Chapter 41: Short Are These Bitter Days
“Can’t you just stay with me a little longer?”
Not all medical cultivators would join Azurefall Creek.
Take He Zhen, for example. Qingtong had no impression of her at all, so she must be a rogue cultivator without a sect.
A medical cultivator without the protection of a sect should be weak, but although she was sickly, her spiritual energy was very pure, and her cultivation was at least at the Spirit Refinement realm.
Ning Ruoque had already completed her disguise the moment He Zhen came in. She stood inconspicuously in a dim corner, observing her without a sound.
And after He Zhen finished her bow, she slowly walked through the crowd and stood by Pengpeng’s bed.
She carefully dispelled the cold from her body before tucking Pengpeng in. Then she hummed a lullaby as if no one was around, her voice melodious and incredibly gentle.
At first glance, this person did have the temperament of a medical cultivator.
But thinking of her similar sickliness to Yin Buran, and the punishment for using the art of life and death, Ning Ruoque could not help but suspect her.
Chu Xuan gave a look, then familiarly approached and interrupted He Zhen’s humming, “Pengpeng said you were captured by a bad guy.”
“Do you need help? I can beat any kind of demonic cultivator.”
He Zhen was not annoyed and praised her softly, “Sect Master Chu is truly kind-hearted. I appreciate your good intentions, but things are not as you think.”
The other’s attitude was not bad, and her refusal was also very gentle, but Ning Ruoque just felt that it was awkward.
Her first impression of this person was not good. Her hand was tightly pressed on the hilt of her sword, and her whole body was on guard. She had already classified He Zhen as a suspect.
Most importantly, as soon as she saw the bandages on her body, Ning Ruoque would think of Yin Buran.
The atmosphere was slightly tense, but He Zhen seemed completely unaware and continued to speak as if nothing had happened.
“How about this, give me one more day, and then I will tell you who the mastermind is.”
“And,” she paused for a moment, then smiled slightly, “I will return the three bodies of the Forging Fire Sect cultivators to Sect Master Chu. How about it?”
So the people they had been looking for were in He Zhen’s hands!
Qingtong was stunned and quickly looked at Chu Xuan, afraid that she would get emotional and turn hostile on the spot.
But unexpectedly, the latter was quite calm. She just squinted her eyes, without even a ripple of spiritual energy.
She leaned against the edge of the table and replied slowly, “Alright.”
It was like a negotiation with an undercurrent. By the time Qingtong realized it, both sides had already reached a consensus.
He Zhen’s smile deepened. “Please forgive me for my inconvenience. I can’t brew a pot of hot tea for everyone.”
Without Yin Buran’s instruction, Qieyu skillfully set out a tea set, brewed tea in a short time, and served a cup to each person.
Yin Buran’s portion was held in her hands, slowly warming them.
He Zhen didn’t drink either. She just sniffed the fragrance, and then began to ramble on while gently patting Pengpeng’s back.
“Pengpeng was born when I was thirteen. After that, my parents passed away one after another due to illness, leaving only us two sisters to depend on each other, making a living by treating the villagers.”
“Later, I happened to obtain the inheritance of a medical cultivator and thus embarked on the path of immortality. It’s just a pity that Pengpeng didn’t have that talent.”
This was also a very normal thing. Immortal fate was ethereal and uncertain, and could not be inherited by blood.
“At that time, I was busy looking for a way for Pengpeng to enter the path of cultivation, so we were often separated.”
Only then did He Zhen take a sip of tea, then put down the teacup and sighed softly, “I always thought there was still a lot of time. But for mortals, time is pitifully short.”
The sky gradually turned fish-belly white. When the first chirp of a small sparrow sounded, Pengpeng groggily got up from the bed and rubbed her small face.
The first thing she saw was He Zhen, who was guarding the bed, and she immediately pounced into the other’s arms.
“Sister, you’re back!”
The two sisters laughed and played together. Compared to the previous politeness, the smile on He Zhen’s face was clearly much more sincere now.
He Zhen took out a wooden comb and carefully combed and tied up Pengpeng’s hair.
She said faintly, “I want to play with my sister for a day. Please feel free to do as you please. Just come back here at the You hour to wait for me.”
Ning Ruoque had no objection to this. She had already seen Yin Buran yawn listlessly several times.
She was clearly so sleepy that her eyes were glazed over and her face was wooden, yet she still had to try to sit up straight. How pitiful.
She wanted to let Yin Buran sleep for a while. She remembered that this person’s illness had not yet recovered. Qingtong had taken Qieyu out, and Ning Ruoque also wanted to carry Yin Buran away.
But before she could get up, Pengpeng trotted over in her slippers and tugged on her sleeve.
“Does Ah Man want to eat steamed buns? I’ll steam one for you.”
Ning Ruoque looked down at her, the corners of her mouth curling up a little, but she did not nod.
The child’s memory had not been reset. This life was more vibrant than she had imagined.
In fact, in the end, Pengpeng stood on a small stool and steamed buns with He Zhen, and insisted on pulling Ning Ruoque to help.
Seeing that Yin Buran had found a rattan chair and was squinting, nestled by the charcoal brazier, she reluctantly followed.
Steaming hot steamed buns came out of the steamer, and the kitchen was filled with a fragrant aroma.
Pengpeng had steamed a lot more, intending to share them with the foolish people.
She also stuffed one into each of their hands, and Ning Ruoque even got two.
Thinking that she had to endure until evening, Chu Xuan took a steamed bun and squatted on the roof to sleep.
Ning Ruoque tidied up the kitchen utensils, and when she turned around, she found that Yin Buran was propping up her cheek, staring at her intently.
Seeing that she was finally free, Yin Buran let out an ambiguous sigh, “So popular.”
Ning Ruoque was just bewildered. Isn’t Yin Buran sleepy anymore?
Her intuition told her that this situation was very dangerous. If she didn’t handle it well, Yin Buran might bristle.
But she didn’t know how to deal with it and could only explain on instinct, “I was just helping out. I didn’t mean to leave you behind.”
She had just stepped over the threshold to distribute the steamed buns, but upon hearing this, Pengpeng shrank back.
He Zhen was waiting outside. She trotted to Ning Ruoque alone, her face filled with obvious pity.
“Ah Man is so stupid. You can’t even see this.”
Ning Ruoque, who was pitied by a child again: “…”
Pengpeng pulled Ning Ruoque to a corner and seriously gave her a lesson.
“The white-clothed sister is jealous. If my sister was very popular with the neighborhood children, I would also be awkward. Because I like my sister, and I’m not willing to share her with others.”
This was a new piece of knowledge.
If you like someone, you’re not willing to share them with others?
Ning Ruoque was stunned as she listened, forcing this into her mind, trying to digest the information.
Pengpeng frowned and apologized seriously, “This is my fault.”
Then her tone changed, and she urged, “But since you’ve already done it, go and coax her quickly.”
Ning Ruoque was still bewildered. “But—”
Seeing that a certain person was missing a screw and didn’t seem very smart, Pengpeng sighed heavily like an adult and then clapped her hands.
“How about this, I’ll teach you how to make the white-clothed sister happy, and you promise me one thing.”
She beckoned, and when the other hesitantly squatted down, she took the initiative to lean close to Ning Ruoque’s ear and whispered a sentence.
Ning Ruoque looked at her abruptly, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.
The child was still smiling. “Ah Man is too stupid. Share half of your steamed bun with her, and then you’ll be the same.”
After speaking, she skipped out the door and took He Zhen’s hand.
Ning Ruoque turned around. Yin Buran was still in the same position as before.
She should have heard most of what Pengpeng had said. At this moment, she was casually turning her jade bracelet, as if she were not at all interested in Ning Ruoque’s next move.
Ning Ruoque thought quietly for a moment and did not share half of her steamed bun with Yin Buran.
She put both of her steamed buns in front of Yin Buran and stood still.
Yin Buran glanced at her with a blank expression. “I can’t eat that much.”
“And, I prefer to eat things you make yourself.”
So Ning Ruoque, in front of her, put the steamed buns back into her storage bag.
She said a little awkwardly, “I’ll make you sweet cakes when we get back.”
Yin Buran turned her head away. “Your words are the least trustworthy.”
Ning Ruoque didn’t know where she got this conclusion from and was about to refute when a bundle of something suddenly pounced into her arms.
She subconsciously held it and heard a barely audible, slightly wronged complaint.
“Can’t you just stay with me a little longer?”
Ning Ruoque’s mouth was faster than her brain, and she said directly, “You don’t want me to stay with others for too long?”
