Don't be afraid, fairy, I'm blind

Chapter 472 Eat enough to have the energy to do it (5k)

In front of the jade table in the hall, Ji Xueruo was looking down at a jade slip. Her dark wide sleeves fell like the night, making the silver ornament with snake scales on her neck glow coldly.

She looked exactly like Ji Lingruo, but her lips, which were always tightly pursed, looked a little sharper. Her black hair was loosely tied up with a snake-shaped jade hairpin, and a few strands of hair hung on her forehead. She must have been reviewing papers here for a long time.

"I understand, Sister Hongxiao, you go down first."

Ji Xueruo finally raised her eyes and smiled at the snake girl Hongxiao, but she deliberately didn't even glance at the young man next to her.

In the eyes of the tribe members, this little girl-like tribe leader was not strict. Hong Xiao wanted to stay and give some advice, but when she saw the sharp look in her tribe leader's eyes, she became timid and retreated obediently.

She was actually the envoy of the snake tribe, and she had a lot of contact with Ji Xueruo, so she could be considered to know Ji Xueruo. She knew that the tribe leader was very tactful in dealing with people, but for some reason, she always felt that these two people were a little awkward.

Probably... it's because this Young Master You attacked her sister?

When Hongxiao, with her mind in a state of confusion, left the council hall, only the boy and the girl were left in the huge hall.

"Mr. You is well versed in the art of 'saving the country by taking a roundabout way.'" She put down the jade slip, her voice as cold as autumn water in a pond, "Someone has already told me about the matter of the ice room."

You Su clasped his fists and saluted, his eyes calm: "I did come to see the clan leader, but I also really want to do my part for the snake clan."

"Ling Ruo told you?"

"Yes, Junior Sister said that the clan leader is kindhearted and cannot bear to see the sisters in the clan suffer from the heat."

Ji Xueruo's lips moved slightly, and the word "kind-hearted" was like a piece of warm jade thrown into a cold pond, causing slight ripples. She never dared to talk about her friendship with You Su with her sister, because she was afraid that her sister would hate her and be angry with her, but she didn't expect that Lingruo would take the initiative to help him.

Although the twins have very different personalities, they both have a stubborn warmth. Their feelings for each other are deeper than anyone else's, so they would never bear to make the other one sad. Because of this, Ji Xueruo felt even more guilty.

"I have sent a message to the formation master of the Hidden Mist Valley. It's not that antelope spirit." Her fingertips slid across the sheepskin scrolls piled on the desk, on which were drawings of the improved Condensing Frost Formation. "It will arrive in three days. There is no need to trouble you, young master."

You Su felt a little disappointed by her estrangement, but he was not going to give up: "It is never better to pile up magic and methods and adapt them to local conditions. When governing a clan, every penny must be spent wisely. It is better to rely on oneself than on others. The person who sent the message to the clan leader should have also told the clan leader this, right?"

Ji Xueruo raised her eyebrows slightly. Even though You Su saw through her and she had already sent people to monitor her every move, she did not intend to admit it easily.

"Please, isn't that just begging someone?"

"Of course not, I'm from the demon clan, which means I'm one of us. If I help my own people, then that should be like asking for help from myself." You Su took a few steps forward, feeling that talking from such a distance would not shorten the distance at all.

"You are from Zhongyuanzhou. When did you become a member of our demon clan?" Ji Xueruo stared at You Su coldly, trying to stop him from getting closer.

"I have a close relationship with the Snake Clan, so we are naturally considered a family."

You Su smiled shamelessly and quietly moved two steps closer. He was only five steps away from Miss Xueruo, which was a huge breakthrough.

"Your engagement with Ling Ruo has not been approved by the Snake Clan. Even if it was approved, you would marry her and she would become a member of your You family, not you. If you want to become a member of the Snake Clan, do you have to marry into the family?"

Ji Xueruo sneered at him. In her opinion, all men regarded the word "marrying into the wife's family" as a shame.

"I'm happy to do it." You Su bowed with a smile.

He had no father or mother, and no relatives, so it didn't matter to him whether he married into a woman's family or not. It would be better to say that being able to marry into this land of women full of colorful women was a happiness that no man dared to ask for.

"Who, who allowed you to marry into the family?!" Ji Xueruo felt that You Su was shameless and slandered, "You are a sword cultivator after all, but you don't even have this little bit of integrity. Are you a spineless person?!"

"The clan leader misunderstood. I am very stiff. My willingness to marry into the family has nothing to do with integrity. It is just because I am very anxious."

"Urgent? Why are you in a hurry?" Ji Lingruo's fingertips tightened quietly.

"I'm worried. There's a girl in the Snake Clan who said she'd like me back after everything was settled, but it hasn't been settled yet. Do you think I'm worried? I might as well marry into the Snake Clan and settle everything for her as soon as possible."

The girl's earlobes instantly turned cherry blossom pink, and her cheeks were filled with sunset colors. At this moment, she really regretted it to the extreme. She should have cut off all ties with him at that time. How could she be soft-hearted and leave him a chance? It also saved him from using these words to tease her.

"Oh! Master You is really shameless. It's obvious that you are protected by my snake clan, but you say it as if you came here specifically to help my snake clan."

"Family members should help each other. Since you are a son-in-law, you should not be lazy and eat nothing. You should contribute to the family." What You Su said almost seemed to confirm the identity of this son-in-law of the snake clan.

The girl's perception of You Su's shamelessness was once again refreshed. Even though she was smart, she was so angry that she didn't know what to say.

She could only turn her head away, but her voice softened a bit: "If you stay in the snake tribe and don't run around, that will be the greatest help to the snake tribe."

You Su chuckled and took a few more steps, but instead of approaching the girl, he went to the window and looked at the beautiful red plum blossom outside the hall.

"Does the patriarch like plum blossoms very much?" he suddenly asked.

Ji Xueruo's face froze, and she blurted out, "I don't like it."

"Don't like it?" You Su's voice suddenly became closer, startling Ji Xueruo's fingertips. "If the clan leader doesn't like it, why did the snake clan plant so many plums in their ancestral land?"

"since ancient times……"

The girl cut off her words before she finished them. She felt that since You Su could ask this question, he must have known something. It was pointless for her to lie again. So she snorted and asked, "Who told you these rumors?"

"Rumors? I just asked Miss Hongxiao and she said that the Summer Red Plum is very expensive. With the temperament of their clan leader who is so careful even when re-carving the Cold Formation, why would he waste money on this?
"She said that there are not only summer plum trees, but also more winter plum trees. She also said that the snake tribe did not have the habit of planting plum trees, and it was the tribe leader who ordered the snake tribe to change its appearance and plant them. Although there are few sisters who like plum trees, no one opposes the tribe leader.

"Because this was the first time the clan leader satisfied her own selfish desires, everyone could not bear to object. Later, they found that the plum blossoms were indeed extremely beautiful, and the sisters thought that the clan leader was wise, so they took the initiative to take care of them and raised them very well."

You Su had unknowingly walked to the front of the jade table and stood there. He bent down and said:
"Does the Patriarch think this is just a rumor? Or is it that the Patriarch wanted me to hear it, but I didn't hear it?"

"Mr. You is really capable. He won Sister Hongxiao's trust so quickly that she is willing to tell you about even clan matters." Ji Xueruo sat upright, in stark contrast to You Su, who was bending over and fawning.

You Su stood up straight again, not at all bothered by the girl's sarcasm. He knew that the more Miss Xueruo pretended to be angry, the more she was afraid that he would continue.

"I miss the plum blossoms and the flowers miss me, with love in their hearts. I get up and see the jade vase filled with clear ice. What do you think of these words, Miss Xueruo?" The young man smiled maliciously, and unknowingly, he had changed the way he addressed the girl in front of him from Patriarch to Miss Xueruo.

As soon as these words came out, Ji Xueruo suddenly raised her head and met his clear gaze. Ji Xueruo, who had been confronting him at first, seemed to have lost her confidence. Although she was still pretending to be calm, her evasive eyes revealed the answer.

She did fall in love with plum blossoms because of the poem You Su gave her in a letter, and decided to plant plum blossoms in the snake tribe.

Even if her thoughts were seen through, it would be impossible for her to admit it to You Su in person.

"You..." Her throat tightened, and she began to refute subconsciously before she could think of the words to refute.

"I owe you an apology."

You Su suddenly lowered his head, his voice as light as falling snow, and he blocked the girl's words that were hurtful to others and himself.

"Why are you apologizing to me?" Ji Xueruo unconsciously tightened the jade slip in her hand.

"Before we parted in the South Sea, Miss Xueruo and I agreed to meet again in Zhongzhou. I did not keep our promise, and it was half a year later when we met again. We met again in Japan, so I should apologize."

"It's just a casual agreement. You don't have to worry about it." The girl tilted her head and poured tea by herself.

You Su was slightly stunned when he heard this, and continued, "I apologize for leaving Miss Xueruo alone in Zhongyuan and disappearing without saying anything."

The girl's action of pouring tea paused, and You Su knew that he had finally reached the key point in his apology.

Recalling the scene of that day, the girl had just escaped death with him, and after killing her cruel ancestor, she showed him a rare bit of tenderness and asked him if he was powerful, and then fell asleep in his arms. What was she thinking at that time?

Maybe she was thinking about the situation where she was almost certain to die, but only You Su was fighting side by side with her; maybe she was thinking about the boy who could have left on his own, but had to turn back to save her...

But no matter what she was thinking, at that moment, the only person in her world was You Su. The clan's righteousness and her mother's blood feud could no longer overwhelm her affection for this person who had shared weal and woe.

Then just fall asleep in his arms. Anyway... when you wake up, he will definitely still be by your side...

But things went against her wishes. When the girl woke up, she found that he was gone. She even received the bad news that he might be dead.

This was undoubtedly a heavy blow to Ji Xueruo. She and You Su had experienced all the ups and downs on that fairy island together. However, she was the only one who saw the sun rise after the storm, not the young man who risked his life to save her.

A huge amount of self-blame and regret swept over her. At that time, she felt more distraught than anyone else. She has not been able to recover from the huge gap until now.

"You didn't do anything wrong, you don't have to apologize to me." Her voice was calm, but the tea in the cup created tiny ripples.

She really didn't think You Su did anything wrong, she was the one who did something wrong.

If she was not prepared to open her heart to You Su, if she did not regard You Su as so important, then how could she feel so sad about his leaving?
This girl, who had always put responsibility, hatred, and family above her personal emotions, finally made up her mind to follow her heart for once, but was hit hard on the head and almost fainted.

She was like a hedgehog whose soft belly was stepped on, and all its dormant spikes instantly stood up. The person who caused her pain became even more difficult to approach.

Because - she didn't want to make the same mistake again, she didn't want to experience this kind of heartache again.

When the bronze door of the council hall closed behind him, You Su's fingertips still felt the coolness of Ji Xueruo's sleeve.

Her last words, "The clan is busy with affairs of state, please go back, Mr. You," were like a piece of thin ice, freezing his unspoken guilt and longing in his throat.

The sun was scorching, but You Su was so chilled that he couldn't feel the heat and just walked alone along the bluestone road.

The news that You Su could transform the ice room for the snake tribe and even had the method of making ice had spread to many snake girls. They were originally full of curiosity about this young man and expected him to bring good news, but seeing You Su's distraught look, no one dared to come forward to talk to him.

They couldn't help but wonder what the clan leader had said to make the young man so disheartened? Although they hadn't heard it with their own ears, they guessed that it must have something to do with the engagement with the young lady. Some soft-hearted little snake girls even sympathized with this infatuated man who couldn't get his love.

You Su silently returned to Ji Lingruo's courtyard. The chattering little Niansu was sent to study with Grandma Liu, and only Ji Lingruo was meditating alone in the room.

You Su did not disturb his junior sister, but just sat on the stone bench in the yard with a gloomy mood.

He felt Miss Xueruo's resistance to him. The closer he got to her, the more resistant she became, as if she was very afraid of him.

So he could only obey the order and leave. Continuing to get entangled would only backfire and make this proud girl even more distant from him.

You Su certainly knew that not all women would treat him gently, and the sharpness of Miss Xueruo was the most charming part of her, so when he came, he was prepared not to be forgiven by Miss Xueruo.

But now You Su didn’t know how to get around these sharp objects.

I was in a daze and it was already dusk.

Ji Lingruo put the lunch box aside. She had of course noticed her senior brother's abnormal behavior a long time ago, and she guessed the reason for his disappointment at a glance.

She suddenly squatted down, pinched his wrist with her fingertips and pressed it on the stone table, her palm against his trembling pulse:
"Don't hang your head. You know what kind of person my sister is..."

You Su sighed and shook his head slightly, "It's not her problem, it's my problem."

"Brother, do you know that when she took you into the tribe against all odds, she had a big fight with the elders of the tribe and even lost her position as the tribe leader?"

You Su looked up in a daze, and the girl couldn't bear it, so she continued, "In fact, it's far more than that. When I saw her, she was as distraught as a dead person, but she still had to persuade me not to be sad. She blamed herself for your possible death and promised me that she would find you. From then on, this incident seemed to have become the motivation for her to live.

"She is a hero who saved countless people on the Fairy Island. The Fairy Temple of Xingzhao Mountain extended an olive branch to her. Many monster tribes also wanted to make friends with the snake tribe, but she only wanted to find you. For this reason, she turned down many affairs, even the invitation from the Fairy Temple, and even accompanied me to Beiao, thousands of miles away, to find you. Others don't know these things, but I do."

You Su's Adam's apple rolled, and he unconsciously held his junior sister's hand tighter.

The girl looked up at him, her emerald eyes reflecting the stars in the sky. "She hid all the letters about you, and sometimes she would peek at you by lamplight late at night. So it's not that she has no feelings for you, she just hid them. Because -"

"Why?" You Su asked immediately.

"She's afraid of being soft-hearted." Ji Lingruo suddenly let go of her hand and brought the plate to You Su. "Just like when you faked your death, someone lied and claimed to have found your body, but I didn't dare to identify it. Because I was afraid that my heart would be broken if I touched it."

"Really, really?"

Ji Lingruo suddenly laughed out loud, and poked his chest with her fingertips: "If I really don't want to see you, what if I let Sister Hongxiao lead the way? What if we talk about business? Can't I just reject you decisively?"

You Su immediately grabbed her hand again, "Then what should I do?"

"Eat first. Only when you are full will you have the energy to work." Ji Lingruo pointed at the food.

You Su felt hopeful and immediately picked up the bowl and started eating.

Ji Lingruo supported her chin and tilted her head to look at him, but she felt sour in her heart. She knew of course that her senior brother was wolfing down the food, not because the food she prepared was to his taste, but because he couldn't wait to know how to make her sister not deliberately distant.

But how could You Su only have Ji Xueruo in his heart? He put down his bowl and folded the girl's soft hands in his hands, as if they were hard-earned treasures.

"Thank you, Junior Sister."

At this moment, You Su felt that his junior sister was better than the moon in the sky.

He used his fingertips to stroke the thin calluses on her palms - those were the marks from sword practice, and also the marks of her running around for him for half a year.

"Silly brother, my hands are hurt by you."

Ji Lingruo pretended to be angry, but let him hold her hand, with her fingertips hooked into his palm.

The bitterness in her heart just now disappeared, as if it would be enough as long as her efforts could be seen by her senior brother.

"It's me……"

"Shh——" Ji Lingruo suddenly stood on tiptoe, pressed her fingertips on his lips, and the sweet fragrance of her hair mixed with wormwood blew towards him.

"I know what you want to say. If possible, I certainly hope that you and my sister will be innocent. But now that things have come to this, I know best how my sister feels about you, and you haven't hidden your feelings for her from me. How can I bear to see the two most important people to me end up missing each other and regretting their lives?"

You Su looked at Ji Lingruo's hair that was messed up by the evening breeze. His throat seemed to be stuffed with a ball of cotton wool soaked in warm water, and even the words of thanks became heavy.

He never thought that during the six months when he was in doubt about his life or death, the girl in front of him had grown a lot. He was determined to make these two women happy for the rest of their lives, only in this way could he be worthy of their love.

"Then...what should I do?"

"Sister has been burdened with too much since she was young, and has many more shackles on her body than I do. You almost opened these shackles, but unfortunately you lost the key. But fortunately, you still have the last key."

"Keys? Where are they?"

The girl suddenly came closer, her face turning red without her knowing. She lightly touched You Su's chest with her jade finger, then slowly moved it down and whispered in his ear.

You Su subconsciously held her rebellious hand, and then he understood what his junior sister meant by "you need to be full to have the energy to do it."

(End of this chapter)