Ms. Zhu originally thought that she would feel jealous if anyone other than Xu Changāan got close to Li Zhibai, even the Qinling and Gu Qiancheng she raised herself.
Until the image of the girl who never acknowledges anyone with her eyes, Miss Yun, flashed through her mind.
Yun Qian?
The threat she poses is less than Xu Changāanās.
"Your Miss Yun is not as good as you are." Ms. Zhu said seriously.
Xu Changāan: "..."
Seeing Xu Changāan fall silent, Ms. Zhu didnāt think much, only said, "Just now, when you didnāt want to speak, I thought it was a woman from Muyu Peak giving orders, which made you so nervous."
If it were Yun Qian...
Her threat is infinitely close to zero, isnāt it?
"Donāt look at me like that." Ms. Zhu waved her hands, "Donāt you know what kind of person Miss Yun is yourself? She sees nothing but you, thereās nothing much to say."
The few dialogues Ms. Zhu had with Yun Qian were with Xu Changāan beside them.
In fact, as the person entrusted by Xu Changāan to take care of Yun Qian when heās away, Ms. Zhu deemed herself quite understanding of Yun Qian.
If Xu Changāan happened to see a beautiful woman, he might even look at her twice as he would glance at a flower...
But Yun Qian wouldnāt even look.
"I thought the Flower Moon Building could be a good place for recreation." Ms. Zhu clucked, "But she never takes a second look, so... I occasionally wonder what drug you gave that Miss Yun to make her like you so much."
Xu Changāan: "..."
Ms. Zhu: "?"
She watched the way Xu Changāan cradled the hand warmer, looking poised yet hesitant, and blinked.
"Why? Sheās not jealous of your Miss Yun, and youāre still unhappy?" Ms. Zhu rolled her eyes at Xu Changāan, "Still worried about you, this childās strange habits."
"..." Xu Changāan said nothing, lowering his head to hide his peculiar expression.
Miss Yunās "combat power" isnāt as good as his?
Thatās right.
Before Yun Qian came to the mountain, he might have thought so too.
Except, he hadnāt yet heard Li Zhibaiās gentle and soft calls of "Ms. Yun."
He looked at the hand warmer in his arms, recalling how on the day Li Zhibai hosted Yun Qian, fearing sheād freeze, he handed her an exquisite hand warmer upon her arrival.
That day, Li Zhibai dressed up the room like a tea party, using candied fruits and incense.
Most importantly...
Although it was just a glance in the garden at the time, it left a remarkable memory.
He noticed then that Li Zhibai had changed out of her faded Daoist robes into a simple white, soft long dress for Yun Qian.
Li Zhibai had her long hair cascading down her waist, tying the ends with a white ribbon, exuding elegant charm and tranquil grace.
"..."
Xu Changāan sighed softly.
For Li Zhibai to be so nervous, specially calling for a dress, Miss Yun couldnāt possibly be inferior to him?
Xu Changāan placed the hand warmer in front of Ms. Zhu and gave her a deep look.
This look puzzled Ms. Zhu greatly, and she couldnāt comprehend it.
But as someone who understood Yun Qian... Ms. Zhu simply didnāt consider Yun Qian to pose any threat to her.
As for Li Zhibai?
She had even more confidence in Ah Baiās temperament.
Therefore, she firmly believed that, even if Li Zhibai and Yun Qian collided together, no sparks would ensue.
"Whatās with the look?" Ms. Zhu snorted.
"Nothing." Xu Changāan guiltily looked away.
As a junior, though he knew Ms. Zhu was extremely kind to him, so was his teacher... he couldnāt relay Li Zhibaiās private matters to Ms. Zhu...
Moreover, letting Ms. Zhu know that her cherished "Ah Bai" would change into a dress for Miss Yun...
He could hardly imagine what might happen.
Miss Yun always had one thing to say.
If he didnāt ask, she wouldnāt tell.
Thus, if even Senior Zhu felt nothing of it, there was no need for him to speak, right?
Heās a student of the teacher, not a spy Ms. Zhu had put beside the teacher...
"Young master, come be my spy."
"..."
Xu Changāan raised his head and saw a smile as radiant as flowers.
Miss Zhu in a pitch black long dress, her long hair like a waterfall, lazily leaned against the pavilion column, head tilted and watching him, her beautiful eyes half-squinting, like a sunbathing fox.
Appearing relaxed, within her gaze lay a hint of cunning, ready to pounce and deliver a fatal bite to her prey at any moment.
Outside the pavilion, a slight drizzle fell quietly.
"Ms. Zhu, you... said what?" Xu Changāan cautiously asked.
"What has master been hiding from me?" Ms. Zhu asked tenderly.
"..." Xu Changāanās fingers trembled, remaining silent.
"If young master doesnāt wish to say, then I wonāt ask." Ms. Zhu smiled slightly, "After all, the person talking to you now is not your Senior Zhu, not something from the Immortal Sect, just an ordinary, unrequited woman from the Flower Moon Building."
Xu Changāan realized what Ms. Zhu was implying.
Her words meant the topic ahead would be more private, not from "Ms. Zhu" or "Seniorās" perspective.
"Spy?" Xu Changāan couldnāt help but ask.
"In the literal sense." Ms. Zhu pinched a white stone and once again placed it in the Celestial Essence Position, slowly saying: "To place a stone in Celestial Yuan loses the first move advantage, but thatās the stubbornness of a girl, the sky is vast, yet not broader than what I like."
Xu Changāan didnāt respond to the game, quietly listening to her speak.
"Chess, it taught me many things." Ms. Zhu had a stunning curve at her lips as she picked up a black stone and played against herself.