Chapter Seven: The Unluckiest of Siblings

The next day was once again bright and sunny. Jiang Haohao was placed in the small courtyard by her mother for her daily sunbathing. Her mother was absent today, however, and it was her second sister, Jiang Yunyun, who was looking after her.

Yunyun sat in meditation nearby. At these moments, she looked remarkably serene, a far cry from the sharp-tongued, vicious girl she usually appeared to be. Her small face was actually quite charming; it was only her unkind words that gave her the reputation of having a poisonous tongue.

Suddenly, catching sight of a long white tail flicking in the corner of the eaves, Jiang Haohao perked up. She knew her little spirit pet was guarding her from somewhere in the yard, though the cat remained elusive. She cooed and babbled with excitement, but her sister misinterpreted this as hunger. Yunyun rose and went into the inner room to mix a bowl of Spirit Rock goat milk paste.

As she spoon-fed the paste to Jiang Haohao, the baby could faintly hear her sister swallowing, as if she were hungry herself. When there were only a few spoonfuls left, Jiang Haohao stopped, wanting her sister to have a taste. But Yunyun didn't pay any attention; she simply nudged the last bit into the baby's mouth. She scraped the bowl clean with the small spoon, leaving it so spotless it didn't even need washing. Then, Yunyun poured herself a cup of hot water, rinsed the bowl, and drank the water down.

Watching her sister’s small, busy figure, Jiang Haohao felt a warmth spread through her body and heart. Even though the bowl was empty, her sister had made it look like a feast.

Later, as Yunyun resumed her serious meditation, Jiang Haohao happily played with her sister’s hands. Suddenly, a sound came from the gate. Someone was visiting.

Yunyun waved her hand, and the gate swung open. A fair-skinned, delicate-looking little girl stood there. She was dressed in luxurious immortal robes that trailed on the ground, and in her hair was a golden hairpin shaped like a pink butterfly—the butterfly looked so lifelike it seemed to be fluttering. She appeared entirely out of place, as if she belonged to a different world than this humble yard.

"Jiang Mo, what do you want? If you have no business here, leave. I don’t want your mother finding another reason to make trouble for us," Yunyun said coldly, making it clear she was unwelcome.

The girl walked straight in. She glanced at Jiang Haohao in Yunyun’s arms with a look of pity that mirrored the expression of the old matriarch of the Jiang family. "Sister Yunyun, I’m sorry about the collision the other day. It wasn't your fault, I’m fine. I came today to bring you this." She pulled a cloth bundle from her storage pouch and pressed it into Yunyun’s hands.

"I’ve only just recovered from those bruises, so I came to apologize. These things aren't new, but they are things I’ve truly cherished. Please, don’t look down on them."

Yunyun felt irritated by her syrupy, affected tone. "Take them back. My mother said we aren't to take anything from your household, or we’ll end up losing our Red-Milky Spirit Pigs to pay for it."

Jiang Mo smiled good-naturedly. "Dear sister, I’ve come out of the kindness of my heart to apologize, and my legs are so tired from the walk!"

Yunyun remained unmoved, though she did pour a bowl of Clear Spirit mountain spring water and set it on the table. "Drink it, then leave immediately."

Jiang Mo didn't get angry. She took a symbolic sip from the chipped bowl and began to display the contents of the bundle. Jiang Haohao saw a set of pink silk immortal robes, though they were old and frayed at the edges. There was also a pair of Shu brocade shoes embroidered with butterflies, though the soles were worn uneven. To Yunyun, however, these were treasures beyond reach.

Jiang Haohao could feel her sister’s excitement; Yunyun’s breathing grew shallow. She almost broke her composure, yearning to touch the fine fabric. Jiang Mo, seeing the look on Yunyun’s face, knew she had succeeded. These were clothes she had once loved, but she had outgrown them and found better things.

"Oh, right, Sister Yunyun, I heard the nannies say you’re planning to go to Five Elements Mountain City. You mustn't go. It’s far too dangerous out there alone." Jiang Mo leaned in. "You’re my sister; I wouldn't lie to you. They say there are many bandits there. Please, don't go!"

Whether these words were sincere or false, they only served to annoy Yunyun further. "That’s enough. My mother already forbade me from going. You should head back now. I won’t see you out."

As she watched Jiang Mo leave with a wronged expression, Yunyun felt no guilt at all. Once she was sure the girl was gone, she finally examined the bundle. She searched for a long time but didn't find even a scrap of spirit stone. She was speechless—did this sister of hers really care about her life, yet not leave behind a single coin?

She looked at the luxurious robes, afraid to touch them with her rough hands lest she snag the silk. She picked up the brocade shoes gingerly. They were so beautiful!

"Don't think I don't know that you're just giving me your leftovers while pretending to be kind. If my father’s spirit root hadn't been destroyed, I would be the young lady of the Jiang family too!" she muttered. Despite her words, she took off her own patched shoes and carefully squeezed her feet into the brocade ones.

They were far too small, and her feet bulged against the fabric. She stood up, wobbling. It was incredibly uncomfortable, but she was overjoyed. It was the first time she had ever worn such beautiful shoes. She stared at them unblinkingly and asked Jiang Haohao, "Hehe, little sister, don't they look great?"

Jiang Haohao babbled in response: *Don't wear them, they're too small. When I grow up, I’ll buy you better ones.*

"Haha, I knew you’d like them! When you grow up, I’ll buy you some too."

Reluctant to take them off, she walked around the yard for a long time, showing them to the cloud-ducks and the spirit pigs, though the beasts remained indifferent, interested only in their feed. Only when the pain became unbearable did she remove the shoes. She used a cleansing spell to make them spotless before setting them aside.

Jiang Haohao noticed that her sister’s feet were raw and blistered, while the brocade shoes remained pristine, as if they had never touched the ground. Her gaze lingered on the raw wounds, which Yunyun simply rinsed with a little spring water before ignoring them. It was as if she were used to the pain.

*The spirit water should help them heal,* Jiang Haohao thought. She hoped it would; if not, she would have to find a way to feed her sister some of her own immortal water.

Even with her sore feet, Yunyun continued to bustle about the yard, tending to the poultry and caring for her baby sister. Even when it was time to cultivate, she kept Jiang Haohao by her side, terrified that the baby might fall.

Watching the young girl’s devotion, Jiang Haohao thought of Jiang Mo. She didn't have to toil for her family or sacrifice her cultivation time to watch a sibling. After all, Jiang Mo possessed a Heavenly Spirit Root; she progressed by leaps and bounds without even trying. Jiang Haohao felt a pang of envy. She had heard that Jiang Mo once possessed only a low-grade spirit root, just like them, until the old matriarch had found her a Nine-Turn Heavenly Spirit Pill to transform it.

*So much wealth, such good fortune,* she thought.