RPDPHW Chapter 54

“Master, the Tang Sect people have all withdrawn.”

In the hallway of the inn, Qiu Chengye spoke to Zhong Shujin, “It seems that the General warned them about something.”

Zhong Shujin frowned. That ruthless father—would he really help them by warning the Tang Sect?

“I see. It’s good that they’ve left; it saves us from another battle. By the way, Ziyan’s injuries are severe this time. He’ll probably need at least two days to recover. Uncle Qiu, return to the sect first. Gather some skilled fighters and have them lie in wait outside Ye City, awaiting my command.”

Qiu Chengye looked slightly surprised.

“Master, do you mean…?”

“Heh, if my guess is correct, Qingyang Sect put on such a grand display this time because they’re likely planning to use us, the Bloodflame Sect, as their next target again.” Zhong Shujin stood with hands behind her back, sneering coldly. “If that’s the case, then we’ll seize this opportunity and catch them off guard!”

The last time Zhong Shujin went missing, Qingyang Sect led an attack on the Bloodflame Sect, resulting in mutual devastation. Though they had been quiet since then, who could guarantee that they had truly given up?

Qiu Chengye responded with excitement, “Master, your words are wise! But this time, we traveled alongside the Poison Doctor and the people of Feiyun Manor. If they catch wind of this…”

“You needn’t worry about that. Only you and I know of this matter.” Zhong Shujin took out a command token, handed it to Qiu Chengye, and said solemnly, “Left Guardian, take your orders.”

Qiu Chengye respectfully received the token and answered in a firm voice, “I shall follow the Master’s holy command!”

“Mm, no need to bid farewell to Sister Ying and the others. Set off immediately.”

After Qiu Chengye departed, Zhong Shujin finally took a step back into her room.

She knew that with Lin Ziyan’s severe injuries, it wasn’t just Dan Wenshu who was worried—Qingqing was also deeply concerned.

Saying she wasn’t jealous would be a lie. But she was someone who knew her limits. Even if she did feel a hint of jealousy, she wouldn’t choose this moment to make things difficult for Gu Qingyin.

As she closed the door, Gu Qingyin, who was mixing medicine by the doorway, didn’t turn around. She remained in the same posture, focused on the herbs in front of her.

Seeing the seriousness on Gu Qingyin’s face, Zhong Shujin let out an almost imperceptible sigh. Then, she quietly stepped forward, came up behind Gu Qingyin, and covered her eyes with her hands.

“Seems like my luck is pretty good today—I’ve managed to catch such a beautiful lady.”

Hearing the deliberately lowered voice in her ear, Gu Qingyin couldn’t help but smile.

“Oh? Where did this little thief come from, daring to sneak into my room and cause trouble?”

Zhong Shujin’s eyes curved into a grin. She deliberately licked Gu Qingyin’s earlobe and continued in a hushed tone, “You’re staying quite calm under pressure. I like that in a woman. How about giving in to me? Let’s go have some fun together.”

When sight is taken away, the other senses naturally become sharper.

The warmth of her earlobe made Gu Qingyin tremble hard.

“Fun, you say? Sir, are you even up for it?”

At first, Gu Qingyin could still hold her ground and tease her back. But the moment Zhong Shujin gently blew a breath against her dampened earlobe, she unexpectedly lost the upper hand first.

“Whether I’m up for it or not, little lady, you’ll have to try and see for yourself.”

Gu Qingyin let out a soft breath, quickly dropped what was in her hands, and pulled Zhong Shujin’s hands away. Turning around, she smirked. “Well, well, when did our great Sect Master Zhong turn into such a scoundrel?”

With Zhong Shujin’s playful teasing, the sorrow on Gu Qingyin’s face had been replaced with laughter.

Seeing this, Zhong Shujin finally felt at ease.

She freed her hands, wrapped Gu Qingyin in a tight embrace, and whispered happily to her, “With a beauty in my arms, who in their right mind would still want to be a gentleman?”

“Hmm, you’re absolutely right,” Gu Qingyin murmured as she wrapped her arms around Zhong Shujin’s waist, gently stroking her. “Then allow me to be the scoundrel this time.”

“Hey!” Zhong Shujin trembled slightly, quickly swatting away the hands on her waist. Biting her lips, she whispered, “Last night… that wasn’t enough for you?”

Ah, last night…

Such an indulgent pleasure—just thinking about it was enough to make one crave more.

Gu Qingyin licked her lips, reminiscing. “Forget just last night. Even if it were every night and every day, I’d still feel it wasn’t enough.”

Zhong Shujin’s face instantly flushed red, her ears burning.

Damn it… Why is it that every time she tries to tease Qingqing, she ends up being the one at a disadvantage?

Seeing Zhong Shujin’s bashful expression, Gu Qingyin’s heart softened with affection. Smiling, she lowered her head and placed a light kiss on Zhong Shujin’s cheek before saying, “Alright, I know you’re tired. You probably can’t handle it anymore right now. Go rest for a bit—I still need to prepare medicine for Ziyan.”

Hearing this, Zhong Shujin immediately straightened her back and raised an eyebrow. “Do I look like someone so weak and useless?”

At this, Gu Qingyin couldn’t help but chuckle. She reached out and ruffled Zhong Shujin’s hair indulgently. “No, no, you’re the most capable. It’s me who’s useless. See? My hands… they’re shaking.”

In front of her, those slender fingers trembled ever so slightly in an exaggerated display.

Zhong Shujin, both embarrassed and annoyed, grabbed that mischievous hand. The moment she did, memories from the previous night flooded her mind—how these very fingers had roamed over her body, how they had explored and taken her apart. A strange heat stirred within her.

“I’m not playing with you anymore,” Zhong Shujin muttered, face still red, as she pushed Gu Qingyin away. She walked over to the table, picked up the pestle, and started grinding herbs to cover up her flustered state. “I’ll help you crush the medicine.”

Gu Qingyin followed behind, wrapping her arms around Zhong Shujin’s waist once more. She chuckled against her ear, teasing, “Oh? Are you helping me grind the herbs because you’re afraid my hands will be shaking even worse tonight?”

Zhong Shujin tilted her head and fiercely bit Gu Qingyin’s nose before growling, “Do you believe me when I say I can make you experience the feeling of a sore waist, aching back, and legs too weak to close?”

Gu Qingyin burst into laughter, resting her chin on Zhong Shujin’s shoulder as she playfully asked, “Oh? I’d love to experience that feeling. But tell me, do you dare?”

Her smile was as radiant as a blooming flower, filled with teasing and challenge.

Zhong Shujin locked eyes with Gu Qingyin, her gaze burning with intensity.

The next moment, Gu Qingyin let out a startled cry.

“Ah! Ajin, what are you doing?!”

Zhong Shujin had scooped her up into her arms and was carrying her toward the bed.

“Are you scared? The flower thief is about to claim her prize!”

Gu Qingyin was briefly startled but then only felt joy.

She wrapped her arms around Zhong Shujin’s neck, feigning a pout. “In broad daylight, would a little thief dare to be so bold? Aren’t you afraid I’ll call for help?”

“Call for help?” Zhong Shujin placed Gu Qingyin onto the soft bedding before leaning over her, brushing their foreheads together as she smirked wickedly. “Go ahead and scream. Even if you cry out until your voice is hoarse, no one will come to save you. You might as well surrender to me now.”

Gu Qingyin gazed at Zhong Shujin, her smile growing wider.

“In that case, you’d better be gentle.”

Her sultry tone sent a deep tremor through Zhong Shujin’s heart.

However, just as she was about to react, Gu Qingyin’s hand had already found its way to Zhong Shujin’s waistband.

Zhong Shujin froze for a moment before helplessly pinching Gu Qingyin’s cheek. “Honestly, I think you’re the real thief here.”

She immediately caught the mischievous hand at her waist, pulled the blanket over Gu Qingyin, and tapped the dark circles beneath her eyes, scolding softly, “Look at you—completely exhausted, yet still thinking about teasing me? Be good and get some sleep. I’ll handle the medicine for you.”

However, just as she was about to get up, Gu Qingyin wrapped her arms around her waist.

“Stay with me, or I won’t sleep.”

… Was she acting spoiled?

It was rare for Gu Qingyin to behave like this, so without hesitation, Zhong Shujin turned back and slipped under the covers, embracing her. With a smile, she teased, “Why are you acting like a little child?”

The tenderness in her voice made Gu Qingyin’s heart fill with joy.

Although Zhong Shujin didn’t take things further, which left her a little disappointed, she was still happy—because being indulged and cared for like that was a kind of sweetness in itself.

Indeed, from last night until now, she was utterly drained. She had lost so much blood, then helped Zhong Shujin regulate her internal injuries, only to overindulge in passion afterward. On top of that, Lin Ziyan’s situation further weighed on her mind.

Now, she was naturally exhausted.

She had been forcing herself to stay alert, suppressing her fatigue, but as soon as Zhong Shujin tucked her into bed—wrapped in this warmth and tender care—drowsiness overwhelmed her.

Nuzzling against Zhong Shujin’s neck, she murmured with her eyes closed, “Wake me up later… I still need to change Ziyan’s medicine.”

“I got it! Just sleep already!”

Zhong Shujin patted her shoulder gently, smiling brightly.

She could feel it so clearly—her heart suddenly filled to the brim.

Fortunately, Gu Qingyin had her eyes closed, or she would’ve seen the silly grin on her face.

The room fell into silence, with only the soft sounds of their synchronized breathing lingering in the air.

Zhong Shujin stared at Gu Qingyin intently. Only when the steady rhythm of her breathing signaled that she had fallen asleep did Zhong Shujin muster the courage to steal a soft kiss from her lips.

As she lifted her head, her smile bloomed even brighter than before.

Her heart was full. Completely satisfied.

Originally, she had planned to get up and continue grinding the medicine for Gu Qingyin, but now, she found herself reluctant to leave the warmth of the bed. So instead, she tightened her embrace around Gu Qingyin, deciding to rest with her for a little while.

Half-asleep, not yet fully drifting off, Zhong Shujin was suddenly startled awake by the sound of knocking at the door.

“Doctor Gu, we’ve finished boiling the medicine. Rong’er is taking it to Miss Lin now.”

It was Leng Shaoying’s voice.

Afraid that Gu Qingyin might be disturbed, Zhong Shujin quickly and gently cupped her hands over her ears.

Knock, knock.

“Doctor Gu? Are you there? There’s something I’d like to discuss with you. Would now be a convenient time?”

Zhong Shujin frowned slightly.

Her right hand was still covering Gu Qingyin’s ears as she carefully withdrew her left hand from beneath Gu Qingyin’s neck. Slipping out of bed, she hurried toward the door.

“Gu—”

Leng Shaoying’s hand, mid-knock, froze in the air as she found herself face-to-face with the sect leader who had suddenly appeared before her.

“Shh.” Zhong Shujin quietly shut the door behind her and led Leng Shaoying a few steps away. Lowering her voice, she said, “She’s still sleeping. Don’t wake her.”

Leng Shaoying’s expression turned complicated.

The hesitation in her gaze—Zhong Shujin could already guess what she wanted to say.

“If it’s something you want to tell her, just say it to me instead.”

Everyone present today was far from foolish—especially a seasoned veteran like Leng Shaoying. She could easily pick up on the underlying implications of the spectacle that General Lin had just put on.

The relationship between Lin Ziyan and Dan Wenshu was obviously unusual.

After making that connection, and recalling Gu Qingyin’s earlier remark during breakfast about having someone she admired—paired with their sect leader’s rare display of shyness—Leng Shaoying couldn’t help but let her thoughts drift in that direction.

A person’s gaze never lies.

Whenever those two looked at each other, their eyes were filled with nothing but the other, as if no one else existed in their world. If that wasn’t love, then what else could explain such an unconscious, all-consuming focus?

At first, Leng Shaoying hadn’t overthought it. She had assumed that Doctor Gu’s indulgence toward their sect leader was similar to her own—just a deep sense of care.

But now, she wasn’t so sure.

The night these two reunited, their sect leader had looked like a lovestruck young girl—an image still fresh in Leng Shaoying’s mind. Coupled with the muffled sobs she had overheard outside that very door that night, it was impossible not to think further.

Zhong Shujin sat quietly at the table in Leng Shaoying’s room, watching the woman’s shifting expressions. Finally, unable to hold back, she spoke.

“If you have something to ask, just ask it directly.”

Leng Shaoying stiffened, clearing her throat as she reined in her wandering thoughts. She then asked solemnly, “Sect Leader, what exactly is your relationship with Doctor Gu?”

Zhong Shujin narrowed her eyes slightly and countered, “What do you think our relationship is?”

Leng Shaoying sighed. “Sect Leader, you’ve never shown such deep concern for anyone before. The way you treat Doctor Gu… it’s definitely not ordinary. I suspect that your relationship may be similar to that of Miss Lin and Dan Wenshu. But… if that’s the case, it’s truly unsuitable.”

She paused before continuing with a heavier tone.

“Do you understand that if you continue down this path, you will sink deeper into this mire—one you may never escape from?”

Zhong Shujin lowered her gaze in silence, lifting the teacup from the table and taking a small sip. She remained deep in thought for a long while.

After some time, she finally spoke in a slow, measured tone.

“Ying-jie, I fear that in this lifetime, I will never be able to walk away. Perhaps I have already been poisoned by her, and she is the only antidote. I know this isn’t right, but no matter how hard I try—no matter how long I have tried—I simply can’t break free. It’s not as if I want to change into someone I don’t recognize… but I have no choice. I can’t do it. I can’t leave her. Now, I finally understand—only by staying by her side will the pain ease. Since that’s the case, why should I keep torturing myself any longer?”

She had kept this bottled up for so long. Back at the sect, she had no one to confide in, and her longing had nowhere to go—she could only drown it in alcohol.

But now, saying it out loud, she felt an unexpected sense of relief.

“You…” Even though Leng Shaoying had mentally prepared herself for this answer, she still couldn’t help but be shocked when she heard it directly. “Sect Leader, do you realize that feelings like this are not accepted by the world? Forget about what others may think—just the former Sect Leader alone would never let you two be! Just look at what General Lin did today! This is not an easy path to walk! If the former Sect Leader were to learn of his relationship with Doctor Gu, his reaction would likely be far worse than General Lin’s. Sect Leader… Doctor Gu is a good woman. Can you truly bear to let your selfish love put her in harm’s way?”

Hearing this, Zhong Shujin felt her heart sink.

It was true. Given Ji Zhe’s temperament, if he ever found out about her and Gu Qingyin, he would never let Qingyin go.

“Ying-jie, you’ve watched me grow up, so I won’t hide the truth from you.” Zhong Shujin’s gaze darkened. “Even if it costs me my life, I will never let her suffer even the slightest harm. If my master dares to lay a finger on her, then he will have to step over my dead body first. Do you understand now what she means to me?”

Leng Shaoying was utterly stunned.

No wonder. No wonder the Sect Leader had used the Heavenly Demon Blade Technique despite knowing it would backfire on her.

“But for now, my master is still missing. In the short term, there’s little chance of him finding out about us. As long as you all keep your mouths shut, there’s nothing to worry about in the end.”

Zhong Shujin stood up and continued in a deep voice, “You may advise me on this matter because you are a senior I respect. I know you mean well, so I won’t hold it against you. But I do not wish for you to repeat these words to her, do you understand?”

Leng Shaoying let out a sigh before responding, “Understood.”

“Hmm.”

With a slight nod, Zhong Shujin turned and left.

As she watched the door close, Leng Shaoying let out another heavy sigh.

Could such feelings truly exist between women?

She absentmindedly touched the corner of her lips, and suddenly, a memory surfaced—the time in Canglang Pavilion when she had accidentally ingested poison. Just before she left the pavilion to return to the sect, in a moment of desperation, Liu Sanniang had pressed a kiss to her lips.