Fairy, Don't Be Afraid, I Am Blind

"Junior Sister, please follow me."

...

Ye Qingchen consciously stepped back, while You Su stood by the door frame, somewhat nervous and hesitant to step forward, especially since he wasn’t sure if the woman across from him recognized him.

He hadn’t used any magical treasure, just a simple disguise and makeup, so it was unlikely to fool a Void Realm Venerable.

Now that it had come to this, he decided to just accept his fate. It was better to be privately recognized by the Third Elder than to be exposed in front of everyone, although it meant the Third Elder would have leverage over him in the future.

"This junior greets Mr. Bihua."

You Su bowed his head deeply, intending to make one last struggle.

The Third Elder, however, did not respond, instead staring blankly at the top of You Su’s head.

When the woman entered, she caught a glimpse of the "woman’s" face and was secretly shocked, finally understanding why this ’woman’ looked both familiar and unfamiliar.

She never expected that the one disguised as a woman was actually You Su.

"Mr. Bihua?"

You Su prompted softly again, seeing no response.

"Hmm? You’re here."

Once the Third Elder realized it was You Su, any initial indignation she felt towards someone cross-dressing melted away. After all, You Su must have had his reasons for this disguise, right?

Unconsciously, she found herself favoring You Su. Instead of pursuing the reason, she seemed more intrigued by You Su’s disguise, quietly thinking: It really suits my taste...

She often wondered, You Su was wonderful in every way, except for that one thing.

This always made it impossible for her to be completely candid with You Su. If You Su were a woman, she might treat him as she did her own senior disciple, even though he was someone else’s disciple.

Facing You Su like this, perhaps influenced by the alcohol, the Third Elder found herself feeling quite fond, thinking that this secretive You Su was somewhat adorable.

"Come sit down, there’s no need to be so reserved."

"I don’t dare, Mr. Bihua. Please feel free to instruct me on anything you wish," You Su still stood outside the door, not daring to come closer.

"There’s no need to be afraid. The female cultivators of Profound Sky Sect all know that I am the most approachable. I noticed you seem unfamiliar, so I wanted to invite you in for a chat. Come, sit."

The Third Elder’s voice was indeed gentler than any You Su had heard from her before, which allowed him to lower his guard just a little.

The Third Elder was quite popular among the female disciples in Profound Sky Sect because of her generous nature. She often invited female disciples over for visits, and they always left with plenty of gains.

Even You Su had heard of this. Perhaps he had become one of the lucky ones chosen by the Third Elder on this visit?

He originally thought the Third Elder had recognized him but wasn’t saying anything to deliberately tease him, yet her tone sounded genuinely earnest.

His senses told him that the room was filled with the smell of alcohol, and just by a sniff, he felt a floating intoxication.

Was it possible that the Third Elder was drunk?

You Su did not dare to contradict the venerable one’s wishes, lest he annoy the Third Elder into sobriety and expose himself.

"Then I will intrude."

You Su stepped forward slowly and knelt on the mat, still keeping his head bowed deeply.

"You’re not from our Profound Sky Sect, are you?" The Third Elder asked suddenly, swaying the wine cup in her hand.

"Indeed not. I came to Profound Sky Sect to visit a friend."

"A friend’s visit, huh." The Third Elder mused, "People who come to search for someone in Profound Sky Sect are often led in by someone from outside. Why isn’t your friend with you?"

You Su’s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly thought of an excuse, "She had something urgent and went to see her master, leaving me to wander around the sect."

"Oh... so nothing pressing at the moment. I was worried you might be delayed." The Third Elder nodded slightly, seemingly convinced by You Su’s words, then suddenly asked, "You’re a Sword Cultivator, aren’t you?"

"Indeed I am, but it’s self-taught, unaffiliated."

Having said that, You Su regretted it, as the Third Elder hadn’t even asked about his background yet, and he had preemptively answered, making it seem too deliberate.

"Sword Cultivation is good; a woman with a sword can sever many troubles."

The Third Elder sighed and downed a cup of wine.

She smacked her lips in savoring the taste, then casually waved her hand, and the jade bottle floated up, pouring a cup for You Su as well.

The Third Elder, slightly tipsy, had a blush on her cheeks, her eyes twinkling as if they held spring water, looking at You Su with a smiling gaze.

"Young friend, there’s no need to be tense. I’ve been rather vexed lately and was drinking alone here. Earlier, I glimpsed you by the window, felt a connection, and wished to invite you up for a drink. Would you honor me?"

You Su inwardly pondered what could be troubling the Third Elder so much.

Just by smelling the wine, he knew it was no ordinary drink and felt it might not be suitable for him. After some hesitation, he replied:

"To be honored by Mr. Bihua’s favor is indeed my privilege. However, I am not good with alcohol and can only partake lightly."

With that, You Su picked up the teacup, took a sip, and instantly felt the spiciness in his throat, making him flush, so he quickly put the cup down.

Despite the white powder on his face, the drink’s potency brought a red hue to his cheeks.

The Third Elder found it amusing, narrowing her eyes as she accompanied him with another cup.

"As long as you join, young friend, that’s fine. If you’re not busy, would you be willing to hear me out? I wouldn’t have a burden talking to you, just as long as you keep it to yourself. If you could help, I’d greatly reward you."

"I’m afraid I might not be able to assist Mr. Bihua... "

"No, my troubles are with the youth, so you might have some advice."

You Su, sweating on his forehead, felt the endless after-effects of the wine, with even a single sip having such an impact.

"Then I humbly accept."

The Third Elder offered a mature, charming smile, lifted her cup, and gestured towards You Su as if to clink glasses with him.

In matters over the table, a clink of glasses is a must.

You Su hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly raised his cup to meet hers.

The Third Elder drank it all in one go, while You Su braced himself to sip lightly again, feeling the effects shooting up to his head.

"Do you dislike men?"

You Su was surprised by the question and hesitantly said, "Of course, I don’t."

"But for some reason, I very much dislike men."

The Third Elder held the tea cup, her eyes turning sorrowful as memories surfaced.

"And my troubles are related to men."

You Su listened drowsily.

"I’ve been busy lately with a venture, Bihua Pavilion, have you heard of it?"

You Su nodded, "It’s said to be Mr. Bihua’s heartfelt creation, quite famous, I’m aware."

"And therein lies the problem. It’s known as my endeavor, but in truth, I contributed the least. Bihua Pavilion was facing a crisis, and a disciple stepped forward, averting disaster. I am immensely grateful, yet he happens to be a man."

You Su felt dizzy, not expecting the topic to circle around to himself.

"His contributions are such that I don’t know how to repay him. Coupled with my aversion to men, I have yet to compensate him. Recently, I’ve learned others want to tempt him away, and I felt a pang of fear. Without him, Bihua Pavilion might decline again."

As the Third Elder spoke, she watched You Su subtly, expressing her appreciation towards him, emboldened by the wine and the guise of a woman.

Under normal circumstances, she might never have voiced it outright.

"So your concern is?"

"I want your advice on how I should repay him. I worry he might leave Bihua Pavilion for better prospects elsewhere. Judging from his age, he’s probably like you, similar youth, perhaps sharing thoughts..."

The Third Elder rested her jade hand on the table, supporting her delicate head, swaying in tandem with her dangling wine cup, as if tipsy.

You Su, too, feeling the intoxication, realized the Third Elder feared he might indeed be lured by Venerable Qianhua.

Under the influence, You Su shared his thoughts, "I’m not him, so I cannot know his mind. But I think his help to the Third Elder wasn’t from personal gain; else why would he have been so devoted to Bihua Pavilion’s success?"

"So you think he won’t be tempted away?"

You Su smiled, "Instead of asking me, why doesn’t Mr. Bihua directly ask him?"

With a flushed face, the Third Elder raised her cup again towards You Su and drank it all, her eyes shimmering as she gazed at him.

"You’re right. I should just ask him directly."

The Third Elder understood there was no need to ask anymore, as the answer was already apparent to her.

You Su, feeling the alcohol, absentmindedly questioned:

"What I’m really curious about is, why does Mr. Bihua dislike men so much?"