Chapter 854 - 476: The Relationship Between Two Young Ladies (Double-Length, Part 2)

From the perspective of a person’s lifetime, there’s no such thing as idle affairs in life.

The simple life that Ah Bai cherishes is a reflection of her soul. In the moment when worries temporarily leave, she enjoys the bright moon and gentle breeze between heaven and earth—that is indeed a clear realm.

This is what she pursues... perhaps Natural Daoist Laws.

Zhu Pingniang suddenly remembered the tone and gaze of Yun Qian.

No wonder Yun Qian and Li Zhibai’s relationship could progress by leaps and bounds... A girl like Yun Qian naturally exudes an aura of simplicity. Anyone who sees Yun Qian would feel she is an immensely clear, open-hearted, glass-like transparent girl.

"..." Zhu Pingniang looked at the reflection of Li Zhibai in the mirror, deep in thought, her eyes gradually calming.

She couldn’t understand.

She was not as detached as Ah Bai, nor did she have that clear realm close to Qiankun; she couldn’t feel any beauty from nature or life.

Simply put,

The woman named Zhu Pingniang is mundane.

Barefoot on the grass, summer breezes, autumn whispers, a warm stove in winter?

She completely couldn’t understand what was so beautiful or delightful about these things?

What she liked was not walking barefoot on the grass, but enjoying flowers with Ah Bai.

What she liked was not the summer, but the breeze brushing past Li Zhibai’s hair.

As long as it was Li Zhibai speaking, she would like to listen.

The existence of ’Li Zhibai’ is the beauty that belongs to Zhu Tongjun.

All the beauty in this world is her, yet nothing can match her.

Zhu Pingniang inhaled the fragrance emitting from Li Zhibai up close, a blush spread across her cheeks.

She is a deeply mundane person.

"Ah Bai... Have you made up your mind?" Zhu Pingniang asked.

"Yes." Li Zhibai nodded.

She was clear from the start.

About her relationship with Tong Jun?

The only answer had been resting in her heart from the beginning, entirely without need for contemplation. The reason she thought seriously was solely due to Zhu Pingniang’s earnest request.

But although she did spend time thinking seriously, she couldn’t find another option besides the answer in her heart.

Indeed, their relationship is unique.

"Don’t tell me yet." Zhu Pingniang shook her head. She took a deep breath and said after closing her eyes, "Ah Bai, what is beautiful to you nowadays?"

"Beautiful?" Li Zhibai blinked, more puzzled.

Was she asking about what she liked?

Li Zhibai spoke frankly.

"I like plum blossoms, Tong Jun, you know."

She liked plum blossoms very much. The Sword Hall had plenty planted, and when she first met Yun Qian, she even talked about plum blossoms extensively... enough to show Li Zhibai’s affection for plum blossoms.

"...I know." Zhu Pingniang’s voice contained an unhidden disappointment.

Even though she knew Li Zhibai unlikely would say her beauty is "Zhu Tongjun," yet even knowing the answer, Zhu Pingniang, who regarded Li Zhibai as the most precious, found herself not even matching up to mere plum blossoms, which was hard to hide.

No matter how much one deceives oneself, their emotional investment in each other... remains unequal.

"What’s wrong?" Li Zhibai asked.

"Nothing... nothing." Zhu Pingniang took a deep breath, trying hard to compose herself.

The room fell again into a slight silence.

Li Zhibai keenly sensed Zhu Pingniang’s avoidance, because it was her who initiated the topic, yet she fell silent.

Is she... avoiding?

Li Zhibai sighed helplessly.

This Ni Zi.

Clearly, she broached the subject of their relationship, but when facing it, she doesn’t want to hear the answer?

Li Zhibai was correct.

Zhu Pingniang indeed regretted it now.

Suddenly she was a bit afraid to hear the definition of their relationship from Li Zhibai.

If it were simply ’Senior Sister and Junior Sister’, ’Sisters’, ’Senior and Junior’... though disappointing, it would still be acceptable.

Zhu Pingniang was most afraid of hearing an answer like ’Mother and Daughter’.

The key is, this answer is not entirely infeasible.

Just like her relationship with Qinling and Miss Lu, back in the day Zhu Tongjun... could also count on Li Zhibai watching her grow up till now.

From Li Zhibai’s perspective, she really has the right to say... she is like her daughter.

Zhu Pingniang’s complexion turned slightly pale.

She couldn’t imagine if within Li Zhibai’s heart she was truly a "daughter", then... for her, having made such unrestrained a declaration, she’s already sentenced herself.

"What are you afraid of?" Li Zhibai couldn’t help but sigh.

"Afraid? I’m not afraid, what are you saying." Zhu Pingniang said defiantly, "Didn’t you see how well Chang’an is living now? What do I have to be afraid of?"

"...?" A question mark appeared over Li Zhibai’s head.

Why suddenly bring up Chang’an?

"What does this have to do with Chang’an, why are you mentioning him?" Li Zhibai asked, puzzled.

"It’s... not related." Zhu Pingniang coughed.

Almost let slip what was in her heart.

Zhu Pingniang was too jealous of Xu Chang’an.

She and Xu Chang’an... are clearly quite similar.

Xu Chang’an was watched over by Yun Qian growing up. According to what he said, when he met Yun Qian, he was essentially a child.

Zhu Pingniang was similar. She was watched over by Li Zhibai growing up.

But now?

Xu Chang’an can hold Yun Qian to sleep, and their married life is blissful.

Yet she has to be very careful even when speaking with Li Zhibai.

Reflecting on herself, Zhu Pingniang can hardly avoid envy and jealousy for Xu Chang’an’s abilities.

Precisely because she reflected on herself through Xu Chang’an, Zhu Pingniang began to urgently want to close the distance with Li Zhibai.

"Tsk." Zhu Pingniang clicked her tongue.

She always thought Xu Chang’an was an extremely courteous young man, but now thinking about it... Yun Qian should count as his senior, yet he managed to... managed to pull Yun Qian to bed with him.

Indeed impressive.

"If I had Chang’an’s abilities, would I be like now, feeling great happiness just from you putting makeup on me, like someone with no prospects for half the day?" Zhu Pingniang looked at Li Zhibai with resentment.

Li Zhibai: "..."

A faint pain between her brows.

Can someone explain to her, who is this resentful woman with deep eyes like a well?

Where’s Tong Jun?

A snow plum-like Tong Jun she once knew?

Gone where?

Even Li Zhibai was rendered speechless by the dramatic change in Zhu Pingniang.

"Don’t look at me like that." Zhu Pingniang’s face blushed.

"I still need to put on makeup for you later." Li Zhibai chuckled.

Even though Ni Zi has changed so much, she remains her plum blossom.

Yes.

Li Zhibai liked plum blossoms most, and the terms she used to describe Zhu Tongjun... were always plum blossoms.

She liked plum blossoms, and Tong Jun was a plum blossom-like girl.

Even now.

Plum blossoms come in many varieties, snowy cold plums, brilliant red plums.

Now it’s merely changing from the snowy cold Zhu Tongjun to the brilliant Zhu Pingniang.

"Tong Jun, I initially thought you had changed a lot, but upon closer contemplation, you haven’t changed much." Li Zhibai suddenly said.

"Eh?" Zhu Pingniang was taken aback.

Li Zhibai shook her head.

Back then, Zhu Tongjun stood beside the snow plum with countless thoughts, all hidden in her heart.

Now, it’s merely putting those countless thoughts right in front of her, openly displayed.

Li Zhibai couldn’t judge if it’s right or wrong, but personally, she liked it—at least, not hiding the unease in her heart anymore.

She would talk to her, even with awkward methods, but Li Zhibai felt gratified.

"Tong Jun."

As Zhu Pingniang was dazed, she realized Li Zhibai had somehow already held her hand; Li Zhibai’s hand was very soft, and for a moment, a ripple rose in Zhu Pingniang’s heart.

"You just asked... what sort of relationship we have?"

"Yes." Zhu Pingniang’s gaze gradually firmed.

"Do you still wish to know now?" Li Zhibai asked.

"...I do." Zhu Pingniang wanted to avoid it, but she wished even more to know the answer.

"As Firm as Gold and Stone, that’s what I think." Li Zhibai stated simply and clearly the only answer in her heart.

"As Firm as Gold and Stone..."

Upon hearing these words, Zhu Pingniang’s face showed a brief moment of daze.

As Firm as Gold and Stone, its scent is like orchid.

Jin Lan.

It’s a very nice term.

She was satisfied.