"Why do you not want me to associate with that big sister," rubbing the area where she grabbed, a faint pink mark remained on Zhu Na Ran's wrist, "Do you not like her or something?"

Turning around, she grabbed Zhu Na Ran's shoulders. "Just listen to me for once, and stay away from her!"

"Woah," Zhu Na Ran's eyes widened in surprise before she grasped onto her hands. The warmth of Zhu Na Ran's hands slowly warmed her cold ones, as an uncharacteristic look of worry appeared on Zhu Na Ran's face. "Senior Sister, are you alright?

You know if there's something this junior can do for you…"

"No, no," hastily pulling her hands out of her grasp; she tried to calm herself down by taking a few deep breaths. "Sorry to scare you…

It's, it's… nothing."

"It's not 'nothing' if being around that big sister makes you so agitated," Zhu Na Ran insisted. "Please, Senior Sister, tell me what's wrong."

Her lips pulled back into a fine line before she let out a tired sigh. "It's just that something about Fei Fu Qu gives me an unsettling feeling. It just spells danger for me."

Not to mention how easy it was for Fei Fu Qu to keep her in an illusion array from who knows how long, as well as how she was unable to determine what cultivation level Fei Fu Qu was.

It would imply that Fei Fu Qu perhaps was a lot stronger than herself.

And that thought scared her more than anything.

'It felt like she could take Junior Sister away whenever she wanted to…

Take her away…

So strange…

Since when have I ever worried that Zhu Na Ran would be taken away from me…'

Ye Lian Hua had expected that there would be some form of protest from her junior sister.

As Zhu Na Ran always tried to argue whenever she wanted to make her do something, not a peep of protest came from her lips.

'It's like she loves going against my orders.'

However, what she witnessed instead was Zhu Na Ran's sh*t-eating grin.

Instantly the worry on her face evaporated as her junior's smile grew by the second. "What's with that look on your face," flicking her forehead, Zhu Na Ran's grin remained and even became wider.

"Hehe, nothing," Zhu Na Ran giggled as she tried to avoid another attack. "It's just so interesting to see Senior Sister open up about her feelings, that's all."

The tips of her ears began to grow hot as Zhu Na Ran continued to laugh. "You're not going to try and argue with me on this?"

Calming down, she nodded. "Yep! If Senior Sister doesn't want me around that big sister, I won't hang out with her anymore.

And in any case," grabbing onto her arm, Zhu Na Ran clung to her like a sticky rice ball. "I'm sure that Senior Sister has a reason as to why you don't like her, so I won't ask you to befriend her.

Don't worry!"

She narrowed her eyes a bit at her junior's carefree smile, suspicious. "Tsk, since when have you started to listen to me," walking hand and hand, the pair slowly began to walk back to the palace entrance.

"Hmm," Zhu Na Ran didn't say anything as she leaned her head against Ye Lian Hua's shoulder, "Why? Senior Sister doesn't like it?"

"No, of course not. I like it a lot."

"Haha, that's better."

"Anyways, why did you disobey my orders in the first place?" She didn't forget that Zhu Na Ran broke her order of resting and instead went outside. And she even got herself hurt along the way.

Of course, she would receive a suitable punishment for such actions.

Zhu Na Ran must have felt that trouble was coming her way as she quickly detached herself from her arm. "Oh, right!

I almost forgot, haha!"

Pausing Zhu Na Ran fumbled through her clothes a bit before pulling out the yulan hairpin. "Ta-da!"

'My hairpin?' She touched her head to see if it was there, only to brush her hair, bare of any accessories. "How do you have that?"

"You dropped it when you left the clinic. Originally, I was going to hand it to you but unfortunately encountered a few mishaps on the way; hehe, I think Senior Sister knows the rest."

'Hah, honestly, she didn't have to go that far.'

"Hairpins are replaceable, Junior Sister; you're not."

"Hehe, thank you, Senior Sister. Anyways," Zhu Na Ran started to lean in.

On instinct, she tried to avoid her from coming closer but found herself backed against the wall. "What are you doing?"

"Tsk, don't ask questions," Zhu Na Ran began to brush away the stray hairs from her face. "Just hold still."

Trapping against the wall, she could only watch as Zhu Na Ran leaned in closer, her face burning at their closeness.

Unknowingly, her heart began to thump loudly in her chest as she tried to wrap her mind as what Zhu Na Ran was planning.

But before she could figure out what was happening, Zhu Na Ran pulled away, setting her free.

"Alrighty!" A satisfied smile appeared on her junior's face as she stepped back to take a look. "That's better!"

'What just happened?'

"I noticed that Senior Sister's hair was a bit messy, so I put it back to normal!

Although it's not as fancy as the hairstyle you had before, at least this one is neat."

"Oh," absentmindedly touched her head once more; she felt that her hair was neatly pulled back and secured with her hairpin.

"Hmm," tilting her head, she asked, "you seemed to expect something else, Senior Sister."

"What nonsense," trying to sweep away her prior embarrassment, she focused on cooling her features. "I just thought you were going to pull a prank."

"Herm," puffing her cheeks, Zhu Na Ran pouted. "Senior Sister, I'm not that bad, you know."

"Hmm, is that so."

"Yes!" Hooking her arm around hers, Zhu Na Ran practically jumped her as she held her arm hostage.

"What are you doing? Get off me," lightly trying to shake her junior off, but Zhu Na Ran oddly seemed adamant about staying glued to her side.

"Nope" — squeezing her arm, she grinned — "I want to hug Senior Sister forever! Hehe!"

"Tsk, such a clingy girl!"

"Haha! If I can't hug you, Senior Sister, then I'll make you carry me back!"

She rose a brow at her junior sister's sudden gall. 'When did this young girl eat the guts of a lion[1]?'

After all, she hadn't forgone her junior's punishment just yet.

'I suppose I could let it slide just this once...

She did go through all that trouble just for me.'

"Alright, fine," caving, she let out another sigh. "But once we get back, you can't run around like that again, do you hear me?

I don't want any more trouble coming from you. "

"I know, I know," Zhu Na Ran laughed as she leaned onto her arm as they slowly walked back. "I'll be good!"

Looking down at her junior's smile, she couldn't help but let a small smile make its way on her lips.

'Goodness.'

---

"Ugh! That b*tch!" In a single swop, the dishes and platters on the table clattered to the ground as Fei Fu Qu let out a sound of frustration.

"Hah, ha," taking deep breaths, her pink nails began to dig into the wood of the table as her hand turned into tight fists, leaving behind faint lines on its surface.

Back in her original form, A-Tong cautiously watched from the sidelines as her master tried to regain her senses. 'No good, why did that woman have to appear? Things were starting to feel like back to normal before that woman ruined it all!'

"That b*tch! That damned woman," collapsing into her seat, Fei Fu Qu raked her fingers through her hair, annoyed. "Why did she have to appear so soon!"

However, what annoyed her the most was Ye Lian Hua's words as she departed with her Xiao Ran:

"'My junior and I won't cause any more trouble for Second Young Miss Fei.'"

"Since when did Xiao Ran be yours, Ye Lian Hua!?

How could Xiao Ran ever be yours!?"

Suddenly, Fei Fu Qu began a bout of bloody coughs as blood dripped from her lips.

"Sister Qu!" Rushing over to Fei Fu Qu's side, A-Tong tried to stabilize her using some healing talismans.

"It's fine, A-Tong," weakly brushing off the young girl, she wiped her mouth with a handkerchief. "This is nothing."

"How is this nothing, Sister Qu!?" A-Tong couldn't stand the unfairness of her Sister Qu's situation. 'Why can't Sister Qu get what she wants?

If only that woman never existed!'

A few months prior, Fei Fu Qu attempted to reach out to Zhu Na Ran using a dangerous technique. Initially, it was a success, until Fei Fu Qu let her guard down too early.

In that moment of weakness, it allowed Ye Lian Hua a small window of attack.

Forced to retreat, Fei Fu Qu sustained significant internal injuries and a drop in her cultivation.

"Sister Qu, why can't Sister Ran come back with us? Why does she stay with that wicked woman?"

"It's not her fault." It was the fault of her estranged family, the Fei Family. "Those bastards wiped Xiao Ran's mind clean of any memory of us. If not, why else would she not come home?"

"Sister Qu…"

"Sooner or later, I'll kill that woman!

Tch! Ye Lian Hua, let's see if you'll be able to escape my wrath then!"

[1] eat the guts of a lion/tiger - to gain sudden courage.