Feng Aotian And I Are A Match Made In Heaven - Chapter 3

Unfortunately, that blame had already been pinned on them years ago. Even if Chen Anqing wanted to clear herself now, she had no idea where to begin.

After learning the whole story, Chen Anqing’s feelings became even more complicated whenever she looked at Xiao Yun. It was the kind of feeling where she wanted to grit her teeth and kill her, yet she was also afraid of failing and ruining the comfortable life she currently had instead.

But if she simply left Xiao Yun alone, then she could only swallow her frustration and watch this hidden danger remain buried there until one day it suddenly exploded right in front of her.

Caught in this conflicted state, Chen Anqing kept an even closer watch on Xiao Yun. She stopped going to the mountain pass to let the cold wind blow on her, and she no longer wandered around whenever she got bored. She even stayed nearby while Xiao Yun slept, just to hear whether she might mutter anything about revenge in her dreams.

Aside from when Xiao Yun bathed, used the toilet, or changed clothes, Chen Anqing almost never let her out of sight. Once she grew proficient enough with her concealment technique, she even dared sit openly across from Xiao Yun while she ate.

This was not Chen Anqing’s first time in the Xiao family dining hall, but everything before her still drew her attention.

Looking around, she saw a bright, spacious hall bathed in warm yellow light. Redwood beams crisscrossed overhead, while the tables and chairs were all made of natural wood. Paintings hung on the walls with words reminding people not to waste food, and green plants stood in all four corners, looking somewhat like pothos.

Members of the Xiao family came and went in their uniform dark teal robes, heading to the front to buy meals that the cooks had already portioned into bowls. Afterward, they carried their bowls back and found empty tables to sit at.

Whether it was the dining etiquette or the general arrangement of everything inside, it looked remarkably similar to a modern cafeteria, only with an added antique elegance. Every time Chen Anqing sat here, she felt a strange sense of disorientation.

Just as Chen Anqing was lost in thought, three figures suddenly entered the edge of her vision, drawing closer from a distance. They were not unfamiliar in the slightest.

She immediately snapped back to attention, frowning as she could not help muttering inwardly, Here we go again.

“Well, well. The little useless one is feeling generous today. You can actually afford meat now.” The newcomers stood behind Xiao Yun, one in the middle and two flanking him. The insulting words that left his mouth failed to stir even the slightest ripple in Xiao Yun’s eyes. As he spoke, the one in the middle even craned his neck to peer into her bowl.

Today was the day the Xiao family distributed monthly provisions. The amount was determined according to one’s results. Naturally, Xiao Yun, who was only Jia Realm Level One, received the smallest share. But she lived frugally, so even the smallest portion was enough to support her.

The moment Xiao Yun received her provisions, she came straight to the dining hall. Chen Anqing did not know what kind of day it was, but when she saw Xiao Yun ordering food, she noticed her hesitate for quite a while before, for once, unexpectedly ordering a serving of meat.

Normally, she ate steamed buns with vegetables, usually wild greens at that. Even when she came to the dining hall, she ordered the cheapest vegetarian dishes. The money she earned from gathering spiritual plants was mostly spent on dry rations. In short, Xiao Yun was extremely frugal when it came to food.

So Chen Anqing was rather curious about why she had decided to eat meat today. Unfortunately, before that curiosity could be satisfied, she was about to witness Xiao Yun getting bullied yet again.

Xiao Yun did not turn to look at the three people behind her. She did not even say a single word. Her face remained as expressionless as ever. The loose hair over her forehead fell forward as she lowered her head, partly obscuring her eyes. After swallowing her previous bite, she immediately picked up the two remaining pieces of meat in her bowl and stuffed them into her mouth.

She had been bullied so many times that she could already predict the routine. Today, however, she had miscalculated slightly. She secretly regretted not eating all the meat the instant she got her meal, instead leaving it until now.

“Oh? Not talking? Afraid we’ll steal your meat?” Seeing Xiao Yun act like this, the person behind her raised a brow. He reached out, grabbed Xiao Yun by the hair, and yanked her backward, wearing a careless smile while his tone dripped with mockery.

The instant her hair was pulled, a trace of pain flashed through Xiao Yun’s eyes. Although she was forced to tilt her head back, her hand never left the bowl on the table. She chewed the meat in her mouth only twice before using the brief opening to force it down.

“How ridiculous. You really think we’d want your meat? Even if you fed it to a dog, the dog probably wouldn’t dare eat it. Who knows if eating it would turn it into useless trash like you?”

Xiao Yun’s series of movements only made the three of them laugh even louder. The boy holding her hair raised his free hand and slapped her twice across the face, laughing loudly as he spoke, drawing the attention of everyone in the dining hall.

But most people only looked over a few times before quickly withdrawing their gazes. Clearly, they were long accustomed to scenes like this. Everyone acted as though it had nothing to do with them, while a small handful simply watched for entertainment.

Yet at that moment, Chen Anqing suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable. Over the past ten-odd days, she had always watched scenes like this from afar—outside a window, from a rooftop, or from some corner on the other side of the room. She would casually snack while glancing over the other disciples’ meals, and if she spotted something appetizing, she would secretly fetch herself a bowl. She had never seriously listened to what was happening around Xiao Yun.

Now, watching from such close range for the first time, the boy’s piercing voice, the gusts of air from the slaps, and the malicious expressions on all three faces were right before her eyes. It made her deeply uncomfortable, and some distant memories from long ago suddenly surfaced in her mind.

These three boys were all Xiao Hao’s lackeys and had always followed his lead. Chen Anqing did not know what had happened, but after Xiao Moran entered the inner sect cultivation tower, Xiao Hao soon gained permission to enter as well.

As a result, he returned to the outer sect less often, but these lackeys of his had become increasingly arrogant.

Chen Anqing could only barely recognize the one standing in the middle of the three. If she remembered correctly, his name was Xiao Yu.

Xiao Yun still did not speak, nor did she make any attempt to resist. She merely tilted her head up and looked directly at the person in front of her. Her gaze was incredibly calm—so calm that it was almost unnerving to look at.

Seemingly unable to bear being stared at in such silence, Xiao Yu frowned and violently slammed Xiao Yun’s head forward. Her face struck the bowl directly, shattering it on impact and scattering food all over the table.

Xiao Yu did not let go. He kept one hand pressed against Xiao Yun’s head, forcing her face into the spilled food and deliberately grinding it against the mess.

“Brother Hao isn’t here, so now you think you’ve grown a backbone? You dare look at me like that!” For some reason, Xiao Yu suddenly became enraged out of embarrassment, glaring viciously at Xiao Yun. Yet no matter what he did, Xiao Yun neither resisted nor spoke.

“Say something!” Her attitude only made Xiao Yu even angrier. He grabbed Xiao Yun’s head and continued smashing it against the table. This time, he did not hold back at all. With a single blow, there was a dull thud, and blood rapidly began spreading across the tabletop.

Fragments of the shattered bowl had cut Xiao Yun’s face, and the blow Xiao Yu had dealt happened to strike her nose as well. Blood flowed simultaneously from her nose and cheek, contaminating the food within seconds before beginning to drip from the table.

Unfortunately, the blood did not only drip down in front of Xiao Yun. It slowly flowed toward Chen Anqing as well.

Chen Anqing’s brows knitted tightly. The filthy, chaotic sight instantly pushed her irritation to its peak. Watching the hand Xiao Yu used to hold Xiao Yun down, the sudden thought of tearing that arm off flashed through her mind.

The moment the thought arose, a trace of coldness spread through the air. Chen Anqing moved her fingertips slightly, and the qi in the atmosphere spontaneously formed a crushing pressure around Xiao Yu’s arm.

“Xiao Yu! Are you bullying Xiao Yun again?” Just as Chen Anqing was about to act, a cold voice came from the entrance of the dining hall. Before anyone could even turn around, a young girl had already strode over and knocked all three of them aside with one palm each.

“Xiao Yun, are you all right? Oh my god, your face is covered in wounds. I’m taking you to the Miraculous Hands Hall.”

Seeing Xiao Yun’s face covered in blood and food, anxiety and worry appeared in Xiao Moran’s eyes. She took a white handkerchief from her robes and carefully wiped the grime from Xiao Yun’s face before pulling her to her feet.

“Xiao Yu, you went way too far this time. You injured a fellow disciple. I’m definitely telling Elder Fuxue and making sure she punishes you properly.” After fiercely glaring at Xiao Yu and the other two, Xiao Moran hurriedly led Xiao Yun out of the dining hall. Xiao Yun did not resist either and obediently followed her away.

“Xiao Moran, don’t think we’re afraid of you! Go ahead and tell her. We’re not scared at all, right, Brother Yu?”

Xiao Yu had not spoken a word since Xiao Moran appeared. His face was somewhat pale, but the two people beside him failed to notice and continued shouting threats at Xiao Moran and Xiao Yun’s retreating backs.

A few seconds later, seeing that Xiao Yu still had not said anything, the two finally reacted, looking puzzled. “Brother Yu?”

Of course Xiao Yu wanted to speak, but strangely enough, aside from his eyes, he could no longer move any part of his body. He had noticed it while holding Xiao Yun down just now. His arm suddenly felt as though something had clamped around it, followed by a bone-chilling coldness. Panic rose inside him. He tried to speak, only to discover that no sound would come from his throat and that he could not even open his mouth.

He could only watch as Xiao Moran and Xiao Yun left. Even his hands and feet had become completely immobile. The icy sensation abruptly spread through his entire body, and panic surged uncontrollably within him. Just as he tried to blink for help, his body suddenly toppled straight to the ground.

“Brother Yu? Brother Yu! What’s wrong?”

Ignoring the commotion left behind in the dining hall, Chen Anqing leisurely walked outside, following Xiao Yun and Xiao Moran from neither too near nor too far away. Looking at the two figures ahead leaning against each other for support, she felt a faint sense of helplessness and melancholy.

Today happened to be one of the rare bright, sunny days since autumn began. Sweetgum and smoketree lined the road leading to the Miraculous Hands Hall, their colors mottled and intertwined beneath brilliant warm sunlight. Unfortunately, the occasional red maple leaf drifting past her eyes was the same color as the dining table from moments earlier, making the sight distinctly unpleasant.

After reaching the Miraculous Hands Hall, Xiao Yun’s wounds were quickly treated. Although she had seemed to lose a lot of blood, the injuries were actually not serious. They were all superficial wounds. Once the bleeding was stopped and medicine applied, wrapping them in cloth for a couple of days would be enough.

“Xiao Hao and Xiao Yu are becoming more lawless by the day. Now they’re openly bullying people without even trying to hide it. This is too much! Xiao Yun, we’re going to find Elder Fuxue right now.”

Xiao Moran’s voice still echoed through the Miraculous Hands Hall. As soon as she finished speaking, she stood up. Seeing that Xiao Yun’s face had been bandaged, with white cloth wrapped around most of it and only her eyes, nose, and mouth left exposed, she thought this pitiful appearance was perfect evidence for filing a complaint. She grabbed Xiao Yun and tried to pull her toward the elders’ hall.

But Xiao Yun did not move. Standing in front of the hall, she withdrew her hand from Xiao Moran’s grasp and merely shook her head at her. “Forget it.”

“Forget it? How can you just forget it? They bullied you that badly. Xiao Yun, you can’t keep swallowing everything without fighting back. That’ll only make them more arrogant. You have to learn to resist.” Hearing this, Xiao Moran grew anxious. She lowered her head to meet Xiao Yun’s eyes, speaking in an earnest, painstaking tone.

Xiao Yun merely looked at Xiao Moran. Her eyes were still calm, utterly devoid of emotion, like the surface of a windless lake with nothing disturbing it—flat as a mirror, without even the slightest ripple. Even her voice was neither sad nor happy. Against Xiao Moran’s obvious anxiety, Xiao Yun’s composure almost made Xiao Moran seem like she was meddling in someone else’s business.

“Xiao Moran, just focus on cultivating properly in the inner sect. You don’t need to worry about me. Don’t worry, I’m fine.”

“How can I not worry about you, Xiao Yun…”

“You’ve already helped me a lot. Last time I got sick and nearly died, Aunt Liu brought me medicine. Strictly speaking, you’ve already repaid the debt of having your life saved. Now that you’ve entered the inner sect, you should make the most of your time and cultivate properly. The inner and outer sects aren’t close to each other. Coming all this way to find me is a waste of time. From now on, you should stop coming to see me.”

After saying this, Xiao Yun did not wait for Xiao Moran’s response. She simply left the Miraculous Hands Hall on her own and headed back toward her little hut.

Watching Xiao Yun’s resolute back, Xiao Moran stood there at a loss. Chen Anqing clearly saw the light in her eyes dim. The bright young girl’s delicate brows furrowed slightly, sadness appearing on her face as she failed to understand why.