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The following morning, as Fu Xuan woke up, she felt significantly better.
In her hazy state, Fu Xuan saw her mother conversing with her master.
Her mother expressed gratitude repeatedly, "Thank you so much for taking care of Xuan'er."
Su Qing waved his hand dismissively, "It's no trouble at all. Please stay with her; she'll feel more at ease knowing you're by her side."
As if sensing their gaze upon her, Fu Xuan hastily closed her eyes.
[Qingque: Ohh! So this is the source of Grand Diviner's misconception—that he thought her mother cared for her throughout the night.]
[Bronya: Hmm, haha, and here Fu Xuan is pretending to sleep, already feeling embarrassed, right?]
With her mother's company through the morning, Fu Xuan's illness had largely subsided. Thanks to the Alchemy Commission's remedies and attentive care, despite falling sick swiftly, her recovery was equally rapid.
By afternoon, after her mother left, one might expect the diligent Fu Xuan to quickly return to her usual routine. However, she found herself hesitating.
Sitting before the dressing mirror, Fu Xuan gazed at her reflection. She shook her head, causing her loose pink hair to sway along. Memories from the previous night flooded back...
Whining for her master to feed her porridge, clinging to his sleeve to make him stay... Even during moments of feverish confusion, asking him to wipe her sweat...
Aaaaaah!
Especially that last request—although her master didn't agree, just suggesting such a thing was embarrassingly audacious!
Fu Xuan sat facing the mirror, covering her face with both hands, arms tightly pressed against each other.
Her thighs pressed together beneath her skirt, while her calves, encased in white stockings, slightly parted with toes pointed. With each movement, even her quivering fingertips betrayed her nerves.
Fu Xuan's petite pink figure curled up tightly, clearly overwhelmed by embarrassment.
[March 7th: Ha ha ha, so cute! She's like a little pink kitten all huddled up!]
[Stelle: Oh, I see @Fu Xuan, you realized it afterward too?]
[Fu Xuan: ...This venerable one naturally became aware once conscious.]
[Bronya: Fu Xuan is the type who usually remains independent and strong-willed but shows her softer side only to specific people at certain moments.]
[Sparkle: You might as well spell it out more clearly.?]
[Sparkle: Specific person = Su Qing, specific moment = any time she faces him!?]
[Fu Xuan: That's slander! It's not every time, absolutely not!!]
[Qingque: Nowadays, the Grand Diviner also exudes plenty of authority most of the time. So, would she still display such tenderness when facing her master under those circumstances...?]
[Sushang: Wow, Grand Diviner Luofu acting all cute and kittenish around Su Qing—what a mind-blowing sight!]
[Himeko: Kafka was already like that before, right? Seeing such a cool and enigmatic Stellaron Hunter so docile with Su Qing is indeed quite shocking.]
[Himeko (laughing): But imagine if Fu Xuan and Kafka ever met in real life—it wouldn't just be shocking; it could get rather interesting...]
[March 7th: Oh no! Sister Himeko has turned into a meme enthusiast too!]
However...
Despite her embarrassment,
now that she had recovered from illness, Fu Xuan knew she must promptly greet her master and thank him for his care yesterday.
Forcing herself to remain calm, she combed her hair neatly, checked her appearance, composed her emotions, and left her room.
Inside a spacious chamber of the Divination Commission:
Fu Xuan leaned on the doorframe, peeking inside. With the exchange meet underway, numerous diviners were present.
[Stelle: Fun, Sneaky Peek (Fu Xuan Exclusive).jpg]
She quickly spotted her master in the most conspicuous spot within the room.
With her head bowed low, Fu Xuan navigated through the crowd.
Upon reaching closer, she didn't approach as usual. Instead, she listened from the back among those who skipped classes and gestured with a shushing sign to any diviners who greeted her.
Fu Xuan wasn't quite ready yet; she planned to speak with her master only after the exchange meet concluded.
However, it was unavoidable.
To say Fu Xuan wasn't conspicuous, that wouldn't be entirely true. As long as someone's line of sight surpassed a certain height, she blended perfectly, achieving ideal stealth.
But then again, she was also quite noticeable. Her petite pink figure stood out easily amidst the group of diviners.
Naturally, Su Qing was highly observant. Amidst his lecture, he glanced around and immediately spotted his disciple.
After speaking for a few more moments and finishing the current topic, he directly called out, "Fu Xuan? Since you're here, please come forward."
The pink silhouette within the crowd visibly flinched.
[Seele: hhhh, Fu Xuan looks so panicked when getting called on!]
[Sushang: ha-ha-ha-ha, even trying unconsciously to hide behind others! Too amusing!]
[Qingque: Huh?! Laughing, I never thought the Grand Diviner would mimic my exact gesture!]
[Fu Xuan: ...]
[Fu Xuan felt that her authority before subordinates seemed to have diminished somewhat.]
[No, perhaps it's more accurate to say...]
[Ever since everyone witnessed her acting overly affectionate with her master due to illness, she had already lost something far more important... ]
[Aaahh!! Black history!!!?]
[Now Fu Xuan understood why even composed and calm individuals like Kafka and Himeko couldn't withstand such embarrassment!]
Su Qing called for Fu Xuan to step forward.
In the crowd, Fu Xuan instinctively tried to hide, but once the Grand Diviner spoke, others promptly made way for her. There was no hiding now.
With her head bowed, Fu Xuan swiftly approached Su Qing, obediently calling out in a low voice, "Master."
Su Qing glanced at her briefly. "Mm-hmm. Feeling better?"
Seeing Fu Xuan vigorously nod twice, Su Qing said nothing further and continued his lecture. He knew Fu Xuan had a thin face; questioning her about her illness in front of so many people would undoubtedly embarrass her.
Fu Xuan sighed with relief and took a seat next to Su Qing. Even in these small gestures, she felt her master's care.
After the exchange meet concluded, Su Qing prepared to leave. However, along his path, numerous diviners seized this precious opportunity to seek his guidance.
Fu Xuan quietly followed behind her master, listening intently to his conversations with others and absorbing the knowledge shared therein. This was one of the privileges as his direct disciple—while others had to constantly search for chances to learn from him, Fu Xuan could remain by Su Qing's side at any time. This privilege alone greatly benefited her education.
Eventually, they arrived at the Grand Divination Pavilion.
With the door closed, only the master and disciple remained inside. Su Qing turned without speaking, simply observing his disciple with a warm smile. He had not missed Fu Xuan's flustered reaction when he called upon her during the exchange meet earlier.
Fu Xuan kept her head bowed, slightly avoiding his gaze. After a brief moment, unable to contain herself, she spoke up and began stepping forward: "Master, d-do you want some tea? I'll go pour it for you..."
Su Qing raised his hand to stop her.
Fu Xuan halted.
Then, he placed two fingers on Fu Xuan's forehead, checking her temperature.
[Stelle: Enjoying this? Su Qing: Ah, my foolish disciple!]
After confirming that her fever had indeed subsided, Su Qing spoke gently, "Next time, don't push yourself so hard. Your parents entrusted you to me; if you fall ill, I wouldn't be able to face them."
Fu Xuan, head bowed, murmured, "I understand, Master. Sorry..."
Su Qing lightly tapped her forehead, interrupting her apology with a reminder from the previous day, "And as I've said before, don't constantly apologize."
"Yes..." As she replied, Fu Xuan inevitably recalled the events of last night. Blushing, she felt somewhat hesitant, wanting to speak but lacking the courage to do so.
She glanced around the room, taking in its decorations and stealing brief looks at Su Qing, still unable to voice her thoughts.
Noticing all this, a smile tugged at the corner of Su Qing's lips. His disciple always appeared serious and mature outside, like a little adult.
Her occasional displays of innocence and charm during their interactions were endearing to him, making these moments truly delightful.
[Fu Xuan: Oh...]
[So, all along, when my master remained silent, he was intentionally teasing me! I wasted so much time feeling embarrassed and conflicted!]
After savoring his disciple's adorable expressions, Su Qing feigned contemplation and asked, "Last night, while taking care of you, what exactly happened?"
Fu Xuan froze, her cheeks rapidly turning even redder. With stiff arms, she hesitated and stammered, "M-master, yesterday, tha-that-that, actually..."
"I'm having trouble recalling it," Su Qing responded after a moment of thought. "I only remember staying with you the whole night, but the specific details are completely hazy."
"Really..." Fu Xuan's eyes widened, about to ask if he was serious before realizing instantly.
Her master was clearly giving her a way out! Aware of her embarrassment over the previous day's events, he chose to gloss over them by claiming forgetfulness, subtly indicating that he wouldn't bring it up again in the future!
With that, Fu Xuan lowered her head and hesitantly replied, "Then...then I don't quite remember either..."
Finally, this embarrassing incident was behind them.
Fu Xuan gently fanned her flushed cheeks with her fair, small hands to cool down.
After composing herself from her shyness, the next course of action became clear.
"Master—" Fu Xuan called out sweetly, expressing her heartfelt gratitude, "Thank you for taking care of me yesterday! From now on, I'll definitely manage myself better so as not to worry you anymore!"
[March 7th: Aiyo! That 'Master'—so incredibly sweet!!]
[Sushang: This has been the sweetest yet! Makes me want to take disciples too!]
[Guinaifen: Ha ha, but Shuangshuang, you're still far from being able to accept apprentices yourself!]
[Qingque: With such sweetness, I'm almost doubting if it's truly the Grand Diviner speaking?!]
[Qingque: Whenever the Grand Diviner calls my name, it's either "?Qingque!" or "?Qingque?" with hesitation.]
[Stelle: Ah, one implying anger, the other confusion, right?]
[Fu Xuan: Blame yourself for slacking off every day.]
[Qingque: But when she calls me 'Su Qing,' it's unmistakably "Master—" with question marks galore.]
[Seele: Ha ha ha, spot-on!]
[Fu Xuan: Qingque!!!???]
[Qingque: ? Sorry, Grand Diviner! It was just a tiny-tiny joke!!]
[Sparkle: ?? Hahahaha, Fu Xuan's portrayal of Qingque seems to have come true at lightning speed—how accurate!]
[Stelle: Indeed, but this time it wasn't due to slacking off.]
***
From that day forward, Fu Xuan's daily behavior made it abundantly clear that her affection towards her master had significantly skyrocketed once again.
"Master, please take a seat." Fu Xuan pulled out a chair for him.
Not only did her voice become even sweeter, but her expressions conveyed it as well: "Master, would you like some tea? Which book do you wish to read? Let me fetch it for you. Is there anything else I can assist with?"
[March 7th: Where did this charming little disciple come from?! Fu Xuan's intentions are so clear—she's trying her best to repay Su Qing!]
Su Qing often watched with a smile as Fu Xuan's petite, pink-clad figure bustled attentively around him.
He felt that since his disciple showed such filial devotion, it was only right to let her express it occasionally; constantly declining her efforts wouldn't be fair.
So one day when Fu Xuan suggested, noting her master's recent workload, that she could give him a shoulder massage—
Su Qing promptly nodded, acknowledging that his shoulders had indeed been sore lately. He gratefully accepted, stating that if Fu Xuan could help ease the tension, it would be immensely helpful.
[Seele: Ha ha, seems like Su Qing is quite indulgent too. With his physique, how could he have shoulder pain?]
[Stelle: Laugh, Su Qing: As your teacher, I can punch a tiger dead with one blow, yet you ask about my sore shoulders?!]
[Firefly: Vividly portrayed!]
In any case, after Su Qing agreed, Fu Xuan's eyes lit up with evident delight.
Inside the Grand Divination Pavilion,
Su Qing took a seat on a chair. Initially, standing behind him, Fu Xuan felt it wasn't quite right for applying proper pressure. So, she fetched a footstool nearby and stepped onto it, finding the height to be perfect now.
Fu Xuan was always meticulous in her endeavors. Before suggesting this, she had specifically studied several books on massage techniques.
As Su Qing sat in the chair, feeling the gentle yet firm pressure from Fu Xuan's small hands, he indeed found it quite relaxing. While the skill of the massage itself mattered, what truly brought joy was the heartfelt intention coming from his charming and adorable disciple—a sentiment that made the experience immensely pleasant.
While Fu Xuan massaged his shoulders, Su Qing picked up a document from the table. "Fu Xuan, take a look at this."
Glancing at the document, Fu Xuan hesitated slightly. "Master, is...is this something I should be reading?"
Being official matters of the Grand Diviner, technically, she lacked the authority to view such documents.
"It's nothing serious; just some internal administrative tasks. No harm in taking a peek."
Su Qing positioned the document where both could see it clearly. "There are some points I'm finding difficult to decide on; help me brainstorm ideas."
"Of course!" Fu Xuan eagerly responded.
Su Qing knew well how to engage his disciple's enthusiasm.
Hearing that she was needed, Fu Xuan leaned forward while continuing to massage her master's shoulders, intently studying the document.
As they focused on the paperwork, Su Qing felt a slight tickle at the back of his neck. Turning his head, he found Fu Xuan's lovely face just inches away, her pink twin tails accentuating her youthful charm.
Fu Xuan also glanced up.
With their proximity greatly reduced, Fu Xuan didn't feel uncomfortable; instead, she curiously looked at her master, blinking her clear, bright eyes.
Su Qing raised a hand and casually pointed out, "Your hair, it's causing a bit of itchiness."
Only then did Fu Xuan notice that a stray lock had unknowingly fallen onto Su Qing's neck.
"Oh, sorry Master." She reached over, neatly tucking her hair behind her ears to keep it aside.
Continuing to massage Su Qing's shoulders, Fu Xuan followed his guidance as they reviewed various administrative tasks from the Grand Divination Commission together.
The atmosphere within the Grand Divination Pavilion was intimate and harmonious, painting a picture of a contented master-disciple relationship.
[Kafka: ???]
[Kafka: Jingliu redefined "just," and now Fu Xuan is redefining "ordinary."]
[Kafka: You call this an ordinary relationship? Don't make me laugh.]
[Kafka: And Su Qing doesn't need shoulder massages anyway; even if he did, I'd be more than enough for him.]
[Kafka: @Fu Xuan, what's with standing so close? And what about that stray hair brushing against his neck?!]
[Kafka: As merely a disciple, maintain some personal space, will you?!]
[Sparkle: ?? Ha ha ha ha, so impatient! Who could be this restless? Completely incomprehensible!]
[Silver Wolf: Enjoying it, @Kafka? Let's not flood the chat, okay?]
[Herta: Laughing to death—some Stellaron Hunter must be grinding their teeth to dust by now.]
[Firefly: Kafka: That's my spot! I should be giving Su Qing shoulder rubs!]
[Jingliu: @Kafka, getting angry through the screen won't change anything.]
[Himeko: (laughs) She's already anxious enough to send so many messages back-to-back; telling her that won't help much.]
[March 7th: Ha ha ha ha, why is everyone ganging up on Kafka?]
[Stelle: I never expected this either—how could even the daughter role get targeted?!]
[Qingque: (laughs) Stelle wonders: with all these moms recognized, will they face similar persecution in the future too?]
[Stelle: No, my main concern is for Kafka here. 😕]
[Qingque: Oh oh, understood! Despite having numerous moms, only Kafka is the true mother, right?]
[Bronya: Speaking of which, we just finished targeting Himeko in the previous match, and now it's Kafka's turn, huh? 🤔]
[Seele: When will it be Firefly and Silver Wolf's time in the spotlight?]
[Sparkle: Do they really need their own moments? Aren't they constantly under fire anyway? ???]
[Firefly: ...]
[Silver Wolf: Humph. 🙄]
[Stelle: Sigh, the competition is fierce.]
[Stelle: Seriously, how can the beloved daughter lose out to mere disciples?! This defies logic!]
[Jingliu: It's just their personalities.]
[Jingliu: Despite having similar roles, given their temperaments, even if Kafka and Fu Xuan switched positions, the outcome would've been the same.]
[Himeko: (laughs) Indeed.]
[Himeko: To give you an analogy, little Kafka is like a cat that only rubs against your hand when you pet her first. On the other hand, little Fu Xuan is the type to proactively nuzzle your leg whenever she feels lonely.]
[Fu Xuan: ...I understand what you mean, Himeko, but please don't describe it like that. This venerable one finds it quite embarrassing.]
[Qingque: @Black Swan, considering how close Grand Diviner was with Su Qing back then, does she still not realize it now?]
[Black Swan: No, as she recalls more of her past memories, she should soon become aware of it. Probably by the next episode?]
[March 7th: Ooh, ooh, ooh—next episode preview making a comeback!]
[Kafka: Next Episode: Wayward Disciple! Banished from the Sect!]
[Sparkle: Next Episode: Urgent upon Urgent! Hurry, hurry, hurry!]
[Seele: ?? Ha ha ha ha, Sparkle, you've gone too far!]