C10 The Awkward Two People

After dawn, the group finally drove into the city. They hadn't rested well the night before, so now they could find a place to relax. Jinfei watched Situ Caiyu and their mentor walking ahead and quietly asked Lee Jiaxiang, "Are you sure there's something off with them? They haven't said a word the whole way."

Lee Jiaxiang frowned and replied, "There must be something going on, but I have no idea what. It's been so tense, I didn't dare speak."

"Of course," Jinfei said. "I've never been this quiet before. It's driving me crazy. What's their deal? Are they having a spat? Should I...?"

"I'd advise against it," Lee Jiaxiang interrupted. "Given the situation, there's definitely something up, but I doubt you have a chance. Want to bet on it?"

"No way. I'm not lucky with bets; I always lose. Better not," Jinfei quickly shook his head.

Just then, Yeying arrived at a hotel and asked for two rooms at the front desk.

"Sure," the receptionist said, taking their IDs. She glanced at Situ Caiyu, who was the kind of handsome guy that turned heads everywhere. Compared to him, Lee Jiaxiang was easily overlooked.

Situ Caiyu turned back to Jinfei and Lee Jiaxiang, saying, "You two will share a room. Don't get into any trouble."

No sooner had he spoken than Yeying playfully swung a fist at Situ Caiyu's head. Situ Caiyu dodged effortlessly and caught Yeying's hand.

Jinfei stepped forward, grabbed Yeying's hand with a grin, and said, "Sorry, but the mentor's sharing a room with me. You'll have to bunk with the junior. Right, mentor?"

"Yes, yes," Yeying agreed absentmindedly, realizing the situation and letting Jinfei lead him away from the front desk.

"Oh man, missed another chance. Your mentor's got some skills, huh? Snatched it right out of my hands. Impressive," Situ Caiyu remarked, turning to Lee Jiaxiang.

Lee Jiaxiang could only chuckle awkwardly. After grabbing the room key, he said, "After you."

Situ Caiyu didn't hesitate and walked ahead. Instead of returning to his room, he headed to Ji Yeying's room and knocked. Ji Jinfei opened the door and looked at him.

"I need to talk to your mentor. Want to listen in?" Situ Caiyu asked.

Ji Jinfei glanced around, chuckled, and said, "I just remembered something I need to tell my junior. You guys go ahead." She quickly stepped out, and as Situ Caiyu entered, she closed the door behind him.

Lee Jiaxiang had just opened his door when Ji Jinfei slipped in with a grin. He immediately put up his guard and asked, "What are you doing here, sis?"

"None of your business," Ji Jinfei snapped, then grabbed a glass from the bathroom, pressed it against the wall, and started eavesdropping. Seeing this, Lee Jiaxiang followed suit.

Meanwhile, Ji Yeying sat on the bed, watching as Situ Caiyu took a seat across from her. "What brings you here?" she asked.

Situ Caiyu smiled charmingly and replied, "How long has it been since we last met?"

Ji Yeying thought for a moment. "About six or seven years, I think. I remember we worked a job together back then, and I haven't seen you since. Where have you been all these years? If it weren't for the occasional updates from the Association, I'd have thought you vanished. It was quite a relief, honestly."

Situ Caiyu looked at her, and Ji Yeying suddenly blushed and lowered her head. He straightened up and asked, "So, you're still single?"

"Who said I'm single? There's someone else living with me," Yeying said with a smile.

Caiyu was taken aback and replied, "You're married? How come I haven't heard about it? No one in the whole realm has. Who's the lucky person? Another Demon Suppressing Master? There aren't many who could match you." Despite his words, a hint of disappointment flickered in his eyes.

Yeying laughed at his wild guesses and said, "Of course there's someone else. My apprentice lives with me."

"Oh, her. That young girl is impressive, very talented, and has a lot of potential. But her current state is a bit concerning," Caiyu commented.

"My business isn't yours to worry about," Yeying said, standing up. "Alright, if there's nothing else, you can leave. I need to rest."

"Of course there's something, of course," Caiyu quickly responded, looking at Yeying. "After that last mission, I mentioned something to you. Have you given it any thought?"

Yeying paused, surprised. "You still remember that?"

"I could never forget," Caiyu said, his demeanor turning serious as he looked at Yeying closely.

Years had passed, yet she remained as beautiful as ever, perhaps even more so, with a maturity that added to her charm. Yeying also looked at Caiyu. When they met, he was just past middle age, a time when he was quite captivating. But back then, certain events occurred that Yeying could never forget.

"Have you forgotten her?" Yeying asked.

Caiyu shook his head. "I'll never forget her, but life goes on, doesn't it? Even if you don't want to forget, you can't go back."

Yeying nodded. "Maybe you're right, but I can't forget. I can never forget. I'm sorry, but I still can't agree."

Caiyu sighed. "So it's because of her? It's alright, I can keep waiting for you."

Just as the words were spoken, there was a loud "thud" from the next room—someone had walked into the wall. Ji Jinfei immediately jumped up and shouted, "Ji Jinfei, get back here!"

It turned out Ji Jinfei and Lee Jiaxiang had been eavesdropping. Ji Jinfei had done this many times before, so it was second nature. Even though the two people in the other room were speaking quietly, they could still hear them. As they listened, they whispered to each other.

"Hey, buddy," Ji Jinfei began, leaving Lee Jiaxiang speechless, "I think our mentor has something going on with him. This is bad news for me. Even though this guy's a bit older, he's still quite handsome."

"Sorry for your loss," Lee Jiaxiang replied. "You’re not seriously thinking about competing with our mentor, are you? You might end up with a few more bumps on your head. I bet if you keep this up, your head will be as flat as a pancake."

Ji Jinfei rubbed her head, which still hurt a bit, and could only manage a wry smile. "No kidding. Our mentor has never hit me this hard before. It still hurts. I can't believe she’d go this far for a handsome guy, even if it means hitting her favorite student."

Lee Jiaxiang chuckled and said, "You should be grateful. If you dare to compete with her for a guy, she might just kill you. Knowing her personality, she’d do it."

Having spent some time with Ji Yeying, Lee Jiaxiang had a good grasp of her character. Though she seemed gentle and refined, Ji Yeying was actually quite formidable. When she got serious, even Lee Jiaxiang couldn't handle her. And she was holding back—otherwise, who knows how badly they'd be beaten.

Ji Jinfei sighed and said, "Well, I guess there's nothing I can do. Listen, there's more."

Just then, they overheard another conversation. Ji Jinfei exclaimed, "No way, is our mentor really that fierce? Did she snatch a guy from someone else? That's impressive." She made a gesture of approval but forgot she was holding a cup to eavesdrop. The cup slipped and fell onto the bed.

As she leaned in again, she accidentally bumped her head against the wall. The motel's soundproofing was pretty mediocre, and the noise was immediately heard by Yeying, who shouted for her to get back.

Lee Jiaxiang waved her off, saying, "Take care, sis."

Jinfei glared at Lee Jiaxiang, turned to leave, but suddenly spun around and lunged at him. Caught off guard, he was hugged tightly as she planted a big kiss on his cheek.

Jinfei stood up, laughing heartily. "Finally got you! You always dodge me, but not this time. Let's see how you escape now." She laughed as she walked away. Lee Jiaxiang could only sit on the bed, rubbing his cheek, feeling both amused and helpless.

When Jinfei gently pushed the door open, she was met with Yeying's angry face staring right at her. Uh-oh, she thought, I'm in trouble now. But then, a quick idea popped into her head. She grinned at Yeying and said, "Master, did you need something?"

Yeying looked at Jinfei, her voice cold, "What did you hear?"

"Nothing, nothing at all. I wouldn't eavesdrop on you," Jinfei quickly denied, waving her hands.

"Then what were you two doing over there..." Yeying continued to stare coldly at Jinfei.

Jinfei perked up, laughing, "Master, you wouldn't believe it, but I finally kissed my junior! That kid tried to run, but come on, like he could escape from me." She glanced at Yeying as she spoke.

Yeying was taken aback, not expecting this explanation. So, they were just messing around and accidentally hit the wall? She looked at Jinfei, finding nothing suspicious for the moment, and then shouted toward the other room, "Lee Jiaxiang, get over here too."

Jinfei felt a surge of relief. Looks like she might just get away with it this time.