After Being Cursed, My Cold Senior Sister Fell in Love with Me - Chapter 9

The candy was delivered by Night Owl last night.

Jiang Rulian had expected to have to sweet-talk her Senior Sister a bit before she’d accept, but Qing Qian didn’t refuse. She simply picked out a green mint candy.

Her fingers, with their smooth nails, carefully unwrapped the candy and placed it in her mouth.

As her teeth crushed the candy, the crunch crunch seemed to stir the lingering sensations, sending a faint tingling through the scabbed skin on her fingertips.

Her heart felt heavy. Ever since last night, her mind had been acting strange, frequently pausing for no reason and replaying scenes involving Qing Qian.

Even her licked hand no longer felt like her own. She often found herself staring blankly at the wound, lost in thought.

Jiang Rulian twirled her fingers, subtly reaching for Qing Qian’s wrist as she collected the empty bowl and candy wrappers. “How did Senior Sister injure her Spiritual Veins?”

Qing Qian withdrew her hand, leaving Jiang Rulian grasping at air. She retreated to the bed and sat down, her expression unchanging. “There was a mistake during the detoxification process.”

Her answer was so natural that Jiang Rulian couldn’t tell if it was the truth or a rehearsed lie. She pulled up a chair and sat across from Qing Qian, her expression serious. “If Senior Sister won’t show me, I’ll assume the injury hasn’t healed. I’ll secretly add a drop of my blood to Senior Sister’s water every day.”

“How can that be secret if you’ve already told me?” Qing Qian retorted.

The corners of Jiang Rulian’s mouth curved into a smile, her eyes sparkling with amusement as she confidently explained her reasoning. “Well, Senior Sister won’t know when I add it, but she can take calming herbs beforehand to maintain her composure…”

Her voice trailed off, and her smile faded. Qing Qian sat with her hands folded over her knees, staring intently at her, as if listening intently—or perhaps waiting to see how absurd her excuses would become.

Jiang Rulian was puzzled. Her plan was flawless, addressing the problem while preemptively preventing any side effects—a shining example of humane ingenuity.

Yet why did Senior Sister seem somewhat angry?

In the end, she decided to cut her losses. “I’ll go tell the Monster Bureau that I want a Purple Ganoderma.”

“No,” Qing Qian said without hesitation. “Have Tingyun Mountain handle the negotiations. Yanyan knows what to do.”

Jiang Rulian frowned, her brows creasing into a V. “Why? What difference does it make if I handle this or Yanyan does?”

Qing Qian looked up, her words measured and deliberate, each one striking like a hammer. “Jiang Rulian, what status would you claim when asking for medicine on my behalf? Fellow disciple? Colleague? Or a Great Demon under close scrutiny?”

“I—” Jiang Rulian instinctively wanted to protest, but swallowed the rest of her sentence, unable to utter a single word.

She wasn’t truly a disciple of Tingyun Mountain. If she didn’t follow their sect rules, she’d face a whipping that would last three days and three nights, and copying enough texts to circle Qingluo Peak a dozen times.

Nor was she a demon officially recognized by the Monster Bureau. Her file still held several pages of violation records, and most humans in the bureau spoke of her with grave disapproval.

But on Tingyun Mountain, the one who protected her life and taught her cultivation was Qing Qian, the one whose heart could be softened with just a bit of coaxing.

Because of this, she could afford to disregard the consequences and simply follow her heart.

To save her beloved.

The room fell silent. Jiang Rulian chuckled softly, letting go of the previous conversation and speaking in a joking tone.

“I need to do something, and I’ll need a Human Race member as bait.”

“Do what you must. I won’t stop you. But if you go too far and hurt someone…”

Jiang Rulian nodded. “I’ll come personally to apologize to Senior Sister.”

The sunlight shifted, casting a soft glow over Qing Qian’s figure. Her expression remained calm as she said, “Don’t forget to take your coat.”

Jiang Rulian retrieved her jacket and hugged it to her chest, keenly noticing the scent had changed.

It smelled like Qing Qian had washed it.

As she turned to leave, the sun momentarily blinded her. In that hazy moment, she seemed to return to many years ago.

Back then, Qing Qian was the ever-dutiful, exemplary Eldest Senior Sister, praised by everyone.

And Jiang Rulian was merely one of those she cared for.

******

“Can we really go without a Vice Captain? We’re already pushing the boundaries of what’s allowed. Won’t the old-timers upstairs start nagging?”

The curly-haired girl spoke while sharpening her knife, the blade rasping against the stone surface with a rhythmic shua shua.

She then scooped up a handful of water and poured it over the blade, its surface gleaming so brightly it reflected her radiant smile.

Gu Xiaozhuang sat in her office chair, slowly sliding backward to put more distance between herself and the girl.

After all, to be able to laugh so heartily in this situation… it made one seriously doubt her true intentions.

“Dog, restrain yourself a bit. You’re going to shake your tail off,” Liu Qi remarked from the desk beside her.

He was holding a book titled Thirty-Six Stratagems: Dragon Slaying and Phoenix Slaying.

He’d been reading it ever since Gu Xiaozhuang arrived, occasionally taking notes and practicing incantations.

This studious desk mate only filled Gu Xiaozhuang with dread. Because part of the book’s title was sitting right across from him.

Despite having hair dyed in vibrant shades like burning clouds, and features so striking they could blind, he sat hunched in the corner, motionless for minutes on end.

He’d transformed from a dazzling Phoenix into a gloomy mushroom.

The gloomy mushroom issued instructions: “There’s no need to bring my Senior Sister. Don’t let her handle anything in the future. Also, the Profound Water Art can’t reach me, so it’s better to just swing a knife.”

Liu Qi sighed, scratching his head in frustration. “But it’s too late to learn how to use a blade now.”

“I-I can sponsor a knife!” The young girl beamed, her cheerful and adorable demeanor drawing praise from anyone who saw her—provided they weren’t looking at the machete she was holding.

“Forget it. Meteorite Iron would melt in the heat. Captain Jiang wouldn’t cover the cost.”

Liu Qi and the girl burst into laughter, unabashedly teasing Jiang Rulian.

The office, once bustling with chatter, fell silent as two demons and one human stared intently at Gu Xiaozhuang. Her hands trembled as she added in a shaky voice, “My cousin said… said everyone on the team is very easy to get along with.”

Jiang Rulian turned away first. “Then go take over your cousin’s duties. Start organizing the information.”

Then there was no further conversation.

Feeling ignored, Gu Xiaozhuang, a severe social phobia sufferer, let out a sigh of relief only to find herself holding her breath again.

The curly-haired girl greeted her with a smile. “You can call me Dog.”

Gu Xiaozhuang quickly waved her hand. “No, you’re my senior. It wouldn’t be proper to use a nickname…”

“It’s not a nickname. That’s just my name. Li Dog. My master gave it to me.”

She spoke with such solemnity that Gu Xiaozhuang was momentarily taken aback.

A demon’s name is of great importance, representing the acknowledgment of spiritual energy from heaven and earth. Once confirmed, it cannot be changed.

The fact that she could openly say such a name suggested she truly loved it.

Seeing Gu Xiaozhuang’s blank stare and lack of reaction, the girl thought she was too hesitant to call her by that name.

Understanding her discomfort, she offered a compromise. “Then you can call me Li Xu. After all, signing ‘Li Dog’ on official documents always gets those old men grumbling.”

“Oh, okay… Sister Li Xu…”

When Gu Xiaozhuang turned her gaze back, Liu Qi pointed at himself. “I’m Liu Qi, three years older than you. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me. The others are busy and not here right now, but I’ll introduce you to them when they return.”

Gu Xiaozhuang nodded vigorously, her eyes wide with excitement.

Judging by the conversation she’d overheard, they seemed to be leaving soon. Could she possibly slip through unnoticed today?

She ventured to ask, “Where do I find the information I need to organize?”

Jiang Rulian didn’t even look up. “On the windowsill.”

Gu Xiaozhuang nodded, though she didn’t fully understand. She approached the window, searching for her task.

But there was nothing there. The windowsill was too narrow to hold any files, revealing only a vast expanse of blue sky and a few sparrows perched nearby.

“Hmm? Has it not been delivered yet?”

Li Xu kindly pointed out, “It’s right in front of you.”

Gu Xiaozhuang turned, but all she saw was the same blue sky, fluffy clouds, and the fluffy little sparrows.

Gu Xiaozhuang: ?

Liu Qi put down his book, stretched lazily, and watched Gu Xiaozhuang with amusement.

“Captain Jiang usually sends them to tail and monitor targets. All you have to do is touch them to see their memories. It’s simple.”

Following his instructions, Gu Xiaozhuang reached out her hand. Instead of fleeing, the sparrows nuzzled their heads against her palm.

In an instant, Gu Xiaozhuang felt her body grow light, as if she were soaring through the sky with the wind. The city’s streets transformed into an intricate web below her, the peculiar perspective inducing a slight dizziness.

She immediately let go and took a deep breath to steady herself. “So the Phoenix really can control birds…”

When she turned back, the office was already empty.

Unfazed, Gu Xiaozhuang continued playing with her Sparrow Simulator.

The device was as addictive as a game, time flying by in a blur.

Rubbing her eyes, Gu Xiaozhuang stroked the head of the last sparrow.

The first scene that appeared was a dense forest, and the subjects of the tracking were a man and a woman.

The pair seemed lost. The man was cursing angrily, while the woman, remarkably calm, tried to soothe him in a gentle voice.

“Don’t touch me! Stay away from me!”

The woman’s voice cracked with tears. “Cui Lang, calm down. I’ll figure something out.”

This exchange was enough to raise anyone’s blood pressure. Even as an observer, Gu Xiaozhuang couldn’t stand it, mentally marking the man with a big “X” in her notes.

The little sparrow didn’t linger long before turning back.

Gu Xiaozhuang was just about to call it a day when the sparrow suddenly slowed and perched on a branch.

Between the overlapping shadows of the trees, a slender figure stood out, her hair a rare white.

The sparrow gazed at the strikingly elegant white-haired woman, who turned and noticed it.

“What a beautiful woman,” Gu Xiaozhuang couldn’t help but exclaim. Should I report this to Captain Jiang?

Before she could get a better look, the beautiful woman approached, extended her hand, and the world spun into chaos.

The entire sparrow seemed to be forced into the palm of that person’s hand.

“Where’s Jiang Rulian?”

Gu Xiaozhuang’s eyes widened in disbelief. Few could call the Phoenix by name so casually. She suddenly knew who this person was.

Then came a familiar, pleasant voice:

“Jiang Rulian is here.”

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