Chapter 11 is so rough.
Her voice was filled with confusion, pain, and self-doubt.
Listening to her, a hint of complex emotion rose in Jiang Bai’s heart.
He knew the root of Qian Renxue’s tragedy lay in the deeds of Qian Xunji and the twisted hatred Bibi Dong harbored as a result, but these were secrets he could never speak aloud.
He could only try to guide her in another way.
"Uh... well..."
Jiang Bai weighed his words, trying his best to sound like a peer clumsily offering comfort.
"Maybe... the reason isn’t you, but... someone else?"
He carefully avoided any specific references, trying to prevent Qian Renxue from taking all the blame upon herself.
However, Qian Renxue didn’t seem to hear him, or rather, she was overwhelmed by immense grief at that moment and found it difficult to think rationally.
She continued to cry with her head down, only occasionally using the handkerchief Jiang Bai gave her to wipe away the constant flow of tears; her cheeks and the tip of her nose were flushed red from crying.
It was unclear whether it was due to the emotional agitation of crying for so long, or because she felt shy about exposing such a vulnerable side in front of a strange boy.
Jiang Bai noticed that Qian Renxue’s originally fair earlobes and the side of her face were somehow tinged with a faint blush.
Time passed slowly amidst sorrowful tears and silent companionship.
After a long while, the golden ripples on the lake were gradually replaced by the deep blue of twilight, and Qian Renxue’s sobbing finally subsided.
Jiang Bai was in no hurry to leave, nor did he say anything else. He just sat quietly on a nearby rock, looking at the now-calm lake as if he were merely a silent background element.
Qian Renxue finally looked up, her eyes somewhat red and swollen, and gazed at Jiang Bai.
She carefully observed this strange boy who had stayed with her while she cried for a long time.
There was no impatience on his face, nor excessive sympathy or curiosity—only a calm, even slightly distracted, indifference.
This made Qian Renxue feel a strange sense of relaxation.
Her voice was still a bit raspy, with a heavy nasal tone.
"I’ve made a fool of myself in front of you..."
"No, not at all," Jiang Bai quickly waved his hands, his tone sincere. "As long as you don’t do anything foolish..."
"Foolish?"
Hearing this, a hint of suspicion flashed in Qian Renxue’s purple eyes.
She followed Jiang Bai’s gaze and subconsciously looked at the deep lake water at her feet, suddenly understanding.
So he thought she was going to take her own life?
A feeling of both annoyance and amusement diluted some of her sadness. She couldn’t help but huff softly, retorting with the typical willfulness of her age.
"Hmph, I’m not that stupid!"
Heh... that’s not necessarily true...
Jiang Bai silently complained in his heart, recalling the series of foolish moves Qian Renxue made in the original story.
But on the surface, he just gave an awkward smile and didn’t respond.
Qian Renxue seemed a bit uncomfortable due to Jiang Bai’s slightly odd smile.
She cleared her throat and spoke again, this time her tone regaining a bit of her usual cadence.
"By the way, classmate, what are you called?"
Jiang Bai instinctively said, "I didn’t shout!"
"???"
Qian Renxue’s beautiful purple eyes widened instantly, filled with disbelief.
She even wondered if she had hallucinated from crying too long.
Her fair little hands couldn’t help but tighten around the already half-damp handkerchief.
She took a deep breath, thinking he hadn’t heard clearly, and emphasized her words, repeating them one by one: "I am asking you, what—is—your—name!"
"Classmate, I really didn’t shout just now!"
Jiang Bai spread his hands with an innocent look.
"!!!"
Qian Renxue felt her cheeks heating up again, and this time it was definitely out of anger!
The poor handkerchief in her hand had been unconsciously twisted into a braid.
Why did talking to this guy feel so exhausting and inexplicably infuriating?!
Almost gritting her teeth, she used the last of her patience to speak for the third time: "I—am—asking—you—what—is—your—name!"
Seeing that Qian Renxue was truly about to blow her top, Jiang Bai stopped while he was ahead and immediately adopted an expression of realization. "Oh! That!"
"My name is Jiang Bai. What about you, classmate?"
"My name is Qian Renxue."
Qian Renxue announced her name almost crossly, her chest still heaving slightly from the recent "confrontation."
Classmate?
She looked Jiang Bai over again, seemingly wanting to regain some ground from this boy who looked refined but was actually quite annoying.
So she tilted her chin up and asked, "How old are you?"
"Six. I just enrolled a few days ago. Why?"
Jiang Bai replied with some confusion, not understanding why she suddenly asked that.
Hearing this, Qian Renxue’s eyes lit up slightly. She immediately stood up, hands on her hips, and announced:
"Then I’m three years older than you! You have to call me Senior Sister!"
Her tone carried a hint of triumph as if she had finally won a round, looking as though the person who had been sobbing helplessly just now wasn’t her at all.
"..."
Jiang Bai looked at the blonde girl in front of him, who had instantly switched states and was trying to establish "authority" using their age difference, and was momentarily speechless.
This speed of emotional transition—truly worthy of a future master of infiltration...
He complained inwardly, but on the surface, he complied and honestly called out, "Senior Sister Qian."
"That’s more like it."
Qian Renxue nodded with satisfaction, feeling that she had regained control of the rhythm.
She handed the wrinkled, tear-stained handkerchief back to Jiang Bai while subconsciously muttering a comment.
"...It’s so rough!"
It was unclear whether she was talking about the material of the handkerchief or complaining about Jiang Bai’s irritating conversation.
Then, she turned around, preparing to leave the lakeside that had caused her such emotional turbulence.
After a few steps, she suddenly stopped and looked back.
In the twilight, her purple eyes looked seriously at Jiang Bai, her tone carrying an unquestionable weight:
"By the way, about what happened just now... you’d better not tell anyone!"
Jiang Bai looked at her, raised his hand, and made a zipping motion across his lips.
Seeing this, a flash of genuine relaxation and satisfaction crossed Qian Renxue’s eyes. She nodded again and finally turned away, leaving the lakeside with a pace slightly lighter than when she arrived.
Not until her figure had completely vanished did Jiang Bai slowly let out a breath.
He looked down at the crumpled, damp handkerchief in his hand, shook his head helplessly, and put it back into his Storage Bracelet.
He turned again and headed toward the cafeteria, which was well past mealtime, though he might still find something to eat.
Was this... a good start?
He shook his head, casting aside his scattered thoughts. The most important thing right now was still cultivation.
Night had fully fallen, and the lights of Spirit Academy were dotted like stars across the vast complex of buildings.
Jiang Bai’s figure also quickly disappeared at the end of the path leading to the cafeteria.
...
Qian Renxue left the lakeside and walked along a relatively secluded path within the academy, heading deeper into the back mountain.
Passing through a meticulously maintained pine and cypress forest, an exquisite and small two-story villa appeared before her.
This was not an ordinary student dormitory area, but an independent residence prepared by the academy for a very few students of special status or teachers who required an absolutely quiet environment.
A simple, ancient-style lamp lit the front of the villa, emitting a soft warm white glow that dispersed some of the darkness.
Just as Qian Renxue was about to reach out and push the door open, her movement paused slightly.
In the shadows of the porch, a figure stood silently, appearing at some unknown time.
He was dressed in simple white casual clothes, his posture as upright as a pine tree. Just by standing there quietly, he seemed to merge with the surrounding night, the trees, and even the air.
"Grandpa!" Qian Renxue was startled at first, then a light of surprise instantly lit up her purple eyes. Like a little bird returning to its nest, she gave a happy cry and ran over to throw herself at him.
"Whoa... slow down."
Qian Daoliu opened his arms and steadily caught his granddaughter. His cold and majestic face was now filled with an inseparable kindness and tenderness.
One of his hands gently touched her still slightly red, tear-stained fair cheek, his fingertips stroking it extremely softly as if he were wiping a fragile treasure.
His gaze carefully scanned his granddaughter’s red and swollen eyes, and pretending not to know what had happened, his tone carried a perfect amount of concern and curiosity.
"What’s wrong? Why are our Little Angel’s eyes so red? Have you been crying? Tell Grandpa, who bullied you?"
Hearing her grandfather’s question, her eyes flickered, but she eventually shook her head, her voice muffled and tinged with a bit of coquettishness.
"No... it’s nothing... just... some sand got in my eyes."
She chose to hide the truth.
Sigh...
Qian Daoliu sighed silently in his heart, a heavy and helpless sigh.
He knew better than anyone where the pain in his granddaughter’s heart originated, yet he was powerless to change the cold, established reality.
Bibi Dong’s hatred and neglect of Qian Renxue were rooted in that past she couldn’t bear to look back on—an abyss that lay between mother and daughter, one that could never be bridged.
All he could do was give his granddaughter double the affection and protection, trying his best to fill the void left by that missing maternal love.
He didn’t press her further and shifted the topic with a light tone: "Alright, if our Xue’er says there’s nothing, then there’s nothing. Are you hungry? Grandpa had some snacks prepared for you—your favorite Honey Date Cakes."
Upon hearing this, Qian Renxue’s eyes lit up, but soon, as if remembering something important, she looked up from her grandfather’s arms, her purple eyes holding a hint of seriousness and a trace of hard-to-detect curiosity.
"By the way, Grandpa,"
She tugged on Qian Daoliu’s sleeve. "Can you help me look someone up?"
"Oh?"
Qian Daoliu raised an eyebrow, showing an interested expression, though he was perfectly aware in his heart. As expected.
"Who does Xue’er want to investigate? Did someone in the academy provoke you?"
He followed his granddaughter’s lead, intentionally adding a touch of a senior’s natural protectiveness to his tone, as if he would immediately "deal with" that ignorant fellow if she just nodded.
In truth, he quite approved of his granddaughter’s action.
Knowing to use available resources and channels to investigate someone’s background after meeting a stranger was a necessary caution and an awareness she had to Cultivate in her position.
It seemed that Xue’er hadn’t completely ignored the subtle teachings of these past years.
"It’s a student who just enrolled a few days ago. His name is Jiang Bai."
Qian Renxue said, unaware of the deeper meaning in her grandfather’s words.