Chapter 177: Please Don’t Blame Me, Senior Brother

Chapter 177: Chapter 177: Please Don’t Blame Me, Senior Brother

"Senior Brother probably won’t like it..."

In the end, Ye Linglong silently put the porcelain bottle into her Storage Ring. She thought it was unlikely she’d ever use it, but there was no point in her mother keeping it either. She was a grown woman now; it wasn’t as if her parents could possibly have a use for this thing, could they?

"If he’s truly unmoved, that just proves he doesn’t like you. But if he has any feelings for you at all, he won’t be able to resist. Right?"

Lady Ye spoke with a smile. The final question wasn’t for Ye Linglong; her gaze had fallen upon the somewhat dazed Father Ye.

They were far enough from the other residence that they didn’t have to worry about being overheard, and with only family in the courtyard, there was no need to hold back.

"Back then, my Cultivation was weaker than yours, so I couldn’t detect the problem. Linglong’s senior brother’s Cultivation is stronger than hers, so why not just put it directly in the tea? If something really happens, we’ll just say I was the one who did it."

Father Ye took a deep breath. A long-held question was finally answered. He didn’t feel deceived; after so many years, their bond was already unbreakable. In fact, now that he understood what happened back then, his only trace of regret had vanished.

It hadn’t been regret, but a trap set by his wife. And he would have rather remained caught in it, even offering himself up like a lamb to the slaughter.

But now was not the time for them to reminisce. If their daughter was truly set on this, he would see it through, even if it meant facing consequences from Purple Cloud Valley later.

"So, my dear daughter, what are your thoughts?"

Lady Ye looked at Ye Linglong. If her daughter truly had feelings for him, then the sooner they acted, the better. As prodigies grow, their minds and experiences broaden—as does their guard.

If they could leave some small, insignificant mark on him in the early stages of his development, all they would have to do later is wait for the flower to bloom. Time would engrave that mark upon him, gradually turning it into instinct. When that happened, everything else would fall into place.

"The tea and snacks are getting cold..."

Ye Linglong turned and fled. She had only just started to develop feelings for her senior brother, and her parents were already planning to skip several steps.

If she didn’t leave right then, Ye Linglong was worried she might actually be tempted. Her senior brother was just too exceptional, and Suyao had the Royal Family backing her, not to mention she had been his junior sister from the start. Linglong really didn’t have an advantage.

"The Ye Family’s upbringing might not be a good thing in this case. There are definitely plenty of people with their eyes on this potential son-in-law."

Lady Ye shook her head as she watched Ye Linglong’s retreating figure. ’Exceptional people are exceptional no matter where they go. My daughter doesn’t even have an advantage here in the Great Xia Dynasty, let alone in Purple Cloud Valley.’

"But it’s not a bad thing, at least. I remember there’s still that mansion in the west of the city the Patriarch gave us on his last visit. How about we have the Second Grade Spirit Chef stay there? Our home is too shabby, and in the future, there will certainly be a large number of Cultivators coming to call on him."

Father Ye spoke calmly, but he had already pulled Lady Ye into his embrace, his eyes nearly overflowing with affection. ’If what happened back then was an accident, my feelings for her would be mostly guilt. But knowing she designed it all... all that’s left is pure love.’

"You can handle the arrangements. But are you sure our daughter won’t just follow him there?"

Lady Ye gently pushed Father Ye away. ’If my heart hadn’t been moved back then, why would I have planned all this?’ It was a shame those passionate days were behind them. The two of them still had a long life ahead together, but who knew when their daughter would be able to return home next.

"I’m not sure..."

Father Ye’s expression dimmed slightly. The Ye Family was still too weak. In the end, the only reason the new Patriarch had gifted them that luxurious mansion was because of Linglong’s esteemed senior brother.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Senior Brother. Please, try it. How does it taste?"

Ye Linglong set down the snacks and spoke with anticipation. Of course, she wouldn’t drug the food. But it was the aroma of these very snacks that had once attracted Ji Suyao, who had snuck out of the Imperial Palace, leading to their first real meeting.

Liu Chen picked up a green pastry and, under Ye Linglong’s expectant gaze, took a bite. The pastry was dense and smooth, with a flavor reminiscent of what was called ’matcha’ in his past life.

"Would you mind telling me the recipe?"

Liu Chen glanced at Ye Linglong. He didn’t yet have the ability to deduce a recipe and its ingredients from a single taste, but it was certainly delicious. If he could adapt it into a proper Spiritual Cuisine, it would be a much more suitable gift for his master and his wife—or a way to open doors when dealing with certain matters—than his bamboo shoot rice.

"Of course! I’ve been wanting to taste a pastry that meets the standards of a Spiritual Cuisine for a long time."

Ye Linglong nodded, then picked up a teacup from the table and carefully placed it in front of Liu Chen, her eyes filled with anticipation.

Liu Chen gave her a baffled look. For some reason, he felt that in just this short time, his junior sister’s odd behavior had gotten even more pronounced. He wondered what on earth her parents had said to her.

"Junior Sister, there isn’t... something wrong with this tea, is there?"

Lifting the cup, Liu Chen asked, feeling a little uneasy. He naturally trusted Junior Sister Linglong, but he was worried her parents might have gotten the wrong idea about something.

"What problem could there be?"

Ye Linglong looked over, feigning confusion, but there was a hint of shock in her eyes. ’Did he overhear my parents’ conversation?’ she wondered, suspecting that was the reason for his question.

"Then why were you staring at this cup of tea?"

Liu Chen breathed a sigh of relief. He then took a sip of the Spirit Tea. The flavor was similar to the tea he’d had at the Imperial Palace, but it contained less Spiritual Power and had a more astringent taste.

As Liu Chen savored the tea, Ye Linglong grew increasingly anxious. ’If Senior Brother heard my parents’ story, will the potion I kept still have any effect on him in the future?’

"The Spirit Tea is good. Would you be willing to share the preparation method, Junior Sister?"

Liu Chen glanced at his junior sister, who for some reason seemed to have fallen into a strange state, and couldn’t help but ask. While she certainly wasn’t a stranger, he was still a guest in her family’s home.

Practicing Swordsmanship and Magic would cause fluctuations in Spiritual Power. If he were living alone, he could use his own Spiritual Power to shield the area, but doing so while staying in the Ye Mansion would be too conspicuous.

’I guess I’ll have to research other things for now,’ he thought. ’Like updating my recipes, and maybe seeing if I can become a Spirit Brew Master.’

"Of course I’m willing. The Ye Mansion is quite humble; I hope you don’t mind, Senior Brother."

Ye Linglong quickly snapped out of her daze. ’Since Senior Brother isn’t acting strangely, I’ll just assume he doesn’t know anything.’

’Besides, given his usual character, he doesn’t seem like the type to eavesdrop on people’s conversations.’

"You’re too modest, Junior Sister. This place is much nicer than Purple Bamboo Peak. You should go spend time with your parents; you don’t need to worry about me."

Liu Chen shook his head. ’Though Junior Sister Linglong and I get along well on Purple Bamboo Peak, if she spends all her time with me here in the Ye Mansion, I’ll probably wake up in the middle of the night to find Uncle Ye standing over my bed with a knife.’

"If you need anything for dinner, you can purchase some ingredients and I’ll prepare some Spiritual Cuisine. However, if the process is complex, I’ll need your guidance, Junior Sister."

Liu Chen added this after glancing around his new accommodations. Since he had arrived empty-handed, he felt he should make a gesture of goodwill.

"Thank you, Senior Brother. I’ll be back to trouble you later."