Acting as the Vicious Second Lead [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 46

Because the carriage lacked sufficient seating, Qin Xiaoxiao invited her Junior Sister to make do and sit on her lap.

At this, Yan Qingxue froze. Then, her head shook like a rattle, and her tone became flustered and uncertain: “This… how could I? Your wounds haven’t healed yet.”

But this wasn’t a sustainable solution. They couldn’t just stand there agonizing over the seating arrangements and delay their journey. After a moment’s thought, the young girl proposed: “Why don’t you two go first? I will follow closely behind, and we can meet up in Xiling Town.”

Qin Xiaoxiao frowned. Her injury was to her chest, not her legs. What was the problem with just sitting for a while? As for letting her Junior Sister run behind the carriage, that was even more out of the question. Looking at her, this frail and pale Junior Sister seemed to need much more care than she did.

Qin Xiaoxiao was about to urge her to climb in, intending to demonstrate that she was in excellent health and not some porcelain doll that would shatter at a touch, but her Junior Brother cut her off—

“Wait! I have an idea!”

Yang Hu, who had been silent until now, suddenly interjected, striking what he thought was a dashing pose. Seeing them both look his way, he grew smug, realizing this was his chance to shine. He puffed out his chest, pointed his right hand at the roof of the carriage, and said fawningly, “The two Senior Sisters are delicate and precious, so naturally, you should be inside the cabin.”

After a bit of brown-nosing, he got to the point: “I have thick skin and flesh; I don’t fear the wind. Just let me sit on the roof and ride with you to the outskirts of Xiling Town.”

He wouldn’t be left behind, and he wouldn’t force the Junior Sister to compromise her comfort. He was genuinely impressed with himself for coming up with such a perfect, win-win solution. He only hoped that after doing so much, the Senior Sisters would remember his kindness and not hold his previous insolence against him when they returned to the sect.

Listening to Yang Hu’s proposal, Qin Xiaoxiao was quite in agreement. This kid was actually quite sharp. It was spring, the flowers were blooming, and the breeze was warm and gentle; it was neither cold nor hot. If the worst happened and he caught a cold, it didn’t matter—Yan Qingxue was there with her medicinal herbs to nurse him back to health. Besides, with the driver outside keeping watch, nothing major should go wrong. The plan seemed entirely feasible.

However, the driver shook his head vigorously, ruthlessly rejecting the idea: “No, no, that won’t do!”

Yang Hu’s thick brows furrowed. He glared at the old man and demanded, “Why not?”

The sharp look sent a chill down the old man’s spine. He scanned the young man’s sturdy physique and stammered, “Young master, my carriage cabin isn’t sturdy. If you sit on top and it collapses, what will happen to these two young ladies?”

“That makes sense.” Yan Qingxue nodded in agreement, casting a sideways glance at the young man. “Let’s think of another way.” Even if there was only a one-in-ten-thousand chance that Yang Hu would collapse the roof and hurt her Senior Sister, she would do everything in her power to prevent it. She would not allow anyone to touch a single hair on her Senior Sister’s head.

Yang Hu was losing face. He walked up to the old man and asked gruffly, “Old man, how much is your carriage worth? I’ll buy it.” He had already calculated the plan: he would drive the horses himself, and the two Senior Sisters would sit inside. This way, they could all travel together.

Unfortunately, the driver wasn’t playing along. Upon hearing the man wanted his carriage, he wailed, “I beg to refuse! I absolutely cannot sell it to you… This is the only inheritance my father left me. I have deep feelings for it; it is my everything…”

“Twenty taels of gold. Is that enough?” Yang Hu interrupted impatiently, grabbing the old man by the collar. His tone was as fierce as if he were asking for his head rather than the price of a carriage. The old man was too terrified to speak.

“Yang Hu, that’s enough!” Yan Qingxue frowned, her hands trembling as she stopped his thuggish behavior. “You are a disciple of the Qingyun Sect; you should be upright and honorable. How can you bully an defenseless commoner? You are a disappointment to the Sect Leader.”

Hearing this, Yang Hu released his collar. He turned to the girl and gave an awkward smile. “No, no, I was just in a hurry, just a bit excited.”

“Alright, stop arguing.” Seeing through her Junior Brother’s malicious heart and her Junior Sister’s hatred of injustice, Qin Xiaoxiao grabbed her Junior Sister’s hand, trying to keep them apart before a fight broke out.

Although Yang Hu had brainstormed two solutions, both had been unceremoniously scrapped. Searching for another carriage in the village would be a waste of time, and if they lingered too long, the fugitive might leave Xiling Town.

There seemed to be no other way. Qin Xiaoxiao turned her head and smiled at Yan Qingxue. “I’m sorry to trouble you, Junior Sister, but you’ll have to sit on my lap. We cannot afford to delay any longer.”

“Alright…” seeing the Senior Sister’s generous and calm expression, Yan Qingxue’s mind cleared, and she cast off her shyness. Lowering her head, she said, “I will listen to you, Senior Sister.”

Actually, it’s not a trouble at all, the young girl thought happily.

With an agreement reached, the three climbed into the carriage. Qin Xiaoxiao sat on the right, and Yan Qingxue sat carefully on her lap, her back straight as a board, taking care not to touch the woman’s wounded chest. The driver cracked his whip, the horses let out a long neigh, and they galloped forward.

A small curtain hung by the carriage window, swaying with the movement of the ride, letting in a warm breeze scented with flowers. Yan Qingxue, sitting stiffly on her Senior Sister’s lap, reached out to steady herself against the window frame.

“Senior Sister.”

“Hmm?”

“Am… am I heavy?” the girl’s soft, low voice drifted over.

From Qin Xiaoxiao’s angle, she could see, through the girl’s hair, the tips of her ears turning beet-red. Qin Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but chuckle. It seemed that no matter the era, girls were always sensitive about their weight.

“Not heavy, not at all,” Qin Xiaoxiao said, reaching out to wrap an arm around her waist to help her get more comfortable. “As light as a feather.”

The young girl was embarrassed. The hand around her waist was incredibly warm, giving her a sense of security. Her words, whispered into her ear, felt like feathers tickling her, sending tingles all the way to her heart. In an instant, Yan Qingxue felt her heart flutter uncontrollably.

They traveled at a breakneck pace for five days. During the journey, Yang Hu grumbled about the bumpy ride, thinking that if their original carriage hadn’t been hacked to pieces by bandits, he would never have stepped foot in such a pathetic little cart.

Finally, they arrived at an uninhabited village. It was a ruin, desolate and bleak. According to the original novel, the village was abandoned because a terrifying plague was spreading through Xiling Town, causing villagers for hundreds of miles to flee in terror.

As Qin Xiaoxiao recalled this, she stepped out of the carriage. She paid the driver his fee, adding an extra eight taels as a tip. The old man didn’t even count it, stuffing it into his pocket in a panic before whipping his horses to flee the cursed place.

“Let’s continue,” Qin Xiaoxiao said.

“Yes,” Yan Qingxue replied.

“Wait!” Yang Hu said urgently.

Qin Xiaoxiao looked back. “What is it?”

“Senior Sister, it’s noon already.” Yang Hu rubbed his hands, his eyes glowing with hunger. “Let’s find something to eat.”

Qin Xiaoxiao gestured toward the bag of dry rations hanging at his waist.

“Senior Sister, I want meat.” Yang Hu wiped his mouth, continuing, “I’ve checked; there are wild boars in the area. The meat is tender and delicious. And the plague in Xiling Town is strange—it only affects ordinary villagers, while martial artists and animals are immune. We can eat it safely.”

Qin Xiaoxiao: … She struggled to look away, suppressing her own craving for meat. “If we delay and miss the fugitive, what then?”

“It’s fine.” Yan Qingxue said this, looking at the woman with clear, pure eyes. She seemed to have read the longing in her Senior Sister’s eyes and indulged her: “We’ve been eating dry rations for ten days; it’s time to improve our diet. Eating hard, dry buns all the time isn’t good for your wounds, Senior Sister.”

Seeing the woman waver, Yan Qingxue added: “Just treat it as a half-day of rest. It will be fine.”

“Alright then…” Qin Xiaoxiao surrendered to her own temptation.

“Senior Sister is wise!” Yang Hu’s eyes filled with tears of joy. He felt like he was turning into a steamed bun himself.

“Both Senior Sisters,” Yang Hu said, punching his palms, “I will go hunt a wild boar.”

Seeing her Junior Brother so enthusiastic, Yan Qingxue felt she had to perform well in front of her Senior Sister, too. “I’ll go to the woods to gather some firewood.”

“Hmm,” Qin Xiaoxiao said, “Let’s meet back here later.”

They split up. Qin Xiaoxiao didn’t stay idle; she searched around and found a water source nearby. Ten minutes later, Yang Hu returned with a half-grown black wild boar over his shoulder, and Yan Qingxue returned with a pile of firewood.

“Senior Sister!” Yan Qingxue ran to Qin Xiaoxiao, put down the firewood, and pulled eight bright red fruits from her bosom. She was panting, offering them like a treasure: “Senior Sister, look! I found these Red Kernel Fruits.”

The Red Kernel Fruit had a bright red, translucent skin, and even the flesh inside was red. It was fragrant and sweet, and could be eaten raw or used as a seasoning. It was a fruit that only grew in this fictional world; Qin Xiaoxiao had never seen it before.

She didn’t skimp on the praise. “You managed to gather so many? You’re truly capable.”

“Hehe.” The praise made Yan Qingxue float on air. She felt all her hard work was worth it.

The two beautiful women stood facing each other, laughing and talking in a harmonious atmosphere. Yang Hu couldn’t break in, feeling like the third wheel. He couldn’t help but say, “You two really have a great relationship.”

“Naturally. I grew up with Senior Sister,” Yan Qingxue said, her eyes never leaving the woman, her brows curling into a smile. “You have always been my most important existence. But now… it feels a little different.”

Hearing this, Qin Xiaoxiao felt a shiver of fear, wondering if she had broken character somewhere. “Different? How so?”

“Hmm…” Yan Qingxue thought deeply. The breeze in March was gentle, blowing away the heat from her cheeks.

“I don’t know how to describe it.” The young girl held the bright red fruit in her hands, her face, pale to an excessive degree, blooming with a sweet smile. “I just feel… I’m closer to you now, Senior Sister.”

I am no longer satisfied with just watching you from afar as I did in the past.

I want to be closer to you… closer, and closer still.