My Green Tea Junior Sister Smells So Good - Chapter 19

Even with ten thousand reasons to be unwilling, Du Yuanluo did not dare to disobey Shen Qingyi’s words.

Slowly and hesitantly, she shed her outer garments, hugging her arms around herself helplessly.

This scene was hauntingly familiar. In her past life, it was the Fifth Junior Sister who had dragged Du Yuanluo to her room to seek justice.

Back then, Du Yuanluo had looked at the two clashing immortals with the same terror and helplessness she felt now, her body covered in identical wounds.

Pointing at the shocking blood-red welts on Du Yuanluo’s pale skin, the Fifth Junior Sister had questioned: “Second Senior Sister, the sect has its rules. Even if a disciple errs, they should be punished according to those rules. Moreover, Miss Yuanluo is not a disciple of the Yunyin Sect. If she has done wrong, she should simply be expelled from the mountain. Why use private torture? Furthermore, I fear you cannot even name the crime she supposedly committed.”

Before Shen Qingyi could speak, Du Yuanluo had begged for mercy first: “Fifth Immortal, I won’t go. Please, Fifth Immortal, do not interfere in my business anymore.”

Shen Qingyi had refused to back down even an inch: “Since Fifth Junior Sister knows the sect has rules, why didn’t you go to the Sect Leader’s hall to voice your grievances? Instead, you open your mouth and accuse me of private torture. Did you see it yourself, or did she tell you?”

Terrified, Du Yuanluo had hidden behind the Fifth Junior Sister: “I don’t want to go to the Great Hall. It has nothing to do with Immortal Shen. It’s my fault, it’s all my fault.”

The Fifth Junior Sister, frustrated by her lack of spirit, helped her dress and glared at Shen Qingyi: “She is a young girl and not a disciple of the Yunyin Sect, how could she possibly expose her body full of wounds in public to cry for justice? Second Senior Sister, you are someone who should take responsibility for your actions. There is no need to carry out such shameful underhanded dealings. If you have anger in your heart, you should take it out on First Senior Brother, he is the one who failed you.”

Shen Qingyi hadn’t even known where to begin her defense. One was weeping, one was furious, one was speaking in riddles, and one was blunt, all were accusing her.

“It wasn’t me. All of you, get out!”

“Second Senior Sister, I never thought you were such a person who bullies the weak and fails to distinguish right from wrong. I misjudged you.”

The Fifth Junior Sister had led Du Yuanluo away, and from then on, she never again practiced meditation or trained in swordsmanship and demon-hunting with Shen Qingyi.

In her past life, Du Yuanluo believed Shen Qingyi had bullied her, while Shen Qingyi believed Du Yuanluo had used a “bitter meat” trap to frame her. No one had ever wondered what else was mixed in between.

Shen Qingyi sighed as she spread out the cloud soft quilt, signaling Du Yuanluo to lie face down. She pulled out a small medicine bottle.

Du Yuanluo’s wounds had already been treated, but only with ordinary medicine. Shen Qingyi’s medicine was a spiritual elixir personally refined by Elder Songhe, kept for emergencies during her travels.

Using her finger to dab the medicine, Shen Qingyi traced each wound one by one, saying almost involuntarily: “It really wasn’t me.”

Du Yuanluo turned around, seemingly wanting to throw herself into Shen Qingyi’s arms, but she restrained herself in the end: “I know it wasn’t Senior Sister. Every time… it never was.”

Every time? Thinking back, there really were many times in her past life. Even recently, Shen Qingyi had witnessed it once.

“Who was it?”

Du Yuanluo hesitated for a moment: “Senior Sister, please don’t ask.”

“If you don’t say it, things like this will happen many more times. I didn’t bring you back just to let you suffer.”

Du Yuanluo’s eyes reddened: “But I have caused Senior Sister so much suffering.”

“It was just making a wish. Anyone can make a wish; I’ve seen far more absurd ones. What suffering could I possibly endure? There are plenty of wishes from believers that go unfulfilled, yours is just one more.”

A flush rose to Du Yuanluo’s face: “I didn’t know Senior Sister could actually see it, let alone that everyone could see it. I was just talking nonsense.”

“Really?” Shen Qingyi didn’t know why she felt the need to ask that.

Du Yuanluo faltered for a moment. “Senior Sister, I won’t bother you anymore. If you’re afraid of people gossiping, I won’t seek you out privately in the future.”

“I am not afraid of gossip. I’d actually like to hear what those idle people have to say.”

A glimmer of hope flashed in Du Yuanluo’s eyes.

Shen Qingyi captured that look keenly and added: “However, you are also not allowed to say those absurd things again.”

The small flame in Du Yuanluo’s eyes instantly flickered out: “Senior Sister, I know I was wrong.”

“It’s not a mistake, it’s just not suitable to say right now.”

“Then when will it be suitable? I truly… truly…” Du Yuanluo was eager to try, but she lacked the courage to say it to Shen Qingyi’s face.

Seeing through her little thoughts at a glance, Shen Qingyi didn’t avoid the topic: “Truly what? Truly like me? Do you even know what ‘like’ means?”

“Like… liking someone means wanting to be with them every day, wanting to give them everything.”

The more impatient she became, the more Shen Qingyi kept her at a distance. “Wait until you become an inner disciple before you use the word ‘like’ again.”

Shen Qingyi didn’t mind Du Yuanluo saying those things; she simply didn’t want Du Yuanluo to remain trapped in her old mindset.

In her eyes, Du Yuanluo didn’t understand what love was. She was merely following her past survival instincts, finding someone who wasn’t too bad to her and entrusting her life to them. Whether that person was Jiang Linchuan, Shen Qingyi, or someone else didn’t seem to matter.

If she were like the young miss of the Li family, with doting parents, a luxurious life, and noble young lords to choose from, would she still speak of “liking” with such desperate heat?

If one day Du Yuanluo could rely on herself to become a direct disciple of the Yunyin Sect, she would no longer be an orphan girl living under Shen Qingyi’s protection. Shen Qingyi would no longer be her only reliance. Only when she has choices will she truly know what liking someone means.

Unaware of Shen Qingyi’s painstaking intentions, Du Yuanluo only thought she was being looked down upon for her humble status. Instead of getting angry, she saw a ray of hope.

The wounds on her body no longer seemed to hurt. She boldly grabbed Shen Qingyi’s hand: “I know. Right now, I can’t help Senior Sister with anything except causing trouble. I will definitely practice hard. Once I become an inner disciple of the Yunyin Sect, I will tell Senior Sister again. Senior Sister, you must wait for me.”

Shen Qingyi gave her forehead a light flick: “I only said I’d permit you to say it then. I never said I’d have to agree.”

“Ah?” Du Yuanluo looked as if she had suffered a major blow, but she recovered quickly: “It doesn’t matter, I’ll just work harder. But Senior Sister, you have to wait for me.”

Shen Qingyi had never been pestered by anyone like this. By the time she realized it, she was startled to find she had been led astray by this little slip of a girl.

She pointed at the wounds and asked: “After all that nonsense, you still haven’t answered me. Who hurt you?”

Du Yuanluo wilted again: “Is it okay if I don’t say?”

“Fine. If you don’t speak, I will find the Sect Leader during morning lessons tomorrow to seek justice.”

“Senior Sister…” Du Yuanluo panicked instantly.

“What are you worried about?”

“I only want what’s best for Senior Sister.”

“When the day comes that you stand higher than me and see more clearly than I do, then you can say that keeping things from me is for my own good. Right now, keeping me in the dark is treating me like a fool.” Shen Qingyi threatened bluntly: “Will you tell me, or shall I go investigate myself?”

Helpless, Du Yuanluo whispered: “Third Senior Sister…”

Shen Qingyi had mostly guessed it. In her past life, after she became the Sect Leader, Third Junior Sister was the one who usually handled “disciplining” Du Yuanluo on her behalf.

Looking at the wounds now, it wasn’t hard to see whose handiwork it was; there simply hadn’t been solid proof.

“And the reason?”

Shen Qingyi naturally knew the real reason. Perhaps she didn’t before, but after seeing the overflowing jealousy in Third Junior Sister’s tone today, how could she not know why? However, Third Junior Sister certainly wouldn’t use that reason as her official excuse for punishment.

“The first time, Third Senior Sister scolded me for pestering First Senior Brother and hurting you. She wanted to force me down the mountain. When I refused, she beat me. Senior Sister… at that time, I thought her beating me was your idea.”

Shen Qingyi understood. Back then, if anything happened to Du Yuanluo, everyone would assume she was the one behind it.

“And this time?”

“This time, Third Senior Sister blamed me for ruining your reputation and feared I would hinder your future.”

Indeed, blessings and misfortunes are intertwined. If a person gains something that doesn’t belong to them, they will inevitably invite suffering that shouldn’t be theirs.

In the past life, the suffering was brought by Shen Qingyi, in this life, it was unavoidable, only the role had shifted to Third Junior Sister.

Shen Qingyi said nothing more, pulling the quilt up to gently cover her: “I understand. Go to sleep.”

How could Du Yuanluo sleep peacefully? She grabbed Shen Qingyi’s sleeve: “Senior Sister, don’t hold a grudge against Third Senior Sister. You are close fellow disciples, you have to meditate and train together. If you fall out with her, wouldn’t I truly be hindering your future?”

Shen Qingyi blew out the candle with a hint of feigned anger: “You can’t even take care of yourself, yet you’re worrying about me.”

This was the first time since their return that Du Yuanluo slept in Shen Qingyi’s room. Previously, she used her fear of sleeping alone to force Shen Qingyi to share a bed. Today she was injured, if she tried any more tricks, Shen Qingyi would surely be angry.

Sigh! Being in the same room as Senior Sister is good enough, Du Yuanluo comforted herself.

To her surprise, after extinguishing the candle, Shen Qingyi actually climbed onto the bed and lay down right beside her.

Although Du Yuanluo didn’t dare to hope Shen Qingyi would sleep with her, she still moved as far inward as possible to leave a large space.

Shen Qingyi lay there, so close that her breathing was palpable.

Yet, Du Yuanluo still felt the gap was too large and the distance too far. She began to nudge herself toward Shen Qingyi, pretending it was accidental.

This earned her a light slap from Shen Qingyi: “Why are you moving around instead of resting? It seems your injuries aren’t heavy enough.”

Despite this, Du Yuanluo managed to move to the position she wanted. Smelling the herbal fragrance on Shen Qingyi, a thought inexplicably rose in her heart: This beating was really worth it.

Originally, Shen Qingyi had granted Du Yuanluo leave to rest, telling her she didn’t have to attend morning lessons. However, having received that promise yesterday, Du Yuanluo refused to miss them.

Yet, when Shen Qingyi went to head out, Du Yuanluo was terrified of leaving together.

Inner disciples’ rooms were lined up next to each other, and everyone went to morning lessons at the same time. She didn’t want people to see her coming out of Shen Qingyi’s room.

But Shen Qingyi dragged her out without a word: “If not now, when? You’ll be beaten with a board if you’re late.”

Perhaps because she was with Shen Qingyi, Du Yuanluo didn’t notice many strange looks.

Just as she was starting to feel at ease, she felt a prickling sensation on her back. Turning around, she saw Third Senior Sister’s gaze, sharp as a blade and full of malice, fixed on her. She shuddered.

Shen Qingyi noticed the abnormality. When she turned her head, the anger in Third Junior Sister’s eyes shifted into a look of grievance.

Shen Qingyi pushed Du Yuanluo in front of her, blocking Third Junior Sister’s gaze.

When morning lessons ended, the disciples exited according to seniority. Jiang Linchuan left first. When it was Shen Qingyi’s turn, she was in no hurry to leave. Instead, she said to Third Junior Sister: “You, come here.”

Third Junior Sister did not dare to disobey and followed Shen Qingyi across the hall to the outermost edge where Du Yuanluo was seated.

Seeing the ripples beneath Shen Qingyi’s calm gaze, Du Yuanluo’s heart began to drum.

Shen Qingyi pushed Third Junior Sister in front of Du Yuanluo. Du Yuanluo immediately stood up to greet the two senior sisters.

Then came Shen Qingyi’s ice-cold voice:

“Apologize.”