A Wasted Trip

Chapter 40: A Wasted Trip

"Were you talking to someone just now?" Xue Lingxi asked, tilting her head to see if someone was behind me. I shook my head and redirected her attention to the time. The technique hall was about to close. She nodded in understanding and began walking. I followed behind, and soon the familiar reception counter greeted us at the entrance. Most of the disciples who had been copying skills were gone, leaving only dust blowing in the air and one or two remaining disciples rushing to finish their tasks.

The young elder smiled, but his gaze was not on me—it was on the person opposite me, Xue Lingxi. Do they know each other? I wondered, but then I remembered their bland reactions, which suggested they didn't.

"Disciple, you did not choose any skill?" he asked politely, a smile plastered on his face. I was slightly surprised at being so openly ignored. I simply shook my head and turned to leave, eager to continue cultivating. Xue Lingxi, already feeling uncomfortable being approached by someone she didn't know, saw me walking away and quickly grabbed my wrist.

I was startled by the soft, smooth sensation on my wrist. Today has been really strange, I thought. I've been in contact with two beautiful ladies—no, three, if I include Mei Xueyin's friend. I stopped, and the young elder's pleasant expression began to falter. He gazed at me, trying to see through me, while I stood there, staring back blankly.

"Wait for me," she said, then turned her attention to the young elder. "Elder, I did not borrow any book. I will borrow one when I need it." She noticed how his expression fell when she grabbed Xu Mo and realized he must have had ulterior motives for approaching her. Her guard went up.

"Wait! Don't call me elder. I'm only a few years older than you," the young elder tried to explain, seeing the so-called "villainess of destiny" walking away. His future treasure trove. He had hoped to get to know her now, while she had no one to lean on, but seeing that she still had someone with her, he muttered, "I see, I see." He realized he might have been too hasty. I'll wait. He noticed how strikingly beautiful Xu Mo was—even he felt a pang of jealousy. The script is still far off, he thought. He could already foresee that Xu Mo would cheat on or break the heart of this girl, who hid her real face behind her hair. That would be his moment to strike, offering his shoulder for the "ugly" girl to cry on. With her invincible opportunity, she would change her appearance and become breathtakingly beautiful.

The young elder began to daydream. Xue Lingxi, disgusted by the way he kept looking at her with saliva almost dripping from his mouth, thought, He must be thinking something dirty. "Let's go," she said, still holding my wrist, and pulled me away from the technique hall.

After walking an unknown distance, she finally stopped and realized she was still holding Xu Mo's wrist. She hurriedly let go, her face flushing, though her hair hid it. I was still confused about what had caused Xue Lingxi to leave the technique hall in such a hurry.

She looked at Xu Mo's innocent, confused expression. With his handsome appearance and tall stature, it infuriated her even more. How can people be so different? she thought. That young elder was also handsome, but he paled in comparison to Xu Mo. And yet, he had such dirty fantasies about me. Just wait until I reveal my "filthy" appearance to him in the future. He'll be screaming and running away.

[Are you alright? What happened?] I wrote on a new page and showed her. She calmed down, realizing I was mute and that she had been pulling me all this way. "I'm okay. I just didn't like the way that young elder looked at me. I won't let him off the hook—I'll complain to the disciplinary hall."

[But he's an elder. Remember, even a disciple was enough to send me to prison for five months,] I wrote. She read it and thought about how she, too, had ended up in a cell. But it seemed Xu Mo didn't recognize her yet, not even by her voice. Nor was she going to tell him. It would only estrange their relationship, as she was a killer, and as a new disciple, he would likely feel uncomfortable around her.

"Yes, don't worry. I was only speaking out of anger," she said.

I nodded, thinking it was true. Using me as an example, she wouldn't go to the disciplinary hall. Without saying anything, I waved at her as a gesture that I would be leaving. She waved back, and we went our separate ways.

"Why are you going after that guy?" Mei Xueyin's girlfriend asked, her hands intertwined behind her back and her posture slightly leaned forward. Seeing Mei Xueyin remain silent, she continued, "That guy—except for being handsome and tall—doesn't seem like one of those young masters or important nobles."

Mei Xueyin hummed a famous tune, continuing to listen to her talking girlfriend. "I was curious," Mei Xueyin finally said. "You? Curious? Don't joke, Xueyin. As far as I know you, you never approach any male without a purpose. Only when you see a male disciple cheating on his partner or doing something that goes against your principles."

"Yeah, I thought it would be the same this time. I saw that mute guy and the girl with her face hidden behind her hair enter the technique hall. I thought the guy was only using her for some potential gain. All handsome guys are the same," she paused, then continued, "But this time, it backfired. I didn't know he was mute. What a crime for such a handsome man to be unable to speak."

"Heheh... Oh, the mighty righteous princess got the wrong guy," her friend laughed at her misfortune. "I'm human. I can make mistakes. But who says mute guys are good? I'll continue observing for a while longer before making a decision."

"Is it not because you've fallen for his looks?" her friend asked with a mischievous grin. Mei Xueyin turned her head away, not answering but answering at the same time. "A wasted trip today. But..." Mei Xueyin didn't finish her sentence and continued on her way. Her mind was filled with thoughts of Xu Mo. It was just that she thought such a beautiful and handsome person couldn't possibly be ordinary. And above all, he had managed to evade her charm technique.

She had cultivated her charm technique for many years, and now, even without actively using it, her innate charm was impossible for anyone below the Qi Condensation realm to ignore. Yet Xu Mo had managed to do just that.