Why is he so close to me? Does he want to kiss me?

A gleam flickered in Chu Yu's violet eyes as he handed over what he was holding. "Senior Sister, wash your face."

Ah, a handsome young hunk helping me wash up! I must be the happiest person in the world! Su Ying was thrilled. Blushing, she accepted the cloth he offered and said softly, "Thank you."

"Senior Sister, your face is so red. Are you feeling unwell?" Chu Yu leaned closer, examining her with complete seriousness.

Su Ying heard her heart pounding out of control, and even her breathing slowed.

Why is he so close to me? Does he want to kiss me? But I haven't washed my face yet! What do I do, what do I do? I'm so nervous! My first kiss, my first kiss!

The system expressed its confusion.

[Host, didn't you lose your first kiss in the real world long ago?]

Shut up! Su Ying snapped inwardly, her eyes wide as she watched the boy draw closer.

His skin is so lovely. It felt so smooth last night, and now that I can see it today, it's so fine there isn't even a pore. If I licked skin like that, wouldn't my tongue be unable to stop circling over it?

The system shuddered in disgust and reminded her:

[Host, you're so close that he can see the crust in your eyes.]

Shut up! Fairies don't have eye crust!

Su Ying had only just retorted inwardly when she heard Chu Yu ask curiously, "Senior Sister, aren't you going to wash your face? There's something in your eyes."

"I am!"

Su Ying's face flared red. As she wiped it with the cloth, she cursed the system inwardly. What a crow's mouth you have!

[You'd better hurry. In another two hours, Demon Venerable Feng Moyuan will launch his attack. You should be going to hear the Male Lead's discourse now.]

The system reminded her mercilessly.

I know. My miserable life as the supporting female character is officially beginning. Su Ying set the cloth aside and looked earnestly at Chu Yu.

"Junior Brother, do you remember everything I told you yesterday?"

"I do." Chu Yu nodded. "I'll wait for you to come back, Senior Sister."

"I'll come and take you out tomorrow," Su Ying said, then used Sword Flight to head for Lotus Peak.

At the foot of Lotus Peak stood a Dao Hall, where Xiao Muchen usually taught the disciples and guided them in comprehending the Dao.

Su Ying rushed there in a whirlwind. By then, nearly all the disciples had arrived.

Ling Xian had been looking outside the whole time. Seeing her arrive, she approached. "Good morning, Senior Sister."

"Morning." Su Ying looked at the Female Lead, who had deliberately dressed in red today. It was just as the novel had described.

To attract her master Xiao Muchen's attention, Ling Xian had deliberately changed into red on a day of instruction when she ought to have dressed plainly.

Her red skirt swayed and danced in the wind like a streak of blazing fire, deeply captivating both Xiao Muchen and Feng Moyuan.

When Feng Moyuan wounded dozens of Cultivation Sect disciples and abducted Ling Xian, Xiao Muchen only managed to catch a corner of her skirt.

Afterward, he gazed at that scrap of red and yearned for her day and night, until his grief made him ill.

Coming back to herself, Su Ying couldn't help shaking her head. Before she could lament how melodramatic the plot was, Ling Xian asked, "Senior Sister, where's our little Junior Brother?"

"Oh, him..."

Su Ying drew out the words, feeling puzzled.

Why did she have the strange impression that Ling Xian had dressed in red today to win Chu Yu over?

"What's wrong with him?" Anxiety was written all over Ling Xian's face.

Su Ying was bewildered. Was that really it? Hadn't the plot veered a little too far off course?

She explained, "Junior Brother Chu Yu isn't feeling well. He can't come to hear the discourse today."

"Ah, our little Junior Brother is sick? What illness? Is it serious?" Ling Xian grew even more anxious.

"It's nothing serious. He just caught a co... a chill. He'll be fine after a day's rest." Su Ying immediately soothed her.

Ling Xian absolutely couldn't go looking for Chu Yu.

If she ran off, who would Feng Moyuan abduct when he arrived?

"The master has arrived!" a voice announced.

Everyone looked toward the front as Xiao Muchen ascended the Dao Platform under the disciples' admiring gazes.

He sat cross-legged, his bearing magnificent and untouched by worldly dust.

"Greetings, Master." Everyone offered Xiao Muchen a Dao Salute, Su Ying and Ling Xian included.

"Sit." Xiao Muchen waved his sleeve expressionlessly, and in an instant, fragrant incense began burning within Lotus Peak.

The discourse would last four hours.

Feng Moyuan wouldn't appear until well over an hour had passed.

After sitting down, Su Ying hid herself behind the disciple in front of her and secretly dozed off.

She had only wanted to keep a low profile and be lazy, but someone refused to let her have her way.

Ping Qingyun sat behind Su Ying. Seeing this, he gave her a hard shove.

Caught off balance, Su Ying knocked her head against the disciple in front of her.

"Ow!" The disciple ahead let out a shriek, interrupting Xiao Muchen's discourse.

"What happened?" The man on the Dao Platform looked toward Su Ying.

Su Ying lowered her head and remained silent.

The disciple in front of her complained, "Master, Senior Sister Su Ying bumped into me just now. I was startled, which was why I interrupted your discourse."

"Please punish me, Master."

"Su Ying, what were you doing?" A flash of anger crossed Xiao Muchen's eyes.

Su Ying cursed Ping Qingyun inwardly, then put on a pitiful expression and raised her reddened eyes toward Xiao Muchen. "Master, Eldest Senior Brother shoved me. I lost my balance and bumped into..."

Before she could finish, Ping Qingyun declared with righteous solemnity, "Master, I saw Junior Sister dozing off, so I gave her a nudge. I only meant to remind her to listen attentively and not let your efforts go to waste. I never expected her to have already fallen so deeply asleep that she would be that unsteady."

Damn him to hell! What did I ever do to Ping Qingyun? Would it kill him to leave me alone for once?

[You bullied the person he loves most,]

[Host, behave yourself.]

The system answered.

Faced with this sudden addition to the plot, the system could only express its helplessness.

In the original plot, Su Ying never slacked off and slept. Instead, she gazed at Xiao Muchen with adoration and listened attentively to his discourse.

If Su Ying had shown a little more dedication to her role, this unexpected plot development wouldn't have happened.

Sniffling and sobbing as though possessed by the spirit of a scheming innocent, Su Ying began her performance. "When I learned last night that you would be giving a discourse today, Master, I was so excited I didn't rest all night. That's why I'm a little distracted today. Master, I didn't mean it. Please forgive me."

With that, she secretly pinched her thigh hard.

Tears and snot immediately came pouring out.

Su Ying knew Xiao Muchen hated seeing her like this most of all.

Sure enough, the expression of the man on the Dao Platform changed. His calm face twitched slightly, and he immediately looked away, as though afraid the sight of Su Ying would soil his eyes. He stopped pursuing the matter.

"Enough. If you don't wish to listen, you may leave. If you choose to stay here, then listen properly."

Having said that, he resumed his discourse.

Once the matter had passed, Su Ying wiped away her tears and shot a vicious glare behind her.

Refusing to back down, Ping Qingyun glared right back.

Well over an hour passed.

"Terrible news, Master! Terrible news!"