“I have a very good reason for coming to see you, Senior Sister. Won’t you open the door and invite me in so we can talk?” Su Mei’s voice drifted in playfully from the outside.

“What should we do?” Zhuo Hongyi’s brow furrowed. She was irritated, but as Su Mei’s senior, it would be considered incredibly rude to refuse her entrance while they were both within the sect.

“What do you think?” Han Lie asked with a chuckle. Since it was Su Mei at the door, he didn’t actually mind. The only complication was that Zhuo Hongyi was still in the dark about his relationship with Su Mei. Even if she knew, she would likely still be bothered by the intrusion. Thus, Han Lie decided to defer to Zhuo Hongyi’s wishes.

“Then… hide for a moment. I’ll try to send her away quickly,” Zhuo Hongyi said, her eyes frantically scanning the hall. She realized there wasn’t a single wardrobe or screen suited for hiding. Her gaze finally settled on the tea table they had been leaning against. With the long, heavy tablecloth draped over it, Han Lie would be invisible unless Su Mei specifically reached down to lift it.

Han Lie didn’t argue and immediately ducked into the shadows beneath the table.

“Senior Sister?” Outside, Su Mei called out again, her voice tinged with feigned concern at the long silence.

“Coming!” Flustered, Zhuo Hongyi smoothed her disheveled robes and patted her hair before opening the door.

The moment Su Mei stepped inside, her eyes began to roam the room. Whether intentional or not, she went straight for the jugular. “Senior Sister, are you home all by yourself?”

Zhuo Hongyi maintained a mask of calm and returned to her seat at the tea table. “I haven’t taken a cultivation partner yet. If I’m not home alone, who else would be here?”

“Oh, my apologies, Senior Sister. I’ve been so tired lately; my mind must be a little fuzzy.”

Having personally watched Han Lie follow Zhuo Hongyi into the residence, Su Mei didn’t believe a word of it. She began to wander aimlessly around the living room, her eyes darting into every corner in search of any sign of the “little old man.”

To keep him hidden, Zhuo Hongyi was forced to remain rooted to her spot at the tea table. She had to stay close to ensure she could intercept Su Mei if her junior sister got too curious about the furniture.

However, Han Lie was not being particularly cooperative under the table.

Zhuo Hongyi felt a sudden, tickling sensation. Her breath hitched. Fortunately, Su Mei’s back was turned. Zhuo Hongyi let out a silent sigh of relief and used her jade-like foot to firmly nudge Han Lie, signaling him to stop his mischief.

“Junior Sister,” she said, trying to regain control of the situation. “What exactly are you looking for? If you have something to say, say it directly. My time is limited.”

“It’s nothing major,” Su Mei said, pausing by the door to the inner chamber. “I was just thinking… we had a bit of an unpleasant misunderstanding last time. I wanted to chat and clear the air.”

Zhuo Hongyi knew exactly which “incident” Su Mei meant. She replied magnanimously, “You’re overthinking it. I haven’t taken that matter to heart at all. You needn’t worry about it affecting the bond between us.”

“Hehe, I knew Senior Sister Wuxin wouldn’t be so narrow-minded,” Su Mei giggled. She pointed at the bedroom door. “Is this your room? Do you mind if I take a look?”

Su Mei had already scanned nearly every inch of the main hall and found nothing. She was now certain: Han Lie must be hiding in the bedroom! She expected Zhuo Hongyi to make an excuse to stop her.

Instead, Zhuo Hongyi shrugged. “If you want to look, go ahead. There’s nothing in there anyway.”

“Really? Then I’m going in.”

“Mhm.”

Su Mei felt a prickle of suspicion at how easily she was being allowed in, but she pushed the door open nonetheless. She lit a candle, illuminating the room. It was sparse: an empty bed, a desk, and a bookshelf. There was nowhere to hide.

This can’t be right. I saw him come in. Where did he go? Su Mei wondered. She did a quick, thorough sweep of the room and emerged, frustrated.

At the table, Zhuo Hongyi’s expression had turned somewhat strained. Hearing the footsteps, she quickly composed herself. “Finished? If there’s nothing else, I need to begin my cultivation.”

“That shouldn’t be…” Su Mei ignored the dismissal, walking back with a puzzled frown.

“What shouldn’t be?” Zhuo Hongyi asked, her face a mask of indifference while her foot subtly pushed Han Lie’s wandering hand back under the table.

Su Mei sat down directly opposite her senior sister. Acting as if she owned the place, she poured herself a cup of tea. “Oh, nothing. I’m just a bit thirsty. I’ll have a cup and then leave.”

As she poured the tea, Su Mei naturally crossed her legs.

She shouldn’t have done that. The moment her leg swung, her foot connected with something solid—and warm.

Her hand froze mid-pour. In that instant, everything clicked.

Zhuo Hongyi’s heart skipped a beat. She saw the change in Su Mei’s eyes and knew the game was up.

Su Mei finished pouring the tea and took a sip, a half-smile playing on her lips. “Senior Sister Wuxin… are you truly home alone?”

“What else would I be?” Zhuo Hongyi clung to her last shred of hope.

“Is that so…” Su Mei’s smile turned predatory. Suddenly, without the slightest warning, she lunged forward and whipped the tablecloth upward!

Zhuo Hongyi’s pupils contracted; her very heart seemed to stop in her chest.

“Ahem.” Han Lie gave a dry, tactical cough and crawled out from the shadows of the table.

“Senior Sister Wuxin, since you are home alone, this person must be a dangerous intruder, right?” Su Mei said, her voice dripping with cheerful sarcasm. “To think you didn’t even realize a man had broken into your home! Fortunately, I discovered him in time. I’ll take him back to the hall for… thorough questioning.”

“Junior Sister!” Zhuo Hongyi jumped to her feet, her voice low and sharp. “What do you want? Were you following us?”

Su Mei replied calmly, “Don’t put it so harshly. I just happened to see you two together and followed my curiosity. Besides, it’s not like I’m just finding out about your relationship with Han Lie now. What is there to fear?”

Since their cover was blown, Zhuo Hongyi laid her cards on the table. “So you knew, yet you still followed us here to cause a scene. What exactly are you trying to do?”