Chapter 11: He looks like a dog!

Facing Gu Qingwan’s gratitude, Liu Biqin—who was disguised as “Chu Yunlan”—openly declared her stance toward Chu Yuan. Gu Qingwan lowered her head in guilt.

Her nails dug into her palms. In her mind, she couldn’t help but imagine Chu Yuan’s possible reactions afterward—

Perhaps he would grab her hand and ask desperately, “Why?” She could only grit her teeth and say, “We’re not suitable.” He would look at her for a long time, so long she could barely hold on, then laugh through clenched teeth and say, “Fine.” Before turning and walking away, his back lonely like an abandoned dog left in the wilderness.

Perhaps he would run home in disbelief, sit alone in the dark from day until night, refusing to eat or speak. The next day when he opened the door, everything would seem normal, except something new would linger in his eyes—something impossible to name.

Perhaps he would smile bitterly in self-mockery, bless them, then watch from afar as she boarded the carriage and left. He would stand there foolishly for a very long time, until the sun set. Then he would lower his head, smiling in a way uglier than crying.

No matter which scenario, Gu Qingwan felt a wave of unbearable pain in her heart.

“Heh.”

Chu Yuan let out an involuntary chuckle.

If this were his previous life, the system would have forced him to act out the grief of being dumped.

Now, having broken free from those shackles, Chu Yuan spoke calmly.

“Good. I understand.”

His tone was so indifferent, completely devoid of any reluctance or surprise.

Gu Qingwan jerked her head up, unable to believe Chu Yuan would let go so easily.

The smile in Liu Biqin’s eyes froze. She was slightly surprised by Chu Yuan’s reaction.

Liu Biqin probed with another sentence.

“Yuan弟 is truly magnanimous. Yunlan is impressed. If you ever need help from Yunlan in the future, feel free to ask…”

“No need.”

Chu Yuan interrupted the fake young master. His tone remained flat, yet his eyes carried clear mockery.

You fake young master, just enjoy your final days!

In the previous life, bound by the system, I couldn’t deal with you.

In this life, I have plenty of ways to toy with you!

With that thought, an overwhelming sense of superiority rose from Chu Yuan’s very bones.

This superiority made Liu Biqin inexplicably irritated.

What’s wrong with this waste? His childhood sweetheart was stolen and he can still be this happy? Did a door slam on his head?

Whatever. The task is already complete. Getting angry with this kind of waste would only lower Young Master Yunlan’s status!

Who is Young Master Yunlan?

He is the future giant who will control an entire Holy Domain!

There is no need to bicker with a stray dog on the roadside and damage the young master’s image.

Liu Biqin withdrew the hand that had been hovering supportively at Gu Qingwan’s waist. Her warm smile remained unchanged.

“Qingwan, since Yuan弟 has said so, let’s go! Let Yuan弟 digest this by himself.”

Gu Qingwan did not respond. She only stared fixedly at Chu Yuan’s delicate, indifferent face, hoping to catch even a trace of loss in his eyes.

Her cherry lips parted slightly as if she wanted to say something, yet in the end, nothing came out.

Gu Qingwan could only turn around and flee back into the phoenix carriage.

The surrounding crowd looked somewhat disappointed.

“Tsk! I didn’t expect this kid to be so tough… I thought we’d get some melodramatic show!!!”

“Hah! What’s the use of being tough? What is Young Master Yunlan’s status? What is his?”

“Exactly. What else can he do after being dumped? Just accept his fate!”

“It’s a bit pitiful, but… who told him to be useless???”

At that moment, a phoenix-like voice rang out from the third floor of the teahouse.

“Young Master Chu, this palace is quite interested in the business you mentioned earlier. Please come up and discuss it.”

As soon as these words sounded, Chu Yuan, Liu Biqin, and even Chu Yunlan far away in the Chu family courtyard all looked toward the third floor at once.

……

Ji Xuanyuan watched the slender figure downstairs being cornered by Chu Yunlan. Her jade fingers tightened unconsciously.

“Junior Brother…”

With her understanding of Chu Yunlan, he would not trouble a mere collateral orphan for no reason.

Unless… this orphan was destined to become his lifelong enemy?

Seeing that both Chus seemed to have complicated ties with that ink-haired beauty, Ji Xuanyuan asked curiously.

“Who is that fairy?”

Fang Henian, standing respectfully beside her, glanced at the graceful figure outside the window and bowed.

“Reporting to Your Highness, that is Gu Qingwan of the Gu family in the city. It is said their family has deep connections with the Medicine King Valley.”

Medicine King Valley?

Memories from the past surged into Ji Xuanyuan’s mind.

That year in the Medicine King Valley, it was late spring. Hundreds of flowers bloomed throughout the valley.

As night fell, lanterns were hung among the flowering trees, stretching one by one from the valley entrance deep inside like a flowing river of stars.

The light passing through gauze lanterns created soft glowing orbs that fell upon the faces of people coming and going.

It was the Medicine King Valley’s once-in-a-decade Shennong Grand Ceremony—the liveliest night of the valley.

Disciples gathered in twos and threes, laughing and chatting as they walked by.

Young men carried lanterns, chasing after young women.

Girls held their companions’ hands, pointing at distant lanterns and guessing riddles.

She, then going by Li Shixue, wore a plain white dress and stood on a small bridge. Her snow-white hair was pinned up with a white jade hairpin.

Moonlight fell on her, yet it was like falling on a block of ice—nothing could penetrate.

She had come with her junior brother on a mission to attend the grand ceremony.

As a cultivator who had begun practicing the Heartless Dao, the liveliness outside the bridge had nothing to do with her.

“Senior Sister!”

A voice suddenly came from behind, carrying irrepressible joy.

Li Shixue turned and saw the handsome youth running toward her.

He wore a deep blue robe, his ink-black hair tied back with a ribbon and fluttering in the wind.

When he reached her, the youth stopped, catching his breath, his face beaming with delight.

“Senior Sister!!!”

His resolute face was slightly flushed from running, his eyes shining like stars in the night sky.

That smile was brighter than the sun, causing Li Shixue to unconsciously take half a step back.

“Senior Sister!”

The junior brother called again, his voice filled with unconcealable expectation.

“You’re here! I’ve been looking for you for so long!!!”

Li Shixue looked at him without speaking.

He didn’t mind her silence and continued on his own.

“Tonight there’s a lantern festival. It’s really lively! There are lantern riddle games at the valley entrance. The winners can pick a flower lantern. People are releasing river lanterns by the stream—the wishes made there are especially effective.”

“There are also lots of snacks. The poria cakes and candied fruits are all delicious! I just tried a piece of osmanthus cake. It’s soft and sweet. Senior Sister, you’d definitely like it!”

As he spoke, he gestured with his hands, his eyes sparkling as he looked at her, waiting for her response.

Li Shixue remained silent.

Seeing his senior sister lack interest, the junior brother’s expression dimmed. His tone became more cautious.

“Senior Sister… would you like to go take a look together? Just for a while, it won’t take long. After we’re done, I’ll send you back to your residence. I won’t delay your cultivation.”

As he spoke, he took a step forward, then stopped, as if afraid getting too close would upset her. Expectation and hidden nervousness filled his words.

Then, Li Shixue spoke indifferently.

“No need.”

The junior brother’s dark eyes widened slightly, the light in them instantly dimming.

“Right… Senior Sister’s cultivation is more important. The lantern festival isn’t anything special anyway. It’s too crowded and not interesting.”

He took a step back, clearing the path beside the bridge.

“Then Senior Sister should go back and rest early. The nights are cold—don’t catch a chill.”

After speaking, the youth stood there, waiting for her to leave.

Li Shixue unconsciously glanced at him.

His face still carried a smile, but that smile no longer held any warmth.

She turned and walked off the bridge. Just as she turned the corner, she couldn’t help glancing back at the bridge once more.

Her junior brother was still standing there.

Alone, facing away from the lantern lights and toward the direction she had left.

The lights shone on him from behind, clearly outlining his silhouette, yet his face remained hidden.

He stood there, his figure so thin it looked like an abandoned puppy.

A faint tug pulled at Li Shixue’s heart, but she quickly withdrew her gaze and continued walking into the darkness.

The night wind blew past, carrying the fragrance of flowers and the bitter freshness of medicinal herbs.

Many years later, as the Female Emperor, she had already abandoned the alias “Li Shixue.”

During another Shennong Grand Ceremony, she reunited with her master.

Walking through the familiar yet unfamiliar lantern festival, she finally learned from her master:

That mission had been something her junior brother had begged for a long time to obtain—the rare chance for the two of them to go together.

That night, in order to invite her to the lantern festival, he had started preparing half a month in advance.

He had asked around about the festival’s schedule and memorized every place worth seeing.

He had learned to make flower lanterns, failing more than ten times before finally creating one decent enough to give to her.

He had exchanged all the spirit stones he had saved for a long time into the Medicine King Valley’s special snacks, tasting each one and selecting the best to bring her.

He had waited for her on the bridge for a very long time.

From sunset until the moon reached its zenith, from bustling crowds until the lanterns began to dim.

She never came.

Later he found her and gathered the courage to invite her again.

She refused.

Then he stood there, watching her back disappear little by little into the night.

Until all the lanterns were extinguished.

Until only he remained on the bridge.

When her master mentioned this, Ji Xuanyuan showed no expression.

That night, she sat in a private room of a restaurant somewhere in the lantern festival, looking at the bridge pier outside the window. In a trance, she seemed to see:

The abandoned little dog was still on the bridge.

Only this time, the departing snow-white figure had softened her heart. She turned back and walked with him toward the lantern lights beyond the bridge.

Yet when she came back to her senses, everything was like a dream bubble.

That dog had long since died. Even its bones had weathered away with time, disappearing without a trace.

Time flew like a shuttle. Seasons changed.

Present day.

Third floor of the teahouse.

Fang Henian continued his explanation.

“…It is said that this Fairy Gu and that Chu Yuan were childhood sweethearts, innocent playmates. Who would have thought… now it has come to this… Sigh!!!”

Watching that familiar-looking figure being abandoned by another fairy, Ji Xuanyuan felt the urge to do something.

Her heart moved with her will. She channeled her spiritual power, her red lips parting.

“Young Master Chu, this palace is quite interested in the business you mentioned earlier. If you don’t mind, please come up and talk.”

Upon hearing this, both Chu Yuan and Chu Yunlan—who had been about to board the carriage—froze.

In the next moment, everyone on the street looked toward the third floor.

The long window curtains were half-rolled up. The incoming light was cut by the carved window lattice into fine golden spots that fell upon the beauty’s charming face.

The crowd narrowed their eyes but could not clearly see her features.

Even so, the half-hidden beauty was enough to make many cultivators’ hearts ripple.

More importantly, the imperial aura carried within that phoenix-like voice gave Chu Yunlan—far away in the Chu family—a strong premonition:

The speaker is definitely no ordinary person!!!

He immediately sent a voice transmission to Liu Biqin on site.

【Biqin, the person on the third floor is no ordinary individual. You must not be rude!】

Upon receiving the order, Liu Biqin quickly cupped her hands while maintaining her young master’s appearance and saluted.

“This one is Chu Yunlan. May I ask who you are???”