Chapter 98

The camellias were covered by snowflakes, and the snow scene was tinged with bright red. The fragrance of flowers filled the courtyard, which reduced the frost of winter.

Holding a set of clean clothes, Yin Qiu stood alone on the veranda waiting. After a while, a slightly hoarse, deep voice came from the bathhouse and said, "Come in."

Yin Qiu pushed open the door and entered. The room was filled with the smell of burning firewood, and it was chilly all around. The only warm place was the two wooden buckets next to the hot spring, which contained freshly boiled water.

"Thank you for your trouble, Senior Sister," Yin Qiu said with a smile as she hung her clothes behind the screen, tested the water temperature, and said to the person beside her, "Senior Sister must have been tired lately because of something, and you've been taking naps in the boiler room every day. I've also been coming to bathe every morning these past few days, disturbing your sweet dreams. I'm really sorry."

The female disciple, as always, sported a head of messy, bird's-nest-like hair, and her clothes were dirty and wrinkled. She didn't smell bad, but her appearance was truly unsightly. Yin Qiu had interacted with her quite a bit these past few days, but she still couldn't get used to her appearance. Several times she wanted to advise her not to deliberately dress herself up like this because of her looks, but she felt it was inappropriate and was afraid that saying it would hurt her self-esteem, so she had to swallow her words each time.

The boiler room had a curtain hanging on it, and the smell of burning firewood kept wafting out from the gaps in the curtain. The female disciple turned to the side and said indifferently, "There's nothing to be embarrassed about. I used to take care of the boiler according to the rules, but later I found that not many people came to bathe in the morning, so I simply became lazy and stopped taking care of it."

Yin Qiu took off her outer robe, smiled upon hearing this, and said, "Then starting tomorrow, I'll bathe in the evenings instead, so as not to trouble my senior sister."

The female disciple hummed in agreement, and said as she lifted the curtain, "Whatever you say."

Looking at her retreating figure, Yin Qiu couldn't help but say, "I see that Senior Sister has a proper posture and her every move shows that she has practiced martial arts. Why don't you find another job from Senior Sister Lu? Staying in the soup room to take care of the boiler is really a waste of your talents."

The female disciple paused in lifting the curtain, turned her head slightly, and said with an ambiguous expression, "What good is martial arts if I'm still in this state? I'm not sure if my martial arts skills will change my fate. I might as well stay away from the martial world, live a simple life, and find some peace."

Even though she couldn't see her eyes clearly, Yin Qiu could feel her gaze fixed on her, which was inexplicably unsettling. Yin Qiu knew something was wrong and feared that her words might remind her of painful memories, so she casually looked away and said with a smile, "What Senior Sister says is absolutely right."

The female disciple stopped talking, hunched over, and slipped into the curtain, leaving Yin Qiu with only a familiar-looking back view.

Where exactly did I see her before?

Yin Qiu couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

She had intended to bring up the topic and ask the female disciple's name, but the other party was clearly unwilling to talk about it and was somewhat wary of Yin Qiu, so Yin Qiu naturally didn't ask any more questions.

But after spending these days with her, Yin Qiu felt increasingly familiar with this female disciple, yet her attire was something he had never seen before.

Could it be that Yin Qiu saw her in the palace before she was disfigured?

After thinking for a long time but still unable to connect the female disciple with anyone, Yin Qiu stopped racking his brains. While the water in the tub was still hot, Yin Qiu quickly took off his clothes, took out the bath beans from the cabinet, and started taking a bath.

Because the hot spring pool in the bathhouse hadn't been filled with hot water, the room was also cold. After washing with two buckets of water, Yin Qiu didn't feel warm at all; instead, she was chilled to the bone by the cold wind. She had clearly closed the doors and windows before coming in, so she didn't understand where the wind was coming from. Yin Qiu sneezed, looked around, and noticed that the curtain of the boiler room was being blown high by the wind, and the windows and doors of the inner room were wide open, blowing straight through the room and facing Yin Qiu.

Yin Qiu smiled helplessly, quickly took a handkerchief to dry herself off, put on clean clothes, and carried two wooden buckets in her hands. Just as she entered the boiler room, she sneezed loudly again.

"Senior sister, the window is open, and I'm freezing!" Yin Qiu said with a smile, without a hint of blame in her words.

The female disciple had already started the fire in the boiler and was nestled on the pile of firewood, gulping down large mouthfuls of wine. She glanced at the window and said, "The smoke from the fire was too strong, let's open the window to let it out."

Yin Qiu put down the wooden bucket, walked over and sat down on the pile of firewood, saying, "Then I'll squeeze in with my senior sister and warm myself by the boiler before going back later."

Perhaps seeing how cold she was, the female disciple shook the wine pot in her hand and said, "Want a drink?"

Yin Qiu pursed her lips and waved her hand: "I don't drink alcohol."

"Wine can ward off the cold," the female disciple said, handing the wine pot to Yin Qiu. "Try it."

The senior brothers on Jingyue Peak guarded outside Chenxing Hall year-round, and relied on drinking to get through the winter. Yin Qiu was actually a little curious about alcohol, but she had been fed a few cups of wine by Xie Yijun on her birthday and got a little drunk. She knew that not everyone could drink this stuff, so she politely declined, saying, "Thank you for your kindness, senior sister, but I really can't drink alcohol, or I'll get drunk."

"What are you afraid of?" the female disciple didn't stop. "At worst, I'll carry you back. How heavy can you be?"

Yin Qiu chuckled: "No, thank you. The palace forbids disciples from drinking alcohol. Senior Sister, you can drink it yourself. I won't tell anyone. I'll just skip it myself."

“My wine isn’t strong,” the female disciple said. “Taking a couple of sips won’t hurt you. Otherwise, if you catch a cold after you go back, it will be my fault.”

She repeatedly urged him, and Yin Qiushi found it hard to refuse. After hesitating for a moment, he took the wine pot and said, "Then let me give my senior sister peace of mind. I'll have a drink."

After she finished speaking, she brought the wine pot close to her lips, politely avoiding touching the spout. The icy cold wine flowed into her lips and teeth like a trickle, immediately spreading a strange spiciness. Yin Qiu swallowed with difficulty, and although she didn't choke, her face wrinkled from the stimulation, and she stuck out her tongue.

"How could Senior Sister lie to me? She even said this liquor isn't strong..." Yin Qiu frowned and coughed lightly a few times. "What's so good about this strange stuff?"

“I’m drowning my sorrows in alcohol, that’s the feeling I’m looking for,” the female disciple said, seemingly intrigued, looking at Yin Qiu with interest. “You’re using alcohol to ward off the cold, and you’re not a drinker, so naturally you won’t be used to it.”

However, after just this small bite, Yin Qiu felt a rapid flush of heat on her face and a burning sensation in her stomach.

"Do you feel your body getting warmer and cozy?"

Although Yin Qiu was not feeling well, she did notice that her hands and feet were gradually warming up. In addition, she was leaning against the boiler, and her cheeks soon turned red. The chill from before quickly subsided under the effect of the alcohol.

“That’s true,” Yin Qiu said, savoring the lingering taste of alcohol in her mouth, covering her face. “No wonder my senior brothers drink so much alcohol every winter; it’s really good for keeping warm.”

The female disciple said, "Again."

Yin Qiu wanted to reply with "I won't drink anymore," but for some reason, after drinking that sip of wine, her head felt a little dizzy. She felt inexplicably happy, as if the wine had put her in a good mood, so she took another sip from the spout.

Upon closer tasting, Yin Qiu discovered that although the wine was strong, it had a slightly sweet aftertaste and a delicate fragrance. She held it in her mouth for a moment, and then her tongue suddenly touched something small and round.

“Those are goji berries,” the female disciple said, noticing Yin Qiu’s puzzled expression. “This is medicinal wine; it’s fine to swallow it.”

Yin Qiu's tongue was numb, and upon hearing what she said, she quickly swallowed the wine in her mouth.

Seeing this, the female disciple reached out and took the wine pot back, leaned against the wall and said, "Two sips are enough. If you drink any more, you'll really get drunk."

Yin Qiu hurriedly took a breath. Two sips were not enough for her to learn how to drink. Yin Qiu still thought the wine was hard to drink, but she had to admit that it was indeed fragrant and had a pleasant aftertaste. However, the process of drinking it was too tedious, even more unbearable than eating raw chili peppers.

"Oh no, I feel dizzy," Yin Qiu shook her head, her face burning. "I have to go back to my room, or I'll really have to ask my senior sister to carry me back later."

The female disciple glanced at her, made a simple sound in response, and didn't say anything more. Yin Qiu thanked her and didn't forget to take her dirty clothes with her before leaving.

A biting wind swirled in the courtyard. As expected, the effects of the wine that Yin Qiu had consumed came on quickly. She leaned against a pillar and stood in the wind for a moment. With the wind blowing so hard, Yin Qiu felt increasingly dizzy and disoriented, and her thoughts became increasingly chaotic.

She sensed something was wrong and, having lost patience with climbing the stairs, used her lightness skill to fly up to the second floor in the courtyard, pushed open the door, and pounced on the bed.

·

Man Jiangxue got up early today and sat on the veranda to watch the disciples practice their swordsmanship in the training ground.

Whenever she descended the mountain, she was especially welcomed and loved by the disciples. There was nothing to do in the city these past two days, and last night the disciples invited her to come here the next day to give pointers on swordsmanship. Man Jiangxue gladly agreed and came early this morning.

In winter, dawn comes late, and the hour of Mao (5-7 AM) is already past. The sky is still a bit dim. Man Jiangxue hadn't slept enough and was feeling drowsy. She drank two cups of strong tea to perk herself up. As she put down her teacup, a female disciple walked briskly towards her from the other end of the corridor.

“Uncle-Master,” the female disciple said, carrying several heavy oil paper packages in her hands, “these are the things you asked me to buy, they’re all here.”

Man Jiangxue glanced at it, gestured for her to put it on the small table, and said, "Have you bought everything?"

The female disciple smiled and said, "We have everything except candied hawthorn. It's still early, and the streets are full of breakfast vendors. I didn't see any candied hawthorn vendors. I'll go out again later."

Man Jiangxue responded, got up from the wooden chair, said "Thank you for your hard work" to the female disciple, and then carried the oil paper package into the small building.

Following the steps upwards, Man Jiangxue found Yin Qiu's room. She knocked on the door three times, but after waiting for a while without anyone coming to greet her, she pushed the door open and found that there was no one inside.

Not here?

Man Jiangxue glanced at the sky, then stood on the veranda and looked towards the bathhouse. She thought that Yin Qiu should have finished her bath and returned by now, but since she wasn't in her room, she must have something else to do. Man Jiangxue originally wanted to leave the oil paper package in her room, but then she thought that if Yin Qiu came back, she would definitely go directly to her room to find her, so she picked up the package and went to the next room.

As soon as the two wooden doors were pushed open, the person lying on the bed came into view.

Seeing that Yin Qiu was actually sleeping here, Man Jiangxue was slightly surprised. She closed the door and gently placed the things in her hand on the table. She walked to the bedside, but before she could ask a question, a faint smell of alcohol wafted to her nose.

Upon smelling that scent, Man Jiangxue paused in her attempt to hug Yin Qiu.

She leaned slightly forward, her eyes lowered in the morning light.

Yin Qiu didn't take off her clothes or shoes. Her two legs, which were hanging from the edge of the bed, were dangling from under her skirt. She lay back in the quilt without any protection, and there was no blanket covering her body.

Her face was flushed, her hair was disheveled, and her hands were casually placed on the sides of her neck. The collar of her clothes looked like it had been pulled open, revealing her fair and jade-like skin with a blush like spring peaches.

Man Jiangxue twitched her fingertips slightly, raised her hand and touched the peach-red color, finally moving it to Yin Qiu's cheek.

It's very hot.

If it weren't for the smell of alcohol, Man Jiangxue would have almost thought she had caught a cold and developed a fever.

Why would this child drink alcohol for no reason?

Man Jiangxue leaned down a little further, her tall figure looming over Yin Qiu from above. She touched Yin Qiu's face and softly called out, "Xiao Qiu?"

Yin Qiu felt limp all over, as if she were lying on a cloud. She tried her best to keep her mind clear, but she just couldn't concentrate. A cool hand pressed against her cheek, the coolness dispelling some of the heat. Yin Qiu felt very comfortable, tilting her head and rubbing against the hand, saying softly, "Uncle-Master..."

The window was open, and a cold wind carrying snowflakes drifted into the room, swaying the hems of their overlapping skirts. Man Jiangxue pulled the blanket over Yin Qiu and said, "You'll catch a cold sleeping like this."

"No..." Yin Qiu's breathing became erratic, and she pulled the blanket off with her eyes closed. "I'm hot."

She kept her cheek pressed against Man Jiangxue's palm, absorbing the coolness. Man Jiangxue maintained his position above her and didn't pull away. Man Jiangxue said, "What's bothering you that you went out to drink so early in the morning?"

Man Jiangxue had just come in from outside, still carrying the frost and no warmth. Yin Qiu lingered in her palm for a moment, then instinctively moved closer to Man Jiangxue and nestled in her arms.

"Senior sister said that drinking alcohol can ward off the cold." Yin Qiu hadn't opened her eyes and kept snuggling up to Man Jiangxue like a puppy.

"Which senior sister?" Realizing that Yin Qiu was indulging in the frost on her body, Man Jiangxue saw that she must have drunk some wine and felt hot, so she simply sat down on the edge of the couch and pulled her into her arms.

A few snowflakes still clung to her snow-white dress, and the cool touch was exactly what Yin Qiu needed at that moment. She leaned on Man Jiangxue's shoulder and stretched out her arms to encircle Man Jiangxue's neck, just like when she was a child.

The familiar fragrance filled her nostrils, lessening the lingering smell of alcohol. Yin Qiu felt completely comfortable in this embrace. She half-opened her eyes, her gaze falling on Man Jiangxue's jade-like neck. Yin Qiu chuckled softly, her tone filled with pleasure, and said, "I won't tell you."

Man Jiangxue lowered her head, looking at Yin Qiu's eyes, which were half-hidden by long eyelashes and shimmering with light, and said, "Why can't you tell me?"

“I just can’t,” Yin Qiu said softly, leaning all her weight on Man Jiangxue. “Disciples are not allowed to drink alcohol in the palace. If I say so, I’ll be seen as a tattletale. Senior Sister is doing this for my own good.”

The two were very close, and Yin Qiu's warm breath as she spoke was all sprayed onto Man Jiangxue's neck. The breath contained the fragrance of wine and was mixed with the unique body fragrance of a young girl, like a light feather, intentionally or unintentionally teasing Man Jiangxue's ear.

“You knew the palace rules were against you,” Man Jiangxue moved a little further away, but her gaze remained fixed on Yin Qiu’s face. “First, you knowingly violated the rules, and second, you covered up for your fellow disciple. You have committed several crimes, so I must punish you.”

Perhaps emboldened by the alcohol, Yin Qiu, upon hearing these words, not only showed no fear nor did he immediately admit his mistake, but instead chuckled softly as if he had heard a joke.

She turned her head to the side, her half-open eyes seemingly shrouded in a layer of damp mist, the corners of her eyes tinged with a hint of peach, making her even more lively and charming with her smile.

Yin Qiu said confidently, "My martial uncle won't be willing to punish me."

Man Jiangxue looked at her, her fingertips unconsciously stroking Yin Qiu's arm. She said calmly, "You're wrong. I've always been fair in my rewards and punishments, and I won't let you off the hook."

"Then how will my martial uncle punish me?" Yin Qiu looked up, her eyes sparkling with a beautiful light. "Given my relationship with my martial uncle, can't you show leniency?"

Upon noticing that those usually clear and innocent eyes had an expression she had never seen before, Man Jiangxue's mood suddenly became somewhat complicated.

It was as if she only realized at this moment that Yin Qiu had indeed grown up. Over the years, she had watched Yin Qiu grow up day by day, watching her transform from that sickly little girl into the gentle and quiet young woman she was today. She was actually aware of all her changes, but until this moment, she always thought of the person in her arms as a child.

The wind and snow outside the window seemed to intensify, howling between heaven and earth. Although they were so far apart, it seemed to surround the two of them.

Morning light streamed through the window into the inner room, casting a soft glow over the curtains. Yin Qiu smiled childlike in the dim light. Man Jiangxue reached out and brushed a stray hair from her forehead, saying in a flat tone, "What kind of relationship do we have?"

Yin Qiu kept looking up at her, but gradually her strength began to wane during the conversation. She tried her best to keep her mind clear, but her body was completely powerless. Yin Qiu's breathing was slightly rapid, and she said indistinctly, "Friendship..."

Her eyes were glazed over, her mind a complete mess, and she began to ramble incoherently: "My martial uncle picked me up, so I'm his person now. What kind of relationship is this...?"

Upon hearing what she said, Man Jiangxue slightly raised her eyes but did not respond. After a moment, she said with a normal expression, "You're drunk."

Feeling that Man Jiangxue was loosening her grip, Yin Qiu suppressed the dizziness in her head and quickly hugged her tightly.

"I'm not drunk..." Yin Qiu whispered in Man Jiangxue's ear, her voice gradually fading.

“Drunk people always say they’re not drunk,” Man Jiangxue patted Yin Qiu’s back. “Shall we take a nap?”

Yin Qiu was extremely dizzy, and her vision was uncontrollably blurring. Even so, she was not sleepy at all. Just as she was about to reply, "I don't want to sleep," Man Jiangxue took the initiative and grabbed Yin Qiu by the back of the neck to lay her down on the bed.

However, with Yin Qiu's hands still wrapped around Man Jiangxue's neck, as soon as she fell backward, Man Jiangxue was forced to bend down with her, and the two embraced each other, sinking into the soft bedding.

The layers of robes clung even tighter at that moment, piling up like white clouds floating in the air.

Yin Qiu felt a sudden dizziness, and then a heavy weight appeared on her body. She clung to Man Jiangxue's neck and opened her eyes, which were filled with soft light and peach-red hues, her long eyelashes trembling. She saw Man Jiangxue's hazy face right above her.

Yin Qiu's collar was askew, and her exposed skin flushed even more. She was so slender and petite, and she was nestled in Man Jiangxue's arms, completely enveloped by her.

The bed was soft, and the girl in his arms was even softer. All the scents mingled together, and for some reason, there was an extra scent. Man Jiangxue looked down at Yin Qiu, at her slightly parted lips and confused expression, and at her reflection in her eyes.

"Uncle-Master..." Yin Qiu gasped for breath, almost whispering, "You're suffocating me..."

Man Jiangxue wanted to leave her, but for some reason she didn't move. She smelled the wine and fragrance on Yin Qiu's body, and an indescribable feeling spread in her heart. It was like a fluttering for no reason, and a little itchy. Every word Yin Qiu said made her heart beat.

“Then let go of me,” Man Jiangxue finally sighed, “otherwise I’ll get drunk too.”