Chapter 159 Chapter 160 Love Letter (Part Two)
Jima rushed home on her travel horse, as Jenna was not at home and had gone out on business, and her conversation with Caslan had ended badly.
As she left the city gates, the road was mostly empty. Jima cracked the whip a few times on the horse’s rear, and the travel horse neighed and galloped down the road, quickening its pace.
The wind whipped Jima’s black hair, and the trees lining the road raced past, but the road seemed so long that it felt as though it would never end.
Jima couldn’t wait any longer. She roughly pulled on the reins, causing the travel horse to rear up on its hind legs. Before it had even stabilized, Jima jumped off the horse and tugged on the reins, pulling it to the side of the road beneath a tree and tying it up. Climbing the branches, she quickly hoisted herself up to the tree crown.
Perched atop the tree, she found the thickest branch, sat down swinging her legs, and took out a yellowed letter from her waist pouch. The red wax seal was perfect, and Jima realized she needed a letter opener, but she couldn’t be bothered to rummage through her dimensional bag, so she bit and crushed the wax instead.
“Spit, spit, spit.”
After clearing her mouth of the crushed wax, she pulled out a piece of pure white paper from the envelope, featuring George’s neat handwriting—clean and tidy. Jima unfolded the letter and read its contents.
“Jima:”
“Today, I am still training on the battlefield. The best swordmaster in White City can no longer correct my movements, but I still like to reflect on what I do wrong. My brothers are very willing to help me improve, and we practiced from morning until noon.”
“After coming out of the training ground, I walked along the street shaded by green canopies. The ground was solid, the shade was dense, and although it was crowded, it wasn’t congested. In White City, both people and streets are the most beautiful scenery; people trust each other, helping one another.”
“Strolling down the street, I couldn’t help but think of John. This orderly and harmonious society demands a higher price than I imagined.”
Jima quickly glanced down, muttering to herself, “Is the love letter really a diary with a dead-end control?”
“… I went to court with the person in charge of street planning, and in the end, I won the lawsuit; the temple finally agreed to let me put the dragon’s skull in front of your dormitory. Once the artisan cleans up the flesh and blood from the green dragon skull, I will place it before your dormitory.”
“Now, your dormitory is truly more magnificent than any palace in the kingdoms below. But once I push open the courtyard door, I can no longer see you through the window. I really hope you can come back one day.”
Jima sniffled.
“This guy actually remembered the bragging from that night. However, even if you killed me, I won’t return to the temple’s dormitory; the conditions there are too harsh, and it’s just a stinky dragon head. What a pity. Miss Green Dragon was pale-skinned, beautiful, with long legs, and dressed daringly. That petal cloak was so lovely; it’s really a shame she died before I could even get to know her.”
After saying that, Jima swung her legs, her tail happily wagging, and continued reading.
The next part was filled with delicately woven words.
“…. It’s late at night, and there’s still an hour until bedtime, so I’ll end it here. I hope the carrier pigeon can bring this letter to you quickly.”
The first page was done.
Jima silently read through it once more, her lips curling into a brazen smile.
“It’s said that heroes have a hard time with beautiful women. This fool seems to be really in love with me. Just look at how pure his words are—there’s not even a hint of lust, as if his desire had been completely quelled, which means I’ve become the goddess in his heart. I should embrace the aloof goddess persona, and only when I’m in a good mood will I let him touch my hand, so he’ll work hard to adore me.”
Imagining George turning into a pitiful little puppy, wagging his tail and following her around, Jima couldn’t help but smile.
After reading the letter again, she noticed George hadn’t written an ending.
There were words on the back?
Jima quickly flipped the letter, and indeed, there was another line written on the reverse.
“Jima, I miss your tail.”
“George.”
Jima’s face turned red, feeling a tingling sensation at the base of her tail. She grumbled to herself, “Old pervert!”
With a tug, she tried to tear the paper, but then paused, neatly folded the paper, stuffed it back into the envelope, and held the envelope tightly as she jumped down from the tree trunk. Though her legs felt a bit numbed when she landed, it didn’t matter; she untied the reins and swung back onto the horse’s back.
The travel horse, still chewing grass, didn’t react at first, but Jima raised her whip and landed several hard cracks on its rear.
The travel horse, feeling the sting, carried the blushing Jima as it galloped back to the alchemy workshop.
As soon as they entered the courtyard.
Lianxi, clad in a black-and-white maid outfit, came up to greet her, using the newly learned phrases:
“Most esteemed and great master, your arrival brings me immense joy.”
Jima tossed the reins to her and said, “Your praise needs work.”
“Master, your critique is like thunder and lightning; I am incredibly—”
“Enough.” Jima waved her hand, “I can’t cook dinner tonight; it’s canceled.”
“Ah?” Lianxi lowered her head, “I’m sorry, master, I didn’t mean it.”
“It’s because I’m busy,” Jima said. “You cook for yourself and eat.”
After saying that, Jima clasped the envelope, striding into the alchemy room.
She stored the letter and immediately began concocting potions.
Money Luck Potions had a wide range of uses and cheap materials; she should practice making more to earn some money.
“After all, cooperation means everyone earns money.” Jima mused, “I guess that counts as dealing with the father-in-law.”
One vial after another of pale gold potion was poured into test tubes and sealed with sanctified green wax candle oil.
By the time the red sunset painted the window, Jima finally stopped, pressing her hand against her waist and squeezing her sore arm muscles.
Having used all the leftover spices, fifteen vials of “Money Luck Potions” lined up in a row, with a beam of red sunset light casting across the window. The light fell on the vials, and within the red-stained potions, some impurities floated.
“I didn’t expect to spend the whole afternoon.” Jima looked at the potions, “It doesn’t seem like I can earn a thousand gold coins; everyone’s money luck varies. The poorer drinkers see little return, while the rich despise risk.”
What to do?
Jima thought for a moment, feeling that older wealthy individuals often had large bellies, thinning hair, and lacked vitality.
“Let’s try making a potion that can solve impotence.”
Without hesitation, she used the expensive laurel flowers from alchemy soil and several herbs, crushed them together with oil, and finally refined them into a thick balm. To imbue it with her extraordinary abilities, Jima directly infused “lust” into it.
She added a pink dye to make the balm appear more effective.
Although her experience suggested this balm looked quite effective, adhering to empirical spirit, Jima brought over a cage holding a mouse caught by Lianxi. She didn’t allow Lianxi to eat the mouse, opting instead to use it as a test subject.
The experiment was highly successful; three hungry, emaciated black mice ignored the bread thrown in the cage and eagerly attacked the fourth male mouse.
The potion was completed, but…
“After just showing off in front of Caslan, it would be too embarrassing to turn back like this.” Jima pondered while looking at the potion. “But if I wait too long, the magical potion I crafted will lose its potency.”
The sound of a carriage rolling down the road stopped in front of the courtyard.
The door was knocked on, and Caslan’s voice came from outside: “Excuse me, is Miss Qiao here?”
Lianxi held a wooden stick and asked, “Who?”
“Tell her I am Jenna’s father.”
Jima hastily put away the magical potion into a box filled with straw, opened the door, and said to Lianxi, “Open the door.”
This play was obviously uncontrollable; he ran over to negotiate with me.
Jima thought as she moved toward the courtyard door.
Upon opening the door, it was none other than the tall, thin Caslan with his red beard.
However, Caslan’s request took Jima by surprise. He said, “Miss Qiao, please take a look at my daughter. She came back from treating Young Master Yi, and she seems a bit strange.”
In an instant, Jima’s mind exploded with thoughts.
Keywords like “married woman’s infidelity,” “minotaurs,” “secret training,” and “cuckoldry” spun through her mind.
“I’ll go see right away,” Jima said as she approached the carriage, asking, “What exactly is going on?”
“She is glowing all over and seems to be out of control. At dinner, she kept muttering, ‘I can’t cure it, I’m sorry.’ It felt like she was bewitched.” Caslan said morosely, “But then she’s okay again, barely finishing her food, then locking herself in her room, saying she’s researching knowledge.”
Jima put on her lucky ring and called for her travel horse.
“Aren’t you getting on the carriage?”
“I prefer to breathe fresh air.”
Jima mounted her travel horse, and pale-faced Lianxi handed her the “Blood Lamb Horn Cup.” Holding it, Jima felt a bit anemic and dizzy.
This was her habit; whenever things were slightly abnormal, she would think of the worst. For instance, what if Caslan’s carriage were a trap?
“Alright.” Caslan didn’t insist, getting onto a horse-drawn carriage pulled by two horses, while Jima rode her horse, following behind the carriage.
Bouncing on horseback, the distant sunset sank closer to the horizon.
As Jima regained her composure, she increasingly felt that this situation was quite complicated.
At most, Caslan was just a knowledgeable mortal. How did he perceive his daughter’s situation to be so bad that he personally sought out his daughter’s “rival”?
Could Jenna, who had undergone professional training, have not noticed?
Or could it be that Caslan was a fake, or this was a trap? Jima thought, becoming more vigilant of her surroundings, especially the groves by the roadside, which looked like they might conceal a hundred strong men.
Or perhaps the malicious events surrounding Jenna had reached a complexity that compelled her to recklessly march toward destruction.
Half an hour later, the group arrived at Caslan’s residence without incident. Facts proved that Jima’s paranoia was indeed worsening.
Caslan sent away the servants, and the two walked down the colonnade. Caslan quietly asked Jima:
“I always feel like I’ve driven my daughter crazy. I told her to take a break from treating Young Master Yi, but she said that if she doesn’t, she won’t secure Young Master Yi’s help, and our family won’t get out of the downturn.”
Jima knew that Jenna had returned home to solve the family’s impending bankruptcy. It was said that Caslan’s trade company had gone to sea three times and had sunk three times, incurring huge losses, while also being deceived by business partners, losing a large sum of money.
Fortunately, their family had Jenna, so others didn’t dare to push them too hard. Otherwise, Caslan would have taken his entire family and left the residence long ago.
“It’s quite likely.” Jima said, “Jenna educated me on your adept moral manipulation tactics. I never would have imagined someone would exploit their own daughter. For an extraordinary person, being internally shaken can easily lead to issues.”
Caslan fell silent.
However, Jima didn’t think her words were of much value; a leopard can’t change its spots.
In Caslan’s heart, he was probably resenting her.
Arriving in front of Jenna’s room, Jima knocked on the door and said, “Sister Jenna, it’s me, Jima.”
“Jima, what brings you here?”
“I came to play at your home tonight.” Jima said, “I want to sleep with you.”
The door opened to reveal a smiling Jenna. Upon seeing her biological father, her brow furrowed. “Dad, are you the one troubling Jenna?”
“No, I’m not.” Caslan replied before leaving.
Jenna held Jima’s hand and said, “Jima, have you eaten? I think I heard your stomach growling.”
“No, I haven’t eaten.”
Jima and Jenna entered the room together. Jenna rang a bell, calling for a servant to bring some sweets for Jima to fill her stomach.
Once the door closed, Jima hugged Jenna, saying, “Sister Jenna has such a nice figure; so soft, so soft. I just can’t help but hold and rub against her.”
Jenna, taking Jima’s antics lightly, patted her shoulder and said, “Jima, you will grow taller and mature too.”
As Jima snuggled against Jenna, she carefully sniffed the scent on her.
Fortunately, there was no smell of heather flowers or any other man. Just a faint scent of reassuring oil.
Jima felt relieved, letting go and sitting in a chair to chat with Jenna.
“Jima, I didn’t know your friend is a girl.” Jenna said, “I heard she has been pursuing Miss Linatis in male disguise; sometimes, same-sex love can be quite touching.”
Jima looked around; Jenna’s room was spacious, serving as both a bedroom and a prayer room and workspace. Beneath the divine emblem of the God of Dawn hung a workbench filled with candles, gems, sacred oil, and an enormous stack of books along with sheets of paper filled with writing.
“Please keep this a secret.” Jima said, “I only told you because I consider you a good sister.”
“Of course, I promise.”
“Xiya was originally male; it was just that she experienced side effects from her potion and turned female.” Jima said, “To ensure she took first place, I used my extraordinary ability to completely turn her into a woman.”
Jenna’s clear green eyes were filled with surprise as she covered her mouth and said:
“Is that so? Fortunately, she’s an ordinary person; otherwise, changing gender wouldn’t be so easy. Jima, you’ve deceived the entire city with this.”
“Do you think I’m lying?”
“As long as it’s a good thing for others, the difference between truth and lies doesn’t matter.” Jenna said, “Truth is just a means to achieve a better future.”
Jima and Jenna talked for a long time; her thoughts were clear and orderly, not at all like someone who had just lost control.
She inquired about treating Yi.
Jenna said:
“Yi is almost the head of the family; his mother is already semi-retired. His help can help my family out of a crisis. Although I don’t like my dad’s character, my family raised me, so I must fulfill my obligation to them.”
At this moment, a knock came at the door.
“Miss, the sweets have been delivered.”
Jenna said: “Little Qiao, you look tired. Let me get the sweets for you.”
With that, she stood up and walked towards the door.
Jima took out a silver coin, aimed it at Jenna’s back, and flicked it up. She wondered, was Jenna’s state stable?
The coin flip.
Heads up, meaning Jenna was in good condition.
Though divination isn’t 100% accurate, combined with her previous observations, Jenna didn’t seem like someone who had lost control. Perhaps Caslan was overreacting.
Thinking this, Jima stood up and walked toward the workbench under the emblem of the God of Dawn.
On it lay candles, a basket with colorful gems, sacred oil, as well as strange ritual arrays on sheepskin, and a thick notebook.
Curious, Jima flipped open the blue-covered notebook. The first page was filled with the words “Can’t save you, I’m sorry.” Her heart skipped a beat as she turned the page; each page was densely filled with “Can’t save you, I’m sorry.”
The entire notebook had only the last few pages blank.
“Jima,” Jenna’s emotionless voice suddenly emerged from behind her, “What are you looking at?”
When did she come up behind me without a sound?
Jima’s hand trembled, causing the notebook to fall on the table, opening to reveal the dense writing. She turned around to find Jenna floating behind her, smiling down at her.
——————
Four thousand four hundred words, adding the missing thousand from yesterday.
