Ha, Karma! – Chapter 111

【Extra Chapter · Ancient IF Timeline】

The Bright Moon of Bygone Years (13)

They really slept in separate rooms.

This was the first time they had slept in separate beds, or even separate rooms, since Ye Zhaoqiu brought Fu Lianxue to Wenxuan Peak.

It felt very strange, like an ordinary couple who had argued and didn’t want to share a room.

They really weren’t suited to sleeping in the same bed anymore.

Because one had feelings and the other didn’t, sharing a bed was just awkward.

Ye Zhaoqiu sat cross-legged on the bed, cultivating with her eyes closed.

After a while, she opened her eyes. The empty room met her gaze, making her even more silent.

In the past, Fu Lianxue would always stay by her side, keeping her company.

Even if Fu Lianxue went out and wasn’t beside her, she knew she would come back.

There would always be such a lively, outgoing, teasing demon by her side.

Now, it was different.

The room was empty, with only her in it.

A helpless sigh escaped softly.

Ye Zhaoqiu turned over and lay down, staring at the canopy of the bed with her eyes open.

This undisturbed time was the best opportunity for cultivation, but her heart wasn’t willing.

It couldn’t calm down; it was already a complete mess. Only the image of the person hidden within it was clear—Fu Lianxue.

Her mind was full of Fu Lianxue, uncontrollably, irresistibly.

After a while, she closed her eyes.

Might as well sleep. I won’t cultivate tonight.

Since we’re sleeping separately, I can be alone and quiet.

Meanwhile, Fu Lianxue was tossing and turning in bed, unable to fall asleep.

Looking at the empty space beside her, her mind was filled with Ye Zhaoqiu’s lonely figure.

She was used to having Ye Zhaoqiu by her side.

She didn’t want to make her unhappy either.

She didn’t want to…

After a moment of silence, Fu Lianxue got up and grabbed her pillow.

Ye Zhaoqiu was trying hard to drift off to sleep when, the next second, she suddenly opened her eyes, her gaze solemn.

A faint, subtle sound came from within the room.

She turned around warily.

Then she saw Fu Lianxue, having taken off her shoes, climbing onto her bed with a pillow in her arms.

When their eyes met, Fu Lianxue even said quite naturally, “Are you sleeping on the outside? Then I’ll sleep on the inside, oh.”

Ye Zhaoqiu: “What are you doing?”

“Sleeping, ah,” Fu Lianxue said, perfectly justified.

“You have your own room,” Ye Zhaoqiu said, unable to understand.

“But my room doesn’t have you in it.”

Fu Lianxue lay down beside her, hugged her pillow, and blinked her eyes at her, looking utterly pitiful. “Zhaoqiu, I want to sleep with you, otherwise I can’t fall asleep.”

Besides, Ye Zhaoqiu smelled so nice, and she loved that scent.

Charm demons were best at bewitching, using a demure appearance to manipulate people’s hearts.

Yet, this charm demon before her, in her pitiful act, was full of genuine sincerity, and that was what made it hardest to resist.

Ye Zhaoqiu fell silent, not immediately chasing her away.

Seeing this, Fu Lianxue gleefully arranged her pillow and pulled up the covers.

Just as she got the blanket settled, she heard Ye Zhaoqiu say, “You can’t sleep here.”

She froze for a moment.

“Why?”

“Because you don’t like me.”

“But you like me, ah.”

“Yes, that’s why you especially can’t sleep here. It’s not appropriate.”

“What’s not appropriate about it?” Fu Lianxue said. “You like me, and if I share your bed, won’t you be happy?”

“If you’re happy, I can sleep well too. It’s the best of both worlds.”

“I’m not happy,” Ye Zhaoqiu said. “I only feel tormented.”

She liked this demon, but this demon didn’t like her.

She was just maliciously trying to shake her Dao heart, without leaving even a tiny foothold for her in her own heart.

For her to treat her like this was truly not good.

Looking at her beloved like this, how could she possibly be happy?

Fu Lianxue saw her frowning slightly, her eyes filled with sorrow and worry.

She finally no longer seemed like a block of wood, completely calm and emotionless¹.

But the ripples she showed now were bitter.

She didn’t want her to be so unhappy.

“Then what do you want me to do?” Fu Lianxue looked into her eyes and asked very seriously, “If I like you, will you be happy then?”

Ye Zhaoqiu’s face showed a flicker of surprise; she clearly hadn’t expected Fu Lianxue to say such a thing.

But she quickly shook her head.

“I don’t want your pity, nor do I want you to force yourself.”

Her affection for her might have been love at first sight, or perhaps it developed naturally through their daily interactions. In any case, it was real, and she could no longer deny it.

But for Fu Lianxue to like her now would be too forced, too uncomfortable.

Her dignity and her love for Fu Lianxue both forbade her from agreeing to such a thing.

It was enough for one person to suffer; there was no need for another.

Fu Lianxue opened her mouth but said nothing.

Ye Zhaoqiu liked her, was good to her, and thought for her sake.

Why don’t I like Ye Zhaoqiu, then?

“Then can you try to find a way to be a bit happier? I don’t want you to be so unhappy all the time,” Fu Lianxue said.

“Why do you care if I’m happy or not?” Ye Zhaoqiu suddenly asked.

“Because we’re friends, ah!”

“Friends?”

“Mm-hmm!”

Fu Lianxue nodded like she was pounding garlic².

Then, she saw Ye Zhaoqiu’s delicate eyebrows gently smooth out.

“So you do consider me a friend.”

There was a hint of relief and comfort in Ye Zhaoqiu’s tone.

Fu Lianxue wasn’t just thinking of playing tricks on her.

She also wanted her to be happy; she even considered her a friend.

That sounded a bit comforting.

Seeing this, Fu Lianxue unconsciously leaned closer expectantly. “Are you happy now?”

Ye Zhaoqiu was silent for a moment, then said, “A little.”

Fu Lianxue instantly beamed, shook out the blanket, and covered herself again. “Then let’s say I’ve cheered you up. Let’s sleep. We still have to go out and have fun tomorrow, you know.”

In the past few days since coming to Yunshui Town, because of the Liao family’s affairs, the two of them hadn’t had a chance to properly have fun together.

But then she heard Ye Zhaoqiu say, “No.”

Fu Lianxue: “?”

Ye Zhaoqiu: “You still can’t sleep here.”

Fu Lianxue: “Why!”

Ye Zhaoqiu: “Because it’s not appropriate.”

Fu Lianxue was unconvinced. “We’re friends, how is it not appropriate!”

Ye Zhaoqiu’s recently smoothed brows furrowed again.

“Lianxue, if you insist on staying here, you’ll be the last thing I see when I close my eyes and the first when I open them. If that’s the case, how am I supposed to get over you?”

The words “get over you” fell into Fu Lianxue’s ears, feeling as heavy as a thousand jin. Her mind buzzed, and she couldn’t react for a moment.

“Get over me?”

“Mm, get over you.”

“Why? You don’t want to like me anymore?”

“Because you don’t like me.”

“Because I hope that in the future, we can still calmly share a room and continue to be friends.”

Fu Lianxue suddenly found herself speechless.

Ye Zhaoqiu lowered her gaze and turned away, avoiding her eyes.

She didn’t know if giving up on liking someone was hard or easy, but this was the best solution she could think of for now—a way not to be separated from Fu Lianxue.

Let’s just be friends, simple friends.

“Lianxue, since you consider me a friend, you should support me,” Ye Zhaoqiu said, looking at the bed canopy, her hands resting on her stomach quietly clenching. “You only want to be friends with me too, don’t you?”

Fu Lianxue’s expression was wooden.

Her mind told her that Ye Zhaoqiu made sense, that she should do and respond as Ye Zhaoqiu said.

But her mouth wouldn’t obey. It opened and closed for a long time, unable to utter a single word.

After a while, Ye Zhaoqiu heard movement beside her, and then she saw Fu Lianxue get off the bed, hugging her pillow.

“Friends it is, then.”

Fu Lianxue left with that emotionally ambiguous sentence, carrying her shoes.

Ye Zhaoqiu watched her leave, her frown deepening.

Is it my imagination, or did she sound a little unhappy with what she just said?

Being friends had its advantages.

For example, as a friend, Fu Lianxue could get Ye Zhaoqiu to agree to stay and play in Yunshui Town for a few more days.

The Liao siblings also hoped they would stay a few more days, which was perfect.

These few days, Fu Lianxue had fun, but also not so much fun.

Because someone new had appeared by Ye Zhaoqiu’s side.

A young lady.

Her name was Bai Shutong³, two years younger than Ye Zhaoqiu.

She was fresh, delicate, and fair-skinned. When she called out “Jiejie,” her voice was crisp and very pleasant to hear.

These past few days, she had often followed Ye Zhaoqiu, calling her “Jiejie.”

Because she was also interested in cultivation, and Ye Zhaoqiu looked very skilled.

Regarding the latter, Fu Lianxue had to admit the girl had good judgment.

But she didn’t understand why she was always trailing after Ye Zhaoqiu.

Unfortunately, Ye Zhaoqiu was generous in such matters. If someone sought her guidance, she would tell them everything she knew and guide them with all her effort, hoping to bring new, promising talent to the Xuanmen.

Therefore, for most of their time together these past few days, Bai Shutong was present.

Fu Lianxue felt a bit gloomy.

She just wanted to have fun with Ye Zhaoqiu.

But she didn’t know why she was so gloomy. It seemed she had also become a bit petty, occasionally feeling unhappy.

Especially when Ye Zhaoqiu spoke softly and gently to Bai Shutong, her unhappiness would instantly peak.

But what could she say?

Bai Shutong could very well be a fellow cultivator of Ye Zhaoqiu’s in the future. Ye Zhaoqiu was merely helping her out now, offering her guidance. She hadn’t done anything wrong, so what right did anyone else have to criticize Ye Zhaoqiu?

But she was still unhappy.

It felt like she was being neglected.

It seemed Ye Zhaoqiu no longer had her in her heart…

Today, Bai Shutong came running to the inn again to find Ye Zhaoqiu, holding the book Ye Zhaoqiu had given her, asking about parts she didn’t understand. She was extremely eager to learn.

Ye Zhaoqiu took the book and gently explained, resolving her doubts.

The two sat together, the atmosphere friendly and warm.

When Fu Lianxue came to Ye Zhaoqiu’s room, this was the scene that greeted her.

She turned and left.

Suddenly, a voice came from behind her: “Lianxue?”

Fu Lianxue’s steps paused.

Then she continued walking forward without looking back.

“Come find me after you’re done teaching her.”

She returned to her own room, closed the door, walked to the bed, and flopped onto it with a cold expression, hugging the long pillow.

The scene from just now replayed unconsciously in her mind.

A fellow cultivator, lively and cute, who also calls her Jiejie, and whose heart and eyes are full of Ye Zhaoqiu. How wonderful… practically a heaven-sent Dao companion.

Wait a minute!

Dao companion?

Fu Lianxue’s eyes widened, and she suddenly sprang up from the bed.

Even though Ye Zhaoqiu still smelled fragrant, Ye Zhaoqiu had said she wanted to get over her, that she would stop liking her. And now Ye Zhaoqiu was so close to Bai Shutong…

Ye Zhaoqiu isn’t planning to get over me by falling for someone else, is she?!

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