Qin Chi lowered his head, a grown man, adopting a wronged posture, yet he didn't seem awkward at all. Even the little fangirl comforting him didn't notice anything unusual. "Senior brother, don't blame yourself for these kinds of people. They don't understand what you mean at all; they're just being tactless!"

Qin Chi burst into laughter through his tears, looking at the girl in front of him with a smile in his eyes, and said, "Thank you, junior sister, I understand."

Junior Sister didn't feel like she was being used by Qin Chi at all; on the contrary, she was quite happy.

Mingqing, who was being taken away, didn't understand. "Yaoyao, why do you always stop me? Why won't you let me speak? It's just like this. What good can that man be? And that woman is the same. You really are influenced by your surroundings!"

Ji Yaocen didn't say much along the way. After they reached a quiet place with few people, she looked at Mingqing and said, "Don't argue with me next time."

"Why? They said those things about you, why don't you ask them for an explanation? They did something wrong." Mingqing felt wronged and believed that she had done nothing wrong, but when she met Ji Yaocen's cold eyes, her grievances froze, as if she was trying to understand why Ji Yaocen was looking at her like that.

Ji Yaocen's voice was low and deep, "Are you finished? Isn't it my turn now?"

Seeing her like this, Mingqing felt that she probably didn't want to hear what Ji Yaocen was about to say, so she shook her head and said, "No... I have something to do, so I'll be going now."

The moment Mingqing turned and lifted her foot to leave, a voice behind her rang out at the same time as her footsteps, "Let's stop here, Junior Sister Mingqing."

The phrase "Ming and Qing junior sister" instantly widened the distance between the two of them.

Ming Qing turned her head stiffly to look at Ji Yaocen, her eyes filled with confusion. She asked, "Why? Is it because of what I did today? I can apologize, and I won't do it again. You don't need to say such hurtful things."

Mingqing tried to comfort herself by deceiving herself, thinking that Mingqing was just joking with her. Her resentment was written all over her face. Ji Yaocen stepped forward and closed the distance between them, just so that it would be easier to talk. "Junior Sister Mingqing, I'm tired. I don't want to have to clean up the mess every time you say these things. You always get into arguments with others and never know when to stop, but all your arguments are for my sake. As your senior sister, I can't help but step in."

“Yes, there’s definitely an element of friendship involved. But Junior Sister Mingqing, I’ve told you so many times, I don’t need this kind of hoe. I like a peaceful life, a life undisturbed by anyone, not a life where I have to argue with people every time something happens.” Ji Yaocen said her thoughts word by word.

Mingqing shook his head. "No, no, you clearly said before that you didn't mind and were very fortunate to have a friend like me to stand up for you. Why has it changed like this now? Is there something you can't tell me? Has something happened? You can tell me, and we can face it together, okay?"

Ming Qing stepped forward, trying to grab Ji Yaocen's arm. Ji Yaocen keenly noticed her movement and stepped back as Ming Qing took a step forward, returning to her original position. "You're overthinking it. Nothing happened to me. I have no unspeakable secrets. These are just my thoughts. At first, I was relieved because you didn't cause me so much trouble. I didn't expect that even after I repeatedly said I didn't want to and didn't need it, you would still stubbornly do what I didn't want to do. I don't want to deal with people who seem brainless. It's just a waste of my time."

“At first I thought you wouldn’t take up my time, but later I realized I was overthinking it. You’re no different from anyone else. Spending time with you made me very uncomfortable.” Ji Yaocen said each word clearly and bluntly. “Also, I will clarify things regarding the team. From now on, I will leave the team.”

Ming Qing, standing opposite her, was unsteady and swayed precariously, barely managing to stay upright. "Alright, is there anything else you want to say?"

After confirming that Ji Yaocen had nothing more to say, she turned and left. Her departing figure was thin and lonely. When Ji Yaocen turned around again, she found Xu Yuehuai standing not far behind her, looking at her with an indescribable expression. It seemed that Xu Yuehuai had overheard everything she had just said.

But Ji Yaocen showed no guilt whatsoever. Instead, she boldly stepped forward and looked at Xu Yuehuai with a calm yet daring gaze. Xu Yuehuai clarified first, "I was just passing by and did not mean to eavesdrop. You were talking quite loudly."

Xu Yuehuai's meaning was clear: they were blocking her way and speaking loudly, and she didn't mean to hear them.

Ji Yaocen nodded, and as she was about to leave, she suddenly became very curious about Xu Yuehuai's thoughts. "Don't you want to ask me why? Or do you despise me, look down on me? Shouldn't someone as selfish as me be scorned?"

Upon hearing these words, Xu Yuehuai turned her head again, her eyes showing a hint of seriousness. "You are you. If you despise yourself, then you really should. If you want others to have no other thoughts about you, you have to be upright and honest."

Ji Yaocen was stunned for a moment, not expecting that Xu Yuehuai had so keenly caught the moment when she wavered. She lowered her head and said with a faint smile, "You're right, I am who I am."

"Are you interested in chatting with me?" Ji Yaocen sent a chat invitation, looking at Xu Yuehuai with anticipation.

Xu Yuehuai declined, saying, "I have other things to do today. If you're still willing to talk to me next time you meet me, I might as well give you some advice as your senior sister."

Ji Yaocen understood, and the two separated.

Xu Yuehuai was on her way back from the sect leader's mountain peak when she discovered that she had taken something. She needed to examine the old valley master to check his leg injury, so she rushed back alone and stumbled upon this scene on the way.

Back in the courtyard, everyone was happily grilling food when Xu Yuehuai pushed open the door, drawing everyone's attention. Upon seeing her, Nangong Yu extended a warm invitation, "Senior Sister, you've come back just in time! We're grilling skewers, would you like to try some?"

"I'm leaving right away. No thanks, you guys have fun." After saying that, Xu Yuehuai returned to her room, retrieved the spatial ring she needed, and hurriedly left the courtyard.

I couldn't help but think that these people really had a special fondness for food, otherwise why would they have set up barbecue grills in the yard in such a short time?