As they entered the massage center, Bai Yuelin happened to be seeing off a fellow Profound Star Sect senior brother from the adjacent room.
"Senior Brother Zhou, that'll be sixty spiritual stones."
"Junior Sister Bai, I've seen you here these past few days. What's going on? Are you and your dao partner planning to run this business together?" Senior Brother Zhou took sixty spiritual stones from his storage pouch and handed them over to her as he inquired.
"What dao partner? I've told you so many times. I'm just helping out. He couldn't handle everything alone, so he hired me to help with collecting payments."
"Alright, I have to admit, after undergoing therapy, I've felt noticeably more relaxed during my sword practice these past few days. I'll come back when I have time."
"Okay."
After bidding farewell to Senior Brother Zhou, Bai Yuelin intended to go and greet Pei Lengxue and Xiao Yunluo.
While talking to Senior Brother Zhou just now, she had completely failed to notice their presence.
Upon seeing their faces now, she finally realized it and immediately froze in place.
When she caught sight of Pei Lengxue's face, Bai Yuelin felt as if she had returned to the stage of the sword trial that day. She once again sensed the fear of being dominated by Pei Lengxue.
At this moment, Pei Lengxue also recognized her as the senior sister who had helped her during the sword trial. She hesitated for a moment and quickly bowed with clasped fists.
"Senior Sister, hello!!!"
Bai Yuelin was frightened by her enthusiastic greeting and took a step back.
Seeing Bai Yuelin's expression, Pei Lengxue thought she hadn't recognized her and continued, "During the previous sword trial, Senior Sister was my examiner. I wonder if Senior Sister remembers?"
"Ah... I remember."
Bai Yuelin felt a bit embarrassed. How could she forget? Even if she became a ghost, she would never forget Pei Lengxue's face.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yunluo looked around the shop and asked, "Senior Sister Bai, did I hear from Senior Brother Zhou that you and your dao partner opened this shop together?"
"Ah... Young Lady, he and I aren't dao partners." Bai Yuelin chuckled foolishly and explained, "I'm just here to help out. The senior brothers and senior sisters spread rumors, and it turned into this. Do you two want to give it a try?"
"Sure, how does it work?"
"It's simple. Just take off your shoes and sit down. The owner will massage the acupoints on the soles of your feet and stimulate your meridians with spiritual energy. It's really comfortable after it's done, and it's also beneficial for cultivation."
"Beneficial for cultivation?" Xiao Yunluo raised an eyebrow and nodded, "Then let's try it."
"But if it's your first time, it might be a bit painful."
"That's okay."
Seeing Xiao Yunluo nod in agreement to try the therapy, Bai Yuelin called out to the back room, "Anping, two young ladies!"
However, upon hearing the name "Anping," Pei Lengxue froze on the spot.
Before coming in, she had seen the word "Ye" on the signboard and felt excited, wondering if it was her Senior Brother.
Since she suddenly came here, she could give Senior Brother a surprise or something.
After entering, when she heard the person just now say that it was Bai Yuelin and her partner who opened the shop, she felt a bit disappointed, thinking that it couldn't be her Senior Brother.
And now, hearing Bai Yuelin call out "Anping"...
In the span of these few sentences, Pei Lengxue experienced three different psychological changes: from "Could it be Senior Brother?" to "Not Senior Brother," and finally to "It is Senior Brother, but Senior Brother has become someone else's partner."
At this moment, a voice came from the back room.
—"Got it, Senior Bai, you can lead them inside first, and I'll wash my hands and come over."
It was her Senior Brother's voice.
Her Senior Brother and this Bai Yuelin, a disciple of the Profound Star Sect, had become dao partners?
Pei Lengxue looked back at Bai Yuelin, completely unable to accept this reality.
After a pause, her lips trembling, Pei Lengxue asked, "Senior... are you two dao partners?"
"Huh?"
Hearing Pei Lengxue's question again, Bai Yuelin was stunned for a moment. Didn't she just explain to Xiao Yunluo earlier? Why was she still asking?
She had no choice but to explain again, "No, we're not. He and I are just friends. Maybe we are more like older sister and younger brother. We're really not partners."
"... Really?"
"It's really not."
"Really, really?"
"...Really." Bai Yuelin was a bit helpless, raising her hand in surrender. "I swear, he and I are not dao partners."
"..."
After hearing Bai Yuelin swear, Pei Lengxue finally eased her half-raised concerns.
"Lengxue, what's wrong? Why keep asking?" Xiao Yunluo asked.
"It's nothing."
Afterward, Bai Yuelin led the two of them to the room reserved for female cultivators and waited.
... ...
After washing his hands, Ye Anping entered from the back courtyard carrying two clean basins filled with hot water. As he pulled back the curtain and saw the two inside, he also froze.
The customers were actually his Junior Sister and Xiao Yunluo?
Today's Profound Star Sect's body trial had ended, and he had been planning to have Bai Yuelin call his Junior Sister over tomorrow and give her the tuition and accommodation fees in advance. But now, she came early, which saved him the trouble of asking Bai Yuelin to do it.
Having his Junior Sister here wasn't a problem, but why did Xiao Yunluo accompany Junior Sister?
And why did Xiao Yunluo seem to get along well with his Junior Sister?
In the game, Xiao Yunluo's initial personality was extremely withdrawn, and she had a fiery temper. She was a solitary young lady who didn't actively make friends with anyone and disliked others getting close to her.
Even Feng Yudie's eloquent persuasion took a whole month to melt her icy exterior.
But the problem wasn't there.
The problem was that Xiao Yunluo held the key to starting the main storyline.
It could be said that the beginning of the game "Heavenly Sword Chronicle" was because of the meeting between Feng Yudie and Xiao Yunluo. Feng Yudie got to know her mother—referred to by players as "Loli Baba"—the Moon Dan Master, Sima Xuanji.
Ye Anping was worried that his Junior Sister had leaked the protagonist's identity to Feng Yudie.
After all, his Junior Sister didn't possess the "Immortal Emperor Bloodline" like Feng Yudie.
If his Junior Sister followed the path of the protagonist, even with his omniscient knowledge, he couldn't avoid a "BAD END" in the future.
Of course, for now, these were just his concerns.
Just because his Junior Sister got the key didn't necessarily mean she would go and open the door to the main storyline.
Seeing him carrying the basin, Xiao Yunluo thought of what Bai Yuelin had said earlier about massaging the feet by removing the socks. She furrowed her brows and asked, "Senior Sister Bai, is he going to massage our feet?"
"Ah..." Bai Yuelin hurriedly explained, "Yes, Young Lady. Don't think too much about it. It's really not... anything..."
"How could that be? A man touching a woman's feet... this is just too..." Xiao Yunluo blushed, questioning, "How did this shop get approved? How could Profound Star Sect allow such a shop in the market? It's ruining our customs!"
"Ah, well..." Bai Yuelin hurriedly said, "Young Lady, the elder in charge of the market came personally before and said it's fine. Besides, when he massages your feet, he wears gloves."
"But that's not allowed either. Neither I nor Lengxue will do it!"
With that, Xiao Yunluo stood up and pulled Pei Lengxue with her, heading for the door.
Bai Yuelin wasn't quite sure how to stop them for the moment. Before Ye Anping could even put down the basin he was carrying, the two of them had already left the room.
Being pulled away, Pei Lengxue turned back and glanced at her Senior Brother, hesitating for a moment before saying, "Jiji jiji~ jiji~ jiji~"
Ye Anping heard it and couldn't help but smile. Her Junior Sister was saying: I'll come over later, wait for me.
"Huh? Lengxue, what are you doing?" Xiao Yunluo asked in confusion.
"Nothing."
"Come on, let me take you to the restaurant across the street for some food."
With that, the two of them ran out of the massage center and onto the street.
Seeing them leave, Ye Anping watched as they held hands and ran down the street. He felt inexplicably warmed by the sight.
Although he was worried that his Junior Sister might follow the protagonist's path, he was genuinely happy to see her make a good friend.
At this moment, Bai Yuelin also came out, sighing, "Anping, can't you think of a solution? You touching others' feet is really something many people might not accept, you know?"
Ye Anping shrugged, smiling. "It's a new thing. People will gradually accept it. There's no need to rush. Besides, if there are too many people, I won't be able to handle it all."
"Huh? Why are you laughing? You lost such a big customer, and you're still smiling?"
Ye Anping paused for a moment, quickly suppressing his smile, and said, "I'm not laughing. Let's close early today. I'll go rest."
"Huh? It's still afternoon. Why are you closing so early today?"
"Isn't it better to rest early? It's not like they're deducting your wages."
To see more of this story, please go visit my Tanslation Site - Galaxy Translation:
https://galaxytranslations97.com/