"Jiang Wu is the Eldest Senior Brother to everyone in the sect, Junior Sister, isn't that right?" The Third Senior Sister was sharp and observant; she had previously sensed the subtle, unspoken partiality the Eldest Senior Brother held for this Junior Sister. Now that the Eldest Senior Brother had come to his senses, she was determined to lend a helping hand.
"Yes... right." Gu Tiantian lowered her head, unconsciously pouting her lips.
That trick had no effect on the Third Senior Sister, who teased, "Junior Sister shouldn't let your mind wander so much. Instead of wasting time on this, you'd be better off focusing on the sect grand tournament. If you fail all three matches, Junior Sister, you'll be expelled from the inner sect."
"Right... Atishoo!" Gu Tiantian rubbed her arms, subconsciously putting on a display of frailty.
Yet the Third Senior Sister opposite her had already walked away.
Sneezing continuously, Gu Tiantian hurried back to her cave dwelling, a chill settling deep in her heart.
Why was the Third Senior Sister targeting her like this?
Was it out of jealousy?
Gu Tiantian returned to her cave dwelling, feeling a heavy lethargy in her body—it seemed she had caught a cold and was running a fever.
The System reported the heroine's entire ordeal back to Fei Qingsu.
[Host, the plot has already started to shift. In the original storyline, the original host would have given the heroine many expensive magical treasures and garments this winter, but now the heroine is falling ill simply because she neglected her cultivation.]
Judging by the erratic nature of the Heavenly Dao, Fei Qingsu guessed: if nothing unexpected happened, the Heavenly Dao was about to make a move.
[Host, the Third Male Lead has appeared near the heroine's cave dwelling.]
Sure enough, this was outside the original plot.
Following the location provided by the System, Fei Qingsu flickered and appeared on the scene.
"El—Eldest Senior Brother." Upon seeing Fei Qingsu suddenly appear, Li Xirui hurriedly offered a greeting.
"How are you, Junior Brother? What is that you're holding?"
"It's... it's a gift." Li Xirui's face flushed slightly, his voice soft and hesitant.
It seemed the Heavenly Dao had replaced the Second Male Lead's gift-giving with the Third Male Lead's.
"I see. Junior Brother, is there someone you fancy?"
"Eldest Senior Brother, yes." Li Xirui's ears turned red. He had heard other senior sisters mention that the Eldest Senior Brother also seemed to like Gu Tiantian.
If that was the case, weren't they both in love with the same person?
What should he do?
The Eldest Senior Brother was very good to him, but the Junior Sister was wonderful too, and she had even told him before that she fancied him.
Li Xirui was torn with indecision.
"Is it the Junior Sister?"
"Yes." Li Xirui blurted out the answer instinctively.
The moment he said it, Li Xirui looked nervously at Fei Qingsu.
How would the Eldest Senior Brother respond?
Would he compete with him for the Junior Sister?
"Rest assured, I don't like the Junior Sister."
"Re—really?" Li Xirui was exceptionally surprised. Looking at the Eldest Senior Brother's deeply serious expression, he still asked cautiously.
"Really," Fei Qingsu nodded.
"Junior Brother, since you like the Junior Sister and have brought a gift you prepared with such care, why don't you speak your love to her aloud? I believe the Junior Sister will respond to you."
This Third Male Lead truly possessed a shy and easily manipulated personality. In the original plot, the heroine took advantage of his disposition, continually accepting his favors while brainwashing him into pretending he didn't like her—all the while trying to keep the Eldest Senior Brother on the hook. She wanted both the fish in the pond and the fish in her hands.
"O—okay, I will." Li Xirui pumped himself up.
Just a few days ago, the Junior Sister had told him to stay away from her.
Perhaps the Junior Sister had simply been throwing a tantrum back then; he should give her another chance to express his affection.
Li Xirui arrived at the entrance of Gu Tiantian's cave dwelling.
"Knock, knock, knock."
"Is that the Eldest Senior Brother?" Burning with fever, Gu Tiantian's mind was hazy, and her first hope was that the visitor was the Eldest Senior Brother.
She had always kept the Eldest Senior Brother dangling, but the moment he changed, Gu Tiantian felt as though something that belonged to her had been lost.
She was so miserable.
The Eldest Senior Brother ought to be hers.
"Junior Sister, may I come in?"
Gu Tiantian forced her aching body to climb off the bed, walking toward the door full of hope.
It had to be the Eldest Senior Brother coming to see her.
Was the Eldest Senior Brother playing hard to get?
Hmph.
So he had come crawling back to her after all.
Yet when Gu Tiantian struck a picturesque pose and pushed the door open, it was Li Xirui standing there.
Gu Tiantian's disappointment was instantaneous, and her expression soured visibly.
"Didn't I tell you to stay away from me? Why are you still coming here?"
"But... Junior Sister, I... you look sick. Why aren't you using a healing spell? You mustn't hurt yourself like this," Li Xirui said, his face full of heartache.
Not use a healing spell?
Hearing Li Xirui's words only annoyed Gu Tiantian further; her mood was already poor, and now she felt even more irritated.
It was easy for someone standing by to talk; if she knew how to use such a spell, she would have used it long ago.
Why hadn't she noticed before that this Li Xirui was so capable of passive-aggressive remarks?
Seeing that Gu Tiantian was still just standing there, Li Xirui performed a hand incantation, and Gu Tiantian's ailments were instantly healed.
*You still have some sense,* Gu Tiantian thought.
The moment she was cured, Gu Tiantian's mind cleared up. Her expression improved, and putting on an affected, dainty voice, she asked, "Senior Brother, what brings you here? I'm truly sorry about just now—I was sick and might have said some harsh things to you, but Senior Brother won't hold it against me, will you?"
"Junior Sister, this is a gift I prepared for you with the utmost care. I managed to buy it from the Skyswift Pavilion with great difficulty."
Li Xirui opened the box to reveal a Tier 3 magic garment.
Gu Tiantian's eyes lit up.
The Skyswift Pavilion—everything there was exorbitant. A garment like this cost at least tens of thousands of spirit stones.
An inner sect disciple only received a few dozen spirit stones a month!
Without a moment of hesitation or false modesty, she reached out to accept it immediately.
"Thank you, Senior Brother."
"Junior Sister, I like you. This gift is a token of my affection for you. If you accept it, it means our hearts beat as one."
Li Xirui recited the exact words Fei Qingsu had given him.
The Eldest Senior Brother had said that reciting these words would best convey his affection.
What the Eldest Senior Brother said must surely make sense.
Gu Tiantian's expression darkened. Just as she was about to casually brush Li Xirui off to take the garment that made her mouth water—
Fei Qingsu's figure happened to pass by in the distance.
Gu Tiantian knew she couldn't accept it.
Compared to Li Xirui, the big catch Jiang Wu, the Eldest Senior Brother, was far better.
"I'm sorry, Senior Brother, I don't like you." Gu Tiantian put on an apologetic look.
Li Xirui had not anticipated this outcome. Clearly, just a few days ago, the Junior Sister had sweetly told him that she fancied Senior Brother Xirui.
Affection clearly meant the love between a man and a woman.
Why was she choosing to deny it now?
If she didn't like him, why had she accepted all his previous tokens of affection?
Li Xirui had spent quite a large number of spirit stones on her.
Overwhelmed with grief, Li Xirui swayed unsteadily on his feet.
A wave of profound sadness washed over his entire body, yet amid the sorrow, he felt a strange sensation—much like a marionette whose strings were suddenly being pulled and shaken by someone.
How strange.