Ye Wen truly hadn't expected his junior sister, Tong Ran, to still care about such trivial matters; he could only sigh internally, "Women, after all!"

But looking at his junior sister’s figure, he realized that while she hadn't paid much attention to it over the years due to her rigorous training, Ning Ruxue’s physique had improved significantly since he first arrived.

Perhaps it was due to better nourishment over the years, combined with her increasingly profound martial arts skill, and the skin-beautifying effects of the Xiao Wu Xiang Gong (Lesser Formless Art), that Ning Ruxue had undergone such a transformation.

Stroking his chin, Ye Wen scrutinized her from head to toe several times, making Ning Ruxue too shy to meet his gaze. She just stared blushingly into the distance, as if that might shield her from Ye Wen's scrutiny. If Ye Wen hadn't been constantly holding her hand, such intense staring alone might have scared her away.

At that very moment, a single snowflake drifted down, landing precisely on the hand where Ye Wen held Ning Ruxue. A slight chill reached him, drawing his attention, and then he saw several more snowflakes beginning to fall.

"It's snowing!"

Ning Ruxue paused briefly upon hearing the exclamation, then realized snow was indeed beginning to drift down, and judging by the momentum, it was going to get much heavier.

Seeing the snow swirling everywhere, Ning Ruxue suddenly smiled and remarked, "Senior Brother has gained another year!"

Ye Wen looked up at the falling snow, nodding with a sigh, "Once winter arrives, it means both our birthdays are upon us!"

Like Ning Ruxue, he was an abandoned infant taken in by their Master from the foot of the mountain. In those times, ordinary folks often struggled to survive; winter, especially, was a great tribulation without stored grain. Many poor farming households, unable to feed their children, would simply abandon them, hoping they might be picked up by a good family—a blessing—or otherwise, their fate was sealed by starvation; keeping them alive was too difficult.

The Shu Mountain Sect's residence was located at the foot of the mountain back then. Their Master had encountered several abandoned infants and, unable to bear it, took them back. However, among those children, some were already dead upon discovery, or couldn't be saved after being brought back. Ye Wen and Ning Ruxue were comparatively fortunate, having been found shortly after being left, thus saving their lives.

For the two of them, their birthdays were never a pleasant memory; each one was a recurring reminder that they had been discarded.

But things were different now. Ning Ruxue was still Ning Ruxue, yet Ye Wen was no longer that same person. Looking up at the inky night sky, his thoughts drifted elsewhere. Simultaneously, he felt the delicate, tender hand he held—soft and smooth—and no matter how long he fiddled with it, he never tired of it. This brought back the memory of that time on the rooftop, holding his junior sister while stargazing.

He was just about to say, "Let's go up to the roof and watch the stars!" when, before he could speak, Ning Ruxue, with a flushed face, said, "It's getting late, Senior Brother should rest now."

Then she pulled her hand from Ye Wen’s large one and vanished in a flash!

Ye Wen looked up and saw that Hua Yi had poked her head out of the window of his room to watch them. Ning Ruxue must have caught her, and in her embarrassment, she bolted.

Seeing Ning Ruxue return to her own room, Ye Wen prepared to head to bed. Just then, Hua Yi hurried out of her room, gathering the two cups of now-chilled tea. She approached Ye Wen and asked, "Master's bed is prepared. Shall this servant help you change?"

As soon as she finished speaking, a voice called out from Ning Ruxue's room: "Hua Yi, hurry and come help!"

"Yes, Madam!" Then, holding the two cups of cold tea, she zipped away without a trace, leaving Ye Wen alone, without even time to reply.

"Oh, blast it! Junior Sister’s reaction was too fast! I was just about to indulge a little!"

Shaking his head, he turned back to his own room, regretful. He suddenly recalled that the situation on Xu Xian's side was likely quite lively too; this venture would certainly give that fellow something to chew on.

"Old Madam Xu is truly daring—making Miss Qin follow Xu Xian up the mountain! If she stays by his side day in and day out, some affection might develop between them!" Xu Xian is soft-hearted; once he gets familiar with someone, it will be hard for him to push them away. If he hadn't been so lax about sending Qin Su away, he wouldn't have let a non-martial artist cling to him, forcing him to catch Huang Rongrong in the act just to make Miss Qin leave on her own accord.

Back in his room, Ye Wen took out the newly acquired green fruit from his embrace. He remembered carrying one with him when he left, but after being away for so long, the fruit had nearly spoiled, so he had eaten it directly. As a result, the fruit's efficacy was significantly weaker than when freshly picked. That experience taught him the fruit had to be consumed immediately, as its effect diminished the longer it was kept.

The one he held now had to be given to Xu Xian tomorrow, along with instructions to eat it while its effects were strongest, lest it go to waste.

The next day, Ye Wen found Xu Xian and explained everything. Xu Xian was straightforward, immediately shoving the fruit into his mouth and swallowing it in a few gulps.

Fortunately, Ye Wen had anticipated this and had already used his Xiantian Ziqi (Innate Primordial Energy) to shield Xu Xian's lung meridians. Seeing him consume the fruit, Ye Wen immediately used the Ziqi again to help him process the impurities and toxins within the fruit. Once this was done, only the chilling energy and the essence of the fruit remained inside Xu Xian’s body. His face turned bluish-purple again, his eyes encircled by blackness, and his Yintang (mid-brow) was ashen—at first glance, he appeared near death.

Coincidentally, Chen Yizhong was also on the mountain and was summoned by Xu Xian to examine him. Old Doctor Chen was startled by Xu Xian's appearance. If Xu Xian and Ye Wen hadn't immediately assured him that this was merely a side effect of consuming a certain fruit, and that their internal energy was protecting their vital points and only the cold energy needed to be resolved, they would have thought Young Master Xu's lung disease had suddenly worsened and he was near death.

"Oh, why resort to such a dangerous measure? If you wanted to feign illness, this old man has his methods; there was no need to suffer like this!"

At these words, both Xu Xian and Ye Wen shouted in unison, "Why didn't you say so sooner?"

"You never asked me!" Chen Yizhong glared, his beard bristling, clearly questioning them: How could they blame him for that?

Upon reflection, they realized they couldn't really blame anyone else; it was Xu Xian’s haste and lack of thorough planning that led him to swallow the fruit so quickly just to deceive everyone.

However, the fruit was already eaten, meaning the disguise was set. If they didn't seize the opportunity to make the act convincing, wouldn't this suffering have been in vain? Soon, news spread that Young Master Xu's condition had suddenly worsened, leaving him bedridden and immobile.

The Shu Mountain Sect had been unusually lively these past few days, with the Xu family constantly coming and going. Furthermore, all the renowned doctors in the vicinity were summoned by the Xu family to treat the newly appointed Zhuangyuan (Top Scholar).

Unfortunately, the chilling energy within Xu Xian was entirely genuine. Coupled with his existing lung ailment, the surrounding doctors and the Xu family knew the situation clearly. Upon taking his pulse, many doctors trembled, breaking out in cold sweat, thinking: "This is the current Official of the Ministry of Personnel; if I fail to cure him, won't my reputation be ruined?"

Yet, looking at Xu Xian's state, they truly lacked confidence. They figured failure wasn't too bad, but promising a cure and then failing to bring him back would cause far greater trouble. Moreover, Xu Xian looked as though he was on the verge of death. Thus, one after another, they offered non-committal words, prescribed bland, harmless prescriptions, and fled without daring to accept payment.

Seeing his colleagues act this way, Chen Yizhong felt contempt for them. But if they hadn't acted that way, Xu Xian's ruse couldn't have been sustained.

Meanwhile, Old Master Xu had been rather glum these days. It was rumored that due to Xu Xian's severe illness, the Old Master himself had nearly collapsed. Feeling guilty, Xu Xian sent Chen Yizhong to check on his father.

Unexpectedly, upon entering the back courtyard of the Xu manor, Chen Yizhong found Old Master Xu sitting comfortably in his study, sipping tea! Seeing him arrive, the Old Master even greeted him warmly.

"Old Master Xu's health..."

Old Master Xu snorted upon hearing this, "Hmph! This old man’s bones are tough; they won't give out so easily! It’s that little brat who's feigning illness to resign his post. Does he really think his old man is so easily fooled?"

Hearing this, Chen Yizhong finally understood that the Old Master had long seen through his younger son’s antics. That's why, after Xu Xian fell ill, the Xu family kept moving in and out, yet the Old Master never showed his face. Later, to avoid suspicion, he simply claimed illness and stayed indoors.

As he was pondering this, Old Madam Xu walked in. She, too, showed no sign of worry. She greeted Chen Yizhong, saying, "This boy is always scheming about these bizarre things. Entering the court might not have been a good thing for him anyway; resigning that official post might actually be a blessing!"

Old Master Xu just snorted and didn't reply.

He naturally understood his son's temperament perfectly. Especially since Xu Xian joined the Shu Mountain Sect over the years, although he was no longer as obedient as before, the father-son bond had become even stronger. They bickered openly, but in their hearts, they felt closer.

Understanding his son's true intentions, Old Master Xu no longer insisted that Xu Xian pursue a bureaucratic career. Moreover, having seen the true nature of his younger son's temper, the Old Master felt he wasn't suited for the fierce competition within the imperial court. If he truly entered that muddy water, he might even bring disaster upon the Xu family.

Now that Xu Xian could use this opportunity to resign his post, it was a good thing. After all, Xu Xian had succeeded as the Zhuangyuan, fulfilling the aspiration to bring glory to his ancestors—something the Old Master was exceedingly satisfied with. He no longer wished to interfere with Xu Xian's future path.

Chen Yizhong grasped the situation from the couple's brief exchange. He chatted aimlessly with them for a while longer before taking his leave.

However, before departing, Old Madam Xu detained him to ask a question: "Is that Miss Qin still on Shu Mountain?"

Chen Yizhong had been back on the mountain for some time, and with the recent commotion involving Xu Xian, he had indeed met Qin Su a few times. He had a decent impression of the young woman, whose appearance, talent, and disposition were quite distinguished.

When the Old Madam asked, he remembered that she was the prospective daughter-in-law the Old Madam had lined up for her younger son. But judging by Xu Xian's behavior, he seemed quite reluctant, clinging to Huang Rongrong constantly, which put Qin Su in a very awkward position.

He thought to himself, "She'll probably be chased away by your son soon enough!" but outwardly, he smiled and said, "Yes, she is!"

The Old Madam asked again, "Can Miss Qin go and look after Xian'er?"

"This..." Qin Su had tried, but Xu Xian persistently refused, rendering her kind intentions useless.

Seeing Chen Yizhong's hesitant expression, the Old Madam let go, sighing, "Alas! I wonder when that little brat will finally agree to marry, fulfilling this old woman's last wish!"

Chen Yizhong could only offer an awkward smile when the topic came up, offer a few perfunctory remarks, and hurry back to Shu Mountain, grumbling that the Sect Leader and Young Master Xu had assigned him such a task—truly a rotten errand.

The person he was grumbling about, meanwhile, sneezed loudly while sitting in Xu Xian's room, then reached out to peel an orange nearby.

The one lying in bed, however, showed no signs of being a patient; he kept stuffing food into his mouth, muttering as he ate, "Pretending to be sick is so miserable; I can't even eat enough!"

To maintain his pretense, Xu Xian could only sip a few mouthfuls of thin porridge daily, terrified that eating too much would arouse suspicion. He relied entirely on Ye Wen bringing him food during his daily visits to avoid starving.

Ye Wen gave him a look, continued peeling the orange, and said, "You brought this upon yourself, who can you blame?" Then he asked, "How is it going? Has the official post been resigned?"

Xu Xian shoveled the last bite of soupy rice into his mouth before replying, "The County Magistrate visited me today and spoke with the doctors who examined me for a while. I estimate the official documents have been submitted, and the Prefecture Officer will likely send someone to verify, and then it should be fine!"

"That slow," Ye Wen calculated, figuring that for the Prefecture Office to send someone would take at least another half a month. During this time, Xu Xian couldn't resolve the internal cold energy and had to maintain this guise. Besides relying on his Chunyang Zhizun Gong (Pure Yang Supreme Skill), Ye Wen would have to assist him several more times.

Xu Xian also sighed, "Just thinking about having to endure another half a month... Alas..."

Ye Wen felt no sympathy. Who told him to ace the final imperial examination so brilliantly? Earning the title of Zhuangyuan meant resigning that position was far from simple! If he were a vagrant, he could just toss his seal and leave; the Emperor wouldn't know where to find him. But Xu Xian was a Shu Mountain disciple, a monk with a place to return to. Resigning an official post was complicated. Otherwise, if the Emperor sent messengers every few days, how could he keep refusing?

He changed the subject, "What are you planning to do about Miss Qin?"

Xu Xian glanced around cautiously, listening intently.

"Relax, no one is near!"

"Qin Su will likely leave in a couple of days. I overheard her maid complaining loudly about me these past two days, and she even said she wrote home to Old Master Xu, complaining about the grievances her mistress suffered here! I estimate that once the Qin family receives the maid's letter, they will definitely send people to bring their young lady home! Given the reputation and status of the Qin family, they don't need to desperately attach themselves to someone like me, Xu Xian!"

At this point, Xu Xian pointed to his face, "Moreover, in this condition, looking like I could die any moment, the Qin family will be even less willing to marry their daughter to a sickly man like me! Otherwise, it wouldn't be good for the young lady to become a widow so soon—not only would it be hard for her to remarry, but earning the label of a 'husband-killer' would be even worse."

Ye Wen asked curiously, "How did you hear all that?"

Xu Xian chuckled slyly, "Miss Qin and her maid don't know that your junior brother possesses such profound skill. They spoke quite freely as soon as they stepped outside the room, assuming I couldn't hear!"

Indeed, after a few days, Qin Su received a letter from the Qin family, along with several house guards sent to escort their young mistress home. Qin Su’s personal maid was thrilled to see her own people arrive and immediately said, "Miss, let's go!"

It was Qin Su who scolded her gently a few times before saying, "Leaving without saying goodbye would be impolite. I must first bid farewell to the host family here."

Ye Wen was standing not far away. Thanks to his increasingly refined internal energy, his senses were sharper. Qin Su and her maid hadn't realized that someone could hear their conversation from such a distance, so they spoke without restraint.

Ye Wen stood there, watching Qin Su approach him gracefully and offer a formal bow. He inwardly praised her: "A true gentlewoman, the wife so many dream of—too bad she ran into a playful scoundrel like Xu Xian!"

When Qin Su straightened up, Ye Wen asked, "Does Miss Qin have anything to say?"

"I thank Sect Leader Ye for your hospitality these past days. However, my family has sent for me, and I must return. I have come specifically to bid you farewell!" Her voice was gentle and soft, utterly polite, displaying the demeanor of a noble lady.

Ye Wen nodded, "Would you like to say farewell to my junior brother as well?"

Upon hearing Ye Wen mention Xu Xian, Qin Su’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. If Ye Wen hadn't been so sharp, he might have missed it. It seemed Qin Su was greatly displeased by Xu Xian's performance over the past few days, but being gentle in nature, she hadn't shown it overtly.

However, the words she spoke now carried a hint of dissatisfaction, "No need. Since Young Master Xu looks down upon this humble girl, why should I see him again?"

These few sentences revealed a slight trace of jealousy and a hint of indignation. Ye Wen understood immediately: although Qin Su was gentle, how many daughters of noble families lacked a degree of pride? Xu Xian hadn't even spared her a glance these past days, focusing only on getting close to Huang Rongrong, which inevitably wounded her pride.

Since that was the case, it was perhaps better they didn't meet. Ye Wen personally escorted the entire party to the mountain gate and watched them gradually disappear, sighing, "Although the Xu family is a family of scholars, Xu Xian is no ordinary Young Master Xu!"

Once they were out of sight, Xu Xian suddenly appeared from somewhere, "Have they left?"

Ye Wen turned to see his triumphant look and immediately dampened it, "Don't think you're done acting just because the Qin family has left! Remember, to deceive outsiders, you must first deceive your own people. So, you still need to keep feigning illness, weakness, and starvation!"

Xu Xian laughed, "Senior Brother, don't joke around!"

Ye Wen grew serious, "I'm not joking. This is treason, deceiving the Emperor; you absolutely cannot treat it lightly! I see your complexion seems to have worsened again. I will instruct Aunt Zhao to make your porridge even lighter!" With that, he deliberately muttered, "That will save some rice too!"

At this, Xu Xian nearly collapsed to the ground, terrified Ye Wen might say something else shocking. He activated his Qinggong (lightness skill) and vanished in a streak!