The Only Goal and the Lingering White Moonlight

“Mm?”

Su Wanqing felt Chen Xueli’s lips brush against her ear, the questioning whisper and the weight pinning her down like a venomous snake coiled around prey.

She couldn’t move.
One wrong emotion, and she’d be devoured whole.

This wasn’t right.

She was still injured!

Why had her rebellious disciple suddenly turned into this?

If it were Shen Xianyue, she could understand—the demoness was just like that, and she’d only recently been exposed to the charm bones. Losing control was normal.

But Chen Xueli?

Even when the sickness flared, she had never gone this far while Su Wanqing was badly hurt.

And even under the charm-bone influence, this girl had lived with her for years.
Her resistance should be near absolute.

Su Wanqing instantly saw through it—Chen Xueli was bluffing, trying to scare something out of her.

“…”

“Can’t I just try a different style for a day?”

Su Wanqing refused to admit anything.

Chen Xueli had no comeback. Master had seen right through her.

Fine.

She’d let it go—for now.
She’d ask properly once Master healed.

That nagging feeling wouldn’t leave: Master was hiding a lot.

“Alright. Rest well. Elder Yang still has things for me, so I need to step out.”

“If anything happens, contact me. I’ll send the girl next door over. You’re injured—order her around if you need anything.”

Chen Xueli dropped the interrogation and decided to let Ning Yuer look after Master while she was gone.

On the surface, her attitude toward Ning Yuer had softened.
Learning the girl’s past stirred memories of her own childhood.

But deep down, the bone-deep hostility remained.

It whispered constantly: Don’t let your guard down around her.

Still, Master was heavily injured. Having someone to help wasn’t a bad idea.

She refused to believe Master was harder to serve than that fox demon.

If anything, this was a blessing for the little brat—serving Master was a fortune earned across lifetimes.

Since Master confirmed Ning Yuer wouldn’t become a disciple—and would be sent far away to Red Embroidery—Chen Xueli felt safe leaving her in charge temporarily.

Even if the girl harbored lingering thoughts about Master, what did it matter?

This would likely be their last time together.
Let her repay the kindness by caring for Master.

After Chen Xueli left, Ning Yuer soon returned from the next room.

She was still timid, clearly overwhelmed by everything.

“Immortal… Sister…”

Her gaze fell on the bandages wrapped around Su Wanqing’s neck and shoulders, guilt flooding her eyes.

Though Chen Xueli had been gentler when calling her over, she still didn’t understand why the woman disliked her so much.

“No need to be nervous. Ignore that stinky brat—she treats everyone like that. Come here, let me see you.”

Su Wanqing beckoned gently, big-sister mode fully activated.

Only warmth could calm the girl’s terrified heart right now.

She silently prayed the future heroine would remember this kindness—and one day free her from her rebellious disciple’s control.

Truthfully, Su Wanqing had placed nearly all her bets on Ning Yuer.

Disrupting “His” arrangements, securing her future freedom—everything hinged on one condition:

Ning Yuer.

She had meant to get out of bed, but the moment she relaxed, the pain flared.
So she simply sat on the edge and waited.

“I… I’m dirty… please don’t…”

When Su Wanqing reached to touch her cheek, Ning Yuer tried to refuse.

But fearing disapproval, she could only blush furiously and stammer.

“Fine. In a bit, go downstairs and ask the waiter for a bathing barrel. Wash properly.”

Ning Yuer’s reaction was bigger than expected.

Su Wanqing withdrew her hand.

She had only wanted to check how thin the girl really was.

Now she realized: far thinner than imagined.

To become truly beautiful, Ning Yuer probably needed to gain the weight of half another her.

“Then don’t wear those dirty rags anymore. Wear this.”

Su Wanqing pulled out a set of clothes from her storage ring—prepared in advance to farm favorability.

She had chosen based on the novel’s description of what suited petite girls.

But looking now… still too big.

How long had this child gone without proper food?

“Mm… got it…”

Watching the girl leave, Su Wanqing saw the deep self-loathing in her posture.

She wanted to guide her, but confidence couldn’t be built overnight.

That was a long-term project—best left to Red Embroidery.

“…”

Soon, the sound of water came from the bathroom.

Ning Yuer scrubbed away years of grime, feeling everything was too dreamlike.

One moment she had been a happy child.

The next, branded a calamity—shunned by all.

And now?

She had thought her life would remain eternally dark.

Then in a single instant, she was tied to a legendary immortal.

An immortal so beautiful…

She still didn’t understand why Immortal Sister was so kind—even after being gravely wounded saving her.

Not only no blame, but continued gentleness, hugs, warmth she hadn’t felt in years.

Splash—

Ning Yuer sank fully into the wooden tub, staring at the ceiling, then toward Su Wanqing’s room.

Determination solidified.

She couldn’t hide anymore.

Even if it earned disgust, her conscience wouldn’t allow further deception.

In her eyes, Immortal Sister treated her well because she saw only an ordinary suffering child—not the calamity star everyone feared.

If she saw that disgusting golden eye… she would turn away too, right?

Ever since her eye changed color, no one had ever looked at her without fear or hatred.

That was why she kept herself filthy—to avoid attention, to hide her eyes from curses like “monster,” “calamity,” “ugly freak.”

But the kinder Su Wanqing was, the heavier the guilt became.

Not just because of the injuries.

Because she was lying.

To let her benefactor see the truth—so she would no longer be deceived by this revolting monster.

After washing clean, Ning Yuer put on the new clothes.

Gathering every ounce of courage, she lifted her bangs.

Revealing the golden eye.

In any other novel, that eye color would scream noble bloodline.

But this was a trashy web novel world.

If the early game wasn’t oppressive, how could the payoff feel good later?

“Hm? All clean?”

Hearing the door, Su Wanqing looked up.

Ning Yuer stood trembling, barely holding herself together.

Su Wanqing showed no shock.

Of course she noticed the eye.

She understood exactly what the girl was doing—and how much courage it took.

As expected of the future heroine.

Even now, the seeds of that iron will were visible.

“…”

Ning Yuer said nothing, only watching as Su Wanqing approached.

When the hand rose, she saw Hu Mei’s shadow in the motion.

Courage spent, she turned away instinctively—bracing for the furious slap of betrayal.

“?”

But what came was not pain.

Still that gentle touch.

“What’s wrong, little kitten? Don’t recognize me now that you’re all cleaned up?”

“Such beautiful eyes.”

“…???”

“Beau… tiful…?”

The first time anyone had ever said that.

Ning Yuer stared, dumbfounded.

There was no disgust in Su Wanqing’s gaze.

Only pure appreciation.

At that moment, in the girl’s eyes, Immortal Sister glowed like a radiant lamp—the first light to pierce her pitch-black world.

But Ning Yuer didn’t know:

The glow wasn’t coming from Su Wanqing.

It was the light returning to her own eyes.

And watching this scene, Su Wanqing was secretly celebrating.

Look at that expression—the heroine would never forget her in this lifetime.

As a veteran novel reader and transmigrator, she knew exactly how devastating that single sentence was to a girl who hated her own eyes.

With just this one line, she had probably secured the role of “perfect understanding big sister” forever.

But Su Wanqing had no idea.

She had indeed carved a permanent place in the girl’s heart.

Not as the gentle, knowing sister she imagined.

But as an unattainable, unforgettable white moonlight.

The one and only goal she would chase for the rest of her life.