Pei Weiyi nodded, "Alright, but I need to know your information."
"What a snob." Wu Qianqiu rolled her eyes, "Twenty-four years ago, someone saw a young man dressed as a Daoist outside a small world remnant of a Tribulation Immortal in the Sea of Eternal Life on Changsheng Continent, telling fortunes. He had four fingers on his left hand and six on his right."
Pei Weiyiâs eyes suddenly sharpened, and her tone became slightly urgent, "And then?"
Wu Qianqiu was good at teasing, and with a smile, she raised her wine glass, "Keep me company for a drink, and weâll chat about girly topics."
Staring at her, Pei Weiyi found herself with no choice but to clink glasses.
...
The night sky was vast and boundless, peach blossoms fluttering, beauty in full bloom.
An An curled up, lying on Taoxianâs lap. Taoxianâs right hand gently caressed her long hair, strands slipping through her fingers.
"An An, are you alright?"
"Iâm fine."
"But you donât seem very happy." Taoxianâs pink eyes were like petals adorned within.
An An sat up with a smile, "No, Iâm quite happy."
Taoxian smiled slightly, "Donât force yourself. Here, you can just be yourself."
An An sighed in frustration, "Iâm sorry for bothering you."
"Not at all. An An is a very easy-going child."
An An pouted, "That must be just for comfort."
Taoxian laughed, "Will An An not even give me a chance to comfort you? Could An An be a little stingy?"
"No way." An An anxiously waved her hands. She looked at Taoxianâs smiling face and lowered her head, "Well, actually, itâs like this... I have a good buddy..."
She recounted roughly the events between her and Fan Wubing.
Taoxian asked, "Is it that Wu Wangxinger?"
"You know him?"
Taoxian laughed, "Heâs quite famous. An An is impressive, being buddies with someone like him."
An An propped her chin, "Thatâs why Iâm so troubled. I canât help him with anything... it feels like Iâm the only one being taken care of. I want to take care of him more."
"An An, you really donât need to worry about that." Taoxian shook her head, "No, thatâs not even an issue."
"Isnât it?"
Taoxian said, "Friendship is about letting things be, about two people being together happily, in a relaxed manner. Relationships that are deliberately maintained will always break apart once this delicate balance is disturbed. You donât need to think about doing something specifically for him; when he truly needs your help, youâll naturally know, youâll naturally feel it."
An An clutched her chest, "But whenever I think of him, my heart is both happy and uneasy."
Taoxian laughed, "Because you value him. Youâre afraid of losing him."
"How can I prevent losing him?" An An asked sincerely.
Taoxian looked up, "Thatâs truly an age-old question. In life, you will always gain something and lose something. And there are things, once lost, that can never be found again. So, An An, donât be troubled by this. What is the joy and what is the sorrow of the world? All we can do is take the next step carefully."
"I see." An An looked up at the night sky.
She felt a bit better inside.
For An An, relaxing time always passed quickly, and by midnight, like every child nestled under the winter covers, she struggled to leave Taoxianâs warm, soft lap.
After leaving Peach Manor, she cheerfully told her good friend, "I did it!"
A voice echoed in her heart, "I told you, An An is the best. As long as you want to do it, you can achieve it."
"Hehe, thank you. Without you, I wouldnât have dared to come in alone."
"No need to thank me. Weâre bound together, life and death. The best of friends."
"Mmm, mmm." She walked quickly outside, "I have to go back and tell Fan Wubing I managed to visit the brothel by myself! Heâll definitely praise me!"
"An An..." The voice in her heart had an eerie undertone.
"Whatâs wrong?"
"Be careful, someone is watching you."
"Huh? What should I do? Why are they watching me?" An An immediately panicked, "Thereâs no rule against minors visiting a brothel!" She pouted, "Besides, Iâm an adult!"
"Donât be afraid, Iâm here, Iâll protect you. Just do as I say."
"Alright... okay!"
An An immediately followed her friendâs instructions.