The Villainess Always Wants to Cuddle With Me [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 38

In the Jade Forest Dark Bamboo, a lingering fragrance permeated the air. Morning dew clung to the leaves, dampening Ling Jun’s robes, while a mysterious mist hung in the air, stirring her heart.

Within the refreshing bamboo grove, two young women stood, their lips parting and closing in a tender dance.

Ling Jun abruptly pushed Yunyin away, retreating two steps. She instinctively wiped her lips, her expressive eyes now filled with confusion. “Senior Sister, you…”

Yunyin’s face darkened at her gesture, a clear look of hurt flashing in her eyes. She pressed her lips together, offering no explanation.

Seeing Yunyin’s resolute silence, Ling Jun couldn’t quite describe the complex emotions churning within her. She had always regarded Yunyin as a sister.

“I still need to go to White Plum Mountain. Senior Sister, please return,” Ling Jun said, lowering her gaze. She turned her back and hurried down the mountain, her steps heavy with a hint of panic.

“Jian Lingjun!” Yunyin called out, taking two steps forward. Two clear tears welled in her eyes, betraying her anguish at Ling Jun’s resolute departure. “What do you take me for?”

Ling Jun had never imagined Yunyin harboring such feelings for her.

Ling Jun paused, her footsteps faltering. After a long silence, she replied, “My sister. My family.”

“Then what am I to you after I kissed you?” Yunyin’s fingers traced the ornate silver pendant she wore, a birthday gift from Ling Jun.

Not a lover, Yunyin thought. She already has a lover. Her lover lies buried with her in the Rin Kingdom’s imperial mausoleum.

Ling Jun’s long lashes fluttered like the wings of a night butterfly seeking freedom in the air. She spoke slowly, her voice calm and gentle, as if whispering the world’s most tender endearments: “Senior Sister, you are my most trusted family, my unwavering support, my refuge when I have nowhere else to turn. But…”

With each word, the embers in Yunyin’s heart rekindled, like seeing the dawn of hope. She clung to that last sliver of light.

Yet Ling Jun, in the most heartrending tone, delivered words that cut like a knife:

“Senior Sister… my heart has long been claimed.”

My heart has long been claimed…

These four words pierced Yunyin’s heart like a blade, a pain she had never known before, leaving her breathless.

Who is that person…? Yunyin’s fingers tightened around the silver ornament at her chest, her breath catching in her throat. In a trembling, hoarse voice, she asked again, “Can I know who it is?”

Noticing her anxious expression, Ling Jun pressed her lips together. “I once passed through a bustling town. Beneath the Fallen Blossom Tree, I caught a glimpse of breathtaking beauty. But when I returned to seek her out, that enchanting woman had already vanished like a fleeting dream…”

As Ling Jun finished speaking, Yunyin felt a wave of relief wash over her. As long as it’s not the person I thought it was, that’s all that matters.

“In that case, all that remains is longing and regret—a bitter lament for what might have been,” Yunyin said, her fingertips reaching out to grasp Ling Jun’s sleeve. The subtle curve of her lips was barely perceptible. “Apart from your longing, Junior Sister, will you wait for me?”

“The dew is heavy. I must leave now.” A moment of weakness had rekindled Yunyin’s hopes. Ling Jun’s gaze darted away as she sighed softly, offering no promise as she turned and walked into the distance.

Yunyin watched Ling Jun’s retreating figure, waving and calling out, “Junior Sister! Safe travels!”

Leaving this matter aside for now, Jian Qiongjun’s departure left Gu Wen’s reaction uncertain.

Though they had rarely interacted in recent years, Ling Jun knew perfectly well the depth of Gu Wen’s feelings for Jian Qiongjun.

Passing through a small town on her journey, Ling Jun bought a set of chrysanthemum-patterned tea utensils. She also picked up some chrysanthemums, Small Green Tangerines, and Gu Wen’s favorite Emei Snow Bud tea.

After years of observing her master’s temperament, Ling Jun knew better than to offer him gold or silver. Rare medicinal herbs or fine teas would be far more appreciated.

It had been only two months since she left White Plum Mountain, yet where had all the small creatures that used to dart through the forest gone?

A rustling sound came from the nearby bushes, and a small, azure shadow emerged from the undergrowth. Ling Jun squinted in the direction of the sound.

The Azure-Tailed Heart Fox darted forward, leaping onto her palm with a mix of claws and hops.

“Long time no see, Qingmeng,” Ling Jun said, stroking its head and scratching its belly.

Qingmeng rolled onto its back, basking in the attention.

After a few minutes of affectionate play, Ling Jun gently placed the fox on the ground. Qingmeng landed gracefully on its feet.

“Where’s my master?” Ling Jun asked.

This Azure-Tailed Heart Fox possessed an uncanny understanding of human nature. Ling Jun had long been familiar with its cunning and intelligence.

Qingmeng let out a sharp cry and trotted into the forest.

“I’m in a hurry, little Qingmeng. Lead the way quickly.”

At her words, Qingmeng quickened its pace, leaping through the trees with astonishing speed.

As the moonlight deepened, the surrounding trees gradually thinned. Ling Jun followed behind, her feet lightly touching the Ice Lotus, until they reached a cliffside clearing halfway up the mountain.

Gu Wen sat languidly on a pile of rocks, his hand resting on the ground as he savored his self-brewed Snow Bud Wine under the moonlight. He recited in a melodious tone:

“A shimmering river divides us, A lifetime’s folly, a verdant lie. Joy never fills this heart of sorrow, In dreams of pleasure, my soul crushes the moon.”

His hair was unbound today, cascading down his back, loosely tied at the waist with a jade-red ribbon.

A rustling sound behind him made Gu Wen glance back, his melancholy instantly vanishing as he rose to his feet.

Noticing Gu Wen’s unsteady gait, Ling Jun lightly stepped forward and offered him the tea set she had brought.

“Master, a newly purchased tea set.”

Gu Wen nodded heavily and carefully arranged the tea set beside him.

“Still my disciple’s filial piety!” He took Ling Jun’s hand, clasping it tightly before patting her back gently.

Gu Wen was markedly different today. Ling Jun was accustomed to his usual gentle demeanor and refined speech, but tonight, after drinking too much, he was revealing his innermost thoughts.

Ling Jun smiled faintly, a bittersweet ache rising in her chest. “Master, you’ve had too much to drink.”

The pent-up anguish Ling Jun had endured these past days finally burst forth. Tears welled in her eyes, no longer able to be contained, and streamed down her jade-like cheeks, falling in glistening droplets. She frantically wiped away the tears, but the more she wiped, the more they flowed, as if they would never stop.

“Who’s drunk? This is nothing!” Gu Wen waved his hand dismissively, frowning and shouting. Then, realizing something, his drunken haze began to dissipate, and he asked in surprise and confusion, “Why are you crying?”

Ling Jun was momentarily lost in her tears, her lips parting soundlessly. Words formed in her mind, but she couldn’t find the right way to express them.

“What’s wrong? What happened? Who bullied my disciple?” Gu Wen’s hands hovered awkwardly in the air, his discomfort palpable. With clumsy tenderness, he placed a large hand on Ling Jun’s head, then slowly stroked her back with the other.

Moonlight bathed the stone pile in silvery light, casting long, slender shadows as the two embraced beneath the full moon.

After venting her emotions for some time, Ling Jun finally steadied her breathing and replied, “No one bullied me. I just wanted to see you, my father, who shares my bl00d.”

Hearing the words again, Gu Wen finally realized he hadn’t imagined them. His hand stiffened against Ling Jun’s, and he choked out, “You know everything.”

Ling Jun cried until her body felt weak. She pushed herself up, shook her head, and refused to lean on Gu Wen, instead supporting herself with a sigh.

“I only knew the surface, never the depths,” she murmured. “Mother never told me the story of what happened between you two.” She sighed softly, lifting her gaze to the full moon hanging high above the clouds in the deepening twilight.

As they spoke of the past, Gu Wen looked up at the moon, his expression still clouded with sorrow. He sighed deeply and began to recount the tale.

“Those trivial matters… Well, I was just a junior disciple in Medicine King Valley, my medical skills insignificant compared to the others. That year, I quarreled with my family and left the valley. I couldn’t stand their hypocrisy—possessing such healing arts yet refusing to save the world. So, I wandered the streets of nearby towns, offering medical consultations. By sheer luck, I gained a small reputation within a year.

“Driven by my refusal to return to the valley, I wandered the world, traveling north and south until I finally settled here in White Plum Mountain.” He lowered his gaze to Qingmeng, who had quietly curled up at his feet, a bitter smile tugging at his lips.

“It’s quite a coincidence, really. When I first arrived here, Qingmeng and I took an instant liking to each other, so I kept him by my side. The ill-fated connection between your mother and me… it all started with Qingmeng.”

Hearing this, Ling Jun glanced at Qingmeng, the little fox feigning sleep, and sensed that nothing good could come of it. Qingmeng was notorious for his cunning and trickery, and she had fallen victim to his schemes countless times.

Gu Wen continued softly, “He stole the Snowmelt Branch your mother had painstakingly gathered. She chased him all the way to my hut, drew her sword, and demanded I hand Qingmeng over. You know her temper—it’s terrifying. I pretended to brandish a medicine pouch to scare her off, but your mother isn’t so easily fooled.

Then the unexpected happened. Qingmeng leaped up and knocked over the medicine table, which held the raw ingredients for Nightly Revelry. I happened to be working on an antidote at the time. The result was predictable: we were both poisoned. So… your mother hates me for ruining her martial arts, for failing to create an antidote, and for Qingmeng knocking over the table.

I was supposed to die by your mother’s sword, but neither of us anticipated that she would conceive you.”

Gu Wen spoke of life and death with such casual detachment, as if it were a mere afterthought. The full complexity of the story remained untold.

“Do you know the origin of the Cuiyue Sect’s name?” Gu Wen raised his palm to his face, his fingers opening and closing. Through the fleeting gaps between his fingers, he gazed at the full moon hanging above the clouds.

“Why?”

“Because of you. Since I was skilled in medicine, your mother spared my life. Instead, she founded a sect called Cuiyue, while the only thing I’ve ever truly loved is the bright, clear silver moon.”

This past was utterly foreign to Ling Jun. She blinked slowly, her eyes shimmering like a clear spring, tears welling in her lashes. Her gaze remained distant as she spoke with cold detachment, “It was your fault to begin with. You have no one to blame but yourself. You deserve this.”

So, this was why her mother suffered such agony every fifteenth of the month…

The poignant history, the tangled web of love and hatred between them—Ling Jun could sense Gu Wen’s devotion to Jian Qiongjun, like the silver moon hanging high in the sky, its radiant glow spreading endlessly, a warmth that flowed like a gentle stream.

But Jian Qiongjun’s hatred for Gu Wen burned fiercely, as relentless as the Cuiyue Sect’s name itself. Since he loved the moon, she would shatter it.

The full moon hung brilliantly above the clouds, its silvery fragments scattering through the air, bathing Ling Jun in a shimmering, armor-like glow. Gu Wen, however, remained shrouded in shadow, his face obscured by darkness.

Her lips parted, as if she stood at a crossroads between light and shadow. “Was it love you felt for my mother, or some inexplicable guilt?”

After speaking at length, Gu Wen’s throat felt dry and tight, especially after hearing Ling Jun’s accusatory question. He poured himself a cup of Snow Bud Wine, a bitter smile playing on his lips, and drained it in one gulp. “I deserve this humiliation,” he muttered. Then, as if in casual conversation, he asked, “Today happens to be the fifteenth, the full moon. Is your mother still well?”

Ling Jun froze for a moment at his words. She stepped past Gu Wen, picked up the Snow Bud Wine jug, and tilted it back, drinking deeply.

A cool, refreshing liquid flowed down her throat, as gentle as water, slowly seeping into her heart. There, it quietly bloomed into a fiery warmth. The Snow Bud Wine had a unique, crisp flavor, and Gu Wen’s brewing skills were truly remarkable.

Seeing her drink, Gu Wen snatched the jug from her hand, scolding her with mild anger, “What’s a young girl doing drinking wine!”

Ling Jun remained silent for a long moment, her eyes lowered. Gu Wen couldn’t see the expression in her eyes, and his fingertips tightened. “Why won’t you answer? Is your mother unwell?” The memory of Jian Qiongjun’s unbearable suffering on the fifteenth day of the month flashed through his mind, his heart leaping to his throat.

Her thoughts drifting, Ling Jun tilted her head back and blinked, tears stubbornly spilling down her cheeks again. Her voice carried a faint accusation as she said, “How could she be well because of you? Mother passed away two months ago, on the fifteenth…”