Chapter 35: A huge problem—Sect Leader is ignoring me!

Returning to a familiar place after a long absence, Su Li’er carefully scanned the surroundings. The decorations hadn’t changed.

As usual, Song Ruoxue was leaning against the head of the bed, reading a book as quietly as frost.

‘Ahhhh, this place still smells the same!’

There’s a faint minty fragrance.

“Sect Master? Good morning~” Su Li’er said softly as she walked over obediently, muttering with a little emotion, “It’s so cold today, I’m almost frozen into an ice block.”

“Mmm.” Song Ruoxue responded lightly, then gently flipped a page.

“Did the Sect Master miss Little Li?” Su Li’er found a small stool and sat down, a smile on her face.

“So-so.”

“Uh, so cold. Then has the Sect Master eaten breakfast? You must eat breakfast! If you don’t eat breakfast…”

“No need.”

“Hmm?” The animated expression on Su Li’er’s face froze in an instant. She looked closely. From beginning to end, Song Ruoxue had been quietly reading her book, her expression indifferent, completely unconcerned.

‘What-what’s going on?’

‘What’s wrong with the Sect Master?’

‘Why… so cold?’

—Rustle.

Another faint sound of a page being turned.

Su Li’er had a sudden realization. The big ice cold Sect Master must be studying some obscure and difficult sword technique.

‘In that case, I can’t disturb her!’

‘I’ll just wait for a while.’

So, Su Li’er sat there blankly, looking at the mountain forest scenery outside the window, her mind empty.

—Rustle.

—Rustle.

From time to time, the sound of a book being turned came from her ear, as if it would never stop.

Five minutes, ten minutes, thirty minutes, an hour… an hour and a half…

Su Li’er’s expression grew more and more grave, and she became anxious.

‘No, sister!

‘Are you just going to keep reading? You’re completely ignoring me!’

“Um… Sect Master?” Su Li’er asked tentatively.

“If Little Li has something to do, you can go and do it yourself. You don’t need to tell me.” Song Ruoxue, who had been silent for a long time, said softly. This was the first sentence she had spoken since they had been separated.

“…Huh?” Su Li’er was at a loss for words.

‘No, this isn’t right!’

‘Something’s wrong!!!’

‘Why is the Sect Master’s attitude so cold!?’

‘This feeling, it’s as if I’ve been blacklisted by her. What does she mean by: if you have something to do, go and do it yourself, you don’t need to say?’

‘This, this, this, what kind of talk is this?’

‘How can such cold words come out of a thirty-seven-degree mouth!’

‘Hmph! You big ice block Sect Master, you’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?’

‘You’re deliberately acting aloof to make me sad, and then you’ll show concern for me. You want to play a reverse card, right?’

‘Fine.’

‘Then I’ll just follow your script!’

With this thought, Su Li’er put on a pitiful expression and shot cute little stars at Song Ruoxue with her big, dazzling eyes.

But Song Ruoxue turned a blind eye. To be precise, she glanced over and then continued to read her book calmly, so calmly it was as if nothing had happened, just like drinking water and eating in daily life.

The “shoot cute little stars” battle plan had failed.

‘No, impossible!’

‘This move is clearly very effective against the big ice cold Sect Master!’

Su Li’er bit her lip and continued to shoot cute little stars.

‘When it comes to acting cute, who is the strongest?’ Su Li’er calls herself the king of the mountain!

But in the next second, the battle plan failed again… This time, Song Ruoxue didn’t even bother to pay attention and focused even more on her book.

Su Li’er’s face stiffened. For some reason, her heart suddenly panicked. She had a feeling that the situation was getting out of control, and this feeling was not good!

‘And it had gotten out of control for no reason…’

‘Calm down, calm down, Little Li. You are a fox of supreme intelligence. You have to think about what caused this.’

‘Everything that happens has a reason.’

‘The last time, the relationship with the Sect Master had finally warmed up a lot, but this time, after just one day, I’ve been blacklisted… In this situation, there’s only one possibility!’

‘That is, yesterday, the day I wasn’t at the Sword Sect, something happened. These things made the big ice cold Sect Master unhappy, so she’s ignoring me…’

“Sect Master, are you in a bad mood?” Su Li’er asked softly.

Song Ruoxue closed the book and rubbed her shoulders. “I’m alright.”

“Little Li feels that the Sect Master is a little strange. Are you still not feeling well?”

“I’m much better, no need to worry.”

“But…” Su Li’er wanted to say something else, but then she suddenly thought of something and quickly put on a bright smile. “Sect Master, I brought you some gifts~”

As she spoke, she handed over the scarf in her hand.

Song Ruoxue glanced at it, her eyes trembling slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. “Thank you, Little Li. It’s very thoughtful of you.”

“It’s nothing.” Su Li’er said happily. “This is called a scarf. It’s very warm to wrap around your neck in the winter. Mmm… shall I help the Sect Master try it on?”

“No need, you can just put it on the bed,” Song Ruoxue said.

Su Li’er’s smile stiffened, and the feeling of unease in her heart grew stronger.

‘Something is not right, very not right!’

‘Why is this so different from the plot that was supposed to happen?’

‘The big ice block Sect Master also said that she’s fine…’

‘What on earth… happened yesterday?’

‘No, no, no, this is not the time for self-anxiety. Since this battle plan didn’t work, I’ll try the next one!’

“Sect Master, Little Li also made a hairpin by hand and wants to give it to you~” As she spoke, Su Li’er spread her fair and clean palm, a cute heart-shaped hairpin resting in it.

If you looked closely, there were still some rough handmade marks on the surface, but this was precisely what made it so special. Behind the small hairpin were ten thousand intentions.

‘How could Song Ruoxue not understand this principle?’

Therefore, when she saw that hairpin, the feelings that she had managed to suppress in her heart gushed out again like a spring.

Even a thick and cold block of ice can be gradually melted by a warm spring.

“This… did Little Li make it herself?” Song Ruoxue suppressed her accelerating heartbeat and asked softly.

Su Li’er was taken aback. “Of course! Little Li has always wanted to give the Sect Master a gift.”

“Thank you, Little Li.” Song Ruoxue hesitated for a moment, then reached out and took the hairpin, clenching it in her hand. Her gaze softened a lot as she stared at the heart-shaped hairpin.

“Does the Sect Master like it?” Su Li’er asked nervously.

“Mmm, I like it very much,” Song Ruoxue nodded.

“That’s great~” Su Li’er breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, I’ve gotten the affection level back on track!

Heavens, that really scared me just now. Big ice cold Sect Master, can you not be so aloof next time? It makes me very flustered!

“Little Li.” Song Ruoxue’s expression was very conflicted.

“I’m here~” Su Li’er came back to her senses. “What’s wrong?”

“There’s something I don’t know if I should say?” Song Ruoxue’s expression was sad.

Su Li’er blinked her eyes. “The Sect Master can say anything~”

“Alright, then I’ll be direct…” Song Ruoxue said with great gravity, word by word, “Little Li, what did you do yesterday?”

“Yesterday…” Su Li’er placed a finger on her chin and thought for a moment. “I went out to play for a day. I’ve been a little tired lately, so I went to relax.”

“Did Little Li go out alone?” A look of earnestness flashed in Song Ruoxue’s eyes.

“Mmm, alone,” Su Li’er nodded.

“…Oh, alright.” Song Ruoxue’s expression froze for a moment, then it suddenly cooled down. She lifted the quilt, got out of bed, and walked away directly, her back looking very determined.

“Eh? Where is the Sect Master going?” Su Li’er quickly asked.

Song Ruoxue stopped in her tracks but didn’t turn around. Her tone became very light. “I’m going into seclusion now. It might take a week… no, half a month or even longer. You can stay in the Sword Sect and study the sword technique manuals on your own for now.”

“Huh? Why…?” Su Li’er was stunned.

But Song Ruoxue had already left, as if she had made some kind of decision.

The feeling of unease in Su Li’er’s heart grew even more intense.

‘Something is not right!’

‘This development… is definitely a big problem. The big ice cold Sect Master is trying to send me to the cold palace!’

‘What on earth… happened yesterday?’

‘No, I have to chase after her and ask!!’