239 - The Demon Fox Wife is a Foodie

The Translation from the Web Novel: --- She didn't dare to ask Ren Qing Yue this question directly. In other matters, she was never shy of speaking her mind, but when it came to Ren Qing Yue, she had more reservations, always fearing that asking too much might annoy her senior. Ren Qing Yue had just regained her composure after an emotional whirlwind, when Yan Zhao suddenly asked this question, leaving her heart overwhelmed with mixed emotions and countless thoughts. But to personally confess to Yan Zhao those inner struggles, the weighing of pros and cons, and her timid hesitations, she couldn't bring herself to do it. She wondered how Yao Shen Zi would respond to Yan Zhao. Yao Shen Zi listened to Yan Zhao, and his expression turned somewhat subtle. Seeing the strange look on his face, with his beard twitching as if trying to stifle a laugh, Yan Zhao felt more confused. "Master?" Yan Zhao's puzzlement deepened. "My dear, silly disciple." Yao Shen Zi sighed with a chuckle, his eyes revealing a fond indulgence for this naïve child, and he gently told Yan Zhao, "Is it possible that you're just too dense to realize it?" Yan Zhao was baffled: "Huh?" Yao Shen Zi bobbed his head confidently, "Otherwise, go and ask around, see if anyone doesn't know that the fox you hold every day is your senior sister?" "..." Yan Zhao's eyes widened in disbelief. Yao Shen Zi looked at her with affection, "You're simply too slow-witted. Over time, perhaps Yue girl wanted to tell you but found it hard to say." Yan Zhao still didn't understand, "Why?" Yao Shen Zi, wishing she were more astute, carefully explained to Yan Zhao: "Silly disciple, think about it. If it's so obvious and you don't see it, how would it feel if she told you she's Snowball? Wouldn't that be hurtful, blatantly suggesting you're dull? Your senior sister treats you so well; how could she bear to make you sad? So, she chose to protect your dignity by keeping it from you." Yao Shen Zi's explanation suddenly made everything clear to Yan Zhao: "I see, I've misunderstood senior sister!" Not far away, internally anxious, Ren Qing Yue slowly calmed down. Although it wasn't quite the truth... She decided to follow her heart and prevent Yan Zhao from discovering the true extent of her internal conflicts, making sure to thank Yao Shen Zi properly at a later time. The more Yan Zhao thought, the more reasonable she found Yao Shen Zi's words. Realizing that her confession of liking her senior sister had been overheard by her, Yan Zhao felt incredibly shy. She sneaked a glance at Ren Qing Yue, then another. Why was her senior sister always cultivating? When would she finish? Earlier on the main peak, she'd been so nervous that she'd missed the chance to speak to her, and hadn't had the opportunity to say more than a few words with her sister ever since. She still wished to clear up the misunderstanding with her senior sister face-to-face, and any declaration of her feelings should be said more solemnly, so her senior sister wouldn't always see her as a child. While waiting for Ren Qing Yue to finish cultivating, Yan Zhao suddenly realized something. She tugged at Yao Shen Zi's sleeve, "Master." Yao Shen Zi smiled warmly, "Yes?" Yan Zhao frowned, her face serious, "Master always thought I was dim-witted?" "..." Yao Shen Zi's smile froze. Seeing Yao Shen Zi remain silent, Yan Zhao pressed on, "Am I really that slow?" Yao Shen Zi cleared his throat, "Ahem, disciple, there's an explanation for this..." Yan Zhao didn't wait for an explanation and ran towards Ren Qing Yue, saying as she went: "Senior sister is better than master." Yao Shen Zi: "..." How frustrating. Chapter 259 As Yan Zhao neared Ren Qing Yue, Ren Qing Yue suddenly opened her eyes. Looking up, Ren Qing Yue unexpectedly met Yan Zhao's gaze. Naturally, Yan Zhao stopped in her tracks, shyly calling out, "Senior Sister." Her cheeks were flushed, revealing her good mood. Yao Shen Zi's words had untangled Yan Zhao's biggest confusion, revitalizing her spirit. Her master explained that her senior sister hid the truth because she cared about her, and didn't want to hurt her feelings. Didn't this suggest that her senior sister liked her, at least a little? Reflecting on it, even at her sternest, her senior sister was affectionate when she was a little fox. The more Yan Zhao pondered, the happier she became. So, Snowball was actually her senior sister. Her fear of her senior sister disliking her had been unnecessary. Just as Yan Zhao was about to speak, Ren Qing Yue suddenly stood up. She dusted off the dirt from her clothes and spoke naturally, "I need to make a trip to Tianzhu Peak." Although surprised, Yan Zhao instinctively replied, "I'll go too." Fearing that Ren Qing Yue might refuse her again, Yan Zhao quickly clung to her sleeve, "I'll accompany senior sister!" Ren Qing Yue glanced at Yan Zhao holding onto her arm, remaining nonchalant, "Alright." Yan Zhao beamed with joy. As they passed by Yao Shen Zi, he signaled with a glance for Yan Zhao to seize the opportunity. But Yan Zhao ran off without looking back. Yao Shen Zi: "..." How unfortunate, he had managed to handle her mother, but not the senior sister. In his disciple's mind, he felt he had no standing at all. Ren Qing Yue led Yan Zhao down the mountain from Huangyin Peak, walking towards Tianzhu Peak. It wasn't that they couldn't fly by sword, but at the moment, the sect was in turmoil and flying would make them an easy target for trouble. For once, Yan Zhao wasn't making a fuss, following obediently beside Ren Qing Yue, her arm still linked with hers. Ren Qing Yue acted as if she hadn't noticed, not reminding her to let go. Walking closely side by side toward Tianzhu Peak, Yan Zhao not only caught the faint floral fragrance on her senior sister, but also heard the gentle jingling of small bells. She sneaked a peek downwards. Two thumb-sized silver bells hung from her senior sister's ankle. Guided by the bells, Yan Zhao took a closer look. Ren Qing Yue was barefoot, her skin smooth and pale, moving with each step, the little bells softly brushing against her anklebone. Yan Zhao thought having bells meant you couldn't wear shoes, her senior sister always had to walk barefoot. The ground must be so uncomfortable, no wonder she initially resisted when Yan Zhao wanted to put a bell on the little fox. If it were her, she wouldn't want it either. Feeling she understood Ren Qing Yue's struggle, Yan Zhao sympathized deeply. A gentle breeze passed through the forest, accompanied by the soft chimes of the silver bells, creating a particularly soothing atmosphere. Not just Yan Zhao stealing glances, Ren Qing Yue also unobtrusively watched Yan Zhao. Noticing Yan Zhao's gaze drift to the bells on her feet, her ears turned slightly red, and she quickened her pace somewhat uneasily. Yan Zhao, coming to her senses, hastily caught up. As they arrived at the foot of Tianzhu Peak, Yan Zhao proactively inquired, "Senior sister, why are we going to Tianzhu Peak?" Ren Qing Yue responded, "To pack up my things in the cave dwelling." Three years ago, she had been severely injured by Dao Ling and had to escape in her original form, encountering Yan Zhao on the way down, who saved her. Because of this, she hadn't had the chance to tidy up the belongings in her cave dwelling. Now, the sect was destroyed, Yan Zhao's identity exposed, and people from the heavenly realm wouldn't let things rest. They couldn't stay here for long, so she needed to prepare in advance. Once Nangong Yin wakes up, she would likely take Yan Zhao to the demon realm to lay low. About this, Ren Qing Yue was deeply conflicted, unsure of her own path forward. The righteous disciple mark she had carried since childhood had not yet been wholly erased, making her hesitant to join Nangong Yin and others in the demon realm. Even if she could put aside her prejudice, would the demons accept her? In comparison, perhaps the demon realm was a better option for her. But that would mean being separated from Yan Zhao. With this thought, Ren Qing Yue felt a pang of sadness, yet in chaotic times, there seemed no perfect solution. Unaware of Ren Qing Yue's complex feelings, Yan Zhao's eyes lit up at the mention of the cave dwelling; she had never been to her senior sister's dwelling before. "What's your cave dwelling like, senior sister?" Yan Zhao asked curiously. Ren Qing Yue recalled her cave dwelling. It was sparsely furnished and quite austere. She focused solely on cultivation, only requiring cleanliness and order in her environment, and most of the decor was placed by Yan Yuanqing, so nothing particularly noteworthy. Moreover, after three years, a thick layer of dust might have settled in. Ren Qing Yue answered truthfully, "Just ordinary." Yan Zhao, having never seen many cave dwellings, had no concept of what "ordinary" meant, so she didn't press further. After half an hour, they arrived at the cave dwelling. Ren Qing Yue formed a hand seal, causing the restrictive barrier at the entrance to dissipate, revealing the true entrance. Yan Zhao peeked inside. Beyond the entrance lay a small path paved with white jade, bordered by elegant and fresh flowers and plants. Every few steps stood a pair of lamp posts. Following the path led to a courtyard with fresh flowing water, where clusters of golden fish swam. A small bridge, about ten feet long, stretched over the water. Beside the bridge stood a viewing pavilion. Continuing along the stone path next to the pavilion, a two-story building emerged from among the tree shadows. Ren Qing Yue halted: “We’re here.” Yan Zhao looked up at the plaque above the building’s entrance and read it aloud: “Yanquing Residence.” Ren Qing Yue released Yan Zhao and proceeded to push open the front door of the building. Behind the door was a reception hall, furnished with tables and chairs made of fragrant camphor wood. Behind the primary seat stood a screen, concealing stairs leading to the upper floor. Yan Zhao exclaimed, eyes sparkling: “I wish I had an ordinary cave dwelling like this!” Ren Qing Yue said to Yan Zhao: “Sit here for a while, have some tea.” Yan Zhao asked in confusion: “What about you, Senior Sister?” Ren Qing Yue replied: “I’m going upstairs to have a look. I’ll be quick.” Yan Zhao blinked her eyes, looking like a pitiful puppy: “Can’t I go upstairs with you?” “…” Ren Qing Yue hadn’t done anything wrong, yet under Yan Zhao’s gaze, she felt a twinge of guilt, as if leaving Yan Zhao downstairs alone was an unforgivable sin. She had to turn her gaze away. “You can.” Yan Zhao immediately beamed: “Then I’ll go upstairs.” Ren Qing Yue suspected Yan Zhao of playing hard to get, but she had no evidence. It couldn’t be, this little fool wasn’t that crafty. The staircase was narrow, only wide enough for one person at a time. Ren Qing Yue went first, with Yan Zhao following, as the wooden steps, long untraversed, let out soft creaks. There were two rooms on the second floor; one was Ren Qing Yue’s bedroom, and the other was her study. Though the mystical pouch could hold all sorts of things, its space was limited and meant only for valuable and small items like alchemy materials, magical tools, talismans, and spirit stones. Other belongings like clothes, jewelry, and writing tools were usually left in the cave dwelling. Ren Qing Yue let Yan Zhao explore on her own, while she entered the study to gather books long-covered in dust and pack them into her mystical pouch. These books, which she had read, were either gifted by Yan Yuanqing or collected by herself. Among them were renowned classics, providing lifelong benefits. As Yan Zhao was learning to recognize more characters, it was time to cultivate a habit of reading. Ren Qing Yue was generous and planned to give all these books to Yan Zhao. However, she couldn’t give them all at once—they needed to be categorized, starting with the simple and easy, leaving the complex and obscure for later. The study contained many items, and merely sorting through the books would take time. Yan Zhao, seeing Ren Qing Yue busy with the books, couldn’t remain idle and stepped forward to offer help. Ren Qing Yue instructed her, “Then move the books from those boxes in the corner.” Yan Zhao turned and looked in the direction Ren Qing Yue indicated, seeing several large boxes piled up beside the bookcase.