“Sister Jin—!”
A familiar voice came from the mountain path below, pulling Yu Jin out of her thoughts.
She looked away from her palm and turned toward the window.
A young girl was running up the path, her steps quick and hurried.
A few strands of hair had come loose, and even from a distance, Yu Jin could hear her muttering to herself.
From the look on her face, someone had annoyed her again.
Yu Jin could already guess who.
Lin Qiqi had joined the sect two years ago and was only ten, but she had become close to Yu Jin very quickly.
Whenever she had free time, she would come looking for her, calling “Sister Jin” before she was even through the door.
The girl was rarely quiet.
There was always something to talk about, something to ask, or someone to complain about.
Sure enough, she hadn’t even reached the house yet and was already frowning.
Yu Jin leaned against the window.
“What happened this time?”
Lin Qiqi finally reached her and stopped to catch her breath.
“Who else?
Third Senior Brother!”
Yu Jin wasn’t surprised.
“He told me to fetch water from the spring and practice my Water Manipulation Technique.”
Lin Qiqi put her hands on her waist.
“I don’t believe him.
He just doesn’t want to fetch the water himself, so he’s making me do it.”
She spoke with such certainty that Yu Jin almost laughed.
“So you’ve figured him out?”
“Of course!”
Lin Qiqi lifted her chin.
“I know exactly what he’s thinking.”
Yu Jin looked at her for a moment, then raised her hand.
Lin Qiqi was still waiting for her to agree when Yu Jin flicked her lightly on the forehead.
“Ow!”
She immediately covered her forehead.
“Sister Jin!”
“Didn’t you tell me yesterday that you couldn’t get your spiritual energy to circulate properly?”
Lin Qiqi stopped.
Yu Jin lowered her hand.
“Now Third Senior Brother is giving you something to practice with, and you don’t want to go?”
“…”
Lin Qiqi’s hands slowly dropped from her waist.
“But he could fetch the water himself.”
“Then would you still be practicing?”
Lin Qiqi had nothing to say to that.
She looked away and muttered, “He could at least come with me…”
Yu Jin heard her clearly but didn’t expose her.
“Cultivation is your own business.
No one can do it for you.”
Lin Qiqi lowered her head.
“If you really don’t want to practice, then don’t.”
Lin Qiqi immediately looked up.
“I didn’t say that!”
Yu Jin raised an eyebrow.
“I’ll go.”
Her voice became noticeably quieter.
“I’ll practice…”
“Good.”
Yu Jin reached over and straightened the ribbon in her hair.
It had nearly come undone during her run up the mountain, and several strands were sticking out around it.
Lin Qiqi stood still and let her fix it.
Once the ribbon was tied properly again, Yu Jin gave it a small tug to make sure it wouldn’t fall loose.
“Come on.”
Lin Qiqi blinked.
“Where?”
“The spring.”
Yu Jin stepped past her and headed toward the mountain path.
Lin Qiqi stood there for a second before realizing what she meant.
“You’re coming with me?”
Yu Jin glanced back.
“If I don’t, you’ll probably still be standing here complaining by noon.”
Lin Qiqi’s face immediately brightened.
“Sister Jin!”
She ran after her and grabbed her sleeve.
“I knew you were the best!”
Yu Jin looked down at the hand clutching her sleeve.
“You didn’t seem to think so when I flicked your forehead.”
“That’s different.”
“How is it different?”
Lin Qiqi opened her mouth.
She thought about it.
Then she looked away.
“…It just is.”
Yu Jin laughed.
“All right.”
The two continued down the mountain path together.
The morning mist still lingered between the trees, and sunlight fell through the branches in patches across the stone steps.
As they went farther down the mountain, the sound of running water gradually grew clearer.
Lin Qiqi still had hold of Yu Jin’s sleeve.
This time, however, she had finally stopped complaining.
At least for the moment.