Li Zhibai sat quietly in the pavilion, turning her face to look at the slanting moon in the sky.
Her Liu Mei slightly furrowed.
Perhaps it was due to that bizarre Great Sun today, creating a sense that the moon was also not quite right, always giving her a... sinister feeling. Coupled with the nighttime, Xu Changâan and Yun Qianâs small courtyard...
The scene here was fine during the day, but to be honest, at night... it felt somewhat eerie.
The brightly lit red lanterns, the small path, the Moon Sect gate, carried a certain inexplicable eeriness.
So, Xu Changâan usually leaves Yun Qian alone here, clearly not knowing how to care for others.
Maybe itâs because being in such an environment, she felt that the knife in the kitchen was ominous?
Xu Changâan is so careless; nowadays, he is already a cultivator in the Open Source Realm, yet he could still be cut by an ordinary iron blade.
Li Zhibai leaned on the pavilion, thinking she hadnât been in a kitchen for a long time, recalling the group of sisters who used to cook. It seemed to be common to get cut, and she thought that if she were to cook, she should experience getting cut as well.
ââ
"The slanting moon sinks, shrouded in sea mist, Stone pillars and Xiangxi, infinite paths, I wonder how many return by the moon..."
In the study, Yun Qianâs cold voice evoked memories of the past, with her dark pupils swirling with indescribable emotions.
Looking at these lines written by Xu Changâan, Yun Qian occasionally wondered, after all heâs been through, does he truly appear so oblivious? Otherwise, how could he hit her in her most vulnerable place?
But thinking of how Xu Changâan wouldnât torment her, she knew it was a coincidence.
Yun Qian looked at the seven-character verse on the poetry collection, forcing herself to focus on the word shapes rather than the meaning. The inked characters were like red silk, twisting and turning, yet there was a resilience hidden within, like a strong pine on the mountains, standing forever.
The girl took out a piece of red silk from the drawer and tied it around her eyes, as a blindfold blocking her sight.
Memories of a distant past echoed in her mind. She thought that the deeply ingrained emotions in her soul would accompany her forever until the stars disintegrated, but now finds herself much calmer than she imagined.
She is not "her," she is Yun Qian, and only Yun Qian.
Once Xu Changâan leaves, does this memory of Yun Qian truly belong to her?
Or should this memory be tucked into the Treasure Vault along with the poetry collections, the sword Xu Changâan used, the courtyard he lived in, the roads he traveled...
Simply.
Should this memory, along with the name Yun Qian and the world he once existed in, be stored away?
Yun Qian suddenly realized why she had lost so many memories.
It turns out they werenât lost, just treasured away by her.
The slanting moon sinks.
Mist over the sea.
Yun Qian lifted her head, that one pale moonlight falling through the window crevice onto the blood-red silk.
At Xu Changâanâs side, Miss Yun had become human, and the adaptability of humans was indeed terrifying; what can be passed will pass, what cannot will eventually do so.
Praying for heavenly favor is useless for her, all Miss Yun can do is make these beautiful moments last as long as possible.
This is truly an infinitely long road, as if the cycle of reincarnation the Heavenly Dao often speaks of, yet she finds it sweet.
How many return by the moon?
Of course, only one returns.
Yun Qianâs gaze under the silk was calm; she knew why she didnât like the poems without "clouds."
Perhaps itâs because she was quite clear about one thing, that is, Xu Changâanâs side can be without clouds.
Without clouds, there are still girls like Li Zhibai, Liu Qingluo, Wen Li, and there will be an even more exciting life.
Just look at Li Zhibai and youâll know.
The character formations she appreciates, Li Zhibai can also appreciate; what she likes, Liu Qingluo can also like.
Thinking carefully, compared to the affinity web naturally formed by the Heavenly Dao, she is the outsider.
The outsider, like a puppet on strings, playing and controlling Xu Changâanâs life, she indeed is the villain.
Why doesnât she know how to care for people?
She should feel for him a bit.
"..."
That Li Zhibai really is wonderful, able to stir her emotions and lead her into such rare deep thoughts.
Yun Qian really liked her.
A few drops of water lightly fell, it began to rain outside again.
The girl occasionally also felt a bit of a girlish heart, all because she is called Yun Qian now.
A girlish heart sometimes just wants to lament the passage of time.
ââ
After who knows how long, Xu Changâan had prepared everything for the evening meal, glancing at Li Zhibai outside the window leaning against the railing, watching the moon.
Despite the rain, he could not let the teacher come back and sit quietly, still admiring the moon.
Whatâs so good about the moon? The teacher has been staring at it for so many years without tiring.
Xu Changâan helplessly turned around, murmuring softly.
"So noisy."
Since just now, this damn system kept warning without stopping. If he hadnât forced himself to stay calm, he would have missed making dinner.
Though Miss Yun is by his side, system warnings and gaining some Celestial Dao Points are normal, but tonight it seemed particularly intense.
Yet the teacher is outside watching the crescent moon, there canât be any danger.
Such cries from the system could only increase Xu Changâanâs displeasure with it.
He glanced at the hour.
Really made the lady wait long.
Xu Changâan wiped his fingers clean, pushed open the study door intending to call Yun Qian to dinner, but before he could speak, his entire bodyâs motions seemed to freeze, and after a while... all his actions became cautious.
Outside the window, the moonlight silhouette fell on Yun Qian, with the girl supporting her side with one hand, a bright red silk band tied over her eyes, breathing evenly.
Sleeping?
Yun Qian actually fell asleep sitting like this.
Xu Changâan looked at the silk band, his pupils swirling with faint unusual colors.
He walked over, gently undoing the silk band behind Yun Qianâs head, saying with a hint of helplessness: "I knew the bed here was broken, you donât even want to take a few more steps, but if the Fire Stone feels dazzling, just extinguish it, covering your eyes like this is pointless."
He spoke as he put away the poetry collection, saying just as Yun Qian slowly opened her eyes: "Awake? Time to tidy up and eat."
Yun Qian still had a touch of drowsy bewilderment at this moment, but after hearing Xu Changâanâs voice, felt clearer.
"Eat...?"
She shuddered slightly, slowly getting up, calmly saying: "How did I fall asleep."
"Knowing youâre tired today." Xu Changâan held Yun Qianâs hand, using Spiritual Qi to wipe away the little tear marks at the corners of Yun Qianâs eyes from her rest, seriously saying: "Tonightâs dinner should satisfy you."
"Hmm." Yun Qian felt Xu Changâanâs warmth, saying: "I just had a dream."
"Time to wake from the dream." Xu Changâan smiled at Yun Qian: "What dream is more important than filling your stomach."
"Indeed."