It was almost dark.
Liuli hurried to the back mountain to pick up the meal.
Writing a biography was important, but so was eating.
From a distance, she spotted an attendant from Flavors Abound carrying a food box and peering around furtively.
The attendants from Flavors Abound wore green, while those from the Drunken Immortal Restaurant wore red.
“Are you Immortal Ji, the Tianjue Sect’s foremost immortal?” The attendant from Flavors Abound hurriedly greeted her as soon as he saw Liuli.
Liuli immediately nodded. “That’s right, that’s right!”
She had come up with that name in less than a second.
The attendant quickly handed the food box to her.
This was Liuli’s first time ordering from Flavors Abound. She opened the box to take a look and nodded in satisfaction.
The attendant lowered his voice. “Immortal, please recommend us to others if you can.”
Their restaurant had only recently opened, after all.
Liuli said seriously, “I’ll have to taste it with Immortal Ji before I can decide.”
If the food wasn’t good and she recommended it to someone else, where would that leave her and her mistress’s reputation?
Just then, the Second Elder also arrived at the back mountain to pick up a food box. Beside him, the attendant from the Drunken Immortal Restaurant stared at Liuli resentfully.
Liuli pretended not to notice. She picked up the food box and prepared to leave.
The Second Elder hurried after her. “Liuli, how does the food from Flavors Abound taste?”
It had taken a great deal of effort for another restaurant to open at the foot of the mountain. He absolutely had to try it.
“Second Elder, this is our first time eating it too.” Liuli’s expression turned somewhat solemn.
If it wasn’t good, she wouldn’t order from there again.
She would never waste the money they’d earned from slaughtering pigs.
Night had fallen. The breeze drifted softly through the bamboo grove, stirring a rustling sound. Moonlight filtered through the bamboo leaves, breaking into fragments and scattering mottled shadows across the ground.
The air felt thick enough to suffocate. Wen Shubai’s fingertips had gone white from the force with which he clenched them. He looked utterly disheveled, his lowered eyes hiding the lingering desire within them.
“Little Junior Sister, I frightened you, didn’t I…?”
His voice was very soft. He made no attempt to continue defending himself; there was only a sense of brokenness in his words.
“Little Junior Sister, I should have protected you. I should have taught you swordplay and kept you safe, just as I did before.”
Wen Shubai took half a step forward, then stopped a foot away from her. His eyes were unbearably red.
“But after I developed a heart demon, I realized that I’m filthy to the very core. I crave what happened in that illusion. I crave your presence, Little Junior Sister…”
Ji Zhaoxi’s eyes reddened, and her nose stung terribly. “Senior Brother, don’t say that. You’re not filthy at all. You’ve always been so good to me.”
At her words, Wen Shubai closed his eyes. He didn’t even dare look at her, merely clenching his fists until they trembled.
“Little Junior Sister, go back. My heart demon hasn’t been completely eliminated yet… Stay away from me.”
His voice was so hoarse that it was barely recognizable.
If she stayed any longer, he was afraid he truly would lose control.
Ji Zhaoxi didn’t leave. Instead, she stubbornly stepped in front of him, the dead leaves crunching crisply beneath her feet.
“Senior Brother, you’ve helped me so much. Now that you’re suffering under the influence of your heart demon, how could I leave you to endure it alone?” Ji Zhaoxi’s eyes were rimmed with red.
If she left this time, would they end up in another cold war, refusing to speak to each other again?
She didn’t want to be at odds with Senior Brother.
Wen Shubai lowered his head, the veins on his forehead standing out as he struggled to suppress the heart demon’s influence.
“Senior Brother, let’s go find the Sect Master. Maybe he can cure you.” Ji Zhaoxi spoke in a muffled voice.
The Sect Master was so old and had taken on so many disciples. He surely had plenty of experience.
Wen Shubai’s breathing grew heavier and heavier. His voice held a trace of pleading. “Little Junior Sister, leave first. I’ll come find you later…”
“I’m not leaving.” Ji Zhaoxi knitted her brows tightly.
Wen Shubai’s breath caught. He opened his eyes, planted both hands against the stone behind her, and caged her within his arms.
He watched her trembling eyelashes and remained silent for a moment.
“You’re not leaving?”
He lowered his head, his breathing growing extremely ragged. The next second, his lips pressed directly against hers, restrained yet edged with warning.
Wen Shubai withdrew half an inch almost at once. Their breaths mingled as he looked at her face, flushed red enough to drip blood. He wanted to warn her coldly, but his voice softened despite himself.
“Xixi, go back and eat with Liuli. I’ll come find you later.”
Ji Zhaoxi stared at him without a word. Her eyes were wet and dewy, filled with dependence.
Seeing her like this, Wen Shubai had intended to push her away, but instead he found himself rubbing her hair. All the darkness in his eyes faded, leaving only helplessness.
How could he possibly keep himself from loving her?
Ji Zhaoxi felt her face burning. Bitterness spread endlessly through her heart. She grabbed his lapel and, imitating what he had just done, timidly brushed her lips against his.
She wasn’t a coward.
The instant he felt the touch of her lips, the string inside Wen Shubai snapped.
His hand clasped the back of her head, and he suddenly deepened the kiss.
Unlike the hurried kiss before, this one was gentle to the extreme. The tip of his tongue lightly parted her teeth and slowly ventured inside.
Their breaths intertwined. Ji Zhaoxi softened against him, nearly unable to breathe. She tried to pull away, but the next moment, his lips covered hers once more.
“Xixi…”
He kissed her again and again, patiently nibbling at her lips bit by bit. Only when her entire body had gone limp and she was close to running out of air did he finally let her go.
Wen Shubai couldn’t bear to pull away immediately. He lowered his head and rested his forehead against hers, gazing into her eyes veiled with moisture as he coaxed her gently.
“Did I frighten you?”
Ji Zhaoxi leaned against him, panting, still unable to fully process what had happened. Her face was flushed terribly. Wen Shubai’s hand moved along her back, soothing her with repeated strokes until her breathing steadied.
She shook her head, her ears still tinged red, and whispered, “I liked it.”
She hadn’t been frightened at all.
Wen Shubai’s heart skipped a beat at her words. Holding her awkwardly, he suddenly had no idea what to say.
At times like this, his Little Junior Sister seemed almost too honest…
When she received no response, Ji Zhaoxi raised her head and repeated herself earnestly. “I liked it!”
Wen Shubai looked down at her, his face reddening terribly. He said awkwardly, “Little Junior Sister, I like you.”
Ji Zhaoxi was finally satisfied. She wrapped her arms around him and burrowed into his embrace. She liked Senior Brother too.
Wen Shubai held her tightly around the waist and back, resting his chin lightly on the top of her head as he greedily inhaled her scent.
One hand supported the back of her head, his fingers sinking into her hair as he combed through it absently.
The bamboo shadows swayed gently in the breeze.
Every so often, Wen Shubai would lower his head to kiss her ear or cheek. His heart had softened completely.
Perhaps he truly wasn’t suited to cultivating the Way of Severed Emotions.
