After finally managing to put away the special elixir, Yi Ting lowered her head shyly, her cheeks flushed a vibrant red.
She pursed her lips slightly and murmured:
"I...I took the wrong one, this...this isn't..."
As she spoke, she cautiously raised her eyes, her gaze filled with shyness.
“Master, Ting’er knows that I was ignorant before and that I have caused you suffering by being away from you for so long. But from now on, Ting’er wants to let Master know that Ting’er has grown up.”
"Over the years at the Misty Sect, Ting'er has been studying alchemy day and night, not only to improve herself, but also hoping to one day become her master's right-hand woman. Every time she refines a batch of pills, Ting'er thinks about whether it can help her master break through the bottleneck, and whether it can help her master recover quickly when she is injured."
"Master, shall we go back to the Misty Sect with Ting'er?"
"There are beautiful mountains and clear waters there, and a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere. Ting'er can take better care of Master in a familiar place and will never let trivial matters disturb Master's peace."
"If Master feels that the Misty Sect is not suitable, then Ting'er is willing to leave with Master and go to a place where there are only the two of us. There, we will build a small house of our own, watch the morning dew, admire the evening glow, and spend the long years with the gentle breeze and bright moon."
Listening to Yi Ting's heartfelt words, Qin Luo felt a ripple in his heart.
Yi Ting's sincere feelings and beautiful vision for the future made it difficult for him to be ruthless. However, when he thought of the complicated situation and the serious consequences that might result from not properly resolving the conflict between Yi Ting and Xia Zihan, Qin Luo could only sigh inwardly while forcing himself to remain calm on the surface.
He lowered his head and looked tenderly at Yiting, whose face was filled with expectation and love.
Take a deep breath and speak softly:
"Ting'er, I understand your feelings. But... what are your true feelings for Zihan now?"
At this point, Qin Luo paused, his gaze fixed on Yi Ting's eyes, and continued, "Actually, Zi Han didn't abandon me as you think. She went to the Linghuang Sect because she was following my arrangements."
Upon hearing this, Yi Ting's smile froze. She subconsciously bit her lower lip, her brows furrowed, and her eyes showed both resentment and a hint of grievance.
Clearly, the long-standing hostility towards Xia Zihan cannot be dispelled in a short time.
However, the meticulous Yiting would not so bluntly reveal her true thoughts.
She lowered her eyes slightly, concealing the complex emotions within them, took a deep breath, and tried to make her voice sound calm and gentle:
“Master, Ting’er will listen to you. It’s just that there was some misunderstanding between us before, and I can’t quite get over it yet.”
"As you know, Ting'er isn't a petty person, but those past events are like a thorn stuck in her heart, and we need to give Ting'er some time to slowly pull them out."
After speaking, Yiting turned to the side, her fingers unconsciously twirling around the hem of her clothes, as if she was thinking about how to phrase it.
"But when I think about spending time with her in the future, I'm afraid that I'm clumsy with words and might accidentally say something wrong and upset her again."
Looking at the resentment and bitterness described on Yi Ting's system panel, Qin Luo sighed inwardly. If he wanted to truly resolve her inner conflict, it seemed he would have to use some drastic measures.
Nianzhi stepped forward, reached out, and gently stroked Yiting's gentle face, his eyes full of concern.
"Ting'er." The voice was deep and gentle, yet carried an undeniable seriousness, "Are you still harboring resentment over what happened at the Lin family mansion that day?"
Upon hearing this, Yiting's eyelashes trembled slightly, as if recalling a painful memory, and she forced a smile:
"What are you saying, Master? How could Ting'er...?"
"That day, she not only slapped you, but also said something to you, didn't she?"
Yi Ting's pupils suddenly contracted, a flicker of panic crossing her eyes, but it was quickly masked by stubbornness. She pursed her lips and turned her head away: "It's all in the past, Master, why bring it up again..."
“But it’s insurmountable.” Qin Luo sighed, his thumb gently stroking her cheek, as if smoothing away an invisible wound. “Just now, when you mentioned Zihan, your fingers unconsciously clenched the hem of your clothes, and your eyes turned cold. Ting’er, do you think your master couldn’t see it?”
Upon hearing this, Yiting's breathing became rapid, her full chest heaving. Finally, she looked up abruptly, her eyes reddening.
When she saw Qin Luo's all-seeing eyes, her long-suppressed grievances and anger finally broke free.
"Yes! She said I only got a second glance from Master because of my body! She said a wild girl like me with no background doesn't deserve to stay by your side!"
Yiting's voice trembled more and more, her fingertips digging deeply into her palms, "She also said... that I'm ill-mannered, a shameless woman, and that I had no shame in trying to seduce you..."
By the end, Yiting's voice was almost choked with emotion, and tears welled up in her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall.
Seeing this, Qin Luo finally understood and pulled Yi Ting into his arms, placing his hand on the back of her head.
At that moment, Yiting's tears finally rolled down her cheeks, soaking his clothes. She clutched his lapel tightly, and said with extreme grievance:
"That day... what exactly did Ting'er do wrong? I, sob, I clearly helped them a lot, helped them gain the friendship of the Lin family."
"But how did she treat me? She insulted me without even a word. Ting'er admits that in terms of family background, she's nothing more than a lowly servant from the lowest rung of society. And in terms of ability, she's far inferior to her..."
Yi Ting's voice grew increasingly low, as if she were suffocating under a heavy burden, each word carrying a deep sense of powerlessness.
"But...but..." Yi Ting gripped Qin Luo's clothes tightly with both hands, as if they were her last straw in this world. Her voice was choked and broken, almost incoherent:
"Everything I have is a gift from my master, even my life belongs to her. Why is she so cruel as to take away even this last bit of affection?"
As she finished speaking, Yi Ting looked up at her tear-streaked face, her vision blurred by the tears, but she still stared stubbornly at Qin Luo, her longing and fear clearly visible in her eyes.
"Master, you know best... From the moment you saved me, Yiting's world revolved solely around you..."
Her lips trembled as she asked softly, her voice carrying a hint of humble pleading:
"In Master's heart, there will always be a place for Ting'er, right?"
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