Is he interested in me?

Thinking of those sickeningly sweet scenes, Su Ying broke out in goosebumps and a cold sweat.

"Senior Sister, what if Master really does want to eat it?" Chu Yu pressed the question for some inexplicable reason, his purple eyes fixed on her.

Without thinking, Su Ying said, "If he wants it, let Ling Xian make it. Everyone says she's a great cook..."

Only after the words left her mouth did she realize how stupid she had been, and she slapped her own lips.

How could I mention Ling Xian's supposed strengths in front of Chu Yu? she berated herself.

[Pfft, Host, did that blow scramble your brains?]

The system mocked her mercilessly.

Su Ying was about to explode at the system for not knowing what was good for it when Chu Yu spoke.

"Really? But I think your cooking tastes better, Senior Sister Su Ying."

He was telling the truth. The snacks Ling Xian had brought were completely inedible.

Su Ying's frustration vanished. She smiled at him, her eyes curving. "Have some more."

[Host, watch your expression. You're about to drool.]

the system said.

Drool?

Su Ying and Chu Yu frowned in unison.

Su Ying wondered why the system had been talking so strangely lately. And why did its moods seem so changeable?

Chu Yu, meanwhile, was pondering what that word meant.

But Su Ying had always been easygoing, so she didn't dwell on the system's strange changes.

Seeing Chu Yu put down his chopsticks, she urged warmly, "Junior Brother Chu Yu, keep eating."

"Thank you, Senior Sister." A rosy flush tinged Chu Yu's fair cheeks.

To Su Ying, he looked like a honey peach. I really want to take a bite...

Before she could act on that thought, Ping Qingyun appeared at the room's doorway. "Um..."

Before he could finish, the aroma of food wafted into his nose, making him swallow. Who cooked this? Why does it smell so good?

"Greetings, Eldest Senior Brother." Chu Yu set down his chopsticks and gave him another stiff, formal bow, though inwardly he was impatient.

What do these people from the Cultivation Sect want? One comes after another. Is there no end to it?

"Ahem. Hello, Junior Brother." Ping Qingyun walked inside and got a clear look at the dishes on the table. He had assumed Ling Xian had made them, but the moment he saw the food, his mind was as clear as a polished mirror.

Ling Xian could never have made these dishes.

They look delicious...

"Are you two eating?" Ping Qingyun wanted to mooch a meal.

"Yes, Eldest Senior Brother." Chu Yu saw right through him. Every last one of them is here to fight me for my food. Pah!

Su Ying propped her chin on her hand. She wasn't in the mood to deal with Ping Qingyun, so she simply ignored him.

"Did you need something, Eldest Senior Brother?" Guarding his food, Chu Yu wanted only to send him packing.

Ping Qingyun cleared his throat and turned his gaze to Su Ying. "Well, I came to see Junior Sister Su Ying."

Su Ying raised her eyebrows. Here to stir up trouble?

"Junior Sister Su Ying, weren't you badly injured? Why are you already out of bed?" Ping Qingyun asked with concern.

"Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother. I'm fine. Nothing's wrong, so I got out of bed." Su Ying still sounded languid.

"Senior Sister is fine," Chu Yu added.

Ping Qingyun nodded rather thickly. Because of what had happened with Ling Xian, he felt guilty toward Su Ying for the first time. Seeing that she was all right, he said, "You're fine? Good, that's good..."

"Was there anything else, Senior Brother?" Chu Yu asked.

"No, nothing." Ping Qingyun was baffled. This junior brother really has no manners. When a guest arrives during a meal, shouldn't you at least politely invite him to join you?

"Take care, Senior Brother. We're eating, so we won't see you out," Chu Yu said.

Su Ying thought, Hahaha, damn! Chu Yu's got some moves! Is he interested in me?

Hearing that, Chu Yu wanted to crack open Su Ying's skull and see what was inside.

She actually mistook his guarding his food for an interest in her?

He would never be interested in an ugly woman like her!

Ping Qingyun's expression darkened. What is going on? He really wanted to teach this junior brother a lesson.

"Senior Brother, Senior Sister Ling Xian is heading over to Master's place," Su Ying said indifferently when she saw that he had no intention of leaving.

If she remembered the plot correctly, Ling Xian should be bringing something to Xiao Muchen right about now.

Ping Qingyun's expression shifted. "How do you know?"

"I divined it."

Ping Qingyun turned and left. He loved Ling Xian, and he knew she had eyes only for their master.

But he also knew he was no match for their master. If he could hold her back for a moment, then a moment would have to do.

After Ping Qingyun left, the system complained,

[Host, you might change the plot by doing this.]

Who cares? He was making such a racket. Su Ying didn't care in the slightest. Thinking of the plot, she suddenly realized she couldn't remember what came next. What happens next?

[The Demon Venerable comes to the Cultivation Sect to make trouble for the female lead.]

Speechless, the system could only dutifully remind her.

Because she interrupted his cultivation? Su Ying asked.

[Yes, Host. Could you please review your material properly? This won't do.]

The system was at a loss for words.

Never mind that for now. The problem is that, because your plot had a bug, the big bad hasn't met Ling Xian at all. Sure, I made him think Ling Xian caused his breakthrough to fail, but that was actually me... Su Ying wasn't quite sure how the plot was supposed to proceed.

[Host, have you forgotten? The Demon Venerable has face blindness and can't recognize people. So at first, you and Ling Xian look exactly the same to him.]

the system reminded her.

Oh, right. Su Ying nodded. Thinking of the scene where the Demon Venerable came up the mountain to cause trouble, she realized she would have to play cannon fodder again.

She really was cannon fodder that could survive a hundred hammer blows, only to die miserably at the hands of the male lead and the male supporting character in the end.

How pitiful!

Listening to their conversation, Chu Yu suddenly realized that, to maintain this world's balance, he had to return to his original appearance and go up the mountain to make trouble for Ling Xian.

After all, Chu Yu was an identity he had conjured up on the spot, and the system had said it didn't exist in the original plot.

He still had to follow the original plot.

But what would happen after he went up the mountain to make trouble for Ling Xian?

Chu Yu wanted to keep listening to Su Ying and the system's conversation.

But now they had stopped talking.

"Junior Brother, are you full?" Su Ying asked.

"Yes, Senior Sister. I'm full." Chu Yu's curiosity had been stirred.

But how could he find out what happened in the original plot?

He sank into thought.

Su Ying swept her sleeve, leaving the table spotless.

She stood and yawned. "Then I'll head back and rest."

"All right. Take care, Senior Sister." After seeing Su Ying off, Chu Yu stayed in his room and waited.

When night fell dark and windy, Chu Yu cast a Sleeping Curse.

The curse was primarily aimed at the system inside her body.

Then he slipped into Su Ying's room.

Walking up to the bed, Chu Yu looked at Su Ying sprawled on her back, limbs splayed. Disdain flashed in his eyes. She slept like this every time, without the slightest concern for appearances.

Chu Yu took a bottle from his sleeve, opened it, and tipped out a pill, which he stuffed into Su Ying's mouth.

Half an incense stick later, Su Ying abruptly sat bolt upright.