Bai Susu watched the purple lightning dragon struggling frantically within the array, and her tense, pretty face finally eased a bit.
It’s just that...
For some reason, a faint sense of unease lingered in her heart, lingering and elusive.
...
"So hungry..."
The sun peeked out from the horizon and set there once more.
Their room door remained closed, with no one opening it.
And their master’s quiet chamber still had its door tightly shut.
Qing Jun could no longer lie still. She climbed out of bed, filled with anxiety.
"Sister... Is Master really angry?"
Zhiwei stared at the ceiling, feeling utterly dejected.
Ugh, ugh, ugh...
Master would not hate her, right?
She... she aspired to be the disciple her master could be proud of; how could she be disliked by him!!
Besides, with how good master was, how could they... how could they treat him like that?
While the two young girls were fraught with contradictory emotions, one contemplating whether to go and admit her fault, and the other pondering how to act spoiled so master wouldn’t be angry,
"Knock, knock, knock."
A gentle knocking sound was heard from outside the courtyard door.
Next, Granny Li’s familiar voice rang out:
"Zhiwei, Qing Jun, may this old lady come in?"
Could it be...
Master is here!
The two girls exchanged a bright-eyed glance before eagerly leaping off the bed.
The small girl, feeling triumphant again: "Hehe, Qing Jun knew it, Master cares for us the most! He must have specially asked Granny Li to come cheer us up! No way, we have to give Master a slice of our mind!"
The small girl was notorious for quickly forgetting past pains. Pulling on her elder sister’s sleeve, she whispered: "Sister, when we see Master, we must remain aloof and not let him off so easily!"
"No way!"
Zhiwei stubbornly shook her head. She decided that she couldn’t goof around with Qing Jun anymore!
"Fine... alright..."
Qing Jun sighed in disappointment. The two girls adjusted their expressions and clothes, then, still maintaining a cold demeanor, took small steps to open the courtyard door.
Of course, Zhiwei was naturally cold, while Qing Jun was just pretending to be aloof with a mischievous heart.
But the moment the door opened, the expression on their faces froze.
Standing outside was not their master, for whom they had longed day and night.
Instead, it was...
A figure both familiar and somewhat unfamiliar to them.
"Sister Qiongyu?" Qing Jun tilted her little head, curiously eyeing the woman who was now looking down, avoiding their gaze.
Today, Lin Qiongyu had changed from her black robe into a clean, plain linen long dress.
Her lush black hair was neatly tied into a simple bun, highlighting her natural beauty but also adding a touch of the gentle grace typical of ordinary women, contrasting with the charm she exuded at the Cloud Clothing Pavilion.
And behind her stood Granny Li.
"I..." Lin Qiongyu looked at the two adorable, spirited little girls before her, feeling even more ashamed, opening her mouth but not knowing what to say.
Previously, she could be an elder sister who would coax the two young girls.
But now... she was just a maid.
Even though Lin Qiongyu was aware of her position, the gap in status still left her unsure how to interact with them at the moment.
It was Granny Li who smiled and saved her, saying: "Alright, enough standing at the door. Today, I’ve brought you a new sister. From now on, Qiongyu will take care of you two sisters’ daily needs."
She said this while gently leading Lin Qiongyu into the courtyard and addressed the still somewhat bewildered girls:
"Your master left the inner valley early this morning to handle the Spirit Plant Cultivator’s affairs in the Outer Peach Valley. Seeing him gone, I thought of coming to check on you tonight, and it’s also just the right time for Qiongyu to come familiarize herself."
Saying this, she placed the food box she was carrying on the stone table in the courtyard.
The aroma of the dishes immediately dispelled the strange awkwardness lingering in the courtyard.
And it completely shattered the young girls’ hearts... expecting to be coddled and cared for by their master.
So...
Master wasn’t angry at all.
He merely... forgot about them!
Forgot... forgot... forgot!!
"Waaah, Master!!!"
The first to lose composure was Qing Jun.
The phrase "Master left for Outer Valley early this morning" was like a needle, ruthlessly popping her last bubbles of hope.
As it turned out, Master wasn’t in the Quiet Chamber at all!
He didn’t even see them having a "cold war"!
He... he might even have forgotten he had two disciples at home with empty stomachs!
The overwhelming sense of injustice!
The young girl burst into tears, shedding tears like a broken string of pearls. Disregarding any plans, any aloofness, she threw herself into Granny Li’s embrace, sobbing uncontrollably:
"Waaah... Master is a big meanie! A big dummy! He... he forgot about us... he doesn’t want us anymore... waaah..."
And typically composed Zhiwei, her usually calm black eyes filled immediately with tears.
She bit her lip hard, trying not to cry, but her reddened eyes and slightly trembling shoulders already betrayed her inner panic.
She didn’t expect Master to be "avoiding" them either.
Going to Outer Valley alone, not even bothering to come next door to see them...
Could it be... because of Lin Qiongyu?
The thought of this possibility made Zhiwei feel as if an invisible hand was fiercely gripping her heart.
No...
Zhiwei suddenly realized she always regarded Lin Qiongyu as an enemy... a vile woman trying to seduce Master.
But right now, wasn’t this vile woman right in front of her eyes?
"Oh, my two sweethearts, what’s wrong?"
Granny Li looked at the two suddenly crying young girls, instantly flustered.
She scrambled to wipe Qing Jun’s tears while also lovingly pulling Zhiwei into her arms.
"Wait... wait, Qing Jun, Zhiwei, don’t cry... Sister Qiongyu will take you to find Master, alright?"