A Message

Looking at Lou Ji's slender, smooth jade-like finger pointing toward the doorway, Xu Yuan felt an overwhelming urge to snap it off. Taking a deep breath, he turned his head and immediately met those cool, aloof eyes he had not seen in so long. Framed against the sunlight spilling from beneath the eaves, her eyes were like autumn waters—serene and breathtakingly beautiful. Much like the ink sword she held in her hand. They looked at each other for a breath. "You're here?" Xu Yuan's voice was perfectly calm, without a trace of panic. "Mm." Nodding gently, Ran Qingmo stepped into the room. But as if catching something from the corner of her eye, her steps halted instinctively, and her grip on her sword tightened. In the silence that followed, Ran Qingmo glanced at the soft, spacious bed before turning her eyes back to Xu Yuan's face. She remained calm. Xu Yuan maintained an easy, nonchalant expression as he too glanced toward the bed. And then, his composure almost cracked. At some point, Lou Ji had rolled over. Wrapped in the quilt with one delicate shoulder bare, she lay facing away from them, the voluptuous, graceful curves of her figure faintly visible beneath the covers. Just as his eyes swept over, Lou Ji turned right on cue and opened her eyes. She sat up in an unhurried manner, having somehow changed into a nightgown of crimson silk satin. Her smooth, bare shoulder caught the morning light streaming through the window lattice, and she stretched luxuriously. Her eyes held a noble, aristocratic haze, as though she had only just awakened. Without looking at Ran Qingmo standing in the doorway, she met Xu Yuan's gaze and chuckled softly. "Changtian... is it morning already?" "..." Xu Yuan was speechless. "..." Ran Qingmo glanced at Lou Ji, then let her gaze drop slightly. Pressing her lips together, she asked, "Xu Yuan... who is she?" Just as Xu Yuan could not sense her presence, she could not sense the woman on the bed either. This woman was extremely dangerous. "..." In an instant, countless solutions flashed through Xu Yuan's mind. Yet the moment he remembered that the woman before him was Ran Qingmo, a quiet chuckle escaped him. He rolled his eyes naturally and explained in a gentle voice, "An older sister from back home. All she ever does is cause trouble around me." With that, Xu Yuan casually lowered his gaze back to the official documents on the desk, looking entirely at ease. "..." Ran Qingmo stared at him for a few breaths, thoughtful contemplation flickering in her beautiful eyes. She let out a soft breath. "Oh, I see." With those words, she paid no further attention to the half-exposed Lou Ji, walking straight over to sit across from Xu Yuan. She quietly watched him handle his paperwork. For a moment, sunlight continued to stream in, a faint floral scent drifted through the air, and silence fell over the room. Lou Ji's deliberate stretch froze. She looked at the ink-clad maiden with a touch of astonishment, feeling that things should not have unfolded this way. The silence stretched for nearly ten seconds before a flicker of interest finally appeared in Lou Ji's phoenix eyes. With a soft laugh, she rose from the bed and strolled toward Xu Yuan. As she walked, the silk swayed, accentuating her long, slender legs to perfection. Catching the sight from the corner of his eye, Xu Yuan's fingers trembled slightly as he turned a page. He started to speak, but before he could, Lou Ji was already beside him. She perched on the armrest of his chair. Fragrance enveloped him, strands of her hair brushed past, and her voice held a perfectly measured note of grievance. "Changtian, calling me that truly breaks Big Sister's heart. After all, I just helped relieve your stress last night." "..." Xu Yuan remained silent. *A head massage is just a head massage. Why make it sound like that?* *Then again, it doesn't matter. Ran Qingmo won't read anything into it anyway.* Thinking this, Xu Yuan looked up. Ran Qingmo sat opposite them, watching quietly. After a brief pause, she asked softly once more, "Xu Yuan, is she really an older sister from your family?" Xu Yuan rubbed the bridge of his nose and nodded. "Yes. She watched me grow up." "Oh." Ran Qingmo's aloof eyes flicked toward the alluring Lou Ji before dropping again. "What?" Lou Ji chimed in, wrapping a slender, pale arm around Xu Yuan's neck as she stared at Ran Qingmo. "You think I don't look like Changtian's sister?" Ran Qingmo pursed her lips and uttered two words: "Not quite..." "'Not quite' means I don't, doesn't it?" Lou Ji chuckled softly. "Is it because I'm sleeping in Changtian's bed?" "Not because of that." Ran Qingmo shook her head. Lou Ji narrowed her eyes. "Oh?" Ran Qingmo parted her lips, but then closed them again, hesitating. "I shouldn't say." "Why?" Ran Qingmo answered honestly, "It's impolite." Lou Ji raised an eyebrow, stood up, and smiled. "It's quite all right. I hear your name all the time. We're all on the same side, so speaking your mind won't hurt." Ran Qingmo glanced at Xu Yuan. Xu Yuan avoided her gaze, massaging his temples with an aching head. Ran Qingmo thought for a moment before tentatively venturing, "Because... Big Sister, the way you speak and dress reminds me a bit of the older women sitting beside the alleys in Pingshui Bay. That's why you don't seem like one." "..." Lou Ji went rigid. "*Pfft.*" Xu Yuan could not hold it in and burst out laughing. She wasn't even comparing her to a courtesan; courtesans in the Music Bureau at least held official status. Lou Ji kept a sweet smile on her face, saying nothing. Ran Qingmo was not finished. She shook her head and continued in all seriousness, "However, your cultivation is exceptionally high. Someone with your strength wouldn't do that sort of work." Xu Yuan ducked his head, his shoulders shaking as he struggled to suppress his laughter. Watching this great block of ice insult someone through a roundabout negative statement was simply too entertaining. Yet right in the middle of his amusement, a sharp cramp seized his stomach. The familiar sensation of punishment forced him to stifle his laughter immediately, and the moment he did, the pain vanished. Xu Yuan tapped the table, speaking to Ran Qingmo in a stern, reproving tone: "Ran Qingmo, this is just an occupational habit of my sister's. How could you say such a thing!" Halfway through the sentence, another sudden jolt of agony made him swallow the rest of his words. Concern surfaced in Ran Qingmo's eyes, but before she could speak, Lou Ji leaned close to Xu Yuan, whispering with a gentle, honeyed smile, "Changtian, are you alright?" Looking at the enchanting face inches away, Xu Yuan forced out, "I'm fine..." With that, he slowly sat up straight. The methods Lou Ji used were the exact same ones she had used to discipline him years ago. To someone who had endured marrow-cleansing agony countless times, this was nothing. His pain tolerance nowadays was not just for show. Still, interrogation and torture were right up this woman's alley. To keep Lou Ji from resorting to other tricks, Xu Yuan carefully added, "Mm... it must be something I ate last night." Pausing, Xu Yuan gave Lou Ji no chance to twist the topic further, steering the conversation directly to business. "Ran Qingmo, having you come here was my sister's idea. She should have business with you." He knew very well that Lou Ji had not summoned Ran Qingmo just to stir up drama. Ran Qingmo looked at Lou Ji, confusion in her eyes. Beside them, Lou Ji sighed, finding both of their reactions rather dull. *Boring...* *Next time I get the chance, maybe I'll go tease that girl named Su Jinxuan with the Bewitching Soul Fiend Physique. I heard she picked up a decent cultivation method near Burial Village. Heh...* With a dismissive wave of her hand, Lou Ji turned and walked back toward the bed. As she turned, the crimson silk nightgown subtly shifted, transforming into a form-fitting, low-cut brocade robe of dark green and black. Walking back to the bed, she sat down and crossed her legs. Her demeanor suddenly turned cold and commanding, like that of an empress. Looking at the aloof young woman, she said casually, "Ran Qingmo, Ran Jianli asked me to pass along a message. He wants you to return to the Sword Sect within three months."