Am I the old man who's always by my apprentices' side?

Chapter 362 Miss Lin, if you're sick, you need treatment; you can't stop taking your medicine.
Since Lin Fengxian settled down at the White Stone Immortal Sect, life on the mountain has become peaceful again.

Lin Fengxian stood by the window, looking at the paper puppet in the courtyard that was moving somewhat sluggishly. A hint of annoyance flashed in her eyes, but she quickly returned to calm.

She looked down into the overly calm, dark eyes of the baby in her arms and whispered:

“Master, although this paper puppet is rigid, it is still a divine technique, working day and night. If I try to go out, I will surely be detected…”

"Moreover, that Murong Ruyan is clearly not someone to be trifled with; she's probably been secretly keeping an eye on things for a while now..."

The baby's lips moved almost imperceptibly, and an aged voice, tinged with impatience and coldness, whispered: "...Patience...Ye...Trust..."

"This disciple understands. Gaining Ye Shuyun's trust is of course the first step."

A calculating glint flashed in Lin Fengxian's eyes, and she curled her lips into a smile: "He's soft-hearted and values ​​relationships. He probably feels great pity for me, his 'cousin in distress,' but that Murong Ruyan is truly hateful..."

"...being alone..."

"Yes, Master."

After Lin Fengxian responded, her gaze returned to the window, landing on the Lingxiao Palace and the towering Pagoda that could be vaguely seen in the distance, as if she were lost in thought.

In the following days, Lin Fengxian behaved unusually well and obediently.

She spent most of her time in the guest house, either holding her child and humming softly, or sitting by the window doing some simple needlework. Only very occasionally would she take a walk on the path near the guest house, accompanied by Bi'er, a maid sent by Murong Ruyan, but she would never step out of the way, and would not even leave the guest house area.

She was extremely polite to Bi'er, always asking about "interesting stories" about the White Stone Immortal Sect. Her words were full of longing and awe for the life of immortals, perfectly portraying the image of a weak, curious, and polite young lady in distress.

Bi'er was a maid specially transferred by Murong Ruyan from the villa at the foot of the mountain. She originally did odd jobs in the villa and had hardly ever seen Murong Ruyan.

Having finally gotten such a rare opportunity to make a contribution, Bi'er naturally reported all of Lin Fengxian's actions to Murong Ruyan without fail every day, eager to do everything in her power to show off.

“Princess, Miss Lin has been quite well-behaved these past few days, but I always feel… she’s a little too quiet…”

"Moreover, she seemed to care a lot about Young Master Ye, and would always ask him about his preferences and daily whereabouts in a roundabout way."

As Murong Ruyan listened, she fiddled with a spirit stone and sneered, "No matter how well a fox hides its tail, it will eventually show. Keep an eye on it, especially pay attention to any contact between her and Third Junior Brother."

She didn't believe that this woman was only trying to seduce Ye Shuyun!

……

The opportunity will come soon.

As a cousin who was indeed related to Lin Fengxian by blood, and since she seemed to be just a weak woman, Ye Shuyun naturally felt a sense of responsibility. So she hurriedly prepared for a few days and specially brought some daily necessities and a few sets of baby clothes to visit the guest house.

When he arrived outside the courtyard, he saw Lin Fengxian sitting alone on a stone bench in the courtyard, holding a baby in her arms, her head down, her shoulders trembling slightly, as if she was crying softly.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting a shadow on her slender figure, making her appear exceptionally lonely and pitiful.

Ye Shuyun paused, sighed softly, and called out gently, "Cousin?"

Lin Fengxian looked up as if startled, revealing a face streaked with tears. She hurriedly wiped away her tears with her sleeve and forced a smile: "Cousin...cousin? What brings you here?"

"I've come to see you and the child."

Ye Shuyun placed what she was carrying on the stone table and asked with concern, "Have you encountered any difficulties?"

Lin Fengxian's eyes flickered, she lowered her head, and her voice choked with emotion: "No...it's nothing, it's just...it's just that I was thinking about some things from the past, and I felt sad. I'm sorry to have made you laugh, cousin."

"She's gone now, cousin, you should think more about the future."

Ye Shuyun sighed again, sat down on the stone bench opposite her, and said gently, "Cousin, since you're here, make the best of it. Let bygones be bygones."

“Bao’er will eventually grow up, and by then, I’m afraid martial arts will decline, so there’s really no need to send him to practice martial arts.”

"However, the White Stone Immortal Sect is quite strict in accepting disciples. If you have difficulty passing the Immortal Fate Conference, you might as well consider the Heavenly Mystery Sect and the Taiyue Sword Sect. I can speak on behalf of these two sects, so you can rest assured, cousin."

"cousin……"

Lin Fengxian raised her tear-filled eyes and looked at Ye Shuyun with gratitude, her eyes filled with vulnerability and dependence: "Xian'er understands... but sometimes, in the quiet of the night, when I think of my own drifting life, and Bao'er still an infant, not knowing what the future holds, I feel unbearably anxious..."

As she spoke, the baby in her arms let out a few soft whimpers and seemed to wriggle restlessly.

Lin Fengxian quickly patted him gently, her face full of maternal tenderness and worry. Then, she seemed to hesitate for a moment before pleading softly, "Bao'er hasn't been sleeping well at night lately. I'm afraid it's because he's not used to the new place..."

"I've heard that the land of immortals is rich in spiritual energy. If we could obtain some calming items, it might be beneficial to the child..."

"I dare not ask for elixirs or miraculous medicines, I only ask for some ordinary calming herbs..."

Seeing Lin Fengxian's attitude, Ye Shuyun had no suspicions and replied, "Actually, even if it is a miraculous elixir, it can mostly be purchased with spirit stones, so it is not difficult to obtain. However, most of the spiritual medicines in the sect are for treating internal and external injuries, which may not be suitable for Bao'er."

After a moment of contemplation, he added, "However, there are quite a few calming herbs planted on Spirit Medicine Peak. I'll ask Junior Sister Zhong Hui later to ask for some mild and harmless ones to send to you."

"Really? Thank you, cousin!"

A delighted smile immediately bloomed on Lin Fengxian's face. Holding the child, she stood up to bow to Ye Shuyun.

She even tilted her head slightly, revealing her slender, fair neck at a perfect angle, making her look exceptionally beautiful.

"No need for such formalities, cousin."

Ye Shuyun quickly offered a helping hand, thinking to herself that after so many years, she had no idea how much her cousin had suffered, and that she was acting so cautiously. She sighed inwardly.

Just then, Lin Fengxian seemed to have stumbled slightly because she got up too quickly, and cried out in surprise as she fell forward while holding the child!
Ye Shuyun reacted quickly, instinctively stepping forward and supporting her arm with one hand while protecting the baby in her arms with the other.

The two were instantly closer. Lin Fengxian's faint fragrance lingered around Ye Shuyun's nose. Still shaken, she leaned against Ye Shuyun's arm, raising her pale face with tears still clinging to her eyelashes, looking pitiful.

"Cousin...cousin..."

Her voice trembled slightly, tinged with shyness.

After helping Lin Fengxian to her feet, Ye Shuyun quickly let go of her hand, took a half step back to maintain distance, and said in a gentle tone, but with a hint of aloofness: "Cousin, be careful."

Lin Fengxian steadied herself, lowered her eyes, and blushed slightly. She said softly, "Thank you, cousin."

This scene was naturally witnessed by Bi'er, who was guarding outside the door.

In fact, Lin Fengxian was a clever woman. Knowing that she couldn't avoid being seen when she met Ye Shuyun, she decided to openly have her "eyes and ears" guarding the courtyard gate.

Ever since she heard that Ye Shuyun had asked the sect's embroiderers to sew clothes for the baby, she made excuses every day that she wanted to be alone and had Bi'er guard the courtyard gate.

Ye Shuyun is a thoughtful person and would never bother him too early or too late; she would only come in the morning or afternoon.

So all I need to do is pretend to be sad every morning and afternoon.

As for what happened next, he wasn't worried about Bi'er seeing it. At least his words and actions hadn't gone too far.

Just as Bi'er's gaze was about to turn into a knife and shoot at Lin Fengxian, Ye Shuyun finally gave a few last words and then took his leave, citing the many affairs of the sect.

After he left, Lin Fengxian remained as gentle and kind as ever, as if her fall and being discovered crying were just accidents.

Under Bi'er's probing and distrustful gaze, Lin Fengxian carefully carried the child back into the house and gently closed the door.

Only after carrying Bao'er to the bed and touching a black jade pendant on the baby's body did the shyness on her face quickly fade.

A flash of light appeared on the jade pendant, and Lin Fengxian lowered her head and said in a low voice, "Master, did you see that? He is very soft-hearted. This is a good start."

The baby stared at her with its dark eyes, without any reaction.

……

Meanwhile, Bi'er took a break and hurriedly ran to Murong Ruyan's usual spot, reporting everything she had just seen and heard to Murong Ruyan.

"Princess, Lin Fengxian is no good person! She clearly deliberately fell down to take the opportunity to get close to Young Master Ye!"

Bi'er spoke with great force, but Murong Ruyan remained expressionless and didn't even lift her eyelids.

A lovestruck woman seduces her childhood sweetheart cousin?
No one would believe that kind of nonsense!

In the sect's library, novels with this kind of plot are completely ignored and nobody reads them!
She glanced at the excited Bi'er and asked calmly, "Anything else?"

This is asking if there's any other news worth mentioning.

"Yes, yes!" Bi'er quickly said, "Lin Fengxian also asked Young Master Ye to help her get some spiritual herbs and medicines!"

"Ah."

Murong Ruyan nodded slightly without saying a word.

Just as Bi'er was feeling a little uneasy, Murong Ruyan waved her hand and said, "Alright, you did a good job. Go back and keep an eye on things."

"The slaves obey."

After sending Bi'er away, Murong Ruyan began to pace back and forth.

She wasn't afraid that Lin Fengxian had ulterior motives, but she was indeed a little anxious because the other party was too patient.

The key point is that Ye Shuyun is only a bit more handsome and smarter than his senior brother, but his cultivation is really ordinary. What exactly does Lin Fengxian want to do by getting close to him?
Surely we can't just find someone to take over the business, can we?

The more she thought about it, the more confused she became. Murong Ruyan decided to let it go and simply have someone keep an eye on Lin Fengxian.

However, soon after, Lin Fengxian made another unusual move.

"Hehehe, Miss Lin must be my third junior brother's cousin! It's a pleasure to meet you!"

When Chang Pingan came to the market to buy some daily necessities, he happened to run into Lin Fengxian.

Chang Ping'an didn't recognize Lin Fengxian, but not only did she have a very special temperament, she was also holding a baby, which made it hard not to notice her.

Besides, he had heard some rumors a few days ago, and knew that a woman holding a baby had sought refuge with his third junior brother Ye Shuyun. Now that they were paired up, how could they not match up?

So the first thing he did was to smile sheepishly and take the initiative to greet them.

Lin Fengxian, accompanied by Bi'er, was walking slowly along the edge of the market, seemingly both curious and hesitant to approach the items that emitted a faint spiritual light.

Upon hearing Chang Ping'an's voice, she trembled slightly like a startled deer, turned around while holding the child, and upon seeing Chang Ping'an, a hint of fear and doubt appeared in her eyes.

"And who...this immortal is?"

Her voice was soft, even deliberately sounding somewhat delicate.

Bi'er quickly introduced in a low voice, "Miss Lin, this is Senior Brother Chang Ping'an, the eldest brother of Young Master Ye Qi."

Lin Fengxian's face immediately showed realization and a touch of just the right amount of respect. She slightly curtsied and said, "So it's Senior Brother Chang. I'm sorry for being rude. Senior Brother Chang, you can just call me Xian'er."

"Oh, Miss Lin, there's no need for such formalities!"

Chang Pingan waved his hand with a hearty smile, but what he said left Lin Fengxian speechless—

"But your voice doesn't sound right! Did you eat something that upset your throat? Or did you catch a cold? It sounds like a quail's call, so soft and thin. Should I get you some medicine? Miss Lin, let me tell you, if you're sick, you have to get treatment. You can't be afraid to see a doctor!"

At this point, he patted his chest and said, "Of course, if you need anything, just tell me, or tell Shuyun, it doesn't matter. Just don't be shy!"

His words were simple and sincere, revealing genuine concern.

Lin Fengxian couldn't help but grind her back teeth secretly, but her excellent acting skills quickly brought a touch of emotion to her eyes, and she said softly, "Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother Chang. Cousin... Cousin treats Xian'er very well, everything is fine. Xian'er, Xian'er is just... um, I haven't been drinking enough water, my throat is a little dry, cough cough..."

As Lin Fengxian spoke, she deliberately coughed a few times before adjusting her tone of voice.

"That's good, that's good! Anyway, you absolutely must get treatment if you're sick! Don't be shy!"

Seeing that Lin Fengxian didn't seem to be in any trouble, Chang Ping'an nodded in satisfaction and then looked at the baby in her arms.

The child was staring at him with wide, dark eyes, neither crying nor making a fuss, unusually quiet.

"Is this Bao'er? He's so handsome, he looks like a lucky person!"

Chang Ping'an reached out to tease the child, but the baby just stared at him quietly without any reaction.

Chang Ping'an's hand froze in mid-air, and he scratched his head somewhat awkwardly: "Hehe, this kid is quite shy around strangers!"

Lin Fengxian quickly explained, "Bao'er is a bit quiet, perhaps because she's shy. Please don't be offended, Senior Brother Chang."

She gently shook the child in her arms, trying to hide her momentary unease.

"No, no, it's not surprising!"

Chang Ping'an didn't mind at all and asked enthusiastically, "Miss Lin, what are you looking for at the market? Do you have enough spirit stones? I've saved up quite a few spirit stones here. If you need anything, Miss Lin, I'll buy it for you!"

Before Lin Fengxian could even reply, he started rambling on again: "Hey, I should buy you some medicine! Your voice sounds so strange! Even stranger than my second junior sister's! You must be injured! If you're injured, you should say so, you absolutely have to take medicine! I know a kind of medicine for soothing the throat, I even bought it for my second junior sister! It worked really well, she was back to normal after just one day! Why don't you try it too! If it doesn't work, just keep taking it, in short, Miss Lin, you can't stop taking your medicine!"

"No, no need, Senior Brother Chang."

Lin Fengxian quickly waved her hand, a crack appearing on her beautiful and delicate face: "Xian'er really just has a dry throat, no need for medicine, really no need!"

(End of this chapter)