My Green Tea Junior Sister Smells So Good - Chapter 18

Shen Qingyi suppressed her aura, concentrating her mind to listen to the movements inside.

“Yuanluo, I already sent you back. Why on earth did you run back here? Life in the mortal world is hard, but do you think there is any less conflict and right and wrong here on Yunyin Peak?”

It was unclear whether Du Yuanluo disagreed with his words or if she had taken Shen Qingyi’s previous advice to heart, but she kept her head bowed and remained silent.

Seeing no response, Jiang Linchuan continued talking to himself: “Initially, I refused to bring you back because I feared Qingyi’s rigid temperament. I feared you would suffer grievances. Fortunately, you are clever and managed to find your footing in front of her.”

“Though it caused some friction between Qingyi and me, as long as you are doing well and she is doing well, I am fine with whatever happens to me.”

“However, Qingyi is now plagued by rumors, and you have no peace either. It’s a lose-lose situation, why bother? I blame myself for not considering everything thoroughly when I sent you back last time, causing you to suffer. This time, I will buy you a house and land in the mortal world and give you enough gold and silver to last a lifetime. Go back and live a peaceful life, alright?”

After Jiang Linchuan had spoken a great deal, Du Yuanluo finally gave him a small response: “Eldest Senior Brother, am I truly a ‘jinx’? Do I only bring disaster to those close to me?”

Hearing this, Jiang Linchuan thought he saw a hint of her wavering. “I told you from the start, that is merely the ignorant prejudice of commoners. People who truly care for you won’t mind whether you bring good or bad luck.”

“But I don’t want to harm Senior Sister. I didn’t know that making a private wish would result in everyone on Yunyin Peak finding out. If I did something wrong, just punish me. Why must they slander Senior Sister?”

“Yuanluo, you grew up in the secular world, surely you’ve heard of ‘corrupting public morals’? You are used to being beaten and scolded since childhood, but Qingyi is the pearl in the palm of the Yunyin Sect Leader. She has only ever known fame, never infamy. You might not care, but you must think of Qingyi.”

Du Yuanluo bit her lip, forcing herself to hold back her tears.

On the wall hung portraits of ancestors from previous generations. Du Yuanluo pointed to one of them: “I’ve heard that for cultivators, Dao companions are not restricted by gender. It isn’t considered corrupting morals.”

Most portraits depicted individuals, but if there was a Dao companion, the two would be painted together. The one Du Yuanluo pointed to featured two immortal ladies with high-flying buns and fluttering silken robes.

Shen Qingyi listened to their dialogue with great composure. She had originally feared that Du Yuanluo’s clumsy tongue would allow Jiang Linchuan to manipulate her, but she hadn’t expected the girl to hit the nail on the head.

It was clear that she wasn’t stupid, she simply hadn’t had a voice before.

Seeing that he couldn’t fool her, Jiang Linchuan changed his approach: “You certainly learn fast. I wanted to save you some face, but since you’ve done your research, then you must also know that a cultivator’s Dao companion is not like a mortal husband and wife. There is no precedent for remarriage or taking another. It is one life, one partner, until death, have you heard of this?”

Du Yuanluo nodded. Jiang Linchuan continued: “Then do you know what a Dao companion actually is?”

Du Yuanluo’s face flushed: “It is two people staying together, growing old together.”

Jiang Linchuan let out a cold, contemptuous laugh: “Do you think it’s like mortal couples just getting by together? A cultivator’s Dao companion exists to refine cultivation through dual cultivation. It requires two people of equal strength to fulfill one another. Your status as an outer disciple was only gained through begging. Tell me yourself, are you a match for Qingyi?”

Shen Qingyi had indeed never considered becoming Dao companions with Du Yuanluo, but since these words came from Jiang Linchuan, she found herself hoping Du Yuanluo would be sharp-tongued enough to retort.

Instead, Du Yuanluo said: “I know I am but a speck of dust in the human world, unworthy of Senior Sister. I have no delusions of becoming her Dao companion. I only wish to use my meager strength to serve her in her daily life. If… if Senior Sister has a Dao companion in the future, as long as Senior Sister likes her and she treats Senior Sister well, I will serve both of them. Regardless, I will not leave.”

“Have you become so accustomed to being a maid? The Yunyin Sect has no concept of masters and servants. Your absurd words are still hanging on the Spirit Wall. Qingyi has never been biased toward anyone, yet how many rules has she broken for you?”

“Qingyi and I were childhood friends, but because of you, we are now like strangers. Countless outstanding disciples in the Yunyin Sect admire Qingyi, yet they all have self-awareness and dare not cross the line. You, however, are a newborn calf unafraid of the tiger.”

“You say you don’t covet Qingyi, but with you around, how can she find a compatible Dao companion? She will either end up alone or be stuck with you. You might get your wish, but Qingyi’s future will be ruined.”

While Jiang Linchuan’s words were harsh, they weren’t entirely without logic. Dao companions share cultivation and karma, if they complement each other, they flourish, but if the gap is too wide, they inevitably drag each other down.

Logically, Du Yuanluo was starting to be swayed. She could handle anything happening to herself, but she couldn’t drag Shen Qingyi into the abyss. Yet, emotionally, how could she bear to leave?

Shen Qingyi was the only bit of sweetness in her life. She was only human and could not cast aside her greed.

“Be good, return to your world. I’ll thank you on Qingyi’s behalf.” Jiang Linchuan saw Du Yuanluo wavering and timely played the “warmth” card, reaching out to lift her collar: “How bad is the injury? Let me see?”

At this, Shen Qingyi could no longer endure. With one strike of her sword, she blasted the door open, the sword qi forcing the two of them apart.

“Jiang Linchuan, when you begged for peace the other day, you promised never to say another word to Yuanluo, nor to meet her privately unless absolutely necessary. Is your word worth so little?” Shen Qingyi mocked.

Jiang Linchuan’s face turned from red to white: “Junior Sister, my words are sincere. If you do not want my heart, you need not trample on it. My coming here was not for personal matters, but truly for your sake. My heart is clear before Heaven and Earth.”

Shen Qingyi glanced at him with disdain: “Jiang Linchuan, that’s not what you said in front of Yuanluo. Didn’t you tell her I was a competitive and heartless person?”

Shen Qingyi and Jiang Linchuan had similar cultivation levels, so they couldn’t calculate each other’s fate or past. However, when Shen Qingyi was calculating Du Yuanluo’s fate, she had inadvertently overheard Jiang Linchuan’s evaluation of her.

In her previous life, the Du Yuanluo described to Shen Qingyi by Jiang Linchuan was a pitiful person who used her beauty to cling to others.

It wasn’t hard to imagine what role Jiang Linchuan had played in deepening the misunderstandings between her and Du Yuanluo in that past life.

In the past, he took advantage of the fact that the two didn’t associate with each other. He described Shen Qingyi as domineering and tyrannical to Du Yuanluo, telling her to be more tolerant. To Shen Qingyi, he described Du Yuanluo as unfortunate and weak, telling Shen Qingyi not to hold it against her.

Now that both were before him, those contradictory lies could no longer be spoken.

Banking on the fact that he hadn’t actually resumed a romantic affair with Du Yuanluo this time, he righteously dropped a final sentence: “My intentions are clear to Heaven and Earth. Whether Junior Sister believes it or not, my heart has never changed.”

Having experienced the events of her previous life, Shen Qingyi naturally knew his “intentions.”

Perhaps there were a few grains of genuine childhood affection, but not many.

He both craved a Dao companion like Shen Qingyi who could aid his cultivation and a gentle, submissive confidante like Du Yuanluo.

In the previous life, after Shen Qingyi went into seclusion, he thought he was secure in the position of Sect Leader, so he married Du Yuanluo.

In this life, he realized he couldn’t have it both ways and decisively abandoned Du Yuanluo, only to find that doing so didn’t win over Shen Qingyi either.

Seeing that the incense on the altar had burned out, Shen Qingyi helped Du Yuanluo up: “The time is up. Get up.”

Du Yuanluo didn’t dare say a word. She didn’t know how much of the conversation Shen Qingyi had heard.

No one dared speak of those rumors in front of Shen Qingyi, but as the “instigator” of the rumors, Du Yuanluo suffered no small amount of criticism.

It was nothing more than slandering her as a toad lusting after swan meat, or a vixen who ruined the Eldest Brother and was now ruining the Second Sister.

Du Yuanluo had faced much more direct beatings and verbal abuse in the past, she didn’t mind. She even hoped all the gossip would focus on her so those foul words wouldn’t reach her Senior Sister’s ears.

But she could not tolerate a single bit of slander against Shen Qingyi.

Rumors regarding private affairs could never involve only one person. It was just that because Shen Qingyi held a high position, most people didn’t dare speak ill of her.

However, there were always some ignorant, frivolous people who, while mocking Du Yuanluo, would disparage Shen Qingyi by extension.

So, Du Yuanluo applied the lesson Shen Qingyi had taught her. “Patience is a sharp blade hanging over the heart, better to point the blade outward than to harm oneself” against those who spread malicious gossip.

Shen Qingyi had guessed that the reason she repeatedly got into conflicts was for this very purpose. She didn’t blame her, only saying faintly: “I told you not to fight people you can’t beat, yet you won’t listen. How about I teach you swordsmanship?”

Du Yuanluo wanted to cry, but she felt she had no right. The more Shen Qingyi didn’t blame her, the more ashamed she felt.

Shen Qingyi, on the other hand, was quite philosophical. Having lived twice, she found that even knowing the future, it was difficult to change the course of destiny.

Just as at this point in time, she was destined to be troubled by matters of the heart.

She couldn’t escape it in her previous life, and even after changing her path in this life, she still couldn’t escape it. Fate simply found another way to push it in front of her. It was better to keep a calm mind.

Du Yuanluo had been kneeling for an unknown amount of time, when she stood up, her legs went weak, and she almost fell back onto the prayer mat. Shen Qingyi caught her.

Du Yuanluo usually loved being close to Shen Qingyi, but this time, perhaps to avoid suspicion or for some other reason, she struggled to pull herself out of Shen Qingyi’s embrace despite her instability.

Shen Qingyi, however, keenly caught the faint scent of blood and medicinal herbs on her: “Are you injured?”

Du Yuanluo didn’t dare lie to Shen Qingyi. She only tried to act casual: “Senior Sister, you know I can’t beat anyone. It’s just a minor injury, and I’ve already applied medicine. I’ll be fine after a night’s sleep. I’ll head back first.”

If it were just a minor scuffle, it wouldn’t have reached this point.

In this period of her previous life, Du Yuanluo had also frequently been covered in injuries.

“Stop,” Shen Qingyi commanded.

Du Yuanluo stopped obediently, feeling almost exposed under Shen Qingyi’s scrutinizing gaze.

“Follow me.”

After a long pause, Shen Qingyi finally spoke. Du Yuanluo didn’t dare disobey and followed closely behind.

She always wanted to be with Shen Qingyi, yet at this moment, she feared being seen with her.

Shen Qingyi noticed Du Yuanluo’s floating steps and realized the injury must be serious. She reached out her hand.

But Du Yuanluo didn’t accept her kindness as she used to, saying awkwardly: “Senior Sister, I’m really fine.”

Shen Qingyi didn’t say more, she simply slowed her pace.

They returned to Shen Qingyi’s room.

With a “thud,” the door closed, leaving only the two of them.

Likely because there were no longer any outside eyes, Du Yuanluo relaxed quite a bit. she comforted Shen Qingyi: “Senior Sister, I’m really not in bad shape. Was your trip successful? Were you hurt? Have you eaten yet…”

Du Yuanluo’s voice grew quieter and quieter because she saw Shen Qingyi’s face darken, her eyes like a deep pool that could swallow a person whole.

Did those rumors reach Senior Sister’s ears? Is she angry? She should be angry.

Du Yuanluo’s heart began to pound.

Then, she heard Shen Qingyi’s cold command:

“Take off your clothes.”