Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Shen Sang Ruo got into trouble again

Wen Xuan watched Feng He Yun drink at ease and could not hold back his anger: “First Senior Brother, why haven’t you gone to apologize to Fifth Junior Sister?”

Feng He Yun took his time finishing the wine in his flask before speaking: “Didn’t I already have someone send her a jar of osmanthus brew?”

Wen Xuan’s face hardened as he said: “How does that count as an apology?”

Feng He Yun’s voice turned impatient as he said: “How does that not count?”

Wen Xuan kept his tone serious as he said: “You hurt Fifth Junior Sister badly this time. You should at least apologize to her face. Sending one jar of osmanthus brew, what is that supposed to be?”

Feng He Yun waved a hand, unconcerned, as he said: “You don’t understand. Osmanthus brew is the best gift. Do you know how long she begged me for it before?”

He added with certainty as he said: “Shen Sang Ruo will be thrilled to receive it.”

[Besides, that brew is her favorite. If she weren’t seriously hurt, I would never give her a whole jar.] He felt his compensation was more than generous.

Bai Mu Mu came over with Lu Shi Qing and called out brightly: “First Senior Brother, Second Senior Brother, there you are. We looked everywhere. What are you talking about? I thought I heard osmanthus brew.”

She smiled sweetly as she leaned closer to Feng He Yun.

Wen Xuan explained the matter of Feng He Yun sending only osmanthus brew to apologize and asked Bai Mu Mu for judgment as he said: “Junior Sister, tell me, shouldn’t First Senior Brother apologize to Fifth Junior Sister in person?”

Feng He Yun, however, seized on the part about the brew and hurried to reassure Bai Mu Mu as he said: “Don’t worry, Junior Sister. That jar is the one you don’t like. And I used the finest fresh osmanthus to brew several new jars just for you.”

Hearing that, Wen Xuan frowned.

In the past, he would not have thought Feng He Yun’s behavior wrong. They owed Bai Mu Mu; they had to make up for the suffering she endured wandering outside for years. Yet this time, an uneasy thought crept in that Feng He Yun was being too biased. [Shen Sang Ruo is our Junior Sister too.]

Wen Xuan could not shake the change in Shen Sang Ruo these days; it made him uneasy. He pressed on as he said: “First Senior Brother, how can you treat Little Ruo like this?”

Being questioned by a Junior Brother in front of Bai Mu Mu and Lu Shi Qing, Feng He Yun bristled and retorted at once as he said: “What did I do to Shen Sang Ruo? I’ve always treated her like this. I only slipped this time.”

He looked at Wen Xuan with a sharp edge as he said: “So by your logic, have I been wrong all along?”

He sneered and jabbed further as he said: “And Wen Xuan, since when did you care so much about Shen Sang Ruo? Haven’t you always found her annoying? You even took back the access jade token for your warding seal from her.”

Among their fellow disciples, everyone had one of Wen Xuan’s warding seal tokens. Only Shen Sang Ruo did not.

A flash of shame crossed Wen Xuan’s eyes as he said: “That was because I was about to break through back then, so I reclaimed Little Ruo’s token. I’m already preparing a new one for her.”

Feng He Yun gave a cold laugh as he said: “Out of so many tokens, you didn’t reclaim anyone else’s, only Shen Sang Ruo’s. Do you think that is treating her well?”

Wen Xuan’s face went pale. He opened his mouth but had no words.

Feng He Yun’s gaze turned probing as he said: “What did Shen Sang Ruo feed you, some kind of sweet talk? Or did she complain to you about us?”

He made his stance final as he said: “Either way, I’m set. One jar of osmanthus brew is enough. Since when does a First Senior Brother have to personally apologize to a Junior Sister?”

He snorted and added as he said: “And Shen Sang Ruo isn’t as petty as you think.”

[She wouldn’t dare refuse me. She’ll probably even comfort me and say she’s fine.]

Wen Xuan, though stung by Feng He Yun’s words, still did not back down. He looked to Lu Shi Qing with hope as he said: “Shi Qing?”

Lu Shi Qing tugged at the corner of his mouth, a mocking look in his eyes, and gave a flat answer as he said: “Second Senior Brother, you forget, no matter whose side I take, it won’t be hers.”

In his view, Shen Sang Ruo was restless and unsafe to indulge. [If you treat her too well, you end up like I did before, nearly making a terrible mistake.]

Hearing this, Wen Xuan felt powerless, and a chill settled in his heart. [So this is Shen Sang Ruo’s place in our sect now.] He stared at them, his gaze holding a feeling he could not put into words, and warned them as he said: “Aren’t you afraid of truly breaking Little Ruo’s heart? Believe it or not, Little Ruo has changed.”

Feng He Yun and Lu Shi Qing frowned, not because of his words, but because Wen Xuan almost never looked this sorrowful.

Sensing the mood turn wrong, Bai Mu Mu stepped in at once to smooth things over as she said: “First Senior Brother, I think you should go yourself. Even if you don’t apologize, visiting Fifth Senior Sister would be good.”

She tugged lightly at Feng He Yun’s sleeve and coaxed him as she said: “With your concern, First Senior Brother, Fifth Senior Sister will recover much faster.”

Seeing the lively plea in Bai Mu Mu’s bright eyes, Feng He Yun could not bear to refuse and gave in as he said: “All right. Since Junior Sister asks, I’ll go see her.”

His irritation faded a good deal. [Junior Sister is the most endearing after all.]

Wen Xuan exhaled in relief and sent Bai Mu Mu a grateful look. She winked, a playful spark hiding in her smiling eyes, and without noticing it himself, Wen Xuan’s own expression softened into a faint smile. [Getting Junior Sister back is truly our sect’s good fortune.]

Though Lu Shi Qing was cold toward Shen Sang Ruo, he did not refuse to visit someone badly injured. He would also go.

The four were about to set out when a noisy commotion rose from afar.

A group of people soon came into view. Leading them was Master Ling Xiao’s fourth Disciple, Luo Chu.

Wen Xuan stared at the crowd behind Luo Chu and asked in surprise as he said: “Fourth Junior Brother, what is this? Why are so many people following you?”

He recognized most of those behind Luo Chu as shopkeepers from the market near the Flying Cloud Sect, owners of well-known stalls that had no reason to be inside the sect.

After greeting them one by one, Luo Chu spoke, full of anger, as he said: “It’s Shen Sang Ruo stirring up trouble again.”

He explained with heat as he said: “I was just about to return to the sect when I saw these shopkeepers gathered at the gate. I asked and learned Shen Sang Ruo caused a mess.”

He lifted his chin with righteous fury as he said: “With such a big scene, I had to bring them in to prevent shame falling on the sect and our masters. Shen Sang Ruo must give them an explanation.”

He urged the four as he said: “You came at the right time. Come with me to find Shen Sang Ruo, before she hears and runs off.”

His teeth were clenched and his indignation loud. But this time, Wen Xuan and the others did not join him in scolding Shen Sang Ruo for being thoughtless like before. Shen Sang Ruo causing trouble was nothing new, and Luo Chu had complained many times. Yet she was supposed to be resting from heavy injuries. How could she have caused trouble now?

Their expressions all turned odd.

Wen Xuan grew serious and asked plainly as he said: “Fourth Junior Brother, are you sure it was Fifth Junior Sister who caused the trouble?”

Luo Chu answered at once, though something flickered in his eyes, as he said: “Of course. Without a doubt. If not her, who else?”

[Strange. I spelled it out this clearly. Shouldn’t they rush to drag her out with me? Maybe the mess is too big this time, so Second Senior Brother is being cautious.] Thinking so, Luo Chu finally found some confidence.

He folded his arms and proposed as he said: “If you don’t believe me, ask these shopkeepers.”