I Find Her Disgusting Chapter 44

“The Shasheng Sect is my territory.”
Jiang Xidai leaned back in the chair, adjusting the peony pattern on her cuff.
It was just an ordinary paulownia wood chair, but the woman, accustomed to extravagance, sat on it as if it were the throne in Qionghua Hall.
“And your Bright Moon Pavilion is considered part of Qionghua Hall.”
“I am merely taking a stroll in my own backyard. What is wrong with that?”
“If the Sect Master likes it, then of course it’s fine.” Yan Huirou gave a gentle “mm,” poured out the basin of water, and found a clean cloth to wrap the soaking wet puppies in.
She then raised her palm, attempting to use her newly learned spiritual energy to dry the large dog.
Jiang Xidai propped her chin on her hand, her eyes slightly raised as she stared unblinkingly at Yan Huirou.
She had a feeling that Yan Huirou was in a bit of a bad mood.
But seeing the female lead unhappy should have made her happy.
Jiang Xidai thought that perhaps she just wanted to know why Yan Huirou, who seemed like she wouldn’t lose her temper even at death’s door, was sulking by herself.
The girl was always extremely patient, kind, and considerate, as delicate as a white lotus, unable to even be fierce with a dog.
But her thoughts came to nothing. When she looked up again, she was met with the young girl’s gentle, jade-like expression. “Sect Master? What would you like to eat today?”
Her expression was normal, her sleeves rolled up and resting on her arms. Seeing Jiang Xidai remain silent for a long moment, she suggested, “How about we don’t eat something so sweet? We can switch things up once in a while. I know how to stir-fry a few side dishes.”
“No.” Jiang Xidai instinctively resisted. “I don’t like them.”
“…”
Yan Huirou finished drying the dogs’ fur. The group of three little ones and one big one became fluffy again. Surprisingly, it turned out they weren’t overly dirty; their fur was naturally pitch-black.
If before they had been a dusty, ashen black, now they were a deep, fluffy black that had its own kind of beauty.
“The Sect Master is such a picky eater,” Yan Huirou sighed softly. “If I were to go out or leave… what would you do?”
It was a strange, almost nonsensical question.
Before meeting Yan Huirou, Jiang Xidai had naturally gotten by just fine. She had lived.
“Little brat.” Jiang Xidai sized her up for a moment and said flatly, “You want to go out again? You have a rather wild heart. Didn’t you just go out this morning to buy a few things?”
Yan Huirou took a small piece of folded paper from her sleeve, opened it, and handed it to Jiang Xidai.
Jiang Xidai glanced at her before slowly taking it. She rubbed it between her fingers as she opened it. On the short note were only a few words, written in a slightly messy script: “Miss Yan, take care.”
Jiang Xidai’s brow furrowed unconsciously.
“Who wrote this for you?”
Yan Huirou said, “I ran into Li Xinghe when I went down the mountain today.” She gave a faint curve of her lips. “I assume I don’t need to introduce him. You’re always mentioning him to me.”
That boy?
Jiang Xidai gave a dismissive “mm,” her lashes lowered in thought. Why would he come looking for Yan Huirou?
According to the plot, the male lead… shouldn’t he be working hard at Lanyue Pavilion right now—
Oh, Jiang Xidai had almost forgotten. She had burned Lanyue Pavilion down, and it wouldn’t be rebuilt anytime soon.
She had no idea what arrangements those people had made. In any case, after she had scared the male lead unconscious and dumped him at the gate last time, she hadn’t bothered with him since.
She had thought all the filth had been burned away.
Now it seemed it hadn’t, dashing the hopes she’d held.
In that case, the male lead must have ended up somewhere else.
But the System hadn’t told her the detailed plot developments yet. The useless thing always had a lethargic, one-step-at-a-time feel to it.
“Come out,” Jiang Xidai said to the System. “What’s going on? Is this part of the plot?”
[Host. Beep beep—]
A burst of noisy static screeched in Jiang Xidai’s ears. She endured it, and the voice on the other end finally returned to normal.
[Dialogue triggered. Monitoring for side quest. Female Lead’s favorability detected as too high. The corrected side-story plot is %??01…]
Another burst of chaotic static.
Just as Jiang Xidai was thinking that the thing was finally about to die for good, it stubbornly pulled through.
What a pity.
[New fortune detected! In the corrected side-story plot, the female lead encounters the male lead upon leaving the Shasheng Sect. She should accept the male lead’s invitation to go to Wugou Mountain next month to retrieve a sword, where she will receive a fortuitous encounter and obtain a new cultivation technique. Beep beep—]
Wugou Mountain?
Jiang Xidai thought back. The name was a bit unfamiliar, but not completely unheard of.
It was a small, barren mountain near the Shasheng Sect. The small town at its base was the closest market town to the sect, the one Yan Huirou probably always went to for supplies.
But no one had ever heard of any cultivation technique or sword in that small, barren mountain.
“What kind of sword? How does it compare to my A Ten-foot Soft Red?”
[A precious sword derived from the Fortune of the Heavenly Dao. It can only be drawn by fated individuals together. Its form is variable and its name is not yet set, determined by the nature of its wielder.]
“And what cultivation technique?”
[Host, it is normal for the male and female leads’ fortunes to be heaven-defying. This cultivation technique was not mentioned in the original novel’s plot, so the System cannot provide a detailed explanation. It has been classified as a side quest by the System.]
…In other words, the thing knew nothing.
[Beep! Please choose—]
[One: Accept. Two: Decline.]
[Completion Reward: 1000 cultivation points!]
As expected of a side quest, the reward was pitifully small.
But Jiang Xidai asked, “This one… if I don’t accept it, will they still obtain the fortune?”
[Host, please confirm. The male and female leads’ luck has nothing to do with you. Please note—this side quest was triggered by the female lead’s excessively high favorability. She actively chose to tell you, which is why the mission interface has appeared, oh.] The System prompted coldly, even adding a mechanical “oh,” as if it thought this sounded personable.
So that means, even if I don’t accept this mission, they might still obtain it, right?
This useless system wasn’t giving her any real choice.
Jiang Xidai lowered her eyes and didn’t ponder for long. “Hmph. I’ll accept.”
There was no other reason. She was always very concerned about “fortunes.”
After all, things like this rarely followed logic. A powerful enough one could even allow someone to kill opponents of a higher realm.
Therefore, she had to guard against the male and female leads’ fortunes.
Even if she couldn’t get them herself, she couldn’t leave them for those two. As long as those two cultivated honestly, it would be a fantasy for them to surpass her, and there would be nothing to fear.
Rather than avoid it, it was better to face it head-on.
[Beep! Confirmation successful. Congratulations, Host, on starting a new mission.]
[Mission objectives are as follows: One, have the female lead agree to go to Wugou Mountain with the male lead. Two, have them successfully retrieve the sword together.]
“What did he say to you?”
To avoid being too abrupt, Jiang Xidai feigned ignorance.
Yan Huirou didn’t lie to her, explaining everything much as the System had.
“I was just thinking, you are always mentioning him and me together. If one day, I really do fall for him as you hope, and I leave this place…” Yan Huirou said, “You won’t be able to eat my desserts anymore. Would that be okay?”
Jiang Xidai looked back into her eyes. They were still calm and gentle, like a lake on a windless day.
But with Yan Huirou suddenly saying this—
Jiang Xidai’s heart felt as if a fine piece of silk had been snagged, raising wispy threads that were unpleasant to the touch.
These past few months had been too comfortable. She had almost forgotten that the person before her was named Yan Huirou.
Yan-Hui-rou. It wasn’t just a name; it was the female lead who was destined to become Jiang Xidai’s enemy.
“You don’t need to use such words to test me,” Jiang Xidai said leisurely. “If you want to go with him, then go and see. I won’t stop you this time—”
Just as she was showing a rare display of magnanimity, Yan Huirou smiled. “I don’t want to go. I’ve already refused him.”
?
[Beep! Female Lead favorability -1]
Did this mission just end before it even began?
“No.” After her shock passed, Jiang Xidai thought, If Yan Huirou doesn’t go, that cheap fortune might fall into Li Xinghe’s hands—who knows?
“You must go.”
Yan Huirou asked in return, “Why?”
“Do I need to explain my actions to you?”
“Because this time, it concerns me.” Yan Huirou’s tone softened. “Although I will listen to the Sect Master, it is not an excessive request for you to explain the reasoning behind your decision.”
…She was being talked back to.
Jiang Xidai froze for a moment, her gaze landing on her face. Her eyes narrowed slightly, then she shot Yan Huirou a glare.
This little brat was getting more and more rebellious.
She closed her eyes and began to fabricate a reason.
But Jiang Xidai rarely did such things. The effort made her temple throb, and she forced out, “I want some peace and quiet, and you won’t have to be hanging around in front of me every day.”
“The Sect Master is seeking peace and quiet,” Yan Huirou said, “and yet today you’ve sought it in my room. What sense does that make?”
“…”
Jiang Xidai rubbed her temple. “Perhaps I want to send you to investigate that boy’s movements. He appeared so suddenly near the Shasheng Sect, who knows what conspiracy he’s plotting?”
“Matters like this are more appropriately handled by Senior Sister Wen. And that is what you have always done.”
“…”
“No talking back,” Jiang Xidai said coolly. “I’ve grown tired of lazing around the Shasheng Sect. Hearing you mention it, I feel like going to see that mountain. Is that not allowed? It’s decided. No more nonsense.”
[Beep! Female Lead favorability +1]
“Alright.”
Yan Huirou nodded. “Then I will go with you. Next time, Sect Master, if you want to do something, you don’t need to beat around the bush so much with me.”
Jiang Xidai found that the obedient and sensible female lead had returned. She curled her lips, satisfied with her own rhetoric. “Alright then, go pack up and find that boy.”
Yan Huirou looked puzzled. “Sect Master Jiang, I just told you… I already refused him. What does this have to do with Li Xinghe?”
“Aren’t you going with me?”
Jiang Xidai’s words caught in her throat. She froze, propping her cheek on her hand, and didn’t speak for a long moment.
How strange.
Why is the female lead clinging to me again?!