After Being Cursed, My Cold Senior Sister Fell in Love with Me - Chapter 3

Jiang Rulian nodded. “Thank you. Just leave it on the table.”

With an outsider present, it wasn’t appropriate to linger. She loosened her grip, and Qing Qian stepped back a few paces.

The young girl hastily set down the tea tray and assured Jiang Rulian, “Senior, rest assured. I won’t breathe a word of today’s events!”

Before leaving, she considerately closed the door behind her.

Jiang Rulian was speechless. Why does it look like I’m the one doing something wrong?

When she turned around, Qing Qian wasn’t coughing anymore, but the corners of her eyes remained red, her lashes damp with tears.

Her pale wrists were slender and delicate, the veins clearly visible beneath the thin layer of skin. She looked vulnerable and easily bullied.

But appearances can be deceiving.

Her hands bore thin calluses—the hands of a sword wielder who had slain countless demons beneath her blade.

Jiang Rulian knew that any rash move now would drive her away. She had to find another opportunity.

She crouched down to help Qing Qian gather her books, speaking casually, “My apologies. I should have been clearer. Senior Sister, you can go back now. I’ll speak to the higher-ups and have someone else take over.”

“Someone else?” Qing Qian’s voice was still hoarse.

Her wrist paused mid-motion, her icy expression softening slightly.

Seeing Jiang Rulian diligently crouched on the floor organizing books, I shifted my gaze awkwardly.

“Vice Captain… wasn’t that just an excuse you made up on the spot?”

Jiang Rulian blinked, mentally reviewing the sequence of events. It all clicked into place.

She had just refused the offer, and moments later, she received a transfer order from her superiors. Anyone would suspect she was up to something—perhaps using work as an excuse to get closer to someone.

Feeling utterly wronged, she explained, “They wanted to foist someone on me. In a panic, I gave them Senior Sister’s name.”

If someone had to supervise her, it could only be Qing Qian. If Qing Qian refused, then let the position remain vacant.

She picked up the last book, but her movements suddenly slowed.

The ancient, yellowed cover bore the title: Treatise on *Gu Poison.

Amidst books on swordsmanship and formations, this one stood out like a sore thumb.

Qing Qian still remembered the casual question Jiang Rulian had asked yesterday.

The book acted like a tiny hook, one end snagged in Jiang Rulian’s heart, the other pulled by Qing Qian.

With a single glance back, Jiang Rulian’s heart began to itch.

She changed her mind.

“Here.” Jiang Rulian stood up and handed the book to Qing Qian, only letting go after confirming she had a firm grip. “Alright, Senior Sister can go now.”

Her eyelids drooped as she added wearily, “Don’t worry, Senior Sister. They already have candidates. Celestial Master Zhang and Daoist Master Gu have both been available recently.”

The two individuals she mentioned were well-known figures within the Monster Bureau. The first was a prominent member of the Monster Extermination Faction, eager to seal and eradicate all demons. The second, while less extreme, advocated capturing demons and coercing them into slavery for the Human Race.

The higher-ups’ intentions were crystal clear: they wanted to cage Jiang Rulian. Even ordinary demons understood this; how could Qing Qian possibly miss it?

Jiang Rulian appeared listless, but her gaze kept drifting toward Qing Qian.

From the moment Jiang Rulian spoke, Qing Qian began frowning. Even after Jiang Rulian returned to her desk, Qing Qian remained rooted in place.

This might work.

Jiang Rulian stopped glancing sideways and openly stared at Qing Qian. Even her downturned lips seemed to carry a hint of grievance.

Then Qing Qian stepped toward the empty seat beside her. “So, a mighty Great Demon like you actually fears someone?”

“I’m a demon of Tingyun Mountain,” Jiang Rulian declared solemnly. “I can’t bring trouble to my sect, so naturally I must obey the arrangements.”

Her attitude was so earnest that even she almost believed it.

Qing Qian glanced at her. “As if you haven’t caused enough trouble already.”

Her voice was measured, clear as the sound of jade shattering, but it carried no malice.

As Qing Qian placed her book on the table, Jiang Rulian instantly perked up.

“Senior Sister, you’re not leaving?”

“Mm, I’ll wait until you find a suitable replacement.”

The rest of the sentence faded into the background. Jiang Rulian only knew that Qing Qian had agreed.

Her lips began to curl upward uncontrollably, and the temperature in the room gradually rose, the air warming like it had been baked by the sun, becoming pleasantly comfortable.

Wherever the Phoenix goes, warmth follows, fueled by her pure Fire Spiritual Power.

Qing Qian had barely sat down when Jiang Rulian emerged from the cabinet with a beautiful white blanket, a plush pillow, and even a small bookshelf for storage.

Clearly all prepared for Qing Qian. She placed the steaming cup of hot tea on the table and gazed at her with bright, eager eyes.

How attentive.

Qing Qian lowered her gaze. The tea before her was unusual, brewed from slender, emerald-green bamboo leaves that radiated vitality.

She picked up the cup and took a sip, keeping her eyes fixed straight ahead. “No official business to attend to?”

“Taking care of Senior Sister isn’t official business?” Jiang Rulian replied with righteous conviction.

As Qing Qian finished the tea, a faint blush finally appeared on her cheeks, and color returned to her lips.

She pushed the empty cup toward Jiang Rulian, just in time to block the hand that had been inching toward her wrist.

Ignoring Jiang Rulian’s pitiful expression, Qing Qian withdrew an ancient text from the bookshelf and began flipping through it at a rapid pace.

Jiang Rulian pulled up a chair and sat beside Qing Qian, boldly claiming half of the desk.

Leaning her head on her hand, Jiang Rulian persisted, “Has Senior Sister’s injury healed yet?”

Qing Qian calmly turned a page in her book without answering.

“Is Senior Sister cold? Do you need a coat?”

“Does Senior Sister cough at night too? Maybe we should get a Medical Cultivator to take a look.”

Seeing Qing Qian’s indifference, Jiang Rulian’s voice sank to its lowest point. “I’m so worried.”

The single sentence carried such profound emotion, it felt like her heart was being torn apart by ten thousand arrows.

Qing Qian’s fingertips trembled slightly, wrinkling the page.

After a long pause, she silently smoothed out the creases and sighed softly. “If you really have nothing else to do, you can come back to Qingluo Peak with me to fetch a book.”

The moment the words left her lips, Jiang Rulian immediately lit up with a radiant smile, her spirits soaring. “Yes!”

It was rare for Senior Sister to invite her out. Perhaps lingering guilt over the earlier misunderstanding still lingered.

Jiang Rulian watched Qing Qian close the book. Dawn light slipped from her fingertips, shattered by the clouds into warm, fragmented beams.

Her Senior Sister was strong and kind, her heart vast enough to hold all living beings and the grand principles of the universe.

But Jiang Rulian was different—a selfish demon. Her entire existence revolved around one person: Qing Qian alone.

Qingluo Peak stood deep within the Tingyun Mountain Range, its steep slopes rising majestically into the clouds. A long, winding path of bluestone steps climbed its precipitous face.

Pei Yanyan, the thirty-sixth generation sect leader of Tingyun Mountain, was short and youthful-looking, appearing no older than thirteen or fourteen.

Draped in a white Daoist robe, she sat casually on the steps at the mountain’s base, seemingly unconcerned about the dirt.

Jiang Rulian approached and snapped her fingers crisply.

Pei Yanyan heard the sound but didn’t even bother to lift her eyelids. “Senior, you’re unusually late today. Did you get detained by the Supervisory Department on the way?”

She’d received Jiang Rulian’s message that morning asking for help finding a book. She’d calculated the travel time and rushed over, only to find Jiang Rulian, of all people, running late.

After all, Phoenixes were known for their incredible speed.

Jiang Rulian shot her a disdainful glance and declared with mock righteousness, “All forms of unscientific flight are prohibited. I drove here.”

“Hmm? Senior, actually following the rules?” Pei Yanyan found this inconceivable until she glanced up and spotted Qing Qian behind Jiang Rulian. Suddenly, everything made sense.

She’d always wondered why Jiang Rulian, who hadn’t returned to Qingluo Peak in over a decade, would suddenly show up. It turned out she had company.

Tucking her phone into her sleeve, Pei Yanyan performed a proper bow. “Martial Great-Aunt.”

As she did so, she discreetly sized up the newcomer.

The wind was strong on the mountain. Qing Qian wore a thick coat, her face half-hidden in the fluffy collar, and nodded toward her.

The coat looked plain, but fluorescent strips were sewn into the cuffs and pockets—subtle yet flashy.

This definitely wasn’t Qing Qian’s own coat.

Before Qing Qian emerged from seclusion, Jiang Rulian had been relentless with Pei Yanyan.

She was constantly giving instructions: “Senior Sister is sensitive to the cold—make sure her room is warm,” “Only serve the best tea,” or “Senior Sister prefers light fare—no spicy dishes.”

Most absurdly, she had sent back all the dresses Jiang Rulian had ordered, demanding they be remade.

The reason? They didn’t fit properly. “Senior Sister’s waist is even slimmer.”

Yanyan had imagined that this Martial Great-Aunt, known as “Tingyun Frost Moon,” must be an exceedingly precious person.

But after spending time with her, she discovered that while Qing Qian’s health was delicate, she wasn’t particularly fussy about daily comforts. In fact, she could even be considered modest in her needs.

Perhaps it was because a certain Demon cared too much, treating her like fragile porcelain.

Even without using tools, cultivators moved with remarkable speed. The trio reached their destination in no time.

A bamboo fence enclosed a small courtyard, where several wooden houses stood quietly. A tall parasol tree stretched its branches in the wind.

Qing Qian pushed open the courtyard gate. Inside, everything was spotless, not a single weed in sight due to the protective formation. It was as if the courtyard’s owner had never left.

She walked toward one of the houses. “I have too many books. Let’s split up and search.”

Jiang Rulian beckoned Pei Yanyan to follow her.

The room she chose was more like a storage space. Bookshelves held boxes of various sizes, while books were piled haphazardly on the floor, forcing visitors to tread carefully to avoid tripping.

Pei Yanyan already knew that Qingluo Peak was where Jiang Rulian had lived. But seeing Qing Qian’s familiarity with the place piqued her curiosity.

She picked up a book from the table and flipped it open. “Why do you have Martial Great-Aunt’s books here?”

Jiang Rulian replied casually, “Senior Sister lives with me.”

Hearing this, Pei Yanyan raised an eyebrow and looked around, trying to find any clues.

Amidst the clutter, a birdcage hanging high on the wall caught her eye.

She tilted her head back to examine it. “Senior used to keep birds?”

Jiang Rulian turned toward the sound, her expression softening. She smiled proudly. “Ah, no. This is the nest Senior Sister made for me with her own hands.”

Pei Yanyan: ?

Despite its spacious interior, the perch made of premium paulownia wood, and the intricate bamboo leaf carvings, it remained undeniably a birdcage.

She began to doubt. Senior Jiang is a Phoenix, right?

How could such a proud, aloof, and never-submissive divine bird willingly reside in a cage?

Her expression must have betrayed her thoughts, as Jiang Rulian said with a hint of displeasure, “What’s that look on your face? I moved in willingly.”

Pei Yanyan:!

This is only making things worse!

*****

Note:

The term (gǔ) refers to a specific concept from Chinese folklore and black magic. It graphically representing a legendary creation: sealing multiple venomous creatures in a container until only one survivor remains, having consumed the others. This final creature is imbued with potent, concentrated venom (poison) and supernatural power.

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