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

In the days that followed, Lu Xueqi did exactly as she had predicted, sticking by Jiang Xiaochuan's side like a shadow.

Jiang Xiaochuan initially tried to "chase" her away.

Say "I'm really okay".

"Go and cultivate."

"It's time for you, Master Shuiyue, to say something."

Lu Xueqi just shook her head and didn't say anything, continuing to do what she was doing. Jiang Xiaochuan had no choice but to let her be.

Tian Ling'er still comes every day, bringing food that Zhang Xiaofan has made.

Lu Xueqi also prepares three meals a day.

Jiang Xiaochuan was caught in the middle, torn between two options, so he had no choice but to eat from both sides, and then patted his round belly in worry.

Zhang Xiaofan often came to visit him, and each time he would bring some food he had just come up with. Sometimes it was a plate of freshly pickled radishes, and sometimes it was a few pieces of baked flatbread that was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

He didn't say much; he would simply put the food down, watch Jiang Xiaochuan finish eating, and then a simple, honest smile would appear on his face.

But occasionally, when Lu Xueqi was also there, silently serving the food she had prepared, Zhang Xiaofan's smile would fade, and a barely perceptible hint of... disappointment? And a faint, subtle rivalry?

Jiang Xiaochuan noticed and was somewhat amused and exasperated. Why were these two competing?

Once, he really missed the flavor of oily and spicy food, so he secretly asked Zhang Xiaofan to make him a bowl of minced meat noodles with chili peppers.

Zhang Xiaofan cooked with great effort, adding plenty of chili peppers, resulting in a bowl of oily, bright red sauce. Jiang Xiaochuan ate it until he was covered in sweat, exclaiming how satisfying it was.

The next day, Lu Xueqi brought a small dish of seemingly bland noodles to her lunch.

The noodles were distinct and mixed with some kind of sauce. The first taste was salty and savory, followed by the rich flavor of some kind of mushroom, and finally a wonderfully spicy sensation. It was not greasy at all, but rather more appetizing.

Jiang Xiaochuan couldn't stop after taking a bite and finished the whole plate.

He looked up at Lu Xueqi. Lu Xueqi was quietly watching him eat. When she saw him looking over, she said calmly, "If you like it, that's good."

Zhang Xiaofan later tasted Lu Xueqi's plate of noodles and remained silent for a long time.

When he came again, the food he brought was more balanced between flavor and lightness.

Jiang Xiaochuan saw it all and felt a mix of amusement, emotion, and a bit of a headache.

What to do? If the two chefs keep competing like this, his stomach is going to burst first.

The other fellow apprentices were both envious and teasing about Jiang Xiaochuan's "good fortune with women".

He Dazhi would often shake his head and say, "Sixth Brother, you've got the best of both worlds," before Du Bishu would cover his mouth and drag him away.

Wu Dayi and Zheng Dali just chuckled, occasionally glancing at Lu Xueqi with a mixture of awe and curiosity.

Song Daren rarely came, and when he did, he mostly just inquired about my health, his gaze occasionally drifting towards Xiaozhu Peak, his expression absent-minded.

Only Su Ru would come to sit for a while every day.

Sometimes she would bring some homemade snacks, and sometimes she would just watch Jiang Xiaochuan drink his medicine with a gentle look in her eyes.

Tian Buyi hadn't come much, only sending his senior brothers to deliver medicine a few times. Su Ru said that he'd been going to Tongtian Peak a lot these past few days, seemingly still puzzled by Jiang Xiaochuan's experience of only losing cultivation despite withstanding heavenly lightning.

The sun was shining brightly that afternoon.

Jiang Xiaochuan leaned back in a chair by the window, holding a bundle of light blue silk thread in his hand, his fingers clumsily weaving. He was weaving a sword tassel.

In recent years, his skill in weaving sword tassels hasn't improved much; he's just been weaving more and faster.

Lu Xueqi sat opposite him, across a square table.

She wasn't reading or practicing; she was simply resting her chin on one hand, her eyes fixed on Jiang Xiaochuan's hand.

Sunlight streamed in obliquely from the window, falling on her face, her long eyelashes casting small fan-shaped shadows under her eyelids.

She watched intently, the corners of her mouth unconsciously curving upwards into a gentle arc, her eyes clear and bright, reflecting the dancing light spots.

Jiang Xiaochuan was so engrossed in weaving that he didn't notice her expression.

After finally finishing the last knot, he breathed a sigh of relief and held it up to the light to examine it.

This one seems neater than before, and the tassels are more even.

He nodded in satisfaction and handed it over: "Here, this is for you. Shouldn't you replace the old one?"

The curve of Lu Xueqi's lips vanished instantly, returning to a straight line.

She reached out and took it, examined it between her fingertips, then looked up at him and uttered two words: "Ugly."

Jiang Xiaochuan's smile froze.

Five years! Ever since he first gave her the sword tassel, she's never said a single "good"! It's always "ugly"! He's made at least eighty or a hundred by now; even if his skills are terrible, shouldn't they have improved a bit? Is she doing it on purpose?

A surge of anger welled up inside him.

He glared at her: "Ugly? You're ugly, yet you still want it every time? You're ugly, yet you change so often? Lu Xueqi, do you just like to go against me?"

His voice was a little loud, carrying a sense of grievance and annoyance that he himself was unaware of.

Lu Xueqi looked at him without saying a word.

She looked at his face, which was slightly red from anger, and at his eyes, which always carried a lazy smile, now wide open, like a cat that had been provoked.

She suddenly realized that his angry expression was... kind of cute.

She pursed her lips, her fingers unconsciously twisting the ugly sword tassel.

A few seconds later, she suddenly reached out and gently tugged at Jiang Xiaochuan's sleeve. The movement was very light, with a hint of cautious probing.

"Don't be angry," she said, her voice low and softer than usual. "I... I was just kidding."

Jiang Xiaochuan was full of anger, but her gentle pull and her softened words, "Don't be angry," dissipated most of it.

He looked at her, and she tilted her head slightly, her cool eyes clearly reflecting his image, along with a rare, almost ingratiating expression.

The anger he felt vanished instantly, leaving only a sense of helplessness and a tingling numbness.

He pulled his sleeve back, touched his nose, and said in a muffled voice, "Who's angry? I'm not angry."

Lu Xueqi noticed that the tips of his ears were a little red, and knew that he had calmed down.

A fleeting smile crossed her eyes, quickly vanishing. She lowered her head and began to untie the old tassel from the hilt of the Tianya sword.

She carefully folded the old one and tucked it into her bosom, then put on the new one. She tied it up and gently tugged at it.

He thought, oh well, so be it. As long as she likes it.

In her mind, Hong Li chuckled, "Silly boy, so easy to fool. A girl just tugs at your sleeve and says a few sweet words, and you're completely out of your depth."

Jiang Xiaochuan's face flushed, and he retorted inwardly, "Mind your own business!"

"Why should I care about you?" Hongli said lazily. "I'm just reminding you not to forget what you promised me. To repay me with your body, remember?"

Jiang Xiaochuan felt a chill run down his spine: "Sister Hongli! You don't even have a body, how can I..."

"What's the rush?" Hong Li snorted. "When the time is right, it will come naturally. Your body has been modified quite well by me and those two things, so when the time comes... hehe, it will definitely be useful."

Jiang Xiaochuan: "..."

He decided not to respond to that.

Lu Xueqi changed the sword tassel, looked up at him, and saw his face turning red and then pale. She asked curiously, "What's wrong?"

"N-nothing," Jiang Xiaochuan quickly waved his hand, "It's just... a little hot."

Lu Xueqi glanced at the bright but not scorching sunlight outside the window and remained silent.

In the evening, Lu Xueqi returned to Xiaozhu Peak.

She went into her simple bamboo hut and closed the door.

Walk to the bamboo chest of drawers against the wall and pull out the bottom drawer.

There was nothing else in the drawer except for a sword tassel.

A drawer full of colorful gifts: moon white, light blue, bamboo green, pale purple, dark blue... all given to her by Jiang Xiaochuan over the years.

Some were woven crookedly, with tassels of varying lengths; others were slightly neater, but still just so-so.

She carefully kept each one, arranging them in chronological order.

She picked up the newly woven light blue sword tassel, looked at it, and then gently placed it in the drawer with the others. The drawer was almost full.

She looked at the drawer full of ugly sword tassels that held countless memories and sentiments, and ran her fingers over them, her cold fingertips seeming to warm up a little.

She stared at it for a long time before gently closing the drawer.

Two days later, Zeng Shushu sneakily made his way up to Dazhu Peak.

He carried a small cloth bag in his arms, looked around to make sure no one was watching, and then slipped to Jiang Xiaochuan's door and knocked.

"Old Jiang! It's me, Shushu!"

Jiang Xiaochuan was leaning against the headboard, flipping through a book, when he heard this and said, "Come in."

Zeng Shushu pushed open the door and peeked around. Seeing that only Jiang Xiaochuan was there, he breathed a sigh of relief and came over with a grin: "Old Jiang, you look great! It seems that Senior Sister Lu has taken good care of you!" He winked.

Jiang Xiaochuan kicked him irritably: "Stop talking nonsense. What do you want from me?"

"Hehe, just came to see you." Zeng Shushu placed the small cloth bag in his arms on the table, opened it, and inside were several packets of candied fruit wrapped in oil paper, as well as a small jar of wine.

"Here, this is for you. The candied fruit is good for your throat, and this wine is from my father's stash; it's good for your health and helps with blood circulation."

Jiang Xiaochuan glanced at the wine jar; the mud seal was intact, and it exuded the aroma of aged wine. He smiled and said, "Thanks. I haven't thanked you for the ginseng from last time."

"We're like family!" Zeng Shushu waved his hand, rubbing his hands together, a fawning smile plastered on his face. "Um... Lao Jiang, look, I've been so good to you, shouldn't you... do something in return?"

Jiang Xiaochuan looked at him warily: "What does that mean?"

"That...beast-taming method!" Zeng Shushu's eyes lit up. "Teach me! I promise I'll never tell anyone! I'll do anything you ask!"

Jiang Xiaochuan sighed, "I'm not lying to you. I just hit it twice, and it's become attached to me. What can I do?"

"Impossible!" Zeng Shushu exclaimed in disbelief. "There must be a trick! Are you afraid I'll learn it and steal your thunder? Don't worry, once I learn it, I'll only take one, no, half a! Just a little gray one!"

Jiang Xiaochuan: "...Little Grey is male."

"A male is fine too!" Zeng Shushu blurted out without thinking.

Jiang Xiaochuan ignored him, picked up a piece of candied fruit and put it in his mouth. The candied fruit was sweet and sour with a fruity aroma; it tasted good.

Seeing that he wouldn't budge, Zeng Shushu's eyes darted around, and she leaned closer, lowering her voice and making her expression even more lewd: "Well... how about we don't talk about beast taming? Let's talk about... something else? Did you read that blue book I gave you last time? What do you think? Isn't it... hehe, a masterpiece?"

Jiang Xiaochuan was taken aback. The Blue Book? What Blue Book? Oh, it seems there was such a thing. He casually stuffed it into his clothes, then he was struck by lightning, his clothes were torn to shreds, and the book... it seems to have disappeared too?

"What Blue Book?" he asked, bewildered.

Zeng Shushu panicked: "Just like last time I was..."

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly felt a chill on the back of his neck.

A cold aura, imbued with a sharp sword intent, spread out without warning.

Zeng Shushu felt a chill run down his spine and turned around abruptly.

Lu Xueqi appeared at the doorway at some point. She carried a food box, her face calm, but her eyes were colder than usual, like a frozen abyss. She didn't look at Zeng Shushu, but her gaze was fixed on Jiang Xiaochuan.

"Senior Brother Jiang, it's time to take your medicine," she said, her voice icy.

Then, she gently placed her other free hand on the hilt of the Tianya sword at her waist.

He didn't draw his sword; he just left it there.

Zeng Shushu's face turned pale instantly. He felt as if the divine weapon of the Nine Heavens had been drawn, its tip pressed against his throat.

His legs went weak, and he stammered, "Senior Sister Lu! When...when did you get here?"

Lu Xueqi ignored him and just looked at Jiang Xiaochuan.

Jiang Xiaochuan also sensed that something was wrong, but seeing Zeng Shushu's terrified expression and Lu Xueqi's cold eyes, he wisely chose to keep quiet.

Seeing that Lu Xueqi was ignoring him and her gaze was growing colder, Zeng Shushu dared not linger any longer.

He jumped up with a "whoosh," quickly said to Jiang Xiaochuan, "Old Jiang, I'm leaving first. Take good care of your injuries," and then rushed out of the room as if being chased by a ghost. He frantically summoned his immortal sword, jumped on it, and disappeared in a flash, so fast that only a streak of light remained.

Jiang Xiaochuan was dumbfounded. This kid runs faster than a rabbit.

He turned to look at Lu Xueqi. Lu Xueqi had already lost her cold aura and walked in carrying a food box, her face expressionless, as if she wasn't the one who had scared Zeng Shushu away with her eyes just now.

"What's wrong with him?" Jiang Xiaochuan asked.

"I don't know." Lu Xueqi placed the food box on the table, opened it, and inside was a bowl of dark, murky medicine and a plate of delicate lotus-shaped pastries. "Perhaps I did something wrong."

Jiang Xiaochuan stared at the bowl of medicine, his face contorted in pain. Tian Buyi had gotten the medicine, claiming it was for strengthening the body's foundation and improving vitality, with remarkably good results, but the taste… well, it was indescribable. He'd had to drink it every day for the past few days, and each time felt like torture.

Lu Xueqi brought the bowl of medicine over and handed it to him.

Jiang Xiaochuan took it with a bitter face, held his breath, and gulped it down in one go. The bitterness exploded on the tip of his tongue, shooting straight to the top of his head. He grimaced, feeling as if his soul was about to fly away from the bitterness.

Just then, a lotus-shaped pastry was placed to his lips. The pastry was golden brown, layered and shaped like a lotus flower, and it smelled warm.

Jiang Xiaochuan was startled and looked up. Lu Xueqi was looking at him, her eyes calm. He subconsciously opened his mouth and bit down. The pastry melted in his mouth, sweet and not greasy, just enough to dilute the bitterness of the medicine.

He chewed on a lotus-shaped pastry, looking at Lu Xueqi. She withdrew her hand, her fingertips inadvertently brushing against his lips, feeling their coolness.

"Is it still bitter?" she asked.

Jiang Xiaochuan shook his head, his mouth full of pastry, and mumbled, "It's not bitter anymore."

Lu Xueqi hummed in agreement and turned to pack up the food box. With her back to him, Jiang Xiaochuan didn't see the faint blush creeping up behind her ears.

"Oh, right," Jiang Xiaochuan swallowed his pastry, then remembered something, "What...did you do to Zeng Shushu just now? Why was he so scared?"

Lu Xueqi paused, but didn't turn around: "It's nothing. He's just feeling guilty."

Jiang Xiaochuan was skeptical. But that kid Zeng Shushu… well, never mind him.

"Um..." He hesitated for a moment, looking at Lu Xueqi's back, but still said, "You looked quite pretty when you smiled just now."

Lu Xueqi stopped arranging the food boxes.

Jiang Xiaochuan continued, "You can smile more. Don't always have a cold face."

The room fell silent for a moment. Then, Lu Xueqi softly hummed in agreement.

He scratched his head, realizing his words had been a bit abrupt. Just as he was about to find something else to say, Lu Xueqi finished tidying up and turned around. Her face was still expressionless, but her eyes seemed to have softened a bit.

"Are you busy this afternoon?" she asked.