Li Zhibai genuinely liked Yun Qian.
Previously, she thought the misty moon in the rainy sky was Tong Jun, but now she thinks, how could such a beautiful scene not be Ms. Yun.
She smiled wryly.
Just like Tong Jun said, this relationship is truly a mess.
Yun Qianâs calm and peaceful nature made Li Zhibai willing to call her sister, but from a relational standpoint, her status as a teacher almost equates to... Changâanâs mother?
Li Zhibai wasnât joking; she really thought so.
After all, her student was always alone, always beside Yun Qian since he opened his eyes, without any memory of his parents. At such a time... she, as a teacher, naturally stepped in to replace the parental role, even to the point of replacing the âmotherâ figure in Xu Changâanâs heart.
Sometimes, the look in Xu Changâanâs eyes and his respectful attitude towards her conveyed this sentiment quite well.
Indeed, compared to when she first met him, Changâan had matured a lot, shedding his previous naivety and instability. This almost nurturing experience indeed gave Li Zhibai a feeling of... raising a child.
Even Xu Changâanâs secrets, which she didnât fully understand, aligned perfectly with a childâs adolescent mysteries, leaving her somewhat puzzled.
So, was it Li Zhibaiâs wishful thinking, or was it Changâanâs attitude towards her that determined the emotions she reciprocated?
Thus, an odd situation arose.
Tong Jun, unmarried, had a bunch of daughters.
She was similar to Tong Jun, only she cared for a young man?
Li Zhibai swirled the wine in her glass, watching the firelight reflect off the liquid, her eyes faintly twitching.
Following this logic.
Addressing Yun Qian as sister-in-law, isnât she... a daughter-in-law?
Then what about Tong Jun, isnât Tong Jun still Changâanâs âMs. Zhuâ?
"..."
Li Zhibai sipped her drink, thinking that just as Tong Jun said, this relationship couldnât be unraveled without becoming utterly chaotic.
At this moment, the rain from the sky suddenly intensified, the sound of raindrops on the deck overshadowing Li Zhibaiâs gentle breathing.
She picked up her chopsticks, taking small bites of the dish Zhu Pingniang had rolled, now somewhat cold, her eyes glistening with satisfaction, clearly enjoying the taste.
Should it be said that Changâan truly understands her well?
Or rather, that she and Yun Qian share similar tastes.
She indeed liked her studentâs culinary skill a lot.
When alone, Li Zhibai rarely felt a sense of disorientation, as if facing a different era... Clearly, not much time had passed, yet looking back, everything seemed different.
Tong Jun had daughters to nurture.
The Sect Leader would descend from the mountain... to visit brothels.
She, too, had people other than Tong Jun to care about.
In the past, Li Zhibai would never have believed that she would have the awareness of being someoneâs âmother.â
Moreover, because this child wasnât very bright, she even wanted to fulfill a motherâs duties â for example, teaching him how to understand a womanâs thoughts?
Truly strange.
Clearly, Xu Changâan and Yun Qian were already a couple, their rank far surpassing her blank slate, yet Li Zhibai still had something to teach Xu Changâan?
She indeed could assist Yun Qian â in the aspect of piercing an ear, perhaps?
Li Zhibai put down her wine glass, a perplexed expression appearing on her face.
Come to think of it, she had seen Yun Qian... stepping on Xu Changâanâs head.
Their bed even collapsed.
In matters of conjugal intimacy, she was entirely on a different level than the two kids, so she couldnât impart any experience, thus after pondering, she realized she could really only help when Yun Qian wanted an earring...
As for the rest, there was simply no need for her assistance; the couple was quite indulged.
"..."
She quietly wiped the oil from the corner of her mouth.
Is there any other mother like hers in the world?
It seems not.
Li Zhibai thought to herself that she truly was a rather useless teacher.
She wasnât belittling herself, but genuinely felt ineffectual.
In handling worldly affairs, she wasnât as warm and reassuring as Zhu Pingniang... Many things Zhu Pingniang could handle very well alone, requiring no help.
In the past, she could still teach Xu Changâan some cultivation, but as Xu Changâanâs mysteries gradually revealed, Li Zhibai realized that cultivation might only be a form of experience for him, leaving her unsure of what else to do.
After all, other than matters related to cultivation, she truly had no strong points. But in the face of a mystery that even the Sect Leader could not fathom, of what use was she?
Fortunately, Changâan and Yun Qian did not disdain her, this woman halfway to the grave, so she was happy.
Moreover, whether Changâan was training or had amnesia, externally, he was currently just an ordinary person, plain yet diligent, so many of her resources were still useful for this child.
A small consolation.
As long as cultivation remained meaningful to him, she could still be a teacher he relied on.
Tilting her head.
Li Zhibai withdrew all her spiritual power, faintly hearing the melody coming from the banquet hall, making her want to go see the Sect Leader mingling with Tong Junâs daughter.
But having promised Zhu Pingniang to wait here, she restrained herself.
Thinking back, when did she realize that she didnât merely see Xu Changâan as a student?
If an ordinary student, referencing Wen Li should suffice.
No matter how outstanding she was, once out of the Sword Hall, she wouldnât even call her a teacher.