Chapter 104: I’m Not a Pervert

“So, should I really invite him to join the party?”

Chen Xiaoyan couldn’t figure out what Chongchong was thinking and could only try asking, all the while observing her reaction.

“Is it just the sleazy guy alone?”

“Yeah.”

“Then it’s fine, invite him, let’s speedrun a few rounds.”

“Alright.”

Seeing Chongchong’s casual tone didn’t seem like an act, Chen Xiaoyan went ahead and messaged Zhao Longjun privately.

[My Fate is Mine: Monster Village? Your bro here already cleared it.]

Cleared it?

A hint of surprise flashed through Chen Xiaoyan’s eyes.

But then again, with the average level right now, as long as you’re not terrible, clearing Monster Village shouldn’t be hard.

[My Fate is Mine: Can’t be helped, can’t count on my bros, just gotta fend for myself, sigh~]

[Chen Xiaoyan: I’m busy]

[My Fate is Mine: I get it, busy enjoying both arms full. Yanzi, let me give you some advice—Mu Qingxue is out of your league.]

[Chen Xiaoyan: ?]

[My Fate is Mine: You’re not into Mu Qingxue?]

[Chen Xiaoyan: I am, but she has Yannü Syndrome, what can I do?]

[My Fate is Mine: Looks like you know yourself well, I won’t say more. When I hit level twenty, carry me in the Abyss Dungeon.]

[Chen Xiaoyan: You’re part of Xueyan Pavilion too, just come with the gang when the time comes. Of course, you’ll get priority.]

[My Fate is Mine: Yanzi, your bro didn’t dote on you for nothing all these years. Real bro, loyal as a dog.]

[Chen Xiaoyan: Dog?]

[My Fate is Mine: Ahem, typo.]

“He cleared Monster Village already. Should we go to Sword Pavilion then?”

“There?”

“Wudang Mountain.”

“No,” Chongchong refused without even thinking.

“Then I’ll go.”

“You can’t go either, you promised to keep me company today, Xiaoyan-jie, you can’t go back on your word.”

Chongchong quickly hugged Chen Xiaoyan’s left arm, clinging on tightly.

Chen Xiaoyan had no choice but to give in.

The peach blossom grove behind the mountain, though beautiful, couldn’t make up for sitting around staring at it for too long.

She wouldn’t let her roast rabbit, wouldn’t let her go do anything else.

This girl was really hard to please.

Chen Xiaoyan complained inwardly.

She stood up and pulled up some long grass, tied them together into a simple grass rope.

Then, she strung peach blossom petals on the grass rope.

A simple flower crown was done in no time.

“For you.”

“Thank you, Xiaoyan-jie.”

Chongchong touched the flower crown on her head, beaming with happiness.

Seeing there were still a few pieces of grass rope left on the ground, she thought about making a crown for Chen Xiaoyan as well.

“Xiaoyan-jie, let me make one for you too?”

“No need, I already have one, look.”

Chen Xiaoyan pulled out the flower crown Shen Qingqing had made from her backpack.

The craftsmanship, the delicacy—there was no comparison.

The smile on Chongchong’s little face immediately collapsed.

She wished she could snatch the flower crown and stomp it to pieces.

“I want that one too.”

“Shen-jiejie gave it to me. If you want one, go ask her.”

“Shen-jiejie this, Shen-jiejie that, you’re really fond of calling her that,” Chongchong muttered jealously.

Even though an NPC posed no real threat, her heart still felt sour.

“Xiaoyan-jie, she definitely won’t give it to me. Just let me have it, please?”

Chongchong cupped her hands in front of her chest, her big watery eyes staring pitifully at Chen Xiaoyan, her voice soft and coquettish, exaggerated on purpose.

“Pretty please?”

“Ugh~”

Chen Xiaoyan ground her teeth and shivered.

This girl’s act of whining was really lethal, that cutesy voice felt like someone put a chunk of ice down your back in winter, sending a shiver right to your bones.

“Be normal.”

Chen Xiaoyan reached out and gave her head a light tap in warning.

“No, no, just let Chongchong wear it, pretty please?”

Seeing the first attempt didn’t work, Chongchong threw herself into her arms.

“Come on, put it on me~”

Chen Xiaoyan closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

She started silently reciting the Calm Heart Mantra.

My heart is like water, calm and untroubled, water is like my heart, still!

Yet, Chongchong’s next words instantly broke her defenses.

Chongchong lay on Chen Xiaoyan’s shoulder, whispering in her ear.

“Xiaoyan-jie, you don’t want me to cling to you all day, do you?”

“Okay, okay, okay!”

“Fine, I’ll give it to you, is that enough?”

Chen Xiaoyan gave in. If she kept getting pestered like this, would she ever have any peace?

Anyway, there were plenty of flower crowns in her backpack, giving away one wouldn’t matter.

“Yay~”

Chongchong let out a victorious sound, sat up properly, and reached out with a big grin.

“Here you go.”

Chen Xiaoyan raised an eyebrow, took out the flower crown Shen Qingqing had given her last time, and placed it in Chongchong’s hand.

This flower crown didn’t have a purification array, just an ordinary crown.

“Remember, don’t wear it in front of the sect or Shen-jiejie.”

“Why can’t I wear it in front of her?”

“Chongchong, I think you should treat the NPCs in this game as real people.”

Chongchong tilted her head, puzzled.

“I can’t explain exactly why, but I just feel like the NPCs are no different from real people.”

“Maybe the Immortal Realm game company’s technology has reached a new era or something.”

Chen Xiaoyan shook her head gravely but didn’t say more.

Even GJ couldn’t find out about the Immortal Realm game company, whether it even existed was still a question.

“Enough about that. Do you remember the rules for the flower crown?”

“I didn’t even want to wear it in the first place,” Chongchong replied, sounding a bit disdainful.

It’s not like Xiaoyan-jie made it, why would I care?

She only snatched it because seeing Xiaoyan-jie treat it like a treasure was really annoying.

“Then why did you want it?” Chen Xiaoyan asked, dumbfounded.

“To smell it.”

Chongchong picked up the crown and took a big sniff.

The rich scent of peach blossoms was laced with another faint fragrance.

That’s odd, why does it have another scent…

Her eyes lit up. Could this be the original scent?

“Xiaoyan-jie, did you wear this flower crown?”

“Yeah.”

Chen Xiaoyan saw Chongchong’s surprised look and didn’t understand why.

She really wore it!!!

Chongchong stared at the crown in her hands, so excited she wanted to turn it into perfume to use every day.

Stop!

Hold it right there, Zhou Xiaochong, you’re not a pervert!

How could you have such a perverted thought?

That’s right, I’m not a pervert, I can’t do something that perverted.

Calm down.

Chongchong took a deep breath, tried to compose herself, and tossed the flower crown into her backpack for now.

“I’m Chongchong the Great, my word is my bond. If I say I won’t wear it, I won’t.”

Though, in private, maybe… As long as no one saw, it wouldn’t count as wearing it.

Chen Xiaoyan smiled faintly, not paying it any mind.

Not wearing it was best. If Shen Qingqing saw, she’d probably have another opinion about her.

***

On the outskirts of the capital stood a tall mountain called General’s Mountain.

This was where the Divine Strategy Manor, one of the Eight Major Sects, was headquartered.

At the foot of the mountain,

Two young men in tattered clothes stood gazing up at the great mountain lying before them like a crouching dragon.

They were full of awe.

Though General’s Mountain wasn’t as ethereal as Tianxin Mountain, it was even more imposing.

“Big brother, do you think Divine Strategy Manor will accept us this time?” the younger of the two asked anxiously.

The older youth forced a bitter smile.

“I don’t know, either.”

Along the way, both of them had been rejected by the Shushan Sect and Zhenwu Sect, who used the excuse that it wasn’t recruitment season.