How should we handle this?
Su Luowei glanced at Xie Hanzhu, puzzled. There was half a courtyard and a door separating them from Meng Shuying's room, so Xie Hanzhu spoke freely: "Senior Sister, you brought her here to take care of you, but now she's injured and won't be able to walk for three months. You'll have to make other plans. I've heard that there's a new batch of disciples…"
On her way here, Xie Hanzhu had been thinking about this. With Meng Shuying unable to care for Senior Sister, someone else was needed. She had also heard that a few clever and obedient disciples had recently joined the outer sect. Perhaps the sect leader could assign one of them.
As for Meng Shuying…
After living with her for half a year and enjoying many of her meals, Xie Hanzhu felt it would be heartless to leave her to fend for herself while she was injured. So, she had been considering asking the sect leader to assign two new disciples: one to help Su Luowei, and one to look after Meng Shuying.
Just as she finished speaking, they both heard a sharp noise coming from Meng Shuying's room.
They rushed in to find Meng Shuying leaning painfully over the edge of the bed, shards of a broken teacup scattered on the floor, with a small puddle of water nearby.
Without hesitation, Su Luowei strode over and helped Meng Shuying lie down, while Xie Hanzhu cast a cleaning spell, and a gust of wind swept the shards and water away.
Su Luowei carefully checked the wounds on Meng Shuying's body. Only after confirming that none had reopened did she breathe a sigh of relief, albeit with a slight scolding tone: "If you're awake, why didn't you call for me? You can't get up yet."
Tears welled in Meng Shuying's eyes as she looked up at her, speaking softly after a long pause, "I wanted some water..."
Su Luowei poured her a cup and sat on the bed, gently holding her while helping her sit up to drink. After Meng Shuying finished, Su Luowei noticed that her body was unusually warm, her face flushed. She touched her forehead and, as expected, found she was running a fever.
When they had left Uncle Yun Fei's place the night before, Yun Fei had warned that Meng Shuying might develop a fever and had given Su Luowei some medicinal herbs. Su Luowei had checked on her during the night and, finding her breathing steady, had thought everything was fine.
Now, with the fever rising, Su Luowei asked Xie Hanzhu to brew the medicine. Xie Hanzhu agreed readily, but upon reaching the kitchen, she realized she had no idea how to start a fire.
With no other choice, she mimicked Su Luowei's earlier method, using spiritual fire instead. As she clumsily measured the herbs into the pot, she muttered to herself about her bad luck.
As the smell of herbs filled the air, Su Luowei helped Meng Shuying settle back into bed. She gently felt her back, confirming that it was damp with sweat. This wouldn't do; she needed to change her clothes quickly.
Su Luowei fetched clean garments from the wardrobe, but just as expected, Meng Shuying resisted, clutching her clothes tightly and squirming in discomfort.
When Su Luowei's patience finally ran out, she grasped the edge of Meng Shuying's shirt with a stern look. "We're both girls—what is there to be shy about?" Only then did Meng Shuying quiet down, reluctantly turning her body to allow Su Luowei to undo her undergarments.
One glance, and Su Luowei understood why Meng Shuying had been so reluctant.
Her back was covered in scars, crisscrossing one another in varying shades. The deeper scars were from the past few years, while the lighter ones had clearly been there for much longer.
Su Luowei calculated that it had been about half a year since she first found Meng Shuying lying, battered, in the woodshed after arriving in this world. The deepest scar on her back must have come from that time.
The injury had been severe, and though the wound had healed, the scar would likely remain for years.
Without saying a word, Su Luowei quietly helped her into fresh clothes and gently laid her back down. Then, she brought a bowl of porridge and patiently fed her, spoon by spoon.
Meng Shuying took small bites, savoring the porridge despite its slightly burnt flavor. She ate it as if it were the most delicious meal she had ever had.
After finishing the meal, Su Luowei prepared to leave, but Meng Shuying grabbed the hem of her robe. She lifted her face, her sharp chin accentuating her desperate expression.
"Please don't send me away, Senior Sister. My injuries will heal soon. In a week... no, three days! I promise I'll be able to cook and clean again in three days..."
Tears welled up in her eyes, making her dark pupils glisten with fear.
She must have overheard Xie Hanzhu's earlier conversation and now feared being cast aside.
Seeing her in this state, Su Luowei couldn't bring herself to be harsh. She gently patted Meng Shuying's head and brushed the damp hair from her forehead, speaking softly: "I'm not sending you away."
Meng Shuying's eyes filled with tears. "But I heard Senior Sister Xie say..."
"Xie Hanzhu didn't mean that. She's just concerned about your health." Su Luowei paused, her voice becoming more serious. "Focus on getting better. Don't worry about anything else, and don't push yourself. I'm more than capable of taking care of you."
By the time Xie Hanzhu returned with the medicine, Meng Shuying had calmed down. She lay quietly in bed, her eyes half-lidded, lost in thought. Su Luowei stood by the window, gazing out at the blooming peach blossoms, their vibrant colors neither gaudy nor overwhelming.
Handing the medicine to Meng Shuying, Xie Hanzhu unceremoniously pulled up a chair and sat down, grumbling, "What kind of herbs are these? They smell awful! I was sneezing the whole time while brewing it."
Su Luowei explained, "They're just regular herbs from the mortal realm—not as fragrant as spiritual herbs. Meng Shuying still has poison from the Purple-Crowned Spirit Eagle in her system, so she can only take these for now."
Xie Hanzhu rubbed her chin thoughtfully before turning to Meng Shuying and asking, "So, did someone bully you at the spirit pet garden? Don't be afraid—just tell us, and... well, Senior Sister will stand up for you."
Meng Shuying glanced between Xie Hanzhu and Su Luowei. Her Senior Sister was watching her, expressionless but without denial.
After half a year of observing her, Meng Shuying had come to understand something. If she asked, her Senior Sister wouldn't refuse to help. But she didn't want to cause trouble for her, so she bit her lip and lowered her eyes, thinking for a moment before speaking slowly: "No one bullied me… I was just careless."
"Who are you trying to fool?" Xie Hanzhu scoffed. "Even if the others lie, why are you also covering for them?"
Meng Shuying looked conflicted but remained firm. "It really had nothing to do with anyone else. It was my own carelessness."
Seeing her insist, Xie Hanzhu shrugged and gave Su Luowei a resigned look. "I guess I was meddling too much."
To Su Luowei's surprise, Meng Shuying's injuries healed faster than expected. Within half a month, she was able to walk again, albeit with some difficulty. As soon as she could get up, she eagerly volunteered to resume her duties, but Su Luowei refused.
The scars on Meng Shuying's back had touched something deep within Su Luowei. She began to pay special attention to Meng Shuying, even moving her into a small couch in her own room so she could watch over her at all times.
Behind closed doors, Su Luowei's care went unnoticed by the outside world, and only when she overstepped the system's invisible boundaries would she be punished.
After numerous penalties, she had grown familiar with the system's limits. She maintained a cold, indifferent facade while meticulously tending to Meng Shuying's needs. Two months later, when Meng Shuying had fully recovered and could walk on her own, Su Luowei finally sent her back to her own room.
During those two months, Meng Shuying had little to do besides eat, sleep, and study. With nothing else to occupy her time, she dedicated herself to her studies with such diligence that even Su Luowei couldn't help but praise her. So, on the day she moved back to her room, Su Luowei personally prepared a meal and even invited Xie Hanzhu to celebrate with them.
Staring at the array of dishes—each one indistinguishable from the next—Xie Hanzhu's expression shifted from shock to dismay. Finally, unable to hold back, she whispered to Meng Shuying while Su Luowei's back was turned: "You've been eating this… for two months?"
Meng Shuying nodded, a satisfied smile lighting up her face. "I'm so grateful for Senior Sister's care. It's thanks to her that I recovered so quickly."
Seeing the light in Meng Shuying's eyes, brighter than ever, Xie Hanzhu frowned, wondering if the girl had lost her senses.
Taking another look at the dishes, Xie Hanzhu gritted her teeth and forced herself to take a bite of something unrecognizable.
As expected, it tasted terrible.
Swallowing the bite with great difficulty, Xie Hanzhu silently thanked the heavens that she had been too busy training under the sect leader these past two months. Otherwise, she might have shaved years off her life from eating Su Luowei's cooking.
Glancing over at Meng Shuying, who was happily devouring her meal, Xie Hanzhu couldn't help but be impressed by her resilience. She even took a few more bites out of curiosity and then, unable to hold back, asked Su Luowei, "Why aren't you eating, Senior Sister?"
Su Luowei's reply was calm. "I've been fasting—I don't need food."
Liar! Meng Shuying cooked for you every day, and you never missed a meal. Now that it's your own cooking, you conveniently claim to be fasting because you know it's bad!
After dinner, Su Luowei intended to clean up, but Meng Shuying quickly volunteered.
"Senior Sister, leave it to me. I've fully recovered and could use the activity. I've been bedridden for so long—I need to stretch my legs."
She efficiently cleaned up the messy kitchen, neatly organizing the leftover ingredients, and then brewed a pot of tea for both Su Luowei and Xie Hanzhu. Only then did she hesitantly approach Su Luowei and say, "Senior Sister, I'd like to visit the spirit pet garden tomorrow."
"Hmm?" Su Luowei raised her teacup, the steam briefly obscuring her features. She blew away the tea leaves floating on the surface, then the steam, before looking up at Meng Shuying. "Why?"
Meng Shuying didn't want to lie, but she couldn't tell the full truth either. So, she lowered her gaze to hide the anger in her eyes. "I dropped something there and wanted to go back and find it."