Xiao Qinghe frowned deeply.
Standing by coldly when he witnessed injustice wasn't in his nature. As he hesitated over whether to intervene, Xie Jun set down her wine cup, cast an impatient glance their way, and said icily, "You're being noisy."
It's over.
She's about to step in.
Alarm bells blared in Xiao Qinghe's head. He racked his brains for a way to keep Bai Liuli safe while preventing Xie Jun from playing the hero and making Bai Liuli fall for her.
Bai Liuli suddenly looked over, her expression so forlorn that anyone would have pitied her. "Immortal master, help me..."
Her slender figure drifted toward them, trailing a faint fragrance.
But she was unsteady in both body and mind. With a sudden stumble, she toppled toward him.
Xiao Qinghe: "...???"
The legendary trip over flat ground!
That's not the point. The point is, the point is, why did she fall into-
My! Arms!
Absurdity's mother just opened the door for absurdity. It's come all the way home!
"Who are you? Stay out of this!" The cannon-fodder man drew his sword and pointed it straight at Xiao Qinghe.
Xie Jun's gaze sharpened. She slammed her teacup down. "Who are you pointing that sword at?"
She enunciated each word, a chill spreading around her.
The cannon-fodder man certainly lived up to his role. He couldn't even read the room. Rather than backing down, he grew smug and provocative. "And who are you? With that pretty-boy face, you'd better not get in the way of my fun!"
A textbook cannon-fodder line.
Xie Jun had never been patient. Once she'd said something, she had no desire to repeat it. Seeing that the cannon-fodder man refused to listen, she flicked her arm.
"It's hot! My face!" The cannon-fodder man howled. Tea had splashed all over his face, and a tea leaf clung to his forehead.
He looked ridiculous.
The tea was scalding hot, and half his face instantly turned red and swollen.
It hurt just to look at him.
The others exchanged glances at the sight, then drew their swords and charged together.
Bang!
"Ah!"
Screams rose one after another.
In the span of a breath, the entire group lay sprawled about, their faces bruised and battered. Xie Jun remained seated, utterly motionless, as though she had nothing to do with the attack.
The gulf in their strength was immediately clear.
Knowing they were no match for her, they all fled.
Xie Jun ignored them. Her cold eyes turned toward Bai Liuli, and she asked in a sinister tone, "How much longer are you planning to hide in my senior brother's arms?"
Bai Liuli's face was flushed, whether from the drug or bashful shyness.
She looked terribly endearing.
Xiao Qinghe's head felt ready to split.
Well, great.
Xie Jun still ended up saving her. Next comes the inevitable offer to repay her with marriage.
Xiao Qinghe was about to say something to salvage the situation when Bai Liuli glanced at him and said softly, "Thank you for saving me, immortal master. I can never repay your great kindness..."
Xiao Qinghe: "...???"
Wait!
She seems to be saying that to me, not Xie Jun?!
Xie Jun's face darkened. She grabbed Xiao Qinghe and turned to leave. "Waiter, two of your best rooms!"
The waiter trembled with fear. This powerful immortal master looks awfully upset, and reeks of jealousy. It's like someone knocked over a whole jar of vinegar.
But that doesn't make sense!
Even if this is jealousy, shouldn't it be over that beautiful Miss Bai? Why does it look more like it's over that senior brother?
The waiter felt as though he'd discovered an incredible secret. After arranging two of their best rooms, he couldn't help stealing glances at the pair.
The world really is full of wonders. Two men...
They actually look rather well matched!
With a dark expression, Xie Jun pushed Xiao Qinghe into the room. Seeing his dazed look, she gritted her teeth even harder. "Are you still thinking about that woman?"
He'd stared at her so intently when they encountered her on the road. Had she stolen his soul too when she'd thrown herself into his arms just now?
Xiao Qinghe nodded distractedly.
He was indeed thinking about Bai Liuli, because something was wrong with the plot!
Unless he was flattering himself, Bai Liuli hadn't fallen for Xie Jun as she had in the original novel. Instead, she'd taken a liking to him?
This turn in the plot is a little terrifying!
Xie Jun saw only his nod. Rage surged through her, and her dark eyes took on a bloody hue. "You've fallen for her?"
Her look suggested that if Xiao Qinghe dared nod, she would snap his neck.
Xiao Qinghe sucked in a cold breath, wondering where this fury had come from.
Could it be that, although the plot hadn't followed the original novel, Xie Jun subconsciously considered Bai Liuli her woman? Was her possessiveness making her refuse to let anyone else touch Bai Liuli?
"I absolutely have no improper intentions toward Miss Bai!" Xiao Qinghe immediately declared, then asked tentatively, "Junior sister, as for your feelings toward Miss Bai..."
Naturally, Xie Jun wished she would disappear immediately.
A dark gleam flashed through Xie Jun's eyes, but she forced it down.
Senior brother is kind and good by nature. He definitely wouldn't like me killing people on a whim.
Xie Jun took a deep breath and leaned gently against Xiao Qinghe's shoulder, her handsome face nearly buried in the crook of his neck. Where Xiao Qinghe couldn't see, a bitter chill filled her eyes. "Senior brother, stay far away from her, all right? Otherwise, I don't know what I might do."
Xiao Qinghe wanted to cry, but had no tears.
In the original novel, Xie Jun's possessiveness had also exploded after she fell in love with the female lead. If anyone so much as glanced at the female lead, she wanted to gouge their eyes out. For that reason, she treated the master whom the female lead secretly loved as a thorn in her side. Whenever they met, they fought; when they didn't meet, she sent people to ambush him.
She's suddenly so possessive of Bai Liuli. Has she fallen for her?
This turn in the plot left Xiao Qinghe bewildered and numb. "I'll stay far away from her, then..."
Only then was Xie Jun satisfied. "Get some rest early, senior brother. We have to set off first thing tomorrow."
She turned and went to the room next door, closing Xiao Qinghe's door behind her.
Xiao Qinghe's thoughts were a tangled mess. He muttered to himself, "System, Bai Liuli's characterization and plotline have gone completely off the rails. Is that really okay?"
[If the readers don't mind, then nothing has gone off the rails.]
It's that casual?
"What if Xie Jun falls for Bai Liuli? Is that okay too?"
The system fell silent for a long while. Its usually rigid electronic voice sounded somewhat distorted.
[You think she could fall for Bai Liuli?]
Xiao Qinghe readily agreed. "You're right. Xie Jun belongs to the female lead. Even if she's possessive of Bai Liuli, she won't develop feelings for her. After all, the male lead has to belong to the female lead."
In a melodramatic Mary Sue romance, every reasonably good-looking man was the female lead's devoted lapdog. Besides, Xie Jun was the designated male lead, making it even less likely that she would fall for any woman other than the female lead.
The system didn't reply. It merely flooded the electronic screen with red [...] symbols.
It was quite a spectacle, showing just how speechless the system was.
Xiao Qinghe found this utterly baffling. He was about to ask what had left it so speechless when the door suddenly opened.
"Junior..." Thinking Xie Jun had returned, Xiao Qinghe turned, only to feel a fragrant breeze brush toward him. His heart skipped a beat. "M-Miss Bai?"
Bai Liuli's delicate hands clutched her own clothes, her arms wrapped tightly around herself.
Suddenly, she stumbled and pitched toward Xiao Qinghe.
Xiao Qinghe didn't dare move.
He'd just promised Xie Jun that he would stay away from her, and now she'd appeared and was throwing herself into his arms. If Xie Jun saw this, he had no idea whether she would skin him first or tear out Bai Liuli's tendons.
"I'm sorry... Someone drugged me with that sort of drug..." Bai Liuli's delicate body trembled. The drug was clearly taking full effect, and she was nearly at her limit. "It isn't safe for me to be alone in my room, so..."
What kind of logic is that?!
A beautiful woman under the influence of that sort of drug isn't safe alone in her room, but she'll be safe if she runs into a man's room?
Caught in a dilemma, Xiao Qinghe suddenly remembered that this scene was in the original novel.
After Xie Jun saved Bai Liuli, Bai Liuli realized she couldn't withstand the drug's effects and hid in Xie Jun's room.
"You're different from everyone else. You would never take liberties with me..." Bai Liuli's gaze was unfocused, and she was nearly delirious.
That's the line!
That's exactly what Bai Liuli said in the original novel!
And the very next moment, driven by the drug, she nearly claimed Xie Jun's first time!
Bai Liuli's hair and clothes were disheveled, her fair shoulder slightly exposed. Her body nearly pressed against Xiao Qinghe, as though he were a source of cooling relief and only by drawing close to him could she find a moment's peace.
With a beauty right here, offering such sensual temptation, who could possibly resist?
Xiao Qinghe averted his eyes, silently repeating Do not look at what is improper three times. "Miss Bai, you mustn't..."
Xie Jun would kill him!
The next second, Bai Liuli suddenly tugged off his outer robe.
Xiao Qinghe: "!!!"
Before you continue