The Senior Sister Steps on Me

"A lonely grave a thousand miles away... nowhere to express my sorrow!"

The withered old man lamented and sighed, his turbid tears flowing endlessly.

He struggled to sit up halfway and grabbed He Kongyue's forearm, shaking it repeatedly.

Although still emotionally charged, she was no longer as heartbroken as before, but rather showed a hint of vitality.

He Kongyue put down the Xuan paper left by You Su and took out a handkerchief to wipe away the old man's tears.

"Father, you should get some rest..."

He Mingpei then slowly lay down, but she lingered on He Kongyue's forearm, unwilling to let go.

"Moon, is this poem truly left by Miss You?"

"Well... he wrote it in his own handwriting right in front of me, but according to him, he also heard it from somewhere else."

"You heard that?" He Mingpei's old eyes flickered. "But given her age and experience, she certainly couldn't have written such a profound and poignant elegy..."

The old man gazed at the portrait hanging on the wall. The portrait depicted a graceful and beautiful woman in an elegant dress, her smile captivating him.

"Her gift... is far too precious. Yue'er, you must treat her well and make it up to her on my behalf..."

He Kongyue pursed her lips, "I will, Father..."

"Moon, I'll ask you one more time, do you truly love this Miss You?"

The old man had recovered and, thinking about his business, regained his spirits.

He Kongyue was stunned by the question and didn't know how to answer for a moment.

If she says she likes someone, is she answering from her own perspective as a woman, or from her father's perspective as a man?

Seeing her hesitation, He Mingpei's expression darkened considerably, and she pounded the bed in exasperation, saying:

"You're so foolish, Yue'er! Such a wonderful person, and you don't even like him?!"

"Father, I didn't..."

"Miss You is beautiful, highly talented, well-mannered, knowledgeable, and even has no family to worry about. She's practically the perfect dao companion; you must seize this opportunity!"

He Mingpei spoke, she became so emotional that she started coughing again.

He Kongyue helplessly helped him up and said softly:

"I know my father..."

"You'd better know!" He Mingpei glared, her beard bristling. "Don't think I don't know all the messes you've been up to! Now that you've met a good man, it's time to settle down!"

He Kongyue had the same idea. After all, his philandering was just for his father and those who didn't believe he was a man. Now that he had been acting for so many years, there was no need to continue.

"Alright, alright, I'll listen to your father. Go to sleep now."

"Well..."

He Mingpei was also somewhat tired. She slowly closed her eyes, "I know my days are numbered, and I just want to see you get married before I die, then I can die without regrets..."

Marry??

He Kongyue's beautiful eyes suddenly widened as she thought of You Su had dressed so gently earlier that day.

A bold idea began to take shape in her mind...

When You Su returned to the mountain, her junior sister and senior sister had not yet returned.

This made You Su feel somewhat uncomfortable, but he also felt very gratified.

The world shouldn't revolve around him, and neither should the women he loves. They should have their own things to do and their own will.

Miss Xue Ruo is a very opinionated and independent woman, while her junior sister, although she also likes to linger around him, actually has her own goals and ideas.

Therefore, from this perspective, the senior sister has undergone the most significant transformation.

Since he joined Lotus Peak, his senior sister has devoted almost all her heart and soul to him, as if she has finally found the backbone of her life. One can imagine how dull and boring her life must have been before.

Now, my senior sister also has her own things to do.

Yes, my senior sister has grown up.

You Su decided that he could no longer tell the childish stories of Green Green Grassland tonight; he would raise the level of his senior sister's bedtime stories from under ten to under sixteen.

While the two women were away, he took a shower and changed his clothes to avoid his junior sister seeing his temporary effeminate skin and making fun of him for the rest of her life.

As dusk approached, You Su, engrossed in practicing his sword, was awakened by Ji Lingruo.

What You Su couldn't see was that both women had a thin layer of gauze stockings showing at their ankles.

"Junior sisters and senior sisters, you're back!"

Something's strange.

Ji Lingruo circled around You Su.

"What's wrong?" You Su, puzzled.

"Who takes a shower before practicing swordsmanship? You'll have to shower again after you're done practicing, won't you?"

Ji Lingruo, like a detective, directly discovered the key point.

When asked the question, You Su was speechless. With his senior sister present, he dared not lie. After a long while, he couldn't think of a suitable explanation and nervously fidgeted.

He couldn't very well say that he and Brother He had pretended to be dao companion...

Ji Lingruo revealed a knowing look, "Tell me! What exactly did you go about! You even had to take a bath to cover it up? You must have picked up a woman's scent on you! You were afraid we'd find out!"

Wangshu Fairy also looked at him curiously.

Unexpectedly, You Su, who was in dire straits, suddenly changed his expression and burst out laughing.

It turned out he had come prepared; he took out several small, exquisitely packaged jade boxes from his Universe Bag.

"Ta-da! I specially went to the most famous rouge shop in Henggao City to buy you rouge and face powder. The fragrance there was too strong, so I took a bath."

Ji Lingruo quickly snatched the jade box from You Su's hand and began to open it one by one. Not only were there lip rouge and blush, but even eyebrow powder was prepared, showing how well-prepared You Su was.

"This Spring Blossom Red is very expensive!"

Ji Lingruo was naturally beautiful, but no girl who loves beauty would go without makeup. When she saw that You Su had actually taken out the real thing, she immediately beamed with joy.

"I'm glad you like it, Junior Sister."

"Thank you, senior brother!"

Overwhelmed with emotion, the girl threw herself into You Su's arms to express her gratitude.

Unfortunately, she hadn't enjoyed the tenderness for long before remembering that Wangshu was still nearby, Ji Lingruo pulled away, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

Wangshu didn't react much, her clear blue eyes dimming slightly as she looked at the cosmetics in You Su's hand.

"Senior sister, this is for you."

You Su handed over the remaining bottles and jars she was holding.

"Thank you, junior brother."

Wangshu accepted all the gifts, but she didn't feel the same joy as when she received You Su's gifts before. She slowly turned around and went back to her room without saying a word.

"Senior sister, um..."

You Su wanted to say something to persuade her to stay, but Ji Lingruo, who was frowning, pulled her back.

Wangshu closed the door, You Su turned around, puzzled, and asked:

"Junior sister, what's wrong?"

How dare you say that!

Ji Lingruo she had just been excited about receiving the gift she wanted.

"I really don't know."

"There's a reason why Senior Sister never takes off her mask! Do you really think she doesn't want to eat while watching us eat? And you, you're even giving her rouge to put on her face! Senior Sister is definitely resenting that she can't use it herself!"

But I...

"What do you mean, 'but'? Do you just want others to betray your good intentions and then feel guilty? You're not allowed to speak to me until you've appeased your senior sister!"

Ji Lingruo angrily pinched You Su's waist, then ran back into the house with the bottles and jars in her arms.

Only You Su remained in the same spot, unsure whether to laugh or cry.

As the moon rises above the branches, it's time for Wangshu's most anticipated pre-night story segment.

She leaned obediently against the headboard, holding the cosmetics that You Su had given her that evening.

She carefully opened it, took out a little light red rouge, and then applied it to the cheeks of the Rabbit Mask.

The bright moonlight streamed in from the window, making the white rabbit head blush, as if it were her own face.

"Senior sister, I'm coming in."

"Hmm..." Wangshu quickly put the bottles and jars away.

You Su pushed open the door and closed it, then walked in with practiced ease.

Although he couldn't see, he could sense with his Divine Sense that his senior sister's room was even simpler than his own, so walking around was completely effortless.

However, You Su didn't come alone today; he brought something else with him—

A bucket of steaming hot water.

You Su sat on the chair at the head of Wangshu's bed, placing the bucket of hot water beside her:

"Senior sister, can we not talk about Green Green Grassland today?"

"Then what should we talk about?" Wangshu was actually very reluctant to part with the sheep and wolves on that grassland.

You Su smiled and said, "If you don't like the story of the Legend of the White Snake, Senior Sister, just let me know."

Wangshu nodded. In fact, she could listen to any story You Su told with great interest.

"But before we hear the story, let's do something else first."

Wangshu looked at the bucket of hot water. "What are we going to do?"

You Su reached out and tested the water temperature again, then smiled and said:

"Soaking your feet."

"Soaking feet?" A look of doubt flashed in Wangshu Fairy's eyes.

"That's right, Senior Sister, you're prone to feeling cold, right? Soaking your feet in the cold winter is a great way to regulate your Qi and improve blood circulation, it's a wonderful way to get rid of the cold."

How do I brew it?

"I've put some agarwood in this tub of hot water. Senior sister, all you need to do is take off your shoes and socks and soak your feet in for a while."

Wangshu always believed what You Su said without question. She was sitting on the bed without shoes or socks, wearing only a white gauze dress.

She lifted the blanket, revealing a pair of bare, slender feet.

The feet were perfectly proportioned, with smooth, white insteps and delicate, jade-like toes, as if carved from mutton-fat jade. In the dimly lit room, they seemed to be the most radiant thing.

Splash--

Without hesitation, Wangshu plunged her feet directly into the somewhat hot water. Seemingly unaccustomed to the temperature, she even slightly arched her small toes.

"My junior sister said that I've been using my legs a lot lately, so a foot bath is perfect. It not only warms you up but also relieves fatigue. After a foot bath, you can sleep comfortably and wake up tomorrow feeling completely refreshed," You Su said gently.

After Wangshu, he indeed discovered that the hot water in the tub was mysterious. The warm steam seeped into his body from the soles of his feet, turning into a refreshing warmth. The mystery must be the bag of agarwood soaking in the tub.

Unfortunately, the warmth from external objects was ultimately just that—external. That warmth quickly dissipated, providing only temporary comfort, not lasting warmth.

Wangshu couldn't help but feel a little guilty: My junior brother is so considerate of me, yet I still want to waste his kindness...

Her eyelashes drooped. "Then, junior brother, let's soak together..."

Her thinking was simple: this was a waste for her, but not for her junior brother, so she should share it with him.

How could You Su possibly agree? "This is for my senior sister. She can just soak in it. I'll tell her a story instead."

To everyone's surprise Wangshu was surprisingly firm:

"If my junior brother doesn't go for a date, neither will I."

As she spoke, she was about to lift her delicate, translucent feet out of the water.

"Don't, Senior Sister!"

You Su was truly at a loss; at this point, what excuse could he possibly use to refuse?

Isn't it true that men and women shouldn't touch each other? But I held someone else's hand this morning...

"I've already tried foot baths with my senior... You can't soak your feet for too long..."

"My junior brother lied to me."

"Senior sister, I have athlete's foot..."

"I'm not going to soak anymore."

You Su quickly pressed down on the girl's knees to stop her from lifting her leg. Even through the thin gauze, the sensation was still breathtaking.

"Fine, I'll soak it, okay...?"

You Su hesitated before taking off her boots, her heart filled with unease.

That's enough...

I like my senior, and she likes me too, so what's there for me to hesitate about?

Knowing he had no way out, You Su put his large feet into the wooden tub.

The biggest problem is that the size of the wooden bucket is only suitable for one person. You Su has big feet, and it's impossible for all four feet to stay in the same bucket without interfering with each other.

This bucket also has a mysterious aspect; it has been enchanted with a heat-preserving Formation Technique, so the hot water is still quite scalding to the feet. In stark contrast, however, are my senior sister's slightly cool jade-like feet.

Touching that soft, jade-like skin, You Su's breath hitched, and her heart trembled.

He instinctively tried to lift his foot to get away, Wangshu reacted quickly and actually lifted her toes and stepped on You Su's instep.

"Junior brother, don't run away!"

Wangshu stepped on You Su with both feet, her tone leaving no room for refusal.

You Su's breathing quickened slightly as she felt the soft flesh of the other person's toes, as tender as flower stamens, with an indescribable sensation of coolness under her feet.

"I won't run... Senior sister, please put me down..."

Wangshu obediently put down, then her legs interlaced with You Su's, filling the wooden tub to the brim.

The two are now holding hands, and even their feet are clasped together.

"Junior brother, tell me a story."

Wangshu was very satisfied with the obedient You Su, her eyes crinkling with delight.

You Su suddenly stretched out his fingertip and drew two circles with his Mystic Qi on the rim of the wooden bucket.

He specially bought this wooden bucket from Lingzhen Peak for his meal; the Formation Technique on it can not only keep the food warm, but also heat it.

If this were to be a story, the water temperature probably wouldn't hold for that long.

Immediately, You Su began his story in a soft voice.

He had told this story many times before, so he spoke of it very familiarly.

You Su's choice of this story was actually quite meaningful. Since he wanted to explain to his senior sister the difference between liking and not liking, he needed to make her realize what true liking really is.

The poignant love story between Xu Xian and Lady White across lifetimes in the Legend of the White Snake is undoubtedly one of the best interpretations of love.

However, the story's scope seems a bit too broad. Wangshu hasn't yet recovered from her playful days on the Green Green Grassland, and is somewhat bewildered by this convoluted love story.

You Su certainly didn't expect to teach his senior sister in just one night or one story. He had a very long time to spend with her.

"The story is over, senior sister is going to sleep now."

The two sat facing each other, You Su affectionately ruffled the girl's hair.

Wangshu squinted her eyes like a cat, enjoying this moment, which was her favorite time of day.

You Su put down her hand and was about to leave when Wangshu stepped on her foot again.

"Junior brother, you still haven't answered me. Why am I special to you now?"

Wangshu still remembers the question she had when she held hands with her junior brother that morning.

You Su was slightly taken aback, then smiled and said:

"The answer is already in the story; you'll have to figure it out yourself, senior."

Wangshu didn't think You Su was being unreasonable or perfunctory. In fact, for a gifted genius like her, her education had always been...

Figure it out yourself.

She is very perceptive, so she is very confident in herself.

The two of them lifted their feet out of the basin one after the other, You Su took out a towel to dry herself.

Wangshu also took the towel prepared by You Su and imitated her, wiping her slightly reddened, jade-like feet.

Just as the girl was about to cover herself with the blanket again, You Su called out to her.

"Senior sister, wait a moment."

"What's wrong?"

You Su pursed her lips and said, "Senior sister, I'm sorry, but I gave you more than just rouge and powder."

"Why should I apologize when my junior brother gave me a gift?"

Shouldn't the one who should feel sorry be themselves, who can only disappoint their junior brother's good intentions?

"Giving someone something they can't use isn't a gift, it's a burden. It only adds to their burden, so of course you should apologize," You Su muttered. "But among the things I gave my senior sister, I think there are still some that she can use..."

Wangshu's eyes brightened, and she took out the bottles and jars hidden under the quilt:

What is it?

"There's a small porcelain bottle and a round jar of ointment. I chose these two things specifically for my senior sister; they're not for use on her face. I wanted to tell her, but I didn't have time this evening."

It turns out my junior brother was worried I wouldn't need any rouge, so he specially chose something else for me...

Wangshu then took out the two items. "What are they used for?"

"It's for applying to the body. This small porcelain bottle contains safflower powder, and this round box contains pearl cream. I bought it because I heard from the older women in the shop that it's very popular among female cultivators now. Applying it to the skin can keep it moisturized and also brighten and whiten it," You Su explained one by one. "Most importantly, the combination of safflower powder and pearl cream creates a subtle warming effect. Applying it to your body might help relieve the coldness."

Seeing that You Su had prepared such meticulous care for her, Wangshu Fairy felt a warm current flowing through her heart.

She increasingly felt that her dejected departure at dusk was a terrible thing, and a strange urge welled up inside her—a desire to hear You Su praise her, a desire to get closer to You Su...

When Lady White was searching for Xu Xian... was she in the same boat as me?

"Thank you, junior brother!"

Wangshu rushed into You Su's arms and, imitating Ji Lingruo, gently wrapped her arms around You Su's waist.

You Su froze, suddenly feeling as if she were being embraced by a soft, fragrant body.

Fortunately Wangshu Fairy, like Ji Lingruo, only dabbled in it.

She sat back on the bed, having already opened a bottle and a jar, eager to try them.

"Senior sister, you should get used to it first since you've just soaked your feet, so you can start with your feet. Even if you're not used to it, it'll be easier to wash it off," You Su offered her sound advice.

Wangshu naturally obeyed. She took a little safflower powder, sat on the bed, stretched out her legs, and pretended to apply it to her feet.

But her legs were so long that even when she bent down and stretched out her arms, she couldn't touch the soles of her feet.

"Junior brother, I can't reach it..."

Wangshu pitifully turned to You Su for help.

"Senior sister, you can reach it by bending your legs."

You Su smiled helplessly.

Wangshu tried to reach it by wiggling her legs left and right, but she still couldn't reach it. This girl was as clear as crystal, yet as clumsy as a blank sheet of paper.

She seemed deflated, burying her head deeply.

"Junior brother, am I really useless...? I can't use any of the things you gave me..."

His words were filled with heartbreaking self-reproach.

Upon hearing this, You Su felt a pang of pain in his heart. He didn't know why, but he spoke up, taking advantage of the steam rising from his foot bath:

"No, senior sister, it's because the gift I gave you was bad! Otherwise..."

"Shall I... I'll apply it for my senior sister?"