Chapter 265: Chapter 265: Provocation and a Face-slap

Little Red Carp didn’t want her sister to make an oath.

"Yes, I know. The world we’re in contact with is rather fantastical. Mana exists, so of course, binding oaths are effective." Zhao Nuanyue smiled gently. "I just want to use these oaths to make my Little Red Carp understand that she is my sister, and always will be in my heart."

Hearing Zhao Nuanyue’s words, Little Red Carp was so moved she was on the verge of tears again.

"Sister, why are you so good to me?" Little Red Carp said, her voice choked with emotion. "I don’t think I’m that great, really. Treating me like this... it makes me feel a little overwhelmed."

"Silly girl, you’re my sister, not just Little Red Carp," Zhao Nuanyue said sincerely. "My biological father is gone. My mother remarried and started a new family with my stepfather, and they have their own child now. Nuanyang and I have become outsiders. Now, you’re the only family Nuanyang and I have."

Little Red Carp was very kind and cheerful, but her heart was also sensitive and fragile.

"Mm, I understand now." Little Red Carp hugged her sister tightly and didn’t let go, her heart finally feeling at ease.

Zhao Nuanyue comforted Little Red Carp. After all, Little Red Carp had traveled all this way to Jincheng City with her. She was probably a little scared and needed her reassurance and comfort.

Fortunately, Little Red Carp was no ordinary child, so after a heart-to-heart with Zhao Nuanyue, she immediately perked up.

When they arrived, Little Red Carp had fainted; as they were leaving, she was lively and energetic again.

The two sisters caught a lot of fish and put them in a basket to take back.

By now, everyone at Immortal Grass Hall was used to Zhao Nuanyue frequently bringing back fish. Although many were curious, they also knew that under the current planned economy, having connections to get things wasn’t exactly safe. So, as long as there was food to eat, that was enough, and almost no one asked questions.

But just because few people asked didn’t mean no one did.

Cao Jingya came by often. The last time she’d had a fish dinner, she hadn’t thought much of it, just assuming it was bought from the store. But not even three days had passed, and when Cao Jingya came again, there was fish on the table once more.

’Wow, Master’s food is pretty good.’

’But Master’s family doesn’t have that many fish ration tickets. So where are all these fish coming from?’

After a moment’s thought, Cao Jingya came up with two possibilities: either the fish were procured from the countryside, or they were caught from the river. Either way could get Immortal Grass Hall into trouble.

"Oh, Junior Sister, I saw you carrying a basket earlier. Was that the fish you bought?" Cao Jingya asked curiously. "Where did you buy it? It’s so fresh!"

When Cao Jingya asked about the fish, Zhao Nuanyue felt a pang of nervousness, but she kept a calm expression. She chuckled and said, "Yes, I bought it at the store. The fish was quite good today, very fresh. And Granny Sun’s cooking is excellent. Please, have some, Madam."

Madam Sun saw Zhao Nuanyue place the best part of the fish on her plate and nodded. "Alright, then I’ll gladly accept."

"My, it’s not easy to get fish these days," Cao Jingya said. "I queue up early in the morning and still can’t get any. If you go next time, Junior Sister, you should bring some back for me."

"Haha." Zhao Nuanyue just smiled. "Senior Sister, you’re too kind. I just had something to do today and didn’t come to Immortal Grass Hall. After I was done, I just happened to pass by and bought some. I usually don’t have the time at all. But you, Senior Sister... when you get your hands on good food, you shouldn’t just keep it for yourself. You should bring some to honor Master and Madam. After all, they raised you, and back when finances were better, they made sure you ate well and were never mistreated."

Cao Jingya had only meant to intimidate Zhao Nuanyue a bit and see if she could pry out some information. She never expected to get nothing useful and instead be put on the spot by this young girl.

"Junior Sister, you shouldn’t be so harsh," Cao Jingya said, displeased. The smile vanished from her face.

"Huh?" Zhao Nuanyue feigned confusion. "Senior Sister Cao, what did I say that you found harsh? Isn’t it normal for us apprentices to show respect to our Master and Madam? Or did I misunderstand? Is it that apprentices can eat Master’s food, but don’t have to show any respect in return?"

"Zhao Nuanyue, you won’t survive in Jincheng City with an attitude like that." Cao Jingya’s face flushed with anger and embarrassment from being cornered. Usually, she was the one lecturing everyone at Immortal Grass Hall. She couldn’t believe Zhao Nuanyue, who had only been here for a few days, actually dared to speak to her like this.

Zhao Nuanyue heard this but was completely unfazed. She smiled and said, "Thank you for the reminder, Senior Sister. I’m young and don’t know how to speak properly. If I’ve hit a nerve, please forgive me. By the way, you come here to eat with Master and Madam every few days, and you almost always come empty-handed. Next time, bring grain or grain ration tickets. Everyone’s food rations are limited these days. Otherwise, when you come, the rest of us don’t get enough to eat. So, Senior Sister, if it’s not important, you shouldn’t come over."

The others at the dinner table said nothing, just watching the war of words unfold between Zhao Nuanyue and Cao Jingya.

Usually, they were the ones getting lectured by Cao Jingya. Even their Master and Madam didn’t say anything. As for Tang Kai Xuan and Liu Wenqiang, they were men, and didn’t want to get into a petty squabble with a woman.

But this time, their Junior Sister had spoken up, and she came out swinging right from the start.

Finally, someone was putting Cao Jingya in her place, and it was so satisfying.

"So you can eat Master and Madam’s food, but I can’t?" Cao Jingya retorted. "If fellow disciples are this petty, what’s the point of talking about camaraderie in our sect?"

"Hey now, let’s be realistic," Zhao Nuanyue said, displeased. "Camaraderie isn’t a one-way street where you just take and never give. Besides, when we eat here, we turn in our ration tickets and our wages. On top of that, grain is rationed now. Even if Master and Madam wanted to be generous, they can’t. All of us junior brothers and sisters understand this. Are you, the Senior Sister, really going to pretend you don’t? Never mind that grain is precious in the city—even in the countryside, when you go to a banquet at someone’s house, you don’t just give a gift of money, you also bring a bowl of rice or noodles. We all know how it works, so don’t you play dumb."

Zhao Nuanyue had been holding in a bellyful of frustration all day.

As long as Cao Jingya’s nitpicking wasn’t directed at her, Zhao Nuanyue couldn’t be bothered to deal with her. But when Cao Jingya saw she was quiet and took her for a pushover, she had another thing coming. Zhao Nuanyue was a veteran of countless battles; there was no way she would let a disloyal mooch like Cao Jingya lecture her without consequence.

Hearing this, Liu Wenqiang was delighted and chimed in, "Senior Sister Cao, we all turn in our ration tickets and wages. You come here every two or three days and eat two bowls of rice each time. If you come ten times a month, that’s twenty bowls of rice, nearly five kilograms of rice. If you eat that much, the rest of us have to go hungry. As our senior sister, you can’t be so selfish."

Cao Jingya looked around the table. Not only were none of her junior brothers speaking up for her, but even her Master and Madam were acting as if they hadn’t heard a thing, just continuing to eat their meal.

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