Chang Le frowned and turned around, unhurriedly stuffing the last two dragon claw fruits into Xiaobai's mouth. Having the original owner's memories, she could tell right away that the voice belonged to the male protagonist.
She refused to believe the male protagonist would actually pry a dog's jaws open to steal food.
She turned to see a young man pushing open the courtyard gate and stepping inside. He wore the blue robes of the Gushan Sword Sect, with regular features and delicate eyebrows, though he could hardly be called handsome. She had no idea what those women in the book ever saw in him.
Right now, however, his eyes were filled with astonishment as his gaze landed on Xiaobai—or more precisely, right inside Xiaobai's mouth. That greedy and regretful expression ruined his appearance, revealing a certain detestable and sleazy vulgarity.
"Those are dragon claw fruits! You're actually feeding them to a dog? What a monstrous waste!"
The male protagonist, Xiao Haotian, strode two steps into the courtyard, coming right up to Chang Le with burning eyes. "Senior Sister, do you have any more dragon claw fruits?"
"None left." Chang Le clapped her hands and stood up.
Hearing this, Xiao Haotian's eyes instantly turned crimson as he whipped his head toward Xiaobai. Judging by his expression, he looked ready to rip Xiaobai's belly open on the spot to retrieve the fruit.
Xiaobai immediately shrank behind Chang Le, cautiously peeking his head out. Chang Le couldn't help a chuckle; this little creature certainly knew how to read the room.
Xiao Haotian gritted his teeth. "Senior Sister, I'm in urgent need of dragon claw fruits. Could you help me find some..."
He had spent the entire previous night searching the forbidden forest without finding a single dragon claw fruit, and haunted by the lingering sensation of his "lost" fortuitous encounter, he had decided to come ask Chang Le, never expecting to walk in on such a scene.
How could he not understand now?
The dragon claw fruit was his destiny's encounter, yet Chang Le had stolen it and fed it to a dog! How could he possibly accept this?
Chang Le raised her eyes. "Who gave you permission to walk right into my courtyard without knocking? Is this how you ask for a favor?"
Xiao Haotian's expression instantly darkened. At that moment, however, the old man residing in his mind coughed softly and said, [Haotian, one must swallow small indignities to achieve a grand scheme. She has always adored you; women are simple creatures—just coax her a little.]
Xiao Haotian's expression remained unpleasant. He looked up at Chang Le and saw her face looking like peach blossoms under the sunlight, radiating a charming brilliance. Although Chang Le's brain was a bit defective, her looks were truly exceptional—even among immortal sects, few could compare.
They always said that cultivating immortality made one's appearance increasingly flawless; perhaps someone even better-looking than Chang Le could only be found in the inner sect? Yet even Senior Sister Wei from the inner sect wasn't as pretty as the woman before him.
Thinking of how such a beauty had always been submissive to him, the unhappiness in Xiao Haotian's heart finally receded somewhat. He forced a smile and said softly, "It was my fault, Senior Sister. I was just... far too anxious about my cultivation."
With that, he took a deep breath and stared intently into Chang Le's eyes. "A man should have ambitions across the world. I want to advance my cultivation so I can go further. After all, Senior Sister is already at the Qi Refining 9th Layer..." He managed a desolate smile, lowering his gaze and bowing. "I was offensive to Senior Sister earlier, and I truly apologize."
He cupped his fists and executed a deep bow, putting on a thoroughly sincere act.
Chang Le looked at him coldly.
Xiao Haotian had never made any promises to Chang Le. Knowing the original owner fancied him, he always played the part of the dense, emotionally clueless man. He would leave her tossing and turning in anguish, only to offer ambiguous hints just as she was about to give up, making her believe that Xiao Haotian actually liked her—he just couldn't confess yet due to his cultivation and circumstances.
To Chang Le, who came from an era of information explosion, such cheap tactics were utterly pathetic.
Chang Le knew the real reason: this scumbag still had his heart set on Senior Sister Wei from the inner sect, and since the original owner was dim-witted, he worried that getting truly entangled with her would cause her loose lips to ruin his chances of latching onto Senior Sister Wei.
Chang Le let out a cold laugh. "Since Junior Brother knows his behavior was improper, you should leave at once."
She didn't like Xiao Haotian. If she weren't wary of his protagonist plot armor and aware of his trump card—the lingering elder who allowed him to fight opponents above his realm—she would have taken action against him right now.
Xiao Haotian's expression stiffened. In the outer sect, people often looked down on him, and he kept all those grudges locked away in his heart, waiting for the day to settle accounts.
Yet Chang Le had always been so good to him, handing over all her cultivation supplies whenever he asked. Whenever Xiao Haotian furrowed his brows and mentioned his difficulties, Chang Le would sensibly present those cultivation resources to him on a silver platter.
Now that Chang Le refused to give them up, Xiao Haotian instantly felt a sense of betrayal.
"Senior Sister," Xiao Haotian said in a deep voice, "then could you tell me where you found the dragon claw fruit?"
He paused, enduring his humiliation as he added, "I can go pick them myself. Senior Sister just needs to show me the way." His face remained dark as he spoke, clearly unaccustomed to using such a tone with Chang Le, and he had already added her to his list of grudges.
Hah. Without offering the slightest compensation, he demanded she lead the way as if it were only natural. Even when asking a favor, he couldn't hide his resentment, acting as though he were the one being insulted. If she actually led him there, who was to say he wouldn't use the excuse of "a gentleman would rather die than be humiliated" to turn around and kill her?
Chang Le saw right through Xiao Haotian's thoughts. The anger in her heart grew hotter, and she despised this so-called dog of a male protagonist even more.
"I don't remember," Chang Le said. She wasn't even lying; the forbidden forest was still somewhat dangerous for the original owner. In her panicked flight, she had no clear memory of where she'd found the dragon claw fruit—she had simply grabbed it at random.
Recalling the original owner's memories, Chang Le was left speechless. Even when handing the male protagonist a golden finger, could it be any more lazy and perfunctory?
Seeing Chang Le's attitude, Xiao Haotian pressed his lips tightly together, clearly extremely displeased.
Chang Le asked, "Aren't you leaving yet?"
"Senior Sister, for thirty years the river flows east, and for thirty years it flows west. Today you look down on me..." Xiao Haotian clenched his fists fiercely.
Chang Le rolled her eyes. What kind of inferiority-complex-disguised-as-confidence weirdo was this? He could twist absolutely anything into a personal insult against him.
"Since you think I look down on you and feel so insulted and wronged," Chang Le said, "then return all the cultivation resources I've given you over the years."
She remembered now: to avoid being labeled a freeloading kept man, Xiao Haotian had always claimed he was only "borrowing" them. But while he called it borrowing, he had never once returned anything. Only the original owner, being socially inept, had foolishly believed his lies and thought he was genuinely borrowing.
What a pitiful original owner.
"Didn't you say you were just borrowing them? Then pay me back."
Xiao Haotian froze, his face turning beet red. He had already used up most of those items, and besides, Chang Le had given them to him voluntarily. How could she go back on her word now?
"I..."
Chang Le crossed her arms, watching him. "Borrowing and returning are common courtesy, aren't they?"
Xiao Haotian gritted his teeth. "Senior Sister once said you only wanted to see my cultivation progress and that I didn't need to return them right away."
"Me not pressing you for them is a favor. You paying back your debts is your duty," Chang Le said. "If you didn't want to return them, why call it borrowing in the first place?"
Although Chang Le's dwelling was in a remote corner, Xiao Haotian was currently a prominent figure around here—disliked by most male disciples while adored by many female disciples. Consequently, quite a few people kept a secret eye on him, just waiting for him to be alone so they could teach him a lesson.
He had been in Chang Le's courtyard for quite a while now, and several male disciples with various motives had gradually gathered outside.
Expecting to see the usual spectacle of the beauty throwing herself at him, they were surprised to witness Xiao Haotian getting put in his place instead. Thus, a scattered crowd had gathered round.
Hearing Chang Le's words, one nosy onlooker raised his voice. "Senior Sister Chang is right! Paying debts is only natural!"
"Could it be he can't afford to pay it back?"
Hearing the commotion, Chang Le felt a headache coming on. Though she had vented her frustration on the male protagonist on a whim, she was still the supporting female character tasked with delivering the golden finger. Weren't these bystanders afraid of being retaliated against by the protagonist later in the story?
She remembered that although the Gushan Sword Sect wasn't exterminated like other sects that offended the male protagonist, it had still undergone a massive bloodletting, with everyone rising to power being either the protagonist's lackeys or romantic interests.
"..." Following the original owner's memories, Chang Le clumsily threw together a soundproofing barrier to block out the onlookers' ears. On one hand, she wanted to prevent the petty male protagonist from holding a grudge over such a minor incident; on the other hand, she worried that if he got too stimulated, he might just have her killed off like in the original novel, robbing her of her golden finger delivery job.
Her hand gestures were awkward, but the barrier formed successfully. Turning her head, she caught Xiao Haotian looking at her with a touched expression.
Chang Le: "???"
Xiao Haotian said, "Senior Sister truly still holds me in her heart..."
Chang Le: "...Such a confident male protagonist! Could he spare some of that confidence for her?"
To Xiao Haotian, Chang Le's silence was tacit agreement. He flashed a seductive smile. "I suppose Senior Sister must have run into some trouble to be asking for those cultivation resources back..." After pondering for a moment, he added, "Once Junior Brother passes the outer sect grand competition and successfully enters the inner sect, I'll have the means to repay Senior Sister."
Never mind how someone with his current Qi Refining 7th Layer cultivation—without the life-saving help of the stolen dragon claw fruit—could be so certain of entering the inner sect; wasn't this promise just drawing a giant pie in the sky?
Believing he had already been more than fair to her, Xiao Haotian cupped his fists. "Senior Sister, rest assured, Haotian will definitely return them in the future."
*Return them when her grave was three feet high?*
Chang Le had nothing more to say to him.
Then Xiao Haotian brought it up again: "As for that dragon claw fruit..."
Chang Le shook her head. "I don't know."
Just as Xiao Haotian was about to speak, a voice rang out from outside: "Senior Sister Wei, Xiao Haotian is in there with a female cultivator."
"Haotian! Come out here!"
Seeing Xiao Haotian's expression shift, Chang Le remembered her role. She was a throwaway cannon fodder character whose sole purpose was to harbor a silent, unrequited crush on the male protagonist and deliver his golden finger. Naturally, in the Gushan Sword Sect, there were other female supporting characters of higher status as well.
Aside from the female protagonist, there was Wei Zhaoguang, the daughter of an inner sect elder.
Born with a privileged background and supreme talent, Wei Zhaoguang had grown up in such smooth-sailing conditions that she developed a flamboyant and willful temperament.
In the early stages of the story, Wei Zhaoguang threw resources and influence at Xiao Haotian, blindly clinging to him until she successfully pushed him under her own father's tutelage, later laying the foundation for Xiao Haotian to usurp power. Naturally, a freeloader could never remain the true protagonist, so the Wei family inevitably met a tragic end.
With her father and brothers both dead, Wei Zhaoguang had no choice but to lead the Wei family in submission to the male protagonist, becoming nothing more than a stepping stone for him—transforming from a bold and passionate rose into a docile dodder plant waiting solely for the male protagonist's favor.
While Chang Le was lost in these thoughts, the barrier she had erected was suddenly split open by a flash of sword light. A flamboyant and striking woman holding a sword stood at the entrance, glaring at the two of them inside.
Seeing that they were standing quite far apart and their clothes were neat, the tension on her face eased slightly. She walked up to Xiao Haotian, smiling as she asked, "Junior Brother Haotian, what were you two talking about?"
Xiao Haotian turned and bowed respectfully to Wei Zhaoguang, offering her a smile. "Senior Sister Wei, we weren't talking about anything."
"If you weren't talking about anything, lingering in a female cultivator's courtyard like this reflects poorly on her reputation."
With that, Wei Zhaoguang reached out to pull Xiao Haotian away. Her gaze swept over Chang Le, and she paused slightly upon seeing Chang Le's face, though she showed no anger, merely remarking, "I never expected to find a beauty with such appearance among the outer sect."
Saying this, she let go of Xiao Haotian's hand and walked toward Chang Le with sparkling eyes. "Sister, you are so pretty! May I ask your esteemed name?"
Chang Le: *Huh? Why do I feel like you're acting a bit strange?*
Blinking, Chang Le couldn't help feeling that the Wei Zhaoguang in the novel wasn't quite like the one standing right in front of her.
Seeing Wei Zhaoguang's bright expression, Chang Le replied, "My name is Chang Le."
"What a lovely name!" Wei Zhaoguang clapped her hands. "I'm Wei Zhaoguang, the daughter of the Sword-Hiding Peak Elder. And you and Junior Brother Haotian..."
Chang Le figured she understood now; Wei Zhaoguang must be feeling insecure about her relationship with the male protagonist. Yet Wei Zhaoguang's demeanor wasn't annoying at all, differing greatly from the arrogant young mistress portrayed in the novel.
Holding no hostility, Chang Le simply explained, "I previously lent Junior Brother some resources, and with the grand competition drawing near, I came to ask for them back."
As an inner sect elder's daughter, Wei Zhaoguang had naturally broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage early on and was already at the Golden Core stage. Taking one look at Chang Le's Qi Refining 9th Layer cultivation, she instantly understood the situation. Smiling, she produced a storage bag and pressed it into Chang Le's hand.
"Sister, I can see your divine radiance is whole yet slightly dim; you must not have had time to properly consolidate your foundation yet. Take these as a greeting gift. Let's meet again in the inner sect."
Wei Zhaoguang's gaze was open and sincere, and her words carried genuine well-wishes, instantly winning Chang Le's favorable impression. Just as she was about to refuse, Wei Zhaoguang took a step back, waved goodbye, and dragged Xiao Haotian away.
Coming and going like a whirlwind, she departed as swiftly as she had arrived. Prompted by her departure, the rest of the outer sect disciples also sullenly dispersed, and the small courtyard returned to peace.
"Such a good girl... What a pity she's a flower stuck in cow dung."
Chang Le let out a sigh. Though she felt sorry for Wei Zhaoguang, she was merely a cannon fodder character meant to die early—worrying about a proper female supporting character was stretching her capabilities a bit too far.
Lowering her head to look at the storage bag in her hand, she gripped it tightly. Since someone had delivered wealth to her doorstep, was there any need to hesitate? Of course she should leave immediately.
Before leaving...
After a moment's thought, Chang Le anonymously penned a whistle-blowing letter to the Punishment Hall. She wanted to report that Xiao Haotian's Divine Sense was anomalous and that he was harboring some sort of secret. Even if the investigation ultimately turned up nothing against him, as an inner sect elder, the person in charge would likely raise their guard and keep a closer eye on his own daughter.
She finished the letter and watched it transform into a streak of spiritual light that vanished into the distance, unable to suppress a sigh. She was only an ordinary person; this was the absolute most she could do for Wei Zhaoguang.
With that thought, she picked up her bundled belongings and walked to the entrance of the courtyard.
Hearing the movement, Xiaobai immediately straightened up and wagged his tail at her.
"Do you want to come with me?" Chang Le asked, looking at Xiaobai.
Xiaobai wagged his tail and rubbed against her trouser leg. Chang Le smiled and gave the dog's head a ruffle. "Let's go. We're leaving this place!"
Gushan Sword Sect, farewell once and for all!