Chapter 11: Sister Li

“This fool! He just left like that!” Di Jiang opened her mouth wide, staring blankly at the disappearing figure on the horizon and scolded loudly: “He didn’t even invite us to go down the mountain with him! In such an open place where not even a ghost can be seen, with the weather so bitterly cold, what if we encounter some bandits or wild beasts? What if they eat us? Did he even think about that?”

Shu Xiang couldn’t help but chuckle: “It’s already impressive enough to make Master Zhong smile, let alone expect him to think so much.”

“Ah...” Di Jiang sighed. “That’s true.”

Looking back at Zhong Xu, his figure grew smaller and smaller. His toes danced over the evening glow and breeze, his robes fluttering, his hair flying—like a bird of freedom, the entire sky was his stage.

Beside her, Wen Yao combed her hair while gazing at the sky, utterly mesmerized as she said: “For the first time, I realize that this coffin shop owner is quite handsome, Boss. Don’t you think so?”

“He has always been handsome,” Di Jiang replied. Her thoughts then drifted back to Zhong Xu’s parting words. She grabbed Wen Yao’s shoulders excitedly: “Did you hear that? Before leaving, Zhong Xu invited me to see him again in Taiping Prefecture! Does that mean he doesn’t dislike me as much anymore?”

“The coffin shop is right across the street from us. Even if we don’t meet face-to-face, we’ll still cross paths eventually. It was just polite talk, Boss. Don’t overthink it.”

Wen Yao’s cold water remark instantly irritated Di Jiang, who grabbed her ear and scolded: “Would it kill you to hold your tongue for once?”

“But you told me to speak up…”

“I told you to do what’s beneficial for yourself! When I tell you to work harder and gossip less, why don’t I ever see you listening?”

“People always make choices that are advantageous to them, right…?” Wen Yao muttered softly.

“People?” Di Jiang narrowed her eyes and teased: “But are you even human?”

Caught off guard by the question, Wen Yao hesitated before replying: “You once said that even if I’m not human, I can still think like one…”

“Good grief, Wen Yao! Instead of learning something useful, you’ve mastered all these sharp-tongued retorts!”

“Thank you for your teachings, Boss!” Wen Yao grinned, linking arms with Di Jiang as they began walking back.

Along the way, through the woods and across the grasslands, there were large patches of scorched marks left by heavenly lightning. Underneath one towering tree, its hollow trunk had been split into three pieces. Wen Yao watched in fear; if not for Di Jiang supporting her, her legs would have given out long ago.

“The thunder calamity has passed. Relax,” Di Jiang said, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from Wen Yao’s forehead.

Wen Yao nodded in thanks, clutching the handkerchief tightly in her sweaty palms.

With a trembling voice, she asked: “Boss, why wasn’t Shu Xiang affected at all last night?”

“Because he’s human.”

“How can a human have such immense strength?” Wen Yao was stunned.

“He… looks younger than you, but he’s lived far longer,” Di Jiang replied, adding two words: “Much longer.”

“Oh, so what? Doesn’t he still get bullied by me without daring to say a word?” Wen Yao glanced guiltily at Shu Xiang, who showed no reaction, before lowering her head and snickering quietly.

After a moment, Shu Xiang suddenly spoke: “Then, what exactly is Wen Yao’s original form?”

“A little snake.”

“Oh…” Shu Xiang nodded.

But Wen Yao wasn’t satisfied and persisted: “You call me a reptile, but why can’t I transform into my original form? At most, I can only change this much—the nails on my fingers only recently grew out.” Wen Yao extended her hands, and her fingertips morphed into sharp claws.

Her once-pristine hands were now covered in scales resembling fish scales or lizard armor. More terrifying still, her ten black nails were hard and razor-sharp, longer than her fingers themselves. The sight resembled that of a thousand-year-old demon, capable of tearing flesh and drawing blood with a single swipe.

Di Jiang gasped in shock, slapping her forehead. “Are you trying to get yourself killed? How dare you reveal your true form in broad daylight!”

Terrified, Wen Yao quickly retracted her hands, which reverted to their delicate, girlish shape. In an instant, her hands became soft and smooth again, as if the previous transformation had been nothing more than an illusion.

“Boss, I’m sorry,” Wen Yao lamented, her face full of sorrow.

“Don’t ever do that again,” Di Jiang sighed, visibly shaken.

“Mm… But, I still have one more question,” Wen Yao mumbled pitifully.

Di Jiang sighed again, saying indifferently: “Go ahead and ask.”

“If I’m a snake, why do I have claws?”

“Who said snakes don’t have claws? What about four-legged snakes?”

“Oh… So I’m actually a gecko,” Wen Yao said, somewhat disheartened. “No wonder you never mentioned my origins, Boss. I really am not presentable. If I were a spirit fox from Qingqiu or a robin from the northern snowfields, bringing me along would surely bring you prestige!”

After hearing this, Di Jiang burst into laughter. Patting her head encouragingly, she said: “You must believe that in this vast world, no single person reigns supreme, nor can any group of noble demons overshadow everything. Even if you’re a gecko, you still have your uses. Right? Work hard under me, and when I achieve prosperity, you’ll share in it endlessly!”

“Thank you, Boss!” Wen Yao beamed, skipping forward happily.

After returning to the inn, Shu Xiang washed up and went back to sleep. However, Di Jiang called Wen Yao over.

Di Jiang tossed two bundles of clothes to her: “Now you have an important task that only you can complete.”

Wen Yao’s eyes lit up: “What is it?”

“Wash these clothes clean and iron them neatly,” Di Jiang instructed, pointing to the two bundles.

“That’s it?” Wen Yao widened her eyes in disbelief.

“Of course not,” Di Jiang shook her head and continued: “After washing the clothes, go across the street and buy some snacks—things like roasted seeds. Oh, and especially buy plenty of plain fried peanuts. My cravings are unbearable.”

Wen Yao looked thoroughly disappointed, muttering: “Didn’t Zhuchai just roast a pot for you before we left? Didn’t you touch it? Shouldn’t it still be there… Let me check Shu Xiang’s room for you.”

“Come back,” Di Jiang stopped her. “I met a friend on the way, and I gave that bag of peanuts to them.”

“A friend? Why didn’t I see anyone? I’ve been by your side day and night!”

“Ugh, why are you asking so many questions? Hurry up and go!” Di Jiang glared at her.

“Alright, alright... I’ll go right away!” Seeing Di Jiang was upset, Wen Yao didn’t dare to say anything more and hurriedly left.

As she walked, the more items she bought, the heavier her heart became. She carefully searched her mind and realized that although her life had been good since following Di Jiang—no longer having to hide like other spirits—there was still something missing compared to them.

What was it?

Wen Yao thought about it all the way back, her arms aching and back sore from carrying a pile of things, until she finally understood when she returned to the inn.

The missing thing was called freedom.

“I’ve brought everything back. I’m going to sleep now,” Wen Yao dumped the snacks and treats on the table and turned to leave.

“Wait,” Di Jiang stopped her. “Did you encounter or hear anything along the way?”

“No?” Wen Yao was taken aback.

“Haven’t you heard about any big events happening in Zhuangyuan Township?”

“No.” Wen Yao shook her head.

“This is strange...” Di Jiang lowered her head, deep in thought, her face full of confusion. This piqued Wen Yao’s curiosity, and she repeatedly asked, but Di Jiang only replied: “If you don’t know, it just means the time hasn’t come yet. When the time comes, you’ll naturally find out.”

“Ugh, I hate it when you act so mysterious, Boss!” Wen Yao leaned closer to Di Jiang, hoping to uncover something from her eyes, but she was disappointed. Di Jiang had reverted to her perpetually unchanged faint smile, resembling a Bodhisattva who preaches equality while saving sentient beings.

Still unwilling to give up, Wen Yao continued analyzing on her own: “These errands could have been done by Shu Xiang, but you insisted I do them. This means something interesting must happen on the way—something I’d be interested in. What am I interested in… Old Pan! Could it be that something happened to Old Pan?!”

Di Jiang chuckled: “You’re overthinking this.”

Wen Yao narrowed her eyes, staring at Di Jiang for a while before saying: “No, I’m not reassured. I need to go out and take another look around.”

“I’ll go with you.” Di Jiang stood up, put on her coat, and went out with Wen Yao.

The two wandered back and forth on the street. Before long, Wen Yao’s hands were full of new items—Zhang’s family batik from the street corner, bamboo dragonflies made by Old Sun, and plenty of snacks, which made her face beam with satisfaction.

Di Jiang sighed and shook her head: “Batik can be used to make bedspreads, but what’s the use of these bamboo dragonflies?”

“I’ll give them to Zhuchai! He stays cooped up in the kitchen every day cooking delicious meals for us, and we never take him out to play. Shouldn’t we bring him some gifts as a reward?”

Di Jiang nodded and gave her a thumbs-up: “You’re right. I’ll listen to you.”

Rarely praised, Wen Yao’s mood instantly brightened. She happily pointed to the kite shop across the bridge: “Look at those kites, how unique they are!”

Di Jiang glanced over and noticed that the kites were made using the local batik technique—blue backgrounds with white patterns, intricate designs, and indeed quite rare compared to what was seen in Taiping Prefecture.

“Let’s buy one. When spring comes and we have free time, let Zhuchai accompany you to fly it.”

“Got it!” Wen Yao ran toward the shop across the river, while Di Jiang stood on the bridge admiring the scenery.

A few small wooden boats floated back and forth on the river. Almost every household along the shore had a similar boat docked nearby. The water market here was thriving, and there would be a large fair every first day of the month where one trip could stock up on half a year’s worth of necessities. The waterways connected the surrounding villages, making travel much more convenient than by land.

Just as Di Jiang was marveling at the interesting aspects of mountain life, a woman dressed in plain white appeared in her line of sight.

She was beautiful.

So beautiful that even Di Jiang, who was accustomed to seeing beauties, couldn’t help but stare in awe.

The woman wore all white, completely unadorned except for a small white flower pinned in her hair. Truly, she was like a lotus emerging from clear water, naturally free of embellishment. Adding any worldly treasures like emerald green jade to her would feel excessive, let alone gaudy gold and jewelry. She suited this understated appearance perfectly, enhancing her elegant demeanor.

The woman carried a small basket and strolled leisurely along the shore, drawing the attention of everyone passing by.

“Our Sister Li, she looks good no matter what she wears~” A greasy male voice echoed nearby.

Upon hearing this, Di Jiang’s heart skipped a beat: “That’s Sister Li?!”

“Who else could it be?”

Di Jiang turned around and found Shopkeeper Zhang from the incense shop standing beside her. It had only been a day since she last saw him, but his lecherous gaze now seemed even more vulgar and unbearable to her.

“When Sister Li stays silent, she’s far prettier than when she’s cursing on the streets.”

“Cough, you’re a woman, so you wouldn’t understand the charm of Sister Li. This is called allure, do you get it? The saying ‘still as a maiden, swift as a hare’ applies perfectly here.” As he spoke, Shopkeeper Zhang drooled, causing Di Jiang to hastily move aside, fearing his saliva might spray onto her.

Di Jiang felt exasperated. Sister Li’s current appearance clearly indicated mourning, but to people like Shopkeeper Zhang, it seemed she occasionally dressed plainly to maintain freshness and win everyone’s affection. It was truly disheartening.

Di Jiang suddenly realized that Sister Li’s fiery temper might be a form of self-protection.

If she didn’t disguise herself with fierceness, anyone could trample over her. If she didn’t associate with vulgarity, vulgarity would drown her.