Even If You're My Senior, It's Still Forbidden - Chapter 31

This only piqued Ji Weining’s curiosity further. After setting down the perfectly simmered congee, she returned to the room to find Su Jin’an already awake, holding the Immortal-Binding Rope from the previous day.

The rope had been repaired by Su Jin’an using her restored spiritual energy, returning it to its original state.

“Let’s return this Immortal-Binding Rope to Yu Qing,” Su Jin’an said, sitting on the edge of the bed and gesturing for Ji Weining to come take it.

Ji Weining placed the bowl of congee she was holding on the table and walked over. Taking the rope, she was momentarily unsure how to react.

Does my junior sister know what this is?

Noticing that the repaired array on the rope was even more stable than the one Yu Qing had originally crafted, she praised, “Junior sister, your mastery of arrays is truly impressive.”

Su Jin’an coughed lightly and replied softly, “Mm.”

It was only that morning that she had realized what the rope was similar to the one in her dreams, though the one in her dreams was far more intricate, faintly adorned with a hibiscus pattern.

Would my senior sister treat me as she did in the dream? The thought made Su Jin’an feel a flicker of anticipation. She narrowed her eyes and asked, “I’ve never seen senior sister draw this kind of array before, have I?”

Su Jin’an’s question caught Ji Weining off guard. She wasn’t sure whether her junior sister truly understood the rope’s actual purpose, but if she wanted it there was no harm in indulging her. Tucking the rope into her sleeve, Ji Weining said, “Then I’ll make one for you when I have time.”

“Alright.”

“What is senior sister holding?” Su Jin’an asked, raising an eyebrow as she noticed the slip of paper in Ji Weining’s hand.

Ji Weining was still holding the note she had retrieved from the pigeon. She unfolded it and showed it to Su Jin’an.

“I’ll go check,” she said, though what she meant to check was obvious.

The room contained only a small bookshelf. Ji Weining hadn’t brought many books with her, and those she had were casually placed on the table without being opened. Pulling open the third drawer of the bookshelf, she indeed found an invitation inside, seemingly placed there quite recently.

How did this get here? No, more importantly, when was it placed here?

“It seems senior sister has no choice but to go,” Su Jin’an remarked, sitting cross-legged on the bed as she watched Ji Weining retrieve the invitation.

Since the invitation was specifically for her, she really had no choice but to attend.

Ji Weining brought the invitation over to Su Jin’an and unfolded it. “Will you come with me, junior sister?”

“Pleasure Pavilion?” Su Jin’an turned the note over, her brows furrowing slightly.

The straightforwardness of the name made it clear what kind of place it was what sort of people would be there and whom they might encounter was anyone’s guess.

“Is that not allowed?” Ji Weining wrapped an arm around Su Jin’an’s shoulder, resting her head against it, and added in a tentative whisper, “A place like that, Aren’t you worried senior sister might run into something strange?”

“Does senior sister need me to worry?”

If anything, Ji Weining was the one afraid, afraid that Su Jin’an would worry or get angry. She had even rephrased her question to gauge her reaction.

Su Jin’an turned her head to glance at her, her ear brushing against Ji Weining’s lips. Ji Weining parted her lips slightly and nibbled on Su Jin’an’s plump earlobe, holding it gently for a moment before releasing it.

In a low voice, she asked, “Does junior sister not want me anymore?”

How could she even think of letting her go alone?

“I just want my junior sister to go with me. I don’t like that kind of place.” Ji Weining bit down heavily again on the earlobe before her, her nostrils filled with Su Jin’an’s scent, an indescribable fragrance that felt incredibly soothing and pleasant to her.

When she released the earlobe, her mark remained, imprinted with the tight press of her teeth.

Su Jin’an’s entire ear flushed a delicate pink. She was blushing she did have feelings for her.

“Has senior sister stopped biting?” Su Jin’an asked, noticing the stillness at her ear.

Ji Weining kicked off her shoes and moved further onto the bed, sitting behind Su Jin’an. She leaned her face close to the other earlobe and bit down again. Having removed her earrings before bed, her ears were bare. Ji Weining could clearly feel the small piercing hole in her earlobe and bit down a little harder there, her saliva moistening every part of the earlobe.

Her hand unconsciously wandered upward, brushing against the hem of the clothes and the softness beneath. Ji Weining came to her senses, releasing both her hand and her reluctantly parting mouth.

Su Jin’an’s hand pressed against the edge of the bed, bracing against her assault. Her head tilted slightly upward, the warmth and dampness at the tip of her ear gradually unsettling her pulse. Her heart was beating much, much faster than usual.

“Symmetrical now.” But not entirely.

“Made an earring for junior sister.” One shaped like her teeth.

“Senior sister certainly knows earrings.” Su Jin’an touched her ear, still damp with her mark.

As she released her grip on the bed, Ji Weining immediately wrapped an arm around her waist. Su Jin’an turned within her embrace, her freed hand caressing Ji Weining’s cheek, meeting her gaze before hooking around her neck to draw her closer. “Senior sister should bite harder, so the earring will last longer.”

Ji Weining pouted. Any harder and the ear would surely bleed, she wouldn’t listen. This was just perfect.

The tooth marks were neat and orderly, staining the area a rosy pink. From a distance, it almost looked like an earring? Perhaps one made of rubies, and definitely a clustered design.

Quite beautiful, of course, only because it was on her junior sister.

“So, will junior sister come with me now?”

“Alright, if only to keep senior sister from biting anyone else.” Su Jin’an’s fingers twirled around the stray strands of hair at Ji Weining’s temple.

Anyone else?

That didn’t sit well with Ji Weining.

“Who else would I have besides junior sister?” Ji Weining nibbled at her neck again, mumbling, “One junior sister is enough for me to devour.”

Feeling the sting at her neck, Su Jin’an chuckled softly. “Is senior sister a dog?”

“What do you think, junior sister?” Ji Weining pulled back slightly to face her.

“A dog.” Su Jin’an reached out to tap her nose lightly before agreeing, “I’ll go with senior sister.”

Overjoyed, Ji Weining lifted Su Jin’an slightly to look up at her. “I knew junior sister cared about me.”

“Feeling reassured now?”

Exposed, Ji Weining muttered vaguely, “Why wouldn’t I be reassured?”

Su Jin’an laughed at her expression. “Still going to bite me?”

“Bite.” As she spoke, Ji Weining gently bit another small mark on the center of Su Jin’an’s neck before releasing it. Su Jin’an lowered her head and noticed the shape Ji Weining had deliberately left, a curved crescent moon.

“You’ve bitten me a necklace.”

“Do you like it?”

Su Jin’an whispered softly, “I like it. You can bite harder, Senior Sister.”

She didn’t know what had come over her, but she wanted Ji Weining to leave marks on her body. And she really, really liked it.

Ji Weining knew her junior sister enjoyed this, but she couldn’t let her indulge endlessly. She had to maintain some control.

“Alright, it’s time to study today’s lesson.”

The more they learned, the less likely accidents would occur during the upcoming competition. She would worry otherwise.

Ji Weining released one hand and grasped Su Jin’an’s restless fingers near her temple, pressing against her wrist pulse. A stream of spiritual energy flowed into Su Jin’an’s body. The energy within her had clearly changed since yesterday. “Your spiritual energy has recovered?”

“Mm.” Su Jin’an nodded.

“Are you feeling unwell anywhere else?” Ji Weining’s gaze fell worriedly on Su Jin’an’s lower abdomen.

Su Jin’an shook her head. When she woke that morning, her body felt strangely light. All the power of her golden core had returned to her, and her monthly cycle had ended too. She was back to how she should be with her golden core intact.

She let out a relieved sigh. “It’s good that you’re not uncomfortable.”

“Immortal Ji, I’ve brought some vegetables. Will you need any today?”

A voice came from outside.

“It’s Xiao Hua. I’ll go get it.” Ji Weining said to the person beside her.

Su Jin’an reminded her, “Remember to return it.”

Returning it to Xiao Hua was the same after all, it was their shared property.

Ji Weining got out of bed, straightened her clothes, closed the room door behind her, and then went to open the outer door.

“Did you sleep well last night, Immortal?” Hua Rong handed over the vegetable basket as she asked. She had heard yesterday that Ji Weining had asked Yu Qing to prepare ingredients but hadn’t expected she would need food herself, so she hadn’t prepared any.

“Mm.” Ji Weining took the basket and pulled an Immortal-Binding Rope from her sleeve, handing it to Hua Rong.

A flicker of surprise crossed Hua Rong’s face before quickly smoothing into neutrality, unnoticed by Ji Weining. Hua Rong smiled and asked, “Is this something Immortal Yu Qing left behind?”

“Please return it to her.”

“Alright.” Hua Rong took the Immortal-Binding Rope, her mind already forming new calculations.

A breeze drifted by, and Ji Weining faintly caught a strong scent of incense, unlike what ordinary households would burn. It seemed to come from Hua Rong perhaps she had been near someone who used heavy incense. Ji Weining didn’t ask further.

After Hua Rong left, Ji Weining lifted the cloth covering the vegetable basket. Inside were some pastries and dried fruits, the same kind Hua Liniang had once taught her to make.

Ji Weining took out the box of pastries and placed the rest in the kitchen. Carrying the pastry box back to the room, she said, “Xiao Hua brought some vegetables and some snacks.”

“Their family’s pastries are delicious.”

Su Jin’an straightened her clothes and sat before the dressing mirror to comb her hair. Glancing back, she said, “If Senior Sister praises them so, they must be truly exquisite.”

Ji Weining casually set the box on the table and walked over to her.

Su Jin’an’s hair was long, reaching past her waist. She usually just pinned it up casually with a hairpin, and even without makeup, it was enough to unsettle Ji Weining’s heart.

“Why are you taking such care with your appearance today?”

“Aren’t we going to Joyful Tower?” Su Jin’an picked up the hairpin she had bought a few days earlier, comparing it while joking, “Wouldn’t want my senior sister’s heart stolen by some other beauty.”

“So, you do care about me after all.” Ji Weining walked up behind her, gathering her hair gently. “Shall I style it for you?”

“No need. I can manage quite well when I put my mind to it.” Su Jin’an had full confidence in her hairdressing skills. Setting down the comb, she gathered her hair from behind, folded it over, secured the ends, and began twisting two strands upward. She crossed them at the crown of her head before anchoring the style with a hairpin, swiftly completing the elegant updo.

Turning around, she smoothed back the stray strands at her temples, appearing both graceful and dignified.

Since arriving here, she hadn’t been particular about her hairstyles, usually opting for whatever was comfortable. It had been quite some time since she last put serious effort into styling it.

Ji Weining stared in awe before taking the newly purchased hairpin from the table to adorn Su Jin’an’s hair. The addition instantly breathed life into the look, transforming her into the image of a young lady freshly stepping into society.

“Even more beautiful than how I style it.” All these years of learning seemed wasted in comparison.

Su Jin’an smiled without further comment. After observing so much over the years, she had naturally picked up the skill, it wasn’t particularly difficult anyway.

After another half-day of studying mystical arts, dusk was already approaching.

“Let’s go, we should head over now.” Su Jin’an closed her book and reminded her companion.

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