Chapter 67 Research Meeting 20: Finding the Next Teammate.
Xin Xiuying was so nervous that she looked like a student being questioned by her teacher, not knowing what to do with her hands.
She had also thought that she was exceptionally talented and might not be inferior to Gongshi Moyu, and that one day she would definitely have a match with Gongshi Moyu. But that was just a thought; she couldn't do such a thing without being prepared.
Where is Xie Jiaoyue? Why hasn't Xie Jiaoyue come back yet? If she doesn't come back soon, she'll be drenched in sweat.
Could we wait until later, and choose the best pill from those she has refined, so that she can prepare to spar with Gongshi Moyu again?
Fortunately, thanks to her sincere prayers, Xie Jiaoyue had a change of heart and returned in time, preventing the sudden spot check by her senior brother.
"Hey, why are you still here? Come in! Mother has prepared all the spiritual food. If you don't eat it soon, the spiritual energy will dissipate and it won't taste as good."
Xin Xiuying breathed a sigh of relief: "In that case, I can only ask Senior Brother Gongshi for guidance another day."
After saying that, she quickly took Xie Jiaoyue's hand and led her inside, asking softly as they walked, "Jiaoyue, didn't you say your brother is gentle and easy to get along with? How did you two get along before?"
Images flashed through Xie Jiaoyue's mind: "Just like the normal interactions between siblings."
"Please provide a more detailed explanation."
"It would probably be that we would get up in the morning and cultivate together. He would patiently guide me on cultivation methods, or we would go to the library of the Heaven and Earth Bureau to study the classics, or we would go to the auction house to buy things that might be useful for cultivation."
Xin Xiuying: ...
Is this really a normal way for siblings to get along?
Xie Jiaoyue retorted, "What's wrong with that? How do you and Xin Rong get along?"
Xin Xiuying said, "That's quite normal. For example, if he accidentally burns down a forest in the clan, my father and I will go to deal with it together and learn how to conduct ourselves in the process. Or if he runs away from home because he doesn't want to practice alchemy, I will sneak into the inn where he is staying at night, put drugs in his food, and then escort him home."
Xie Jiaoyue nodded: "It seems that everyone's sibling relationship is just like this."
The meal was both plentiful and simple, with a limited number of dishes, but all of them were things that the guests liked to eat. Several dishes were even specially prepared for Xin Xiuying, perfectly suited to her tastes, and everyone enjoyed the meal.
Xie Jiaoyue slumped back in her seat. She always maintained an elegant demeanor outside, never neglecting it for a moment, but now she was at home, surrounded by people she knew all too well, and she couldn't be bothered to maintain any semblance of decorum. She would just do whatever made her comfortable.
Elegance is always the opposite of comfort.
Gong Shirao glared at Xie Jiaoyue: "You don't even care about your image in front of your friends."
“She’s my friend, and if I still have to be mindful of my image, then we’re not true friends. So, Xiuying, are we true friends?”
Xin Xiuying nodded quickly.
Xie Jiaoyue looked at Xin Xiuying, then at Gongshi Moyu, and said to Gongshi Moyu, "Brother Moyu, why did you come back this time?"
Gongshi Moyu took a handkerchief and wiped the cup beside her, then poured Xie Jiaoyue a cup of warm tea and handed it to her.
"I will naturally come back while you are on leave."
Xie Jiaoyue smiled and said, "Did you see my message? You didn't reply, and I thought you weren't going to agree."
Xin Xiuying asked curiously, "What did you post?"
Xie Jiaoyue patted Xin Xiuying's hand happily: "Of course I'll ask Brother Moyu if he can spare some time to exchange ideas with you about alchemy."
Xin Xiuying was shocked. It turned out that Xie Jiaoyue had told her to do this, and that Xie Jiaoyue had brought her home specifically for this reason.
This woman is terrifying; how could she even try to take advantage of her day off?
Xin Xiuying was extremely relieved. Fortunately, she hadn't let her guard down while eating, and had been calculating which pill in her storage ring was her most successful creation.
Horrible, these two siblings are truly terrifying.
She was dissatisfied; if she couldn't get a proper rest, then neither could Xie Jiaoyue.
"I'm going to exchange alchemy techniques, what about you? You can't just lie in the bedroom and sleep, can you?"
Xie Jiaoyue shook her finger mysteriously: "I naturally have my own mission."
For example, figuring out how to exploit Xie Xinghui.
...
At this time, the Xie family's second branch...
Xie Xinghui didn't wait for Xie Jiaoyue. He also didn't have a very good relationship with his cousin, so he went back to the Xie family alone.
Unlike the bustling main branch of the Xie family, the second branch of the Xie family remained as usual, neither too quiet nor too lively. Everyone went about their business as usual, and Xie Xinghui's return did not cause any ripples.
However, it's not exactly the same as when Xie Xinghui left home. The second branch of the Xie family is much quieter now than before. His brother has long since left the Xie family and his whereabouts are unknown. His mother locks herself in her room all day and refuses to even step out of the door. Naturally, the second branch is not as quiet as it used to be.
Xie Xinghui originally intended to return to his own residence first, but after thinking about it, he turned around at the intersection and headed towards the Second Madam's residence.
His mother had already separated from his father and lived alone in a secluded house in the courtyard of the second house. Although it was the height of summer, the place felt somewhat cold and damp. The wind blew through the tall trees around them, swirling up some fallen leaves that shouldn't be there in this season, which landed at Xie Xinghui's feet and waited to make a creaking sound.
Xie Xinghui walked forward, avoiding the fallen leaves, his steps slow and light. His lips, usually so cheerful, were tightly pursed, indicating that he was not very happy.
He disliked summer leaves; the dampness hitting them lacked the crispness of autumn, instead making them appear even more desolate and decaying, devoid of any vitality.
Just like that house at the end of this road.
Xie Xinghui stepped forward and gently knocked on the door: "Mother, I'm home today because I have a day off."
After a long while, footsteps finally came from inside the house. They slowly moved to the door, opened it, and revealed the scene inside.
The second wife looked much older.
Cultivators usually do not age unless their lifespan is nearing its end, or they have experienced a major event that has left them feeling utterly hopeless. The second wife's lifespan has not yet ended, so she must fall into the latter category.
The second wife was much slower to react, and it took her a while to recognize that the person in front of her was her son.
“Xinghui? Is that Xinghui? You’re back? You’re finally back. Your father doesn’t want to see me now. Go and beg him, beg him to spare your brother. I dreamt yesterday that your brother was having a hard time. He must be having a very difficult time right now. Please help him, okay?”
Xie Xinghui found it all absurd.
"I rarely come back, and you only care about Xie Yuehua?"
"You eat well and dress well, but your brother is having such a hard time. Shouldn't you help him?"
Xie Xinghui coldly brushed aside the second wife's hand, ignoring her scratching, and resolutely pulled his arm away.
"I don't want to help."
"Please help him, please help him. I know you've always felt I'm biased, but after what happened when I gave birth to you, I just couldn't help taking it out on you. I didn't do anything to you, did I? You grew up normally, didn't you? Now you're quite talented and you've even entered the clan school, haven't you?"
That's so boring.
When he was born, his mother's family fell into decline, and his status in the Xie family also plummeted. He became a marginal figure who was neither as wealthy as the first wife nor as talented as his third aunt.
But what does this have to do with him? Why is he invisible to his mother?
She had finally come back, and if it weren't for asking him to save Xie Yuehua, she probably wouldn't have bothered to see him at all.
Xie Xinghui ignored the second wife's pleas and forcefully closed the door. He then used a clever trick to make the door unable to be opened for a short time before leaving.
Xie Yuehua brought this upon himself, and it was because of his two wives that he ended up like this. Ultimately, it wasn't his fault, and it wasn't his place to forgive him.
Xie Xinghui originally intended to visit his father, but stopped halfway there.
His relationship with his father wasn't good either. His father disliked his habit of keeping strange and unusual pets. He looked at the parrot perched on his shoulder and thought, "Never mind, there's no need to invite a scolding."
Thinking about it this way, although Xie Jiaoyue treated him only so-so, she was actually considered to have a good attitude in this family.
At least Xie Jiaoyue never disliked his parrot.
Just as he was thinking this, Xie Xinghui looked up and saw Xie Jiaoyue right in front of him.
Xie Jiaoyue looked at Xie Xinghui and said, "Why do you look like this today? You have such a long face, even your parrot is unhappy."
As soon as Xie Jiaoyue reached out, the parrot, which always preferred to stay by Xie Xinghui's side, flapped its wings and flew onto Xie Jiaoyue's hand.
Xie Jiaoyue stroked the parrot, and the little parrot happily rubbed its head against Xie Jiaoyue's hand, saying in a sharp voice, "Unhappy, unhappy."
Xie Xinghui twitched the corners of his mouth several times, rubbed his face with his hands, and patted it a couple of times before finally returning to his usual appearance.
"Sister, you live a comfortable and carefree life, enjoying the spiritual food specially prepared by the First Madam. Of course, you don't understand a pitiful person like me. Sister, since I've been praising you to others at the clan school, why don't you treat me to a meal?"
He leaned against a tree, reverting to his usual carefree and relaxed demeanor.
"I didn't eat for nothing."
Xie Xinghui asked doubtfully, "You are the most talented among our disciples this year, why would you need me? I am just a pitiful person with no human connection to dual spiritual roots, unloved by my parents, and not even invited to the Research Society."
He put on a pitiful expression, and as he did so, he even seemed to genuinely feel it, with a few tears actually welling up in the corners of his eyes.
Xie Jiaoyue commented sharply: "Your expression is not up to par. If you really want to play the victim, you need to actually shed tears."
"You're right, I'm the best at controlling my expressions. I'll cry right now for you to see. It's just crying, what's so hard about that?"
Large tears slid down his face.
Since Xie Yuehua left, he has never dared to go to his mother. He has always held onto a sliver of hope that his mother still has some place for him in her heart, and that as long as he doesn't ask, that place will remain.
The result was that there was none.
Her mother blamed him for all the misfortunes in her life. She didn't love him at all; her heart belonged only to Xie Yuehua, who had been with her through the most comfortable years of her life.
He wouldn't cry over something so trivial; he already knew that.
"I'm just pretending to be pitiful, sis. Am I really that pitiful right now?"
Xie Jiaoyue handed over a handkerchief: "Yes, you are the most pitiful. I saw it."
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