Chapter 880 - 489: There Are Rules Even for Meals (Double-Length)

’So... it’s still my fault.’

Zhu Pingniang smiled bitterly.

Is this what those girls who don’t dare to confess are worried about?

Before confessing, they could be inseparable, sharing everything, even sleeping on the same bed as best friends.

Once they express their feelings and get rejected, they can’t even remain friends...

That’s why she admires Lan’Er’s courage to confess her love openly with music.

Zhu Pingniang looked at Li Zhibai’s distant expression, feeling a wave of bitterness inside.

——

’What about them?’ Yun Qian blinked and asked.

’Miss, just eat your food,’ Xu Chang’an whispered, ’Look at Senior Sister, she doesn’t care about the teacher’s business.’

Wen Li: ’...’

She just focused on her food, after all, remaining silent during meals was a rule for her.

’Miss Lu is also watching,’ Yun Qian blinked.

Xu Chang’an softly cleared his throat and whispered in Yun Qian’s ear, ’...then let’s just watch.’

’It tickles.’

Yun Qian gently nudged him, then nodded thoughtfully, not asking any further.

Only Miss Lu looked at Xu Chang’an, her face full of concern.

Though she was jealous, when Zhu Pingniang created a tense atmosphere in front of the person she liked, she couldn’t help but feel heartache for Pingniang... so, Miss Lu unconsciously sought help from Xu Chang’an.

At this moment, it seemed only the gentleman could dissolve this atmosphere.

But what Miss Lu didn’t expect was that Xu Chang’an simply shook his head and gave her a reassuring look.

’It’s okay...?’

Understanding Xu Chang’an’s meaning, Miss Lu was bewildered, but she still chose to trust him.

If she didn’t trust him, she wouldn’t seek his help.

If the gentleman says it’s fine, then it must be fine.

Of course, Xu Chang’an believed it was fine.

He understood his teacher as well.

Even though Zhu Pingniang understood Li Zhibai, Xu Chang’an thought, in terms of not troubling or angering the teacher, he was better than Zhu Pingniang.

He had experience.

——

The atmosphere was frozen, even the air felt thick, causing Zhu Pingniang, who didn’t even need to breathe, to feel suffocated.

And now, this silence clearly showed that she had put Li Zhibai in a difficult position, yet he couldn’t really get angry. So... he just stayed silent, hoping she might change her mind.

This was the chance Li Zhibai gave her.

If she conceded now, everything could still be resolved.

Yes.

Her Ah Bai had always been someone with a good temper.

Never once showing her a displeased face.

’Ah Bai.’ Zhu Pingniang felt very down. She realized her mistake in pressuring Li Zhibai like this, feeling guilty, she didn’t dare meet his eyes.

’I spoke wrongly.’ Zhu Pingniang lowered her head.

’Wrong? When did you ever do wrong?’ Li Zhibai asked.

’I...’ Zhu Pingniang raised her head, wanting to say something but couldn’t speak.

Ah Bai would always leave her some dignity... no need to question further.

’Tong Jun.’ Li Zhibai gently held Zhu Pingniang’s hand.

’Hmm?’

Zhu Pingniang was startled, looking at the soft hand that held hers, stunned for a while.

Only to see Li Zhibai gently grasp her hand, speaking calmly, ’Back then, when you were learning to play the zither, you told me one thing.’

’Wha-what?’ Zhu Pingniang stammered.

’In life, one should be clear about their goals and know what they are pursuing. Remind yourself occasionally. For the things you truly like, don’t worry whether others find them good or not... Music is like that, cultivating a Glazed Body is like that, and so is cultivation.’ Li Zhibai said.

’Did I... did I say that?’ Zhu Pingniang’s mind was in a frenzy.

’You did.’ Li Zhibai sighed softly.

Her earlier silence was just... to see how strong Zhu Pingniang’s belief was, but she didn’t expect that with her current nature, she would rather apologize than make her angry.

As an elder sister, she was pleased to see her younger sibling being dedicated to and striving for what she liked.

But when that affection was aimed at her, besides feeling helpless, Li Zhibai truly had nothing to say.

Just like Tong Jun used to say.

In this world, affection trumped all logic.

The so-called, ’not even a thousand pieces of gold can buy a willing heart.’

’Ah Bai, you’re... not angry?’ Zhu Pingniang asked cautiously.

’What do you think?’ Li Zhibai smiled warmly.

How many in this world would be truly angry at their younger siblings?

Tong Jun’s ’Ms. Qin’, though always picking on her, ultimately... still cherished her.

Moreover, if she got angry over such matters, she would’ve been long gone from rage.

And also, this girl was really shameless... Xu Chang’an and Wen Li were there, where was Tong Jun’s elder dignity now?

Really letting these youngsters see her drama unfold.

Li Zhibai pressed a finger to her brow.

’But...’

’That’s why.’

That’s why she could sense Zhu Pingniang’s determination, and realized her feelings for her were genuine.

Once outgoing and not very articulate, this girl now used such clumsy tactics to plot against her.

Li Zhibai saw the excitement in Zhu Pingniang’s eyes, never before had she been more aware of how fond Zhu Pingniang was of her.

It truly left her with no choice.

’Hmph, not angry... why scare me then.’ In almost an instant, Zhu Pingniang reverted to her usual ’overbearing’ self, squinting her eyes, ’You seniors sure are difficult to understand... it’s surprising to see someone maintaining their stern facade at a proper banquet.’

At this moment, Zhu Pingniang’s demeanor was normal, as if the earlier timid woman was just an illusion to those present.

’Look at what you’ve done.’ Li Zhibai pinched her joints, eyes carrying no ripples as she asked, ’Do you really enjoy catering to me so much?’

’People have things they like and things they don’t. I can’t control myself.’ Zhu Pingniang smiled, ’Just like the daughters I raise, some girls clearly have bought their freedom, yet insist on performing on stage... Ah Bai, do you think they’re not right in the head?’

In the Flower Moon Building, there were always a few women with twisted brains, having repurchased themselves, yet still settling accounts with the shop.

It was said in good faith that the silver wasn’t enough.

Such women were quite annoying.

’Not even a thousand gold can buy a willing heart?’ Li Zhibai asked.

’That’s exactly it.’ Zhu Pingniang nodded.

’Alright then.’ Li Zhibai sighed softly, much to Zhu Pingniang’s disbelief, she placed her chopsticks into her bowl, saying, ’Since I’m doing it myself... and might waste my sister’s treasure, why don’t you do it.’

’...?’ Zhu Pingniang blankly stared at Li Zhibai, seemingly unaware of how something she had given up on suddenly fell right onto her.

’Thank you.’ Li Zhibai said.

’Ah Bai, you...’

’?’

’Nothing,’ Zhu Pingniang, afraid Li Zhibai might change her mind, quickly took her chopsticks, then said, ’What are you thinking, I truly don’t understand.’

’What am I thinking?’ Li Zhibai’s Liu Mei trembled slightly, with no words left to say.

When she was silent moments earlier, she really thought of many things, leaving her feeling helpless and... defeated.

Clearly, she was the one who consistently maintained a routine of tea tasting and meals.

To know, Li Zhibai never relied on cultivation in her daily life, almost never missing her three meals a day...

As for Zhu Tongjun?

Before coming down the mountain, never ate anything for decades.

And yet, how long has it been since she came down, and now Li Zhibai needs Tong Jun to teach her how to eat?

After all those years of dining, on principles, she’s outdone by Zhu Pingniang, who’s only run the Flower Moon Building for a few years. How could she not be helpless?

Could it be that all those years of meals transformed into Spiritual Qi and dispersed?

Yet Xu Chang’an’s nod clearly told her... Zhu Pingniang knew more about enjoying food than she did.

’...Sigh.’ Li Zhibai exhaled a breath of clarity.

No wonder she couldn’t teach her younger sister well, or let Chang’an learn to Open Source within a year, turns out... she was someone who didn’t know how to eat properly.

’Ah Bai, you’re... a bit strange.’ Zhu Pingniang, holding Li Zhibai’s chopsticks, for a moment... felt like retreating.

’The strange one is you, this girl.’ Li Zhibai gently shook her head, then said, ’You, as an elder, truly leave people speechless.’

’Really?’ Zhu Pingniang blinked, then suddenly realized Li Zhibai’s implication.

She turned back to see Xu Chang’an’s enigmatic smile.

How could she not see she had become a plaything for his amusement?

’What are you looking at!’

Zhu Pingniang’s face turned red as a tomato.

She was still a girl with dignity, merely blinded by Li Zhibai.

’Who are you shouting at.’

Li Zhibai glared at her.