Chapter 5

Liuli slept like the dead in the little courtyard. When she woke, her head was heavy and foggy, her throat dry and sore.

She touched her forehead, thinking, How did I get sick? I wonder if it’s too late to call in sick.

She reached for her phone but didn’t find it. She lay there for a moment before slowly realizing.

Things are different now. She is Xue Liuli. No matter how fierce her boss was, he couldn’t transmigrate here to chase after her and scold her.

Liuli slowly crawled out of bed, wobbled as she washed her face. By now, the sky was already bright. Sunlight streamed through the window paper into the room, dappled by the shadows of lush tree branches and the chirping of birds. In a daze, Liuli felt as if she had returned to her old hometown.

Liuli pushed open her door and weakly walked a few steps out, meeting Little Feng head-on.

Upon seeing her, the words on Little Feng’s lips instantly changed to concern. “Senior Sister, what happened to you?! Let me see… so hot!”

Liuli weakly said, “I’m afraid the past two days were too harsh on me, and I just got sick.”

“Then quickly go back and rest. If Senior Sister needs anything, just instruct me.” Little Feng said, beginning to help Liuli back.

Liuli couldn’t resist her strength. She mumbled, “Junior Sister, seeing me so pitiful, do you feel compassion?”

Little Feng felt this question was a bit strange, but it also seemed to be true. “Well… yes.”

Liuli immediately grabbed her hand, her eyes brimming with hot tears. “Then, seeing that a guest has fallen sick, shouldn’t the host be notified?”

Little Feng: “…Senior Sister, you… just go in and rest first! I’ll go find Perfected One in a bit. Will that do?”

Liuli was satisfied. “Junior Sister, you’re so kind.”

Liuli’s previous injury hadn’t fully healed, and she had a habit of tormenting herself, enduring the cold wind and emptying her True Qi. She deserved to get sick.

Little Feng didn’t understand how a Foundation Establishment cultivator could get herself into such a state. She sighed and could only attribute it to her being constitutionally delicate and weak, caring for her diligently.

After tending to the patient, she wearily went to find Perfected One Feng.

Liuli was only waiting for Feng Xiwu to arrive. Lying in bed, she had already rehearsed over a dozen pitiful poses in her mind to use upon seeing Feng Xiwu.

She never expected that plans couldn’t keep up with changes. The person she least wanted to see right now had chased after her.

Unaware of her thoughts, Big Feng came to report: “Senior Sister Liuli, Senior Brother Long has come to see you.”

Liuli was horrified. She threw herself out of bed like a startled bird, momentarily forgetting her illness, only to be thrown back onto the mattress by a wave of dizziness.

“Sss…”

“Junior Sister!”

In that brief moment, Long Jingxing had already pushed open the door and entered, his face full of worry.

“Junior Sister, is your illness serious? Let me see quickly!”

Liuli hastily dodged his reaching hand, feeling miserable. “Not serious, not serious! Senior Brother, why did you come?”

Long Jingxing explained, “I heard Junior Sister Tiantian say you came alone. I was worried, so I followed to check on you. If I get to see Perfected One Feng, I can also offer my congratulations in passing.”

Alarm bells rang loudly in Liuli’s heart. A flash of vigilance appeared in her apricot-shaped eyes. “I think it’s unlikely, Senior Brother. Perfected One Feng dislikes commotion. You’d better go back.”

Seeing his dear Junior Sister speak this way, Long Jingxing felt a little hurt. “I can’t rest easy worrying about you. Here, Junior Sister, I have some excellent medicinal pills. If you take them, you’ll definitely feel better.”

He flipped his hand, and a small, white jade bottle appeared in his palm. As he uncorked it, a refreshing, heart-penetrating fragrance wafted out.

Just one whiff cleared Liuli’s muddled mind somewhat, lifting her spirits.

What excellent pills!

But no matter how good the medicine, Liuli didn’t want to take it.

“Senior Brother, put it away. A minor illness isn’t worth wasting it on!”

“Junior Sister, a minor illness neglected becomes a major one! Take the medicine quickly!”

“Senior Brother, I have my own medicine!”

“Junior Sister, mine is better!”

Clutching her chest, Liuli said indignantly, “I urge you to stop it right there!”

Long Jingxing couldn’t understand. “Junior Sister, why do you torment yourself like this?”

“Fine.” Liuli took a deep breath, calmed down, and accepted the bottle in return. “I’ll take your medicine. But I don’t want to take it right now. Senior Brother, I need to rest now. How about you go back first?”

But Long Jingxing proved even more clingy and considerate than she imagined. “Junior Sister, you’re injured and sick. I can’t feel at ease leaving you alone. Let me stay here and keep you company!”

Liuli: “…”

Long Jingxing: “Alright?”

Liuli’s face turned cold. “No.”

Long Jingxing gritted his teeth and decided to put on the airs of the Head Senior Brother: “Junior Sister, don’t be willful!”

Liuli: “…Fine.”

Long Jingxing relaxed.

Just then, Little Feng’s voice called out from a distance: “Senior Sister, I’m back.”

A cold light flashed in Liuli’s eyes. She smiled sweetly. “Senior Brother, I need to change my clothes. You have to leave to avoid impropriety, right? Come, I’ll see you out.”

Long Jingxing suspected nothing, but a blush inexplicably appeared on his face, seemingly moved by his Junior Sister’s long-lost gentleness. He mumbled, “Junior Sister, don’t move around, just rest. I’ll go myself…”

Warmly, Liuli supported his shoulder, turned him halfway towards the door. “Don’t be polite, Senior Brother. Off you go!”

“Alright, alright, I’m leav—”

Thump! Thump!

Two muffled sounds rang out simultaneously.

The first was from Liuli grabbing a wooden stool and smashing it down onto Long Jingxing’s head. The second was the sound of Long Jingxing collapsing unconscious onto the floor.

No matter how high your martial skill, you’re still vulnerable to a sneak attack.

“Huff…”

Just that one maneuver made cold sweat bead on Liuli’s forehead. She bent over slightly, clutching the stool leg and panting heavily. Her body swayed, dizziness severe.

“Sorry, big brother. You forced my hand. I can’t let you meet her. Don’t worry, I’ll find a way to help you avoid your catastrophe.”

Little Feng’s voice grew closer, her shadow first appearing at the doorway. In her urgency, Liuli threw the stool aside and swiftly kicked the unconscious person on the floor under the bed.

“Senior Sister Liuli, how are you doing!” Seeing the door open and Liuli standing on the floor, Little Feng directly entered. After coming in, she felt something was off and hesitated, “I thought I heard a strange sound just now…”

Calmly, Liuli righted the stool. “I accidentally knocked the stool over.”

Little Feng smiled and nodded. “I see.”

But Liuli was craning her neck, looking behind Little Feng with eyes and face full of eager anticipation. “Where is Perfected One Feng?!”

Little Feng smiled and pulled a small white jade bottle from her bosom. “Perfected One Feng heard Senior Sister was ill and instructed me to deliver this bottle of medicine. If Senior Sister takes it, your illness will surely be cured!”

Liuli: “…That’s it?”

Little Feng: “That’s it.”

Deeply disappointed, Liuli slumped back down onto the bed, muttering to herself, “It’s all my fault. I was too naive… too presumptuous. Sigh… sigh…”

Seeing her sigh and lament, Little Feng was instead confused. Receiving medicine bestowed by Perfected One was a tremendous honor. Why did Senior Sister seem so disappointed?

Slowly, Liuli took the bottle, opened it, and poured out a perfectly round pill. Under the sunlight, it seemed as if iridescent lights flowed over the deep red pill.

The quality of this medicine was even higher than the bottle Long Jingxing had given!

Forget it. The time is still long. Take it slowly. Why be anxious?

Liuli comforted herself, pinched the pill, and slowly brought it to her mouth.

As the pill entered her mouth, an exhilarating coolness instantly spread, dispelling the dizziness in her head. Immediately after, the pill actually dissolved directly, turning into a stream of heat that flowed down her throat into her abdomen, and then began spreading to her four limbs and hundred bones!

What magical medicine, Liuli thought in amazement.

The quality of this medicine is extraordinary. Feng Xiwu is really so good to me.

Unable to restrain herself, Liuli’s face curved into a furtive smile, her eyes crinkling. It drew Little Feng’s frequent glances, almost making her ask what she was giggling about.

But soon, the smile on Liuli’s face froze, then gradually scrunched up into a tight ball.

“I…”

Another “thump” sounded as Liuli collapsed onto the bed.

“Senior Sister, what’s wrong!”

Little Feng rushed over urgently to support her.

Liuli, unable to control herself, shed two streams of reflexive tears, her mouth wide open, gasping. “I… I hurt so much… my whole body hurts! There’s a qi, especially hot, running wild inside me… so painful… sss…”

“Oh no, oh no, Senior Sister, you haven’t refined the medicinal power! You need to quickly use Qi Circulation to absorb it!”

Liuli’s face was streaked with tears. “I don’t know how!”

“This—!” Little Feng was helpless. Her cultivation was too low to risk rashly interfering. She had no choice but to put Liuli down and dash outside. “Senior Sister, hold on! I’ll go beg Perfected One to come right away!”

Tears flowing, Liuli cried, “Then hurry up!”

As she watched Little Feng run out, Liuli remembered the person under her bed. Enduring the pain wracking her body, she slid to the floor and pulled Long Jingxing out, planning to move him to another room to sleep.

She never expected that just as she pulled Long Jingxing out, Little Feng’s overjoyed voice rang out from outside: “Perfected One! When did you arrive?! It’s wonderful you came! Senior Sister Liuli, she…”

Liuli looked at Long Jingxing on the floor and fell silent.

Thump! Thump!

Two more muffled sounds.

The first was Liuli kicking Long Jingxing back under the bed, seemingly with a bit too much force, as the unlucky Senior Brother banged against the wall…

The second was Liuli leaping back onto the bed and quickly sprawling into place.

Tears blurring her vision, Liuli fixed her gaze on the doorway. Upon seeing a corner of a moon-white skirt appear, she opened her mouth and let out an affected, melodramatic wail:

“Owwwww—”

“Ow-ow-owwwwww—”

She flipped over, turning her face, now thoroughly soaked with tears, toward the door:

“It hurts so baaaaad—”