63 An interesting thing (1/2)

Nan Chang's day began before the crack of dawn. Her routine was generally not that interesting. She woke up in order to brush out her hair and paint her lips. There were no servants tending after poor Nan Chang so she had to do everything herself. From braiding her hair to tucking away bedsheets and putting the final touch around her lips and eyes.

At the brothels, she was hailed a goddess. ut here at the Ascending Dawn Sect she was doomed to be second best to Chen Anyue. Nan Chang liked to pretend that she didn't care but that would be a lie.

Aside from being two women who inherited divine beauty, there was nothing else alike about them. Chen Anyu was the Chen family princess and grew up in a life of luxury. And Nan Chang, a child out of twelve, was raised by an old mother with creaking knees. If one wanted to grasp at straws, a similarity might lie in the fact that Nan Chang's father was a cultivator, and one day she discovered that she too, had a golden core. But unlike Chen Anyue's, whose golden core shined inside her like a blazing star, Nan Chang's was as dull as a dirty bronze coin.

Aside from painting her face and dreaming dreams, Nan Chang no real talent to speak of. It was only natural that she was envious of the blessed Chen Anyue. But there was someone else in the world who lived a life that Nan Chang loved more.

A woman that lived by no rules, was bound by no one, and sought love in childish folly, bringing men to their knees.

Nan Chang wasn't looking forward to a day of lessons and more scolding from the Sixth Elder. She thought instead of searching for Chen Leike's arm to hang off of. So she snuck out of her room early with ginger steps to not disturb her fellow martial sisters from rest. She crept out of female disciples' sleeping quarters and weaved around the Mansion by ways of winding shadows to not get caught by gossiping peers and irritable Elders.

When a pair of Elders was spotted strolling down the halls she quickly ducked behind a giant decorative vase. She just wanted to get to Chen Leike's quarters! Why were so many people already awake this early in the morning? She could only squat there and hold her breath, willing the two Elders to walk faster than their leisurely snail pace.

”So they're returning today?” One of the Elders mused as she stroked her sleeve. ”I'm glad they'll be back in time for the festivities at least.”

”Yes,” the other Elder responded, ”Sect Leader Chen can finally rest easy with our princess back home. I swear he's been balding with her gone.”

Nan Chang froze, her mind began to reel. They were returning today!? She pressed her ear closer to the two gossiping Elders.

”When are they due to arrive, do you know?”

”Hm, not for certain, no. But I assume it will be later in the afternoon.”

So soon! Nan Chang couldn't help herself and squealed. Her hands flew to mouth but it was already too late. Two pairs of narrowing eyes glared her way. Nan Chang's lips twitched up as she tried up dawn a gentle and seductive smile. ”Good morning, respectable Elders…!”

But her plans were already foiled.

However, that mattered little! Yuan Xuelan was due to return which meant she could just escape the confines of her classes later to seek his company instead. She much preferred spending time with the Young Master Yuan than any of the Chen brothers.

Come afternoon, Nan Chang was ready for her sneaky ways. She first dipped back to her quarters to retouch the details in her face before rushing over to Yuan Xuelan's room. His place was located in a much quieter spot in the mansion, which meant it was a lot easier to get there without being spotted and pulled aside by angry Elders. And before she knew it, she was grossing the Seeking Crane Courtyard and knocking at his door. ”It's me! Xuelan! Is it okay if I come inside?”

…

Nan Chang gave him a beaming smile and strolled into his room like she belonged there. She had a bad reputation in the Ascending Dawn Sect, being a woman that had little talent and relied only on her looks to get anywhere. But Yuan Xuelan didn't mind her. She was the type of person that was familiar to him and reminded him of the time he traveled city to city, town to town with Cao Sanmei.

”I really missed you, Xuelan,” she hummed sweetly, her arms held behind her back in order to push her chest out more. The cleavage on her dress was much too low to be considered proper.

”It's been a while,” he agreed. It was then he noticed the little lunch box she held behind her. ”What's that?

Nan Chang giggled and set the box upon the table, inviting him to sit down next to her. ”I got some snacks.” Inside there were melon seeds and candied sweets.

Yuan Xuelan appreciated the thought. ”Thank you. How have you been, Nan-jie?” He asked, stuffing one of those sugared things into his mouth.

Nan Chang smiled and leaned into him. If Yuan Xuelan was honest, he wasn't a fan of her clinging behavior. But he tolerated that annoying part of her personality. Nan Chang wasn't a bad person. After all, she was someone that shared interests with him. ”The truth is, Nan-jie has been very, very bored without Xuelan around. Every day is the same around here. I get yelled at by the Sixth Elder and get told that I'm not good enough. I don't understand why they're always so angry with me.” Nan Chang pouted and picked at her fingernails, ”I always try my best.”

Yuan Xuelan nodded and couldn't help but feel bad for her, ”Well, you try your best right? That's good enough.”

But she was quick to swing back from her depressed state and shot him a playful grin, ”Anyways! Without Xuelan here, there hasn't been anyone around here to show me fun and interesting things.” She wiggled her eyebrows at him.

Perhaps anyone else would have interpreted her words differently, especially with the way she was leaning towards him, with her chest pressed against his arm with batting lashes.

Yuan Xuelan grinned, ”Course I have!” A boyish giddiness flushed through him. This was why he liked Nan Chang so much! Yuan Xuelan pulled the Tiger Heart Amethyst from his interspatial ring and placed it in her palms.

Her eyes dazzled, watching the way the little storms inside crackled and hissed but couldn't get out. Even though her golden core was weak, Nan Chang could feel the power brimming from within the gem. ”It's beautiful! And so powerful! Tell me you have something in mind for it!” Nan Chang was a person who was dazzled and charmed by treasures and magical tools.

”Yeah! It's called the Tiger Heart Amethyst.” Yuan Xuelan was privately reminded of how the sacred jewel even came into his hands and his heart stuttered. He licked his lips and plucked it out of Nan Chang's palms. ”I'm still refining it but yeah, I think I have a good idea about what I want to do with it.”

”What? Tell me!” Nan Chang quipped with girlish excitement, leaning even closer until Yuan Xuelan could smell spice and sugar in her hair. Her hands rested upon his thigh.

Her eagerness was infectious. Yuan Xuelan began to ramble, ”I thought about a lot of things. At first, I was thinking about a magical tool, in the shape of a bell or hairpin. It would be able to expel spiritual energy into a variety of powerful attacks and I could even fine-tune more precise spells like barriers or traps… But in the end, I decided to go with something else.”