Chapter 29: Sweetness
Luo Nianshang, being a powerful cultivator, was well-versed in the intricacies of cultivation. She had spent the entire night poring over the hundred-plus manuals she had “borrowed” from the Dragon Palace, carefully selecting the most suitable ones.
She considered both her cat and the dog, not wanting to favor one over the other, despite the dog’s association with the annoying Demon Lord.
However, their cultivation journey hadn’t officially begun yet. Luo Nianshang, determined to provide the best for her companions, had left the chamber to search for the necessary spirit herbs for a cleansing and purification ritual.
As a major sect, the Ejian Sect certainly possessed such herbs, but the ones meant for humans differed from those suitable for demon beasts.
Before leaving, Luo Nianshang patted Bai Jingxue’s head. “Don’t wander off,” she instructed.
Bai Jingxue wanted to tell her that she was far too lazy to move, but with a cat’s face, even the most serious expression would be interpreted as adorable.
Luo Nianshang checked the bells she had given them, ensuring they were functioning properly, then vanished, transforming into a streak of silver light.
The moment she was gone, the “deathly ill” Demon Lord sprang from her bed, fully recovered. Not only was she dressed in her usual revealing attire, but she was also walking barefoot in the snow.
Luo Nianshang had assumed her disciple’s bell had ended up with the Demon Lord, so she had given her another one. The Demon Lord now possessed two bells, which she proudly displayed.
Bai Jingxue stared at her, her expression a mixture of amusement and disbelief. She shook the snow from her fur and retreated to the chamber.
A corner of the chamber had been designated as their territory. Initially, it had only contained a cat bed, food bowls, and a few toys. Now, it boasted a cat tree, a running wheel, and a mountain of toys.
Bai Jingxue had rarely experienced such pampering in her past life. This outpouring of affection was overwhelming at times.
A rustling sound came from the mountain of toys, and one of them tumbled out, revealing Lü Qingyan’s backside and wagging tail.
The dog kicked her hind legs, and the entire pile teetered precariously. Bai Jingxue was buried in an avalanche of plush toys.
Lü Qingyan, an orange plush doll clutched in her teeth, her cheerful expression replaced by horror as she witnessed the toppled mountain of toys, let out a yelp. “Oh no! I messed up! Time to fix this!”
She carefully set the doll aside and began to rebuild the pile, her small body carrying toys one by one, placing them back in their original positions.
As her ambitious project neared completion, she picked up her pace, grabbing a doll and coming face to face with a very disgruntled Bai Jingxue.
Seeing the murderous intent in the cat’s eyes, Lü Qingyan whimpered, her ears drooping, her tail tucked between her legs. She forced a smile, her demeanor both pathetic and endearing.
Bai Jingxue didn’t want her daily routine to consist of eating, sleeping, and beating up the dog, but Lü Qingyan always managed to push her buttons.
The Demon Lord, who had been enjoying the snowy scenery outside, rushed in, scooping up Lü Qingyan just as Bai Jingxue was about to strike. “Hey, little kitty,” she said, her voice laced with amusement. “Don’t you know you can’t hit a dog without its owner’s permission?”
Before Bai Jingxue could retort, the dog in her arms began to bark.
“Don’t scold Jingxue! I like being hit by her!”
The Demon Lord, amused by the dog’s audacity, chuckled. “Look at you, defending her like that,” she said. “Whose side are you on?”
“Woof! Woof! Woof!”
The Demon Lord shielded her face from the spray of dog saliva, then tossed Lü Qingyan onto the bed.
“Ungrateful mutt,” she muttered, wiping her cheek.
Despite the insult, Lü Qingyan didn’t seem to care. She shook her head, dazed from the impact, but unharmed.
Bai Jingxue, seeing this, couldn’t bring herself to stay angry. She retreated to her bed, but her recent nightmares made it impossible to truly relax. She simply closed her eyes, trying to rest.
She didn’t know why, but she had been plagued by dreams of her past life, both the memories she had tried to forget and the ones she couldn’t escape.
She felt lost, unsure of where she belonged, which world was real.
Those dreams were like reliving her past, moment by moment.
But she didn’t want to go back. Her life now was good. Except for a certain annoying dog, everything was perfect.
The Demon Lord, seeing that the cat and dog had ceased their hostilities, settled onto the bed. She produced a peach, its size dwarfing her hand.
She wiped it with her sleeve, then took a bite, the sound echoing through the chamber. Lü Qingyan sat beside her, watching, her mouth watering.
The dog’s longing gaze was almost tangible. The Demon Lord couldn’t take it anymore.
She chuckled, holding the half-eaten peach towards the dog. “Want some?”
Lü Qingyan closed her eyes, drool dripping from her chin.
The Demon Lord, her amusement growing, retrieved a larger peach from her spatial ring. “Beg for it,” she said.
Lü Qingyan swallowed, then inched away.
As if she had never tasted a peach before! She had enjoyed countless delicacies in her past life. She didn’t need this.
But her gaze kept drifting towards the peach in the Demon Lord’s hand.
“Lü Qingyan, you can’t do this! Don’t lose your dignity!” she scolded herself.
The Demon Lord took another bite, exaggerating the sound. “Mmm, delicious,” she purred.
She finished the peach, tossing the pit out of the chamber, then turned to the dog, who was now looking at her with a pitiful expression.
The Demon Lord, delighted, placed the peach before the dog. “Fine, here you go.”
Lü Qingyan wagged her tail, cautiously pulling the peach closer. When the Demon Lord didn’t react, she carefully took it in her mouth.
But instead of eating it, she jumped off the bed and padded over to Bai Jingxue.
She placed the peach before the cat, her tail wagging furiously.
“Here, Jingxue,” she said. “You eat it.”
Bai Jingxue opened her eyes, staring at the peach. She glanced at Lü Qingyan, then nudged the peach back. “I don’t want it,” she said. “You eat it.”
Lü Qingyan’s ears drooped. She was disappointed, but she quickly recovered, pushing the peach back towards Bai Jingxue. “You eat it,” she insisted. “You loved peaches in our past life. Are you worried it’s dirty? I’ll wash it for you.”
She was about to pick up the peach again.
Bai Jingxue, seeing that the peach was nearly as big as the dog’s head, was afraid Lü Qingyan would break her teeth. She placed a paw on Lü Qingyan’s tail, stopping her.
“It’s fine,” she said. “I’m not worried about it being dirty.”
She sighed, her voice weary. “I don’t need you to do things for me, Qingyan. Why don’t you understand?”
Lü Qingyan, sensing her distress, set the peach aside, her brow furrowed. “But I want to,” she said.
Bai Jingxue lowered her gaze, her heart heavy. She had many anxieties, many reasons why she believed she and Lü Qingyan weren’t compatible. Just like in their past life.
Back then, her goals had been clear: escape her dysfunctional family, find a decent job, and live a simple, ordinary life.
But everything had changed after she had started tutoring Lü Qingyan.
She had always believed that she and Lü Qingyan were two parallel lines, destined to never intersect. But somehow, one of those lines had shifted, and they had collided.
Bai Jingxue’s life had been a constant struggle, every step fraught with risk. She had learned to endure, to accept her fate. But Lü Qingyan was different. She was vibrant, impulsive, and fearless.
Normally, Lü Qingyan would have joined her family’s business after graduation, but their relationship had caused a rift between Lü Qingyan and her parents. They had argued, and Lü Qingyan had lost her opportunity.
Her family, hoping to force her to submit, had cut her off financially, even forbidding her from visiting during holidays.
It seemed that ever since Bai Jingxue had entered her life, everything had gone downhill.
Bai Jingxue had tried to fix things, but she realized that nothing she did could compensate for Lü Qingyan’s losses.
Perhaps fate had taken pity on her. A routine checkup had revealed stomach cancer, stage four.
Unwilling to burden Lü Qingyan, she had broken up with her. As she had driven home, her mind a jumbled mess, she had been hit by a truck and plunged into a reservoir.
She had thought that was the end, but Lü Qingyan had followed her, even into this strange new world.
Bai Jingxue sighed, her voice laced with a hint of despair. “What do you even like about me?”
She had asked this question many times in their past life, and Lü Qingyan’s answer had always been the same.
“I just like you,” Lü Qingyan said, her voice earnest. “Being with you makes me happy. If love needs a reason, then I’d be falling for anyone who makes me feel this way. But it’s not just about the qualities – it’s about the way you make me feel when we’re together.”
Lü Qingyan had a way of disarming Bai Jingxue with her simple, straightforward logic.
Sensing Bai Jingxue’s distress, Lü Qingyan placed a paw on her forehead, but her temperature seemed normal. She wasn’t sick.
She settled before Bai Jingxue’s bed, her nose touching the cat’s. “Jingxue, what’s wrong?” she asked, her voice filled with concern.
Bai Jingxue closed her eyes, her voice weak. “Nothing.”
Lü Qingyan wagged her tail, trying to cheer her up. “Isn’t this life better?” she asked. “No more family drama. The female lead might be a bit clueless, but she cares about you. You have nothing to worry about anymore.”
“I know,” Bai Jingxue said. “I’m content.”
She opened her eyes. There was a question she had been wanting to ask since the beginning, but she had always held back.
But now, the words tumbled out.
“What about your parents?”
Lü Qingyan snorted, turning her head away. “They have plenty of other children,” she said, her voice bitter. “They can just raise another one.”
She scoffed. “I was just a tool for them to show off. They can easily replace me.”
Bai Jingxue felt a pang of guilt. She had clearly touched a nerve. She nudged the peach towards Lü Qingyan. “Here, have a peach,” she said softly. “It’s sweet.”
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