On the banquet stage, Ms. Zhu endlessly chatted about Li Zhibaiâs personal matters, secrets, and small habits.
This behavior was originally not ideal, but because Wen Li, Yun Qian, and Miss Lu present were genuinely close, Ms. Zhu rarely opened up, chatting freely and unrestrained.
If no one was interested it would have been fine, but Miss Lu alone listening, Ms. Zhu would find it dull... But coincidentally, she was discussing Li Zhibaiâs quirks... Wen Li was very fond of her Master Li, and seemed to be listening with great interest.
Only Yun Qian appeared to be listening to Ms. Zhu, when in reality, her thoughts had already drifted far away.
She had no interest in Li Zhibaiâs past, after all, Xu Changâan wasnât by Li Zhibaiâs side back then... And once Xu Changâan appeared, she knew everything about Li Zhibaiâs affairs.
With a slight yawn, Miss Yun watched the fading stars in the twilight sky.
âWould it be good to live as a couple for a lifetime...?â
Listening to Xu Changâan and Li Zhibaiâs conversation, Yun Qian was lost in thought.
On this romantic painted boat, what is the most poetic ending that a girl named Yun Qian could imagine?
Perhaps exactly as her husband said, is sitting and tasting tea, is quietly watching flowers bloom and fall, is gazing at the setting sun, and then, one evening, just like those from his past, stepping into another world without looking back.
But thereâs a slight difference.
What Xu Changâan envisioned was welcoming the end together with his wife on that day.
What Miss Yun envisioned was the true meaning of âeverythingâ coming to an end.
Are these two romances the same?
Yun Qian tilted her head, blinked her eyes.
Something... is just not clear.
However, she doesnât need to understand clearly, as long as her husband is willing, not cultivating, living as an ordinary couple for a lifetime, even if itâs just quietly watching days pass by, she will be delighted.
As for ordinary couples living only a hundred years might be too short... These donât affect Miss Yun, just as at this moment... even a little bit of time can be infinitely extended by her side, then is this hundred years truly just a hundred years.
Who knows.
ââ
"If Miss really cannot cultivate under any circumstances, then accompanying her in Beisang City as an ordinary couple is also wonderful."
At the square table, Xu Changâan said while standing up to refill Li Zhibaiâs wine cup.
Li Zhibai watched his smooth, seemingly meaningful pouring motion, gently sighed.
She could hear that Xu Changâan had no resistance or regret about giving up cultivation to accompany Yun Qian to become a âmortal,â so this matter in Xu Changâanâs heart wasnât a âhypothetical,â but a realistically considered path.
However...
Li Zhibai knew better than anyone how much effort Xu Changâan had dedicated to cultivation, that kind of even ruthless way to improve himself now in retrospect still made him heartache... Therefore, when Xu Changâan expressed he could easily give it all up, it made Li Zhibai feel even more deeply.
"Doesnât it feel regrettable?" Li Zhibai asked.
"Regrettable?" Xu Changâan put down the wine jug, glanced at Li Zhibai strangely, then quickly understood, with some helplessness said: "Sir, sometimes... I really donât mean to show off my affection in front of you, but... how do you expect me to respond to such words?"
Cultivation? Does he care about cultivation? Itâs Yun Qian he cares for.
If Yun Qian canât cultivate, then whatâs the point of his cultivation, of course, heâd instantly give it up.
So, cultivation has never been important in his heart.
Important is only Miss Yun.
But such words spoken out inevitably carry some âshowing off affectionâ implication.
"Affection..." Li Zhibai was momentarily stunned, then seeing the bitter smile at Xu Changâanâs mouth, suddenly understood.
Oh.
Again, itâs because of Ms. Yun.
It should be because of Ms. Yun.
"This isnât a reason, right." Li Zhibai stretched out a finger: "Ms. Yunâs inability to cultivate is her matter, doesnât interfere with your cultivation, after all, as long as the cultivation is successful, thereâs a chance to obtain longevity-increasing treasures for Yun Qian... objectively, her inability to cultivate shouldnât affect you."
"Different, as they say, time in the mountains flies by, unaware of years passing," Xu Changâan said softly: "Even... if I canât manage to close off for years, yet spending whole nights cultivating is common practice, how can that be suitable."
Then thereâs a whole night... during that time, holding the girl closely for a good rest is far more important.
"As for cultivation treasures, arenât there you, Ms. Zhu?" Xu Changâan chuckled: "Even if I give up cultivation, yet benefiting from Senior Sistersâ care... on the foot of Chaoyun Mountain, living a good life isnât difficult."
Of course, whatâs most reassuring for him is Li Zhibai.
Even if he gives up cultivation, he still has his teacher to rely on.
"...you." Li Zhibai gently rubbed her brow with a finger.
Really the first time seeing Changâan saying âliving off othersâ so righteously, in a way, calling him a concubine isnât quite wrong.
Yet Li Zhibai had nothing much to comment, she knew Xu Changâanâs perspective on the âfutureâ, which was without any confusion as he calculated everything thoroughly.
Because he has Yun Qian by his side, has someone to rely on, so even if the future is a blank canvas, he can walk through it with determination.
Then... what about herself.
Changâan has his reliance.
Where is her reliance?
A woman named Li Zhibai, does she have someone to rely on?
No, from the very start she never has.
Li Zhibai gently sighed, finally realizing one thing.
That her greatest change actually wasnât about attire or preferences, butâ
She has become vulnerable.
As she switched from being a seeker of the Heavenly Dao to becoming an ordinary woman and rediscovered her youthful heart, her Golden Body shattered cleanly, exposing her softened body, even beginning to yearn for reliance, hoping someone might listen as she confided like Changâan did.
In the past, when did she ever need reliance?
"Changâan... when will you truly grow up." Li Zhibai looked at Xu Changâan with complex expression.
Yet Li Zhibai also knew, for Changâan to grow to the level that makes her a âteacherâ, âmotherâ reliant and attached to him, thereâs still a long, long way to go, however in this lifetime, besides Changâan, she probably wonât find anyone else to rely on peacefully.
She slowly sipped the wine from the bowl, softly spoke.
"Changâan, wine and tea, one dynamic, one static, one lively, one stable. As children only know wine makes drunk, upon maturity understand tea calms the mind."
The topic abruptly returned to tea leaves, causing Xu Changâan to be startled, but quickly agreed:
"Sir is correct, tea and wine both allow temporary escape from reality, yet tea provides mental realm, a body and mind cleansing, filtering out agitation, reaching a relaxed mental state, whereas wine allows temporary detachment from reality... becoming braver?"
Anyway, for a fair amount of time, he was drunk on wine, using the courage from it to dare climb onto Miss Yunâs bed.
"What you say is what it is then." Li Zhibai looked at the slow student before her, shaking her head.
What she desired to say was, wine is a maidenâs drink, while tea is loved by women of age.
Thus, as she transformed from one who loves tea, to one who began savoring wine, what does it signify?
It signifies she indeed has been a bit weak.
Wanting someone to rely on.
âAre those... worldly women who marry also having similar thoughts?â