Chapter 30: A New Level of Awkwardness

Embarrassment—the very definition of the word speaks of a difficult, awkward, helpless, or unmanageable situation.

Xiao Xixi had always believed that yesterday’s incident, where her master had secretly watched her, was the most mortifying event of her entire life.

After all, in her eighteen years of memories, nothing could possibly be more embarrassing than being caught red-handed while ‘rewarding’ herself!

Until this morning, Xiao Xixi couldn’t imagine anything more awkward than yesterday’s predicament.

But just now, having gained a point of comprehension after her Soul-Snatching Pearl was reinforced to +1, Xiao Xixi suddenly understood.

There was indeed something far more embarrassing than being discovered while ‘rewarding herself.’

It was being discovered by *two* people simultaneously!

As she watched the two elegant figures outside her window, both gazing intently at her, Xiao Xixi was overcome with such intense embarrassment.

For a moment, her small mind ceased to function. She even forgot that she should have found something to cover herself.

****

Upon descending on her sword, Su Mei immediately noticed the little one, now frozen in place.

Though she had already admired the girl’s full form during their ‘cultivation’ last night, it had to be said that while Xiao Xixi in her sleep was serene and delightful, she lacked a certain charm compared to her current ‘weak and easily bullied’ stunned appearance.

Observing Xiao Xixi’s small hand, poised mid-air, about to commit ‘mischief’ in her own room, a faint curve formed on Su Mei’s deep peach blossom eyes.

Simultaneously, two deep, captivating dimples appeared on her exquisite, alluring face.

Earlier, on her way to fetch meals for the ‘little one’ from the outer sect disciples’ quarters, Su Mei had been contemplating how to explain things to the young girl upon her return.

She had already prepared some excuses. For instance, if Xiao Xixi were to ask where her clothes had gone, she would tell the little fox girl that ‘girls need to sleep naked to develop properly.’ After all, the little one had only recently transformed and understood very little.

As for her increased cultivation or her aching waist and knees, Su Mei, with her high cultivation, had also devised partial explanations.

However, seeing the young girl’s ‘shocked’ and mentally frozen expression now, Su Mei realized her worries were entirely superfluous.

How could her own little disciple, caught in the act of ‘mischief,’ possibly question her?

This was, after all, her time as a master to ‘educate’ her little disciple!

With these thoughts, a smiling Su Mei began walking towards her room.

After taking a couple of steps, Su Mei unexpectedly noticed that her eldest disciple, Bai Luozhu, wasn’t following her.

Feeling puzzled, Su Mei instinctively turned back and saw Bai Luozhu wearing the exact same ‘shocked’ expression as Xiao Xixi in the room.

Bai Luozhu, who had always been ‘calm as still water, seemingly detached from worldly affairs’ since joining the sect, now had her almond-shaped eyes wide open.

Even her usually tightly closed cherry lips were slightly parted.

Witnessing this scene, Su Mei, as their master, found it utterly delightful.

‘Both of these little disciples are so interesting!’ she thought.

****

A few moments later, a cool breeze swept through, finally cooling down and rescuing Xiao Xixi’s overheated ‘CPU’ from embarrassment.

As her consciousness returned, Xiao Xixi met the gazes of the two women.

In that instant, she recalled a question from an online forum: ‘If a girl is showering and two people suddenly appear before her, which part should she cover first?’

At the time, Xiao Xixi had dismissed it as merely a joke.

Yet, she never imagined that today, this very question would present itself before her.

Facing this dilemma, Xiao Xixi quickly made her choice.

‘Of course, I’ll grab the ‘ice-silk quilt’ at my feet! My two little hands are only so small; what could they possibly cover?!’

However, just as the reawakened Xiao Xixi reached out her delicate hand towards the faintly fragrant quilt, it rose without a breeze.

In the next second, the ice-silk quilt landed directly in her beautiful master’s hand.

Watching the covering fly from her grasp, Xiao Xixi incredulously lifted her head to look at her master.

She then saw a gentle smile gracing her beautiful master’s captivating face.

Despite the smile being undeniably warm, for some reason, Xiao Xixi felt a ‘not-so-good’ premonition.

Her premonition was swiftly confirmed. The next moment, the gentle, sister-like Su Mei’s crimson lips slightly parted, and a soft voice emerged.

“Little Xixi, didn’t I tell you yesterday that a girl shouldn’t be ‘lewd’? So, what exactly were you doing just now?”

As Su Mei spoke, she subtly tucked the quilt, still carrying the lingering scent of their entanglement from last night, into her storage ring. With this action, all ‘physical evidence’ from the previous night was completely destroyed.

Xiao Xixi, currently deep in thought, pondering how to explain and prove that she wasn’t a ‘sensual fox,’ naturally didn’t notice this small gesture.

As for Bai Luozhu, who stood behind Su Mei, ordinarily, such a small detail would not escape her eyes.

However, at this moment, all of Bai Luozhu’s attention, visible in her almond-shaped eyes, was focused on the shimmering white figure on the bed—a sight that had rendered her unable to cultivate and damaged her Dao heart. How could she possibly notice anything else?

After stowing away the ice-silk quilt, Su Mei and Bai Luozhu entered the room within the tranquil courtyard.

Upon stepping inside, Su Mei detected an extremely rich, lingering fragrance. It was a scent she knew well, the very same one she had noticed yesterday in the inner sect disciples’ quarters.

Considering that she had specifically aired out the room completely before leaving this morning, a look of solemnity appeared on Su Mei’s face.

Although she had engaged in ‘special cultivation’ with Xiao Xixi last night, and thus felt she bore some responsibility for the little one’s current actions, in a sense, she had been the one to open a new door for this innocent child, even if Xiao Xixi didn’t realize it.

Yet, remembering the little one’s unique ‘Sensual Spiritual Root’ constitution, and fearing that exposing it might lead to danger, Su Mei, with her profound cultivation, quickly suppressed the smile on her face and her desire to tease the little one.

She asked earnestly, “Little Xixi, what were you doing just now? You weren’t doing anything ‘lewd,’ were you?”

At this moment, Xiao Xixi was using a blue floral dress to cover herself, studying for the first time how to put on ‘women’s clothes.’

Upon hearing her beautiful master’s serious question once more, this time she wasn’t overly flustered.

Just moments ago, outside the door, Su Mei had asked a similar question.

Now, after some time had passed, Xiao Xixi had not only figured out how to answer but had also finally clarified the confusion she felt upon waking this morning.

Actually, after waking up naked and with aching waist and knees this morning, Xiao Xixi had harbored a slight suspicion that her beautiful master might have done something ‘strange’ to her while she was asleep.

Even though she had been a boy before transmigrating, she hadn’t ‘eaten pork, but she had seen pigs run’!

Through various readings and films from her youth, Xiao Xixi roughly knew that girls would experience backaches after certain situations!

However, recalling Su Mei’s perfect ‘master’ persona throughout this novel, Xiao Xixi found it somewhat inconceivable.

No matter how she thought about it, such a magnificent, benevolent, and gentle sister-like figure didn’t seem like someone who would lay hands on her ‘little fox girl.’

And just now, upon seeing her beautiful master enter the room, there wasn’t a hint of guilt on her face.

At this point, Xiao Xixi finally dismissed her last shred of doubt about her beautiful master.

Once a person has settled on a certain conclusion, their thoughts will instinctively align with that outcome.

For example, now that Xiao Xixi had decided her master was a good person, she subconsciously deduced that her nakedness and aches this morning were likely due to her beautiful master secretly helping her cultivate.

The reason for taking off her clothes was because many novels described better absorption effects that way. As for the backaches? Xiao Xixi remembered that her own brother often had backaches after cultivating. ‘Yes, that explains everything!’

And the energy required for the Soul-Snatching Pearl’s upgrade this morning? It seemed highly probable that it was also acquired when her beautiful master helped her cultivate last night!

As these thoughts surfaced in her mind, Xiao Xixi even felt a pang of shame.

Her master, Su Mei, had been so caring, yet she had doubted her character. This was practically the story of ‘Mr. Dongguo’!

Feeling somewhat ashamed, Xiao Xixi pondered Su Mei’s question.

After a moment’s thought, she ultimately chose not to use human speech. Instead of voicing her recent doubts to Su Mei and Bai Luozhu, she spoke in fox language:

“Xixi… Xixi… Xixixixi~”

Xiao Xixi’s voice was clear and melodious, especially the upward lilt of the ‘xi~’ at the end, immediately conveying the impression of a rather cute girl’s voice.

But only she knew that her ‘fox gibberish’ this time was truly just ‘talking nonsense.’

As for why Xiao Xixi would repeat the same mistake as yesterday, it was because this ‘mischief’ had genuinely been caught red-handed.

Xiao Xixi felt that no matter what she said, it would be too humiliating.

Rather than racking her brain for a way out, Xiao Xixi, having just experienced another social demise, declared: ‘I give up!’

‘Think whatever you want to think!’

‘Anyway, I’ve come to terms with my utter mortification! Xixixixi!!!’

However, the resigned Xiao Xixi overlooked an important detail.

By yesterday afternoon, under Su Mei’s careful guidance, she had already learned human speech.

Thus, the next second, Xiao Xixi found her soft, plump cheeks gently held by a slender, fair hand, squeezing them into a ‘pouty’ shape.

After this, Su Mei gently embraced Xiao Xixi’s small body, speaking softly.

“Little Xixi, I recall you could speak yesterday. What’s wrong? Do you need me to help you remember now?”

Embraced in the warm hold, Xiao Xixi looked at her master, who was smiling and leaning closer.

At that moment, she had only one thought:

‘Wuwuwu, I wish I hadn’t learned to speak!’