Achieving A Happy Ending With The Tragic Female Lead [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 23

Su Mi’s voice was not loud, but it sounded exceptionally clear within the confined room.

The courage Wanqi Yue had just mustered seemed to dissipate instantly. Her dark, distinct eyes were half-hidden by long lashes, making it impossible to discern her true emotions.

Seeing her refuse to communicate, Su Mi felt as though something was clogging her chest, a need to vent that found no outlet. She could only suppress her temperament and accept it.

Continuing in this silence would yield no progress, so Su Mi pondered a solution.

“I’m sorry,” Su Mi apologized in a raspy voice, looking at Wanqi Yue’s fair profile. “About last night… I’m sorry. I hope you won’t take it to heart, and I hope it won’t affect our relationship.”

Wanqi Yue’s long, drooping lashes trembled. She closed her eyes for a brief moment before opening them again, a faint light flickering in the depths of her gaze.

The young girl’s knuckles, gripping her sword, turned a faint greenish-white, as if she were suppressing something intense.

After a long silence, Wanqi Yue finally spoke: “I understand. I won’t take it to heart.”

Even though Su Mi had received the answer she wanted, an indescribable feeling surged from her heart to her throat.

Wanqi Yue looked elsewhere. “But I want to go with Second Senior Sister”

Su Mi interrupted her before she could finish: “No!”

Seeing Wanqi Yue fall silent again, Su Mi felt her tone might have been too harsh.

She practically forced herself to shift her gaze, softening her voice as she explained: “That Mountain Lord has his eyes on you. I’m not at ease if you aren’t by my side.”

Hearing this, Wanqi Yue stole a quick glance at Su Mi and gave a mumbled response. Though she still looked somewhat sullen, she seemed slightly better than before.

Su Mi tried to recall what Meiqiu (Coal Ball) had said earlier, hoping to further ease the atmosphere.

Back then, knowing the female lead’s favorability toward her master had plummeted, Meiqiu had been frantic. It had constantly scoured the “Employee Exchange Center’s Tip Manual” for a solution to help its master turn the tide.

One of the tips for closing the distance with a mission target was to show utmost care for them, no matter how big or small the matter ensuring they felt valued and cared for.

“How is your recovery? Last night…” Su Mi found it impossible to voice the details of that night.

Wanqi Yue spoke up: “Fifth Senior Sister looked at it this morning. She said the medicine was a bit irritating for me and that switching to a different one would be fine.”

“Good.”

The two fell back into a strange silence. Speaking too much felt like overstepping, speaking too little felt awkward.

Su Mi broke the silence once more: “It’s getting late. It’s quite a distance to Baizhi City. We should set off early.”

This time, Wanqi Yue didn’t voice any objection and followed Su Mi out the door.

Fang Yun and the others were waiting outside the courtyard. Their anxious hearts settled upon seeing the two were unharmed.

Su Mi found Fang Yun and gave her a few instructions regarding the trip. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Qiao Wuyu walk over to Wanqi Yue, say a few words, and hand her something that looked like a porcelain jar.

“Senior Sister?” Fang Yun noticed Su Mi’s distraction and spoke up to remind her.

Su Mi withdrew her gaze and continued: “I know you feel guilty about failing to save that woman surnamed Xu, but this was not your fault. Do not add unnecessary shackles to your heart. Also, that Yue Qianzhou his identity and origins are still unclear. Don’t get too close to him.”

She didn’t believe Yue Qianzhou would quietly wait for them to return, and she didn’t want the other Qingyang Mountain disciples to suffer at his hands.

For the first time in days, Fang Yun showed a smile that could be considered gentle: “Fang Yun will remember. Thank you for your guidance, Senior Sister.”

“Mhm.” After finishing, Su Mi turned to look at Wanqi Yue, who was still talking to Qiao Wuyu.

Fang Yun’s gaze moved past Su Mi’s silhouette toward Yue Qianzhou, who stood in the distance. The latter smiled and nodded at her, and she returned the gesture with a faint curl of her lips.

Their destination was Baizhi City, though their directions would diverge once inside.

The inn was in the west of the city, while the City Lord’s Manor was toward the south. Thus, they split into two groups upon entering.

Su Mi and Wanqi Yue walked through the bustling streets. The faint scent of medicinal herbs lingered in the air after a while, one grew accustomed to it. Both had changed their appearances. Since the female physician and the Mountain Lord had already seen their faces, there was no guarantee that the City Lord or his associates hadn’t received portraits of them.

Wanqi Yue carried her sword openly for convenience, which wasn’t too conspicuous. The city was filled with martial artists and rogue cultivators. Moreover, with so many medical halls, it was common for people injured in duels to seek treatment here.

Normally, a city might be reluctant to host so many dangerous individuals, but in Baizhi City, a delicate balance had been achieved. Everyone tacitly agreed not to fight within the city to avoid damaging the pharmacies and clinics.

Perhaps this was why more people were drawn here, making it easier for the “Medical Immortal” to select a suitable “bride” from the various travelers.

On the street where Su Mi and her companion were walking, a crowd had gathered ahead, making the once-spacious road feel cramped.

From the scattered conversations of bystanders, they learned that guards from the City Lord’s Manor had posted a new notice. The reward was generous, which had drawn the crowd.

Su Mi glanced back at Wanqi Yue. She was still unusually quiet, completely different from the girl who used to rush forward to see anything new.

This made Su Mi feel inexplicably irritable, but unable to pinpoint the source, she could only suppress her displeasure.

“Let’s go take a look.”

Wanqi Yue looked up and nodded.

A crowd had already swarmed the notice. They bypassed the thickest part of the throng, slipping in from the side where there were fewer people.

A fresh notice was posted right in the center. In bold black ink, it stated that the City Lord’s Manor wished to hire several “talented and unique individuals” for a task. The reward for a single person was a thousand taels of gold, with further rewards promised upon completion.

“Talented and unique? What kind of talent do they want? Does smashing a boulder on one’s chest count?” The speaker was a young newcomer, seeing such a notice for the first time.

This caused a burst of laughter.

Someone answered: “Though the notice says ‘talented individuals,’ these days, who else fits that description but those ‘immortals’ who don’t eat the food of commoners?” There was a hint of bitterness in the voice.

This was a common tactic for wealthy and powerful families in the secular world. They would hire rogue cultivators to set up arrays or guard their residences to prevent being harmed by those with ill intentions.

Money talks, even cultivators occasionally needed these “vulgar” worldly possessions.

This notice was a stroke of luck for Su Mi and Wanqi Yue, providing them with a legitimate reason to enter the City Lord’s Manor.

Although it wasn’t a job just anyone could take, onlookers continued to gather. The previously manageable space became cramped, and as the crowd grew, pushing and shoving became inevitable.

Wanqi Yue had been standing still, but she was suddenly shoved hard from behind. Caught off guard, she began to stumble forward.

Su Mi, who had been keeping a close eye on her, moved in the moment Wanqi Yue tilted forward. She slipped an arm around the girl’s waist, lifting her slightly to stabilize her and pulling her into her embrace. Her sharp, piercing gaze shot toward the man who had pushed her, cold as ice.

Seeing that Su Mi was just a woman, the man stiffened his neck and spoke with a foul tone: “What? I didn’t do it on purpose. Besides, she’s fine, isn’t she?”

“Apologize.” There wasn’t a hint of warmth in Su Mi’s features; her eyes were like frozen blades locked onto him.

With her cheek pressed against her Senior Sister’s chest, Wanqi Yue breathed in a scent of clear fragrance mingled with a trace of medicinal herbs. She felt her heartbeat accelerate uncontrollably once again.

A wave of frustration rose within her. How can I be so useless?

People nearby began to take notice, casting sideways glances and whispering insults at the man.

Feeling stung by the public mockery, the man turned to argue with a few bystanders, but outnumbered and outmatched, he began to retreat, muttering curses: “Just two women, acting like they’re made of gold. Squeezing up to the front like they actually have the ability to do anything. Ridiculous.”

No matter how low Wanqi Yue’s mood was today, she couldn’t tolerate this. Just as she was about to look up and confront him, she felt a light, soothing pat on the back of her head.

Startled by the comforting gesture, she calmed down and remained leaning into her Senior Sister’s arms, making no further move.

On the other side, the man had only taken a few steps when he suddenly tripped over nothing. His knees slammed into the ground, and because he had been mid-sentence, the fall caused him to bite his tongue hard. With a mouthful of blood, he couldn’t utter a word for a long time.

Watching him suffer the consequences of his own actions, the crowd erupted in laughter.

“It’s alright now,” Su Mi said softly.

Only then did Wanqi Yue slowly stand up straight. She wanted to say something, but the words wouldn’t come.

“Let’s go.” Su Mi instinctively reached out, her hand brushing the edge of Wanqi Yue’s palm, but she hesitated and did not grasp it.

This hesitation didn’t escape Wanqi Yue’s downward gaze. She pursed her lips as she watched her Senior Sister’s hand pull back.

As they left, Wanqi Yue intentionally lagged a few steps behind.

Su Mi, walking ahead, felt something was wrong after a few paces. She stopped and looked back to see Wanqi Yue about to be separated from her by the flow of the crowd. Without a second thought, she reached out and grabbed the girl’s hand, feeling an instant, firm grip in return.

She turned back and warned: “Stay close. Don’t get lost.”

Wanqi Yue lowered her eyes to hide her thoughts and gave a low response: “Oh.”

Su Mi considered letting go several times, but every time her grip loosened, the girl seemed as if she would be swallowed by the crowd. She had no choice but to hold on tighter to ensure they weren’t separated.

It wasn’t just the area around the notice that was crowded, the road to the City Lord’s Manor was many times busier than usual. Hand in hand, the two of them arrived at the manor gates.

A large number of “talented individuals” eager to try their luck had gathered, along with many onlookers.

The appearance of Su Mi and Wanqi Yue was striking. As they walked hand in hand toward the registration desk, the crowd began to whisper.

The guard at the gate held a small ledger, while a woman in a blue Taoist robe stood beside him. She gave Su Mi and Wanqi Yue a single glance before nodding to the guard.

Su Mi realized the woman was also a cultivator, likely there to screen the applicants.

The guard asked for their names, recorded them, and moved on to the next person.

Those who passed were led into the manor by waiting guards. Three others entered with them, all cultivators with mediocre cultivation levels.

Su Mi disliked talking to strangers, Wanqi Yue was focused on her own hand, and the three other cultivators carried an air of arrogance. Thus, despite walking together, no one spoke.

The guard led them to a room and told them to wait.

Several people were already inside, either sitting or standing. They gave polite nods to the newcomers.

Disliking the crowded room, Su Mi led Wanqi Yue to stand under the eaves at the edge of the porch, avoiding the others’ gazes.

Only then did she realize they were still holding hands. She relaxed her fingers and let go.

Wanqi Yue kicked a small pebble by her foot. Suddenly, she felt a strange sensation in the palm that had just been held by her Senior Sister. She lifted her hand in confusion, only to see a smudge of crimson blood. Her face turned pale instantly.

Su Mi, who had been surveying the courtyard’s layout, felt her left hand being suddenly lifted. Her palm was turned upward, revealing several crescent-shaped wounds and traces of blood.

She had thought her palm felt damp earlier because of sweat from their joined hands, she hadn’t realized the wounds she had dug into her own skin earlier had started bleeding again.

Su Mi tried to withdraw her hand, but Wanqi Yue wouldn’t let go.

Not knowing how to explain the origin of the wounds, Su Mi simply said: “It’s just a small scratch. It’s nothing.”

Wanqi Yue stared at the self-inflicted marks for a while before whispering: “Senior Sister, is it because of me?”

There was a hint of sadness in her voice.

Su Mi’s brow furrowed: “No.” She had caused this herself, it had nothing to do with Wanqi Yue.

But looking at Wanqi Yue’s expression, it was clear she didn’t believe her.

“Do you remember what you said last night?” Su Mi sighed softly. “Didn’t you say you would be good and listen to me from now on?”

Wanqi Yue looked up at her blankly, then lowered her eyes and apologized softly: “I’m sorry, Senior Sister.”

Su Mi: “There’s no need to apologize. You did nothing wrong.”

After all, Wanqi Yue was still young, and she couldn’t be blamed for what happened last night.

“Senior Sister, wait a moment.” Wanqi Yue pulled out a green porcelain jar. She asked Su Mi to hold it while she scooped out some ointment. Supporting the back of Su Mi’s hand with one hand, she carefully applied the salve to the wounds on her palm.

Su Mi recognized it: “Fifth Senior Sister gave this to you before we left?”

Wanqi Yue nodded. “But it was actually for you.”

Su Mi was puzzled: “For me?”

Wanqi Yue looked up at the cut on Su Mi’s lower lip: “It’s to heal the… wound on your lip.”

Hearing this, Su Mi instinctively licked the wound, feeling a slight sting.

Having finished medicating the hand, Wanqi Yue looked at the injury on Su Mi’s face: “Senior Sister, will you do it yourself?”

Su Mi fell silent for a moment. Suddenly, she remembered Meiqiu’s “Tip Manual,” which mentioned creating situations where you “need” the other person, so they can feel their own value.

This seemed like an opportunity.

Her eyes flickered slightly. “You do it.”

This unexpected answer startled Wanqi Yue, making her hard-won composure crumble as her heart raced again.

She dabbed a bit of ointment onto her fingertip and raised her hand to Su Mi’s lips, gently spreading it.

Feeling the warmth of the fingertip on her lips, Su Mi’s slightly parted mouth instinctively closed, catching the tip of the finger between her lips.