Free Web NovelChapter 126: Chapter 126: Target of Public Criticism
Lu Sangjiu, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, wished the ground would swallow her whole.
’Haven’t you shameless old men had enough? Do you think you’re being funny?’
But she also understood they were teasing her on purpose. The more she tried to explain, the more it would egg them on, and she’d just end up looking petty. It simply wasn’t worth it.
Clearly, Gu Jue knew this too, which was why even he didn’t bother explaining.
Amidst the silence, Gu Jue secretly sent her a telepathic message. "My master means no harm. He just likes to joke around. You don’t have to take it to heart."
Lu Sangjiu quickly replied, "It’s fine. I know everyone is just teasing. I definitely won’t take it seriously."
She added, "Mr. Gu is incredibly righteous. I’m already endlessly grateful that you were willing to help me. I’m the one to blame for getting carried away and speaking without thinking, causing you trouble, Mr. Gu. I’m truly sorry."
A hint of a smile touched Gu Jue’s eyes as he replied softly, "...It’s no trouble at all."
Lu Sangjiu froze for a moment. She felt like his words had a deeper meaning, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.
But their surreptitious telepathic exchange didn’t escape the notice of the Divinity Transformation Stage Cultivators present.
The elder from the Gold and Silver Gate suddenly laughed. "Gu Jue, are you two secretly communicating because you have something so private to discuss you can’t say it out loud?"
Lu Sangjiu: "..."
’I’m begging you, be a decent human being. There are so many Divinity Transformation experts here, how come you’re the only one with such a cheap mouth?’
Gu Jue hadn’t expected to be called out, either. He had no choice but to stand, raise his wine cup, and say, "My apologies, Senior. It was this junior’s impoliteness."
"I simply saw that she was feeling ill at ease and wanted to comfort her. I didn’t expect to disturb you, Senior. It was my lack of consideration. I apologize to all the seniors here."
After speaking, he drained his cup of wine in one go as a sign of apology.
But the elder from the Gold and Silver Gate wasn’t finished. He chuckled. "I suppose I must have misjudged. I had thought Gu Jue and Ye were a perfect match. Turns out it was all a misunderstanding. HAHAHAHA."
Lu Sangjiu: "..."
’I’m really at a loss with this idiot. I wish he’d open his eyes and see if anyone else in the room is laughing besides him.’
His words plunged the room into an extremely awkward atmosphere.
The other elder from the Gold and Silver Gate couldn’t help but cough loudly twice as a reminder. Only then did the first elder belatedly realize he seemed to have misspoken.
He stopped laughing awkwardly and glanced sheepishly at Ye Zhiyao. "Oh... Ye, my sincerest apologies. This old man has had a bit too much to drink and seems to have said the wrong thing." fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
Lu Sangjiu: "..."
’The way he said that... he was more two-faced than she was.’
She even started to suspect the old man was doing it on purpose.
Just then, Sword Bu Gui suddenly said, "If you know you’ve misspoken, then shut up. All this nonsense... it wouldn’t be good if Lu misunderstood."
Lu Sangjiu: "..."
’Sword Bu Gui’s words were practically a stamp of approval on her relationship with Gu Jue. At the same time, it was a harsh slap in the face to Ye Zhiyao.’
But Lu Sangjiu didn’t feel flattered in the slightest. Instead, her heart sank...
’So that’s how it is! No wonder Sword Bu Gui insisted I come in. He was using me as a shield for Gu Jue!’
’From what they were all implying, they had probably teased Gu Jue and Ye Zhiyao together quite a bit before.’
’But Sword Bu Gui couldn’t stand Bai Heng, so naturally, he had no fondness for Ye Zhiyao either.’
’When they were teasing them before, Sword Bu Gui, as an elder, couldn’t say much.’
’And Gu Jue, as a junior, would have any explanation he gave dismissed as shyness and be teased even more.’
’Sword Bu Gui must have been unhappy about it for a while. So, when Gu Jue couldn’t help but stand up for me, Sword Bu Gui seized the opportunity and immediately propped me up.’
’On one hand, he could use this to distance them from Ye Zhiyao’s camp. On the other, he could deliberately make them uncomfortable.’
Sword Bu Gui might be satisfied now, but Lu Sangjiu had become the target of everyone’s animosity.
Sure enough, Ye Zhiyao’s expression was now so dark it looked like it could drip water.
She pressed her lips together tightly and forced a smile. "Sword Master Bu Gui is right. Senior, you really shouldn’t make such jokes."
"I’ve already explained before that Senior Brother Gu and I are just ordinary friends."
"Besides... Junior Sister Lu and I are from the same sect. It wouldn’t be good if she misunderstood me and it affected the fellowship between us."
As she spoke, she looked at Lu Sangjiu with a gentle smile. "Isn’t that right, Junior Sister Lu?"
This time, Lu Sangjiu didn’t avoid Ye Zhiyao’s gaze. She looked back at her and returned the smile. "I’ll remember what you said today, Senior Sister Ye."
"You and Mr. Gu are just ordinary friends, and because you don’t want me to misunderstand, you will proactively avoid any suspicion in the future by not having too much contact with Mr. Gu... That is what you meant, right? I didn’t misunderstand, did I?"
Ye Zhiyao: "..."
The smile on her face froze. She had intended it as a strategic retreat, but she never expected Lu Sangjiu to follow her words to this conclusion!
If she nodded, wouldn’t that be equivalent to completely cutting off any future with Gu Jue?
But if she didn’t nod, with so many people watching, wouldn’t she be admitting she hadn’t been sincere and actually had designs on Gu Jue? freёwebnovel.com
Her fingers gradually tightened into fists. She stared daggers at Lu Sangjiu, and after a long moment, she finally nodded. "Since this is what Junior Sister Lu wishes, then as her senior sister, I will naturally grant it."
She nodded, but she wasn’t about to let Lu Sangjiu off the hook so easily.
So she immediately added, "But... Junior Sister Lu seems to hold quite a bit of hostility towards me. Could it be that you’re still holding a grudge over what happened in the Qingyu Secret Realm?"
As she spoke, her face filled with sorrow and guilt. "My severe injuries hadn’t healed, so I didn’t have a chance to apologize to you. I’m truly sorry for causing you so many misunderstandings."
Lu Sangjiu couldn’t believe Ye Zhiyao actually had the nerve to bring up the events of the Qingyu Secret Realm.
’But judging by her tone... is she trying to play the victim and accuse me first again?’
Sure enough, before she could reply, Bai Heng, who had been silent all this time, spoke up.
"Ayao, she was the one who injured you in the Qingyu Secret Realm. If anyone should be apologizing, it’s her to you."
Bai Heng’s voice was cold, his accusation aimed directly at Lu Sangjiu.
The two elders from the Gold and Silver Gate never expected the atmosphere to take an even more awkward turn. For a moment, they could only look at each other, constantly wiping the cold sweat from their foreheads.
At this point, Elder Yin, the one who had started all this, was filled with endless regret. ’Why did I have to have a couple more drinks and lose the filter on my mouth?’
He could only try to smooth things over. "Um... could there be some kind of misunderstanding here?"
’This is your Seven Emotions Sect’s business, can’t you go home and discuss it behind closed doors? Why drag us into your awkward mess!’
But Bai Heng just snorted coldly, showing no courtesy. "Ayao was severely injured by Lu Sangjiu. She’s only just started to recover in the last two days. What misunderstanding could there be?"
Ye Zhiyao spoke in a soft voice, "Master, you can’t blame Junior Sister Lu for this. I was the one whose mind was addled at the time. Junior Sister Lu was only trying to save me..."
"Trying to save you by beating you until you were severely injured?"
Bai Heng scoffed. "Stop making excuses for her. Judging by your injuries, it’s clear to me she was trying to use the opportunity to take your life!"
Lu Sangjiu: "..."
’Well now, look at these two, working in tandem to paint me as some unpardonable villain, huh?’
