Chapter 91: Apology

Chapter 91: Apology

"Who the hell do you think you are?"

Eight words rang out crisply in the morning courtyard.

Not only was Ju Shaohe stunned, but his subordinates were also frozen in shock. Even Nan Xiaoxiang had a moment of daze.

Only Chen Yin grinned, looking completely unbothered, as if he was enjoying the chaos.

"You’re courting death! How dare you speak to our young master like that!"

Ju Shaohe’s subordinates were the first to react, immediately reaching for their swords. But Ju Shaohe stopped them.

"We just dealt with someone earlier, and you’ve already forgotten the rules?"

His voice was stern. "This is Miss Nan's Medical Hall! Anyone who dares to break the rules and attack here is disrespecting me, Ju Shaohe!"

His subordinates hesitated for a moment before reluctantly sheathing their swords.

Chen Yin watched Ju Shaohe with amusement. The man was clearly seething with rage but was forcing himself to act magnanimous.

"Brother Chen, we introduced ourselves yesterday, didn’t we? I am Ju Shaohe, the young master of the Canghe Sword Sect."

"Since we didn’t get to talk much yesterday, why don’t we have a meal together today? Drink and make merry?"

"Oh, I’m afraid that won’t work."

Chen Yin waved his hand dismissively. "I’ve been stuck on a small mountain under a minor branch of Misty Spirit Sect. Never heard of Canghe Sword Sect, and I don’t know any young master from there either."

"Are you a cute big-breasted girl? If you are, I’ll go have a meal with you."

His words made Ju Shaohe’s eye twitch, veins bulging on his forehead—clearly on the verge of exploding with rage. Even Nan Xiaoxiang, standing to the side, had a cold glint in her almond-shaped eyes.

"Brother Chen… You seem quite unfriendly." Ju Shaohe’s gaze turned dangerous.

"It’s not that I’m using my status as the young master of Canghe Sword Sect to pressure others. I simply wish to invite Miss Nan for a meal. I don’t understand why you harbor such hostility."

"If you weren’t trying to use your status, wouldn’t you be able to tell that she clearly doesn’t want to go?"

Chen Yin crossed his arms, looking like a street punk. "Forcing a girl to do something she doesn’t want—are you blind? Maybe you should apply to be a judge at the Tokyo Olympics."

"You—!"

Ju Shaohe’s fury was clearly at its peak, but he still held back in front of Nan Xiaoxiang. He let out a cold snort.

"Hmph. It seems not everyone who comes to Guyu Town for treatment is an understanding person."

"Since Miss Nan is unwilling, I won’t insist."

"Let’s go." He gave a low order, but as he turned, his eyes flashed with a dangerous glint directed at Chen Yin.

Chen Yin, however, acted as if he hadn’t noticed, grinning cheerfully.

After Ju Shaohe and his men left, Nan Xiaoxiang let out a sigh of relief, then glanced at Chen Yin.

"You really went all out. I only wanted to use you to get out of that situation, but you went straight to offending him."

"Now you’re definitely on Canghe Sword Sect’s young master’s blacklist."

"Eh, whatever." Chen Yin shrugged indifferently. "He still remembers his father, right? By extension, doesn’t that make me like his dad too?"

Hearing that, Nan Xiaoxiang couldn’t help but stifle a laugh.

"Besides, there’s another reason."

Chen Yin folded his arms, his tone teasing. "I don’t like being used as a shield over and over again."

"I-I didn’t mean any harm."

Nan Xiaoxiang’s eyes flickered with a bit of guilt as she lowered her voice. "With the way I phrased things earlier, you only needed to go along with me and say the patient’s condition was private. That way, Ju Shaohe wouldn’t have pressed further."

"And how are you so sure? What if he’s petty, and the moment I go along with you, he holds a grudge against me?"

Chen Yin said lazily, "At the end of the day, you chose me because I’m a cultivator. If you really meant no harm, why not use an ordinary person for your excuse? Afraid they’d 'die in an accident' the moment they step outside?"

"What if I were just a weak little cultivator? Thanks to you, the moment I walk out the door, I might get ambushed by the Canghe Sword Sect’s people."

Nan Xiaoxiang didn’t argue further. She just lowered her gaze, her expression dimming slightly.

"…I didn’t think it through."

There was a barely noticeable hint of grievance in her voice.

"S-sorry, okay…"

Chen Yin gave her a strange side glance.

This was the same woman who had once been unfazed and composed in front of him, even when facing Qing Ying. And now, she was actually apologizing to him?

At least this time, she didn’t have that usual indifferent expression.

—It was kind of cute.

"But now, you’ve escalated things and completely fallen out with Ju Shaohe. Isn’t that even more dangerous?"

She sounded a bit worried. "Maybe you should stay in the Medical Hall for a few days until he cools down. Then you can find a chance to leave—"

"Forget it."

Chen Yin waved his hand impatiently. "Since you apologized, I won’t hold it against you."

"As for Ju Shaohe… don’t worry about it."

"If I really were some weak little cultivator, maybe I’d be in trouble."

"But unfortunately…"

"I’m not."

Leaving those words behind, he casually strolled toward Ya Ya’s ward, looking as relaxed as an old man taking a morning walk.

Nan Xiaoxiang watched his leisurely figure, a flicker of both clarity and confusion in her eyes.

What… exactly is this man thinking?

<+>

Chen Yin’s temper wasn’t the best.

Even though Nan Xiaoxiang was Ya Ya’s savior, she had used him as a shield against Ju Shaohe not once, but twice. That alone made him somewhat displeased.

And judging by how she didn’t seem to have a favorable opinion of cultivators, he could more or less guess what she was thinking.

Since he wasn’t interested in playing along with her act, he might as well just flip the table.

However, after Nan Xiaoxiang later apologized, Chen Yin reconsidered his previous thoughts.

—After all, she was merely a mortal.

A girl of barely twenty years.

Caught between the young master of the Canghe Sword Sect, the fame she relied upon couldn't provide her any real sense of security.

No matter how much she disliked it, what could a mere mortal do?

At the end of the day, she was just a pitiable person.

A teenage girl couldn’t possibly consider everything thoroughly; since she had apologized, Chen Yin had no interest in pursuing the matter further. After all, she was still Ya Ya and the others’ benefactor.

Returning to Ya Ya’s hospital room, he found several little foxes gathered around the bed, listening intently as Luo Luo narrated from a book:

"—This young Li boy was merely an inn’s servant; how could he know any martial arts? But seeing the maiden about to fall victim, his youthful resolve surged, and he grabbed a chair and charged at the villain!"

Chen Yin recognized this story as the novel he had previously narrated to her. Amused, he leaned against the doorway, listening with interest.

“Who would have thought, by sheer luck! That chair broke right through the villain’s weak point!”

“The maiden seized the moment, her sword flashed, killing the villain, and she was about to thank the young Li boy—Ah, Young Master!”

Luo Luo paused mid-story, noticing Chen Yin by the door, and called out in delight.

“Looks like you really enjoy the novel I bought for you last time,” Chen Yin said with a smile, ruffling the little foxes’ heads. Luo Luo beamed as she hugged the book:

“Of course, I love it! It’s a gift from you, Young Master!”

“And the stories are so interesting! Ya Ya and the others love listening to them too.”

“As long as you like it.” Chen Yin casually pulled a handful of candies from his pocket, scattering them on the table, then sat cross-legged on the bed, ruffling the foxes’ heads as he said, “Continue reading. I want to listen too.”

Luo Luo shyly scratched her ear. “I’m not very good at storytelling... How about you tell us instead, Young Master? I’ve told them that your storytelling is way more captivating than the storytellers at the teahouse!”

—Is that really a compliment? Chen Yin couldn’t help but touch his nose, chuckling.

However, seeing the eager, sparkling eyes of the little foxes around him, he couldn’t bring himself to refuse.

“Alright, alright, I’ll continue the story for you all.”

Moments later, Qing Ying approached the room’s entrance but paused.

Inside, Chen Yin was passionately recounting the tale of the inn servant’s legend, surrounded by the affectionate little foxes that had practically encircled him.

Every so often, joyous laughter, as clear as spring water, echoed, painting an image of warmth and harmony.

After a moment of hesitation, Qing Ying decided against entering the room, not wanting to disturb the peaceful scene, and quietly leaned against the doorway to listen.

Suddenly, her beautiful eyes narrowed sharply as she glanced at the ceiling beams.

“System, mark that person,” she said in a chilly tone.

[Already marked,] the system responded casually. [You’ve been quite lax lately. That person’s been lurking for half the day, and you’re only now noticing]

[Half a month ago, you would have sensed them before even reaching the door]

Qing Ying did not respond, her frost-like eyes merely flickering.

“...Do they harbor ill intent?”

[Partially,] the system replied nonchalantly. [It’s probably inconvenient for them to make a move inside the Medical Hall, so they’re just watching]

“I don’t want to make a scene in the Medical Hall either. Scare them off, but keep them marked.”

As she spoke, Qing Ying unleashed a burst of killing intent directed at the mysterious figure on the roof.

The intruder, realizing they had been discovered, immediately retreated without hesitation.

Through the system, Qing Ying confirmed that the person was moving away before allowing her focus to return.

Inside the room, the atmosphere remained serene. The little foxes eagerly listened to Chen Yin’s storytelling, enjoying drinks when thirsty and candies when hungry—utterly content.

Qing Ying observed the scene impassively, then, seemingly out of nowhere, asked:

“System.”

“Do you think I’ve... become too complacent lately?”

[Of course,] the system replied. [But with that Chen Yin guy to rely on, a bit of relaxation is fine]

[Unlike other chosen ones burdened by fate, who face death if they fail their missions, you can just relax and be a carefree freeloader]

For a moment, a rare hint of confusion flickered in Qing Ying’s usually serene eyes.

But in the next instant, she shook her head.

“Relying on others is unreliable.”

“I can’t trust him too much—not until he helps me find Ah Chen’s remains,” she murmured softly.

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