Youming smiled faintly. “Don’t be afraid, little junior sister. Ghosts can sometimes be more reliable than people. Drop a bit of your fingertip blood on his forehead, and from now on, you’ll be his master.”
Jiang Yishu obediently followed the instructions. Sure enough, a faint connection formed between her and the Ghost Slave, as if with just a thought, the Ghost Slave could understand her desires.
“Thank you, Senior Brother, Senior Sister, Second Senior Brother, and Fourth Senior Brother. I really like all the gifts you gave me. I will definitely repay you in the future.”
Xie Lingjun had quietly slipped into the kitchen while they were happily chatting. By the time they finished giving their welcome gifts, Xie Lingjun had prepared a lavish dinner.
“Today is a rare gathering of our sect. Let’s celebrate Little Shushu joining the Xiaoyao Sect family. Tonight, we won’t stop until we’re drunk!”
Everyone gathered in a circle. The dim candlelight flickered gently, casting a soft glow over them, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere.
“Little junior sister, this is Master’s most treasured peach blossom wine. Usually, he won’t even let us have a taste. You must drink your fill today. After this, it’ll be hard to come by again.”
Jiang Yishu raised her wine cup, expecting a spicy, pungent taste, but to her surprise, it carried only a faint peach blossom fragrance, with a sweet aftertaste reminiscent of fresh peach juice.
Jiang Yishu drank several cups in a row. Her long eyelashes fluttered slightly, and her flawless fair skin took on a delicate pink hue. Her lips, moistened by the wine, looked as tender and dewy as flower petals.
As her smile spread, she appeared even more beautiful and alluring than a blooming mandrake.
“The peach blossom wine is excellent. A single sip is worth a small cultivation cycle.”
Gu Jin shifted his gaze away from Jiang Yishu’s lips, took away her wine cup, and placed several pieces of beast meat into her plate.
“Little junior sister, although the peach blossom wine is good, you shouldn’t overindulge. Try the beast meat Master made today—it’s so delicious it feels like your tongue might fall off.”
Completely relaxed, Jiang Yishu happily swayed her head as she tasted the beast meat.
“It’s really delicious, Senior Brother. Don’t just focus on me—you should try some too.”
Finding someone who shared his taste, Gu Jin became even more enthusiastic. “Pair it with this spirit fruit. It’s sour and enhances the flavor. Give it a try.”
On the other side, Liu Rutang was wrapping meat in perilla leaves while eating, drinking, and chattering nonstop. She pestered Xie Lingjun with endless questions. Ye Shaoyan watched as powder smudged her cheeks and, after holding back for a long time, couldn’t resist taking out a handkerchief to wipe her face.
“Junior sister, a girl shouldn’t be too rough.”
Liu Rutang immediately pinched the soft flesh around his waist. “Ye Shaoyan, have you gotten carried away after a few sips of wine? Call me Senior Sister! Don’t forget you lost to me and promised to let me be the senior sister.”
“Yes, yes, Senior Sister. Please put your leg down. It doesn’t look good.”
“That’s more like it.”
Youming lay back lazily, letting his puppet attend to him. “Before Little Shushu came, I was all alone. After Little Shushu came, I’m still alone. Master, when will you find me a partner? I also want a companion to dig up corpses with.”
Xie Lingjun, seeing his carefree attitude, kicked him in the shin.
“Isn’t your loneliness self-inflicted? If you can lie down, you’ll never stand. With your laziness, who besides your master would want to be near you? Not to mention, the hobby of digging up corpses is truly rare.”
“Master, if you say that, I’ll really get angry.”
Seeing a bit more liveliness in him, Xie Lingjun reached out and ruffled his hair into a mess.
“Youming, don’t always trap yourself in the past. Though human hearts are hard to fathom, there is still beauty in this world. Try walking under the sunlight—perhaps the noise isn’t so unbearable after all.”
Youming’s smile faded as he lowered his gaze. “Understood, Master. I will try to step out.”
Xie Lingjun clinked cups with him, and the two drank in silence, one cup after another.
When Jiang Yishu looked up again, she found a disorderly pile of people slumped around the edge of the table.
She and Gu Jin had been focused on eating meat, only now realizing that all six jars of peach blossom wine were completely empty.
“Second Senior Brother, do you always drink this heavily?”
Gu Jin scratched the back of his head with a foolish grin. “To be honest, I used to be the one who got drunk every time. Fourth Junior Brother always had puppets carry us back to our caves. This is the first time I’ve seen Fourth Junior Brother drunk.”
“If you’re still hungry, Junior Sister, have a bit more. I’ll send the others back first, then come back for you.”
“No need, no need. I’m not drunk—I can walk.”
To prove she was sober, Jiang Yishu stood up and staggered a few steps.
Gu Jin watched with amused eyes, worried she might fall, and pulled her back to her seat.
“Alright, I believe you’re not drunk. It’s just that your senior brother is a little tipsy. Wait here for me, and later, could you help your senior brother back?”
“No problem!”
As Gu Jin prepared to carry Liu Rutang, the sleeping Ye Shaoyan suddenly grabbed his wrist. Though his eyes were dazed, he instinctively shielded Liu Rutang.
“First Senior Brother, I’ll send Third Junior Sister back to her quarters first, then come back for you.”
Ye Shaoyan raised his hand, forcing all the alcohol out of his system. Once his eyes cleared, he shook his head. “I’ll take her back. Since I lost to her and promised to call her First Senior Sister from now on, you shouldn’t secretly call her Third Junior Sister anymore. Save her the displeasure if she overhears.”
“Fair enough. Then First Senior Sister is in your care.”
“Mm. You just take care of Master. Youming’s puppets will see him back.”
The puppets guarding Youming, catching Ye Shaoyan’s glance, lifted Youming onto a reclining chair and carried him off toward his residence, one in front and one behind.
“Alright then. Who would’ve thought that on the rare occasion I’m sober, there’s nothing for me to do.”
Xie Lingjun extended a hand, swaying as he stood up. “This master doesn’t need your help. I can return on my own. See your junior sister back.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he vanished without a trace, leaving only the two of them and Ghost Slave, who had been quietly standing behind Jiang Yishu like part of the scenery.
Jiang Yishu cradled a wine jar with one hand, trying to coax out a few more drops.
“Strange, why won’t a single drop fall into the cup?”
Gu Jin, afraid she might drop the jar on her foot, quickly snatched it away.
“No more wine, no more wine. Be good, Junior Sister. Next time, your senior brother will find you some delicious wine, alright? Time to go back and rest.”
When drunk, Jiang Yishu was very obedient, doing whatever she was told.
Gu Jin had intended to fly her back on his sword, but she couldn’t even stand steadily. Reluctantly, he picked her up and began walking back.
In his arms, Jiang Yishu stared unblinkingly at his profile.
“Second Senior Brother, is Shushu dreaming? You haven’t held Shushu in so, so long. Did Shushu do something wrong? I gave the junior sister everything she wanted, so why do you still ignore me?”
Gu Jin’s steps faltered, his Adam’s apple bobbing as his smile froze on his face. “Junior Sister, can you still remember what your second senior brother’s name is?”
“Yan Weixu. Second Senior Brother is the one who raised Shushu since childhood. Shushu would never forget your name. Second Senior Brother, can Shushu still trust you?”
Yan Weixu, the youth among the younger generation of Qingyun Sect who first comprehended the sword intent.
Gu Jin chuckled softly, “So Little Junior Sister has more than one Second Senior Brother after all. But what can be done? Second Senior Brother has only one Little Junior Sister. Little Junior Sister can trust Gu Jin.”
By the time Gu Jin lowered his head again, Jiang Yishu had already fallen asleep.
Asleep, her demeanor was cool and obedient, her eyelashes like two small fans casting shadows in the moonlight, her rosy lips slightly parted, completely unguarded.
Gu Jin gently placed her on the bed, then took out the ointment he had prepared in advance. Seeing that he had not left, Ghost Slave stepped in front of Jiang Yishu.
“I’m just changing her medicine. I won’t harm her.”
Hearing this, Ghost Slave hesitated before stepping aside, but still stood not far away, watching Gu Jin’s every move without blinking, as if trying to learn how to apply medicine for Jiang Yishu.
Gu Jin looked at her gradually healing wound, and his tightly furrowed brow slowly relaxed.
The once bone-deep injury now remained only as a scar, like rouge painted on, striking yet not unsightly.