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

Lu Xueqi was practicing her sword in the open space behind her house.

The azure light of the Tianya Divine Sword flowed like autumn water, and the moon-white sword tassel swayed gently with her movements.

But her mind was wandering.

Halfway through a sword move, the sword tip veered off course and pierced through an innocent bamboo stalk nearby.

She frowned, sheathed her sword, and stood still.

Lately, I've been a bit distracted while practicing swordsmanship.

A figure would occasionally pop into his mind: a lazy smile, a crookedly woven sword tassel, and... the blank look in his eyes when he received the jade pendant on the Rainbow Bridge.

I've been counting, and it seems like it's been seven or eight days since I last saw him.

When was the last time you gave a sword tassel?

Did he... oversleep again?

Or did they run off to some quiet corner in the back mountains to find peace and quiet?

Just then, Wenmin's smiling voice came from behind me.

"Practicing swordsmanship? What are you thinking about? You're so engrossed that you're ruining the bamboo."

Lu Xueqi was startled, quickly composed herself, turned around, and smiled at Wen Min.

"Senior sister."

Wenmin walked over and handed her the things.

"Here, Junior Brother Jiang asked me to bring this."

Lu Xueqi's eyes lit up slightly as she glanced behind Wen Min.

No one is empty.

"...And him?"

She took the items; it was a small brocade pouch, inside which was something hard, like a jade bracelet, and a box of... maltose?

Wenmin laughed and said, "He ran away, saying he was afraid of seeing Master, like a mouse seeing a cat. This jade bracelet is for you, and the malt candy... he said it's for you too."

Lu Xueqi held the brocade pouch and the candy box without saying a word.

His fingers unconsciously caressed the rough fabric of the brocade pouch.

"I'm leaving now, I won't bother you... Hmm, have some candy."

Wenmin smiled, waved, and turned to leave.

Lu Xueqi stood alone for a while before entering the bamboo hut.

Close the door, open the brocade pouch, inside is a green jade bracelet, simple in design, with a warm and lustrous texture.

She picked it up, looked at it against the light from the window, and then slowly slipped it onto her left wrist. The size... was just right.

She opened the box of maltose again, picked up a piece, and put it in her mouth.

The sweetness melts on the tip of the tongue, spreading all the way to the heart.

So sweet, as sweet as ever.

She chewed gently, her other hand unconsciously stroking the jade bracelet on her wrist, and the corners of her lips involuntarily curved into a smile.

Not far away, behind a grove of bamboo, Shuiyue stood quietly, her gaze falling through the gaps in the bamboo leaves onto the faintly smiling profile of the bamboo house.

She looked at it for a moment, her face expressionless, then turned and left quietly.

……

Bamboo forest on the back mountain of Dazhu Peak.

Jiang Xiaochuan was squatting by the stream, holding a flat stone in his hand, aiming at the water and skipping it across the surface.

The stone bounced a few times before sinking.

He clapped his hands, a little smug, and turned his head to see a patch of light blue standing quietly at the end of the bamboo path in the distance.

It's Lu Xueqi.

She wasn't wearing that moon-white Taoist robe today; she was just wearing a simple light blue dress, her hair tied up with a plain hairpin, with a few stray strands clinging to her fair neck.

She seemed to be holding something in her hand, behind her back.

Jiang Xiaochuan's heart skipped a beat.

Almost simultaneously, that cold thing in my chest...

Boom!

Boom boom boom!

He quickly took a deep breath, trying to suppress the noise, but it was no use.

The heartbeat seemed to have identified its target and was jumping around with abandon.

Lu Xueqi walked over and stopped a few steps away from him. Her gaze fell on his face, then quickly looked away.

"Senior Brother Jiang," she said, her voice still clear and melodious.

Jiang Xiaochuan tugged at the corners of his mouth, trying to smile, but his heart was pounding so hard that his smile was somewhat forced.

"Senior Sister Lu... what brings you here?"

His gaze swept over her left wrist, where the jade bracelet sat securely, making her wrist appear even whiter and more slender.

The deep blue tassel on the hilt of the Tianya sword fluttered in the wind.

Lu Xueqi didn't answer, but simply took her hands out from behind her back.

In the open palm was a plain white brocade pouch, which looked very exquisite.

"Here you go." She handed over the brocade pouch.

Jiang Xiaochuan paused for a moment, then didn't answer.

My heart is still pounding wildly, and my mind is a bit of a mess.

"What... is this now?"

"Candy." Lu Xueqi said succinctly, extending her hand forward again.

I made it myself.

Jiang Xiaochuan looked at her. Her face was expressionless, her eyes were fixed on him, and she was holding up the brocade pouch with unwavering determination.

His throat felt a little dry, and that strange feeling in his heart resurfaced.

"Senior Sister Lu, you don't need to keep returning the courtesy."

"The jade bracelet from last time, the sword tassel from before, and... those things I gave you weren't meant for you to give back."

Lu Xueqi's hand, holding the brocade pouch, froze in mid-air. She neither retracted it nor spoke.

Just looking at him, something seemed to flash across his clear, cold eyes, then quickly disappeared.

She pursed her lips, lowered her eyes, and her long eyelashes concealed the emotions in them.

The surroundings suddenly became quiet, with only the rustling of bamboo leaves and the frantic bead pounding in Jiang Xiaochuan's chest.

Thump, thump. The noise was driving him crazy.

He looked at Lu Xueqi's lowered profile, the lines of which were taut.

He suddenly realized that what he had just said seemed... a little off.

Was I too harsh? Did I hurt her feelings?

He panicked a little and frantically pulled something out of his pocket.

It was a light blue sword tassel, which he had just made a few days ago.

He handed it over, trying to salvage the situation.

"Here, this... is for you. Shouldn't you replace the one from last time?"

Lu Xueqi looked up, her gaze falling on the light blue sword tassel. After a few seconds, she reached out and took it. Her fingertips accidentally brushed against his palm.

She gripped the sword tassel, her fingers twirling the tassel, looked at him, and uttered a single word:

"ugly."

Jiang Xiaochuan: "..."

Okay, it's still this word.

He was already used to it and couldn't even be bothered to argue. He just sighed helplessly, "Fine, fine, it's ugly, ugly, ugly. Next time, next time I'll definitely make something better."

Lu Xueqi didn't reply. She just lowered her head, started to untie the old tassel from the hilt of the Tianya sword, put it in her bosom, and then put on a new one.

After doing all that, she didn't leave; she just stood there, looking at Jiang Xiaochuan.

Jiang Xiaochuan felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze and touched his nose. "Um... Senior Sister Lu, is there anything else?"

Lu Xueqi paused for a moment, then turned her gaze to the depths of the bamboo forest, her voice soft, carrying a hint of...probing?

"Come for a walk with me."

"Huh?" Jiang Xiaochuan didn't react.

Lu Xueqi added: "Dazhu Peak."

Her gaze shifted to his face. "I haven't really looked at him properly yet."

Jiang Xiaochuan was even more puzzled. Wasn't the scenery at Xiaozhu Peak beautiful? It was serene and elegant, shrouded in mist, much better than Dazhu Peak, wasn't it?

Or perhaps... she's simply tired of Xiaozhu Peak and wants to explore somewhere else?

He hesitated for a moment; logically, he should refuse. Cultivation, well, even though his body was absorbing spiritual energy on its own, he still had to prepare for the Seven Meridians Martial Arts Tournament. He didn't have time to go sightseeing with others.

Can……

He stole a glance at Lu Xueqi. She stood in the bamboo shadows, her light blue dress fluttering gently in the wind. Her profile was unrealistically beautiful in the halo of light, and sunlight danced on her hair. She was aloof and cool, yet seemed to be shrouded in a hazy light.

...It's really beautiful.