Chapter 83

Chapter 83: I Realized… Senior Brother Lin Dao Seems to Have a Crush on Me

Yu Ruan Ruan had never seen the System so out of control and excited.

She suddenly felt a powerful sensation, as if the System might burst out of her head in the next second.

[We must find that heaven?favored one!]

“Where is that heaven?favored one right now?” Yu Ruan Ruan asked, curiosity kindling at the one the System valued so highly.

If she could obtain his fortune, or make him submit beneath her feet, then the destiny she possessed would surely rise by another measure.

[You are now the daughter of fortune. The heaven?favored one will, by unseen design, come to your side. You must seize the chance.] The System’s loss of composure had lasted only a few seconds; now it returned to reason, though its tone remained deadly serious.

Hearing that she could not immediately locate the heaven?favored one, Yu Ruan Ruan felt a flicker of disappointment.

But it did not last. As the System said, she was the protagonist of this world; that so?called heaven?favored one would in the end come to her.

Because the strong are fated to be drawn to the strong.

That is destiny and affinity decreed in the dark.

She asked: “The heaven?favored one? His fortune is stronger than Master’s?”

The System seemed to let out a faint, derisive sound before replying: [Naturally—and stronger than the original Rong Shu.]

Her eyes glinted. “What about the current Rong Shu?”

[Insufficient information. Unable to determine.]

She was about to ask more when someone called from behind: “Ruan Ruan…”

She turned and saw Jun Xiu Ran arriving at Joyous Hall. Her face blossomed into a sweet smile as she hurried up to him.

“Master, why are you so late?”

He explained softly, “Something came up at the sect, so I arrived a bit late.”

She pouted: “I don’t care. Master was late. If the birthday present you prepared isn’t good enough, I won’t forgive you tonight.”

He chuckled: “You little fox, you just want your birthday present, don’t you?”

She leaned closer with bright eyes: “Yes, Master. What did you prepare for me?”

…

The next morning.

At dawn on Limitless Peak, Qin Yuan rose early and went to the small courtyard to look for Rong Shu, only to find she wasn’t there at all.

He hadn’t gone yesterday because it had been Ruan Ruan’s birthday; today he had to find her.

But Rong Shu hadn’t returned all night. Had she gone straight to stay at Lin Dao’s place?

At the thought, Qin Yuan’s face soured.

This was the cultivation world; the strict separations of men and women in the mundane realm did not apply—but Rong Shu was being far too reckless!

He conveniently ignored the fact that Rong Shu was only a thirteen?year?old young lady.

As he was about to leave Limitless Peak, he ran into Yu Ruan Ruan, who happened to be heading out.

She asked brightly, “Third Senior Brother, where are you going?”

He said, “I’m going to find Rong Shu. She didn’t come back all night.”

She blinked, then probed, “Where did Junior Sister go?”

He shook his head. “I don’t know… probably at Lin Dao’s.”

“What? Lin Dao?” Her voice was full of surprise.

Qin Yuan then recounted, without omission, what he had seen yesterday of Rong Shu and Lin Dao together.

When she finished listening, a faint shadow flashed in Yu Ruan Ruan’s eyes.

Hesitation touched her face: “Third Senior Brother, I don’t know if I should say this.”

“Ruan Ruan, it’s fine. Say it.”

“It’s just…” She looked as if the words were hard to speak; after several seconds of struggle, she finally went on in a troubled voice, “Back when we were on a mission in Tranquil Harmony Town, I realized… Senior Brother Lin Dao seems to admire me.”

“What? That brat Lin Dao admires you?!”

Qin Yuan’s first reaction was fury—furious that an outsider dared covet his Ruan Ruan—with no doubt at all about the truth of it.

In his eyes, Ruan Ruan was good in a thousand ways; how could no one like her?

She nodded, face creased with worry: “Yes. But I made it very clear at the time that I rejected Senior Brother Lin Dao’s feelings, and after that we haven’t had any contact.”

“Before that, Junior Sister Rong and Senior Brother Lin Dao didn’t even know each other. Afterward, their relationship suddenly grew close. I suspect… Senior Brother Lin Dao may be using Junior Sister as a bridge to get closer to me.”

The meaning was plain. Qin Yuan’s face changed.

Could that guy Lin Dao really be so unwilling to give up after Ruan Ruan refused him that he detoured through Rong Shu to draw close again?

At the thought, a banked fire surged up in his chest—whether for Rong Shu being used, or for Yu Ruan Ruan being coveted, he could not say.

Yu Ruan Ruan pressed a hand to her heart and said anxiously, “I’m so worried about Junior Sister. What if she…”

“If Junior Sister is hurt because of this, it will all be my fault…”

“Ruan Ruan, don’t blame yourself yet. Nothing has happened,” Qin Yuan said, his tone turning cold at the end. “I’ll bring Junior Sister back right now. As for that brat Lin Dao…”

Good, Lin Dao. Daring to use his junior sister?

Seeing that the flames were fanned enough, Yu Ruan Ruan added quickly, “Third Senior Brother, you’re not thinking of confronting Senior Brother Lin Dao directly, are you? You mustn’t.”

“If word of this spreads, where would Junior Sister Rong’s reputation be?”

“Junior Sister is already thirteen. She’s no little girl. In the mortal world, girls of that age are nearly at the point of discussing engagements.”

At that, Qin Yuan’s expression darkened even more.

“Ruan Ruan, say no more. I know what to do.”

She nodded obediently: “Good. I believe Third Senior Brother will handle it well.”