Luo Shuiling could hardly believe it.
She worried that the scene before her eyes was a hallucination born from missing him too much.
She focused her mind slightly and swept her divine sense over it. Finally, she confirmed that it really was Yun Hao.
Her weariness was washed away by a flood of joy. A powerful surge of vitality inexplicably filled her entire body.
Luo Shuiling straightened her previously somewhat languid posture caused by drowsiness. She sat up properly once more.
The worry between her brows completely dissipated. The slight dejection from before seemed never to have existed.
She returned to the appearance of that cold and proud senior sister.
Proud and self-assured.
She watched Yun Hao hurrying toward her. A trace of gentleness appeared in her eyes.
As expected, Yun Hao still couldn’t forget her. Even after so many days, he had still come back to see her.
Luo Shuiling wasn’t worried about what Yun Hao had experienced in Elder Lin Xian’s cave abode these past ten days or so.
As long as Yun Hao still wanted to return to Sect Master Peak, she would remain undefeated.
However, the betrothal she had previously agreed to was still a bit troubling. In the future, she would probably need to find an excuse to annul it.
But that was a matter for later. Right now, she only wanted to focus on the present.
Luo Shuiling watched Yun Hao with his hurried steps and tense, uneasy expression. A trace of pity rose in her heart.
Though they hadn’t seen each other for over ten days, there was no need for him to be so anxious. She had been right here on Sect Master Peak the whole time and wasn’t going anywhere. Why was he so flustered?
However, even though she thought this inwardly, the waves of delight could not be suppressed. A smile nearly surfaced on her beautiful face.
She needed to consider what expression she should wear when meeting Yun Hao.
Smiling was out of the question. It would make it seem like she really wanted him to come back.
It was better to maintain her usual indifference. This would protect her image and continue to draw Yun Hao’s attention.
Luo Shuiling slowly concealed the gentleness in her eyes. Indifference appeared on her lovely face.
She was very much looking forward to what the first words Yun Hao, whom she hadn’t seen for over ten days, would say to her.
In truth, she had a good idea. It was probably that sweet “Senior Sister” again.
Filled with anticipation, she watched the youth approach her step by step.
……………
Yun Hao walked toward his senior sister step by step, his heart filled with bitterness.
It had been over ten days since they last met. Yet Senior Sister looked exactly the same as before.
No matter when, she was always sitting under the osmanthus tree. Her eyes still carried that same indifference.
Whether the sky collapsed or the earth split, it couldn’t stir the slightest ripple in her heart.
And as for him, he seemed utterly dispensable…
He felt his heart ache even more. It was as if a sharp sword plunged into his body was slowly twisting, continuously tearing open larger wounds.
And the blood flowed out in gushes, unstoppable.
He quietly steadied his heart, constantly comforting himself.
It was fine. There was still no proof that Senior Sister had given away the Clear Mist Flower.
This was all his own insecurity at play, making him overthink. He should believe in Senior Sister.
But deep in his subconscious, he had already firmly concluded that the Clear Mist Flower had been given away by Senior Sister.
Such a precious flower—why hadn’t two appeared before? Why did two only appear right after he gave her one?
This didn’t make sense. The only possibility was that those two Clear Mist Flowers were actually one and the same.
Yun Hao hesitated. He tried hard to suppress the bitterness in his heart and calm himself as much as possible.
Yet his voice still carried a hint of questioning.
“Clear Mist Flower… where is it?”
………….
“Clear Mist Flower… where is it?”
Luo Shuiling was stunned.
After not seeing each other for over ten days, Yun Hao’s first words to her were actually about the Clear Mist Flower, not about her!
Moreover, no matter how much he tried to hide it, she still caught that trace of questioning in his tone.
Her joy was completely washed away by these words. Anger once again took over her heart.
Why! She cared about him so much! She had missed him so dearly!
Yet after such a long time apart, the first thing he said to her was asking about a meaningless flower!
She found it hard to accept. Was she really less important than a flower!?
Luo Shuiling’s voice was cold, without a trace of emotion.
“A junior sister wanted the Clear Mist Flower, so I gave it to her.”
…………
Yun Hao’s figure swayed. It seemed as if he would collapse to the ground at any moment.
He supported himself with one hand on the stone table, forcing himself to stay upright.
Given away…? The flower he had risked his life for, snatching it from the jaws of death, had been so casually given away?
If he hadn’t encountered those two senior sisters, he would never have known.
Senior Sister’s tone was so indifferent. Hadn’t she said before that she really liked that flower? Hadn’t she even thanked him?
Then what had he risked his life for? What exactly… had it all been for?
The youth’s heart was on the verge of collapsing. Senior Sister’s words became the final straw that overwhelmed him. He felt he could no longer hold on.
The Clear Mist Flower he had obtained at the cost of his life had ultimately become a gift for someone else.
He gritted his teeth, trying hard not to let the tears flow from his eyes.
Without saying a word, he headed toward his wooden house. He wanted to be alone right now.
…………
Luo Shuiling watched Yun Hao leave with his head lowered and without saying a word. She could no longer suppress the anger in her heart.
The anxiety from waiting bitterly for over ten days completely erupted. She said angrily and coldly,
“Stop right there! Where are you going!?”
If her pet wouldn’t listen, then she would have to teach him a proper lesson.
She understood now. Spoiling him constantly would only make him more and more unrestrained.
She needed to discipline him and make him understand that she was his only support.
Without her, he was nothing.
The youth still did not stop walking. He kept his head lowered and continued walking dejectedly, completely ignoring her words.
Luo Shuiling was about to explode with rage. She could not accept being ignored, especially by Yun Hao. It made her feel angry and… uneasy.
She stood up. Her tone became even icier, carrying an unprecedented chill.
“After being gone for over ten days, have you forgotten your manners?”
Yun Hao listened to Luo Shuiling’s cold rebuke. Endless bitterness, pain, grief, and sorrow surged from the depths of his heart, impossible to suppress.
He could no longer hold back. He clearly admired and cared for her so much.
He suddenly raised his head to face Luo Shuiling. His voice carried strong dissatisfaction and grievance.
“Senior Sister… you don’t understand at all!”
Luo Shuiling’s heart twitched violently. It felt as if it had been pierced by a thousand silver needles, sending waves of stinging pain.
The youth’s red, swollen eyes brimming with tears struck her heart, causing her to lose her composure for a moment.
He had never cried in front of her before.
She felt a bit panicked. Thinking back, it did seem somewhat inappropriate to have so casually given away the Clear Mist Flower the youth had given her.
But it was also because he had been gone for so long, angering her, that she had given the flower away.
Besides, hadn’t he already given it to her? How she handled it was her business and had nothing to do with him.
Luo Shuiling made excuses for herself. She was too proud to admit it was her fault.
She steadied her mind and tried to find a way out.
“You already gave that flower to me. How I handle it is my business. You shouldn’t interfere or ask about it.”
“Yes, I gave it to you. Whatever you do with it has nothing to do with me!”
Yun Hao replied without hesitation, his voice filled with dissatisfaction, hurt, and a trace of anger.
Under normal circumstances, he would never have spoken to Senior Sister with such disrespect.
He had always followed his mother’s teachings to respect his teachers and value the Dao.
But the continuous blows over these past days had already left his mind somewhat unsteady.
After hearing Luo Shuiling speak so indifferently about the fact that she had given away the Clear Mist Flower, the last string in his heart snapped.
He quarreled with Senior Sister, feeling nothing but bitterness filling his chest.
Luo Shuiling looked at Yun Hao, who had never talked back to her before. Now he was acting like this, as if he had nothing left to lose and refused to let it go.
Her initial panic was gradually suppressed by anger once more.
She was his senior sister, his elder. How could he speak to her like this? This was unacceptable!
Her tone returned to indifference, ignoring the youth’s tear-filled eyes and the pain in her heart.
“You know that, and that’s enough.”
“Mm…!”
Yun Hao could no longer hold back. He knew that once a gift had been given away, it was like spilled water. He had no right to interfere.
But even so, it was something he had risked his life to obtain.
How could it… just be given away like that…
Yun Hao’s shoulders slumped slightly. His head lowered even more.
He turned his body away, no longer arguing with Senior Sister. He was tired. Now he only wanted to return to the small wooden house, to his own bed, and sleep soundly.
Perhaps when he woke up, everything would return to how it was before.
Elder Lin would not have passed away. His junior sister would still be carefree. And Senior Sister… would not have given away the Clear Mist Flower…
He himself would not be so exhausted and troubled.
………
Watching Yun Hao, who remained silent and turned to leave once more, Luo Shuiling could no longer restrain herself.
Carrying anger and unease, she moved forward and pressed closer.
She was a full head taller than Yun Hao. At his current height, he only reached her shoulders.
She approached the youth, her entire presence looming over him, her voice icy.
“Where do you think you’re going? I’m asking you!”
Facing Senior Sister’s unreasonable behavior, a trace of anger finally rose in Yun Hao’s heart.
He had already stopped arguing with her, so why was she still pressing him? He spoke with irritation.
“I’m going back to the wooden house! Does Senior Sister have to control even this!?”
With that, without waiting for Luo Shuiling to reply, he stepped around her and walked straight toward the wooden house.
But after taking only one step, he found he could go no further.
Looking back, he saw that his left hand was being held by Senior Sister.
He didn’t want to. He wanted to resist.
He pulled at her hand with his right hand, trying to make her let go. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t break free.
Instead, even his right hand was restrained.
Luo Shuiling looked down at the youth beneath her. Their current posture was extremely ambiguous.
She gripped both of Yun Hao’s wrists with her right hand and lifted them high. As a result, their two bodies pressed somewhat closer together.
From a distance, it looked as if Yun Hao was being suspended.
She looked at the youth coldly, watching his face flush red from the effort of struggling.
She felt a bit reluctant, but anger still dominated her heart. She hardened herself.
“Have you forgotten your manners after these past few days?”
Yun Hao looked at the somewhat unfamiliar Senior Sister before him. He could no longer suppress the emotions raging out of control inside him.
He stopped struggling and said nothing. It was as if he had accepted his fate. He lowered his head and went limp.