The sun was setting in the west.
The black shadows of the eaves fell on Qing Jun’s face.
She was so small that if you didn’t look closely, you wouldn’t notice the little ball hidden within the shadow.
"Senior Sister, are you sick?"
...Lying, right? How could a Fourth-Layer Qi Cultivation cultivator easily get sick?
These past few days, Senior Sister had been energetically inspecting the various herbal fields in Lisong Valley...
Her eyes held a hint of danger.
Senior Sister is lying, lying, lying...
Why lie!?
When Qing Jun spoke up, Chen Ye could clearly feel Zhiwei’s body stiffen for a moment.
It was strange to say, but sometimes his eldest disciple seemed to be afraid of Qing Jun.
Chen Ye comfortingly patted her thin back, looked at Qing Jun, and put on a stern face:
"Senior Sister can’t even stand steady, she must be sick, right?...Hmm?"
When he saw Qing Jun, Chen Ye’s words paused.
He saw a girl with long hair down to her legs quietly standing in the shadow of the eaves, head lowered, silently exuding a strange eerie feeling.
Fortunately, this scene seemed to be an illusion to Chen Ye.
The next moment, the little girl rolled her eyes, immediately mimicked Zhiwei’s manner, covered her forehead with her small hand, and let out an exaggerated moan:
"Oh no! Qing Jun is dizzy too! So dizzy, about to fall!"
Saying this, her small body swayed as if she was about to collapse.
Chen Ye breathed a sigh of relief, both amused and helpless.
His mischievous little disciple, how could there be anything eerie about her?
Chen Ye shook his head helplessly, one hand encircling Zhiwei’s waist.
His other hand reached out, scooping up the pretending-to-faint Qing Jun, despite her puffed complaints, lifting the white-furred ball: "Unfair! Why hug Senior Sister but lift Qing Jun!"
Chen Ye couldn’t be bothered to respond, bringing the two little girls into the room, and pressing them onto the bed.
Looking at the two lying side by side on the bed, one covering her head with the quilt like an ostrich, the other glaring at him puffily with her two little round eyes.
Chen Ye playfully pinched Qing Jun’s soft cheek: "Alright, alright, stop pretending. Does Master not see through it?"
"Master just doesn’t see it! Why don’t you say Senior Sister is pretending?"
The little girl was very angry.
Senior Sister was so obvious, how could Master not see through it?
But he could see through me!
Chen Ye looked at her puffed-up face, even more amused in his heart.
He released his hand, leisurely sat at the bed’s edge, and deliberately sighed: "Alas, then it is not Master’s fault."
"Why not Master’s fault?" Qing Jun argued, dissatisfied, her small body sitting up with hands on her hips, like a little teapot ready to quarrel.
Chen Ye extended a finger and lightly flicked her smooth forehead, speaking slowly:
"Your Senior Sister appears so pitiful and endearing when she’s sick. Naturally, Master has to concern. Look at you, bouncing around with full energy, where is the sign of illness? If Master can’t even see this, then wouldn’t I be unworthy to be your Master?"
His words, though meant as an explanation, were actually teasing Qing Jun for her poor acting.
"I...I..." Qing Jun was rendered speechless for a moment, still unconvinced.
She sneaked a glance at her Senior Sister still pretending to be an ostrich under the quilt, seeing her Senior Sister’s delicate white face that seemed to portray a delicate frailty... both beautiful and pitiful.
The little girl suddenly had a revelation, realizing that Master just favored that kind of display from Senior Sister!
Taoist Chen, Taoist Chen!!
So bad, Taoist Chen is!
The little girl couldn’t help but complain in her heart.
She also secretly gritted her teeth, feeling that Senior Sister seemed a bit like her former neighbor Sister Lin...
Chen Ye ignored the little girl’s stubbornness, reached out his hand, his fingertips surrounded by a wisp of pure green spiritual power, and touched Zhiwei’s fair wrist.
"Hmm..."
Chen Ye slightly furrowed his brow, unable to sense any abnormalities within Zhiwei.
But, his eldest disciple had always been sensible and respectful, impossible to lie for no reason.
Zhiwei, seeing her Master’s focused look, felt a strong sense of shame spreading from her heart.
Master, certainly has found out, right?
She bit her lip, wanting to confess when she heard Master ponder: "Zhiwei, do not worry. I think it’s due to your special constitution. If the condition doesn’t improve in a few days, Master will request the Sect Elders for a diagnosis."
Upon hearing this, Zhiwei silently swallowed her words and gently nodded.
She hoped to be the most perfect disciple in her Master’s eyes...just as Master was in hers.
...
After settling the disciples, Chen Ye was about to speak to the two about the matter of seclusion, when there was a steady knocking on the courtyard door.
"Is Steward Chen in? I, Wei Cheng, have important matters to discuss."
Chen Ye slightly raised an eyebrow, just pondering how to deal with Steward Wei, when the person took the initiative to come to him.
He rose to his full height, signaling to the two disciples not to be nervous, and walked out of the courtyard alone.
He saw Wei Cheng leading eight Outer Sect disciples from Lisong Valley, all entering together.
His face wore a businesslike expression, giving Chen Ye a bow, and got straight to the point: "Steward Chen, I have a matter that needs discussing with you."
Chen Ye gestured with his hand: "Please speak, Steward Wei."
"What you might not know, Steward Chen,"
Wei Cheng sighed, showing just the right amount of concern on his face,
"Our Wei Family’s Spiritual Peach Garden, also part of the Sect’s property, suffered more severe damage than Lisong Valley this time. Now it’s a crucial period and urgently needs experienced personnel to assist. As a Wei Family member and Lisong Valley Steward, I cannot sit idly by. Thus, I have come to request leave from Steward Chen for some time, hoping to exert some effort."