CHAPTER 33

— Walking Together —

In the end, Su Yan couldn't bear to see her pitiful expression, even though she knew it was feigned. She snorted coldly and used her true essence to dry her clothes and hair. She then took out a small plate of Mingyu cakes from her Qiankun pouch—obtained from the Qingyun Court's kitchen before leaving—and handed it to her. "What happened at the bottom of the lake—don't tell anyone, not even Junior Brother Ding, understand?"

"Mhm, mhm!" As expected, with the delicious treat in hand, Tong Tong immediately forgot her earlier displeasure. She even generously released Cookie and fed it two pieces, while she herself devoured most of the cakes, her cheeks puffed out like a greedy little hamster. This amused Su Yan, and she couldn't help but break into a smile.

—The so-called "a smile that topples cities, another that topples kingdoms"... Big Iceberg, you'd better not smile! If you smile again, there'll be an earthquake!

"Mmph..." Tong Tong stole a glance and immediately turned her head away, tightly closing her eyes and chanting silently in her heart: 'See no evil, see no evil, I can't see anything, I can't see..' After calming herself, she finally swallowed the cake stuck in her throat without choking, though her heart continued to flutter wildly like a startled deer.

"Once you're done eating, let's go. We shouldn't keep them waiting." Seeing crumbs stuck to the corners of her mouth, Su Yan frowned in distaste but still handed her a silk handkerchief from her sleeve. Tong Tong mechanically chewed the cake in her mouth, her mind still replaying that fleeting glimpse of his smile. Faced with the offered handkerchief, she stared blankly, not knowing to take it, her gaze fixed unwaveringly on the faintly curved pink corner of his lips.

Under her intense stare, Su Yan felt a flicker of panic. She averted her gaze, forcefully stuffed the handkerchief into her hand, and couldn't resist scolding, "So uncouth."

Turning on her heel, she strode toward the formation's source, though the tips of her jade-like ears were tinged with a faint blush.

Scolded for no apparent reason, Tong Tong immediately extinguished her shy-like emotions, rolled her eyes, and shook open the pale pink silk handkerchief. In a manner that Su Yan would undoubtedly criticize as "uncouth," she hastily wiped her mouth a couple of times. Initially intending to crumple the handkerchief into a ball and toss it aside, she suddenly had a change of heart. Instead, she neatly folded it, tucked it into her pocket, and decided to wash it before returning it.

—Su Yan, that guy, not only had delicate features but also had a penchant for handkerchiefs; not just any handkerchief, but one in such a girlish, soft pink; and not just that color, but it even carried a faint, lingering fragrance... There could only be one truth!

That was—it was a gift from a lover!

Who would have thought that someone as cold as Su Yan had a sweetheart and even kept their handkerchief? Tsk tsk, isn't this just being secretly sentimental?

Wasn't there a line of poetry that went something like this? "A silk handkerchief sent to a beloved heart... thinking of you in every possible way and at all times."

So d@mn sentimental!

Tong Tong thought resentfully, not realizing that an inexplicable discomfort had stirred within her, causing her to swear uncharacteristically. She was startled by her own reaction, and as that strange feeling gradually faded, she resolved to take good care of the handkerchief and return it to Su Yan later, lest it cause trouble between the lovebirds...

It must be said that Tong Tong's imagination rivaled the processing power of the latest quad-core processor—truly formidable. From just a handkerchief, she could unravel clues and follow leads to such depths. Clearly, she had benefited immensely from the influence of countless spy thrillers, suspense dramas, and family ethics shows. Yet, she was veering further and further down the wrong path, miles away from the truth—a special talent in its own right. One couldn't help but wonder: if Su Yan knew what she was thinking, would he stuff the handkerchief into her mouth to shut her up—since all she seemed good for was eating—or simply twist it into a thin rope and strangle her slender neck, ridding the world of one more troublemaker?

All these thoughts flashed through her mind in an instant. Seeing Su Yan about to disappear from sight, Tong Tong hurriedly hugged Cookie and caught up, only to hear Su Yan say impatiently, "Stop dawdling." She glanced at Cookie, who was licking its lips contentedly in her arms, and added with displeasure, "Hurry up and take it back."

"I won't!" Tong Tong snapped back without thinking. The moment the words left her mouth, she felt a twinge of regret. She didn't know why she was feeling stubborn, nor where she got the nerve to talk back.

Back when she first met Su Yan, she had been too intimidated by his cold demeanor to even breathe loudly, acting subservient and fearful of offending this formidable figure, lest she end up like those unlucky disciples in the legends who supposedly offered up their lives to Jiya's 'temple of the five viscera' and were swallowed alive. Later, after receiving his help—intentional or not—on multiple occasions, she gradually realized he wasn't as terrifying as the rumors made him out to be. Though his personality was cold, his looks were exceptional, and his cultivation was high—wasn't that what they called "a single flaw cannot obscure the beauty of the jade"?

The three months of training under him had been a mix of pain and joy: there was beauty to admire and delicious food to enjoy—great pleasures in life; but there were also swordsmanship to learn and spells to practice—great hardships. Caught between these highs and lows, her feelings toward Su Yan grew increasingly ambiguous and uncertain, though she herself remained unaware of it.

Su Yan had not expected Tong Tong to rebut so cleanly and decisively. She was both shocked and furious, though none of it showed on her face. She merely fixed her with a steady glance before turning away and saying indifferently, "Suit yourself."

This time, the situation was no different from the scene outside the alchemy shop in Chaohua Market, yet it carried an added chill.

They walked in silence, and as they went, the white mist began to disperse on its own.

Before long, a small bamboo pavilion appeared before them—fresh, emerald-green bamboo in a simple yet elegant style, exuding a natural, refined charm.

Inside the pavilion's hall were the six members of the Chonghua group, sitting around a round table sipping tea.Two veiled women in white robes were also present, one of whom looked strangely familiar to Tong Tong.

"Awoo~" Cookie, nestled obediently in Tong Tong's arms, seemed to activate a detection radar. its little "antenna" perked up instantly, its golden eyes wide and unblinking as it stared at the plates of tea snacks on the table. Its long tail swished back and forth behind it, like a child's playful arm, gently tugging at Tong Tong's sleeve with obvious intent.

Noticing everyone's eyes on her, Tong Tong blushed and greeted them with an awkward smile. "Hey, what a coincidence! Everyone's here..."

Ding Ding was the first to react. In a flash, he stepped forward and flicked Tong Tong's smooth forehead. "You little rascal! Running off like that for no reason—do you have any idea how worried we were? In this wild, desolate place, if anything had happened to you..."

With one hand on his hip and the other pointing accusingly at Tong Tong's forehead, he launched into a lengthy scolding, completely forgetting the others in the hall. As his words grew increasingly exaggerated, He Gu had no choice but to clear her throat softly and interrupt. "Junior Brother Ding, now that First Senior Brother has safely brought Little Seven back, you can rest easy."

—'The First senior brother's gaze isn't exactly friendly toward you!'

"It is our Valley that should apologize to all of you. I failed to discipline my junior sister properly, causing her negligence and delaying everyone in the formation for so long. Please accept my apologies on her behalf." The veiled woman seated in the center spoke as if offering an apology, yet she did not rise, merely inclining her head slightly. Her bright, clear eyes sparkled like spring, devoid of any arrogance, as if such calm detachment were only natural.

"Luqiu Fuyi, you did this on purpose." Su Yan was not fooled by her humble demeanor. Her phoenix eyes narrowed slightly as she spoke coldly, word by word.

—At the same time, she sneered inwardly: What a pretentious peacock!

"Brother Su Yan truly understands me... Indeed, I did it on purpose." The woman named Luqiu Fuyi showed no trace of embarrassment at being exposed. Instead, she admitted it openly, a faint smile curling beneath her veil as her eyes glinted with amusement, as if asking, "So what?"

—At the same time, she mocked inwardly: What a petty, effeminate man!

Bright, beautiful eyes met deep, dark ones. In that instant, it was as if invisible blades clashed. To onlookers, it might have seemed like a flirtatious exchange, but only those involved could feel the murderous intent radiating from the other.

—Back in the day, during a sparring match, Su Yan soundly defeated Meng Qianyao of the Nichang Valley, but ended up in a draw with Luqiu Fuyi, who had stepped in to defend her junior sister. Both were young and spirited, and to make matters worse, Su Yan possessed a face so devastatingly beautiful it could bring ruin. Luqiu, the young master of Nichang Valley who prided herself on having the most stunning looks in the world, thus grew to resent this "man" who surpassed her in beauty by half a measure.

As for Su Yan, it was during one of her outings that she inadvertently discovered the Young Valley Master's true nature—beneath her dignified and virtuous demeanor lay a heart that yearned endlessly for all things colorful and extravagant. Once she shed the white attire mandated by Nichang Valley, she would adorn herself in red and green, bedecked with pearls and jade, indulging in every possible form of ornamentation, even to the point of obsession—a sight truly astonishing to behold.

From then on, Su Yan found herself utterly displeased with this two-faced Young Valley Master of Nichang Valley.

These two were a classic case of mutual disdain, and without either of them realizing it, the phrase "like repels like" made their dynamic all the more fitting!

While they were exchanging sharp words, Cookie in Tong Tong's arms could no longer restrain itself. With a clever twist, it broke free from its owner's grasp, leaped a few times, and pounced onto the spot where Ding Ding had been sitting. Standing upright on the chair with its hind legs, its two furry front paws resting on the edge of the table, it let its pink tongue hang out, staring intently at the plates of pastries in the center.

The room fell silent as everyone's attention was drawn to its actions.

Cookie, unlike its timid owner, showed no fear of strangers. Unfazed by the many eyes fixed upon it, its golden eyes blinked slyly. With a clear chirp, it opened its crimson mouth wide and sucked in forcefully. A stream of air swept up the pastries on the table, and even the two jade-green plates were drawn into its mouth.

The onlookers watched in astonishment and curiosity as Cookie completed the feat in one smooth motion. Seeing it let out a satisfied burp after swallowing even the jade plates, they couldn't help but marvel.

Not only Qiu Si, who hadn't noticed Cookie in the teahouse's private room earlier, but even the disciples of Chonghua Sect had rarely seen it, let alone witnessed it eating. As for someone like Su Yan, who could immediately identify its name, aside from the disciples of Qianyu Sect, only the direct disciples of certain sects would possess such knowledge.

Of course, Luqiu Fuyi also recognized Cookie's extraordinary nature at a glance. Though she couldn't be entirely certain at the moment, she took an immediate liking to the greedy little creature. She picked up a small pastry from a farther spot that hadn't been affected and held it to its mouth, coaxing gently, "Little one, what's your name?"

Though she was asking the creature, she naturally didn't expect an answer from a beast that hadn't yet taken human form. Her gaze remained fixed on Tong Tong.

Seeing her gentle demeanor and her slender, jade-like fingers holding the pastry, which complemented the lotus-colored treat beautifully, Tong Tong felt a surge of delight. Smiling brightly, she replied, "Its name is Cookie."

"Then, little sister, may I know your name?" After teasing Cookie, Luqiu Fuyi wiped her hands and turned her smiling gaze to Tong Tong. She beckoned her over and asked softly.

"Um, hello, Sister. My name is Tong Tong." Perhaps lured by her—or rather, the pastries beside her—Tong Tong didn't notice the icy aura emanating from Su Yan beside her. She naturally walked over and sat down on the chair Luqiu Fuyi had conjured from her Qiankun pouch with a wave of her hand. Answering every question, she finally got to taste the pastries she had long coveted.

Under Luqiu Fuyi's deliberate guidance and the temptation of the delicious food, Tong Tong quickly abandoned her defenses and switched sides. In no time, the two were addressing each other as "sister" and "little sister," much to Ding Ding's astonishment. Meanwhile, the sudden chill radiating from Su Yan made everyone in the hall instinctively shift their chairs toward the corners, keeping as far away from her as possible.

Only when the pastries on the table were nearly gone did Tong Tong hesitantly shuffle over to Su Yan's side. Tugging at her sleeve, she whispered softly, "Senior brother, can we travel with Sister Fuyi? Since we're going the same way anyway, it would be nice to have more company and look out for each other..."

Su Yan, who was accustomed to being aloof, felt a sudden tightness in her chest and found herself at a loss for words.

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