Jingyi would get better and then drastically worse at the drop of a hat. It worried everyone but Jingyi had come to accept it. His worst moments hadn’t been too bad lately but that was only because having his condition get too bad would make it so Yingjie would have to stay by his side and take care of him alongside Meiling and Zhixin.

“Are you awake, Shizun?” Meiling asked, wiping some of Jingyi’s sweat.

Jingyi hummed a little in response. The day before there was an urgent issue with ghouls appearing in a nearby town. It was an issue that was originally solved by Yingjie and Meiling but went on to be solved by Yingjie, Fan Xiaoli, and Zhixin.

Meiling and Luo Qinyang had stayed to take care of Jingyi who had gotten much worse once again.

Jingyi was doing much better again but he was growing tired of the never-ending cycle.

Luo Qinyang was also frustrated by Jingyi’s condition. After the New Years' celebrations, she had begun to work on improving the medication that Jingyi used since it didn’t seem to be working for him but she quickly found that even her expertise wasn’t enough. Her medicines worked for short periods and then quickly had to be revised.

Her help was appreciated by Jingyi and his disciples though, Zhixin probably now approved of her more than he approved of Yingjie.

“Have they returned?” Jingyi asked with a hoarse voice, he felt fine now but after coughing so much the day before his voice wasn’t good.

“No, but we heard they’re on their way,” Meiling explained.

Jingyi hummed in response.

“How are you feeling, Han-Zongshi?” Luo Qinyang asked as she prepared medicine for him.

 “Better than Yesterday…My apologies for making a guest like yourself take care of me.” Jingyi murmured.

“It’s alright, After all the trouble Sect Leader Yao went through to get medicine from our sect it would be inappropriate for me to not help you when the medicine doesn’t work….”Luo Qinyang said with an apologetic expression.

Jingyi asked Meiling to help him sit up so he could drink his medicine but midway through sitting up he was stopped by the door slamming open.

“Are you feeling better…?” Xia Qianfan had a complicated look on his face as he asked that.

“Yes…Is everything alright?” Han Jingyi asked, straightening out his clothes.

“Your disciples will be back when they get patched up.” Xia Qianfan sighed, “Discipline them thoroughly when you’re in better health.”

Jingyi wanted to ask why he needed to discipline them but Xia Qianfan disappeared.

“…Meiling please help me walk to the infirmary.” Jingyi sighed.

Meiling was hesitant but she first got an outer robe for Jingyi to wear and then helped him up. 

Jingyi actually was able to stand pretty well today much to his surprise so he rushed over to the infirmary to see what had happened.

Fan Xiaoli sat in the infirmary completely uninjured but Zhao Yingjie and Wang Zhixin were both getting some injuries bandaged up. Neither of them seemed to be in too much pain but Jingyi was concerned regardless.

“What happened? Why are you two hurt but Miss Fan isn’t?” He had his suspicions already.

“…” Wang Zhixin and Zhao Yingjie were silent, trying to think of an excuse.

“They fought one another on their way back here.” Fan Xiaoli explained.

Han Jingyi couldn’t even think of what to say to them, he already knew why they probably fought and he was very upset about it. He decided to follow Xia Qianfan’s suggestion in the end and with a huff, he thought of the worst—as in tedious, he was too kind to truly torture his disciples— punishment possible. 

“Copy the sect rules 20 times!” He said and quickly left, quickly slamming the door closed as he left.

“Yes, Shizun.” Wang Zhixin and Zhao Yingjie said as he left.

“My…how lenient.” Fan Xiaoli murmured. She expected a glare from Wang Zhixin after she said that but both of Jingyi’s disciples were still watching the door with…happy expressions?

‘Shizun’s angry face is adorable.’ Was definitely the only thing going through their minds for a second. Wang Zhixin turned and glared after a couple of minutes when he processed Fan Xiaoli’s words though.

—

“Gosh, how old are you two already?! To fight like children!” Jingyi was still upset by the time Wang Zhixin and Zhao Yingjie came to deliver their copies of the rules.

“I’m sorry, Shizun.”  Wang Zhixin said and bowed deeply.

“I’m sorry.” Zhao Yingjie also bowed.

“...Don’t do it again.” Jingyi forgave them but only after making sure all of the copies were fully complete.

“Are you feeling better, Shizun?” Wang Zhixin asked, Jingyi seemed to be surprisingly healthy today.

“Yes, actually,” Jingyi murmured. He wasn’t laying in bed like usual, he was sitting in his study. He definitely more relaxed looking than he would be if he were healthy but he didn’t seem very sick. It was actually something he was beginning to call into question as well.

“Shizun, A letter has arrived from your family.” Meiling entered the room holding a letter suddenly and Jingyi felt a foreboding feeling. He could already guess what was going on. He was feeling better because his sister was going to come and if she knew he was ill and why he was ill she would think unfavorably of both Zhixin and Yingjie.

He read the letter he was exactly right, his sister, Han Xinyi, was coming to visit the sect soon. Jingyi looked at Wang Zhixin when he thought of this and sighed a little. 

‘I guess the author is trying to let you gain her favor.’

“My younger sister is coming here soon. Please avoid telling her anything about my condition, she will not take it well.” Jingyi murmured.

“As you wish, Shizun.” Wang Zhixin and Zhao Yingjie both said in unison.

–

It was up to them to go greet Han Xinyi at the gates of the sect so they had to stand around waiting for a while.

“Is it really okay to not tell her about Shizun’s condition?” Zhao Yingjie asked, glancing at Wang Zhixin for a second.

“Shizun doesn’t want her to know so we can’t tell her.” Wang Zhixin murmured, this was the first civil interaction the two of them had in a long time.

Zhao Yingjie sighed but did not argue, he could sense someone coming up the stairs to the gate. Both of them held their breath a little, neither of them had ever met Han Xinyi before. They could only assume she’d be beautiful though…after all…she was Han Jingyi’s sister.

They were, of course, right to assume that. Han Xinyi was the spitting image of her brother. It was honestly like Han Jingyi put on women’s clothes and change his hair a little. Not much else was different. Anyone would’ve believed them if they said they were twins but Han Xinyi was only a year older than Yingjie and Zhixin while Jingyi was well into adulthood by now.

Still, Wang Zhixin and Zhao Yingjie were starstruck by her… or in Zhixin’s case, in particular, her likeness to their Shizun.

Ink black hair, eyes the color of jade… It was all identical to Han Jingyi.

“It's nice to meet you.” Han Xinyi bowed politely and Zhixin and Yingjie did the same but only in a more respectful way since she was older than them.

“It’s a pleasure to meet Shizun’s sister.” Wang Zhixin said and Yingjie nodded and helped her with her bags.

—

“You’re sure you’ll be fine with meeting her?” Xia Qianfan asked.

“…Yes, I’m in good condition at the moment.” Han Jingyi responded, he was straightening his hanfu as he prepared for his sister to arrive. He was staring at a mirror for a while, making sure he didn’t look sickly in any way.

“Gege–!” 

Han Jingyi was silently very glad that Han Xinyi quickly noticed Xia Qianfan’s presence and avoided jumping onto him. She quickly bowed and greeted Xia Qianfan who left soon afterward. Wang Zhixin and Zhao Yingjie were still in the room but she didn’t mind and rushed to hug her brother.

“Gege, I’m so sorry but please let me become your disciple!”

Han Jingyi was so startled by this he coughed a few times and Zhixin and Yingjie both tensed up immediately when that happened. Han Xinyi assumed he was just shocked though and didn’t mind it. Jingyi also stopped very quickly and everything was fine again.

“W-Why do you—”

“Mother wishes for me to get married but I don’t want to! Please don’t send me back!” Han Xinyi burst out into tears.

“M-M-Marriage?!” Han Jingyi was once again shocked but then he started to think about it.

Han Xinyi was quite ‘old’ by the standards of the time. Traditionally she should’ve married when she was 14 but now she was nearly 17 and still unmarried. 

In the original novel, Han Xinyi was in no way forced into marriage though, the Han family was torn to shreds with grief after Han Jingyi’s death and Han Xinyi herself had actually planned to marry anyone who could help keep the family afloat after half a year of mourning. Wang Zhixin appeared around that time and asked for her hand in marriage.

Their parents hadn’t set up a marriage for Han Xinyi before Jingyi’s death because they were waiting for Han Jingyi to marry first. Han Jingyi had sent a letter before regaining his memories telling them that he had no plans for marriage anytime soon and that was probably what spurred them to try and set up a marriage for Xinyi, especially since Jingyi didn’t die.

“...Let’s send a letter…” Han Jingyi murmured and motioned for one of the two disciples in the room to get him paper. Wang Zhixin didn’t move so Zhao Yingjie groaned internally and went out to get the paper. No one really wanted to leave the room once they saw the two beauties sitting inside.

Han Jingyi was deep in thought while Xinyi whined about how many men’s portraits had been laid out in front of her last time she went to their father’s office. Jingyi looked up at Wang Zhixin for a bit.

‘....I was against it at first but when I think of all the candidates Xinyi is listing….’

Young lord Mu: Handsome, Educated, kind– a player. Denied.

Young lord Li: Handsome, Educated– a pervert who peeps on women. Denied.

Minister Chen: Handsome, Educated, Holds a position in the government–  30 years older than Xinyi. Denied.

…

All of them were pretty bad.

Now out of people Han Jingyi personally knows…

Xia Qianfan: Off the table. He must marry Wu Huiyi.

Zhao Yingjie: Handsome, Educated, a cultivator, passionate– has too many wives. Denied.

Wang Zhixin: Handsome, Educated, a cultivator, diligent– may or may not become affiliated with demons and demonic cultivators.  Probably the best option but still Denied.

Han Jinyi sighed.

“Please Please Please don’t send me back!” Xinyi begged.

“...I won’t. But we have to inform Mother and Father of this.” Han Jingyi sighed.

‘Until Wang Zhixin is fully out of the ‘future antagonist’ path I will oppose the idea of them marrying.’ Jingyi thought and sighed as Yingjie entered the room again and passed him paper and ink.