The amnesia didn’t last long.
“What’s with that disappointed look?!”
Jiang Ke’er glared at Qiao Xiaoxian.
“And why do I feel like my cultivation base has increased a lot? Fess up, how many times did you do bad things while I couldn’t remember?”
“Illusion, your talent is just too good,” Qiao Xiaoxian said without a hint of guilt.
“…Then how come the buttons on my shirt are undone?”
“You accidentally knocked them off while cultivating yesterday.”
“What about this stain on my skirt?” Jiang Ke’er gritted her teeth.
“You spilled tea while drinking.”
“The smell isn’t right!”
“Then go get it tested.” Qiao Xiaoxian shrugged indifferently.
Jiang Ke’er rubbed her chin.
With the other being so brazenly willing to let her test it, maybe the stain really was from her own spilled tea.
“Then…” Jiang Ke’er pointed stubbornly out the window.
“What about the stockings hanging outside to dry? Why were they washed?”
Qiao Xiaoxian looked at Jiang Ke’er like she was an idiot.
“Silly fox, stop overthinking. If I really did something to you, would I leave such obvious evidence hanging on the balcony?”
“Emmm…” Jiang Ke’er had no comeback.
That actually made sense. She couldn’t refute it.
“So… you really didn’t do anything?” Jiang Ke’er stared at Qiao Xiaoxian in disbelief.
“Don’t question my character,” Qiao Xiaoxian sneered.
“Unless my assassination attempt fails, or you throw yourself at me, I won’t go against your will and take advantage of you.”
“You’re the one who throws herself at me!” Jiang Ke’er’s cheeks flushed crimson.
She slammed the door and ran outside.
Only then did Qiao Xiaoxian let out a long, relieved breath.
She stared nervously at the back of Jiang Ke’er’s shoulder, where a pink, strawberry-shaped mark glinted teasingly in the sunlight.
‘Good, good. At least she can’t see that spot herself.’
After running around like a mad thing outside to clear her head, Jiang Ke’er returned to the wooden cabin.
She stood with her hands on her hips, looking up at Qiao Xiaoxian, who was a fair bit taller than her.
“So next we’re going to the Realm of No Regret?”
“Yes, but before that,” Qiao Xiaoxian casually helped Jiang Ke’er adjust her collar, “you need to protect your shoulders. Try not to expose any skin. The Xubeasts in the Realm of No Regret love biting people’s shoulders.”
“…Xubeasts have such a weird habit?” Jiang Ke’er shrank her shoulders in suspicion.
“I feel like you’re making that up.”
“Believe it or not.” Qiao Xiaoxian raised an eyebrow and covered her own shoulder with a lingering dread. “I got hurt there once.”
Jiang Ke’er sensed the area around Qiao Xiaoxian’s shoulder.
There was indeed a faint trace of blood energy—a residual sign of injury. But this wound was fresh…
“Let me see?”
“No, it’s fine.”
Qiao Xiaoxian refused nervously.
Her shoulder really was injured, but it was from a bite by an angry little fox…
Of course, the culprit had already forgotten all about it.
Thank goodness she forgot.
Otherwise…
“Ahhh! Qiao Xiaoxian, you, you, you bastard!”
Jiang Ke’er’s face was bright red as she bent over to look in the mirror at the “strawberry-shaped severe injury” on her shoulder.
Then she quickly yanked open Qiao Xiaoxian’s clothes to check the wound on her own shoulder.
She recognized that tooth mark.
“Sorry, but you activated Qing Cheng. I really couldn’t control myself.” Seeing that the truth was exposed, Qiao Xiaoxian coughed dryly and changed the subject.
“Couldn’t you have waited until I was awake and asked me properly?!” Jiang Ke’er was so humiliated she wanted to die. She covered her face and rushed into the bathroom.
“Fine, next time I’ll ask you first. Would you say yes?”
“No!”
“…”
Jiang Ke’er scrubbed herself thoroughly, as if trying to wash away some filthy residue.
“Don’t worry, I already washed you,” Qiao Xiaoxian called from outside the bathroom door, offering a friendly reminder.
“W-washed me?!”
Jiang Ke’er’s anger bar instantly filled up again.
“I’m not going with you,” she fumed, starting to pack her things after her bath.
“Where are you going?”
“Separate quarters! This so-called Realm of No Regret is no match for me!”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“I’m not being ridiculous.”
Qiao Xiaoxian grabbed Jiang Ke’er’s hand and gave a doting smile. “You know you can’t shake me.”
Jiang Ke’er’s heart trembled at that smile, which only made her angrier—angry at her own weakness.
“Get lost! Stop flirting with me!”
“All anger comes from incompetence. Are you mad at yourself? What, can’t take it anymore?” Qiao Xiaoxian smiled.
“Let go!” Jiang Ke’er’s eyes blazed with fury. “If you don’t let go, I’ll… I’ll…”
“You’ll what?”
“Bite you!” Jiang Ke’er roared.
“Does that count as an assassination?” Qiao Xiaoxian’s face lit up with anticipation.
“No!!! No killing intent, so it doesn’t count!”
“Oh.” Qiao Xiaoxian’s eyebrows drooped in disappointment. “But since there’s no killing intent, what do I have to fear? Go ahead, bite as much as you want.”
“…”
Jiang Ke’er realized that if she kept this up, the scene would inevitably spiral in a terrifying direction again.
“Show some respect, old lady,” Jiang Ke’er said, tilting her head and looking down her nose at Qiao Xiaoxian. “I’m only a year and a half old. You’re committing a crime!”
Qiao Xiaoxian smiled calmly. “Doesn’t matter. I’ve long since earned the death penalty. One more time won’t make a difference.”
“Damn.”
“Okay.”
“?! No, wait, that’s not what I meant!”
“Tch…”
This Qiao Xiaoxian was a total lecher.
Ever since they’d gotten close, Jiang Ke’er found she’d become even more of a rogue and a handful—harder and harder to deal with.
She could sense a subtle change in Qiao Xiaoxian.
She wasn’t as sullen and cold as before.
Though she remained aloof with outsiders, with Jiang Ke’er, she was noticeably more shameless.
It was as if she had let down all her defenses…
Jiang Ke’er was horrified by that thought.
‘No, she’s definitely faking it!’
She denied it again without hesitation.
Still, every now and then, when she noticed the change in Qiao Xiaoxian, a strange joy bubbled up inside her.
As if she was happy for her.
‘No! It’s the contract messing with me!’
Denial number two.
‘Hmph!’
Anyway, until the book Qiao Xiaoxian the Overlord Protagonist’s Path to Supremacy was finished—until she saw Qiao Xiaoxian conquer the entire universe and she herself had completely outlived her usefulness—she would never believe her!
Iron will? Impossible!
“Huh? What’s that smell? So good!”
Jiang Ke’er lifted her head and sniffed the air.
“Cloud Bud flower nectar, a specialty of this valley… Slowly, slowly! Don’t dig in with your hands, you haven’t washed them yet… Ah, forget it. Eat up…”
Qiao Xiaoxian watched Jiang Ke’er snatch the nectar, wolfing it down like a starving bear, and she could only laugh helplessly.