Chapter 28

On the day of the birthday banquet, Wuliu Peak was bustling with activity.

The Great Elder was highly respected, with a good reputation and strong personal connections. He had no enemies in the outside world and was known for making many friends, so the birthday banquet wasn’t just attended by people from within the sect, but also by many well-wishers from outside the Wuchang Sect.

Yu Tao sat in a corner of the banquet hall, feeling uneasy as she stared blankly at the corner of the table.

Her mind was occupied with thoughts of her cat.

After returning yesterday, Senior Brother Yu Li had said that the cat was in her room. When she went to check, she found the cat sitting quietly on a chair in the room, but for some reason, one of its paws was injured and bleeding.

“How did this happen?” She felt heartbroken seeing the bloodied wound.

Yu Tao quickly asked Senior Brother Hua Lian if the medicine for human injuries could be used for the cat, and how to bandage it.

However, Senior Brother Hua Lian’s response was a bit strange.

【…A cat?】

Yu Tao: 【Yes, it’s my new spirit pet, a black cat. So, Second Brother, can this medicine be used for the cat?】

Hua Lian: 【…】

Hua Lian: 【You all…】

Yu Tao: 【Second Brother, what’s wrong?】

Hua Lian: 【It’s nothing, just a moment of reflection. Maybe my thinking is too outdated.】

Hua Lian: 【Don’t use the medicine yet, Little Junior Sister. Wait a moment, I’ll come over to help you deal with it.】

Then, Second Brother Hua Lian hurried over from Huayue Peak, leisurely munching on a radish he had just pulled from the garden.

It was a relief to have a professional healer help with the cat’s bandaging. Yu Tao stepped aside to let Hua Lian examine the situation.

Hua Lian, however, didn’t seem the least bit anxious. He glanced at the unwashed bowls on the table and casually said, “Little Junior Sister, don’t worry. Go outside and bring a bowl of fish porridge over.”

Yu Tao didn’t suspect anything and obediently went to the kitchen.

Once she stepped outside, she looked around, feeling puzzled. Huh…?

Wasn’t Senior Brother Yu Li supposed to be with her? Why had he suddenly disappeared?

After the girl left, Hua Lian casually sat down, clicking his tongue, and teasingly said, “You sure know how to play.”

“When I arrived, I saw Wen Ming down there, looking for you?”

The black cat didn’t respond, its light golden eyes cold.

Hua Lian: “So, he’s here looking for Little Junior Sister?”

After a moment of thought, Hua Lian quickly figured out how the injury had happened and couldn’t help but smile.

Looks like the junior brother isn’t completely clueless. His little trick was actually quite clever.

Hua Lian’s eyes turned, and he decided to lend a hand. When Yu Tao returned, he tossed her a bottle of medicine and a roll of bandages. “You should bandage him up with this medicine. I’ll guide you, since you’ll be the one changing the bandages later.”

Yu Tao nodded and carefully tended to the cat’s wound, applying the medicine and, without thinking, tying a bow.

Seeing the bow on the cat’s paw, Hua Lian couldn’t hold back a chuckle. It looked like a gift. Yu Tao suddenly realized it was just how she usually tied her clothes, and hurriedly tried to undo it.

Hua Lian stopped her. “It’s fine, it won’t affect anything. It looks cute, and it really suits your cat.”

The black cat glanced at Hua Lian indifferently.

Hua Lian pretended not to notice, picking up the fish porridge and drinking while praising her. “Little Junior Sister, this porridge is delicious. I wish I could come over every day for meals.”

Yu Tao sincerely replied, “No problem, Second Senior Brother, I can easily make another portion.”

After finishing the porridge, Hua Lian put the bowl down, waved his hand, and said, “No need. I’m afraid I wouldn’t have the luck to enjoy that.”

Clearing his throat, he became serious. “Your cat might have fallen from a high place and been scratched by a branch. It’s been so quiet, which likely means it was scared. Right now, it needs your care and attention the most. You should stay with it today.”

He emphasized, “Don’t leave it alone. If you do, it could stress the cat out, and it might run away and get lost.”

Yu Tao nodded and said, “I understand, Second Senior Brother.”

After giving his advice, Hua Lian left. Yu Tao asked him to pass a message to Wen Ming down the mountain, telling him not to wait and to head back.

Yu Tao carefully placed the cat on her bed so it could rest. Since the Second Senior Brother had said so, she didn’t dare leave its side and stayed by it, keeping it company.

She leaned over the bed, gently poking at the cat’s other paw. “Lili, does it hurt a lot?”

“How did you get so careless, falling from such a height? You must have been scared. Let me rub it, it’ll make you feel better,” Yu Tao said, reaching out to pet its head to comfort it.

The black cat narrowed its eyes as she gently rubbed its head. Its ears turned red, and it extended a paw to push her hand away, making it clear: ‘Don’t touch me.’

As expected, Lili remained aloof, even at a time like this.

Yu Tao smiled faintly. “But it’s a good thing you came to find me. Doesn’t that mean you’ve already subconsciously started to see me as someone close to you?”

The black cat didn’t respond. Yu Tao wasn’t sure if it understood, but that was what she believed.

Just like how, in times of danger, people instinctively seek help from those they trust, Lili must have come to her because it trusted her after being injured.

While the banquet was lively, Yu Tao was lost in thought about her cat.

When Lu Qingyu, who came to deliver wine, saw her, she asked if something was wrong. Getting no response, she placed the wine down and turned to ask Zhu Mingyu beside her, “What’s wrong with Little Junior Sister Tao?”

Zhu Mingyu looked up. “Her spirit pet was injured yesterday, and she’s been worrying about it. She was really anxious yesterday.”

Lu Qingyu’s expression changed slightly after hearing that. “That… cat?”

“Yes, the cat,” Zhu Mingyu replied.

Zhu Mingyu poured a glass of wine and drank it all in one go, casually adding, “What kind of wine is this? It tastes pretty good.”

With Senior Brother Yu Li’s cultivation level, he shouldn’t be easily injured…

Lu Qingyu felt a bit puzzled and casually responded, “This is Qingli wine from Lushui Town. It’s a fruit wine, not too strong, more suitable for the disciples.”

Zhu Mingyu nodded, holding up five fingers. “Bring five more bottles.”

Lu Qingyu: “…Did Junior Sister Zhu just restock?”

As soon as the words were spoken, a woman’s voice suddenly interrupted.

“It’s been a while, Sister, and your tolerance for alcohol has improved so much?” A young woman in green walked over, her features lively and delicate, a warm smile on her face.

Zhu Mingyu didn’t even raise her eyes, continuing to drink as if she hadn’t heard.

Zhu Qianying wasn’t bothered by being ignored, her expression unchanged, still smiling as she greeted Lu Qingyu: “Sister Lu, it’s been so long!”

“Mm.”

Lu Qingyu, maintaining her aloof demeanor, sat down next to the still-dazed Yu Tao and poured herself a glass of wine.

Zhu Qianying quietly observed Yu Tao for two seconds before lowering her eyes, concealing the emotions in her gaze.

… A very clean and neat girl.

Just as she had thought, very suitable.

Zhu Qianying then casually sat next to Zhu Mingyu, her expression showing concern. “I was so worried when I heard about your injury the other day. Are you okay, Sister?”

Zhu Mingyu glanced at her, took a sip of her drink, and said, “Qianying, my injury happened over ten days ago.”

Zhu Qianying smiled helplessly. “These past few days, there have been too many trivial matters at home, I couldn’t get away. My mother’s been ill, and since you left home, I’ve been handling everything at the house…”

Zhu Mingyu replied indifferently, “Wasn’t it you who handled things before I left?”

She curled her lips sarcastically, her tone unfriendly. “You’ve been managing the household for years, but now it seems you haven’t improved much. You’re interrupting other people’s drinking and have no sense of when to back off. You’re like a sticky plaster, always sticking around.”

Zhu Qianying was stunned, biting her lip. “Sister…”

Lu Qingyu sipped her wine, listening intently to the conversation between the two, deep in thought.

From just observing, it seemed that Zhu Mingyu truly lived up to her reputation in the family as an arrogant older sister who trampled on others. She treated her younger sister’s concerns with such disdain.

However, after some recent interactions with Zhu Mingyu, Lu Qingyu felt that there was more to her behavior ^[1] “more than meets the eye” means that there is more to a situation, person, or thing than is immediately apparent or obvious. than met the eye.

But what does this have to do with her? Lu Qingyu glanced at the girl beside her, Yu Tao, who was looking down, occasionally furrowing her brows or pulling at her sleeve. She found it quite cute and couldn’t help but curl her lips.

Mm… It’s still Yu Tao, the one who’s so straightforward, with no guile, and so easy to read, that’s more charming.

Lu Qingyu poured a glass of wine and handed it to her, coaxing her, “Come on, Junior Sister Taotao, try this wine.”

Yu Tao, hearing her name, finally snapped out of her thoughts. She blinked and reached out to take the wine. “Senior Sister Lu, I can’t drink.”

She seemed a little embarrassed. “I’m really bad at holding liquor. I get drunk after just a sip…”

Lu Qingyu smiled. “This is Qingli wine. It doesn’t taste strong at all. It’s very pleasant to drink. Just try a sip, and don’t worry, this one glass won’t get you drunk.”

The Qingli wine had a strong pear fragrance, and since Yu Tao liked pears, she felt a little tempted. After hesitating for a moment, she took a small sip.

It was delicious! And really not bitter or spicy. Her eyes lit up immediately.

Lu Qingyu propped her chin up, watching her. “Didn’t I tell you? It’s good, right?”

Yu Tao nodded, unable to stop herself from finishing the glass of Qingli wine in one go, and then let out a small burp.

Lu Qingyu mischievously asked, “Are you drunk?”

The girl paused for a moment, slowly turned around, and looked at Lu Qingyu with her bright, watery eyes, staring straight at her.

Just as Lu Qingyu wondered what she was thinking, Yu Tao suddenly tilted her head, her voice soft and sweet.

“Senior Sister Lu, you really are beautiful.”

Lu Qingyu froze for a moment.

No way… She got drunk after just one cup?

Meanwhile, Zhu Mingyu, who had been exchanging sarcastic remarks with Zhu Qianying, was suddenly tugged on the sleeve. She turned suspiciously and saw Yu Tao, her face a little flushed, looking at her with wet eyes.

Before Zhu Mingyu could ask what was going on, the girl unexpectedly spoke up.

“Classmate Zhu, you really are beautiful.”

Zhu Mingyu: ?

Her gaze slowly shifted towards Lu Qingyu.

Lu Qingyu couldn’t help but laugh. “This girl, how is she drunk and just telling everyone they look good? She’s drunk.”

After a pause, she emphasized, “Just one cup.”

Zhu Mingyu: “…”

As expected of Yu Tao.

“Is Miss Yu really drunk?” Zhu Qianying asked, glancing over with a faint smile in her bright eyes.

“I have a sobering medicine here. If Miss Yu takes it, she’ll be sober in about fifteen minutes.”

Zhu Mingyu immediately refused, “No need.”

Lu Qingyu’s gaze slightly faltered, and she also said, “Since Miss Yu is still concerned about her injured spiritual pet, why don’t we just send her back to rest first?”

Zhu Mingyu stood up. “I’ll take her.”

“Sister, Father is still waiting over there.” Zhu Qianying suddenly spoke.

Zhu Mingyu casually responded, “Oh, let him wait.”

Zhu Qianying continued, “The head of the Su family and the head of the Lu family are still at the banquet, sister. Don’t let others make fun of you.”

Zhu Mingyu was about to leave but stopped when she heard that the head of the Su family had stopped.

The head of the Su family—Su Liuli’s father.

She pressed her lips together. The book mentioned: After Su Liuli’s death, her father, Su Chengfeng, had treated Yu Tao, who resembled Su Liuli, like his own daughter. But when Su Liuli came back to life, he turned his back on Yu Tao and never looked at her again.

When Yu Tao was abandoned and ignored by everyone, she had once asked Su Chengfeng in confusion, “Do you treat me well just because I resemble Liuli? Is there nothing else?”

Su Chengfeng had replied, “To resemble Liuli even a little, that’s your blessing.”

Zhu Mingyu ^[2]“Chewed on these words” is a metaphorical expression meaning to think deeply about or reflect on something someone has said. The person is carefully considering the meaning or … Continue readingchewed on these words, her face still calm, and then pushed Yu Tao toward Lu Qingyu. “The banquet hasn’t officially started yet. Senior Lu, you take her back first. You’ll still have time to catch up later.”

Lu Qingyu had no objections. “Alright, I’ll leave now.”

She turned around and saw that Yu Tao had somehow grabbed another glass of wine. Her face was slightly flushed, and her eyes sparkled with a watery brightness.

Lu Qingyu rubbed her temples, took the wine glass from her, and pulled her along. “If you keep drinking, you’ll be too drunk to wake up tomorrow, Junior Sister Yu.”

Pulling the drunken Yu Tao away from the banquet, Lu Qingyu passed by Zhu Qianying, who gave a smile and said, “You look good too.”

Zhu Qianying was momentarily stunned, squinted her eyes, smiled, and her gaze carried an unreadable emotion. “Thank you for the compliment, Miss Yu.”

Lu Qingyu: “…”

Drunk and flirting with everyone—what’s wrong with this girl?

It was only after finally taking Yu Tao out of the banquet’s side area that Lu Qingyu suddenly spotted a suspicious figure ahead, someone sneaking around wearing a hat.

It wasn’t uncommon for people to stir up trouble during the banquet, so Lu Qingyu became alert. Just as she was about to draw her sword and subdue the person, Yu Tao beside her suddenly spoke up.

“Classmate Wen, you’re here.”

The sneaky figure stiffened, slowly turning around to reveal the face beneath the hood—it was indeed Wen Ming.

Lu Qingyu breathed a sigh of relief, but also found the situation a bit amusing.

Why would this person sneak around at his own master’s birthday banquet?

Wen Ming stood awkwardly, not knowing where to place his hands or feet. After a moment, he suddenly asked, “Miss Yu, it seems like you knew I was coming?”

Yu Tao nodded, her eyes bright.

“Because… you’ve already prepared your gift, and you’re bound to give it away, right?”

She had only remembered after learning from Master Zhu that Wen Ming made wood carvings, and now she recalled seeing him under the tree holding one of his carved pieces.

Wen Ming turned his head away, “No, that was just something I did for fun.”

Yu Tao tilted her little head, “I saw it earlier, the Grand Elder is over there in the main area.”

Wen Ming: “…I told you, it’s not for him!”

Lu Qingyu, who had been observing from the side, could see what Wen Ming’s real intentions were. She clicked her tongue, “Alright, alright, it’s not for him. Do whatever you want.”

“Yu Tao, let’s go.”

Yu Tao, drunk and obedient, followed behind her without any hesitation.

Just as they had gotten halfway, Lu Qingyu, still holding onto Yu Tao, suddenly heard that a guest in the main area had fallen ill.

She hurried to handle the situation, settling Yu Tao in a quiet, unoccupied resting room in the main area. She instructed Yu Tao, “Stay here and be good, if you’re hungry, you can have some snacks. I’ll be back shortly!”

“Don’t wander off, Junior Sister Taotao.”

Yu Tao sat by the window, resting her chin in her hands, lost in thought.

Suddenly, she saw a familiar figure pass by outside the window, and she blinked in surprise.

The banquet was divided into two areas: the main area and the secondary area. The secondary area was for the disciples to chat, eat, and drink, a more casual space for them to relax. The main area, on the other hand, was where important guests and elders sat, making it more formal and serious.

There were no physical barriers between the two areas, but the disciples generally stayed in the secondary area and didn’t wander into the main area. After all, the main area was filled with powerful cultivators and sect elders, and the disciples didn’t dare to act recklessly.

In the main area, Hua Lian handed the gift to Zhu Xiu: “Master Zhu, my senior brother hasn’t returned yet, so I’ll give his gift along with mine.”

Zhu Xiu smiled, “It’s no problem. Is the Jiuxiu Sect really that far? He’s been gone for over a month now.”

Hua Lian tugged at the corner of her mouth, “It’s not that far, but with my senior brother’s temperament, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s another month late.”

Zhu Xiu fell silent for a moment. “…That’s true.”

Her senior brother, Jiang Xingjing, was gentle and loyal, with unfathomable cultivation. He had once been surrounded by thousands of beasts for three days and nights without a single scratch on him.

He had a particular trait—he was extremely slow in both speech and actions.

Hua Lian smiled, “He has some connections with the previous sect leader of the Jiuxiu Sect, Master Yue Ying. Perhaps he’s dealing with some matters for them, so there’s no need to worry.”

Zhu Xiu nodded, still feeling a bit regretful when mentioning Master Yue Ying.

“Such is the unpredictability of life.”

Zhu Xiu was referring to Master Yue Ying’s passing a century ago, which had caused quite a stir in the cultivation world.

Someone like Hua Lian, who almost always followed the news on the Liuli Mirror Cultivation Report, of course knew about it.

Master Yue Ying of the Jiuxiu Sect had been kind-hearted and had helped many other sects, so it was a shock when such sad news came out suddenly.

“Alright, Master Zhu, today is a happy day, let’s not talk about such things.”

Hua Lian glanced at her junior brother, Yu Li, who was staring absentmindedly in one direction. He nudged him, “Junior brother, what are you daydreaming about? The gift.”

Yu Li withdrew his gaze, raised his hand, and handed over the jade box: “Master Zhu.”

“In previous years, no matter how grand the banquet was, we never saw you. This year is quite a surprise. Well, it’s always good to come out and talk to people more often. You can’t stay cooped up all the time.”

Zhu Xiu took the jade box and suddenly noticed that the young man had a white cloth tied around his wrist, and upon closer inspection, there was a faint medicinal scent: “Disciple Yu, you’re injured? Is it serious? I have some healing pills here…”

Yu Li retracted his hand: “It’s fine.”

Hua Lian yawned and waved his hand: “Master Zhu, don’t worry about it. Someone else is already taking care of it. The bandage is done properly.”

Zhu Xiu paused, as if deep in thought: “Is it Yu Tao?”

Hua Lian widened his eyes in shock: “You can even guess this? Did you just calculate it with divination?”

“You didn’t also learn divination from my senior brother, did you?”

“No, not at all.” Zhu Xiu smiled, “But I did see the two of them together a few days ago.”

Hua Lian said this, and it seemed they indeed shared a close relationship. The matter with the spiritual pet must just be a little shared interest between the two of them.

Hua Lian laughed: “I was going to say, if you like it, I can gift you a tortoiseshell.”

Zhu Xiu went silent for a moment: “…Don’t tell me it’s your senior brother’s shell?”

Hua Lian chuckled.

Zhu Xiu: “…”

Truly, they were brothers in arms.

Hua Lian suddenly thought of something from yesterday, hesitated for a moment, and said: “Master Zhu, I saw Wen Ming returned to the sect yesterday.”

“I know,” Zhu Xiu sighed lightly and explained to Hua Lian what happened with Yu Tao and Wen Ming, “So he went to apologize to Yu Tao.”

Hua Lian immediately understood why Wen Ming had been left waiting at the foot of the mountain yesterday.

Yu Tao didn’t care about these things, but some people clearly did.

Hua Lian asked: “So, does Wen Ming still not plan to return today?”

Zhu Xiu looked troubled: “I haven’t seen him yet, so he probably isn’t coming back today.”

Hua Lian patted her shoulder reassuringly: “Don’t worry, Master Zhu. Today, I’m risking my life to accompany the gentleman. I’ll drink with him all night and make sure he forgets about this matter.”

After speaking, he looked at Yu Li: “Junior Brother, you’ll join me, right?”

Yu Li leisurely glanced at him and didn’t say a word.

In the main area of the banquet, everyone was seated at their respective tables. As promised, Hua Lian wasted no time, immediately taking a jug of wine to challenge the Grand Elder in a drinking contest.

The Grand Elder had a good temper and was already accustomed to Hua Lian’s lack of tune. He smiled and drank with him.

Hua Lian tried to get Yu Li to join them, but Yu Li simply said lightly, “Drinking will hinder the healing of your injury.”

Hua Lian: ? What a guy.

The Grand Elder immediately became serious: “Disciple Hua Lian, perhaps it’s better if he doesn’t drink. His health is more important.”

So, Hua Lian was left to “risk his life” and accompany the gentleman alone, drinking one cup after another, tears in his eyes.

At the banquet, one of the tables was occupied by the heads of several major families, surrounded by their children. Everyone wore half-smiles, half-fake, and the atmosphere was fairly harmonious.

Suddenly, a girl in a blue dress said something with a smirk, and the face of the Su family head, Su Chengfeng, immediately changed. His expression darkened.

The people around the girl quickly tried to smooth things over, but Su Chengfeng’s expression showed no sign of improvement.

Yu Li was uninterested in all this. He sat in a corner, eyes slightly lowered, his face indifferent.

…For a fool with such poor alcohol tolerance, he should be nearly done by now.

So he spoke to the Grand Elder, got up, and left the table.

Just as he reached the door, he suddenly bumped into a drunkard squatting by the entrance, peering left and right.

A drunkard, indeed.

The person reeked of alcohol, her face flushed, and her eyes seemed foggy, wet, and dazed.

When she saw him, she blinked, stared at him for a while, and then suddenly spoke: “You’re really handsome.”

Yu Li: “…”

He squatted down to her level, looked at her coldly, and said impatiently: “How much have you had to drink?”

The foolish drunkard extended one finger, thought for a moment, then added another.

“Two jugs?”

“Two cups.”

“…” He had overestimated her.

Glancing around and noticing no one nearby, he realized that Lu Qingyu, who had been with her in the main area earlier, was now gone.

“Did you come here by yourself?”

Yu Tao nodded, her voice soft and sweet: “Mm, I was looking for you.”

A trace of surprise flashed in Yu Li’s eyes, and his tone paused slightly: “You still remember who I am?”

Yu Tao curved her eyes in a smile, confused: “You’re my little senior brother.”

She reached out and tugged at his sleeve.

“There are too many people inside. Can you help me call the Grand Elder? Classmate Wen went to his room to place the gift, and now is the time to catch him. If we wait too long, he’ll leave.”

…Even while drunk, she was thinking about others.

Yu Li gazed steadily at her clear, innocent eyes, silent for a while, then sighed.

“Alright.”

He passed on the message to the Grand Elder, who paused in surprise at first, then put down his wine glass and left the banquet with Zhu Xiu, likely heading there.

As for what would happen next, that was no longer his concern.

Outside, the moonlight was faintly cold, accompanied by a breeze that rustled the willow branches.

The girl still tightly clutched his sleeve. Yu Li lowered his gaze and asked, “Are you at ease now?”

Yu Tao’s eyes curved with a smile: “Hehe, yes, I’m at ease now.”

Though the Grand Elder had left, the banquet had not yet ended.

Inside, the noise of clinking cups continued, and most people did not notice the situation.

Su Chengfeng, still upset by the words from the young girl of the Zhu family, had yet to recover. He glanced irritably toward the door, and then suddenly froze.

The moonlight flickered slightly.

The girl in the white dress had a smile like a crescent moon, lively and pure, as she tugged at the young man’s sleeve, softly saying something. The two were about to leave.

He stared at them, seemingly in disbelief, murmuring softly, “Ah Yu…”

The usually composed head of the Su family suddenly stood up, rushing toward the door.

Outside, it was empty, with only cold moonlight on the ground. Soon, clouds covered the moon, and the moonlight disappeared.

It was as if everything he had just seen was merely an illusion.

The others at the table quickly followed out, concerned for him: “What happened?”

The Zhu family members scolded Zhu Mingyu: “Look at what you just said, you’ve upset Master Su, hurry and apologize.”

Zhu Mingyu shrugged nonchalantly, blinking innocently: “Huh? But I just told a story about someone who would stop at nothing for power.”

Her eyes gleamed coldly, though her tone remained soft: “Could it be that Master Su identified with such a heartless and callous person?”

Yu Tao staggered slightly behind Yu Li, still a little tipsy from the alcohol, holding onto his sleeve as they walked.

Yu Li glanced down at the shadows on the ground, almost as if she were walking on his shadow.

They arrived at the Huaishui Bamboo Pavilion, where Yu Li helped the foolish drunkard back to her room and tucked her in.

“Sleep.”

“Little Senior Brother.”

Yu Li looked up. “Hmm?”

The foolish drunkard tugged at the edge of her blanket, her eyes unexpectedly bright: “You look so good.”

Yu Li: “…”

She quickly pressed her lips together, blinking her eyes, and politely asked, “Excuse me, can I kiss you?”

Yu Li’s ears instantly turned red, “No.”

What kind of nonsense was she thinking?

Yu Tao’s small face drooped, dejected: “Well, alright.”

After being rejected, the girl calmed down, though she didn’t close her eyes and continued to stare at him.

Yu Li, feeling awkward under her intense gaze, stiffly said, “…Sleep.”

The girl froze for a moment, then suddenly sat up, lifted the blanket, and got out of bed, looking around: “I can’t sleep yet, Lili’s medicine hasn’t been changed!”

After searching the room and not finding her cat, she pushed open the door and headed toward the Training Platform.

Yu Li: “…” She’s drunk, yet her memory is surprisingly good.

Reluctantly, he arrived at the Training platform ahead of her. The black cat was adjusting the bow on its paw, apparently waiting for her to change its medicine before it could go back to sleep.

Yu Tao wobbled her way to the terrace, found the cat on the platform, and with difficulty climbed onto it, sitting on the edge.

Surprisingly, the black cat was very obedient this time, even jumping onto her lap and extending its paw for her to change the medicine.

Yu Tao blinked in delight: “Lili, you’re so good today.”

Indeed, it had already gotten used to having her around and was now taking the initiative!

Yu Tao quickly took off the old bow, changed the medicine, and tied a new bow with a fresh white cloth.

After changing the medicine, she gently picked up the cat’s paws, gazing at it: “Lili, you look so good.”

The black cat: “…”

How many people is she planning to say this to?

“I really like you,” Yu Tao said with a soft smile, her tone sincere.

The black cat just wanted to sigh. It was late at night, and a drunk fool was confessing to a cat.

Suddenly, it began to rain, dark clouds covered the sky, and raindrops fell lightly. The leaves rustled as they were blown by the wind.

Seeing that the cat was indifferent, Yu Tao furrowed her brows in confusion. Did the cat… not understand?

Then she suddenly remembered a phrase she had learned a few days ago in beast language. Shishu Qiu Chao had said it meant “I really like you,” and it was perfect for the situation.

Yu Tao recalled how to pronounce the beast language phrase and, not very skillfully, whispered it into the black cat’s ear: “δψ.”

She then leaned in close and affectionately kissed the cat’s face.

“Mm!”

The rain intensified, turning into a torrential downpour.

The girl winced in pain, and her anklet jingled loudly.

The soft cat in her arms suddenly stiffened, and the faint light in front of her flickered as a shadow passed over her. She felt a heavy weight on her body, as if something heavy was pressing down on her.

Her hand was pressed against the Jade Platform, and the sudden weight made it feel a bit painful.

Cool water droplets slid down her hair, slowly soaking her clothes, sending a chill through Yu Tao’s body, causing her to shiver slightly.

The scent of alcohol hung in the air, and raindrops fell with the wind.

Yu Tao blinked her eyes, which were blurred with mist, and stared at the person so close to her.

The young man’s dark hair fell on her neck, his face flushed crimson, and his long lashes trembled slightly. The black cat ears atop his head twitched nervously, the soft pink of his inner ear turning a faint red.

His fingers pressed between hers, holding her hand firmly against the cold jade surface. His hand was a little cool, likely due to sword practice, with a thin callus on his palm, which made the sensation on her skin a bit ticklish.

In stark contrast, his erratic breathing, combined with his heartbeat, scattered across her face, burning her skin and making her tremble.

…Little Senior Brother?

The cat pounced (meow).

—

Word Count: 5,251