The Female Lead Is A Supporting Female Character - Chapter 14

“Since I Cannot Repay You, Why Don’t I Give You My Hand in Marriage?”

The two dragon like serpents (Jiao) had been slain under the Fu shuang Sword, but as the saying goes, “a centipede dies but never falls.” Though a massive bloody hole had been hacked into the silver Jiao’s neck, its body thrashed in a final death throe, slamming heavily into the large ship.

The result was exactly as expected, it smashed a giant hole into the hull.

While the ordeal was harrowing, no one on board was injured. However, the ship was ruined. River water gushed in, and sinking was only a matter of time. The shipmaster quickly brought out spare rafts, and the passengers abandoned the vessel to board them.

“I didn’t realize you two were members of the immortal sects. Please forgive my lack of respect,” the shipmaster said, standing on a raft. He was busy directing sailors and maids to move luggage while talking to Feng Cheng.

Originally, he had viewed Feng Cheng merely as a wealthy patron. Now, having witnessed his skills and learned of his status, he bowed and scraped with even more fervor.

“We truly owe our lives to you,” the shipmaster said, his face full of smiles.

Feng Cheng replied politely, “It was nothing.” He glanced at the scarred hull of the ship. “I’m afraid this vessel is going down. My apologies, just let me know the amount for the damages and I will compensate you.”

The shipmaster waved it off. “How could I take money from an Immortal? Who could have predicted these Jiao would appear? If not for your intervention, the dozens of lives on this ship would be gone! It is we who should be thanking you!”

As Feng Cheng humbly downplayed his role, the shipmaster’s flattery only grew more extravagant.

Ming Yuemian happened to be on the raft right next to them and heard every word. Listening to their polite back and forth, with the shipmaster mindlessly praising Feng Cheng, she felt like she was listening to a pair of bureaucrats exchanging empty pleasantries.

She silently rolled her eyes.

To be fair, the shipmaster should be grateful. A life-saving debt is indeed hard to repay, and words alone are the bare minimum.

But why was he only thanking Feng Cheng and not Fu shuang?

Feng Cheng had helped, yes, but he hadn’t even drawn a sword. The one who actually killed the two serpents was clearly Fu shuang.

The answer was simple, even for someone like Ming Yuemian.

When the panicked shipmaster had crawled out of the cabin and asked about their origins, Feng Cheng naturally named Tianxuan Pavilion, while Fu shuang simply said she was a wandering cultivator with no sect.

In this world, people truly “respect the robe before the person.”

Tianxuan Pavilion was a famous, prestigious sect even among commoners. The shipmaster was struck with awe, treating Feng Cheng like a “golden thigh” he never wanted to let go of. His gaze toward Feng Cheng was practically shimmering with adoration.

Sure enough, after a few more compliments, the shipmaster cut to the chase: “Immortal, your skills are truly supreme. For common folk like us, meeting a Jiao means certain death. Our lives are just… cheap…”

He made a show of wiping away tears. Feng Cheng quickly held his shoulders and offered soft comfort.

“I don’t care about myself. I’m just an old bag of bones. But my child is still young,” the shipmaster trembled, finally revealing his true goal. “Immortal, what do you think of my daughter? Could you take her into your sect so she might learn some of these immortal arts for self-defense?”

For an ordinary person, entering an immortal sect was harder than climbing to heaven. These weren’t regular schools where you could just show up with a tuition fee. Most people never even find the threshold of the cultivation world, let alone enter it.

Feng Cheng was surprised and hesitated. “This…”

The shipmaster immediately beckoned. “Come, Xiao Ju, come here. Let the Immortal see if you have the talent.”

Xiao Ju walked over. “Dad? You called?”

Only then did Ming Yuemian realize that the maid Xiao Ju was actually the shipmaster’s daughter. While they chatted warmly, Ming Yuemian glanced at the white-clad woman standing nearby, leaning on her sword and watching the river. Fu shuang’s robes fluttered in the wind against the backdrop of the distant, misty mountains, she looked like a cold, elegant painting set against the water.

The sky was darkening. The setting sun hit the river like a falling fireball, its crimson light mixing with the blood of the two silver Jiao to spread a vast, gory stain across the water. Fu shuang stood in this desolate scenery, her face expressionless.

Sensing her gaze, Fu shuang glanced over. Ming Yuemian immediately looked away, but as she turned her head, her nose itched.

“…..Achoo!”

The sound was loud.

Feng Cheng’s attention was instantly diverted. He leaned over concernedly. “Mianmian, what’s wrong? Did you catch a cold?”

“Ah,” Ming Yuemian shrugged her shoulders. “Yeah… it is a bit cold.”

As evening fell, the temperature dropped significantly. When the silver Jiao had crashed into the river earlier, it had sent up splashes several feet high. Ming Yuemian had been soaked halfway through, and the cold wind was now chilling her to the bone.

Maintaining his persona as the “good senior brother,” Feng Cheng moved to take off his outer robe for her. Ming Yuemian frowned, she didn’t really want it, but she had little choice.

One must bow when under someone else’s roof, she thought.

Just then, her vision went dark as an outer robe was tossed over her head. The fabric carried the faint, refreshing scent of plum blossoms.

Ming Yuemian froze. She lifted the white robe like a bride lifting a veil, only to see a beautiful, cold, and ethereal face.

Fu shuang certainly wasn’t going to stand by and watch her wear Feng Cheng’s clothes, did he think she was dead?

Ming Yuemian licked her lips, trying hard to suppress a smile. she unfolded the white robe and draped it over herself without hesitation.

“Thank you, Sister,” Ming Yuemian said, looking at Fu shuang. “But if you give me your robe, won’t you be cold?”

Fu shuang glanced at her and gave a cold snort. “How could a cultivator fear the cold? It is only because your cultivation is poor and your training is lacking.”

After a pause, she added frostily, “If your body is so weak, don’t wear such thin clothes next time.”

“Oh,” Ming Yuemian replied.

She wasn’t angry at all. The woman had literally given her the clothes off her back, what did a few sarcastic remarks matter? Ming Yuemian wasn’t superficial, she felt she was very good at seeing through the surface to the essence of a person.

This is clearly a classic ‘tsundere’ personality (harsh on the outside, soft on the inside), she thought.

Ming Yuemian looked at her own brilliant red dress and asked, “Isn’t this dress pretty?”

Fu shuang was nearly choked by the fact that Ming Yuemian had the nerve to ask that. She paused, then said coldly, “Attractive but useless.”

Oh….attractive but useless. Ming Yuemian only let the “attractive” part enter her ears. Didn’t that mean it looked good?

See? Her judgment was correct. Definitely a tsundere.

On the other side, Feng Cheng was a step too late. Seeing Ming Yuemian already covered, he stood awkwardly with his own robe half-off. He had no choice but to put it back on.

“I am sorry,” he said, maintaining his gentle image. It took him a moment to find the words to refuse the shipmaster. “This young lady lacks ‘immortal bones.’ Even if I were willing to teach her, it would be useless.”

Besides… if he kept picking up girls from the roadside, he didn’t know how Ming Ye would react. He figured Ming Ye had only allowed Ming Yuemian to follow him down the mountain this time to monitor him and keep him away from Fu shuang.

The shipmaster backed down, looking disappointed.

Once he left, Feng Cheng looked over at the other raft and went to walk toward them, but his steps faltered. He saw the red and white figures one sitting, one standing. Their movements weren’t overly affectionate, but the girl in red was looking up at the woman in white, talking with focused sincerity, while the woman in white, though seemingly indifferent, wasn’t ignoring her.

His heart sank slightly, a strange feeling rising within him.

Xiao Ju reached the other raft first. Because the rafts were tied close together for safety, she hopped over easily.

“Miss,” Xiao Ju knelt beside Ming Yuemian, holding a teacup. “The milk tea you wanted. It’s a bit cold now, but would you like a taste?”

Ming Yuemian: “…”

Ming Yuemian was genuinely shocked. Everything had been so chaotic, a literal battle had occurred, and yet this girl had managed to hold onto the cup without dropping or spilling it!

What a dedicated worker, Ming Yuemian thought. Even if this girl doesn’t learn magic, she definitely has a bright future.

She solemnly took the cup of “significant” milk tea and took a sip.

Milk tea in the cultivation world was, predictably, not comparable to the real world. It was better than she expected, but it couldn’t compete with modern recipes or even her own.

She put the lid back on, only to see Fu shuang watching her.

“Hmm?” Before Ming Yuemian could ask anything, a long “Grumble” sounded.

“Sister,” she asked, tilting her head. “Are you… hungry?”

Fu shuang’s eyes flickered, and Ming Yuemian noticed the tips of her ears turning red.

Cultivators have spiritual energy to ward off cold, but they aren’t entirely beyond food and drink. At least, Fu shuang hadn’t reached the stage of total “fasting” (Bigu). She had been called out by Feng Cheng before lunch, talked on the deck for ages, and then fought the Jiao. She hadn’t eaten a single grain of rice. It was natural to be hungry.

The ship was ruined, and the kitchen was in pieces. There was no way to get a proper meal. Although they were heading for the shore, the river was wide, at this raft’s speed, it would take at least another hour.

Embarrassed, Fu shuang looked away. She never wanted to show such a pathetic state in front of Ming Yuemian. After all, they were love rivals, who wants to lose ground to a rival?

What she didn’t know was that Ming Yuemian was thinking: She’s blushing! So cute!!!

“Sister, try this first.” Ming Yuemian didn’t take no for an answer. She shoved the cup of milk tea into Fu shuang’s hand and began rummaging through her “Sumeru” storage bag.

Fortunately, the bag was enchanted to change size, so she had kept it in her sleeve.

Fu shuang stunned, stood there holding the celadon cup. The faint, sweet aroma of the tea drifted up.

Ming Yuemian eventually pulled out two boxes of unknown pastries that Ming Ye had given her. Though she didn’t know their names, they looked exquisite. She opened the boxes and held them up to Fu shuang.

“Which one would you like, Sister?”

Fu shuang didn’t move.

Ming Yuemian watched her, thinking Fu shuang looked like a wary cat observing a human. Fu shuang wanted to refuse, but her stomach couldn’t handle the “injustice” and growled again.

Fu shuang finally reached out and took a small piece of pastry.

“By the way, I haven’t properly thanked you for saving my life,” Ming Yuemian said softly as she watched Fu shuang eat in small bites.

The people on the ship hadn’t thanked her, they all went to flatter Feng Cheng. Only Ming Yuemian’s voice was quiet and sincere.

Lamenting the state of the world while feeling that Fu shuang deserved better, a sudden spark of “inspiration” hit Ming Yuemian. She blurted out:

“Since I cannot repay your kindness, why don’t I give you my hand in marriage?”

Fu shuang: “…”

She was just taking a sip of the milk tea from the celadon cup and immediately began to choke.