.

“What do you mean by ‘interrogation’?” Xia Zhitiao recalled what the other person had just said, and a sudden ominous premonition struck her. “And what’s this about being ‘kicked off the mountain’?”

Lu Guo, subdued by Xia Zhitiao’s outburst, her voice weakened, stammered, “Ju-Junior Sister Yuan Shuang found a sound-recording stone by Shuijing Lake…”

Yuan Shuang nodded and said, “Senior Sister, don’t be deceived by her obedient appearance. The sound-recording stone can record audio and visual for a period of time, and it perfectly captured the entire process of Zhang Lan injuring you.”

*That sarcastic person wasn’t the junior sister at all, okay?!* Xia Zhitiao was almost spitting bl00d from anger. She rubbed her forehead, threw off the blanket, and swung herself off the bed.

The disciples were all terrified by her sudden large movement while her injury hadn’t healed. They swarmed around to help her, but Xia Zhitiao waved them away.

She grabbed Lu Guo’s sleeve and looked straight at her: “Which main hall is Zhang Lan in? Take me there.”

“Junior Sister Xia, please lie down and rest! Your wound hasn’t healed yet!” Lu Guo anxiously said. “Don’t worry, Yashan will never be lenient with disciples who intentionally harm fellow disciples!”

“I’m fine, completely recovered,” Xia Zhitiao sighed inwardly. “We’ll discuss the details at the main hall. Just take me there first.”

—

Lu Guo pleaded for a long time, but Xia Zhitiao showed no intention of backing down. She could only nod in agreement.

Xia Zhitiao turned her head and saw her Jiyan sword placed neatly on the desk, carefully wiped clean, without a trace of bl00d or dust.

She grabbed the sword, unsheathed it with a *zing*, and steadily stepped onto it, saying, “Let’s go!”

“Junior Sister Xia, be careful.” Lu Guo was startled by her smooth movements. “Your injury just healed; don’t rashly use spiritual power.”

Xia Zhitiao “mm-ed” and said, “Thank you, Senior Sister, for your concern, but the situation is urgent. Please take me there.”

Lu Guo sighed, also stepping onto her sword, and led Xia Zhitiao flying outwards.

The wind was sharp, whipping their robes. The two moved extremely fast, one behind the other. Before long, they had arrived at Jingting Peak.

Jingting Peak ranked third among Yashan’s thirteen interconnected peaks. Aside from cultivation, it primarily handled matters of law, emphasizing absolute fairness and unwavering trust.

The peak master’s name was Gao Ze, an unsmiling old man with unfathomable strength, who rarely appeared. If he was absent, the chief disciple, Huai Ruishi, presided over matters.

Many people were inside the main hall. Grand-master Hu Zi stood to one side, while the junior sister was surrounded in the middle.

Zhang Lan’s hair was loose, her clothes disheveled, looking somewhat battered, yet her back was ramrod straight, glaring defiantly forward.

“The evidence is conclusive. What more do you have to say?” Huai Ruishi snapped. “Intentionally harming a fellow disciple is despicable behavior, bringing shame upon my Yashan!”

“Nonsense, I already said it wasn’t me,” Zhang Lan sneered, roughly pushing away a disciple who was trying to bind her, and sharply declared, “I would never harm Senior Sister!”

The disciple was pushed hard by her, staggering back several steps. Huai Ruishi’s expression darkened a bit, and he ordered, “Restrain her!”

Several disciples moved to surround her upon hearing this. The bearded Grand-master’s expression was complex, seemingly weighing whether to intervene.

Just then, Xia Zhitiao appeared at the main entrance. Seeing the tense situation inside, she quickly shouted, “Wait!”

Everyone’s expressions varied, but most were somewhat surprised, turning to look at the doorway in unison.

Zhang Lan, who had been so imposing just a moment ago, froze. She stared blankly at Xia Zhitiao.

Xia Zhitiao had already prepared herself mentally, but upon seeing the junior sister, a sudden, inexplicable pang hit her heart, and she unconsciously took two steps back.

Yesterday’s incident was too deeply etched in her memory. The moment she closed her eyes, it was as if she could see the sharp, cold dagger tip tearing through flesh, and “Zhang Lan’s” smiling face—even for a moment, it made her body cold and tremble uncontrollably.

The junior sister naturally saw her step back. Her eyes reddened, and her voice trembled as she mumbled, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, it’s all my fault…”

At these words, the whole hall erupted in an uproar, accusations rising from all sides. Zhang Lan stood alone, head bowed, saying nothing.

Xia Zhitiao steadied herself, and gave a light “cough”: “As the person involved, I have the right to say a few words, don’t I?”

As she spoke, everyone quieted down, turning to look at her.

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Xia Zhitiao walked in front of Zhang Lan. The junior sister’s eyes were red, and she was drawing shaky breaths, head bowed, not daring to look at her.

Suddenly, Xia Zhitiao reached out and tightly took Zhang Lan’s hand. Turning to face the crowd, she calmly stated:

“I believe her.”

References:
①: “The kindness of one meal must be repaid, and a grudge of a single glance must be avenged.” – From “Records of the Grand Historian: Biographies of Fan Sui and Cai Ze.”

Author’s Note:

I hesitated for a long time whether to say this, but lately, negative news and various disheartening events have been continuous. I myself, too, find that seeing too much of it can lead to feelings of frustration and anxiety, affecting my personal mood and normal life.

So here, putting aside controversies and circumstances for a moment, I only hope that everyone can have smooth sailing in all matters, peace and joy, and stay free from illness.

Why did this get so serious? This isn’t my usual style!! Everyone, wear masks, wash your hands frequently, and be sweet with your girlfriends! If you don’t have a girlfriend, be happy anyway!! And it’d be even better if you could collect and leave a comment or something!!! (Mighty tiger pounces)