Sword Venerable Admits His Mistake

"It wasn't Junior Sister Mingwei," Sword Venerable Mingxiao explained. "It was someone else."

"Someone else?" The moment he heard that this had nothing to do with his beloved junior sister, the sect leader's wits immediately returned.

The women around his junior brother could be counted on one hand. With the slightest guess, he could figure out who this "someone else" was. He glanced at Sword Venerable Mingxiao, gossip written all over his face. "This someone else... is Song Zhizhi?"

Sword Venerable Mingxiao nodded with a grim face and recounted what had happened today, still confused. "Why was she angry? I apologized to her, but she only became more distant."

"You mean you left without saying a word and didn't tell the young lady?"

"And after you came back, you still put on that Sword Venerable airs of yours, refusing to lower yourself and properly explain and apologize?"

The sect leader looked at Sword Venerable Mingxiao with an expression that said, How could someone this stupid be my junior brother? Had a sea demon eaten his brain?

"Junior Brother," the sect leader sighed, "what am I supposed to say about you? Song Zhizhi merely ignoring you is already giving you face."

"If it were me, if I went out on business without leaving Mingwei a single message or contacting her the whole time, with Junior Sister Mingwei's temper, she'd throw my things off the main peak. I wouldn't even think of getting within half a step of her for three months."

Sword Venerable Mingxiao frowned in thought.

The sect leader looked at him earnestly. "Junior Brother, if you want to get along well with your Dao companion, you can't care so much about saving face. Besides, you were the one in the wrong first. Lower yourself and coax the girl a little. If you keep holding yourself so high, sooner or later you'll end up like the sect leader next door at the Heavenly Feather Sect—kicked by his Dao companion, forced to watch her pair off with someone else, while he drowns his sorrows in drink every day."

Sword Venerable Mingxiao imagined Song Zhizhi in another man's arms. The thought made him profoundly uncomfortable, and his face grew so cold it nearly condensed into frost. He straightened up and asked in a low voice, "Then what should I do?"

When it came to coaxing girls, the sect leader had plenty to say.

"Your senior brother is a few hundred years older than you and has more experience in this regard. I'll teach you two moves. As long as you learn them, you'll be able to handle ninety-nine percent of conflicts between couples."

"First move: actively admit your mistakes. How can two people living together avoid conflict? When conflict arises, remember this—whether it's your fault or not, apologize at once. Never put on airs, and never argue with your Dao companion. Sometimes, you win the argument and lose your Dao companion. The sect leader of the neighboring Heavenly Feather Sect is a living, breathing example."

"Second move: give her what she likes. Girls all like feeling valued. When you apologize, buy her some things she likes to coax her. Once she sees your sincerity, her anger will fade."

The sect leader patted Sword Venerable Mingxiao on the shoulder. "Junior Brother, this is all experience hard-earned by your senior brother!"

Sword Venerable Mingxiao nodded thoughtfully. "Senior Brother, I understand."

"It's good that you understand." The sect leader looked gratified. "When are you planning to hold the bond-forming ceremony? Your bond-forming ceremony can't be handled carelessly. The sect leaders of all the major sects need to be invited in advance."

Sword Venerable Mingxiao recalled the still-unclear relationship between himself and Song Zhizhi and sighed. "We can discuss that later."

Song Zhizhi was awakened by a burst of fragrance the next day. She got up and pushed open the door, only to see a figure in white not far away.

He seemed to be very fond of white robes. In all the days Song Zhizhi had known him, she had never seen him wear any other color. Yet even among the identical elder robes of the Sword Sect, Xie Xiuji seemed to wear them more beautifully than anyone else.

Song Zhizhi looked away, nodded to Xie Xiuji, and said calmly, "Morning."

Sword Venerable Mingxiao's gaze fell on Song Zhizhi. He gave a light cough. "I remember you said last time that you wanted to eat dumplings. I brought some for you. Eat them while they're hot."

Song Zhizhi's gaze landed on the several plates of plump, translucent dumplings he set out. She smelled their fragrance and swallowed, but when she remembered yesterday's events, she forced herself to look away. "No need. A Fasting Pill is enough for me. Keep those dumplings for yourself."

I'm a person of principle. Don't even think about buying me off with one meal! Song Zhizhi thought.

"Really not eating?" Sword Venerable Mingxiao looked down at the dumplings regretfully. "Then these preserved mustard greens and egg dumplings, these three-delicacy dumplings, and these shrimp and pork dumplings... if no one eats them, they can only be thrown away."

What? Preserved mustard greens and egg dumplings? Three-delicacy dumplings? Shrimp and pork dumplings? Damn it, this man was actually using her favorite foods to tempt her!

Song Zhizhi abruptly turned her head and saw Xie Xiuji packing a plate of dumplings into a food box. Her mouth moved faster than her reason. "Wait!"

"Hmm?" Sword Venerable Mingxiao looked at her, seeming not to understand why she had stopped him.

Song Zhizhi gritted her teeth. "On second thought, wasting food is a shameful act. Since you specially brought them, I'll reluctantly eat them."

"I just don't want to waste food. Don't get any ideas."

Song Zhizhi picked up her chopsticks, lifted a dumpling, and took a bite. The wrapper was as thin as cicada wings, while the meat filling inside was fragrant, tender, and bursting with juice, leaving an endless aftertaste.

Once again, Song Zhizhi wanted to poach the chef for the Sword Sect. Unfortunately, no matter how many times she asked, Xie Xiuji stubbornly refused to tell her which restaurant the chef who made these dishes belonged to.

With the heart of a petty person, Song Zhizhi guessed that Xie Xiuji might be trying to use delicious food to keep her in his grasp. That was why he kept hiding the chef's name and refusing to tell her.

The more Song Zhizhi thought about it, the angrier she became. That dog of a man. Does he think a meal of dumplings can buy me off? Dream on! I'm not that easy to coax!

Song Zhizhi bit into the dumplings indignantly, her expression so ferocious it was as if she were chewing Xie Xiuji's bones. The man sighed inwardly. Sure enough, she's still angry.

He recalled the secret techniques the sect leader had imparted last night. He had accomplished the second one, giving her what she liked. There was still the first: actively admitting his mistake—

Sword Venerable Mingxiao stood beside Song Zhizhi and said sincerely, "It was wrong of me to leave without saying goodbye this time. No matter how urgent the situation was, I should have informed you before leaving. If there truly hadn't been time to tell you then, I should have sent you a voice transmission afterward. I promise this will not happen again."

Rankings

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Transmigrated into a Book

Sweet Romance

Transmigration and Rebirth Romance

Tu Yanyan

Amnesia Trope