"You've been practicing Aoki Kungfu for so long before you even get started, and you still want me to praise you? I don't expect you to be able to master a second-level spell right away, but can you at least try your best? I think you should stop going to the Dharma Hall, it's a waste of time!"
Lu Ying finally mastered the art of "Isao Aoki" today, and went to find Song Pei'er with great joy, but was scolded in the end.
Jiang Yuebai had set an example before her, so even though she was the second person in Huaxi Valley to successfully practice the method, no one praised or encouraged her anymore.
No one knew the grievances in Lu Ying's heart.
When she went out alone to relax, she saw Jiang Yuebai and Shi Xiaowu talking and laughing as soon as she reached the valley entrance. Lu Ying felt even more uncomfortable.
"Lü Ying, wait a minute!"
Jiang Yuebai stepped forward and grabbed Lu Ying's sleeve, but she pushed him away with a sullen face.
"I'm sorry!" Jiang Yuebai shouted to stop Lu Ying from leaving. "I was so harsh in my words that day and hurt your feelings. I apologize to you."
Lu Ying paused, feeling an indescribable bitterness in her heart.
Jiang Yuebai took out a long wooden box and opened it, revealing a transparent and warm jade hairpin inside, as well as a pleasant fragrance.
"I picked this especially for you. It has a warm jade fragrance that is refreshing and eye-catching. I'm here to apologize to you, and then you can forgive me, okay?"
"Who wants your apology? I don't want your pity!"
Lu Ying slapped the wooden box out of Jiang Yuebai's hand, and the jade hairpin flew out and hit a stone beside the road, breaking into two pieces.
Jiang Yuebai clenched his fists. Shi Xiaowu stood in the distance, biting a chicken leg with a look of horror on his face.
After a long while, Jiang Yuebai smiled first. "It's okay if you don't like this hairpin. I still have some spirit stones. Tell me what you want and I'll buy it for you."
Lu Ying's eyes were red, "I want you to disappear and never appear in front of me again!"
Jiang Yuebai was puzzled. "What did I do wrong that makes you hate me so much?"
"Yes, I really hate you. I hate the way you pretend to give me charity and pity, and show off your greatness in front of me, so that everyone can compare you with me!"
"Aren't you?"
Jiang Yuebai asked coldly, and Lu Ying trembled all over.
"That day, I was the last in Huaxi Valley, and you were the first in Huaxi Valley. Why did you choose to be friends with me among so many people? Don't you have any dirty thoughts? Do you really think I'm stupid? Don't you just want to use me to highlight your excellence and kindness?"
Lu Ying was frightened by Jiang Yuebai's aura and trembled with guilt.
"You... you have the ability, go make friends with Lu Nanzhi and the others, and see if they look down on you as a servant!"
"Just because you look down on me, do you think everyone looks down on me? Grandpa is right. Others can accept my shortcomings, can give me charity and pity me from a high position, but cannot bear to see any good in me. You are such a person. I have misjudged you!"
After saying that, Jiang Yuebai walked away, wiping his face with his sleeves, looking determined.
Lu Ying stared at the broken jade hairpin on the ground, her face pale and her whole body cold.
"I'm not... I didn't..."
Lu Ying covered her face and cried bitterly.
Shi Xiaowu looked at Lu Ying and then at Jiang Yuebai who was walking away, standing there at a loss as to what to do.
Jiang Yuebai was filled with irritation and anger. He walked back to the courtyard and found the gate was wide open.
"Lao Tao, are you not giving me face, or do you not respect my elder sister and Elder Lin? I was only away for a few days, and you left all my twenty acres of spiritual farmland barren?"
"Ahem, that was caused by the snowstorm, ahem, there's nothing I can do about it!"
Jiang Yuebai's heart trembled as he stepped into the yard, and saw Tao Fengnian, pale and bloodless, sitting at a stone table, holding his chest and breathing with difficulty. Jia Wei crossed his arms with a vicious and aggressive look in his eyes.
"What are you doing!"
Jiang Yuebai rushed to Tao Fengnian, opened his arms to protect him, and glared at Jia Wei.
When we said goodbye at noon, grandpa's face was still rosy and he was full of energy. But now he looked like he was about to die in just half a day. It must be that Jia Wei bullied grandpa again.
"Bai girl, go back to the house!"
Tao Fengnian tried hard to pull Jiang Yuebai, but she stood there stubbornly and refused to move.
Jia Wei's eyes suddenly turned fierce, "If you don't want to die, get out of here!"
"Shut up!"
Bang!
Tao Fengnian stood up, pulled Jiang Yuebai over and slapped him in the face.
Jiang Yuebai tilted her head and stood there in a daze. The five fingerprints on her fair and tender face gradually turned red and swollen. Her eyes were misty. She bit her lips tightly and tears rolled down her cheeks.
Tao Fengnian felt as if his heart was being cut by a knife, his whole body was shaking, and his hands hanging by his sides were as hot as branding irons.
Jia Wei sneered, "If the child is disobedient, he should be punished, otherwise he will offend others outside and die without knowing how."
Tao Fengnian curled the corners of his mouth and used half of his body to protect Jiang Yuebai.
"This girl has been spoiled by me. Junior Brother Jia, please allow me to rest for a while. I will reclaim your twenty acres of land within three days and plant new spiritual plants."
Jiang Yuebai raised her head suddenly, tears falling, and looked at Tao Fengnian with confusion.
Tao Fengnian didn't look at her, he only looked at Jia Wei.
Jia Wei brushed off the non-existent dust on his body and said dissatisfiedly: "Three days is too long, you are a spiritual farmer, two days is enough. I happen to have some spiritual medicine seeds, but they are difficult to take care of and need to be carefully treated. You can plant them together."
Tao Fengnian's back was hunched, and he looked very depressed. "Okay, two days is fine."
Jia Wei then showed a satisfied expression and casually threw a bag of elixir seeds at Tao Fengnian's feet.
Before leaving, he looked at Jiang Yuebai deeply again.
"Little girl, I heard that you are a maidservant beside Lin Suiwan. You are quite eloquent. My elder sister is in need of a servant. Do you want me to honor you?"
Jiang Yuebai glared at him fearlessly, but was blocked by Tao Fengnian behind him. He pleaded in a trembling voice.
"This girl has been contracted to me and is registered with the sect. I'm afraid it will be inconvenient to transfer her before her apprenticeship is over."
Jia Wei smiled but didn't smile, but he meant something.
"That's a pity, but I'm afraid your contract won't last until her apprenticeship is over."
After saying that, Jia Wei left in a triumphant manner, and Tao Fengnian collapsed to the ground, coughing violently.
"Grandpa!" Jiang Yuebai hurried to check on Tao Fengnian's condition.
"Girl, you shouldn't have said so much just now. Jia Wei is just a villain. Why did you offend him?"
Jiang Yuebai was not convinced, "So you're just going to let him bully you at will? Twenty acres of land will be reclaimed and sown in two days. He clearly wants Grandpa's life!"
Tao Fengnian smiled bitterly. Seeing the slap marks on Jiang Yuebai's face, he trembled with pain and said, "Good girl, did grandpa hurt you?"
Jiang Yuebai shook his head, "Grandpa, let's go find Senior Brother Hong and explain the matter. There is always a way. If you indulge Jia Wei like this, he will never stop."
"You don't understand. You are still young. You don't understand. Cough, cough, cough, cough."
Tao Fengnian shook his head repeatedly. Jiang Yuebai was holding his breath and couldn't understand what his grandfather was afraid of. On that day, he fought against two demon wolves alone and was obviously brave and invincible. So why couldn't he deal with Jia Wei, who was at the ninth level of Qi training!
Jiang Yuebai couldn't persuade Tao Fengnian. Seeing that he insisted on going out after resting for a while, he could only follow him helplessly, even if it was just to help him share some of the burden.
For two days in a row, the grandfather and grandson were busy in the fields. Jiang Yuebai was sulking and didn't say a word, just concentrating on working.
After all the spiritual herbs were planted and they returned to the courtyard to wash up, Tao Fengnian was about to apologize to Jiang Yuebai, but Jiang Yuebai packed up his things and left silently.
"Do you want to go to the Dharma Hall? Grandpa will take you there."
"No, Grandpa, take a rest."
Jiang Yuebai left without looking back. Tao Fengnian sat in the yard smoking his pipe, feeling lonely.
It's not that he is helpless, he just doesn't want to risk his life, he wants to survive.
The sun set and the moon rose, but Tao Fengnian still didn't wait for Jiang Yuebai to come back. He walked back and forth from the courtyard to the valley entrance, but the little girl who should have come back long ago was nowhere to be seen.
Tao Fengnian thought about it and suddenly his expression changed drastically!
(End of this chapter)