Appreciating New Tea with an Inkstone - Chapter 17

“Thank you, Qinming. I was stuck in a dead end,” she said, her smile fading as she thanked Ye Qinming softly.

Ye Qinming snapped out of her thoughts and waved her hand dismissively. “I’m not comforting you. To be honest, I dislike those people even more than you do. Or rather, I don’t like people in general.”

Gu Xiyan didn’t say much, only murmuring, “It’s almost mealtime. Is there anything you’d like to eat?”

Ye Qinming pondered for a moment. Although she had no fondness for people, the food in the mortal world was uniquely flavorful. After a brief thought, she said, “Pineapple cakes are nice, and chestnut pastries are delicious too. Lately, your kitchen hasn’t been preparing much…”

But realizing what she had just said, Ye Qinming quickly shut her mouth. Gu Xiyan had been listening intently, but when Ye Qinming suddenly stopped speaking, she thought for a moment and couldn’t help but chuckle softly. No wonder Ah Qi had been complaining that the pineapple cakes and other pastries prepared by the kitchen kept getting stolen by stray cats. It seemed the thief wasn’t a stray cat but a greedy one. But do tea spirits like pastries?

“Alright, I’ll have the kitchen prepare some. Should I call Ah Qi in now?” She gestured for Ye Qinming to step aside, but Ye Qinming lazily remained seated in her chair. “No need. Just call them in.”

Knowing Ye Qinming’s abilities, Gu Xiyan didn’t press further and called Ah Qi in directly.

“Ah Qi, I’m hungry. Go prepare dinner. Also, I feel like having some snacks. Bring some pineapple cakes and chestnut pastries.”

“Yes, my lady,” Ah Qi replied, relieved to hear her mistress wanted to eat. But she found it strange. “My lady, you usually don’t like sweet pastries. Why the sudden craving tonight?”

“Hmm, I just feel like something sweet.”

Ah Qi didn’t ask further and immediately went to the kitchen to have the food prepared.

“Can you turn invisible?” Gu Xiyan had read many tales of the strange and supernatural and had some knowledge of magic, though she wasn’t sure if it was all fabricated.

“Yes, she can’t see me,” Ye Qinming replied, then looked at Gu Xiyan with some confusion. “You’ve always known I was here?”

Gu Xiyan nodded without much thought. “I can’t see you, but I can sense your presence. Even though you didn’t speak, I could feel you hadn’t moved.”

A flash of surprise crossed Ye Qinming’s eyes. She had thought Gu Xiyan could sense her because she hadn’t used her magic to conceal her presence. But invisibility cloaked not just the body but also one’s aura and movements. Unless the other person’s cultivation was far superior, it should be impossible to detect her. How could Gu Xiyan sense her?

As she pondered this, Ye Qinming cast an invisibility spell and walked toward the door. Gu Xiyan sat quietly, seemingly unresponsive. Just as Ye Qinming was about to relax, Gu Xiyan hesitantly asked, “Are you leaving?”

Ye Qinming stopped in her tracks and turned to look at Gu Xiyan seriously. “You can still sense me?”

Gu Xiyan, unsure why, nodded. In truth, she found it strange too. Over the years of being blind, her other senses had become extremely sharp, to the point where she often wasn’t constrained by her lack of sight. She could recognize people in the household by their voices, footsteps, or even their scent. When conversing, she could sense their larger movements and direct gazes, accurately judging their positions.

But with Ye Qinming, these sensations were especially clear. For instance, even though she couldn’t see Ye Qinming’s form, she could distinctly feel where she was and even her posture. It was as if she could visualize the scene, a strangely wonderful feeling.

Ye Qinming clicked her tongue softly and sat back down, looking at Gu Xiyan. “I thought since you couldn’t see, you’d be easier to tease. But it seems you’re far more perceptive than those with sight. No wonder you’re the reincarnation of those beings.”

Though surprised, she didn’t press further, taking a sip of tea and mumbling the last part indistinctly.

“What reincarnation?” Gu Xiyan couldn’t help but ask.

“Nothing, the tea’s gone cold,” Ye Qinming deflected, not wanting to continue the topic.

Gu Xiyan coughed lightly, took another cup, poured tea, and handed it to Ye Qinming.

Only then did Ye Qinming realize there had been only one teacup on the table earlier, meaning she had been drinking from Gu Xiyan’s cup. Feeling awkward, she pretended nothing was wrong and took the cup, sipping plain water instead.

“Don’t you like tea?” Ye Qinming asked, puzzled, noticing it was just water.

Gu Xiyan smoothed her sleeves. “I noticed you don’t seem to enjoy tea, so I didn’t add any.”

Ye Qinming had forgotten her earlier complaint about Gu Xiyan serving her tea with ulterior motives and casually remarked, “Tea is still better than plain water.”

Gu Xiyan chuckled. “The steward sent me some of this year’s new dragon-and-phoenix tea. Would you like to try it?”

“Not today. I’ll just enjoy the meal.”

***

Since Gu Xiyan had said she was hungry, Ah Qi had the kitchen hurry, and though the pastries weren’t ready yet, the dishes were served.

After Ah Qi finished serving the dishes, Gu Xiyan hesitated before saying, “You don’t need to stay today. Go have your meal, and just have someone bring the pastries later.”

Ah Qi felt uneasy. What was going on with her mistress tonight?

“Also, prepare an extra set of utensils.”

“Huh?”

“In case I accidentally dirty mine, we’ll have a spare,” Gu Xiyan said with a straight face, leaving Ah Qi bewildered.

Her mistress never made such mistakes. During meals, as long as the dishes were announced as they were placed, Gu Xiyan could pick her food accurately and steadily without assistance. Such an error was impossible.

But seeing Gu Xiyan sitting quietly, waiting for her to fetch the utensils, Ah Qi complied and brought an extra set.

As Ah Qi left, glancing back repeatedly, Gu Xiyan paused before placing the utensils in front of Ye Qinming. “Ah Qi must be utterly confused, thinking I’ve gone mad with grief.”

Ye Qinming couldn’t help but laugh. “You look so serious, yet you lie with such a straight face.”

Later, Ah Qi, still concerned, personally brought the pastries. Seeing the used utensils set aside, her eyes widened.

Gu Xiyan remained composed. “I dirtied the utensils, so I switched them.”

Ah Qi offered, “Should I take the dirty ones away?”

Gu Xiyan stopped her. “No need, we’ll clear them together later. No trouble.”

Ah Qi withdrew her hand, her eyes scanning the table. Noticing the dishes had been significantly touched, she stared at Gu Xiyan in astonishment. “My lady, can you still eat the pastries?”

Gu Xiyan instinctively turned her head toward where Ye Qinming was, then turned back. “Just leave them.”

Ah Qi glanced at the utensils again, suddenly feeling a chill. She knew Gu Xiyan’s appetite well—eating a small bowl of rice at night was already good. Now, with four dishes noticeably touched and the rice finished, it couldn’t have been just her.

Was there someone else here? Or had her mistress been possessed, hence the extra set of utensils?

“M-my lady, didn’t you notice you’ve eaten more than usual tonight?”

Hearing Ah Qi’s trembling voice, Gu Xiyan felt a headache coming on. She had indeed overlooked this—Ye Qinming seemed to have a bigger appetite than she’d imagined.

The culprit, however, was completely oblivious. She found Gu Xiyan interesting, and the little maid was amusing too. So she stood up and, to Gu Xiyan’s surprise, directly took a chestnut pastry from the plate.

Ah Qi stared in horror as the pastry floated in mid-air, a bite taken out of it before it disappeared entirely, leaving only a few crumbs.

After a few seconds of stunned silence, Ah Qi screamed at the top of her lungs, but no sound came out. Terrified out of her wits, she trembled all over but still stepped in front of Gu Xiyan, glaring at the table.

Gu Xiyan sighed helplessly, holding Ah Qi’s cold, stiff arm, and said gently, “Don’t scare her.”

Ye Qinming glanced at Ah Qi, then materialized, saying slowly, “I’m not a ghost. No need to be so frightened.”

Ah Qi turned her stiff neck to look at Gu Xiyan, unable to speak, she tugged at Gu Xiyan’s sleeve.

“Ah Qi, don’t be afraid. She’s not a ghost. She’s my friend and knows some magic. Qinming, release her.” Knowing Ah Qi, she should have been screaming by now. The unusual silence suggested she had been silenced.

“I’ll let her go, but no screaming, or else…” Ye Qinming glanced at Ah Qi, who trembled again.

She lifted the spell, and Ah Qi’s eyes reddened as she clutched Gu Xiyan’s sleeve, sobbing, “M-my lady… M-monster!”

Gu Xiyan gave Ye Qinming an apologetic look, then said gently, “Don’t worry, she’s my friend. She saved me from a snake demon in the tea garden. She’s a good person.”

Ye Qinming raised an eyebrow, reaching for another pastry. “I’m not a good person.”

Ah Qi scrutinized Ye Qinming, who had just terrified her. Dressed in a light red robe with a dark red sash tied at her waist, her slightly upturned eyes sparkled like stars. Her delicate, pure features resembled fresh bamboo after rain, but the casual arrogance in her gaze gave her a bewitching, alluring charm.

She was indeed a soul-stealing enchantress, captivating yet dangerous.

“Ah Qi, you may leave now.”

“But my lady, she…” Ah Qi glanced at Ye Qinming, unwilling to go.

“If she wanted to harm me, she would have done so already. Your presence wouldn’t help. Don’t worry. And don’t tell anyone about this, to avoid causing panic.”

Ye Qinming seemed impatient. In a flash, she transformed into a gust of wind and appeared before Ah Qi. As Ah Qi’s scream began to form, Ye Qinming flicked her sleeve in front of Ah Qi’s face.

As the sleeve fell, Ah Qi’s expression became dazed. Ye Qinming then uttered two words, “Leave.”

Ah Qi mumbled an acknowledgment and walked out of the room in a trance.

“What did you do to her?” Though blind, Gu Xiyan sensed something was wrong.

“Worried I harmed her?” Ye Qinming’s voice was low, tinged with sarcasm.

Gu Xiyan felt a pang in her chest but replied earnestly, “I trust you, but I can’t see what’s happening.”

Her voice carried a hint of sadness, and the last sentence made Ye Qinming’s heart ache, filling her with regret. After a moment of silence, Ye Qinming sat back down and decided to tell Gu Xiyan what she had discovered today. “She’s fine. But did you know the Zhuo couple’s demon cores are missing?”

Gu Xiyan was stunned. The demon cores were missing?

Author’s Note:

Green Tea: I thought you’d be easy to bully since you can’t see, but…

White Lotus: I am easy to bully. Don’t believe me? Go ahead and try.

Green Tea: Th-that… might not be a good idea.

White Lotus: It’s fine.

Green Tea believed her, and in the end, ended up lying on the bed, shedding tears of regret (happiness).