Chapter 94 – Between a Rock and a Hard Place

  “So, Jun De.” Shen Ruolan began, her tone deceptively casual.

  “Lin Yue told me about the night you spent together in Green Willow Hamlet.”

  The words struck like a boulder crashing into still water, and the ripples shattered the calm that Jun De had just achieved by returning to his home.

  Jun De froze mid-sip, the teacup still touching his lips. For a heartbeat, he tried to pretend that he hadn’t heard her. Then the meaning of her words registered, and Jun De’s eyes widened. The tea immediately went down the wrong way, and whatever was left of his composure fled the courtyard.

  He coughed violently while quickly placing the cup back on the table so as not to spill the remaining contents everywhere. Warmth spread up his cheeks, and Jun De blushed in embarrassment at Shen Ruolan’s sudden statement.

  “What?” Jun De managed to say between coughs, glancing at Lin Yue in disbelief. He never would have expected her to spread that information around!

  Lin Yue’s ears were pink, and she was suddenly very fascinated with the koi pond. Shen Ruolan, on the other hand, wore a smile that was far too innocent to be genuine. Despite her outward appearance, she was staring at Jun De with that familiar look of a predator stalking its prey.

  Jun De cleared his throat and tried to wrestle some of his composure back under control.

  “I think that you are misinformed, Ruolan.” Jun De said slowly while giving her a measured look.

  “Oh?” Shen Ruolan leaned forward and rested her chin on her hand. Her eyes glinted with a dangerous light that made it clear that she was not amused.

  “Lin Yue didn’t seem misinformed. In fact, she was quite detailed about the experience. She even said that you both-”

  “Sister Ruolan!” Lin Yue snapped, her voice higher than usual. Even Jun De started in surprise at the response from the usually shy and timid Lin Yue. She slammed her own teacup down with more force than necessary, startling the nearby koi fish into darting beneath the lily pads ringing the pond.

  “What happened between Senior Brother Jun De and myself is our own business.” Lin Yue added, and the two women stared daggers at each other for a moment before looking away.

  The silence hung in the air for a long moment, and Jun De hoped that it would smother any further conversation.

  ‘I regret attempting to form a Harem in this life! Whoever thought it was a good idea is an idiot! I should find a nice, simple woman without any cultivation!’ Jun De thought.

  Shen Ruolan set her own teacup down with deliberate care, her fingers lingering on the rim before she leaned back and folded her arms. Her teasing smile faded, and her expression was cold with an edge of tension that had nothing to do with humour.

  “You will be my husband one day, Jun De.” Shen Ruolan said, and her tone was so casual that it almost masked the steel beneath it. Lin Yue froze, and her head turned sharply back toward Ruolan.

  “As I told Sister Yue, your past is of no concern to me. Only the future matters. Our future together.” Shen Ruolan said, and Jun De’s fingers tightened around his own teacup.

  “Ruolan, I have never agreed to anything.”

  “Senior Brother Jun De is only concerned with pursuing the Dao!” Lin Yue added.

  “You haven’t agreed to anything, but you haven’t actively discouraged me either. I know what I want, Jun De, and I don’t intend to stand aside for anyone.” Shen Ruolan said, and she primly gestured to their tea.

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  “I believe we should finish our tea before it gets cold.” Shen Ruolan finished, and no one spoke for several breaths before Jun De let out a heavy sigh.

  ‘I’m never leaving the Sect again. Only bad things happen when I do.’ Jun De said regretfully.

  Thankfully, no one pressed the matter further, and Jun De seized the chance to steer the conversation in a safer direction. With deliberate calm, he reached into his storage bag and retrieved some of his purchases from Yunlai City.

  The first thing he removed was a small, but exquisitely made, pill refining furnace. Its bronze surface was etched with delicate cloud patterns, and thin lines of silver had been inlaid around the lid that caught the sun.

  Right next to it, he placed a thick, leather-bound recipe book with gilded edges. The book’s cover had the sigil of the alchemist in Yunlai City who had written it. It was filled with recipes for pills suitable for the Qi Condensation stage.

  “Yue, I thought these might be useful during your studies. The furnace is a mid-grade Spiritual Artifact, and I was told that it would be suitable for all the pills you may refine in the Qi Condensation stage. And the book of recipes covers all the basics, and the alchemist even filled it with notes to help in your refining.”

  Jun De explained while sliding the items toward her with a faint smile.

  Her eyes widened, and she reached out almost hesitantly. Her fingertips brushed against the warm metal of the furnace before she traced the embossed lettering on the cover of the recipe book.

  “Jun De, this is beautiful! And the recipes, this will take me years to master. This is far too much for me to accept.” Lin Yue smiled with a joy that lit up her whole expression.

  “You’re welcome. And don’t say you won’t take it! I’m being selfish as well. Who do you think I will be coming to for pills in the future?” Jun De said, returning the smile before turning to Shen Ruolan. Her expression had soured at the clear thoughtfulness of Jun De’s gift.

  Jun De produced a long, lacquered case from his storage bag. Its surface was polished to a mirror sheen and the golden clasps on the side clicked softly when he opened it to reveal three slender flying swords. Their blades gleamed with a bright, azure lustre, and faint engravings of diving kingfishers could be seen etched into the metal.

  “These are for you, Ruolan. I know that your parents and grandfather had probably given you a lot of things to keep you safe while you’re in the Sect, but I promised to protect you as well. I would feel a lot better if you kept these close, I know for a fact how well-made they are.” Jun De said.

  Shen Ruolan recognized the weapons immediately. It was thanks to them that they had safely made it to the ground after leaping out of their flying ship. Not only were they high-grade Qi Condensation Artifacts, but they had a sentimental value to her.

  It was standing on these blades that Jun De had first wrapped his arms around her.

  Ruolan’s eyes flicked from Jun De to the swords, and her cold expression gave way to genuine surprise. She reached in and lifted one of the flying swords, feeling the weight and giving it a gentle twirl.

  “I suppose if we are ever falling from another ship, you will need to rely on me to carry you safely to the ground.” Shen Ruolan said softly, and Jun De let out a laugh.

  “It’s my genuine hope that I won’t be flying on another ship for a very long time. But, if we do fall, I hope you’ll take good care of me.” Jun De replied.

  The tension that had been hanging over them all afternoon seemed to slowly unwind. Lin Yue was still admiring the fine etching on her furnace, while Ruolan had placed the Azure Kingfishers into her storage ring for safekeeping.

  For Jun De, the quiet balance between them was as much of a victory as any battle.

  When the time came for the two women to leave, Lin Yue lingered near the gate for a moment. Her cheeks were faintly pink, and she clutched her new furnace in her arms.

  “Jun De, thank you.” Lin Yue said softly, before stepping close to him and brushing a quick, feather-light kiss against his left cheek. It was shy, almost hesitant, but deliberate enough that it lingered in the air between them.

  Shen Ruolan’s eyes narrowed almost instantly, and her hands clenched within the sleeves of her robes.

  “Oh?” She murmured, and her tone was deceptively light. She took a step forward before Lin Yue could retreat fully, closing the space between her and Jun De with a feline grace. Her gaze never left Lin Yue as she leaned in and pressed her lips firmly against Jun De’s right cheek. Her own kiss lingered longer and was far less hesitant than Lin Yue’s had been.

  “I’ll be visiting tomorrow to play ‘Go.’ Rest well until then, Jun De.” Shen Ruolan said, her voice cool but laced with an unmistakable edge of challenge.

  Lin Yue only gave her a small, knowing smile before turning to leave, while Ruolan held Jun De’s gaze for a heartbeat longer before following.

  When the gate finally closed behind them both, Jun De exhaled a long, slow breath as the tension slowly drained from his shoulders. He sank into his chair, letting the last light of the fading sun settle over him.

  “Whoever said that having a Harem was a good idea is a complete and utter idiot.”