A world without glitz
"Wow! My friend, thank you for saving me. My sister and I are on our way to the Taixu Sect Immortal Cultivation Conference. In order to hurry on, we ran into this strange forest. We lost our way for a while. If you could go with me, I would be very grateful." Shen Qingmei bowed her head slightly and smiled sweetly. Any gentleman would fall in love with her at first sight. It was a pity that the two ladies in front of her were not a gentleman.
Shen Qingzhu naturally couldn't learn the ways of her elder sister. Although she was the legal wife, she resorted to lowly and despicable tactics. However, her weak tactics were very effective on her father, so she had no choice but to suffer injustice in the mansion. Although she was a young lady, she lived the life of a maid.
Meimei naturally didn't want to go with anyone else, not wanting to cause a loss of life nor get implicated. Now, she was in a dilemma. Chen Ye, of course, understood what the two young ladies were planning, and with a single step, he blocked Shen Qingmei's eager hands behind him. "Do you think we're blind? If you hadn't pushed your sister, would she have fallen? I think you two are scammers!" Chen Ye had been arrogant and domineering since childhood, and he was ruthless when he confronted anyone, let alone someone he had never met. This time, she had finally requested a solo mission with Meimei, and their world of two could not be disturbed.
Meimei had always been submissive to this relative's status. As the Saint of the Demonic Cult, her daily mission was to accompany this unknown relative for food, drinks, and entertainment. Despite her current defensive appearance, she was a willing and willing person, a beast in human clothing. "Master, what a fool! It's fine if he's just enjoying the daily food, drinks, and entertainment, but he's bringing this relative along for this serious mission! How ridiculous!"
Chen Ye's furious shouting drowned out Meimei's complaints. Shen Qingmei was still feigning weakness, her hands clenched unconsciously between her sleeves. She was the apple of her eye, so how could she possibly encounter such an arrogant person out in public? Chen Ye put his hands on his hips. Although he wasn't tall enough, as long as his voice was loud enough, he still had the presence of mind.
"My two immortal friends, our meeting is destiny. You saved my life, and we will repay you for that at this Immortal Cultivation Conference. We have grapes in our carriage, which are a specialty of Jiangnan. Although they are not rare, they are sweet and delicious. Having someone to take care of you along the way is also a good deed. Cultivating immortals is all about accumulating virtue and doing good deeds." Shen Qingzhu tidied his clothes and walked towards the two of them with steady steps. His unwavering smile made him look as if he was determined to win.
"I think you two are just trying to get on with me. I won't give you a ride, understand?" Chen Ye waved his hand, grabbed Meimei, and prepared to run away, fearing he'd be blackmailed. Unexpectedly, the woman in red had already boarded the strange carriage, and the grapes in her hand were the best proof.
"It's good for four of us to travel together!" Meimei called on everyone to hurry up. In fact, she just didn't want to be alone with Chen Ye. She seemed to always treat her as a delicious snack. She felt uncomfortable as if someone was thinking about her.
In the strange forest, there is no human habitation, but birds and beasts live in abundance, and ancient trees provide shade. A horse gallops along, and four people walk together.
Shen Qingzhu would never forget her first encounter with Meimei. It was a scene straight out of a storybook, a hero saving a beautiful woman. It was fitting that it happened to her eighteen-year-old self, not too late. Just as she was about to knock on the door, someone got there first. It was a group of unfamiliar women draped in silver jewelry. Their faces were obscured by veils, but their arrogance was identical to that of the villains surrounding her benefactor. Only then did she remember there was a body downstairs. These people must be from the Xifu sect that governed Luo'an Town.
"Bang, bang!" The dilapidated wooden door couldn't withstand such force and was slammed open in a matter of moments. Everyone saw the suspected murderer, now looking flattering at the woman before them. While they couldn't understand their actions, they hadn't forgotten their purpose. They shouted, "Who is Jingbai? Follow me to the meeting hall!"
The room was silent. Jingbai wanted to say something, but his tightly shut mouth was the best proof. He simply hid behind Meimei, waiting for an opportunity to escape. Aside from the damaged wooden door, the only way out was through the round window. It was just a matter of turning over. Give me a chance. Jingbai tugged at Meimei's sleeve, his amber eyes blinking as if he were actually speaking. He gestured to the window.
"Who's Jingbai?" The leading woman, a gleaming silver ornament around her neck, chattered loudly. Meimei, however, saw that this person's aura was very similar to that of a relative who hadn't had his head bruised. He must be the local bully. "This is under the jurisdiction of the Western Prefecture. A spirit beast? Don't mess with it." Meimei, always polite when out and about, turned around, and the man behind her had no place to hide.
Jingbai was practically being led away, bound and tied up. A man, surrounded by women, was led away, or rather, with a knife at his neck. He didn't scream, though his hands and feet continued to offer futile resistance. His entire being was filled with resentment, his almond-shaped eyes, round and full of hatred, fixed on the woman in red.
Shen Qingzhu originally wanted to say hello to his benefactor Meimei, but was invited to the meeting hall by the group of women wearing silver jewelry. When he finally left, he could only wave goodbye to his benefactor. Meimei did not leave Linlin, but just watched the two of them leave from the compartment on the second floor.
Qi Yiwen had just separated from Chen Ye. He would never forget the frightened look in Chen Ye's eyes. He could tell that she didn't recognize him. This life was a promise from his previous life for him, and a new beginning for her. But he would soon be able to get something to restore his memories of his previous life. He held tightly in his hand the broken jade pendant, which was exactly the same as the Xiangyu on Chen Ye's waist, except that the jade pendant was a little old. He touched the lines on the Xiangyu with some attachment, "Ye Ye, it's been five hundred years. Next time we meet, please don't look at me with such strange eyes, okay?" Qi Yiwen had been avoiding Meimei since his previous life until this life, because he found that he did have an inexplicable attraction to her, which he couldn't explain.
Qi Yiwen watched as she and Meimei, the demonic cult's saintly maiden whose true identity had long been exposed, separated, and then forced a man into an alley. He had originally wanted to follow, to see who had stolen the snack from his bowl. He knew the man—Xiao Xinshui, a young master of the Qingshui Palace, who had long since established connections and was practically guaranteed a place as a Taixu Sect disciple. Qi Yiwen naturally had to curry a favor with Madam Xiao, a senior. Furthermore, he didn't think gaining admission to the Taixu Sect through the Immortal Cultivation Conference was anything to brag about. The sect was nearly broke, and seeking out this kind of connections was like attracting investment for the sect.
He was clearly separated from the scuffling pair by a mere gray wall, yet somehow, he'd wandered aimlessly to the entrance of Linlin's shop. Was this what Yeye had said about the plot having to follow the script? Qi Yiwen had spent the last few hundred years delving into what Chen Ye had meant by the script. But before meeting Chen Ye, he'd always been the one making all the decisions. Now, forced to witness this farce in front of the shop, he felt completely overwhelmed. As for a solution, Qi Yiwen didn't know. But at least for now, the danger didn't seem too great.
When he arrived at Linlin, he saw the male mermaid being abducted. Behind them, the silver-clad women from the West Mansion carried a body. Qi Yiwen had never seen the woman before, nor did he remember experiencing this. How did the script Ye Ye mentioned come to life out of thin air? Wait, the second-floor attic? That was the Demon Cult Saint. Qi Yiwen immediately recognized the calmest person among the crowd of onlookers.
In her previous life, she won first place in this Immortal Cultivation Conference. Although this honor was earned through her own hard work, this woman, who had grown up with Ye Ye, was constantly showing her affection. If she truly became his direct disciple and then revealed her identity as the Demon Cult Saint, it would only cause trouble for him, so she couldn't be allowed to take first place at all costs. With her strength, the Demon Cult Saint naturally had better rules. As for their purpose here, it should be achieved without any problems. Ye Ye couldn't accept it either. She didn't like mentor-disciple relationships; it wasn't legitimate, and the Taixu Sect had many rules.
Qi Yiwen thought a lot and found that he had overturned everything he had planned for hundreds of years.
"Ding Dong!" Meimei felt a vibration on her left hand. She turned the bracelet and found that the number had changed to one, and her ranking had also changed to two. She clearly remembered that the number was zero before entering the tailor shop. Could this trial be related to the Quanke actor? It seemed that his life had to be spared. She had originally wanted to use someone else to eliminate the person who knew her identity, but for now, she decided to go to the meeting hall first.
"Ding dong!" Meimei's left and right hands vibrated simultaneously. It was the message from the confidant. "Boss, I beat him up. Come to the meeting hall to bail me out." Beat him up? The confidant really had the man who was following him away. When did she become such a woman of character? Did he not only break his head but also repair the empty head in the process? She absolutely couldn't let her master know about her amnesia, otherwise she would be the only one to take the blame. Knowing a confidant made Meimei feel like she was carrying a heavy responsibility. But lately, the confidant seemed to be becoming more understanding.
Chen Ye and Xiao Xinshui practically wrestled all the way from the street corner to the meeting hall. Initially, she'd planned to follow the system's advice and use the fire-burning technique he'd taught her. She'd intended to completely incinerate the man's hideous face, but he'd acted without any moral integrity. She'd only been kind enough to warn him of his wishful thinking, sincerely admonishing him, "Stalking him like this is a mean act. You're so timid that you don't even know his name."
Stalking? Mean behavior? Xiao Xinshui had never heard such derogatory remarks since childhood. While he knew it was inappropriate, it was hard to restrain himself from such absurd behavior in front of the woman he had fallen in love with at first sight. His superficial thoughts were so bluntly exposed, and he was about to blurt out vulgar words, but he swallowed them back. This was the prejudice others had against him. If he really argued with them, he would probably look even worse in front of her.
Her aunt had once told her that if she liked someone, she should pursue them. He'd only been pursuing them superficially when he'd encountered this overwhelming obstacle. What a false start! Xiao Xinshui stamped his foot, venting his rage on the bluestone bricks of the ancient city. He put on the airs of a young master from an aristocratic family and replied softly, "I didn't mean to follow you; it was just a coincidence." Heeding his aunt's advice, Xiao Xinshui adhered to the principle of a smiling face when out and about.
Chen Ye glanced back, wondering, this is clearly a blind spot, how could this mama's boy be running around everywhere? Now it seems that Xiao Xinshui is not only a mama's boy, but also a complete liar! People like this should be killed with a stick, and no one should tolerate them!
"Oh, you really are good at making excuses for your stalking!" Chen Ye sneered, mocking him mercilessly, "If you could make friends openly, I might look up to you. After all, when you're away from home, away from your parents, you still have to be able to live on your own. But look at you now! I've bent over, but I can't even find you. You really are a complete villain!"
Faced with Chen Ye's questioning, Xiao Xinshui was clearly a little flustered. He usually spoke timidly, but at this moment, as if enraged, he suddenly threw out a question, hitting Chen Ye directly in the face: "Isn't it okay for me to follow behind and protect her from a distance?"
"You protect her? Ha." A sneer played on Chen Ye's lips. Originally, his contempt for Xiao Xinshui was limited to the level of mama's boys, but at this moment, he was more shocked by Xiao Xinshui's shamelessness. Chen Ye continued mercilessly, "Also, I will never agree to a relationship between you two. She likes strong men, real strong men! Mu Qiangpi, do you understand? What she pursues is not a man with connections, and certainly not a mama's boy like you!" Every word Chen Ye said was like a sharp hidden knife, piercing Xiao Xinshui's heart, and each time it penetrated deeper and deeper, making him feel unbearable heartache.
Xiao Xinshui didn't understand what a "mama's boy" was, but judging by the literal meaning, she suspected it might refer to someone like him. His mother had almost come with him on this long journey. If so, he was destined to be infamous in the history of this Immortal Cultivation Conference. She was right. Would a woman as dazzling as her even glance down at me? Or would she, like we had just met at the inn, give me a cold stare? But gazing up at the dazzling moon is every star's right.
No, how can this girl in front of me represent her? My aunt also said that love is something that you have to pursue yourself. I have just entered the world and have been shaken by the words of a madman. In this plain world for thousands of years, can't Xiao Xinshui move one person? Xiao Xinshui didn't know when he became so shameless. He was just following his inner thoughts, nothing more. "Girl? Who are you? Are you her mother? How can you be the only one who decides on such a marriage? I think you are just jealous. This is the first time I have seen a little girl like you. You just want to break up other people's God-given marriages." Xiao Xinshui thought he had seen through this man's divisive scheme, and he was so self-righteous that the jade fan in his hand shook up and down.
"A gift from heaven? A perfect match? Where does your mama's boy get that confidence from? Huh? Me? Jealousy? You two? Huh?" People really laugh when they're pushed to the limit. Chen Ye almost collapsed. She really didn't know what these people were thinking. What kind of a gift from heaven could there be between the righteous sect and the Holy Maiden of the Demon Sect? Even when Qi Yiwen faced Meimei's identity as a spy, he still prioritized the righteous path. Meimei was always his second choice, hence the bone-cutting punishment. How could this be considered a gift from heaven when even the leader of the righteous sect couldn't protect her? A heaven-sent calamity, it must be. And not to mention this mama's boy, what kind of slander would Meimei suffer then?
Chen Ye actually caught Xiao Xinshui's slap, so powerful that both of them nearly flew off the ground. Chen Ye leaned against the wall to stand up, pacing back and forth to steady herself. A bee seemed to have flown into her head, buzzing non-stop. She could vaguely hear the system's notification beep, but she had already been ambushed, so she would rely on her fists and feet to solve the problem. She still didn't believe that a mama's boy could be very capable. Xiao Xinshui had just turned around when Chen Ye kicked him again with precision. This time, he landed face first. The pain was bearable, but he absolutely couldn't let his face be disfigured!
"Shrew! I'm going to fight you."
"A stalking man, who is afraid of him."
System: "Host, there are a hundred ways to break up a good relationship in this world, but it's definitely not something you can solve with just your mouth. Also, when will you be able to make the decision for the heroine?"
"Let me be frank, it's none of your business if I'm willing to be the bad guy." Chen Ye felt fortunate that this system was not the male No. N in this book, otherwise he would have been arguing with him for eight hundred times.
"The host has no idea about the professional qualities of a bootlicker. According to the setting, Xiao Xinshui will definitely bootlick to the end." The system has read this book hundreds of times and conducted countless data analyses. No one is more familiar with the people in this book than him.
The two men's struggle quickly attracted a crowd of lords and ladies to watch. However, the scene was far from elegant, frightening them to quickly separate them. Their inseparable appearance, their incessant screams, and their refusal to yield were enough to send the two, still inseparable, to the council hall. It was unbecoming to see them shouting and fighting in the streets.
Chen Ye didn't care that his hair ornaments were almost ripped off and the bracelet on his arm was bent. He ended up losing everything after fighting. Of course, Xiao Xinshui was not much better. His face must have been scratched, and his clothes were all stripped off by her. In the end, it was Chen Ye who ended the situation with a punch through the wall. However, the council said that bail was needed before leaving. The system quietly appeared at this time, "Host, if you had listened to me just now, would you have suffered so much?"
"I won, stop talking nonsense. How do I contact Meimei?" Chen Ye watched Xiao Xinshui writhing on the ground in pain, and proudly announced his victory to the people in the meeting hall. This place was strange: it was all women, with Xiao Xinshui being the only man. Chen Ye felt even more proud of herself. She showed the women the correct way to deal with a stalking man, although no one applauded her. Most of these people were dressed like Miao women, their hair and arms covered in silver jewelry. Perhaps this was the reason for their seriousness. The silver jewelry swayed, and they would quarrel non-stop. Chen Ye said that he suddenly understood.
The status of the council hall in Luoan Town is like that of a government office. Although it was only temporarily established by Xifu, because Luoan Town is hidden in the dense forests of the southwest and neighbors get along harmoniously, the council hall is rarely open to the public and is almost abandoned.
The dilapidated pillars of the stage were constantly oozing bitter water, which had already spread to the hem of Chen Ye's skirt. The dust on the bluestone slabs was also wiped clean by the rolling water of Xiao Xin.
In this dilapidated meeting hall, the only thing that can still maintain its last bit of dignity is the crooked plaque and the woman sitting in the hall.
Chen Ye hadn't noticed the woman at first, and even now, he only glanced at her for a moment. However, in that brief moment, he was attracted by a certain aura about the woman.
A silver chain swayed in the wind from the woman's forehead. Her blue eyes flickered with a cold light as she turned her head, and her silver tongue, like a snake's tongue, occasionally brushed against the corner of her lips. Her bony fingers tapped the table, nails scraping against the wood grain, creating a teeth-grinding sound. With every word she spoke, the silver ornaments in her hair trembled in the windless air.
"Boss, I beat someone up. Come to the meeting hall to bail me out." Chen Ye picked up Xiangyu and used the jade pendant as a walkie-talkie, but the unilateral message was destined to fall on deaf ears.
Meimei followed Jingbai all the way to the meeting hall of the West Mansion. Before entering, she checked the score on the bracelet and found that it had not changed. Only then did she feel at ease to cross the high threshold.
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