Sitting in the pavilion, Dongfang Qingwei cast a sidelong glance at Su Xiaotang, who was stuffing her face, and a faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
Suddenly, she stood up and said calmly: “I need to go down the mountain once to buy some things.”
This time, just like before, before Shen Yuying could even raise her hand, Su Xiaotang darted over to Chu Fan like a bolt of lightning.
“Master, I’ll go too!”
Su Xiaotang volunteered eagerly.
She knew that going down the mountain meant there would definitely be food stalls, and her master probably wouldn’t let her carry anything either—it was killing two birds with one stone!
Su Xiaotang was starting to admire her own intelligence.
Who said she was dumb?
She just didn’t like showing off her unparalleled wisdom in front of others, that’s all!
“Then just you come along. The rest of you stay here.”
With that, Chu Fan led Su Xiaotang away from the Heavenly Mystery Sect.
But on the other side, watching the back of his own body, the real Chu Fan felt a vague sense of unease welling up inside him.
He didn’t know why, but given Su Xiaotang’s strength, even if they ran into danger, she could escape even if she couldn’t fight.
He probably shouldn’t worry…
Meanwhile, Dongfang Qingwei, with her back to Chu Fan, walked along the road with a slight smirk on her lips.
Scenes were already playing out in her head like a self-directed drama.
‘This is going to be so fun! Hurry down the mountain!’
….
Down at the market, Su Xiaotang unsurprisingly bought all sorts of snacks.
Of course, she used Chu Fan’s money; her own never lasted more than two days.
Usually, she spent all her allowance on food the very same day.
After shopping, they passed by an inn, and Dongfang Qingwei came up with what she thought was a brilliant idea.
“Come on, Xiaotang, let’s rest a bit at that inn.”
“Oh, okay!”
Su Xiaotang agreed without a second thought.
Entering the inn, Chu Fan rented a double room and deliberately slipped the waiter a few extra silver coins, giving him a knowing look that only insiders would understand.
The waiter smiled knowingly, made an “okay” gesture, and whispered: “Rest assured, sir, it’ll be quiet enough. No one will disturb your… business.”
“Mm, you’re sharp.”
Seeing Su Xiaotang’s sweet and adorable appearance, the waiter couldn’t help but envy Chu Fan.
But then he glanced at the guest’s sharp eyebrows, bright eyes, and refined aura, and he started to understand.
“Third floor, private room for two!”
Although Su Xiaotang noticed Chu Fan talking to the waiter, she couldn’t hear much of it.
Still, she wasn’t that curious; she just assumed her master was haggling over the price.
When she heard they were going to the third floor, Su Xiaotang let out a lazy sigh but still followed Chu Fan upstairs.
Entering the room, even though she saw only one double bed, Su Xiaotang didn’t react.
Instead, she naturally sat down on a stool, giving the bed to Chu Fan.
Seeing this, Dongfang Qingwei began to feel curious.
What’s going on?
Didn’t Chu Fan say all three of his disciples were rebellious students trying to seduce the master?
But now it seems… this Su Xiaotang… is so… without desires?
Just food is enough to satisfy her?
No, she had to do something.
Even if the girl really had no feelings for Chu Fan, she needed to confirm it—to tell Chu Fan.
Oh no, to mock Chu Fan.
‘What a narcissist, little Fanfan~ She doesn’t even like you~ You self-absorbed idiot, you’re so cringe~’
‘Just thinking about it feels so good, hahahahaha!!!!!!!!’
With that in mind, Dongfang Qingwei feigned exhaustion, twisted her body, rubbed her shoulders, and deliberately let out a few heavy breaths.
“Master, are you tired?”
Su Xiaotang asked curiously, her mouth full of food.
“Sort of. Just too many things these past few days, too many places walked. Haven’t had a good rest in a long time.”
“Then let me massage your shoulders.”
Su Xiaotang put down her food, hopped over to Chu Fan, circled behind him, and placed her hands on his shoulders.
“Mm, thank you, Xiaotang.”
Feeling Su Xiaotang’s technique—neither too unfamiliar nor too skilled—Dongfang Qingwei closed her eyes with a hint of enjoyment.
But behind her, as Su Xiaotang massaged her master’s shoulders, a flicker of pain passed through her eyes.
Because once again, she saw the horrifying scar on Chu Fan’s back—a crack that ran down the middle of his body, as if he had been split in two and then stitched back together.
“Master…”
Su Xiaotang murmured sadly.
“What’s wrong?”
“Am I… really useless…?”
“Why do you say that?”
“I feel so stupid… Both senior sisters are way ahead of me in cultivation, and little junior sister is a genius at refining and alchemy. Only I… the sword techniques Master taught me… took so long to learn… my cultivation has always been…”
Hearing this, Dongfang Qingwei seemed to understand something.
She turned back with a smile: “So you’re scared, aren’t you?”
Su Xiaotang pursed her lips and stayed silent.
“You’re afraid that even if you give it your all, you’ll never catch up to your senior sisters, and you’ll even be surpassed by your junior sister, right?”
Su Xiaotang’s eyes glistened with tears as she nodded tremblingly: “Yeah…”
“So you just stopped cultivating altogether, so at least you’d have a reason for being the weakest disciple, right?”
“Yeah…”
“Then don’t cultivate.”
Dongfang Qingwei said with a smile.
Su Xiaotang’s eyes widened in surprise.
She had expected her master to scold her, or educate her, or give her advice—but she never imagined he would say that.
But then, another thought began to spread through her like poison, sending a chill down her spine.
“Master… have you… already given up on Xiaotang…?”
“Heh.”
Dongfang Qingwei let out a light laugh, took Su Xiaotang’s hands off her shoulders, held them, and patted them gently.
“If that makes you feel at ease, then do it.”
“Problems don’t always have to be solved. Just choose a way you like.”
“Compared to Yuying and the others, your talent is indeed lacking. But I know you have a tenacity.”
“However, even if I say that now, you’ll only think I’m comforting you. So, Xiaotang.”
“If you don’t want to cultivate, then don’t cultivate.”
“Stay by your master’s side forever. If you want to eat, I’ll buy it for you. If someone bullies you, I’ll beat them up for you.”
“Everyone around me always has a worried expression. Only you, you’re always grinning.”
Hearing what sounded like a rebuke, Su Xiaotang lowered her head slightly.
“But that smile always gives me healing and strength.”
Su Xiaotang slowly lifted her head again.
“So, as long as I can protect Xiaotang’s smile, I’ll do anything for you.”
“Master…”
Tears trickled down Su Xiaotang’s cheeks.
“No matter what you choose, even if you just want to be an ordinary person, you’ll always be my good disciple.”
“Master!!!”
Su Xiaotang hugged Chu Fan and burst into loud sobs.
Meanwhile, on the other side, back in the pavilion….
Since he couldn’t see his master, Chen Qianci found it boring and went off to train by himself, cramming for the sect tournament in a few days.
Only Shen Yuying remained, accompanying Chu Fan inside Dongfang Qingwei’s body.
Chu Fan was also curious—why didn’t this one leave?
Until Shen Yuying spoke softly: “Master, do you think… why did Senior Uncle Dongfang take Xiaotang away alone?”
“How should I know? Who knows what that gorilla is thinking?”
Chu Fan answered instinctively, but only after finishing did he realize what he had just said.
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