"Host, you're not going to be so easily swayed, are you?" the System complained in disappointment.
Yaohua shrugged it off. "If my senior brother were really a fraud, and this man, as you claim, knows my identity, then why would senior brother agree to let him stay? It shows that my senior brother is kind - hearted. I'm glad I didn't believe your nonsense."
"He only kept the man to maintain his image in front of you," the System tried to reason. "If you hadn't been stolen away, you'd be lovey - dovey with Chongming in the Celestial Realm by now."
Yaohua simply ignored it.
After being taken into the valley, Lu Ran initially tried every means to escape. But when he found it impossible, he pinned his hopes on Yaohua, attempting to awaken her memories.
Although Yaohua was annoyed by Lu Ran calling her "little princess" all the time, his kindness towards her seemed genuine. Coupled with the boredom in the valley, they gradually became good friends.
One day, a huge rumbling suddenly came from outside. When she stepped out, she witnessed a terrifying scene—several fire meteors were falling from the horizon, accompanied by a slight earthquake.
She looked around but didn't see Lu Ran. She couldn't help but feel puzzled.
Qingque came slowly and smiled. "Junior sister, what are you looking for?"
"I'm looking for that Immortal Officer Lu," Yaohua asked curiously. "Senior brother, do you know where he is?"
Since Yaohua didn't believe it at all, the System was a bit irritated. "Humph, I think Lu Ran has probably been killed by your senior brother. He showed a dangerous look towards Lu Ran a few days ago and even took him away this morning."
"Really?" Yaohua murmured in her heart and hesitated. "Senior brother, I seem to have seen you take Lu Ran away..."
Qingque pursed his lips, looking a bit displeased. "Junior sister, now that you have a new friend, do you not like senior brother anymore?"
He stared at her intently. Besides disappointment, there was a look in his eyes that was hard to decipher. "Junior sister, is that little immortal officer more important to you than me?"
The System issued an alarm. "Host, look! I told you this guy has ill intentions towards you. You just asked a couple of questions, and his possessiveness has been triggered. The next step is going to be his dark - side transformation."
Yaohua was also startled by the sudden change in her senior brother's expression. She couldn't help but take two steps back and waved her hands. "Senior brother, don't misunderstand. I just want to play with him."
As she said this, she felt a bit nervous. What if her senior brother was really a bad guy? What should she do?
Qingque seemed to see through her thoughts. His eyes turned a faint blue, and he murmured, "Are you afraid of me?"
There seemed to be a strange magic in his voice. Yaohua suddenly felt dizzy and unsteady on her feet. Thanks to the System's reminder, she shook her head vigorously and finally came to her senses.
Just as she was on high alert, Qingque sighed and said helplessly, "Fine, I won't force you."
Then, he went up the mountain and brought out Lu Ran, who was completely unharmed.
"Lu Ran, where have you been?" Yaohua couldn't help but ask.
Lu Ran took out a flower from behind like a magician. "Didn't you say this flower was beautiful a few days ago? So I went to pick it for you. By the way, I have to thank Qingque for showing me the way!"
The two chatted and laughed, seemingly without any problems.
Yaohua was speechless and began to doubt the System even more.
At this moment, a paper crane flew in from outside the valley.
Lu Ran held the paper crane, his expression solemn. "Oh no, there's an earthquake in the nearby Xunyang City, accompanied by meteorites."
Before his words faded, swirling snow and small hailstones started to fall.
Yaohua looked up in shock. "Those were clearly fire meteors just now. How could there be snow? And it's still midsummer!"
Lu Ran shouted, "Oh no! With such abnormal natural disasters, the unharvested seedlings in the fields will surely die. I have to report this to the upper realm immediately."
"The Celestial Realm is dealing with demons every day. They probably won't have time for such a small matter," Qingque disagreed. "Fortunately, we have a barrier in our valley, so we don't have to worry about food and clothing."
Yaohua thought that her senior brother wasn't the kind of person who would ignore the suffering of the common people. He was just worried that Lu Ran would betray them.
Although she had never left the valley in her memory, she somehow felt that she should protect the common people. "Senior brother, can I go out to help Xunyang City?"
Qingque immediately refused. "No, you're too naive and easy to be deceived."
Yaohua returned to her room dejectedly, feeling empty - hearted.
The System suddenly spoke up. "I was tricked by that Qingque just now. But if you want to save the common people, I can help you."
It had to gain Yaohua's trust as soon as possible so that it could absorb more demonic energy.
At night, following the System's instructions, Yaohua sneaked out of the valley and secretly left a large amount of grain and seeds in the mayor's mansion of Xunyang City.
Unexpectedly, on her way back to the valley, she ran into Qingque.
She lowered her head guiltily. "Senior brother..."
Qingque took a few steps forward and cornered her at the cliff.
The usually gentle and smiling young man now exuded an overwhelming sense of oppression, and his eyes were full of scrutiny. "I've been following you all the way."
Yaohua said weakly, "Senior brother, can you stop looking at me like this? I know I was wrong..."
Qingque's voice seemed to be permeated with coldness in the night wind. "You've been acting strangely lately. In my memory, my junior sister would never casually take out a large amount of grain and seeds."
Moreover, Yaohua had been in a daze from time to time in the past few days, which puzzled him greatly. After following her today and seeing her conjure up a large amount of grain and seeds, he was sure that there was something fishy going on.
Yaohua mumbled, "Someone gave them to me."
"You and I are always together. If someone gave you something, how could I not know?" Qingque immediately retorted.
"It's in my - " Yaohua wanted to speak, but her mouth just opened and closed, unable to make a sound.
The System said coldly, "Warning, the host is not allowed to reveal the existence of this System, otherwise, you will be punished."
The two stared at each other for a long time. During this period, Yaohua tried hard to hint with her words, but it didn't work. She could only lower her head dejectedly.
Qingque was lost in thought—could it be that his junior sister had been bewitched by someone?
But who on earth was that third party?
Seeing that she couldn't tell the truth, Yaohua had no choice but to give up. "Fine, senior brother, just trust me. If you don't, I can't help it."
Her whole body was shrouded in Qingque's shadow, and her peach - petal - like face looked even more delicate and charming.
Seeing this, how could Qingque bear to blame her?
He held Yaohua's face in his hands, his eyes full of complexity. "Silly girl, how could I not trust you?"
Yaohua heaved a sigh of relief. Then she heard him ask, "Junior sister, can I fulfill our engagement in advance?"