บท 332: Chapter 332: Xue Meng's Blind Date: Tea-Selling Little Sister 2
To be honest, Xue Meng felt he didn't need the company of women.
But to be truly honest, Xue Meng found that Empress Shou's words rang true, and he could never despise someone as straightforward and sincere as her.
After all, one doesn't hit a smiling face, let alone someone so earnest and genuine. For a moment, Xue Meng felt too embarrassed to ask her to leave, so he allowed her to stay temporarily on the Summit of Life and Death, where she would "personally represent Lord Ma in expressing his sincerest apologies to Sect Leader Xue."
Several days passed, and Empress Shou proved to be very considerate. Without Xue Meng's permission, she never wandered around under his nose but instead helped out diligently and quietly on the Summit of Life and Death.
In truth, there were many tasks to attend to on the summit. Despite the sect's growing strength after the great battle, they still took on missions like "Grandma Wang's cat is stuck up a tree again."
When Xue Meng was young, these tasks were usually handled by Shi Mo. Sometimes, when Mo Ran had nothing better to do, he would take them on as well. But after becoming the sect leader, he wanted every disciple to understand that good deeds came in all sizes and were all meaningful. So he required the twenty elders of the Summit of Life and Death to rotate in sequence, assigning their disciples to these miscellaneous small missions.
This month happened to be Greedy Wolf's turn.
Greedy Wolf had the fewest disciples aside from Chu Wanning. He seemed to have picked his apprentices in his own image, so his group was full of gloomy, eccentric characters.
His disciples would never be caught dead helping Grandma Wang retrieve her cat from a tree. However, they couldn't ignore the sect leader's request, so they would usually pick on the weaker disciples under Xuan Ji and either lure or threaten them into doing these chores for them.
For this reason, even the mild-mannered Xuan Ji had had her fair share of confrontations with Greedy Wolf.
However, everything changed with the arrival of Shouhou.
This maiden possessed an inexplicable charm that could persuade Greed Wolf Sect's disciples with just a few words, making them happily rush down the mountain to offer assistance.
Aside from mediating conflicts, she helped the elder ladies in Mengpo Hall with cooking, wiped the stone lions on the Bridge of Helplessness, and cataloged books in the Book Collection Pavilion... She was willing to do any task and excelled at all of them. From the elders to Mengpo Hall's dog and Madame Wang's cat, every living creature had only one word to describe her:
"Marvelous!" - said the cat.
"Prosperous!" - barked the dog.
"Wonderful!" - praised the people.
It was evident that Shouhou possessed the wisdom and composure of a senior female disciple.
By the third day, Xue Meng grew restless.
He believed this woman had some expertise, and he could learn from her experiences. However, he was also prideful and reluctant to lower his dignity to discuss such matters with a girl from another sect.
As he hesitated, he overheard a group of cultivators whispering as they strolled past the veranda.
Disciple A: "Miss Shou is incredibly beautiful. Sigh, I wonder how long she'll stay on the Peak of Life and Death. If she stays for three or five months, I'll definitely pursue her!"
Disciple B rolled his eyes. "You're daydreaming. Haven't you noticed that Miss Shou clearly has a secret crush on our Sect Leader?"
Xue Meng was startled. They happened to turn the corner at that moment. He promptly held up the sword manual in front of his face while pricking up his ears to listen.
"Really? Is that so?"
"You're clueless. Whenever she talks to others, doesn't she always find a way to bring the conversation back to Sect Leader Xue? I think she's been doing two things lately besides helping the sect."
"What are they?"
Disciple B counted on his fingers. "One, praising Sect Leader Xue. Two, inquiring about him. She blindly praises him, saying he's more handsome than Grandmaster Mo, smarter than Patriarch Ma, wealthier than Jiang Yechen, and kinder than Master Chu... Most importantly, she even says he has an excellent physique and height. Isn't she blind?"
"???" Xue Meng was furious.
The girl was merely speaking the truth; it's you two who are blind!
"She asks about everything too, from the Sect Leader's favorite dishes to his recent mood. Yesterday, I saw her asking the Sect Leader's opinion on Mei Hanxue," Disciple B continued.
"Ah? Why does she want to know the Sect Leader's opinion on Mei Hanxue?" First released on Book Fun TV www.biqugetv.com and m.biqugetv.com
"It's simply because the Sect Leader and Senior Brother Mei have been friends since childhood. As they say, to win over a man, one must win over the men around him. It seems Miss Shou has serious intentions. You'd better give up now and not compete with the Sect Leader for his affection. How could you possibly outdo her?"
Muttering to themselves, they walked away.
Leaving Xue Meng standing alone, slowly lowering the sword manual that had been concealing his face.
Although he found Shouhou less attractive than himself, she was still an exceptionally beautiful maiden. Well, since she had gone so far as to heap extravagant praise upon him...
Asking her out for a meal and inquiring about how she runs her sect... surely that wouldn't be too shameful, right? After all, she had good judgment.
With this thought in mind, Xue Meng inquired about Miss Shou's whereabouts. He heard she was at the Book Collection Pavilion, so he straightened his clothes, cleared his throat, and headed there.
At that very moment, inside the Book Collection Pavilion.
Miss Shou from Peach Bud Manor—Step-on-Pot Girl, the master of disguises, also known by her nickname "Longing for Plums to Quench Thirst," and in reality, Mei Hanxue, the eldest disciple of the Treading Snow Palace of Kunlun and the most wayward cultivator in the Immortal Realm—was engrossed in an ancient book titled "Ancient Barrier Atlas."
This book originally belonged in Chu Wanning's Red Lotus Water Pavilion. After Chu Wanning retreated to the Southern Screen Mountains, he wrote a letter to Xue Meng, requesting that all the books in his pavilion be moved to the Book Collection Pavilion for the disciples to study. Along with the Ancient Barrier Catalog, there were also works such as the "Grasses and Trees Anthology," "Sichuan Travels," and the "Linyi Confucian Wind Sect Music Score."
As a musician cultivator, Mei Hanxue had little interest in barrier techniques; logically, he should have been more inclined to read the "Linyi Confucian Wind Sect Music Score." However, he was engrossed in a profound and abstruse barrier tome instead, occasionally stroking his chin with a smile and nodding in approval, seemingly deeply impressed.
Could he not be impressed?
For within this Ancient Barrier Catalog left by Chu Wanning, there were actually a bunch of lascivious illustrations!
Mei Hanxue was astute and naturally knew these drawings had nothing to do with Chu Wanning. With a moment's thought, he could roughly guess the reason behind them. Presumably, they were the mischievous handiwork of Mo Ran, hidden away on the pages. The depictions were strikingly vivid and the ideas ingeniously conceived.
One had to admit, Mo Ran was a young man full of imagination. Mei Hanxue, who had roamed the world of pleasure for many years and found ordinary allure unappealing, was deeply moved by Mo Weiyu's early authentic works.
What moved him even more was the audacity of the person who dared to draw such lewd pictures on Chu Wanning's book and still managed to survive until today. This was indeed an extraordinary individual.
Unable to contain himself, Mei Hanxue burst into laughter while reading.
Mo Weiyu was truly amusing. It was even more intriguing that Xue Ziming, who had spent so many years with him, remained untainted.
"Interesting" was one of the most important criteria for Mei Hanxue to develop an interest in someone. Since he met Xue Meng, no one had proven more entertaining than him. In Mei Hanxue's view, Xue Meng was too impulsive, too impatient, too naive, and forgetful, much like a pufferfish in water. If Mei Hanxue flicked it from the shore, the pufferfish would immediately puff up in anger, but soon after, it would foolishly forget and continue swimming about proudly.
Mei Hanxue couldn't help but act like an indulged cat, playfully tapping Xue Meng now and then, delighting in his irritation all the more as the latter grew angrier.
Previously, when Xue Meng could no longer endure, he had asked him, "Hey, Mei Hanxue, do we have some kind of grudge?"
Mei Hanxue thought to himself, You are the son of my benefactor; there could be no enmity between us. However, there is an old account from years past that you, undoubtedly, have long forgotten.
Indeed, Xue Meng would never recall the reprehensible deed he had committed when they first met as children – a mischievous act so wicked it could have smoked. One could access the novel on Mobile BiqugeTV at https://m.biqugetv.com/.
He had Mei Hanxue crossdress in women's attire.
Back then, Mei Hanxue was still a child with slightly plump cheeks and short limbs, following his master, Bright Moon Building, and the rest of their group to the Summit of Life and Death. It was winter at the time, and he wore a white fur hat and thick robes. The hat was slightly too big, constantly sliding down to cover not only his light golden hair but also one of his emerald green eyes. As a result, Xue Meng didn't pay much attention to this young disciple with an exotic appearance.
It was Mei Hanxue's first time leaving the Treading Snow Palace to visit another sect. Back then, he was young and inexperienced. Upon arriving, his speech still carried a hint of the Leaffall City's accent. Not wanting to be ridiculed, he chose to remain mostly silent, standing quietly in a corner with his light golden eyelashes lowered, a stark contrast to his future allure that would draw bees and butterflies.
Then, how did he end up having a feud with Xue Meng?
Not bad at all, thanks to the thick mist of the Wonderful Sound Pond.
Around Kunlun's Treading Snow Palace, there are numerous hot springs, and the disciples are accustomed to bathing in these pools. Mei Hanxue is no exception.
That night, he had planned on dragging Mei Hanxue, disguised as a Central Plains native, to bathe in the Wonderful Sound Pond together. However, Mei Hanxue didn't return to their room, so Mei Hanxue went alone to the pool.
Stripping off his outer robe and leaving only a thin, snowy silk undergarment, Mei Hanxue was unsure where to leave his outer garment. He decided to place it on top of his golden hair and walked on the pebbled path covered with fallen blossoms. As he proceeded, he suddenly heard a youthful and energetic voice.
"You should bask in the sun more, Shi Mo. Look at how long you've been on the Peak of Life and Death, yet you're still so petite. Look at me, I'm much sturdier. Sigh, I'm worried that when you grow up, you'll be like... like Uncle Wu who sells steamed buns in Impermanence Town, not even as tall as his wife."
Then came another gentle voice, "Young Master is naturally the most handsome. How could I compare to you?"
At that time, Mei Hanxue's Mandarin was still quite poor, so he didn't understand what "Young Master" meant. If he had understood, he would have known that this was the son of his benefactor. Unfortunately, he didn't catch on, thinking that "Young Master" was just someone's name.
Xue Meng, who was being praised, was delighted and content. Encouraging the other, he said, "I love your honesty. But you can definitely grow taller. Just follow my lead. Whenever I bask in the sun, you do the same. When I drink milk, you drink milk too! Don't lose hope!"
"But I'm afraid—"
"Oh, what are you afraid of? If I say it's possible, then it is. If it really doesn't work out and you end up as short as Uncle Wu, I'll protect you. When you encounter bad people, just hide behind me. How does that sound?"
Shi Mo's laughter rang out. "In that case, I'll thank you in advance, Young Master."
"Haha, why are you being so formal with me? We're fellow disciples, after all."
As Mei Hanxue listened, he drew closer, and at that moment, he could discern two boys around his age soaking in a small hot spring surrounded by wildflowers. One was slender and stunning, with rosy lips, pearly teeth, and skin as pale as a pear blossom. The other had his back turned, his face unseen, but what left Mei Hanxue utterly bewildered was the fact that this brother was even wearing a dazzling silver hairpin from the Peak of Life and Death to hold his hair in place while bathing. It was clasped with a jade buckle.
Had he forgotten to take it off, or was he deliberately leaving it on?
Were all people from Shu so peculiar?
Before he could finish his thoughts, Shi Mo, who was in the pond, sensed his presence and warned the other cautiously, "Young Master, look behind you..."
"What's there to see?" The boy with his back turned followed Shi Mo's gaze and turned around.
—This was the first encounter between Mei Hanxue and Xue Meng in their lives.
But fate played a cruel trick, for just as Xue Meng turned around, the mist of the Wonderful Sound Pond began to rise. Mei Hanxue caught a clear glimpse of Xue Meng's face, but Xue Meng didn't have time to see him properly, only noticing that the person had very fair skin, large eyes, and prominent facial features.
He must be a girl, Xue Meng thought.
Coincidentally, Chu Wanning had recently been spied on by a female disciple while bathing at the Red Lotus Water Pavilion. Witnessing this scene, Xue Meng immediately associated it with that incident and exclaimed loudly, "Hurry, hurry! Someone, come here! How audacious! Here we go again! Quick, catch that rogue!!! Catch him for me, the rogue!!!"
"Ah, friend, I'm no rogue, I'm just... just..." At that time, Mei Hanxue's Mandarin was far from fluent, and in his panic, his words became even more jumbled.
He wanted to say that he was merely practicing his swordplay and had gotten overheated, drenched in sweat as if on fire.
But he couldn't recall the right words at the moment, so he lowered his head and struggled to think, "Sword... Sword... Sword..."
Xue Meng was stunned. "Hey, who the hell are you calling a slut? You're the one who sneaked a peek at someone else bathing, yet you still have the nerve to call me that?"
Mei Hanxue continued to concentrate, still trying to find the right word. "Hot... Hot... Hot..."
"Er?" Xue Meng imitated him with a rolled tongue, realizing it sounded like a retching noise. He was not only shocked but also furious.
"What? You dare to disgust me?! I have such a great physique! Anyone who sees it would praise it! Don't you agree, Shi Mo?!"
Shi Mo hurriedly soothed him softly. "Yes, yes... that's true..."
Still indignant, Xue Meng flexed his non-existent muscles to show off to the 'female hooligan.' "Look at my arms, my legs... just as strong as my father's! Do you understand, Xue Lang is very handsome, right?!"
Mei Hanxue didn't understand; he was still earnestly searching for the term that described his intense heat and sweat, "Burning..."
The Mandarin wasn't proper, with no distinction between flat and rising tones.
Xue Meng's arm movement froze abruptly. "…Who are you calling promiscuous?"
At that moment, Mei Hanxue finally recalled. He clapped his hands in delight. "Promiscuous! I'm burning with passion!"
"…" Xue Meng stood there, stunned for a moment. His face turned ashen as he opened and closed his mouth repeatedly, unable to utter a single word. Finally, he hurled a soap pod at Mei Hanxue in a volcanic eruption of rage. "AHHH!!! Why isn't anyone here yet?! Drag this damn thief away immediately!!"
"Yes, sir!"
As Mei Hanxue was being dragged away, he was still somewhat dazed.
...?
He had only wanted to take a bath because he was hot. Why did that make him a rogue?
Upon closer reflection, the child standing beside the young master seemed to be called Junior Sister. In Mandarin, Junior Sister referred to a female disciple who was younger than oneself...
Mei Hanxue began to understand.
Uh... In Kunlun, boys were not allowed to bathe with girls. Could it be that in Shu, boys were not supposed to bathe together either?
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