Transmigrated Into A Waste Who Married The Villain. Chapter 68: Shy and Bashful

With Chang Suyu no longer around to interject, the remaining disciples naturally kept their comments to themselves as Luo Jinxiao confidently led Qu Weiyin out of the teahouse. As they left, she even turned back to offer a friendly smile to the other disciples.

Once the figures of the two women disappeared through the door, the disciples finally exhaled in relief.

Ke Tao patted his chest, shaking his head in disbelief. “I never knew Luo Senior Sister was so strong that she could overpower Senior Brother Suyu. What do you think their relationship is? Why does Qu Master Uncle show her such leniency?”

“I don’t know. I’ve only heard that Qu Master Uncle has taken good care of Luo Senior Sister since five years ago, and back then, Qu Master Uncle didn’t have such an odd temper. Rumor has it that her personality changed drastically because of Luo Senior Sister’s disappearance,” Baili Xiao whispered.

“Do you think Qu Master Uncle might… have feelings for Luo Senior Sister?” a girl exclaimed, covering her mouth in surprise.

Meanwhile, Luo Jinxiao was oblivious to the gossip. She walked alongside Qu Weiyin by the roadside, their garments fluttering like the wind, drawing the attention of passersby.

However, once those eyes recognized Qu Weiyin, they instinctively looked away.

“Perhaps you should summon Qiongqi here,” Qu Weiyin said helplessly. “At this rate, how long will it take to find what we’re looking for?”

Luo Jinxiao let out a chuckle, realizing she had been too excited and had completely forgotten about Qiongqi. However, she thought, summoning him in the middle of the street would result in scaring the local populace half to death because the beast itself would appear.

Just as she was about to respond, Qu Weiyin suddenly stopped her by raising a hand and nodding her head toward a shop by the roadside that was emanating the tempting aroma of beef.

“There it is,” Qu Weiyin said.

Luo Jinxiao leaned in to glance into the shop and nearly choked on her own saliva. She saw a girl dressed in a light orange gauze dress with two round buns perched on her head, eagerly devouring her food.

Beside her sat a visibly dispirited Tang Lan’er, holding a large piece of beef wrapped in oiled paper, with several more packages piled on the table beside her.

Feeling a pang of embarrassment, Luo Jinxiao glanced at Qu Weiyin with a hint of guilt.

Qu Weiyin’s expression remained unchanged, but she lingered her gaze on Tang Lan’er for a moment before taking the lead into the shop.

“Luo Jinxiao! You finally made it! This one is a real cow! Wait, cows don’t eat beef, so it must be a bottomless pit! In just the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, she’s devoured an entire cow!” Tang Lan’er exclaimed as she rushed toward Luo Jinxiao with the fervor of someone seeing their savior.

Yet, as she approached, she felt an icy chill at the back of her head, forcing her to halt in her tracks, glancing back at Qu Weiyin in confusion.

“Where did you go? I even gave you an invitation card, and you didn’t even bother to say thank you before turning away and leaving me with this…” Tang Lan’er gestured toward Qiongqi, momentarily at a loss for words.

“Sorry, I forgot,” Luo Jinxiao replied apologetically as she walked over to Qiongqi and patted its head. “Still hungry?”

Qiongqi eagerly finished its last mouthful of meat before leaping into Luo Jinxiao’s embrace, mumbling softly, “Hungry.”

Qu Weiyin frowned slightly, diverting her gaze as she retrieved a pouch of silver from her waist and handed it to Tang Lan’er.

Tang Lan’er was taken aback, glancing between the silver and Qu Weiyin. She quickly pushed it back, smiling as she said, “No need for that. I consider myself friends with Luo Jinxiao. It’s just a bit of food; it doesn’t cost much.”

Qu Weiyin regarded her with a deep look before lowering her hand.

“Hey, when are you leaving this place? Why don’t we go together?” Tang Lan’er called out to Luo Jinxiao.

“No thanks, we plan to stay here a bit longer,” Luo Jinxiao gently declined, pulling Qiongqi closer as she stepped in front of Tang Lan’er. “I really appreciate everything you’ve done this time. Thank you.”

Hearing this, Tang Lan’er smiled and lowered her head, a mix of brazen confidence and shyness on her face. “It’s nothing really; I still owe you for saving me five years ago. So, we’ll meet again someday.”

“Indeed, we will meet again,” Luo Jinxiao replied with a grin.

After bidding farewell to Tang Lan’er, Luo Jinxiao looked up to see that Qu Weiyin had already made her way halfway down the street. She quickly grabbed Qiongqi and hurried to catch up.

“Master Uncle, why didn’t you wait for me?” Luo Jinxiao bounded alongside her, casting a playful glance.

“It’s been five years, yet you’re still so flighty and unpredictable,” Qu Weiyin replied coldly. “You walk without any grace.”

Luo Jinxiao looked down at herself, seeing nothing wrong with her appearance.

The only thing out of place was the frayed blue fabric peeking from her sleeve, worn thin from friction.

Noticing her lift her hand, Qu Weiyin followed her gaze, her own pale fingers pinching the edge of Luo Jinxiao’s sleeve. She lowered her gaze to inspect it for a moment before meeting Luo Jinxiao’s eyes. “What happened here?”

Luo Jinxiao quickly covered her sleeve and shook her head, smiling brightly. “It’s nothing, just an old garment. I’ll get a new one soon.”

Qu Weiyin wasn’t interested in her excuses. She pulled Luo Jinxiao’s arm, pushing aside the black outer coat to reveal the blue inner robe.

“What kind of life have you been living these past five years?” Qu Weiyin asked after a long moment, her voice low and alluring, enough to stir emotions within Luo Jinxiao.

Feeling a strange flutter in her heart, Luo Jinxiao averted her gaze and suddenly remarked, “Master Uncle, in public like this, shouldn’t you be careful about touching me like this? It seems…”

At her words, Qu Weiyin looked around, and indeed, every passerby was glancing their way. She was gripping Luo Jinxiao’s clothing with such intensity that it might appear aggressive.

With a flutter of her lashes, Qu Weiyin abruptly released Luo Jinxiao, turning on her heel to walk away.

Seeing Qu Weiyin’s retreating figure, Luo Jinxiao’s lips twitched as she hurriedly straightened her clothes and dashed after her.

“Master Uncle, have you forgotten? This outfit was given by you, and I’ve been wearing it all this time!”

Qu Weiyin’s memory was suddenly stirred as she recalled giving Luo Jinxiao a piece of clothing. However, over the years, it had faded from her mind.

“I honestly thought I would never come down the mountain again, so this clothing and the pouch were the only representations I had of my Master Uncle,” Luo Jinxiao said, half-joking, half-serious.

As Qu Weiyin slowed her pace, the irritation that had enveloped her due to Tang Lan’er began to dissipate, her phoenix eyes wrapped in a misty sheen.

“Be careful,” she suddenly said sharply. Luo Jinxiao sensed the commotion at the same time, and they both stepped back to avoid a careening carriage.

This carriage was anything but ordinary; the horse that pulled it was sleek and muscular, clearly not an ordinary beast. The carriage itself was attached to a cage large enough to house two horses, within which several men and women sat, their expressions blank and their hair disheveled, resembling beggars on the street, looking particularly pitiful.

The people surrounding the spectacle seemed unresponsive, as if they were accustomed to such sights.

“What’s going on?” Luo Jinxiao asked in surprise.

Qu Weiyin’s expression shifted at the sight of the carriage; her narrow phoenix eyes seemed to flood with various emotions, which ultimately settled into tranquility.

“Monsters,” she stated flatly.

“Monsters?” Luo Jinxiao had never seen such a scene and was momentarily baffled. “Where are they taking these monsters?”

“To sell them,” Qu Weiyin replied coolly, then she turned her gaze away, saying, “Let’s go.”

“Okay,” Luo Jinxiao said with a nod but found herself unable to resist glancing back at the cage. Something about the girl slumped in the corner with two braided pigtails seemed familiar.

As she walked ahead, she suddenly grasped Qu Weiyin’s arm. “Wait a moment, Master Uncle! That girl—haven’t we seen her before?”

Hearing this, Qu Weiyin turned back to look. Her gaze lingered on the corner of the cage for a moment, her expression thoughtful. “Looking at her build and age, she resembles Xiuer very much.”

Upon hearing that name, Luo Jinxiao remembered—the girl was the one who had left with the tree demon when they visited Pingxi Town.

“How did she end up here?” she wondered aloud.

“She carries a trace of demonic energy, indicating that she has already ceased to be human,” Qu Weiyin said after a moment’s hesitation, taking a step to follow the carriage.

Seeing Qu Weiyin’s intent to uncover the truth, Luo Jinxiao chose not to stop her. Instead, she silently trailed behind Qu Weiyin while discreetly putting the stuffed Qiongqi into her bag.

“Compared to the demon race, the demon clan possesses lower magical abilities, particularly among lesser demons who have only recently begun to cultivate. Some cultivators will buy them as slaves or for other purposes,” Qu Weiyin explained detachedly.

“Although this is not permitted by the Celestial Alliance, there are always those who capture demons to sell in the black market for money.”

“Cultivators do not take on slaves, while ordinary humans are weak and the demon race commits evil. Therefore, demons become the preferred choice for some people, bound with power-infused chains and forced into lifelong servitude.”

Hearing this, an inexplicable anger bubbled up inside Luo Jinxiao. “If she really is Xiuer, how could she—the mere human—become a demon?”

Qu Weiyin shook her head, indicating that she didn’t know the answer either.

The carriage wound its way through narrow alleys, soon arriving at a cramped side street—the so-called black market, where low-grade spirit weapons, spirit stones, and spirit beasts were scattered throughout. There were also a handful of demons shackled by various chains, some lying on the ground while others cowered in corners, appearing utterly miserable.

People bustled around, inspecting the demons like they were mere merchandise.

A wave of discomfort washed over Luo Jinxiao, her heart heavy as she observed the unsettling scene.

Luo Jinxiao couldn’t help but glance at Qu Weiyin, noticing her lack of reaction. It seemed she had become so accustomed to such situations that it no longer affected her.

The carriage came to a shaky halt in an open area. The driver, wearing a wide-brimmed hat that obscured his face, abruptly opened the cage and yanked the trapped demons out one by one.

The girl in the corner was the last to emerge from the cage; she stumbled a few steps before collapsing to the ground, bowing her head and trembling uncontrollably.

“Master Uncle, that looks like Xiuer,” Luo Jinxiao said, standing on her toes to get a better view, managing to glimpse her face.

At that moment, the nearby shackled demons seemed startled and suddenly became aggressive, leaping up and trying to charge at Qu Weiyin with their chains, attempting to bite her neck.

Luo Jinxiao’s eyes flickered, and instinctively, she reached out, wrapping her arms around Qu Weiyin and pulling her close, using one hand to knock the demon against the wall.

In her embrace, the girl’s waist was soft and slender, the cool fabric of her clothing slipping through Luo Jinxiao’s fingers, mingled with the stray strands of hair that brushed against her, utterly enchanting.

“Luo Jinxiao,” Qu Weiyin exclaimed through gritted teeth, her tone completely devoid of its usual calm. She raised her hand in protest, backing away hurriedly.

However, the waist she had just touched still lingered in her memory, and the wrinkles in the garment now felt distractingly alive.

Luo Jinxiao found herself momentarily dazed, gazing at her own hand, a subtle joy blossoming within her, mingled with a pang of disappointment at the retreat. At that moment, she had forgotten just what level of cultivation Qu Weiyin possessed.

“They’re going to sell her,” Qu Weiyin suddenly said, her voice tinged with lingering panic and shyness.

Several men who appeared to be servants surrounded Xiuer, examining her closely. One of them even reached out to touch her face while haggling over the price with the man in the hat.