Chapter 26: Mother, I’m a Little Regretful…

Xie Jiuniang chatted with her mother for quite a while, learning that a few days after she entered seclusion, the Song family had come to take Song Bao’er away.  

They left behind a generous compensation: a storage pouch containing three bottles of spiritual liquid suitable for Foundation Establishment, plus 100,000 spirit stones. The Song family’s gesture showed sincerity, considering looking after Song Bao’er for a time hadn’t been too difficult. For Xie Shen, it was a simple favor.

At least, that’s what the Song family thought. Little did they know they hadn’t accounted for their wastrel daughter!

Song Bao’er had insisted her family leave behind a black token. The front bore the Song family crest, while a flying boat was imprinted on the back. With this token, one could purchase boat tickets at half price and obtain the maximum discounted prices at Rongsheng Chamber of Commerce’s shops.

Xie Jiuniang examined the token, a hint of amusement dancing in her eyes. “Mother,” she began thoughtfully, “I can’t help but feel a tinge of regret…”

“Regretful about what?” Mo Lan was puzzled.

“That when Song Bao’er was staying here, I didn’t treat her better,” Xie Jiuniang spoke with sincerity.

Mo Lan felt gratified, sighing that her daughter was so sensible and well-behaved.

But then Xie Jiuniang lamented dramatically, “If I had known she was foolish but rich, why didn’t I seize the opportunity better? Not giving her face only got me this discount token. If I had, wouldn’t she have given me something better? Maybe even a large Flying Boat to play with! Alas, the missed chance pains me so…”

Mo Lan stared at her, dumbfounded.  

Daughter, what are you saying? Is that something a person would do?

Seeing her mother’s shocked expression, Xie Jiuniang’s heart skipped a beat. No good, can’t ruin the virtuous image!

She handed the token to Mo Lan, her expression growing serious. “Mother, I was just joking earlier. Your daughter isn’t that kind of person. You keep the token for now. I’m heading to the sect to cultivate and won’t need it temporarily.”

Mo Lan demurred, “Bao’er said it was for you, so you keep it. Your father and I have no use for it. If we need it in the future, we’ll ask to borrow it from you.”

Xie Jiuniang obediently nodded and stored the token in her storage pouch.

“Jiu’er, the mark on the back of your hand…” Mo Lan unintentionally caught a glimpse of her contract rune.

Xie Jiuniang smiled. “Just a small fortuitous opportunity, Mother, no need to worry.”

She then wrapped her right hand with a strip of cloth to conceal the covenant imprint. She would have to forge a wrist and hand guard set when she had a chance. Otherwise, if the contract rune was noticed by someone knowledgeable, it might cause trouble.

Just then, someone entered from outside. Xie Shen walked in first, followed by Xie Siniang.

The sisters were delighted to see each other again after being apart for half a year. They held hands and returned to Xie Jiuniang’s room to chat privately.

Xie Siniang glanced around the room. “Xiao Jiu, are you trying to emulate an ascetic cultivator? There’s nothing in here.”

Who the hell is an ascetic cultivator? It was all the broken sword’s fault!

Xie Jiuniang didn’t reveal that. Imitating her father’s tone, she made up an excuse, “It’s just a temporary place to stay. Why bother decorating it? We cultivators only need a place to meditate.”

As she spoke, she waved her hand. Two meditation mats, a low white jade tea table, and an accompanying tea set appeared on the bare floor. She didn’t know whose unfortunate storage pouch she had plundered these from during robberies, but since they looked usable, she kept them.

Xie Jiuniang brewed a pot of spiritual tea. “Fourth Sister, didn’t you say before that you wanted to stay in the clan? Why did you change your mind?”

In her previous life, Xie Siniang had chosen to stay with the clan before later marrying that philandering cousin of hers.

Xie Siniang drained her cup of spiritual tea in one gulp. “It was thanks to you that I changed my mind.”

She then revealed a trace of her cultivation aura at the fifth level of Qi Refining. “If I were still at the fourth level, I wouldn’t have come. Suddenly I felt unsatisfied and wanted to at least enter a sect and take a gamble. Maybe I’ll find a great opportunity? I also want to ascend and become an immortal!”

What great ambition!

Xie Jiuniang gave her a thumbs up.

The clan’s descendants all wished to tempt fate on the immortal path. But ambition alone wasn’t enough—they also needed the courage to face dangers unflinchingly.

Relatively speaking, cultivating step by step in the clan was safer, though there were no great opportunities.  

With one kind deed, Xie Jiuniang had prompted Xie Siniang to walk a different road than her previous life. Then that ill-fated marriage to that inhuman cousin… hopefully wouldn’t happen again.

Xie Jiuniang felt glad about this. “Fourth Sister, come, let’s toast to your aspirations.”

“There’s no wine, just tea.”

“I have some, I have some!”

Xie Jiuniang retrieved a jug of spiritual wine she had secretly stashed away from her parents and uncorked it. She also took out two large bowls and filled one for each of them.

Xie Jiuniang raised her large bowl of wine and said with great enthusiasm, “Fourth Sister, bottoms up!”

She downed it in one gulp!

Then, she passed out…

Xie Siniang was startled and hurriedly went out to call for help.

Xie Shen and Mo Lan rushed in. Seeing their daughter’s rosy cheeks and sound sleep, they found it both amusing and infuriating.

Xie Shen examined the wine jug. “No problem, it’s just a low-grade spiritual wine, not potent enough to inebriate. Likely our daughter has never tasted alcohol before and drank too much in one go.”

Mo Lan pinched her daughter’s cheeks and said angrily, “Drinking wine at such a young age? I’ll teach you a lesson when you wake up.”

Mo Lan tried lifting her to carry her to bed, only to notice a glaring issue—where was the bed in her daughter’s room?

Xie Shen also looked around and chuckled, “Dear, take our daughter to sleep on your bed for a while.”

“Alright, that’s the only option.” Mo Lan carried her away.

Xie Shen then looked at his niece, who was as docile as a quail. “You’re still young. It’s not appropriate for you to drink. Let me hold onto this wine for you.”

He assumed the wine belonged to his niece and that she had given it to his obedient daughter to drink.

His daughter was so well-behaved and obedient and had never snuck drinks over the last half year. But his niece comes, and suddenly his daughter is drinking…

Seeing her uncle’s stern look, Xie Siniang realized he had misunderstood. 

But how to explain this predicament?

That wretched Xiao Jiu, framing her sister!

When Xie Jiuniang woke up, it was already noon the next day. 

When she realized the foolish thing she had done, Xie Jiuniang wanted to facepalm. She had momentarily forgotten that she was only twelve years old and had never touched alcohol before.

Now… Her stashed wine was exposed!

Xie Jiuniang rolled out of bed, immediately noticing she was in her mother’s room. She quickly dressed and headed out.

Right away, she met Xie Siniang’s resentful gaze and heard her sarcastic tone, “Xiao Jiu, you’re awake. Does your head hurt?”

“No pain. How about Fourth Sister?” Xie Jiuniang laughed awkwardly.

“Not good, not good at all. Who told me to be so unlucky as to get framed by someone on my very arrival?”

“This…” Xie Jiuniang pulled her aside to explain privately.

Learning that their father had misunderstood the wine to be Xie Siniang’s, Xie Jiuniang felt relieved. She promised to take her sister out to play that afternoon and gift her something as an apology.

The two sisters were very proactive. After informing their parents, Xie Jiuniang took Xie Siniang out.

As they walked and browsed stores one by one, Xie Jiuniang found fault with everything without buying anything.  

Xie Siniang grew suspicious. “Xiao Jiu, if you can find issues with everything, what did you intend to gift me?”

Xie Jiuniang felt embarrassed. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to give a gift, okay?

It was only after going out that she remembered she didn’t have a single spirit stone on her!

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