But it was clear that the Senior considered him one of their own, and Xu Changâan could feel that.
Currently, Zhu Pingniangâs makeup was smudged beyond repair, yet she still had the mind to eat candied fruit.
It was no surprise to Xu Changâan that Zhu Pingniang had something to discuss with him, as from the moment they met, her face was full of thoughts.
As Xu Changâan sat opposite Zhu Pingniang, she clicked her tongue and asked, "Whereâs Ms. Yun?"
"Resting."
"Oh."
Zhu Pingniang pursed her lips, remembering the ordinary-looking Yun Qian who had completely captivated her before, and thought it justified her own resignation.
No matter how hard she tried, she couldnât outshine Yun Qian, who was stunning to her alone. So why bother?
Thus, she didnât care about her soaked clothes or ruined makeup.
"What a waste of the makeup Ni Zi did for me. When she sees me later, sheâll nag again." Zhu Pingniang lay there, looking utterly exhausted.
"Ms. Zhu, did you call me just to talk about these things?" Xu Changâan couldnât help but ask.
"Yes, otherwise, what serious matters could I possibly have with you?" Zhu Pingniang said earnestly.
"..."
Looking at Zhu Pingniangâs inexplicably lifeless expression, Xu Changâan began to doubt if the girl before him, acting like a carefree soul, was really the same Senior Zhu he had first met at Flower Moon Building.
It felt like...
At some point, Zhu Pingniang increasingly resembled a... young girl?
Xu Changâan knew it was impolite to think so, but he couldnât help it.
In the past, even though Zhu Pingniang was charming and liked to flirt, she was still a Senior in his eyes. Now, she seemed inexplicably much younger.
Perhaps the feeling of affection truly could make someone younger?
Indeed.
Itâs perfectly normal for Senior Zhu, who admired his teacher, to become more like a regular woman.
Yes, normal.
Xu Changâan tried his best not to look at this current uninspired Senior Zhu, lowering his head to stare at the brazier burning at his feet.
"?"
Zhu Pingniang blinked and frowned, "Kid, are you thinking about something disrespectful?"
"Etiquette?" Xu Changâan sighed and said no more.
"Oh." Zhu Pingniang looked at her own attire, which even Flower Moon Building girls would shake their heads at, and nodded.
Clearly, her current state was quite improper.
"Itâs nothing to let you see, you wouldnât care about such trivial matters, right?" Zhu Pingniang tilted her head, a smile on her face that Xu Changâan couldnât quite grasp: "After all, you donât even care about a Half-Demon."
"Indeed."
He had thought so. The sudden removal of the seal on Miss Aqingâs eyes was clearly Zhu Pingniangâs doing.
"Whatâs with âindeed?â" Zhu Pingniang seemed a bit disappointed not to see Xu Changâan react to being caught eavesdropping as she had imagined.
"What reaction should I have?" Xu Changâan became even more resigned.
"Fine," Zhu Pingniang felt bored and said, "The matters in Beisang City canât escape my eyes. Sometimes itâs not that I intentionally eavesdrop; I guard the Array Hub here, after all, so all information... converges here."
Zhu Pingniang pointed to her own head.
Then she curiously asked, "Changâan, do you really... really not mind the identity of a Half-Demon?"
"I donât mind."
Xu Changâan didnât hesitate and instead found it strange.
Was this topic really that important?
To be the first question from a Senior who obviously had many concerns...
"You donât mind... strange, are you really from this world?" Zhu Pingniang looked utterly bewildered.
Even Miss Lu was wary of Half-Demons; even she felt a bit regretful when she found out about Miss Aqingâs heritage.
In fact, Wen Li, with help from her elders, paid a high price to separate her bloodline completely to tackle the instability of Half-Demon nature.
In todayâs world, even the Demon Sectâs attitude toward Half-Demons isnât much better than that of the Immortal Sect.
Xu Changâan wasnât from this world.
While making that statement, Zhu Pingniang was thinking he might be the reincarnation of an Immortal.
She might have spoken unintentionally, but the listener took note.
Xu Changâan thought it might genuinely be the case.
He didnât have memories from this world; he simply opened his eyes and started living with Miss Yun. Shortly after leaving the island, he began cultivating, so unlike ordinary people, he didnât grow up with tales of Half-Demon infamy, hence he didnât really care.
"Forget it, whether you care is your business, nothing I can do about it," Zhu Pingniang said.
As for Wen Li and Xu Changâanâs relationship, she wasnât as concerned about it anymore.
After all, much like Xu Changâanâs unintentional kindness when he spoke to Miss Aqing, minor actions could naturally attract Wen Li, a girl inexperienced with men.
Zhu Pingniang tutted, feeling cramped under the table, so she shifted and propped one leg over the other.
"Changâan, do you know why I suddenly dispelled the Blinding Technique from Miss Aqingâs eyes?"
Xu Changâan shook his head.
He indeed didnât understand why Zhu Pingniang did that, since... after sealing the girlâs eyes, logically, she wanted to help conceal her identity, right?
He had no idea of the reason, but he wasnât curious either.
"...."
Zhu Pingniang looked at Xu Changâan, who seemed to think it wasnât his problem despite causing trouble, and clamped her silver teeth down gently.
Yet, she still held back her small emotions, simply explaining, "Some things canât be kept hidden from the girls in the shop indefinitely... In the past, it was because she had just entered the Flower Moon Building, and I concealed her identity a bit so as not to scare the girls away from interacting with her."
"Now that some time has passed and sheâs formed good relations, itâs inappropriate to keep hiding it."
Zhu Pingniang stretched lazily: "Although concealed truth canât be considered lies, the longer it exists... the harder it becomes for others to accept when it eventually unfolds."
"...." Xu Changâan suddenly paused for a moment.
Because he thought of Miss Yun.
Undoubtedly, she had many things she kept hidden from him.
But Xu Changâan quickly let it go.
Who was he?
He had read so many books in his previous life.
What could he not have seen, what could he not accept?
So no matter what Miss Yun was hiding, he believed he could accept it.
"Honestly, I donât know how they will judge me for bringing a Half-Demon into the city..." Zhu Pingniang muttered on the side, "Iâve helped Ah Qing a lot, I canât let her off easy... Iâll dock her next few monthsâ monthly salary."
Xu Changâan: "...."
What was Zhu Pingniangâs image?
He didnât know, but it certainly wasnât the embodiment of a wicked woman.
The girls of Flower Moon Building he knew mostly admired this Senior.
Xu Changâan thought, in the course of a personâs life, there is always a grain of sand that shines uniquely; a firefly glowing brighter than the night sky full of stars.
Clearly, for those almost caged girls, Senior Zhu was that firefly; she truly knew how to captivate.
...
Coincidentally.
Zhu Pingniang thought the same.
She also believed Xu Changâan was quite captivating, for instance, in the way he had just spoken to Miss Aqing.
Did he really think she had lifted the Blinding Technique just because time was up?
Of course not.
It was Xu Changâanâs fault.
Zhu Pingniang felt that although Xu Changâan said nothing, his indifference to the Half-Demon identity was inherently enticing to Miss Aqing.
So... to prevent another girl from following in Liu Qingluoâs footsteps, Zhu Pingniang decisively revealed Miss Aqingâs Half-Demon identity.
And the sisters at Flower Moon Building didnât disappoint her; so far, many had noticed Aqingâs eyes, but... the laughs outweighed the fears, even though some girls wanted to say something, they bit their tongue.
Truly her own nurtured girls.
Thus, Zhu Pingniangâs real purpose in lifting the seal was to tell Miss Aqingââ
Look, even the sisters of Flower Moon Building donât mind your Half-Demon identity.
So donât feel swayed by a wild man youâve just met.