Transmigrating into the world of Jade Dynasty, I was targeted by the female lead in a reverse romanc

Lu Xueqi was stunned again when she saw him looking so anxious that he was about to cry.

This fool… The bitterness and sadness that had risen in her heart because of thinking of Biyao was suddenly dispelled by his silly appearance, and she even felt like laughing.

Why was he panicking? Was he afraid she'd be angry? Or was he afraid she... might misunderstand and think he had ulterior motives?

Her lips twitched, and she couldn't hold back any longer; a faint but clear smile spread from her eyes to her lips.

Jiang Xiaochuan was immersed in the abyss of self-criticism when he suddenly saw her smile, and he was immediately stunned.

Laugh? What's so funny? Do you find his appearance ridiculous? Comical?

Wait... Lu Xueqi isn't the type to laugh at someone's embarrassment, so what is she laughing at?

Seeing him freeze, Lu Xueqi realized she had smiled, and the heat on her face returned a little.

She coughed softly twice to cover up her momentary lapse in composure, then threw back the covers and got out of bed.

"Get up first. Go... change your clothes, wash up, it's time for breakfast."

Her gaze swept almost imperceptibly over a spot on his trousers before quickly shifting away.

Jiang Xiaochuan followed her gaze and looked down. His face flushed red instantly. He hurriedly pulled the blanket over himself, burying his head low as if he wanted to disappear into a crack in the ground.

"I...I have my own clothes! I'll change! I'll change right away!"

He practically rolled off the bed, his back to Lu Xueqi, and frantically pulled a clean set of black disciple's uniform from his storage space, hastily putting it on.

Lu Xueqi had already walked behind the screen and quietly changed into her moon-white casual clothes, simply tying her hair up and securing it with a white jade hairpin.

When she came out, she saw that Jiang Xiaochuan was already dressed, but his belt was tied crookedly and his hair was messy. She walked over and naturally reached out to tidy him up.

"I'll do it myself! I'll do it myself!" Jiang Xiaochuan jumped away like a startled rabbit, his face still red, his hands frantically fiddling with his clothes and hair.

Lu Xueqi's hand stopped in mid-air. She glanced at him, but didn't insist. She simply walked to the door and opened the bamboo hut door.

The cool breeze carrying the refreshing scent of bamboo leaves blew in the morning, dispelling the ambiguous and awkward atmosphere that had been brewing in the room all night.

"Let's go."

Jiang Xiaochuan lowered his head and followed half a step behind her, like a child who had made a mistake and was being led by his parents to apologize.

As he reached the door, he suddenly remembered something, stopped in his tracks, and hesitantly asked, "Um... Xueqi, wasn't Master Shuiyue... supposed to see me?"

He finally regained some of his senses from the shock of the morning and remembered why he had spent the night there.

Lu Xueqi's back stiffened almost imperceptibly.

She didn't turn around, gazing at the verdant bamboo grove outside the door. After a moment of silence, she spoke in her usual calm tone:

"Master... perhaps something came up and delayed you." She paused, as if thinking or organizing her thoughts, and lowered her voice.

"Actually... Master only said that if you want to come and sit for a while, you can come anytime. It doesn't mean that I have to see you today."

Jiang Xiaochuan: "...Oh."

He was a little confused. Master Shuiyue had only said "you can come and sit for a while," not "I want to see you today."

Did Lu Xueqi misunderstand yesterday?

Or... He shook his head, not daring to think about it further.

Oh well, I'm already here, and I've already slept (though I slept with a heart pounding in my chest), so there's no point in thinking about it now.

The two walked silently, one after the other, toward the bamboo pavilion where the disciples of Xiaozhu Peak were having their meals.

On the way, they encountered several female disciples of Xiaozhu Peak who were practicing swordsmanship or doing morning lessons. When they saw them, they were all stunned for a moment, and their expressions became somewhat subtle, but they quickly returned to normal and bowed.

Good morning, Senior Sister Lu.

Good morning, Junior Brother Jiang.

His voice was normal, but the curiosity and inquiry in his eyes were impossible to hide, swirling between the two of them.

Jiang Xiaochuan felt a chill run down his spine. He forced himself to return the greetings one by one, his face burning with embarrassment. He lowered his head even further. Lu Xueqi, on the other hand, remained composed, nodding slightly with a cool and composed expression. However, the faint blush on her ears betrayed a hint of something different.

Entering the bamboo pavilion where we were dining, we found that quite a few people were already seated inside.

Wen Min was also there. When she saw them come in, her gaze swept over Jiang Xiaochuan's flushed face and Lu Xueqi's calm but reddened ears. A knowing look flashed in her eyes, which then turned into a gentle smile. She nodded to Jiang Xiaochuan.

Most of the other female disciples were the same; they were curious but restrained, and each ate their meals quietly.

Jiang Xiaochuan wished he could shrink himself into a ball.

He followed Lu Xueqi closely and sat down next to her usual spot—which was clearly reserved for him, as it was empty.

He picked up his chopsticks, almost burying his head in the bowl, mechanically picking at the congee and side dishes, without tasting a thing.

Lu Xueqi seemed a little uncomfortable at first, but seeing his ostrich-like appearance, her unease gradually dissipated.

She sipped her porridge slowly, occasionally picking up a piece of the vegetarian dish in front of her with her chopsticks. Her movements were refined, but her gaze would always unconsciously drift toward the head next to her that was almost buried in the bowl.

Master Shuiyue sat at the head of the table, leisurely eating her breakfast. Her gaze swept lightly over the two people in the corner, lingering for a moment on Jiang Xiaochuan's flushed ears and Lu Xueqi's unconsciously softened profile. She said nothing and continued to drink her porridge.

The fingers holding the chopsticks tapped the tabletop almost imperceptibly.

Breakfast was eaten in an eerie and subtle silence, with only the slight clinking of bowls and chopsticks and the faint chirping of birds outside the bamboo window.

After putting down her chopsticks, Shuiyue stood up. As she passed Jiang Xiaochuan, she slowed her pace slightly, paused her gaze on him for a moment, and said very casually, "You... are not bad." Then, she walked away leisurely.

Jiang Xiaochuan looked up blankly, only to see Shuiyue's pale white robe disappear at the entrance of the bamboo pavilion.

Not bad? What do you mean by not bad? Does it mean he performed well in the Qingyun Defense War? Or... something else? He was completely baffled.

A few suppressed laughs rang out around them, and the female disciples exchanged glances and whispered among themselves.

Lu Xueqi's ears turned a little redder, but her face remained aloof. She simply reached out and gently tugged at Jiang Xiaochuan's sleeve.

"Have you finished eating? Let's go back now."

"Oh, okay." Jiang Xiaochuan felt like he had been granted a pardon. He quickly got up, nodded haphazardly to Wen Min and the other female disciples, and followed Lu Xueqi out of the bamboo pavilion.

Stepping outside, the cool morning breeze carrying the scent of bamboo helped Jiang Xiaochuan feel the heat on his face subside.

He scratched his head and said to Lu Xueqi, "Um... I should go back to Dazhu Peak. Hmm... the porridge this morning wasn't as good as yours."

To be honest, the food at Xiaozhufeng was bland, but compared to Lu Xueqi's cooking, it always felt like it lacked something indescribable.

Lu Xueqi smiled slightly but didn't say anything.

Just then, the sky suddenly darkened. The bright morning light was obscured by dark clouds that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, and the wind changed, carrying moisture and coolness, making the bamboo forest rustle.

"It's going to rain." Lu Xueqi looked up at the sky.

Before the words were even finished, large raindrops began to pelt down, initially sparse, but soon forming lines and a dense curtain of rain.

The bamboo leaves rustled as they were tapped, and small puddles of water quickly formed on the ground.

Jiang Xiaochuan cursed under his breath. This damned fate was deliberately working against him. He hadn't brought an umbrella, and the rain wasn't going to stop anytime soon. He was hesitating whether to brave the rain and go back or wait for it to lessen when suddenly the sky brightened, a blinding bolt of lightning tore through the dark clouds, and then—

"BOOM!!!"

A thunderclap seemed to explode right overhead, making people's eardrums buzz.

Jiang Xiaochuan trembled with fright, his neck instinctively shrank back, and his face turned pale.

A thought inexplicably flashed through his mind: They say scumbags get struck by lightning... Biyao... Tian Ling'er... Lu Xueqi... Does he count? Is God going to take him away?

A slightly cool hand suddenly reached out and grasped his hand, which was trembling slightly from fright. It was Lu Xueqi. Her hand was steady and had a reassuring strength.

"The rain is too heavy, and there's thunder too." Lu Xueqi held his hand, turned to look at him, her eyes calm, yet carrying an undeniable air of authority. "Let's go back to the bamboo hut to avoid the rain."

"No, no need..." Jiang Xiaochuan tried to pull his hand away, but couldn't. Looking at Lu Xueqi's beautiful face, which was so close to his and slightly damp with rain, his heart skipped a beat.

He suddenly and shamelessly admitted that he was indeed lustful. Looking at this face, the face he had liked countless times in his memory, the face that was now vividly in front of him, he couldn't bring himself to refuse it more forcefully.

Moreover, the rain was really heavy, and the thunder was rumbling, which was quite frightening.

Seeing his hesitation, Lu Xueqi tightened her grip slightly, took his hand, and turned to walk towards the bamboo hut.

"Let's go."

Jiang Xiaochuan, led by her hand, stumbled along behind. The rain pelted them, quickly soaking their shoulders. Lu Xueqi's moon-white dress clung to her body, outlining her slender yet upright figure. Jiang Xiaochuan looked at her back, then at their clasped hands, his mind a jumbled mess. In the end, he resigned himself to his fate and thought:

Oh well, it's not like it's the first time anyway.