Chen Ye wanted to say a few words of encouragement, but was afraid of startling her.
Jin’er chose to practice in the early morning when no one was around precisely because she didn’t want to be seen.
She curled up inside the house all day, perhaps not just out of introversion, but more because she didn’t want others to see her pitiful state.
Thinking of this, Chen Ye merely watched quietly from behind the quiet chamber’s window.
The early morning mist shrouded the girl’s frail figure, the moon-white nightgown wet with dew, clinging to her body.
The intertwining of weakness and stubbornness presented a unique kind of beauty.
Chen Ye’s brows gradually furrowed.
The girl would occasionally, unintentionally glance at the quiet chamber, but with Chen Ye’s cultivation, if he wanted to deliberately conceal himself, she naturally would not be able to see him.
Thus, a hint of disappointment showed on her pale little face.
Something... isn’t right.
In a daze, Chen Ye seemed to catch a glimpse of Lin Qiongyu’s shadow.
"Ah!"
A cry of pain slipped out from her lips.
She seemed unable to support herself, stumbled, and her slender arms frantically braced against the trunk of a pear tree, gasping as if drained of all strength, her shoulders trembling slightly.
Her small face flushed with exertion, her eyes filled with panic. Although her cry was faint, under normal circumstances, with Chen Ye’s Foundation Establishment Stage divine sense, he would have quickly noticed if someone cried out in pain in the courtyard.
Seeing his disciple’s exhausted state, Chen Ye finally sighed softly and was about to go over and support her when he heard movement from next door and withdrew his hand.
"Creak—"
The side room door was pushed open by a small hand. Qing Jun rubbed her sleepy eyes, her silvery-white hair sticking up with strands of messy cowlicks, her petite body wrapped in a white nightgown, bare feet stepping on the cool bluestone floor, looking as if she had been woken up from a muddled sleep.
"Who’s there? This early in the morning..." the little girl muttered, her blurry gaze sweeping over the courtyard and instantly freezing on Jin’er.
Heh heh.
She knew it was Lin Jin!
The little girl sneered coldly to herself; it was deliberate, so very deliberate!
This new junior sister, hiding in her room all day pretending to be invisible, yet choosing this very moment that their master might accidentally see her to come out and practice?
Who is she fooling!
Just like that arrogant little golden lump, both were here to vie with Qing Jun for master’s attention!
But she was a scheming female cultivator, so she feigned confusion and ran over excitedly with her short little legs, "tap-tap-tap":
"Oh it’s you... Junior Sister Lin? What’s wrong? Did you fall? Does it hurt?"
Qing Jun leaned in close, her big eyes blinking, her small hand making a gesture to support Lin Jin’s arm.
Lin Jin’s face was ashen, she whispered:
"I just... wanted to see if I could walk more steadily..."
Her gaze quickly swept over Qing Jun.
Xu Qingjun sleeps in every day until late, how could she hear such a weak cry?
Fortunately, it was her who came; if it were Lu Zhiwei, she’d be much harder to deal with.
"I see..." Qing Jun elongated her tone, curling into an innocent smile, eagerly stepping forward to grab Lin Jin’s arm, "Then let Qing Jun help you! Master said we’re sisters; we should help each other!"
As she spoke of "helping," her grip was shockingly strong.
Lin Jin felt as if her arm was caught in an iron clamp, the pain almost making her cry out loud.
She was forced to let go of the pear tree’s support, her entire body’s weight sagging onto Qing Jun.
"Sister, you’re so light, haven’t you eaten?"
Qing Jun chattered while supporting Lin Jin, laughing and chatting,
"Unlike Qing Jun, I eat master’s refined pills every day, so I’m very strong! Master even praises my good health!"
Lin Jin, pained until fine sweat appeared on her forehead, could only go along with her words and plead, "Qing Jun, you’re really strong... could you... lighten up a bit."
For any ordinary girl, it would be hard not to relent now.
But she happened to encounter Qing Jun.
"Of course!" Qing Jun said proudly, puffing up her small chest, as if only hearing her former sentence, her grip instead becoming even stronger.
She furrowed her soft brows, reaching out another small hand to pinch Lin Jin’s firm bottom:
"But Junior Sister’s body is thin, yet here there’s a bit of flesh! No wonder Master wants to take you as a disciple..."
"You!"
Lin Jin’s body suddenly stiffened, humiliated beyond measure.
She couldn’t have imagined that Xu Qingjun was so completely different from what she thought...
She wanted to struggle, but Qing Jun’s hand gripped her arm like an iron shackle, immobilizing her.
And the other mischievous little hand had already snaked up her slender waist, brazenly moving upwards.
"Ah, Junior Sister, don’t move; let Senior Sister help you see where else is growing well."
Qing Jun laughed sweetly, her voice sugary soft, with no hesitation in her actions.
Her small hand roamed under Lin Jin’s thin nightgown, sometimes pinching the soft flesh at her waist, sometimes deliberately brushing over the sensitive ridge of her spine.
"Your waist is so slender too; Master surely likes holding it,"
Qing Jun clicked her tongue in admiration, her small hand not satisfied, continuing upward until it rested lightly on the girl’s chest, poking lightly there.
"Hmm... there’s not much flesh here, just like Junior Sister, flat as a board."
She pretended to comment innocently, her smile radiant,
"Looks like Master doesn’t like everything big after all."
This malicious touching made Lin Jin unable to endure anymore; she clenched her teeth tightly, pressing down forcefully on Qing Jun’s domineering hand, her pupils sparked with a flicker of flame.
Her expression almost frightened Qing Jun.
But alas, Lin Jin was just a paper tiger.
She was truly frail, her legs not yet fully recovered, and could only endure the humiliation as Qing Jun held her captive, unable to break free.