"..."

"Tingyue, my dear sister, if you want to tell me something, just say it outright. No need to ask for my opinion when you don't really give me a choice."

Yuchi thought miserably, but said aloud, "Honestly speaking, I'm actually a bit interested in this kind of situation. But it seems like you and her don't get along well, there's a bit of tension between you two. Did something happen?"

Yuchi understood completely. He was considering things from Bu Tingyue's perspective, giving her an excuse to talk about it.

Bu Tingyue immediately seized the opportunity.

She said softly,

"That girl is named Yu Yao. We used to get along well. Once when we were out having fun, we encountered a young man. Yu Yao took a liking to him immediately, thinking he was quite good. Personally, I had no interest in such things."

"So she went over to chat him up, but he wasn't interested in her at all. In the end, it was quite awkward for her. She told him that I was the one who liked him and said I was interested in him, so the young man came to ask me about it."

"Of course, I rejected his advances, telling him I had no interest in him whatsoever. After hearing that, he left crying. Later, when we talked about it, the two of us got into an argument. She said I didn't help her, didn't speak up for her, but how could I help her?"

"The guy came to me, but I had no feelings for him at all. How could I possibly say so much to someone I didn't like?"

"And so, we ended up fighting."

"After that, she couldn't let it go. The conflict gradually escalated until it became what it is today. She just wants to win against me at least once. Last time, she looked rather silly and scared the guy away. Now, she spends an hour every day doing her makeup to avoid scaring away flowers and grass when she goes out, hoping to find a match before I do."

"But don't worry, Yuchi. Although there are some issues between us, the Celestial Craft Workshop and her family still have a good relationship. After all, her family is quite powerful in tea production in Cuncha City. You could even call her a green tea girl."

Yuchi: "..."

Why did he find it a little hard to believe? Bu Tingyue seemed serious but as she continued talking, things seemed increasingly off. What did she mean by the other girl being too silly and spending an hour on makeup every day? And calling someone a green tea girl just because they come from a tea-producing family?

It seemed like Bu Tingyue understood everything yet pretended to know nothing. Is this what they call a truly cunning character? They say people with pink hair are secretly devious, but Bu Tingyue doesn't have pink hair, she has black hair. So does that mean black hair hides a black heart too?!

How should he respond? Should he praise Bu Tingyue? After thinking it over, Yuchi approached it from another angle and said, "From what you said, it's truly enlightening. It's surprising, truly astonishing, I never knew things were so exaggerated. I've learned a lot."

Bu Tingyue: "..."

With a hint of a smile in her almond-shaped eyes, she finished venting her frustration. Afterward, she stood up, rolled up her sleeves, and poured Yuchi a cup of tea, continuing to watch the situation on the stage outside.

Meanwhile, Yuchi sipped his tea while observing the happenings around. He was seeing if any of the cultivators caught his attention, though after seeing thousands of people daily, not a single one truly stood out. Finding a suitable disciple was no easy task.

Even though there were quite a few cultivators in Cuncha City, many of whom were fifth or sixth rank, most of them were either men or women unsuitable for the Ascension Gate. Some came just to relax amidst the fresh and subtle teas of the city, which were as elegant as osmanthus, both fragrant and a bit cloying.

Outside the house.

"Let me in. Why can't I just go in? Do you know who I am? Do you know who my father is? Do you know who has been supporting your business all along? And yet you're stopping me from entering? I'm just going to find my friend, what's the big deal?!"

Outside, they heard Yu Yao's loud voice.

The inn's shopkeeper was on the verge of tears, "Oh, please. Inside there is Bu Tingyue and her brother. Just dealing with Bu Tingyue is already a headache, and now her brother from outside Cuncha City is here too. That's two people from the Celestial Craft Workshop. Why would you go there? And calling her a friend? Don't think we don't know about the tension between you and Bu Tingyue."