“Sis, I heard you were looking for me? Is there something you need?”
When Lin Huanhuan arrived at Lin Shuangye’s residence and saw her sister sitting at the main seat with a blank face, she immediately put on a fawning expression, scooted over, pressed her hands together and rested them beside her cheek, and said sweetly and obediently with a grin.
Lin Shuangye shot her a cold glance. “Don’t play dumb with me. You should know exactly why I called you here.”
“Ever since you were little, you act like this every time you make a mistake. Do you really think I don’t know? Playing innocent in front of me is really unnecessary!”
“Oh.”
Lin Huanhuan pouted, looking a bit aggrieved as she said, “But you can’t really blame me for this, can you? It was just an ordinary multi-person quest. Who could’ve guessed there’d be such powerful cultists involved?”
Lin Shuangye stared at her for a while, then sighed softly. “I’m not blaming you. I just felt I should remind you—you seem to be getting a bit too cocky.”
“I’ve told you many times before, the outside world is extremely dangerous. Especially evil cultivators and rogue cultivators. For just a little bit of cultivation resources, they’ll do absolutely anything.”
“Until you have enough strength, if you run into anything dangerous or strange, don’t hesitate—run away at once. Someone’s definitely setting a trap. Even if it looks like a lucky encounter, treat it the same.”
“I remember I’ve told you this at least ten times. But what did you do? According to that friend of yours who left early, the moment you beat back the demon tiger, you should’ve sensed something was wrong, but you still stayed. What were you thinking?”
“This, this, this…” Lin Huanhuan scratched her head nervously, mumbling with nothing to say.
How was she supposed to know things would turn out like that? She didn’t think that much at the time—just wanted to finish the quest better. Still, it really was reckless. She’d take it as a lesson.
Lin Huanhuan thought to herself, lowering her head even further, trying to look obedient and lessen her sister’s anger.
Lin Shuangye shook her head and said mildly, “You’ve never really suffered any losses, so it’s normal for you to think my warnings are overblown. This time, nothing bad happened, but I hope this won’t happen again. If something feels off, run home.”
“Our Lin family, after all, is a Golden Core spirit clan, and has deep ties with Lingyun Sect, one of the major powers in Southern Borders. As long as you come back, you’ll usually be safe under our protection.”
Lin Huanhuan kept nodding. Only then did Lin Shuangye show a satisfied expression. “I hope you remember. As for your punishment, since it’s your first offense, you’ll just be confined for six hours. Off you go.”
“Huh? I still have to be confined? Can’t you let it go since it’s my first time?”
“Hmm.” Lin Shuangye, who was about to leave, shot her a deadly glare. “Still trying to bargain? Do you want to be locked up even longer?”
Lin Huanhuan immediately caved. “Six hours is fine, six hours sounds pretty good. Has a lucky ring to it too.”
Led by a Lin family disciple to the little dark room, the disciple noticed Lin Huanhuan’s gloominess and tried to comfort her. “Miss Huanhuan, the Young Lady is just worried about you. She doesn’t really want to punish you.”
“I know. I’m just a bit annoyed, that’s all. You don’t have to worry about me.”
Although it was called a confinement room, it was really just a small dark room. Once the door closed, not a sliver of light remained inside—it was pitch black, meant to be psychological pressure more than anything.
The Lin family disciple opened the door and instructed, “Miss Huanhuan, when you’re in confinement, sit cross-legged and close your eyes, empty your mind. The time will pass quickly, and before you know it, it’ll be over.”
At first, Lin Huanhuan could keep up the cross-legged, eyes-closed posture, but after who knows how long with no one coming to open the door, she finally couldn’t take it anymore.
So, she simply—
Took off her outer robe, draped it over herself, used her arm as a pillow, and went straight to sleep.
And honestly, there’s something about being in total darkness that makes it super easy to get sleepy—especially easy to sleep. Lin Huanhuan was out in seconds.
zzZ
“Wake her up for me!”
Half asleep, Lin Huanhuan vaguely heard this command, rubbed her bleary eyes and sat up, immediately sobering up when she saw Lin Shuangye glaring at her in front of her.
“Um, there’s nothing in the confinement room, and after just sitting there for a while, I don’t know why, but I just suddenly fell asleep. I didn’t do it on purpose.”
“You really are… I don’t even know what to say to you.”
Lin Shuangye had just finished her cultivation session. She originally intended to check on her little sister’s confinement—she’d even planned to let her out early if she behaved well, since being locked up really wasn’t comfortable.
But who’d have thought, the moment the door opened, there was Lin Huanhuan sprawled all over the floor, looking totally at ease, tongue even sticking out a little.
How was this confinement? More like a nap session!
Lin Huanhuan lowered her head, poking her fingers together. “Um, Sis, maybe I should stay in confinement a bit longer?”
Lin Huanhuan, who still hadn’t had enough sleep, said so.
Lin Shuangye felt a bit relieved at that.
Looks like she does know she was wrong—not too hopeless.
She waved her hand impatiently. “Go, go, go, I’m letting you out early. Just remember, don’t do this again next time.”
“Yay!”
Lin Huanhuan bounced up in excitement and hopped away.
Lin Shuangye started to doubt her own judgment.
Did she really realize her mistake just now?
Back in her own courtyard, Lin Huanhuan flopped onto her chair like she had no bones left. “It’s still more comfortable here. No need to worry about all that nonsense.”
Dong Yuner asked in confusion, “Miss, weren’t you supposed to be confined for six hours? It hasn’t been that long yet, has it? Did you sneak out early?”
Dong Yuner grew anxious. “You should hurry back then! If the Young Lady finds out, you’ll be confined even longer!”
“Hmm?”
Lin Huanhuan’s gaze sharpened. She caught a trace of schadenfreude in those words. “Is that how you see your Miss? Can’t I have been let out early?”
“So that’s how it is. My mistake.” Dong Yuner gave an awkward smile.
Lin Huanhuan said flatly, “Speaking of which, I haven’t settled accounts with you yet for trying to tie me up before.”
“Huh? But isn’t that all in the past? Normally, that’d be water under the bridge, right?”
“Who said I was letting it go? Your Miss is not that magnanimous! I’m going to give you a good punishment.”
…
“Please, Miss, spare me! I really won’t dare again.”
At the door, ignoring Dong Yuner’s desperate wailing, Lin Huanhuan placed a teacup on Dong Yuner’s head, who was already carrying two buckets and balancing a pile of dishes on her head.
Dong Yuner’s little face was full of misery as she pleaded.
Lin Huanhuan clapped her hands in satisfaction. “Not a single thing can fall. Stand here for three hours, and not even one breath less!”
“Three hours?” Dong Yuner’s almond eyes went wide. “Three hours is way too long, Miss, I’ll break down!”
“Not my problem.”