Good times were always so fleeting that they caught people off guard.
Immersed in teaching, writing, and bantering, Yun Che and Li Zijun found that two hours seemed to pass in the blink of an eye.
Just as Yun Che was still figuring out how to learn a few more attack techniques from Sister Zijun of the Confucian school, a cold system warning suddenly rang in his mind:
『Warning: Less than 30 breaths remain for this binding.』
『Please prepare, Host. Your consciousness will be forcibly extracted soon.』
『Countdown: 29, 28……』
“!” Yun Che’s heart tightened, and that lazy, comfortable feeling was instantly scattered, replaced by a deep reluctance to part.
He instinctively looked out the window… the sky had already darkened.
“Sister Zijun,” Yun Che said, with a barely perceptible hint of urgency and regret, “it’s almost time.”
In the sea of consciousness, Li Zijun’s will visibly stirred.
That easy, cheerful atmosphere receded like the tide, replaced by a feeling of wistful loss.
“…Mm.” She answered softly, a little quieter than before.
“All right.” Yun Che nodded, suppressing the reluctance in his heart, and controlled the body to leave the writing desk and walk to the window.
The morning breeze poured in with the crispness and fragrance unique to the mountains; it was cool, but refreshing.
He stood at the window, looking at the pavilions and towers of Cloud Deer Academy, faintly visible in the morning mist, and the rolling green mountains farther away.
“Zijun, goodbye.” He said softly, his tone sincere with reluctance and gratitude.
『Countdown: 10, 9, 8……』
Li Zijun’s will gently brushed through his sea of consciousness, like a sigh and like a wordless embrace.
The instant the forced extraction of consciousness struck, Yun Che clearly “heard” Li Zijun’s will condense into a very soft, very soft sentence that seemed to land straight on his heart:
“Take good care of yourself, Xiao Che.”
It was as if a true sister, seeing her younger brother about to travel far away, had compressed countless words into this one most ordinary piece of advice.
Yun Che’s heart seemed to be struck hard by something soft, aching and swollen, yet unbelievably warm.
He did not even have time to respond, nor could he control this body to nod once more or offer a smile.
『3, 2, 1. Forced consciousness extraction begins.』
His vision was instantly pulled and blurred; the quiet room, the morning light outside the window, the orchid fragrance at his nose… everything was rapidly receding.
The last lingering sensation was the gentle will belonging to Li Zijun that lingered around his soul, and the silent yet resolute answer in his own heart:
‘You too, Sister Zijun. See you next time.’
……
“Knock, knock.”
A light knock sounded, interrupting Li Zijun’s thoughts.
“Young lady, I brought you some evening fruit and tea.” Maid Qingcha’s clear, respectful voice came from outside the door.
Li Zijun quickly reined in all the emotions on her face and returned to her usual cool, composed demeanor, though deep in her eyes there still lingered a trace of lingering gentleness.
“Come in,” she said lightly.
The door was gently pushed open, and Maid Qingcha walked in carrying a redwood tray. On the tray were several seasonal spirit fruits, each plump and juicy with abundant spiritual energy, as well as a steaming cup of tea, its fragrance crisp and refreshing, invigorating just to smell.
Qingcha set the tray lightly on the round table in the outer room, her movements practiced.
She secretly lifted her eyes and gave her own young lady a quick glance.
The young lady was standing by the window at the writing desk in the inner room; the morning light outlined her delicate and graceful, otherworldly side profile, and her figure remained as upright as bamboo, with a transcendent bearing.
Yet for some reason, Qingcha felt that the young lady was a little different today…
She couldn’t quite say exactly where. It seemed her gaze was a little more distant than usual, and the habitual, aloof curve at the corner of her lips seemed a little softer now?
And her young lady’s ears… were they a little faintly red? Was that just an illusion from the morning light?
What puzzled her even more was the odd behavior over the past few days.
The young lady spent noticeably longer alone in the quiet room, and at times Qingcha could faintly hear murmurs that sounded like she was talking to someone, but whenever she pushed the door open, there was always only the young lady alone.
When asked about it, the young lady only said she was “reciting the classics and pondering their meaning.”
But how could anyone ponder meaning and keep showing expressions of annoyance for a while, amusement for a while, and then dazed distraction for a while?
Yesterday she even saw the young lady stare at a calligraphy piece for a full half hour, her fingers absentmindedly stroking the paper, her gaze so gentle that…
It simply did not seem like the young lady she knew, who was polite to everyone yet distant.
“Qingcha.” Li Zijun’s voice suddenly sounded, interrupting Qingcha’s wandering thoughts.
“This servant is here.” Qingcha hurriedly bowed.
“Today… were there any formal invitations or visitors?” Li Zijun asked, her gaze still fixed outside the window.
“Reporting to you, young lady, Vice Dean Zhou of Cloud Deer Academy sent an invitation card, hoping to invite you to the academy’s main hall in a few days to give an introductory lesson on ‘Nurturing Qi and Illuminating the Heart’ for this year’s newly enrolled disciples.” Qingcha replied respectfully.
Li Zijun listened and gave a slight nod. “Go tell Vice Dean Zhou that I will arrive on time tomorrow afternoon.”
“Yes.” Qingcha answered, hesitated for a moment, and then could not suppress the curiosity born from her concern for her mistress as she softly asked, “Young lady, have you had something on your mind these past few days?
Or have you encountered a bottleneck in your cultivation?
This servant has seen you often alone in thought, and sometimes even muttering to yourself… Would you like me to ask one of the instructors in the academy who is skilled in medicine or soothing the mind to take a look?”
She asked cautiously, full of concern.
Li Zijun said helplessly, “Relax, I’m not sick. There’s no need to call a physician!”
“It’s just that recently I’ve been comprehending an ancient Confucian classic. It contains subtle yet profound truths, so it needs to be chewed over again and again; sometimes I can’t help reciting it aloud and working through its wording.” Li Zijun’s tone was calm and natural, revealing no flaw at all.
That explanation was perfectly reasonable. Given the young lady’s learning and cultivation level, it was normal for her to become immersed when comprehending profound classics and occasionally lose herself in it.
Qingcha’s doubts lessened a little, but that faint sense that something was “off” had not completely disappeared.
She always felt that the young lady’s state when comprehending classics was different from this present state… this one with a trace of subtle sparkle.
But she knew the young lady’s temperament well; if the young lady did not want to say more, pressing the matter would be useless.
Perhaps she really was overthinking things?
“So that’s how it is. This servant spoke out of turn.” Qingcha hurriedly apologized. “Young lady, even while devoting yourself to study, you should still rest. Please enjoy these spirit fruits and tea while they are fresh.”
“Mm, put them down.” Li Zijun walked back to the writing desk, seemingly preparing to continue “comprehending.”
Qingcha did not dare disturb her any further. She bowed and quietly withdrew, carefully closing the door behind her.
After leaving the small courtyard where the quiet room stood, the morning sunlight covered the bluestone path. Qingcha looked back at the tightly closed door, her delicate brows still faintly furrowed.
“I keep feeling… like the young lady has some secret,” she muttered softly. “And it’s a secret she cares about quite a bit.”
Shaking her head and tossing aside those incomprehensible thoughts, Qingcha carried the empty tray toward the kitchen.
As a personal maid, all she needed to do was serve the young lady well. As for the young lady’s secrets… that was not something she should probe into. So long as the young lady was safe and happy, that was enough.
Inside the quiet room, after hearing Qingcha’s fading footsteps, Li Zijun finally let out a soft breath.
She walked to the round table and picked up the cup of tea, the warm porcelain resting against her palm. Tea fragrance drifted in the air, and she lowered her head to look at her blurred reflection in the clear tea.
She took a sip of tea; the mellow, slightly bitter taste spread across her tongue, like the complicated yet sweet concern in her heart at this moment.
Outside the window, clouds gathered and scattered, and a new day flowed quietly past amid the seemingly peaceful routine.
And some quietly sprouting feelings and connections also took root silently in that flowing time, waiting to be watered by the next reunion.