Chapter 40
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Chapter 40: Title
Mu Huaiyun’s condition seemed grave. Elder Feng rushed over without even handling Medicine Hall affairs, trailed by a young disciple carrying medicine bottles with a troubled look.
Yunshan Sect members hurried in and out. Each time Ye Qingshang tried asking for details, she faced cold stares or outright dismissal, until her pent-up anger faded with no outlet.
At dusk, Qiu Huayi found her.
"A’shang, there you are! What happened today? You vanished all day."
Ye Qingshang stared at the locked door, replying distractedly, "Waiting."
"For… Young Master Mu?"
Ye Qingshang nodded.
"But A’shang, I heard Young Master Mu’s badly hurt. Coming here, I saw most Medicine Hall elites mobilized. With such efforts, he won’t see outsiders anytime soon. How long will you wait?"
*Outsiders?* The word pricked Ye Qingshang. She tilted her head, puzzled.
Noticing her pallor, Qiu Huayi fretted, "A’shang, you look awful. Aren’t you healed yet?"
She pressed her hand to Ye Qingshang’s forehead, sending a wisp of spiritual power inside. Withdrawing, she frowned. "A’shang, your energy and blood are depleted! Didn’t you notice? Have you waited here all day without eating?"
"Those injuries you suffered earlier were no trifle—fifteen days unconscious! How could you mistreat yourself like this…"
Qiu Huayi kept talking, but Ye Qingshang heard nothing. Qiu Huayi’s gesture felt strikingly familiar.
She’d done the same to Mu Huaiyun.
Checking someone’s dantian with spiritual power required deep trust—anyone else risked severe rebound injuries.
In her panic back then, she’d acted without thinking when probing Mu Huaiyun. Had he evaded her…
But why *hadn’t* he evaded?
Could she truly count as someone close to him?
Qiu Huayi’s earlier words echoed anew:
"…he won’t see outsiders anytime soon. How long will you wait?"
*Outsider…*
She was just an outsider, after all…
So why had Mu Huaiyun repeatedly… indulged her?
"A’shang? A’shang! Did you hear me? You—" Qiu Huayi pulled her closer, spotting the confusion in her eyes. "What’s that look? What’s wrong?"
Lost in thought, Ye Qingshang only frowned. "Huayi, tell me—if I’m just an outsider, why didn’t he avoid me?"
"What do you mean dodging? What nonsense are you talking about? Are you feeling faint from hunger?"
Her brows furrowed deeper as fragmented memories surfaced, each one inseparable from Mu Huaiyun. The more she recalled, the blurrier everything became until she could grasp nothing clearly. Pressing her temples against sudden dizziness, she staggered.
"A’shang!"
"Look how weak you’ve become! You must eat something now. Come with me!"
The grip on her wrist was unyielding. Only then did Ye Qingshang realize she had no strength left to resist and let herself be led away.
"The Yunshan Sect dislikes spicy food, so I only found pastries. Here—osmanthus cakes. They’re passable."
When the pastry reached her lips, Ye Qingshang remained unresponsive. After a pause, Qiu Huayi broke the osmanthus cake into pieces, feeding her bit by bit.
"A’shang, what’s troubling you?" Qiu Huayi asked after three pieces.
Ye Qingshang lifted her gaze, eyes clouded with sorrow.
She seemed to have uncovered something staggering…
Yet the revelation felt so absurd she’d rather face heavenly lightning than accept it.
"Got any wine?" she asked.
"I do, but you’re too weak now. Best not drink."
Ye Qingshang retorted, "I’m only low on spiritual power—not gravely ill. Hand it over."
"Then… just a sip! The rest— A’shang! Why drink so recklessly? This wine is potent; you’ll get drunk!"
"Will I?" Ye Qingshang swirled her cup. Dusk hadn’t fallen, but the sunset hues staining the sky seemed indescribable to her. After a long silence, she murmured, "Huayi… what does liking someone feel like?"
"Liking someone… means feeling joy and worry when you see them. Your emotions slip beyond your control, and all your thoughts stem from one person."
"But A’shang, why ask this? Could it be… you’ve found someone you like?"
"No," Ye Qingshang denied hastily. In her past life, she’d liked someone—but that fruitless love was too shameful to voice. Besides, that very man now swore to carve her flesh. Where was the love? Fear consumed her.
"I just realized… I might’ve unintentionally hurt someone. Someone who likely… had feelings for me."
Qiu Huayi sighed. "A’shang, someone as exceptional as you would attract admirers. If you’d only glance back, you’d see countless admirers within our sect alone."
"If you tended to every one, you’d have no time for cultivation. So if someone’s hurt? Let it be. It’s not your fault."
If only it were that simple. Ye Qingshang sighed and downed several cups, emptying half the jug.
The wine’s warmth spread through her, leaving her lightheaded.
"A’shang, stop this." Qiu Huayi snatched the jug upon seeing her flushed cheeks. "Is this why you’re so despondent? Tell me—is this person important to you? Worth such obsession?"
"Important? I don’t know…"
"Then let’s assume he is. How did you wound his heart?"
"I… gave him flowers." The wine’s lingering effects left her confused and defensive. "I didn’t know Xingzhou’s flower-giving custom! I meant no offense. How could I know… it would hurt him…"
"If it was unintentional, just explain it plainly. Anyone worthy of your concern won’t be petty. He’ll forgive you."
Ye Qingshang whispered, "No chance. He refuses to see me. How could we clear the air?"
The wine’s weight pressed heavier. She massaged her temples, frowning.
Seeing this, Qiu Huayi shook her head helplessly. She guided Ye Qingshang to lean on her shoulder, channeling spiritual power into her—a thread of winter sunlight that lulled her toward sleep.
The rest grew indistinct, though she vaguely recalled complaints.
"…That wine’s fierce—drunkards collapse dead drunk. In your state, you might not wake till tomorrow…"
Hopelessly intoxicated, she refused to return, clinging to Qiu Huayi while murmuring incoherently.
Her ramblings circled back endlessly to that person and that flower.
Qiu Huayi felt a headache mounting and impulsively asked, "If it were someone else, would A’shang still pick flowers for them?"
Whether she heard clearly or not was uncertain, but Ye Qingshang lifted dazed eyes, her voice thick with wine as she stated firmly, "No."
