A Family Banquet and a Stubborn Heart

Inside the dining hall.

Under Mother Yu’s careful arrangements, everyone found their seats. A large round table stood before them, with Xiao Li nestled on Qin Yan’s lap, Xiao Miao seated to his left, and Yu Qingxuan to his right.

Though the table was laden with simple, home-cooked dishes, such family banquets had, since ancient times, been considered the highest form of hospitality, often surpassing more elaborate feasts.

Mother Yu sat opposite him, her gaze warm and her smile beaming. “Qin Yan, please eat as if you’re in your own home; there’s no need to be formal,” Mother Yu urged.

“It’s been a while since I cooked, so I’m not sure if my skills have declined,” Father Yu added, a picture of a mature, refined middle-aged man. “I only hope it suits your taste, Qin Yan.”

“Thank you both, Uncle and Auntie,” Qin Yan replied courteously.

Once he saw them pick up their chopsticks, he, too, shed his politeness and began to enjoy the meal before him.

While Xiao Miao and Yu Qingxuan harbored different thoughts, the scene of familial warmth kept everyone from speaking too much. Only after three rounds of wine and five courses of dishes had passed did Yu Qingxuan finally break the silence.

“Junior Brother,” she began, “since you’ve arrived at my home, why not stay and rest for a few days before making any further plans?”

“Senior Sister, I was thinking the same thing.”

Qin Yan nodded, his gaze briefly flicking to Xiao Miao beside him before he addressed Yu Qingxuan, confirming his true intention for this visit.

“Excellent,” Yu Qingxuan said, her smile broadening. Her mind buzzed with curiosity, eager to uncover the story behind her junior brother’s adventures with Xiao Miao, and this was the perfect opportunity to inquire.

The meal concluded pleasantly, and after Father Yu and Mother Yu excused themselves to prepare the guest rooms, the remaining three retreated to the tranquil Yu family courtyard.

It was then that Yu Qingxuan finally lost her patience, turning to Xiao Miao and demanding, “Young lady, since things between you and my junior brother have already dissolved, why do you persist in clinging to him?”

“Qin Yan and I are perfectly innocent,” Xiao Miao retorted directly, her gaze firm as she faced Yu Qingxuan. “We merely met by chance during our journey. What ‘clinging’ are you talking about?”

The tension between them was palpable, a volatile atmosphere ready to ignite at the slightest spark. Gone was the polite restraint they had shown at the banquet, as only the three of them remained.

Witnessing this escalating confrontation, Qin Yan, sensing they were on the verge of a brawl, quickly stepped in to mediate.

“Senior Sister, there’s no need for you to worry,” he began. “Xiao Miao and I are here specifically to resolve the lingering issues from your last encounter in the demon city. When you extracted your Golden Core, it undoubtedly destabilized your foundation, and Xiao Miao possesses the very means to address that problem.”

“Hmph? What possible solution could she offer?” Yu Qingxuan scoffed, her face etched with disbelief. “She’s merely a Foundation Establishment cultivator.”

She was acutely aware of the gravity of her own predicament; the entire Yanqing Sect had been stumped, and even the formidable Yu family, a prominent clan in the northern lands, had exhausted their avenues, leaving her to wonder how a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator could succeed where they had failed.

Seeing her skepticism, Xiao Miao wasted no more words. She summoned her unique ‘Strange Water,’ and instantly, a potent aura of vitality permeated the entire courtyard, causing Yu Qingxuan to stare in stunned amazement.

“I possess the Heaven’s Moisture Strange Water, primarily cultivated for its restorative properties,” Xiao Miao explained to Yu Qingxuan. “It is perfectly suited to mend your depleted foundation.”

Yu Qingxuan’s lips parted, yet no words escaped her. While the item in Xiao Miao’s hand undeniably held the promise of aid, the sight of the girl standing so closely with Qin Yan filled her with a fierce pride. She would rather face death than accept assistance from this particular maiden.

‘Had I known, I would have preferred to perish by the Flood Dragon’s hand back then,’ she thought bitterly. ‘At least that would have left an indelible mark on my junior brother’s heart, and this wretched scene would never have unfolded.’

A profound sense of awkwardness twisted within Yu Qingxuan’s heart, a clear manifestation of her inner turmoil.

Two choices lay before her: either accept help from her ‘rival,’ a prospect she found more unbearable than death itself, or refuse it. Thus, despite the apparent irrationality, she chose refusal.

Her reaction, though seemingly foolish, was a testament to her stubborn pride.

“I refuse!” Yu Qingxuan declared vehemently, her heart seething with anger.

Her heart seething with anger, she spun around and stormed out of the courtyard.

Qin Yan was utterly bewildered. This behavior was entirely uncharacteristic of his senior sister, who typically embraced the philosophy that “a fool passes up a bargain.” Her sudden defiance was truly puzzling.

He had genuinely believed that once he explained the full story, his senior sister would readily accept the situation.

“Xiao Miao, I’ll be right back,” Qin Yan announced. He then followed in the direction Yu Qingxuan had stormed off.

Xiao Miao merely nodded, though a faint bewilderment flickered in her eyes. Even if Yu Qingxuan was consumed by jealousy, such an extreme, irrational reaction seemed unwarranted. Shaking her head at the thought, she surveyed the quiet courtyard, then retrieved her alchemy furnace, preparing to begin refining pills.

Yu Qingxuan continued to walk with her head bowed, a suffocating frustration trapped within her. However, upon hearing footsteps behind her, a sudden surge of delight bloomed in her heart.

‘My junior brother still cares for me,’ she mused, ‘otherwise, he wouldn’t have abandoned that girl, Xiao Miao, to follow after me.’

With this realization, her steps involuntarily slowed.

“Senior Sister!”

At Qin Yan’s call from behind, Yu Qingxuan halted her steps. She then watched as Qin Yan approached her side, purposefully turning her face away in a show of feigned indifference.

Seeing her haughty, averted face, Qin Yan promptly moved to her other side.

“Is Senior Sister perhaps feeling a touch of jealousy towards Xiao Miao?” Qin Yan’s voice drifted softly into Yu Qingxuan’s ear.

“How could I possibly stoop to being jealous of that girl?” Yu Qingxuan retorted instantly. “I’m more curious why my junior brother would deliberately bring such an unwelcome person before me.”

Despite her denial, her words betrayed her true feelings.

“As I just explained, Senior Sister, she genuinely possesses the means to heal your internal injuries,” Qin Yan reiterated.

“Even if it means death, even if I have to leap from the peak of Yanqing Sect, I will never, in this lifetime, accept treatment from that girl,” Yu Qingxuan declared, her tone leaving no room for negotiation.

In truth, a complex web of emotions tangled within her heart.

‘My junior brother met Xiao Miao, discovered she possessed this treasure, and then brought her here specifically to heal me…’

‘No matter how one looks at it, this is entirely my junior brother’s kind intention, yet I’m inexplicably throwing such a childish tantrum. It’s utterly senseless, but Yu Qingxuan simply can’t bring herself to be reasonable.’

Her emotions felt like a hopelessly tangled knot.

“Senior Sister, I understand what you’re thinking,” Qin Yan began, gently taking Yu Qingxuan’s hand. “In my heart, you are the kindest person to me, without equal. I will forever cherish your goodness. My reason for bringing Xiao Miao here truly has no other meaning; it’s simply, genuinely, to help you. Truly, Senior Sister, in my heart, you are the very best in the world.”

While his words carried a subtle hint of manipulation, Qin Yan, much like how men often best understand other men, naturally understood the intricacies of women in this matriarchal world. Yet, this was perhaps less about gender dynamics and more a testament to his innate emotional intelligence.