Chapter 8

After saying this, both of them were stunned.

Su Rong lowered her hand and lightly stepped away, creating a distance of one person between her and Qing Xian.

“Su Rong,” Qing Xian suddenly asked, “what kind of man do you like?”

Su Rong seemed to be looking at something, yet also at nothing, just gazing into the boundless night, “I’ve never thought about it.”

“Then, do you want to cultivate immortality?” Qing Xian asked again.

The woman walked in front of him with her hands behind her back, her tone light and casual, as elusive as the wind.

Her voice accompanied the evening breeze past his ear: “No.”

“Why? Don’t you want to be immortal and eternally youthful?” Qing Xian pressed.

“Do you want to cultivate immortality?” Su Rong stopped and asked.

Qing Xian didn’t speak. She turned around and looked at him seriously, saying, “Don’t believe in those tales of immortality. What’s so good about becoming an immortal? It’s just living a few more years, and in the end, all return to loneliness.”

Qing Xian was dazed upon hearing this. In the end, does everything return to loneliness?

“Of course, look at those immortals in the stories, which one isn’t just guarding a mountain, meditating and chanting scriptures every day, with absolutely nothing to do? If that’s not lonely, what is?”

Qing Xian realized he had unconsciously asked aloud, but Su Rong’s words made him both amused and exasperated.

“How can the stories of the mortal world know what life real immortals lead?” Qing Xian said with a smile.

Su Rong also smiled, then changed the subject: “If you want to be immortal, why not become a demon instead? It’s free and unrestrained.”

Qing Xian joked, “No way, demons don’t look good at all.”

Su Rong asked puzzled, “How do you know they’re ugly?”

“Hmm,” Qing Xian thought for a moment, borrowing Su Rong’s words, “In stories, demons always appear as a mass of black smoke when they show up. You can’t see what they look like at all. I guess it’s because they’re too ugly to be seen.”

“Pfft.”

Su Rong couldn’t help but laugh: “That’s just it? You’ve read too few stories.”

Su Rong said: “In some stories, demons are the main characters, and when they appear, they come in different colors like red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet, hahaha.”

Qing Xian knew she was teasing him, but he didn’t feel bad at all. Instead, his heart felt as sweet and soft as if he had eaten preserved fruits.

Her laughter was truly beautiful.

“Su Rong.”

“Hmm?”

“Nothing.”

Qing Xian replied with a smile.

Su Rong curled her fingers and lightly tapped his head, saying, “Don’t call out for no reason, watch where you’re going.”

“Oh.” Qing Xian touched his head and lowered his head, smiling gently.

Walking behind the two, Long Ling’s lips curled up, his eyes full of mischief and teasing.

Ah, how enviable.

The next day, Qing Xian got up early, got breakfast from the innkeeper, and knocked on Su Rong’s door.

“Who is it?”

“It’s me.”

“…Come in.”

Qing Xian pushed open the door to see Su Rong already dressed and seated by the window.

“It’s raining again,” Qing Xian said softly, looking at the fine rain outside the window. “I got some breakfast from the innkeeper, do you want to eat?”

Su Rong turned her head to look at him, then at the food in his bowl, and smiled, “Sure.”

Qing Xian’s lips curved into a smile as he placed the food on the table.

He took out a pair of bamboo chopsticks from the tray and handed them to Su Rong: “Here.”

Su Rong was somewhat surprised by his thoughtfulness and smiled, “You’re quite attentive.”

Qing Xian smiled faintly without speaking, just sitting on the other side and starting to eat with her.

“After we finish eating, we’ll head back to the mountain,” Su Rong said to Qing Xian.

“But, it’s still raining outside…” Qing Xian didn’t finish his sentence, afraid that saying more would reveal his thoughts to Su Rong.

He didn’t want to go back so soon. Su Rong seemed closer to him when they were outside. Once back at the academy, they might return to their original way of life.

She would teach her classes, he would practice his sword, and even though they lived together, they would remain unconnected.

“It’s fine, I’ve already asked the waiter to buy umbrellas for us,” Su Rong said, her gaze falling on the window, as if unfocused.

Qing Xian also looked out the window, not quite understanding what she was looking at.

“What are you looking at?” he asked.

“The rain.”

“What’s so special about the rain?” Qing Xian asked.

“Isn’t a rainy day nice? The raindrops pitter-pattering on the stone slabs, eaves, and treetops, it’s like a melodious tune, making one drowsy.”

“Do you… like listening to music?” Qing Xian asked.

“It’s alright.” Su Rong picked up a strip of radish and put it in her mouth, leisurely enjoying it with the plain white porridge.

“Can you play the flute?” Qing Xian’s eyes unconsciously looked at the jade flute hanging at Su Rong’s waist.

“I can,” Su Rong said, “and I can’t.”

“Huh?” What did that mean?

Su Rong smiled, put down her chopsticks, and propped up her chin to quietly appreciate the fine rain outside the window.

“There’s been particularly more rain this year,” she said.

“Is that so?” Qing Xian said.

“Yes, on and off, every time you think it’s about to end, it comes again,” Su Rong said.

Hearing this, Qing Xian looked at Su Rong, thinking, aren’t you the same?

Every time I think you might also have feelings for me, you always make me realize that between us… we’re worlds apart.

“We’ve appreciated enough, let’s go back,” Su Rong stood up, smoothing out the creases in her robe. “Call your cousin.”

“Mm.” Qing Xian nodded, then turned his head to look once more at the misty rain outside the window.

The waiter handed umbrellas to the three of them, and as he did for every departing guest, enthusiastically yet impersonally said, “Have a safe journey, guests. Please come again.”

Passing through the rain curtain, treading on the coolness of the autumn morning, the group returned to the academy.

…

Just as they reached the entrance, they heard sharp arguing voices from inside.

Among the three, only Long Ling’s face showed curiosity, while the other two seemed uninterested.

Su Rong yawned, turning to walk towards her own courtyard.

“I’m telling you to hand over Su Rong!”

“If you don’t tell me where she is, I’ll burn down this shabby academy!”

An arrogant and domineering male voice came from inside the courtyard. Su Rong’s footsteps faltered slightly, her expression instantly darkening.

She turned and stepped into the courtyard, with Qing Xian following behind.

“I’m here,” Su Rong said. “If you dare to burn down this academy, I’ll set fire to your den. I bet your mother wouldn’t dare to make a peep!”

Hearing her voice, the man inside the courtyard turned around with joy, but after clearly hearing her words, he became somewhat afraid.

He looked at Su Rong with some fear but also persistence, his eyes full of love.

“Put away that look,” Su Rong said, “It’s disgusting.”

If it weren’t for his mother once saving her father’s life, he probably would have been dead long ago.

“Sister Su Rong, how can you say that? Uncle sent me here to keep you company,” he said, batting his eyelashes at Su Rong.

Others might think Qu Yi was a seductive and alluring beauty, but Su Rong was genuinely disgusted by him.

It was always like this, as if he couldn’t understand others’ feelings at all, only acting according to his own wishes.

Just based on the things he had done to her, if it weren’t for having such a mother, he would have died hundreds of times already.

Zhou Xu, who had been watching from the side, quickly stepped forward and said, “How can Instructor Su speak like this to a young gentleman? Don’t you have any respect for others?”

Su Rong didn’t even bother to give him a glance, directly addressing the Shan Zhang nearby: “I’m sorry for the trouble. I’ll take him away now.”

Shan Zhang waved her hand, still somewhat shaken: “It’s fine, you go ahead. Come see me later, I have something to tell you.”

Si Tu Tang, standing beside and supporting Shan Zhang, looked at Su Rong with a complex expression but ultimately said nothing.

Long Ling, who had been standing at the back uninvolved, brightened up upon seeing Si Tu Tang.

This lady was truly as gentle as jade, with an elegant demeanor.

He followed Si Tu Tang out of the courtyard.

After all, these matters were none of his business, so he might as well leave with her.

The few people remaining in the courtyard were still at an impasse. Zhou Xu, seeing that no one paid attention to him after he finished speaking, felt both embarrassed and angry.

He looked to Shan Zhang for help, but Shan Zhang didn’t look at him, instead entering the house alone.

This nephew of hers, ah.

Shan Zhang shook her head.

…

Su Rong led Qu Yi to a small pavilion on the mountain. Seeing that Qing Xian had followed along, she said to him, “You go back first.”

Qing Xian nodded, glancing at Qu Yi with some unease.

This person seemed quite familiar with Su Rong…

“Who is he?” Qu Yi pointed at the departing Qing Xian, asking arrogantly.

“It’s none of your business. You go back now,” Su Rong said, ignoring him and sitting down on a stone bench in the pavilion.

“I won’t. I want to stay here with you,” Qu Yi stepped forward, trying to grab Su Rong’s hand, but was directly knocked back by a burst of her magic power, falling to the ground.

Su Rong’s face remained cold, as if she hadn’t seen his hurt expression.

“Sister Su Rong, if you don’t want me to stay here, I’ll go live down the mountain, but I absolutely won’t go back,” Qu Yi said, his eyes red as he looked at Su Rong.

“Suit yourself,” Su Rong stood up, leaving him behind as she prepared to leave.

“Sister Su Rong, you still haven’t answered me about who that man standing with you was?” Qu Yi persisted in asking.

“It’s none of your concern,” Su Rong said coldly.

“None of my concern? You haven’t really gotten involved with a mortal man, have you? You should know he’s human, you two are completely unsuitable!”

Too lazy to waste words on him, Su Rong simply vanished from the spot, leaving Qu Yi alone and seething with anger.

He looked ahead with a vicious gaze, his fingers clenched into fists.

Sister Su Rong, you can only be mine…

When Su Rong returned to the small courtyard, she found it filled with the aroma of food. She paused her steps and looked into the yard.

Hearing movement, Qing Xian turned and came out of the house, discovering Su Rong had returned.

The corners of his eyes crinkled with a smile as he asked, “Are you hungry? I learned to make a few dishes today, the taste should be quite good.”

Su Rong was taken aback. This kind of conversation made even her feel a bit dazed.

Strangely, her bad mood from earlier completely vanished. She stepped inside, asking, “You didn’t hurt yourself anywhere this time, did you?”

“Su Rong, are you concerned about me?” Qing Xian paused in serving the rice, looking at Su Rong as he asked.

“No,” Su Rong said, “Just that scars aren’t good-looking.”

“Heh.” Qing Xian laughed, clearly not believing her words.

Su Rong didn’t care whether he believed her or not. She walked to the table, took the bowl and chopsticks he handed over, and casually used her magic to dry the table and chairs that were still a bit damp from the recent rain.

Qing Xian’s attention was on the wooden barrel cooking rice, so he didn’t notice her actions.

Only after sitting down and seeing the suddenly dry table and chairs did his eyes show confusion.

He couldn’t help but recall some scenes.

Su Rong’s always dry skirt hem on rainy days, her skilled calmness when killing the female ghost, and now the instantly dried table…

He raised his eyes to look at Su Rong, his gaze deep.