Chapter 100: Brother Qian Drunk

What is Brother Qian like when he’s drunk?

Socially anxious?

No, not anymore.

Drunk Brother Qian is clearly a social butterfly.

The two spent the entire night drinking and talking in the dining room of Song Yue’s house. For the first time, Qian Qianxue opened up to Song Yue about the reasons why she avoided excessive social contact. The cause was almost laughable, leaving Song Yue speechless.

Insecurity and fear.

"Ever since I was a child, everyone around me has been so outstanding. Compared to them, I felt like an ugly duckling."

"Growing up... my family raised me through 'discouragement'."

"'Look at your brother, then look at you. Why are you so stupid?'"

"'Look at your cousin; she was so brilliant even at a young age, excelling in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, and poetry. Then look at you—you can’t even learn ancient scripts...'"

Qian Qianxue’s expressions were vivid as she mimicked them perfectly.

"My father was always so busy; I could never find a shadow of him. My mother... she was very strict. She treated me well, but her expectations were so high. If I did something not quite right, or wasn't outstanding enough, she would always use the gentlest tone to say the most heartbreaking things."

"That’s why I’ve been so insecure and timid since I was little."

"The cousins in my family also looked down on me, thinking I was too stupid and a stain on the Qian name."

Song Yue’s mouth twitched. He had also drunk a fair amount, but he remained clear-headed. He looked at Qian Qianxue, "You? Stupid? They said you were stupid?"

Qian Qianxue nodded. "Mm-hmm, I am very stupid, and I'm a coward. Actually, they weren't wrong."

Song Yue looked at her, speechless. "The 'Great Wind Scripture' and the 'Water Control Scripture'—you understood them the moment you got your hands on them. Do you know what level of scripture those are?"

Qian Qianxue replied, "I know, they're high-level! Don't think I'm someone who doesn't know what she's doing, Song Yue."

You really can't mess with a girl who's had too much to drink!

Song Yue explained helplessly, "I didn't think that."

Qian Qianxue had already forgotten her point as soon as she said it. She looked at Song Yue and continued, "I don't know how the people around you treated you, but everyone around me just despised me. So, when my mother asked if I wanted to go to the cultivation academy, I heard it was in Hangzhou—so far away—and I thought, 'That’s perfect!'"

Song Yue couldn't help but laugh.

"Don't laugh, I really meant it! Oh, right, you seem to have run away from home at a young age too, but you’re different!" Qian Qianxue looked endearing, her eyes slightly unfocused and her delicate face flushed with a faint, stunning glow.

She looked at Song Yue and said, "The first time I saw you, you were already bullying someone. Song Yue, did you know that the first time I saw you wasn't at the cultivation academy..."

A drunk Qian Qianxue was full of the desire to express herself, and her expressions were rich.

"Come to think of it, the first time we met, you were the one who helped me out of a tight spot!"

Song Yue was surprised. "How do I not remember that happening?"

Qian Qianxue rolled her eyes at him. "How could you remember? Back then, your head was filled all day with how to remain invincible in a fight."

Song Yue: "..." That description was spot on!

Qian Qianxue continued, "I was very small then. Many people might not understand—they'd say, 'How can a daughter of the Qian family be such a coward?' Sigh, I was wondering the same thing. You come from a great cultivation family, your family is so powerful, so why was I such a coward?"

"Back then, those few people stopped me—some annoying little punks who were already trying to harass girls at such a young age. I was terrified, and suddenly you popped out and, without saying a word, beat them to a pulp."

Song Yue scratched his head. He truly had no memory of this incident.

He had plenty of memories of beating people up, but heroic deeds like saving a damsel in distress—the kind of story one could brag about for years—he really didn't remember at all.

"So what were you doing then? Why didn't you thank the little brother for helping you out?" Song Yue asked, looking at Qian Qianxue.

"I was so scared, I ran away as soon as you started fighting," Qian Qianxue said.

"..."

"Later, when I saw you again at the cultivation academy, you were already back to bullying people."

Qian Qianxue smiled and said, "At the time, I was thinking: we both left home young, living and studying alone in a foreign place, and we both practiced martial arts since we were little. Why were you so bold? Why did you dare to challenge people so much older than you? Why didn't I dare?"

"You don't know how much I envied you back then. I secretly learned from you, hoping to become brave, but I never could."

"I was afraid of people approaching me, afraid of them seeing the weakness deep in my heart, so I could only keep a cold face, giving people the impression that I was aloof. But that’s not what I wanted."

"Do you remember when I asked you to help Wen Rou out of her trouble?"

Song Yue nodded.

"Actually, before I came to find you, I had been trying to pump myself up for a long time. Because by then, I knew I was quite strong and should have been able to solve that trouble myself. After all, I had sparred with you, even though you were going easy on me..."

"I wasn't really going easy on you..." Song Yue said.

"Don't speak, let me finish."

"Fine."

"But in the end, I still couldn't convince myself, so I ran to find you. And you went and solved the problem in a minute..."

Qian Qianxue murmured, "At the time, I felt like I was too cowardly, but on the other hand, I felt it was so good to know you. But I blamed myself for what happened afterward."

"What are you blaming yourself for?" Song Yue asked, puzzled.

"If I had stepped in directly that day and solved the problem, then many of the things that followed wouldn't have happened."

Qian Qianxue looked serious. "You wouldn't have offended the Zhang family of the Star Martial Pavilion, you wouldn't have had a conflict with Zhang Zixing, and you wouldn't have had a conflict with the Ou family from outer space..."

Speaking of this, her mood turned a bit low. "Whenever I think about how a small matter caused so much danger in your life, I feel terrible and deeply regret it."

"These things could have been avoided!"

"So whenever you run into danger, I keep telling myself in my heart... Qian Qianxue, it was because of you that Song Yue got dragged into this, so you have to step up. You’ve grown up..."

It was clear that these were truly Qian Qianxue’s inner thoughts. She had been blaming herself for this matter all along.

But the problem was, Song Yue had never thought about it in that way.

He looked at Qian Qianxue, "You shouldn't think that way."

Qian Qianxue looked up at him, her slightly red, unfocused eyes shining with confusion.

"If we followed your way of thinking, should Wen Rou also blame herself? Because she was too beautiful and attracted attention, and when the pursuit failed, it led to a conflict, which caused everything that followed?"

Qian Qianxue frowned, "But it's different. It was me who dragged you into this matter..."

Song Yue looked at her and shook his head seriously, "You came to find me when you were in trouble, not because you were a coward."

Qian Qianxue looked blankly at him.

"It was because of love!" Song Yue said.

"Uh..."

Qian Qianxue froze. Her face, already pink from the alcohol, turned even redder in an instant.

"You're talking nonsense! That's not it!"

Saying this, she stood up directly, covered her face with her hands, and ran away quickly.

Song Yue let out a long breath. Drunken Brother Qian was quite cute, much more vivid than her usual self. It seems he should drink with Brother Qian more often!

Early the next morning.

Song Yue got up early and went to the courtyard for his morning exercise.

The stone locks that felt heavy a few months ago now felt a bit too light, like toys.

"I really am a genius!"

Song Yue no longer thought much of the pair of stone locks and tossed them into a corner.

He first practiced the Star-Splitting Hand, Thunder Fist, and Qingping Footwork, then practiced the Taiyi Body-Forging Scripture to work on his protective aura.

Finally, he held the Dragon-Pattern Immortal-Slaying Blade, which had started to resonate with him, and practiced the Eight Desolation Dao Scripture through meditation.

Every time he practiced, he gained brand-new insights. The true meanings within those scriptures were profound and filled with the mysteries of the Great Dao; one had to constantly contemplate them to make steady progress.

Finally, he took an elixir that Wen Rou had just given him yesterday.

After swallowing the elixir, Song Yue was a little shocked!

These pills were refined from high-level medicinal ingredients, but the efficacy was startling, far surpassing the way he used to chew on the raw ingredients like radishes.

No wonder alchemists held such high status in the cultivation world. He knew there was a big gap between raw ingredients and refined pills, but he hadn't expected the difference to be this immense after Wen Rou’s refining.

It’s no wonder Qian Qianxue called Wen Rou a "Little Medicine God." That title... was truly well-deserved!

In all likelihood, Qian Qianxue, who spent all her time with Wen Rou, had already eaten quite a few of Wen Rou’s refined pills before this.

Having such an alchemist by one's side was truly a blessed thing.

Just then, Wen Rou walked out, rubbing her eyes sleepily. Seeing Song Yue in his tank top, she paused for a moment and then blushed. "Brother, did I drink too much last night?"

"Awake?"

Song Yue smiled and greeted her, "The pills you refined are amazing!"

Wen Rou was immediately overjoyed. "Really? If Brother says they're amazing, then they must be amazing!"

Then she asked, "I didn't say any nonsense last night, did I?"

Song Yue shook his head. "You had one glass of wine, passed out on the spot, and slept like a little pig."

"Ah!"

Wen Rou frowned. "You called me a pig!"

Song Yue laughed heartily. "So you didn't say anything, but..."

"Song Yue!"

A slightly cold voice came from the doorway. Qian Qianxue, neatly dressed, stood there looking at Song Yue. "I'm hungry!"

Speaking of someone behind their back and almost getting caught.

Song Yue smiled, "I'll go cook!"

"I already made it!" Qian Qianxue said.

Song Yue: !!!

He looked at Qian Qianxue with a suspicious expression. "The stuff you made... is it edible?"

Qian Qianxue pulled Wen Rou away, "Let's eat, don't mind him!"

Bang!

The door was slammed shut.

Five minutes later.

Song Yue looked at a lump of blackish... thing in the pot that could barely be called scorched rice, and asked Qian Qianxue for advice with an open mind: "Brother Qian, you just said you made porridge?"

"I didn't!"

Qian Qianxue denied it flatly and looked at Wen Rou, "I didn't say that, right?"

Wen Rou: "..."

"Alright! Let's go out and eat!"

Song Yue had completely given up on Brother Qian’s cooking.

We both left home early to live independently, so why am I so excellent?

Excellent people have the life of being the ones who have to worry and labor!

After the three of them finished breakfast at a shop outside, they went to the Department of Extraordinary Affairs together.

Less than two minutes after arriving, Song Yue’s standard-issue watch received a message—

A small secret realm has appeared in the Hangzhou area, opened by Western cultivators. Please have the Hangzhou branch personnel head there immediately. The specific location is...

Western cultivators, running to my turf to open a small secret realm?

Song Yue stood up and found Qian Qianxue, "Did you get that message?"

Qian Qianxue nodded.

Song Yue said, "Let’s go, let’s check it out!"