The Sickly Senior Sister Ran Away After We Got Intimate - Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Didn’t They Say She Spoils Fourth Senior Sister the Most?

The spectating disciples gathered around He Chen and Xiang Qingqing, their eyes filled with concern as they offered intermittent words of comfort.

“Fourth Senior Sister, they’ve cooked the chicken drumsticks you love for lunch, and there’s pig bone soup too. If you think about the delicious food to distract yourself, maybe it won’t hurt as much.”

“That’s right, both Senior Sisters should think of other things to divert your attention.”

“I have some ointment ready here. Just bear with it; ten lashes will be over very quickly.”

Wen Yingyi did not stand with them. After stopping He Chen from using the cotton pads, she had sought out a secluded, empty spot, used her qinggong (lightness skill) to return to her room to swallow a Yuan-Stabilizing Pill, and only then made her way to the ancestral shrine.

By the time she reached the entrance of the courtyard, she found that everything was prepared. To avoid notice, she circled around and entered through the back door of the shrine, evading the crowd’s line of sight. She stood alone beneath the corridor on the left side of the shrine, leaning against a pillar about eight or nine feet away from Chang Nong’s left, watching silently.

As He Chen and Xiang Qingqing were kowtowing, she had already quietly begun to circulate her inner energy, focusing her mind and holding her breath.

Two outer disciples bowed to Chang Nong, then turned to He Chen and Xiang Qingqing with apologetic voices: “Two Senior Sisters, please forgive our offense.”

As soon as those words fell, Wen Yingyi put her hands behind her back, immediately gathering the true qi within her body and channeling it continuously into her palms.

Her expression remained unchanged, appearing as calm and indifferent as if she didn’t care at all, yet her eyes were fixed intently on the ones wielding the whips. First, she slowly sent out a stream of true qi; a moment later, it drew forth a cool, slight breeze.

The wind came slowly, drifting lightly and blowing up the fallen leaves on the stone slabs, swirling them a few times before they landed in front of Chang Nong.

Chao Ling smoothed her hair and whispered to Yun Li beside her, “It was perfectly still a moment ago, why did a wind suddenly pick up out of nowhere?”

“Exactly. With the sun beating down like this, the wind came just in time. It’s even got a bit of a chill; the heat has lessened a lot, so the two Senior Sisters might suffer a bit less.” Yun Li squinted, shielding her eyes with a hand against the glare, and turned her head to look around. Her gaze landed on Wen Yingyi.

Seeing Wen Yingyi with her hands behind her back, leaning against the pillar and watching coldly from the sidelines, she couldn’t help but sigh: “Eldest Senior Sister was just pleading for the two of them earlier, offering to take their punishment, yet now she looks like she has nothing to do with it. She doesn’t even look worried—didn’t they say she spoils Fourth Senior Sister the most?”

“It is a bit strange, but understandable. Eldest Senior Sister has always been cold and dislikes contact with people. Actually, it’s not that she spoils Fourth Senior Sister; it’s that Fourth Senior Sister is bold and very pestering. Relying on the fact that Eldest Senior Sister looked after her for twelve years, she clings to her shamelessly.”

Chao Ling paused, then reminded her: “Did you forget? A few days ago when Fourth Senior Sister was injured, she was still driven away by Eldest Senior Sister to Third Senior Sister’s place. Besides, Eldest Senior Sister is very likely the future Hall Master; it’s better this way.”

“What do you mean?” Yun Li blinked curiously; because she had arrived late, she knew very little about the people and affairs of the Hall.

“To succeed as Hall Master, one needs to sever emotions and desires. Eldest Senior Sister’s temperament fits that quite well.” After replying, Chao Ling looked around as if searching for someone.

“I see.” Yun Li realized the truth and looked around as well.

Chao Ling scanned the area once and asked, “Hey, where is Third Senior Sister?”

“Third Senior Sister? When we were leaving the study, I saw her clutching her stomach with a poor complexion. It’s probably an upset stomach.” Yun Li replied, also searching through the crowd. “I don’t see her; she’s probably gone to the latrine.”

Every word of their whispering fell into Wen Yingyi’s ears.

Wen Yingyi turned her head toward the sound, her gaze flickering over the faces of Yun Li and Chao Ling. She moved her head slightly, scanning the courtyard, lingering for a moment before returning her gaze to He Chen. Her face remained cold, showing no sign of emotion.

Sensing that Wen Yingyi had glanced her way, Chao Ling felt a bit guilty. She tugged at Yun Li, who was still looking around, and warned: “It’s about to start. I hope the two Senior Sisters can hold out.”

With a “swish,” the outer disciple executing the punishment raised her whip.

At that sound, everyone’s expression tightened. Some couldn’t bear to watch and turned away; some bit their fingers, brows furrowed, following the movement of the whip.

Swish, swish, swish—

The wind suddenly grew more violent.

Wen Yingyi was cold as frost, a few beads of fine sweat forming on her forehead. With one hand bracing against the pillar, she slowly output true qi with the other. Under her manipulation, the wind whipped faster and faster.

The whips remained raised in mid-air for a long time without falling. The two outer disciples holding the whips looked at each other, both showing difficulty. They were usually on good terms with He Chen, and now being told to whip her made them feel terrible. Furthermore, they remembered that Chang Nong had always been lenient with He Chen, never having been truly angry or punished her before, so they were caught in a dilemma, hesitating.

In their hearts, they hoped Chang Nong would change her mind so they could withdraw the whips.

“Second Senior Sister, is it going to hurt a lot?” He Chen’s eyes were tightly shut, her words trembling. Her body was tense, her bottom upturned as she waited in agony.

She heard the whips being raised but they didn’t fall for the longest time. Her inner torment was immense; her heart was in her throat, feeling utterly miserable. The wind came in gusts from all directions, blowing chaotically and messing up her hair. Strands of hair were scattered across her face, sticking to her skin. Even before being punished, she already looked quite disheveled; the scene was rather tragic.

“No… listen to them, think about delicious food and it won’t hurt. Don’t you love eating meat? There will be meat to eat in a moment.” Xiang Qingqing gripped the wooden bench tightly with both hands, her teeth clenched, her face completely bloodless.

“It looks like it really hurts.” He Chen was anxious, her voice carrying a hint of a sob.

“Senior Sisters, it’s beginning.” One of the whip-wielding outer disciples spoke a warning. Since Chang Nong showed no sign of changing her mind, they didn’t dare delay any longer; their arms suspended in the air were beginning to ache.

The two looked at each other, nodded, and both took a deep, long breath.

Crack! The whips swung down.

Wen Yingyi was quick of eye and hand. Seeing this, she output a massive amount of true qi. In an instant, a gale erupted. Withered branches and leaves flew everywhere, and the birds resting in the trees were startled, flapping their wings as they surged into the sky.

The sudden wind whipped the hems of everyone’s clothes back and forth. The wind was so strong they could hardly keep their eyes open. Several people on the edge of the crowd swayed, squinting and frowning, leaning their bodies forward as they grabbed onto those nearby just to stay standing.

Under the influence of the sudden gale, the speed of the falling whips abruptly slowed, stripping away much of the force. In the blink of an eye, they landed on the two women.

“Ah—” He Chen cried out, her features twisting together, but her wailing stopped abruptly.

Eh? It wasn’t as painful as I imagined!

She had spent a long time preparing herself psychologically, but she didn’t expect the whip to land on her body as light as a feather. The sensation of pain was almost negligible.

Instantly, she was both shocked and delighted. She vaguely felt that this sudden “demon wind” was not simple, realizing the wind had blocked the strength of the whips, which was why it didn’t hurt that much. She quickly associated this matter with the ancestors again.

The ancestors had manifested again!

He Chen looked up toward the ancestral shrine, her mouth unable to stop curling upward. Her eyes were full of emotional tears, but she quickly suppressed them.

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