Dao Companion Crippled, Coveters Move

Chapter 285 283: Qianqian, Don't Tease Me Anymore

Lin Qianyan gently twirled a strand of her dark hair that fell over her chest. The hem of her snow-white gauze skirt, embroidered with cloud patterns, lifted in a graceful arc in the wind. She tilted her head and blinked, her thick lashes casting a small shadow beneath her eyes.

"What, does Qianqian need a reason to come see Brother Pei~?"

"You are the Jade Pool Saintess. Your visit to the Dao Sect should be for important Sect business. You shouldn't be focusing all your attention on me—"

His final words hung abruptly in the air.

Lin Qianyan's index finger was pressed against his lips, its soft, warm touch carrying the faint scent of lotus.

She rose on her tiptoes, drawing close to his suddenly widening pupils. As her orchid-scented breath brushed past his Adam's apple, she let out a light laugh. "Brother Pei, you still love to lecture as much as ever~"

The moment he staggered half a step back, she spun away, putting distance between them, her wide sleeves fluttering like butterflies. "But you're wrong this time."

"Don't worry, Brother Pei~ My Jade Pool Sacred Land has a Secret Technique called One Qi Transforms the Three Pristine Ones. My incarnation is handling official business, so it doesn't stop me from visiting you~ Besides—"

As Lin Qianyan spoke, she took another tiptoed step to stand before Pei Yuhang. Her fingertips, painted red, gently brushed across his tense face. "Isn't seeing Brother Pei a major event in itself?"

This ambiguous flirtation from his "ex-wife" made the tips of Pei Yuhang's ears turn slightly red.

He turned his head away, avoiding the orchid scent on Fairy Lin, and retreated a few steps, looking rather flustered.

"Qianqian! Where did you learn all these flashy tricks?"

'In my memory,' Pei Yuhang thought, 'the beautiful girl who always followed me around was so pure and sweet. She'd never have known all these cunning little tricks!'

Upon hearing this, a cunning glint rippled through Lin Qianyan's eyes.

She tilted her head, gently touching a fingertip to her lower lip, and put on an innocent expression. "Is Brother Pei praising me for being clever?"

"Such frivolous behavior is unbecoming of you, the Jade Pool Saintess."

Pei Yuhang's voice was low, but it couldn't hide a trace of his fluster.

"Hehe, a hundred years have passed. People are bound to change. Didn't Brother Pei always say I was dumb before? This way, doesn't Qianqian seem a little smarter now?

Instead~ it's Brother Pei who's starting to be as dumb as a block of wood~!"

Lin Qianyan suddenly moved closer, her warm breath brushing past Pei Yuhang's ear, carrying that faint lotus scent. "Brother Pei doesn't even dare to look at me now."

That familiar scent stirred an uncontrollable heat within him.

Her hair brushed lightly against his cheek, just like the intimacy they shared day and night a hundred years ago. Pei Yuhang's Adam's apple bobbed, and his gaze began to grow hazy.

In that instant, images of his passionate night with Liyuan suddenly flashed through his mind—Liyuan's blushing cheeks, her trembling fingertips, and her tearful cry of "Ah Han, love me~".

An intense wave of guilt washed over him, shocking him back to his senses.

'I just got together with Liyuan… and now I'm acting so intimately with my "ex-wife." Am I even human?!'

"Enough!"

Pei Yuhang shoved Lin Qianyan away, his voice so hoarse it was almost a roar. "Qianqian, stop tempting me!"

He backed away a few steps and uttered a threat that held no menace whatsoever: "If you keep this up, I… I'm really going to get angry!"

Lin Qianyan staggered back from his push, a flash of hurt and resentment in her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a cunning smile.

She tilted her head, lightly touching a finger to her lower lip, her innocent, pretty face taking on an incredibly seductive expression. "Is Brother Pei… feeling guilty?"

"Are you afraid you'll lose control and do something to betray Sister Ye? It's fine, Sister Ye is very magnanimous. She'll forgive you~"

"..."

Pei Yuhang turned his face away, not daring to look into her eyes, which seemed to see through everything.

His fingers dug deep into his palm. His voice was low and weary. "I already said it yesterday. What's missed… is missed."

Lin Qianyan's smile suddenly froze. The seductive and cunning air she had deliberately maintained crumbled in that instant.

Her fingertips trembled slightly, and her eyes shimmered with moisture, as if covered by a thin layer of mist. "But Brother Pei, are you truly content with this?"

She took a step forward, her fingertips lightly tracing over his chest. Her voice was so soft it almost dissipated in the wind. "Content to just… cast me aside like this?"

Pei Yuhang's body stiffened abruptly. Her touch was like an electric current, making the blood in his veins freeze for a moment.

Lin Qianyan's voice held a beguiling allure, enough to make one's will falter, like a whisper from the Abyss. "Brother Pei, can you really… forget me? Won't you come to regret this!"

Lin Qianyan's voice made Pei Yuhang's pupils contract. An image of that rainy night surfaced uncontrollably in his mind—

The rainy night he rejected Qing Yueqiu.

'The reason Yueqiu and I are like strangers now is all because of my resolute rejection that night.'

'It was a decision I'm only now beginning to regret.'

'Right now… am I about to make the same mistake all over again?'

'Will I end up regretting this, just like I regret what I did to Yueqiu?'

Pei Yuhang, who should have been firm in his resolve to completely sever his past ties with Lin Qianyan, finally hesitated.

His resolve, which should have been cemented after embracing Liyuan last night, had already begun to waver today at the sight of Qing Yueqiu's departing figure.

Because his subconscious knew.

He couldn't forget Lin Qianyan. Just as she had said, he would one day regret his firm rejection.

"Brother Pei?"

"Brother Pei…"

Lin Qianyan's voice pulled him back to reality. Her fingertips gently caressed his cheek, her voice carrying a faint, almost unnoticeable tremor. "What are you thinking about?"

"Have you made your choice? Are you going to cast me aside completely, or… accept me~"

Her voice was soft, yet it held an irresistible allure.

Lin Qianyan's eyes shimmered with moisture, as if veiled by a thin mist, yet they also held a hint of a cunning smile. "I know Sister Ye might not accept me right away, but that's okay…"

Her voice suddenly dropped, carrying an almost humble plea. "Qianqian has already waited for a hundred years. I can still wait now."

Lin Qianyan's fingertips gently brushed across his palm, sending a tingly, numbing sensation through him. "We can keep it from Sister Ye at first, and secretly maintain our relationship on the side…"

"We can talk about official status later. And Brother Pei, you don't have to feel guilty, okay?"

As she spoke, Lin Qianyan slowly slid her slender, jade-white fingers between Pei Yuhang's, intertwining their hands.

'Brother Pei's hands are still so warm and strong~'

Watching Pei Yuhang's trembling lips, Lin Qianyan thought to herself, 'Brother Pei's resolve is finally wavering.'

'I'm… about to succeed… As long as I can get Brother Pei to take this one immoral step!'

Suddenly—

"Ah Han, I'm back!!"

A cheerful, clear voice rang out from outside the residence, like the brightest breeze on a spring day, instantly shattering the tranquility of the courtyard.

Pei Yuhang's pupils contracted sharply, as if he had been pierced by something sharp.

His fingers trembled slightly. The warmth of Lin Qianyan's palm still lingered on his fingertips, but he snatched his hand back as if he had been scalded.

"Liyuan, Liyuan's back… I'll go get her."

Pei Yuhang's voice was low and rushed, as if trying to conceal his inner turmoil.

He lowered his head, not daring to look Lin Qianyan in the eye. He hurried past her, their shoulders nearly brushing, the flap of his robes stirring a cold wind that hit her.

"..."

Lin Qianyan stood frozen, her delicate body trembling slightly. Her fingertips dug deep into the palm that had lost the warmth of Pei Yuhang's large hand. She bit her lip so hard she nearly drew blood.

She was furious.

At that moment, the Jade Pool Saintess lost all the decorum she had learned in her Fairy etiquette classes. She was so angry she nearly fainted.

'Damn it… Damn it! I was so close to making Brother Pei see reason!'

'Why did Ye Liyuan have to show up at such a perfect time?!'

'She must have done it on purpose to ruin things between me and Brother Pei!'

Lin Qianyan's chest heaved violently, her breathing so rapid she could hardly catch her breath.

Her fingers gripped her sleeve so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

Pei Yuhang's panicked expression, his urgency, his unhesitating departure—it all replayed in her mind like a knife stabbing viciously into her heart.

Lin Qianyan gloomily clutched her forehead, her fingertips trembling as if all the strength to even lift her hand had been drained away.

After a long moment, she managed to compose herself. She took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil in her heart, but the suppressed emotions rushed in like a tide, impossible to dispel.

Just then, the sound of footsteps and cheerful chatter from outside the residence grew closer. The crisp laughter was as pleasant as silver bells, yet it pierced Lin Qianyan's eardrums painfully.

Mixed in was Pei Yuhang's low voice, gentle and doting, as if filled with endless indulgence and joy—a tenderness that should have been hers alone...

Pei Yuhang had returned with Ye Liyuan.

Lin Qianyan lowered her eyes, her long lashes casting a shadow that hid the deep sense of loss and resentment in their depths.

She knew that with Ye Liyuan around, she could no longer approach Brother Pei as brazenly as before.

'I have to leave for now.'

Lin Qianyan bit her pink lip, resentful but helpless.

She walked straight toward the entrance of the residence and happened to run right into Pei Yuhang and Ye Liyuan as they returned.

"Sister Ye."

Lin Qianyan first glanced at Pei Yuhang, whose expression was complicated, then forced a smile and greeted Ye Liyuan.

"Sister Lin, are you leaving? Why don't you stay for lunch? It's a perfect chance to taste Ah Han's cooking~!"

Ye Liyuan's voice was clear and pleasant, with a hint of playfulness and intimacy.

Her gaze was clear and sincere as she looked at Lin Qianyan with a beaming smile, as if she were truly just warmly inviting a dear sister to stay.

That innocent gaze actually made a flicker of guilt rise in Lin Qianyan's heart.

'Sister Ye is genuinely kind to me, but all I want is to steal her man.'

'But… even so, I can't give up on Brother Pei!'

Lin Qianyan's expression quickly returned to normal. The corners of her lips curved into a gentle arc, her tone soft yet distant.

"No, thank you. There are still matters to attend to at the Jade Pool Sacred Land. Qianqian will just have to thank Sister Ye for her kind offer."

"Oh, is that so? Then I'll have Ah Han walk you out~!"

After speaking, Ye Liyuan looked up at Pei Yuhang, who had his head lowered, not daring to meet Lin Qianyan's gaze.

"Ah Han, Sister Lin is about to leave. Why are you being so cold? You're not welcoming at all. If I were Sister Lin, I wouldn't bother coming to see a blockhead like you. You're no fun at all!"

Her tone held a hint of playful complaint, as if she were scolding Pei Yuhang for being so unromantic.

Hearing this, Pei Yuhang felt even more helpless.

'Liyuan… if I were actually enthusiastic, you definitely wouldn't be happy…'