The Cub I Raised Turned Out to Be a Reborn Boss (GL) - Chapter 10

Within a few short days, the events that transpired on $\text{Wansnow}$ $\text{Peak}$ had spread throughout the entire $\text{Yuqing}$ $\text{Sect}$.

The Zou family remained quiet for two days. Finally, after an internal discussion, they surprisingly decided not to cause a fuss. Instead, they took the initiative to approach Jiang Yixue and apologize.

Jiang Yixue originally intended to refuse to see them, but she hadn’t anticipated that the Zou family would find Lin Chen. Given Lin Chen’s relationship with Xue Qiancheng, she couldn’t very well prevent Lin Chen from entering.

Song Xi served tea to everyone present.

Under Jiang Yixue’s watchful gaze, Lin Chen felt somewhat constrained. As he took the teacup, his hand nearly trembled, almost dropping it.

Fortunately, Song Xi was quick. She reached out and stabilized the teacup that was about to fall, smiling as she said, “$\text{Senior}$ $\text{Brother}$ Lin, be careful. This tea was specially requested by $\text{Senior}$ $\text{Sister}$. It’s the only one of its kind; if you break it, it’s gone.”

Hearing this, Lin Chen became even more constrained, so nervous that he didn’t know where to put his hands and feet. He lowered his head, not daring to look at Jiang Yixue, stammering for a long time before finally managing to say, “Then… thank you, $\text{Junior}$ $\text{Sister}$ Song…”

The teacup was small, and Song Xi’s fingertip brushed against Lin Chen’s palm. A hint of triumph couldn’t help but appear in her eyes.

She had attempted to ruin Jiang Yixue’s reputation a while ago, but Jiang Yixue was too vigilant and managed to evade her. This time, surely, Jiang Yixue couldn’t dodge getting the blame for this, right?

Having lived a previous life, Song Xi naturally knew Lin Chen’s identity—the $\text{Ninth}$ $\text{Prince}$ of $\text{Dongxuan}$ $\text{Canghai}$ and the future $\text{Cang}$ $\text{Emperor}$.

Although Lin Chen was just a callow youth now, he would definitely grow up to be a major source of trouble for Jiang Yixue in the future.

To leave a bad impression of Jiang Yixue on Lin Chen, Song Xi had deliberately added an ingredient to that cup of tea. She had seen countless petty tricks for stirring up trouble in her previous life.

Jiang Yixue was originally watching the performance of the Zou family with an attitude of an onlooker, but when she saw this scene, she suddenly felt that the $\text{Green}$ $\text{Mountain}$ $\text{Cloud}$ $\text{Mist}$ $\text{Tea}$ in her hand was no longer appealing.

Was this the pink bubble barrier that formed when the male and female leads met? Even in such a formal setting, they could have physical and verbal interactions. One was smiling gently, the other was shy and timid, essentially isolating everyone else outside their barrier.

The alarm bells rang loudly in Jiang Yixue’s heart. The plot seemed to be gradually heading back to the original course.

Thinking of this, Jiang Yixue said in a cold voice, “Xi Xi, there’s nothing else for you here. You can go back to your cultivation.”

She didn’t look at Lin Chen, turning to the people from the Zou family: “Is the Zou family here to plead for Zou Shan? He’s merely a wastrel; he hardly warrants such a commotion, does he?”

The leader of the Zou family was a woman dressed in red. She possessed an innate seductiveness, leaning slightly against the armrest of the Grand Master′s chair. Her red $\text{merman}$ $\text{gauze}$ outlined her graceful figure.

She placed the teacup on the table, slightly lifting her chin, and said, “$\text{Young}$ $\text{Sect}$ $\text{Master}$, you misunderstand. I am Zou Yu, a disciple under $\text{Elder}$ Liu of the $\text{Yangshan}$ $\text{Technique}$ $\text{Hall}$. Zou Shan is my younger brother. He deserves to bear the consequences for his mistakes, but we simply hope the $\text{Young}$ $\text{Sect}$ $\text{Master}$ can grant the Zou family some face.”

Zou Shan was a direct descendant of the Zou family. If he were simply punished like this, the Zou family would definitely lose face among the $\text{Yuqing}$ $\text{Sect}$‘s affiliated families. Moreover, it might even be suspected that Xue Qiancheng was abandoning them, which would have a considerable impact.

Jiang Yixue knew what she meant, but Zou Yu’s attitude clearly wasn’t one of a person asking for a favor. She was clearly arrogant and overbearing.

So, Jiang Yixue paused and said flatly, “The Zou family’s face must be earned by themselves; others cannot grant it.”

Zou Yu frowned, saying with a hint of anger, “Zou Shan did not commit a grave offense. It was merely a momentary lapse of judgment. A slight reprimand should suffice. How could it be so serious as to directly expel him from $\text{Wansnow}$ $\text{Peak}$? If the $\text{Young}$ $\text{Sect}$ $\text{Master}$ insists on going ahead, the members of the Zou family will certainly feel that it is unjust. In that case, I cannot guarantee the Zou family’s full devotion to the $\text{Young}$ $\text{Sect}$ $\text{Master}$.”

The loyalty of affiliated families was extremely important to the $\text{Sect}$ $\text{Master}$, as it concerned the support received when inheriting the $\text{Sect}$ $\text{Master}$‘s position in the future.

But Zou Yu guessed wrong. Jiang Yixue would not be threatened by her.

Jiang Yixue didn’t care at all whether the so-called $\text{Young}$ $\text{Sect}$ $\text{Master}$ position was secure; she didn’t even know if she would wake up and travel back to her world.

In the original plot, there were only four $\text{HE}$ (Happy $\text{Ending}$) lines out of thousands of plotlines, and they were $text{HE}$s that came after much suffering. Jiang Yixue did not want Song Xi to go through such hardships.

Therefore, Zou Shan was actually the monkey Jiang Yixue used to scare the others. She had to make sure no one dared to bully Song Xi.

And now the Zou family was eagerly chasing after her, asking her to release the monkey she used as a warning, and with such an attitude no less. Jiang Yixue smiled lightly: “I don’t think it’s necessary to investigate every single thing he’s done to see if it warrants expulsion and lay it all out for $\text{Junior}$ $\text{Sister}$ Zou. Otherwise, that would be the true humiliation for the Zou family.”

Finally, Jiang Yixue added, “The Zou family went to such great lengths for this one wastrel. Was this the intention of the Zou family, or the intention of $\text{Junior}$ $\text{Sister}$ Zou…”

Jiang Yixue immediately saw through Zou Yu’s intentions. The Zou family’s purpose for her visit today was to avoid antagonizing Jiang Yixue.

Although the priority was to have Jiang Yixue spare Zou Shan, if Jiang Yixue didn’t want to release him, all they needed to do was select another person from the Zou family to join $\text{Wansnow}$ $\text{Peak}$ to show that Xue Qiancheng had no objection to the Zou family.

However, Zou Shan was Zou Yu’s biological brother. She was determined to save Zou Shan, which was why she spoke with such a demanding tone from the start.

Zou Yu shot a look at Lin Chen: “$\text{Senior}$ $\text{Brother}$ Lin?”

“This…” Although Zou Yu and Lin Chen were acquainted, Lin Chen was very hesitant. He could tell that Jiang Yixue was not pleased.

Lin Chen took a shallow sip of the tea in his hand, and his brows instantly furrowed.

It was bitter.

The fine $\text{Green}$ $\text{Mountain}$ $\text{Cloud}$ $\text{Mist}$ $\text{Tea}$ had $\text{Coptis}$ $\text{chinensis}$ added to it, bitter enough to make one gasp.

Lin Chen immediately remembered what Song Xi had said: this tea was specially prepared for him by Jiang Yixue, only this one cup. If he broke it, it would be gone.

$\text{Green}$ $\text{Mountain}$ $\text{Cloud}$ $\text{Mist}$ $\text{Tea}$ had a clear sweetness, just like a person who was originally pure. But once contaminated with a little impurity, it would become a cup of tea so bitter it was hard to swallow…

Lin Chen felt he instantly understood Jiang Yixue’s meaning, and a cold sweat instantly broke out on his back. $\text{Senior}$ $\text{Sister}$ Jiang was warning him to stay away from the Zou family!

The Zou family’s conduct had indeed been outrageous these past few years. Relying on the $\text{Heaven}$-rank peak cultivation of the Zou family’s $\text{Ancestor}$, the Zou family’s position among the affiliated families was unshakable. Therefore, they had been suppressing the children of other families behind the scenes and even profiting for the family’s sake under the name of the sect.

The things the Zou family did were almost universally known within the sect. Xue Qiancheng felt the Zou family was still useful for now, but what about the future? Such self-serving behavior would eventually backlash.

He imperceptibly shifted slightly, moving away from Zou Yu, and said flatly, “$\text{Senior}$ $\text{Sister}$ Zou, I have brought you here, and I have repaid my favor. I will not accept the reward you promised yesterday. This matter concerns the Zou family; it is inappropriate for an outsider like me to comment.”

The sight before her left Jiang Yixue somewhat perplexed. Shouldn’t Lin Chen be actively helping Zou Yu to persuade her right now? Why was he avoiding Zou Yu like the plague?

Jiang Yixue took the initiative to break the awkward silence, saying in a cold voice, “$\text{Junior}$ $\text{Sister}$ Zou, you don’t need to say any more. Even $\text{Junior}$ $\text{Brother}$ Lin cannot change this outcome. If everything were handled strictly according to the sect’s rules, your brother’s punishment wouldn’t be as simple as it is now. Please leave.”

Jiang Yixue gave Zou Yu no chance to propose a second solution, rapidly making it clear that she was dismissing her guests.

Returning empty-handed from this trip, Zou Yu’s face was filled with indignation, but she still had to figure out how to explain things to her family.

So, she departed the $\text{Azure}$ $\text{Lotus}$ $\text{Residence}$ immediately, leaving only a red afterimage in the sky.

Lin Chen paused at the doorway, lowering his voice to Song Xi, who was seeing him off, “$\text{Junior}$ $\text{Sister}$ Song, I understand $\text{Senior}$ $\text{Sister}$ Jiang’s meaning. Please convey to $\text{Senior}$ $\text{Sister}$ Jiang that I will draw a clear line between myself and the Zou family from now on.”

“$\text{Senior}$ $\text{Brother}$ Lin…”

Before Song Xi could finish her sentence, Lin Chen interrupted her: “I know $\text{Senior}$ $\text{Sister}$ Jiang is doing this for my own good. I understand. I am not someone who forgets kindness. $\text{Junior}$ $\text{Sister}$ Song, please rest assured, I will remember $\text{Senior}$ $\text{Sister}$ Jiang’s kindness this time.”

Song Xi was completely confused… How could a person with such a thought process ascend to the position of $\text{Cang}$ $\text{Emperor}$?

Across half the courtyard, Jiang Yixue watched from the window as Song Xi stared blankly at Lin Chen’s retreating figure, her delicate eyebrows knit together, her eyes filled with seriousness.

It seemed that the male and female leads indeed had some protagonist aura and a pink bubble barrier. She absolutely had to take action to make these two keep their distance from each other. She didn’t want all her efforts to end up benefiting the male and female leads.