Upon returning to her living quarters, Li Qinqin directly went to the kitchen and begun brewing green tea.
Tian Yi sat in the same spot, waiting patiently for Li Qinqin to be done with the tea.
He looked around the room; it was empty with only a bed and a table with two chairs.
The house itself only has 2 rooms, the bedroom, and the kitchen.
Although she entered the sect with her sister's help, her living quarters were the same as the other Outer Court Disciples. However, despite that, she still has an advantage over other Outer Court Disciples since she lived by herself while others would have roommates.
Li Qinqin, inside the kitchen, smiled as she brewed tea. She never thought brewing tea would be so fun, exciting even.
Although she did not know much, if anything at all, about Tian Yi, she felt as though they had known each other for a much longer time than in reality.
Choo… The water boiled while she was in deep thoughts.
Li Qinqin poured the boiling water into the teapot with new leaves and went into the bedroom that was also a living room.
"This is the last pot of green tea I'd be able to make…" she said to him with a bitter smile.
To think her entire stock of tea leaves that was meant to last until next year ended up being used in one day. Just how much does he love green tea?
Tian Yi scratched his head in embarrassment. It wasn't until just now did he realize how rude he'd been as a guest. "I apologize for drinking all your tea…" he said to her.
Li Qinqin shook her head. "It's fine, really. I only have them because my elder sister would drink them when she visits—" she stopped speaking halfway through her sentence, the light in her eyes dimming.
Mentioning about Li Liling had made Li Qinqin realize that it's been many months since she had visited her.
Tian Yi silently sipped on the tea, inwardly wondering if having a sibling was really that complicated. He considers Meng Xiang as his little sister for the majority, but as far as being blood-related siblings, he was the only child, so he doesn't know much if anything about having siblings.
Li Qinqin quickly shook her head to shake away the thoughts of her elder sister.
"Meng Yi, you said that you were a traveler, right? What kind of places have you been to? And how does it feel to travel alone in this endless world?" she then asked him with anticipating eyes.
Tian Yi removed the teacup from his lips to set it down on the table, and said, "I've just begun my journey, so there's really not much I could say. Also, I am traveling with my younger sister, Meng Xiang, so I am not alone."
"You have a sibling, too?" Li Qinqin was decently surprised to hear that he too, had a sister.
"Un. Tian Yi nodded.
Li Qinqin's eyes sparkled like the stars in the sky, suddenly feeling even more intimate towards him after knowing that he too, has a sibling.
"Meng Yi… Although I do not know your situation as siblings, but as the elder one, you must treat your younger sister with love, but at the same time, not spoil her too much with that love," Li Qinqin sighed. "Or else it'd make it difficult for her in the future."
"What do you mean?" Tian Yi asked her.
"Before that… If you do not mind me asking… do you two have parents?" Li Qinqin asked him.
Tian Yi thought about it for a moment before shaking his head, causing her mood to turn solemn.
"Then if you spoil her too much, she would not be able to separate herself from you in the future, becoming fully dependant on you— even with her life," said Li Qinqin.
"Is that a bad thing?" Tian Yi tilted his head in puzzlement.
"Of course, it is a bad thing," she instantly replied. "What will she do in the future if something unfortunate were to happen that would end up forcing the two of you to walk separate paths? How will she, who is fully dependant on you, be able to live properly at that point?"
"I say this because I have personally experienced it, and I do not want another to experience what I had." Li Qinqin looked out the window to where a tall pagoda stood in the distance, her gaze seemingly filled with longing.
"I could tell by your character that you are the type spoil another… But if I am wrong, then forgive me for my judgment…"
Tian Yi lifted an eyebrow at her words. He thought back to how he treated Meng Xiang and how she'd treat him. Although he does spoil her at times, he would also let her work until she sweats at other times.
"Thank you, I will keep your words in mind," he smiled.
Li Qinqin nodded. She was not the type to stick her nose into another's business, but when she heard that Tian Yi also had a sibling, she wanted to make sure that neither of them would end up like her and Li Liling.
Before they joined the Dragon Gate Sect, Li Qinqin was very dependant on Li Liling. Whether it be emotional support or physical, Li Liling would always be there to help her. After they joined the Dragon Gate Sect, however, the two became more and more distant with each other. At first, it wasn't as bad, but as Li Liling grew in power and status, Li Qinqin herself was left behind in the Outer Court.
After they were separated, Li Qinqin would always be in a desperate mood, wishing to be by her elder sister's side, but alas, the sect would always try every way possible to keep the two of them separated so Li Liling would not be disturbed from her cultivation, and this would continue for a few years.
As time went, the two would only become more distant, and the sect would always be there to keep that distance, even increasing it at times.
If they could, the sect would've kicked Li Qinqin out of their sect long ago. However, it was still too early, and they were still unsure of the connection between the two siblings, so they could only wait until they are certain that Li Liling no longer cared about Li Qinqin, and that would be when they finally deal with Li Qinqin, completely severing the two's connection as siblings!
'Although I may never catch up to you… I will definitely continue to watch you as you achieve your dreams step by step…' Li Qinqin thought as she stared at the tall pagoda, the place where Li Liling spent most of her time in cultivating— away from her younger sister.