As expected.
After learning that the senior sister was Lin Que’s former Dao companion, Qin Wanyuan wasn’t particularly surprised.
She had already guessed as much earlier, and now that Lin Que had confirmed it himself, it simply made things official.
Thinking back, in her previous life, when news of Senior Sister’s death reached them, Lin Que had seemed calm on the surface. But late at night, Qin Wanyuan had once seen him sitting alone in the pavilion, silently gazing up at the full moon, drinking a pot of cloudy wine by himself.
He wasn’t the type to drink often.
Judging from their favorability levels, Lin Que and the senior sister must have had a serious falling-out….perhaps even a major conflict. That would explain why her favorability toward him was marked as “Indifferent” while his toward her was “Wary”.
“It’s exactly because she’s your former dao companion that I feel I should go see her,” Qin Wanyuan said to Lin Que, though her heart wasn’t truly in the words.
“Why?” Lin Que asked with a puzzled tone.
“Because I’m really curious what kind of woman my Lin Lang’s former partner was.”
That part, at least, wasn’t a lie. Since the system task had already begun, she might as well use this opportunity to learn more about Lin Que’s past.
“Uh… in that case, how about you go see her by yourself?” Lin Que scratched his nose awkwardly. “I’m just an ordinary inner-sect disciple….not really qualified to meet someone of her status…”
“But you’re my Dao companion,” Qin Wanyuan replied.
Then she lightly hooked his sleeve with her finger, lowered her head just slightly, cheeks tinged with pink, and added in a soft slightly playful tone, “Come with me, okay?”
Who could bear to refuse such a gentle, perfect Dao companion making a spoiled little request?
Lin Que certainly couldn’t.
Judging from how much Qin Wanyuan seemed to care about their intimacy last night, she was probably feeling a bit insecure about herself. So it made sense that she’d want to see what his ex was like.
More importantly, considering how she now appeared to have either been reborn or gained some kind of foresight, it was understandable that she’d start doing things differently from before.
For all he knew, this seemingly ordinary visit might carry some hidden significance. Perhaps it was meant to prepare for some crisis in the future.
So, Lin Que decided to go along with her.
“Alright, since you’ve put it that way, even if it’s a dragon’s den or a tiger’s lair, I’ll go with you,” he sighed heavily, making a show of being a man ready to risk his life for his wife.
It had already been five years since the breakup. Surely, she must’ve calmed down by now and wouldn’t act like she did back then… right?
Truth be told, Lin Que was feeling more than a little uneasy.
His relationship with Jiang Moqing wasn’t something that could be explained in just a few words. And a lot of it, frankly, was stuff he’d rather not talk about.
Like the time she locked him up in her cave dwelling, driven by her extreme possessiveness, and… well, drained him day and night.
That was definitely not something he could bring himself to say out loud.
After breakfast, Qin Wanyuan took the extra portion Lin Que had prepared and brought it to Qin Qian’er’s door.
She gently knocked and spoke softly:
“Qian’er, it’s your sister.”
There was a moment of silence inside, then the door slowly opened halfway.
Qin Qian’er stood there clutching the hem of her dress, eyes red at the corner. Clearly, she had cried herself to sleep the night before.
Seeing her younger sister in such a tearful state, Qin Wanyuan couldn’t help but soften. Still, she didn’t regret the slaps she gave her the night before. She only reached out to gently caress Qin Qian’er’s cheek.
Though she hadn’t held back much last night, she hadn’t used any spiritual energy either. With Qin Qian’er’s physique, she should’ve healed within a quarter of an hour. There were no lasting marks.
“Does it still hurt?”
Qin Qian’er shook her head.
“Can I come in?” Qin Wanyuan asked again.
Qin Qian’er didn’t reply but silently stepped aside to make space for her sister.
Her room was simple and uncluttered. Everything was neatly arranged and in perfect order. The two of them sat on the edge of the bed, while the breakfast tray was placed on a small side table.
“Eat while it’s warm. It’s a spiritual meal. Good for your cultivation,” Qin Wanyuan said.
Only then did Qin Qian’er pick up her chopsticks and begin eating, taking small delicate bites.
After a short silence, Qin Wanyuan asked her:
“Do you hate me?”
“No.”
It was only then that Qin Qian’er spoke, her voice hoarse.
“You’re the one who treats me the best in the whole world. You’re my only family. How could I possibly hate you?”
“…The one I hate… is someone else.”
Even after being taught a lesson last night, Qin Qian’er still hadn’t let go of her hatred toward Lin Que. She didn’t even bother hiding it in front of Qin Wanyuan.
“The breakfast you’re eating was personally made by Lin Lang.” Qin Wanyuan said calmly.
The next second, Qin Qian’er abruptly flung the entire tray of food away.
But before the spiritual dishes could hit the ground, Qin Wanyuan raised a graceful finger.
Instantly, everything froze mid-air. With another flick, the food gently returned to its original place. It remained untouched, as if nothing had happened.
Letting out a soft sigh, Qin Wanyuan looked at her sister and asked with a confused face, “Qian’er, why do you harbor such deep hostility toward Lin Lang?”
Even across her previous life, she had never understood where Qin Qian’er’s aversion to Lin Que came from. From the very first meeting, Qin Qian’er had taken an intense dislike to him….no amount of mediation ever helped.
“Because that scoundrel… only got you through despicable means!” Qin Qian’er said through gritted teeth. Her reddened eyes were burning with anger.
“Despicable means? What do you mean?” Qin Wanyuan blinked, genuinely puzzled.
“I saw it. Back then, you gave yourself to that man just to cure my illness. It’s all my fault… If it weren’t for me, you’d never have had to humiliate yourself like that.”
As she spoke, tears once again spilled from Qin Qian’er’s eyes.
She had been frail and sickly since childhood. After the Qin family was wiped out, the sisters had ended up wandering the streets. It was only thanks to Qin Wanyuan’s tireless care that she’d survived and even set foot on the path of cultivation.
This was also why, although the sisters entered the sect at the same time, Qin Qian’er’s cultivation level had barely reached the Foundation Establishment stage.
Back then, an elder of the Sword Seeking Sect who was traveling outside noticed Qin Wanyuan’s potential for cultivation. Seeing that she had no one to rely on, he extended an olive branch and invited her to join the sect.
Qin Wanyuan understood that entering the cultivation world was like stepping into an unfathomable sea. But if they continued living on the streets, Qian’er’s illness could only be treated superficially. It would keep dragging on until it eventually claimed her life.
Only by entering the cultivation world would she have any chance of finding a way to cure her sister.
So, she agreed to join the Sword Seeking Sect, but on the condition that her sister be allowed to join with her.
The elder readily agreed. After all, having a sickly sister as leverage made it easier to control Qin Wanyuan and groom her into a trusted subordinate.
And so, Qin Wanyuan officially joined the Sword Seeking Sect. Thanks to her exceptional talent, she was immediately accepted as an inner disciple and granted special treatment.
However, once she entered the sect, she found that the elder who brought her in wasn’t the only one coveting her. Many wealthy or influential disciples also set their sights on her.
They all used the promise of curing her sister as a bargaining chip to persuade Qin Wanyuan to move into their residences.
Among them was a man named Lin Que.
At least, from Qin Qian’er’s perspective, that was how things had happened.
That’s right. Qin Qian’er’s illness was indeed cured by Lin Que. But the reason she not only didn’t feel grateful to him, but actually resented him so deeply, lay precisely in that fact.
One night, not long after the sisters had entered the sect, Qin Qian’er secretly peeked through a crack in the door and saw Lin Que speaking with her sister in the courtyard.
To this day, she still remembered exactly what Lin Que had said.
“I’ve examined Qin Qian’er’s illness. Though she’s received treatment before, it was all superficial…roughly applied medicine that never addressed the root cause. If it drags on for another six months, not even immortals could save her.”
“All those others claiming they can cure her are lying. I can say with certainty….within the entire Sword Seeking Sect, I’m the only one who can truly heal your sister.”
“What’s the price, you ask? Let me think… Just come to my residence, watch the moon, and have a chat together with me. Don’t worry, I won’t do anything beyond moon-watching. As for payment, you can pay the consultation fee when you can afford it.”
“You don’t believe something this good comes without strings and think I have ulterior motives? Fine, then let’s say I do. Once your sister is healed, come to my residence and obey my every command for one night. No resistance allowed.”
“Little girl, you don’t want your little sister’s illness to keep getting worse, do you?”
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