Chapter 1: Let’s Run Away

Lin Que has had two troubles on his mind lately.

The first is that he’s noticed something strange about his dao companion, Qin Wanyuan. Or rather, her condition has been off for quite some time now.

One night last month, Qin Wanyuan woke from a nightmare in terror, then clung to him and cried the entire night, as if she had just gone through a heartbreaking separation of life and death.

Since then, she had thrown herself into nonstop closed-door cultivation. She only emerged today….just in time for the family to finally sit down together for dinner.

Even now, Qin Wanyuan sat by the table without touching her chopsticks, silent and withdrawn.

The second trouble… came from his dao companion’s younger sister, his sister-in-law Qin Qian’er, who had been mercilessly interrogating him.

“Have you made a breakthrough in cultivation this year? Ranked higher in the sect competition? Found a good master?”

By the dinner table that evening, Lin Que was left speechless in the face of her three soul-piercing questions.

“Why don’t you say something? Are you so ashamed you’d rather disappear into the ground?”

Seeing him remain silent, a faint look of disdain curved across Qin Qian’er’s pretty face as she went on, “Well, that’s only natural. If I were you, living off my sister in her cave residence every day without any progress in cultivation, I’d want to crawl into a hole and never come out too~”

Listening to his sharp-tongued sister-in-law’s sneering ridicule, Lin Que’s expression stayed calm, with no intention of arguing back. It simply wasn’t worth it.

He had known Qin Wanyuan for three years, and they had been dao companions for over one year. In that time, their relationship had been one of mutual respect.

With her younger sister Qin Qian’er, however, it was the exact opposite….like fire and water, destined never to get along.

That much was clear from her mocking words just now.

Three months ago, Lin Que’s dao companion, Qin Wanyuan, was accepted by the Sixth Elder as a personal disciple.

She was granted her own independent cave residence, filled with abundant spiritual energy, and invited Lin Que to move in with her. Qin Qian’er, her younger sister, also came to live there.

After all, richer spiritual energy meant better cultivation. Having just entered the inner sect, Qin Qian’er naturally needed the best environment she could get.

By moving into her sister’s cave residence, she could have her own room, rather than being crammed into a shared dormitory like the other ordinary inner disciples.

In reality, the courtyard where Lin Que had originally lived was not much different in terms of spiritual energy.

The only real drawback was the need to spend spirit stones for rent. Qin Wanyuan, however, didn’t want him wasting extra resources on that.

What truly persuaded him was when Qin Wanyuan leaned against his chest and softly whispered that she wanted a little home for the two of them.

And so, he moved into Qin Wanyuan’s cave residence and started living under the same roof with both her and her younger sister.

As for why his relationship with Qian’er was so strained, Lin Que had no clear idea. From the very first time they officially met, her hostility toward him had been obvious.

At first, Lin Que assumed it was because Qian’er felt jealous, as though a strange man had stolen her sister away.

With that in mind, he had once tried to improve their relationship. After all, Qin Qian’er was his dao companion’s younger sister and Qin Wanyuan’s only family in this world.

But Qian’er never responded to his goodwill. On the contrary, her attitude grew even sharper, leaving Lin Que completely puzzled.

Eventually, he stopped offering warm gestures only to be met with cold indifference. Still, he never quarreled with her or made a fuss.

He didn’t want to put Qin Wanyuan in a difficult position where she was caught between the two of them.

In truth, Qin Wanyuan had long noticed how Lin Que always yielded to her younger sister. More than once, she had scolded Qin Qian’er or spoken with her in private, urging her to treat her brother-in-law better.

But Qin Wanyuan’s nature was gentle, and when it came to family, she simply couldn’t bring herself to speak harshly. Even when she was truly angry, she looked more like she was sulking coquettishly than scolding.

In the end, she would often end up crying herself before her sister did.

Lin Que had seen it several times. Qin Wanyuan quietly wiping away tears in the corner because of conflicts between him and Qin Qian’er.

That was why he chose silence as his shield. He had no intention of quarreling with his sister-in-law.

At that moment, Qin Qian’er secretly glanced at her elder sister. Seeing that the normally protective Qin Wanyuan hadn’t spoken up, she assumed it meant tacit approval, and her mockery grew all the more cutting.

Usually, Qin Wanyuan would criticize her a few times, and Qin Qian’er would rein herself in, at least temporarily. If only for her sister’s sake.

But today, Qin Wanyuan said nothing. Her eyes seemed unfocused, as though her mind was drifting elsewhere.

Taking her sister’s silence as a hidden signal, Qin Qian’er immediately pressed her advantage.

“If you ask me, you don’t even deserve my sister. You should know your place and leave her sooner rather than—”

However—

Before she could finish, her words were cut off by the sharp crack of a slap.

Pa!

The courtyard fell into dead silence. Qin Qian’er’s pupils shrank and her eyes were filled with disbelief.

In front of her, Qin Wanyuan still held the posture of delivering that slap, standing cold and motionless.

Even Lin Que was stunned.

One must understand, Qin Wanyuan had always doted on her one and only younger sister. Let alone hitting her—…he couldn’t even bear to speak harshly to her.

“How could you say that to him?” Qin Wanyuan’s demeanor seemed to shift, becoming stern and solemn.

Qin Qian’er was completely stunned. She stared blankly at her usually gentle sister, who was now wearing such a serious expression…she had even slapped her across the face.

If not for the stinging pain on her cheek reminding her this was real, Qin Qian’er might have thought she was dreaming. Rather, it must be a terrifying nightmare.

“Apologize to him,” Qin Wanyuan said calmly.

“.……”

Qin Qian’er didn’t respond. She simply pursed her lips, lowered her head slightly, and clenched the edge of her clothes with her fingers. Like a stubborn child who knew she was wrong but refused to admit it.

Pa!

Another slap rang out.

“Apologize to him,” Qin Wanyuan’s tone grew heavier, and her hand struck even harder.

By now, Qin Qian’er’s pretty face was already red and swollen.

Tears the size of beans welled up in her eyes, and before long, they were falling like raindrops onto the ground.

“…I’m sorry.”

As soon as she said those words, Qin Qian’er ran straight back to her room without looking back, slamming the door shut behind her with a bang.

Not long after, the faint sound of a girl crying could be heard from inside.

Only then did Lin Que slowly come back to his senses. He glanced toward Qin Qian’er’s room, then turned to Qin Wanyuan beside him.

“Wanyuan, what’s going on with you?” He stood up and asked with some concern.

After all, over the past while, Qin Wanyuan had indeed been acting a little out of character.

And now, she had even raised her hand against the sister she had always doted on and couldn’t bear to scold.

Hearing his voice, Qin Wanyuan turned to look at Lin Que. The stern expression she had worn just moments ago faded, replaced by deep guilt….and a complicated emotion Lin Que couldn’t quite understand.

“No matter what, Qian’er shouldn’t have spoken to you like that. I spoiled her too much in the past… If I’d disciplined her earlier, she wouldn’t have turned out this way. I’m sorry,” Qin Wanyuan said softly, apologizing to Lin Que.

“It’s fine,” Lin Que shook his head.

But across from him, Qin Wanyuan still looked as though something was weighing on her. Like she wanted to speak but was holding back.

“What is it?” Lin Que asked, a little confused as he looked at his partner. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something about her had changed too much lately.

“I… there’s something I want to tell you,” Qin Wanyuan said, gripping the hem of her sleeve tightly, as if she’d finally made up her mind.

Lin Que nodded his head.

In the next moment, Qin Wanyuan threw herself into his arms and pressed tightly against his chest, as if listening earnestly to the sound of his heartbeat and seeking some kind of safety from it.

The moonlight was like a painting, and the woman in his arms trembled slightly, as if she was sobbing.

After a long while,

Qin Wanyuan lifted her gaze. Her beautiful face was tinged with red at the corners of her eyes, with a faint shimmer of tears….but her eyes were filled with unwavering determination.

“Lin Lang, let’s run away. Leave the sect and escape to somewhere no one can ever find us. This is… the only way I can think of.”