Yes.
She whispered, "...The dream should wake up."
Actually, she hasnât had any dreams, but everyone around her thinks sheâs had dreams... including this Miss Gu in front of her, who thinks she understands her, but doesnât know that she has never thought about anything out of the ordinary.
Liu Qingluo has also been idealized by others, so she knows very well... idealization is the emotion farthest from understanding.
Whether itâs brewing wine for him or praying for him, these are clearly her own ways of pleasing herself, just like how girls put on makeup, mostly to please themselves, but thereâs always someone confused enough to think theyâre trying to entice others.
Itâs the same now, everyone thinks sheâs holding onto some dream... but what she wants to do is just like that jar of Daughter Red Wine sent out.
Just a taste is enough.
"Letâs go." Liu Qingluo took a deep breath, looked at the dazzling Great Sun on the Cloud Sea in the distance, and said, "Letâs go say a few words and then return, letâs not delay Young Master doing his actual tasks."
A moth rushing into the flame is a dangerous move, but if itâs just approaching with enough restraint, then it canât really be called dangerous.
"Mm." Gu Qiancheng nodded vigorously. She was a bit puzzled as to why this thin-skinned sister suddenly understood, but indeed felt no forced emotions in it.
Liu Qingluo is truly a strange person.
âIf only that cooking-savvy Young Master Xu was a flirtatious person.â She suddenly had a thought.
But if she didnât catch up soon, Yun Qian and Xu Changâan would be descending the mountain, leaving her little time to think more.
ââ
On the White Jade steps, Xu Changâan and Yun Qian walked hand in hand step by step down.
"Miss... do you think she wants me to know sheâs following, or doesnât want me to know?" Xu Changâanâs expression was odd.
"It should be indifferent."
"Indeed." Xu Changâan sighed helplessly, "But sheâs been following all the way... that bell jingled all along the way, does she really intend to hide?"
"Perhaps she forgot." Yun Qian thought.
Exactly.
Gu Qiancheng followed them all along, and that Little Bell jingled all the way... Only when Xu Changâan turned to look, sheâd hide again, truly exasperating.
In fact, Gu Qiancheng honestly forgot.
She donned this Hehuan Bell since childhood, long accustomed to the sound, and Liu Qingluo was preoccupied with her own thoughts, having no extra musings about anything else... the two of them just foolishly followed along like that.
"After all, sheâs just a child." Xu Changâan slowed his steps as much as possible. "Sheâs suddenly following, no idea whether sheâs targeting me... no, Miss."
"Me?" Yun Qian shook her head, "I have nothing to say to her."
Though Gu Qiancheng benefits from the surname, sheâs ultimately not Xu Changâanâs daughter; her influence here isnât nearly as significant compared to Liu Qingluo.
"Donât be so indifferent." Xu Changâan whispered, "I have received a task from senior sisters; on usual days... I need to humor her a bit."
The senior sisters of Muyu Peak had reminded him that if Gu Qiancheng caused him trouble, he should be more patient and, if appropriate, play with her a bit, like nurturing a Li Hua cat... Truly, what image does this girl have in the minds of those senior sisters? Is she just a pet that anyone can keep?
Plus, Xu Changâan had indeed killed Gu Qianchengâs little tiger, so heâs quite tolerant of this "little girl" the senior sisters referred toâthough she seemingly "covets" Yun Qian.
But Xu Changâan always felt that this girl just lacked motherly love.
Her gaze upon Yun Qian didnât resemble love at first sight between women, but rather the longing of a child eager for their mother to caress their head.
Yes, more like a Li Hua cat.
"Indifferent... me?" Yun Qian didnât quite understand, but since Xu Changâan mentioned it, she asked seriously, "What should I do?"
"Itâs nothing too complicated, just chat with her casually, donât ignore her." Xu Changâan said to Yun Qianâs ear, "Senior sisters said Miss Gu has some background; though Iâm unaware of her background, she is Miss Zhuâs junior... itâs not good to neglect her."
"Just chat with her? I understand."
"Why not, pat her on the head, and it counts as getting close."
"Mm."
Here, Xu Changâan was ready, but Gu Qiancheng had yet to come up to start a conversation; however, he wasnât concerned... if she wants to come, she can; if not, itâs no matter.
He had things to do, such as... for the first time accompanying Miss down the mountain, walking slower for her to enjoy the scenery.
Moving forward, crossing this gate, leaving the White Jade long staircase, reached the point to descend the mountain.
Before them lay an endless Cloud Sea, under the tumbling wind and clouds, majestic waves resembling the ocean.
In the distance, the brilliant sun gradually rose, illuminating the sky. Before the door, there were no guards; the mountain gate was wide open, with a towering White Jade Pillar several zhang high, carved with some reliefs, extremely grand.
"Miss, isnât this beautiful?"
Xu Changâan paused, laughed and said, "When I first went down this way, I looked for a long time, thinking I saw the Southern Celestial Gate."
"Southern Celestial Gate... you mean the Celestial Palace in the novel, it does resemble it." Yun Qian nodded, "Very beautiful."
On the White Jade Pillar were densely carved golden characters, and Xu Changâan saw Yun Qianâs gaze wander there, and asked, "Miss, do you recognize these words?"
"Donât recognize them." Yun Qian shook her head.
"I donât recognize them either. When I went up the mountain at the time, I thought this was writing some cultivation technique; I stared for a while."
Xu Changâan said, "Later, I learned from senior sisters that whatâs carved here are just some biographies, belonging to the language from hundreds of thousands of years ago, no longer used in the secular world today."
Yun Qian looked up at the golden characters on the White Jade Pillar, blinking, "Donât you like them?"
If he liked them, she thought as long as he liked them, it wouldnât be impossible to use as a cultivation technique.
"I said it to you, stop always thinking about me." Xu Changâan said helplessly.
"I donât understand..." Yun Qian shook her head.
"Have you seen a guide?" Xu Changâan didnât care if Yun Qian could understand, pointing at his own face, "The kind who wants to introduce everything to you wherever he goes; itâs very normal."
Not just normal, but also his show of attention and care for Miss Yun.
"I... understand." Yun Qianâs lips curled slightly.
"I just wanted to say, Miss, now finds the scenery beautiful, itâs worth celebrating." Xu Changâan sighed.
"Mm."
Regarding this matter, Yun Qian once didnât understand, such as when Xu Changâan would say the scenery was nice, but she didnât know what was nice about it.
Then she inquired Liu Qingluo, who also said the scenery was beautiful...
Yun Qian read Liu Qingluoâs inner thoughts and knew.
The beauty of the scenery doesnât lie in whether itâs truly beautiful, but rather... whether youâre watching it with someone you like, as long as youâre with someone you like, even if visiting broken temples, sheâd express joy.
Thus, Yun Qian came to understand Xu Changâanâs detailed explanations of each view they passed, ceased finding the small-scale scenery dull, and became earnest.
She felt this understanding of difficult situations was mainly due to Miss Liuâs work.
Therefore, she would like that girl.
"Miss, look." Xu Changâan didnât know what Yun Qian was thinking, he just found it rare that Yun Qian seemed to have become enlightened; might this signify an evolution in "aesthetic appreciation"?
Hence, he pointed at a mountain peak looming like a dragon in the Cloud Sea, exuding majestic momentum.
"I see it." Yun Qian asked, "Is it a bridge?"
She could see a mountain peak spanning the Cloud Sea, faintly visible with lush vegetation.
This mountain, originally towering over tens of millions, was inexplicably cut in two by someone with unimaginable power and used as a stone bridge, equipped with railings on top.
"The people at Steward Hall say it was the Sect Leader who deliberately sliced it in two with one sword, as a warning to evildoers... truly amazing." Xu Changâan marveled at such feats, wondering what kind of divine presence could achieve them.
"Mm, amazing." Yun Qian nodded.
Just then, a childâs dissatisfied voice sounded from behind.
"You man, stop spouting nonsense, tarnishing the Sect Leaderâs reputation; whatâs this about?"
Xu Changâan thought itâs about time she couldnât hold back.