After My Faked Death Failed, My Ex-Wife Came Chasing After Me - Chapter 41

Senior Sister: So angry she’s about to faint

Lu Ting’an slept until the sun was high in the sky. Upon waking, she felt that something was wrong everywhere. She struggled to sit up and leaned against the headboard to stretch; her entire body felt as though it had been soaked in water, achingly soft in a way that defied description.

She froze for two seconds. Fragments of last night’s ambiguous and lingering images flashed through her mind, causing her to cough twice involuntarily. But when she turned her head, the large bed held only her; there was no sign of Lin Zheng.

“Could it be… it was a dream?”

Lu Ting’an touched her torn lip in disbelief, hissing “hiss” at the pain. With the slightest movement, a faint, stinging pain came from her chest. Her heart trembled, and her whole body stiffened. After a moment of hesitation, she quietly pulled open a slit in her collar. Her collarbone was slightly flushed, and even those hidden “peach tips” were somewhat swollen.

Lu Ting’an was instantly dumbfounded.

“Are you kidding me? It couldn’t be…” Lu Ting’an scrambled off the bed and rushed to the dressing table in three steps, beginning to scrutinize her neck in the copper mirror for any marks. Fortunately, her skin was as white as jade, clean and clear without a single suspicious trace. She finally breathed a secret sigh of relief, patting her chest and whispering, “Thank goodness, it really was a dream.”

That said, she paused. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. Hating herself for being so weak, she slapped herself and muttered, “You, oh you, what on earth is going on in your head every day? You just had a few extra cups of wine and you forget who you are?”

After scolding herself, Lu Ting’an looked at the tired face in the mirror. Unbidden and ill-timed, she remembered Lin Zheng’s captivating, deep gaze in the dream, and that kiss—utterly gentle yet filled with an aggressive intent. Suddenly, the tips of her ears burned. Embarrassed, she slammed the hairpins in her hand into the jewelry box; with a “clatter,” the ornaments rolled all over the floor.

She covered her face in agony, screaming inwardly to the heavens: It’s over. I thought having a lewd dream was embarrassing enough, but who knew the subject of the dream would be Lin Zheng? How am I supposed to face her from now on?

“What’s wrong with you?”

A gentle voice suddenly came from behind. Lu Ting’an spun around to see Lin Zheng standing by the wooden stairs with her hands behind her back. Her skin was as white as snow, her eyes calm—cold as always. There was no trace of abnormality in her gaze.

Lu Ting’an swallowed hard, shrinking her neck like a quail, and said sheepishly, “Oh, nothing. That… I drank too much last night and forgot to get up for sword practice this morning.”

Lin Zheng shook her head slightly and said indifferently, “It matters not. It is not advisable to sweat after a night of heavy drinking, otherwise, one easily catches a cold.”

Lu Ting’an bit her lower lip, hesitated for a long time, and finally couldn’t help but ask, “I… I didn’t do anything out of line last night, did I?”

At the mention of this, a flash of fluster crossed Lin Zheng’s eyes. She looked away slightly, her voice remaining calm: “No.”

Lu Ting’an let out a sigh of relief as if a heavy weight had been lifted. She was just about to say something when Lin Zheng suddenly spoke: “Except, you told me you liked—”

Lu Ting’an instantly held her breath.

“—liked my tail very much.”

“Huh?” Lu Ting’an froze, her cheeks rapidly flushing crimson. She waved her hands frantically in explanation. “Don’t mind that, I was just talking nonsense because I was drunk. I know you don’t like people calling you a fox…”

“I don’t mind.” Lin Zheng interrupted her softly, looking up to meet her eyes. She said warmly, “In the past, when disciples mentioned my identity, they always avoided it for fear of trouble. But you can be so frank… I am… most pleased.”

Hearing her say this, Lu Ting’an couldn’t help but be stunned. She scratched her head awkwardly and said, “It’s… it’s not much. I just happen to like fluffy little animals.”

The corners of Lin Zheng’s eyes curled up slightly, and her usually indifferent brow gained a hint of suppressed amusement. She nodded. “Mm. Come down for lunch; it is ready.”

“Ah? It’s already time for lunch?”

Lu Ting’an followed behind her, salivating over the thought of food while simultaneously regretting her laziness in her heart. If she kept up this “fishing for three days and drying the nets for two” attitude, when would she ever form a Golden Core? She was still looking forward to the day she could fly on a sword.

But once she sat at the table and saw the fragrant, enticing dishes before her, the guilt was thrown to the back of her mind. She almost wanted to hug Lin Zheng and call her “Mom”—this was too feast-like!

Lin Zheng handed her the chopsticks. Lu Ting’an excitedly picked up a piece of roasted beef. As soon as it entered her mouth, she hissed from the spice and complained, “I think I’ve been suffering from internal heat lately. Look, the corner of my mouth is torn.”

Lin Zheng’s hand, which was helping her with the food, paused slightly. She looked elsewhere guiltily and said, “Perhaps… it is not internal heat.”

Lu Ting’an didn’t think much of it. She gulped down the fish soup and replied without looking up, “If it’s not internal heat, it couldn’t be that someone bit it, right? I didn’t kiss—”

Before she finished, Lu Ting’an suddenly recalled her heart-pounding dream. She stole a glance at Lin Zheng and suddenly felt like teasing her. She said intentionally, “Hmm, you’re right, it is indeed possible.”

Lin Zheng’s fingers on her lap curled involuntarily, her expression stiffening. “You… what do you mean? Have you kissed anyone else?”

Seeing her so nervous, Lu Ting’an found it funny and continued to talk nonsense: “Of course I have! Do you think everyone is like you, doing nothing but studying and practicing swordsmanship? I, Lu Ting’an, am sixteen years old and naturally beautiful. Isn’t it normal to have a few pursuers?”

Before she could finish, Lin Zheng’s face was as dark as the bottom of a pot. She looked at her with displeasure and asked, “When did this happen?”

Lu Ting’an propped her chin up with her hand, smiling mischievously. “What, are you going to tattle to Father?”

Lin Zheng stared at her face for a long while without saying a word.

Seeing that she seemed truly upset, Lu Ting’an felt a bit afraid that this “dead-brain” would actually tell Sun Youqing and Lu Qingchen. Just as she was about to explain, Lin Zheng gave a cold snort and pulled the plate of peeled shrimp away from her.

Lu Ting’an: “…Don’t you practice inedia (fasting)?”

Lin Zheng crunched on the shrimp, giving her a side-glance. “I am breaking the precept today.”

Lu Ting’an swallowed, a bit confused. What was wrong with Lin Zheng? Could it be because she teased her for never having kissed anyone? That shouldn’t be right; isn’t she the famous “Excellent Graduate of the Way of Heartlessness” from the Baiyun Luying Sect? Even this makes her angry?

After finishing lunch, Lu Ting’an patted her stomach with satisfaction. Seeing Lin Zheng still moodily clearing the dishes, she poked her head out and looked up at her, smiling. “Alright, alright, I misspoke. To compensate you, I’ve decided—I’ll go to Elder Luo’s swordsmanship class with you later.”

Lin Zheng glanced at her. Although she didn’t speak, the meaning in her eyes was clear—going to her own class counts as compensation?

Lu Ting’an pretended not to see the look and ran happily into the tool-forging room to take out the sword Lin Zheng had given her. Even though it hadn’t been quenched yet, the thought of one day being able to summon a sword from her sleeve to slay demons like Lin Zheng made her heart skip with excitement.

“Let’s go, Lin Zheng, stop being busy. I’ll wash the dishes tonight as an apology, okay?” Lu Ting’an shouted toward the west wing.

Lin Zheng walked gracefully out of the room, untying her apron. Her expression was calm as usual. She walked to her side and added flatly, “Also, remember to wake up early to practice the sword tomorrow, and tidy your own bed.”

“Got it, I’ll listen to everything you say. Let’s go!” Lu Ting’an agreed readily and ran forward cheering with her sword. Lin Zheng followed behind her, and the two walked to the martial arts field. It was still early, and besides a few disciples sweeping, not many people had arrived for class.

Lu Ting’an sat down with a thud, leaning against a large tree, and sighed. “Sigh, it really hasn’t been easy for me. I haven’t been to the martial arts field for months since the last tournament.”

Lin Zheng’s lip twitched slightly, and three black lines seemed to hang from her forehead. “What do you mean ‘not easy’? You were just being lazy.”

Lu Ting’an stuck her tongue out and giggled. She was about to joke around as usual when Lin Zheng’s face suddenly turned ashen. She stared fixedly into the distance, her fingers clenching into a fist.

Startled, Lu Ting’an followed her gaze. On the edge of the field stood a thin figure, struggling to carry two buckets of water on a shoulder pole. The person was very small and overly gaunt; their hands and feet were trembling for some reason. As they walked, some water splashed out, landing on the hem of a disciple who was wiping a stone pillar.

The disciple immediately turned around and scolded harshly, raising a hand to deliver a slap. The female disciple was caught off guard, her head snapping to the side, her eyes instantly turning red.

Lin Zheng seemed unable to bear it any longer. She stepped forward quickly, intending to support the female disciple. But the girl was like a startled young beast; before Lin Zheng could touch her, she slammed onto her knees, kowtowing repeatedly in terror and crying out, “I was wrong, I was wrong! Please, Master, spare me…”

Lin Zheng froze, her hand stopping in mid-air, her throat feeling blocked. After a long while, she spoke in disbelief: “…Xiaowu? You are Xiaowu, right?”

The female disciple froze upon hearing the voice, then slowly raised her head, revealing a face covered in bruises. Once she saw who was standing before her, tears burst from her eyes.

“Sister… Sister…”

Lin Zheng was full of shock. She hurriedly helped her up, and seeing her covered in wounds and cowering, she gritted her teeth. “Xiaowu, weren’t you receiving ‘re-education’ at the Danhe Juxian Bridge? How did you end up here?”

Xiaowu opened her mouth as if to say something, but before the words could come out, she threw herself into Lin Zheng’s arms and began to wail.

Lu Ting’an had walked up to them at some point. Her sharp gaze swept over the disciple who had just struck the girl, frightening him into a hurried bow. He stammered, “Bi-Big Miss… I, I just saw she wasn’t working efficiently…”

“How bold of you,” Lu Ting’an interrupted coldly. “You are both disciples of Baiyun Luying; how can you strike someone over a disagreement? I expect you to go to the Hall of Discipline today to receive punishment, or I will personally expel you from the sect.”

“Yes, yes, Big Miss.” The disciple dared not disobey and hurriedly left the field.

Meanwhile, Xiaowu had regained her breath. Wiping her tears, she bowed gratefully to Lu Ting’an. “Thank you, Big Miss. I am Bai Xiaowu, an outer disciple who just joined Baiyun Luying.”

Lu Ting’an noticed that the girl’s forearms were covered in layers of new and old wounds; some had even begun to fester because they weren’t treated. She asked with pity, “How did you get these?”

At the question, Bai Xiaowu froze. She lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting her hem, and stammered, not daring to speak.

Seeing this, Lu Ting’an sighed softly and turned to Lin Zheng. “Lin Zheng, I heard her call you ‘Sister’ just now. What is that about?”

Lin Zheng pursed her lips, her brow furrowed. She said deeply, “She is an orphan of our tribe that my mother adopted years ago. Later, when my mother had her accident and I joined Baiyun Luying, I left her in Qingqiu. But every three months, I would go back to see her.”

She paused, her gaze landing on Bai Xiaowu with an increasingly complex expression. “Until three years ago, she was sent to the Danhe Juxian Bridge for ‘re-education.’ Worried she would be bullied in the sect, I secretly gave her the Spirit-Gathering Pills I saved every month, hoping she could increase her cultivation and erase the elders’ prejudices.”

Hearing this, Lu Ting’an finally understood. “Oh, I see. I was wondering why someone with your cultivation would still treasure Spirit-Gathering Pills like they were gems. So it was for this.”

She leaned down and looked at the skittish Bai Xiaowu with a gentle smile. “Bai Xiaowu, don’t be afraid. The Big Miss is here. Tell me, who beat you like this? I’ll help you settle the score.”

Bai Xiaowu looked cautiously at her, then at Lin Zheng. She took a deep breath, as if making a resolution. “It was… Sect Leader Song Yanwu.”

“What did you say?” Lu Ting’an and Lin Zheng exclaimed almost simultaneously, exchanging shocked looks.

It wasn’t surprising they reacted this way. In the original book, Sect Leader Song was famous for being as pure as the wind and moon—not only was he humble and polite, but he also had the heart of a Bodhisattva. The idea of accepting disciples from the demon race was pioneered by him, which caused a massive stir in the immortal world at the time. Some scolded him for defying the natural order, but he turned a deaf ear and even built “Golden Platforms” in various demon territories at great expense, hoping those educated by the sects would stick to the righteous path.

Yet Bai Xiaowu said such a man beat her like this. It was truly shocking. Lin Zheng pondered for a moment and asked, “Xiaowu, how did you leave the Danhe Juxian Bridge to come here?”

Bai Xiaowu swallowed, looking as if she were recalling a terrifying experience. She trembled, “That day… I accidentally broke the Master’s glass cup. The Master was furious and said he would use a branding iron to ruin my face. Fortunately, Young Master Cui pleaded for me. In the end, the Master just beat me and threw me out of the mountain gate.”

She continued, her shoulders shaking involuntarily, “I had nowhere to go and almost wanted to die. Later, Young Master Cui gave me some travel money and told me to come to Baiyun Luying to find my sister.”

She paused, her eyes brightening. “Actually… the elders of Baiyun Luying are quite good. Though they weren’t willing to take me as an inner disciple, they let me be an outer disciple. At least I have a place to stay and don’t have to be beaten every day like before.”

The more Lu Ting’an heard, the more she felt something was off. She interrupted, “Wait, which Young Master Cui? Cui Daorong?”

Bai Xiaowu froze, then shook her head. “No. He said his name is Cui Daoyan, the eldest young master of the Shiya Yeyue Pond.”

Lu Ting’an instinctively looked at Lin Zheng.

Lin Zheng sighed softly. “I know what you are thinking. This matter is indeed full of suspicious points, but regardless, he did save Xiaowu’s life.”

Lu Ting’an was silent for a moment. She rubbed her chin and suddenly clapped her hands. “No, I’ve decided. I’m going to the Elite Gathering with you next month!”