After My Faked Death Failed, My Ex-Wife Came Chasing After Me - Chapter 8

Starting cohabitation immediately (and getting severely disciplined by Senior Sister)

Lin Zheng looked at the mess on the ground, and then at Guo Jingchen, who was rolling around clutching his head. With a slight wave of her hand, the wooden bucket on his head instantly shattered into pieces.

The surrounding laughter and noise came to an abrupt halt. Lin Zheng scanned the crowd expressionlessly. Holding a stack of scrolls, she stood before the lecture mat, flicked her robes, and sat down primly.

“Silence. Review your books.”

As the Chief Disciple, Lin Zheng held the power of punishment within the Baiyun Luying Sect and often supervised self-study sessions on behalf of the elders. Although the disciples disliked her, they knew better than to provoke her. They immediately dispersed and returned to their seats. However, after the previous commotion, no one was in the mood to read. Paper notes flew everywhere in the back of the room, and they frequently mocked the soaking wet Guo Jingchen.

Guo Jingchen was so furious he wanted to howl, but just as he was about to erupt, Lin Zheng suppressed him with a sharp glare, leaving him full of stifled resentment.

Seeing his “daring to be angry but not daring to speak” expression, Lu Ting’an lay on her desk, laughing so hard she couldn’t close her mouth.

Finally, the latter half of the self-study session ended. As the bell at the mountain peak rang, the disciples immediately swarmed around Lu Ting’an, chirping, “Junior Sister, let’s go! Let’s go to the dining hall for a meal.”

Lu Ting’an’s gaze fell upon Lin Zheng, who was acting as if no one else were there while seriously grading papers. The corners of Lu Ting’an’s mouth curled up slightly as she said, “Sure, let’s go.”

The food at the Baiyun Luying Sect had always been excellent in the cultivation world, mainly because their cultivation techniques did not force disciples to fast (Bigu). Therefore, the dishes were diverse, colorful, fragrant, and delicious. Just as Lu Ting’an sat down, a disciple approached carrying a tray piled high with food. He diligently placed it before her and smiled, saying, “Junior Sister, there are truly many people today. Senior Brother Yunming and I waited in line together just to snag your favorite Stewed Three Delicacies. Quick, try it.”

Lu Ting’an looked up at him. This man was plain-looking, with drooping eyes and a medium-sized mole near his lips, giving him a sneaky, rat-like appearance. Lu Ting’an instantly recognized him—this was the original Junior Sister’s number one lackey, the Sixth Senior Brother Zhao Jingyi. Usually, he was the one with the most wicked ideas for bullying Lin Zheng and possessed a variety of ways to torment people, which was why the original Junior Sister favored him.

Seeing her hesitate to pick up her chopsticks, Zhao Jingyi thought he hadn’t served this “Great Aunt” well and had displeased her. He immediately crouched down and looked at her pleasingly, “Junior Sister, do you not like the dishes? Should Senior Brother go swap them for a few others?”

“No… no need, I—I brought some!” Before the voice even faded, another disciple arrived panting. He was tall and burly with dark skin and thick brows, but his voice was surprisingly shrill and accompanied by a slight stutter. Lu Ting’an immediately matched him to the character in the original work—Zhang Yunming, the Fourth Senior Brother of the sect.

Lu Ting’an glanced at the table that was nearly overflowing and shrugged helplessly. “Why did you get so much? Isn’t it a waste if we can’t eat it all?”

The two were stunned upon hearing this, their expressions becoming quite colorful. Before Lu Ting’an could react, the system prompt sounded: 【Enjoying pleasure and being extravagant/wasteful is part of ‘Lu Ting’an’s’ personality. Don’t go OOC (Out of Character).】

Lu Ting’an: “…”

Fine! I’ll just treat it as experiencing the life of a rich young miss.

She leaned lazily against the soft cushion and pointed her chin toward the dazzling array of dishes on the table. “Sixth Senior Brother, peel the shrimp for me. And these small ribs—I don’t like the bones, could you remove them for me?”

Having said that, she turned to Zhang Yunming and said coquettishly, “Fourth Senior Brother, please pick out the Gastrodia and Wolfberries from the Bamboo Fungus Chicken Stew. I don’t like eating them.”

“Yes, yes, of course!” The two responded in unison and quickly gathered around the table to get to work.

Not long after, two slightly older inner disciples appeared at the entrance of the dining hall, waving to them from afar. Zhao Jingyi turned back and smiled at Lu Ting’an, “Junior Sister, you’re in luck today. Second Senior Brother and Third Senior Brother went down the mountain specifically to buy pastries for you. You can’t taste these inside the sect normally.”

Lu Ting’an raised an eyebrow. The two newcomers were tall and upright with piercing gazes; their every movement carried a hint of immortal grace, suggesting their cultivation was likely not low. They belonged to the same oldest generation of disciples as Lin Zheng. The one on the left with a cold expression was Second Senior Brother Chen Yunxiao; the other, with a lively expression and a hint of quirkiness, was Third Senior Brother Ye Yunlan.

Chen Yunxiao sat down next to Lu Ting’an with a food tray, speaking in a doting tone, “Junior Sister, Second Senior Brother brought you your favorite Ice Crispy Curd. Taste it.”

Ye Yunlan also pulled out a stick of candied haws from his chest as if performing a magic trick. “Junior Sister, look what this is? Didn’t you say you wanted to eat this when we visited the night market in Jinling City last time?”

Suddenly surrounded by so many people offering warmth and concern, Lu Ting’an felt a bit dizzy. She thought helplessly to herself: “No wonder the original Lu Ting’an developed such an arrogant and overbearing personality; you people are way too good at spoiling a child!”

In a daze, Lu Ting’an caught a glimpse of a familiar figure flashing past the doorway. Just as she was about to sit up to see clearly, she heard Zhao Jingyi snort softly, “How unlucky. Junior Sister, don’t look over there. Lin Zheng is coming.”

Lu Ting’an froze. Before she could react, Ye Yunlan followed up with disgust, “Exactly. Why did she suddenly come to the dining hall today? Doesn’t she usually go back to Guiyi Hall to eat alone?”

Chen Yunxiao shot her a glance and said in an unfriendly tone, “Probably because the Great Sect Examination is approaching. That ‘monstrous thing’ thinks she has victory in her grasp, so she’s getting cocky.”

Lin Zheng acted as if the group of people was invisible. Unfortunately, the hall was packed during the lunch hour, and every other seat was taken except for the corner spot next to Lu Ting’an. Her footsteps paused for a moment, but she still walked over and sat down with a calm expression.

Lu Ting’an was delighted and was about to strike up a conversation when she heard Chen Yunxiao speak in a cold, hard tone, “Apologies, Eldest Senior Sister, this seat is taken.”

Lin Zheng looked around, met his eyes, and said calmly, “When I came here, this spot was empty. I didn’t see anyone.”

Having said that, she began to eat the food in her bowl as if no one else were there.

Chen Yunxiao’s lips trembled with anger. He hadn’t expected that after not seeing her for a few days, Lin Zheng would actually talk back. Just as he was about to say something, Zhang Yunming slapped the table behind him, his face darkened. “El… Eldest Senior Sister, do… do we have to… to make things… things that clear? You… you go… go back to Guiyi Hall to eat. Don’t… don’t make Junior Sister… Sister unhappy.”

Lin Zheng’s fingertips paused slightly. Lu Ting’an clearly felt the aura around her turn several degrees colder. For a moment, the atmosphere was at a stalemate. After a long while, Lin Zheng let out an almost imperceptible sigh, picked up her tray, and prepared to leave.

“Wait.” Lu Ting’an suddenly spoke to stop her.

Lin Zheng stopped and turned back to stare at her face indifferently. “What is it?”

Lu Ting’an smiled, putting on a rascally expression. “Don’t go. Come sit with me…”

Before she could finish, the system emitted a sharp, piercing alarm: 【OOC Warning! OOC Warning! ‘Lu Ting’an’ absolutely cannot accept eating at the same table as Lin Zheng!】

The noise made Lu Ting’an’s eardrums ache. She gritted her teeth and finished the sentence: “…I just happen to be lacking someone to serve my food.”

Lin Zheng’s hand gripping the tray suddenly tightened, her knuckles turning white. She said in a deep voice, “You have so many people serving you, do you still need me to serve your food?”

Lu Ting’an already knew how to handle her. She feigned a regretful smile. “Sigh, if you’re unwilling, then about that matter of staying overnight at Yingyue Pavilion last night, I’ll just have to—”

Seeing her mention this, Lin Zheng’s expression changed drastically, sparks seemingly flying in her eyes.

Seeing that the Junior Sister had silenced Lin Zheng with a single sentence, the senior brothers became smug again. They chimed in, “Junior Sister asking you to serve her is a sign of respect. Why aren’t you coming over?”

They were making too much noise, and some confused disciples were already looking over. Lin Zheng’s teeth were gritting audibly, but she could only suppress her rage, bring her tray over, and sit beside her.

Lu Ting’an triumphantly raised her eyebrows at her senior brothers and said, “You all can leave now. Having Lin Zheng here by herself is enough.”

Upon hearing this, Ye Yunlan immediately said anxiously, “That won’t do, Junior Sister! In case Lin Zheng…”

Lu Ting’an waved her hand, cutting him off ruthlessly. “What, are you afraid the Chief Disciple of the Baiyun Luying Sect can’t handle such a small task?”

“Of course not, I’m worried that—” Ye Yunlan was choked back. Just as he was about to say more, Zhao Jingyi, who was always the most discerning, immediately pulled him away and smiled. “Hey, Junior Sister has spoken. Let her do as she pleases. Let’s go, let’s go. This Junior Brother will treat you to drinks in my room. I brought ‘Changfeng Zui’ from Jinling City…”

Ye Yunlan was half-dragged out of the dining hall. Chen Yunxiao and Zhang Yunming looked at each other and also rose to leave. As they passed Lin Zheng, both gave her a fierce glare and left behind a “just you wait.”

Seeing those troublesome guys finally gone, Lu Ting’an’s heart finally settled. She let out a long sigh, and when she turned her head, she found Lin Zheng staring at her coldly.

Being stared at by Lin Zheng made her feel guilty, and her eyes began to wander unconsciously. “What? Is being asked to serve my food really worth that much anger? It’s not the first time. Besides, I strictly ordered them not to tell Master about you staying at Yingyue Pavilion. What’s wrong with paying me back a little?”

Lin Zheng raised her chin slightly, gazing at her with a distant expression. Suddenly, she spoke: “Lu Ting’an, you sent everyone away and kept me here alone. What exactly are you up to?”

Lu Ting’an was drinking tea and almost sprayed it out when asked. Coughing, she said, “There’s no ulterior motive. I just wanted you to serve me, that’s all.”

Lin Zheng frowned, her face clearly saying “I don’t believe you.” If it were before, Lin Zheng might have barely accepted this excuse. But with everything that had happened these past few days, she felt something was wrong everywhere. Lu Ting’an seemed like a completely different person, making her impossible to see through.

Lu Ting’an originally just couldn’t stand those lackeys bullying her and wanted an excuse for Lin Zheng to stay and eat. She hadn’t expected Lin Zheng to be so observant that she was starting to figure things out. The system’s alarm bells rang in her mind. Thinking about the blackening value doubling if her persona collapsed, Lu Ting’an swallowed nervously. Her brain worked at high speed as she said, “I see you’ve caught on. I do indeed have a favor to ask of you.”

Lin Zheng’s expression softened slightly as she said calmly, “Speak.”

Lu Ting’an shook a finger in front of her. “After today’s small test, I realized I’ve fallen behind too much in my studies. If I’m still at this level during the Great Sect Examination, getting a Grade B (Yi) will be a pipe dream.”

Lin Zheng nodded in agreement. “That is indeed true. You were at the bottom of the rankings again this time.”

Lu Ting’an: “…Anyway, to avoid being punished by Father, in addition to sword practice, I want you to help me tutor the basic coursework. In return, I can have Master give you triple the amount of Spirit Gathering Pills every month. Plus, I’ll add the Rejuvenation Pills he personally refined for me. How about it?”

Lin Zheng pondered for a moment and said, “Agreed. But Yingyue Pavilion and Guiyi Hall are far apart. If we do this every day, I’m afraid it won’t be very convenient.”

Seeing her agree, Lu Ting’an was secretly delighted and began to push her luck: “Ahem, so, I hope you can move in and live with me.”