Ha, Karma! – Chapter 41

…let them alone.

Chu Zhaoqiu led Fu Lianxue back to the mountain again, guiding her towards the peak.

Fu Lianxue followed her footsteps, watching the tassels on her head sway gently, and spoke: “Why did you bring me back here again? Why didn’t you give it to me earlier?”

Chu Zhaoqiu held her hand without letting go, her voice gentle: “There were matters that needed to be resolved earlier.”

Fu Lianxue let out a snorting laugh: “Aren’t you curious about why I suddenly appeared?”

Chu Zhaoqiu’s footsteps suddenly stopped.

Fu Lianxue stopped as well.

She turned around to meet her gaze, moonlight falling upon them both.

“This isn’t something to be curious about, because the answer has always been obvious.”

“Hm?”

“When I’m here, you will come.”

Qu Xinru must have found Fu Lianxue first, letting her know about this matter.

How could a demon who constantly claimed she wanted to cause trouble and oppose her pass up such a good opportunity?

“But I’m happy to see you.”

Under the moonlight, her face was gentle, her eyes equally soft.

Fu Lianxue glanced twice before withdrawing her hand, turning her gaze to their surroundings, saying: “I’m not happy to see you.

“What exactly do you want to give me by bringing me to this ghostly place? Are you planning to assassinate me?”

They were in the mountains, surrounded by trees.

Through the treetops, occasional glimpses of the azure sky let through glistening moonlight, while all was silent.

Looking left and right, nothing seemed like it was hiding any treasure.

Chu Zhaoqiu turned around composedly, continuing to lead her forward.

“You said last time that you wouldn’t meet me until I had prepared the Blue Star for you.”

Chu Zhaoqiu watched her silhouette, walking behind her.

“Young Master Chu remembers well.”

After a while, the person in front stopped walking.

She was forced to stop too, nearly bumping into her back, and couldn’t help but frown as she sized her up, muttering: “What are you doing?”

Then she heard Chu Zhaoqiu say: “So I prepared a gift.”

Fu Lianxue followed her gaze forward uncomprehendingly, and couldn’t help but freeze.

Moonlight fell on the flat stone, illuminating everything, including the potted flower placed upon it.

The petals, soft as dandelions, emitted a faint blue light, appearing like mysterious spirits under the bright moonlight.

This was the vibrant Blue Star.

Fu Lianxue was drawn to it, lifting up the white flower pot.

Paper was placed beneath the pot, keeping the bottom clean and unstained.

When the gentle breeze came, the flower stem in her palm swayed slightly, shaking out fine specks of blue light, dreamlike and ethereal.

She seemed to return to that sect, back to that field of Blue Star flowers.

Every night when the wind blew, the flower field would be filled with blue light, like a beautiful dream woven by the wind.

Though the Blue Star before her eyes was few in number, its beauty wasn’t diminished in the slightest.

The light in her eyes grew brighter amidst her brimming smile and astonishment.

By her ear came Chu Zhaoqiu’s voice, gentle as the wind:

“Now, do I have the qualification to see you?”

Fu Lianxue couldn’t help but look at the person beside her.

The gentle expression, the sincere gaze full of anticipation, became even more disarming against the backdrop of this gift.

Fu Lianxue couldn’t help but confirm: “Is this really for me?”

“Mm, it really is for you.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“How did you get it?”

“Nainai’s friend has some. She let me help take care of her Blue Stars every week, so she could give me one in return, and I agreed.”

“Ah, no wonder you were reading those kinds of books that day…”

After this sentiment, Fu Lianxue fell silent.

She seemed not to know what else to say, just holding the flower, watching it without a word.

Then she ran away again.

Chu Zhaoqiu: “?”

But this time she returned once more.

The returning demon stood before the young demon hunter, holding the flower pot, and gently patted the demon hunter’s chest: “I accept the gift. Go home and sleep early, don’t feed the mosquitoes in the mountains.”

Then she ran away, this time not returning.

Chu Zhaoqiu stood in place, and after a moment, unconsciously let out a light laugh, shaking her head helplessly.

This time she ran but knew to come back and tell her to go home early – compared to last time when she ran without a trace after being confessed to, this should count as progress…

Fu Lianxue returned home with the flower, walking straight to the study.

Baobao followed by her feet, trotting inside with pitter-patter steps.

It raised its round head and saw its master open a cabinet, taking out a white frame.

Preserved within the white frame was a withered flower stem.

It was short and twisted, bare at the top without a single petal, as if someone had stepped on it.

And this stem’s shape was identical to the Blue Star in her hand.

She looked at the lifeless Blue Star stem in her hand, then at the vibrantly glowing Blue Star in her other hand, momentarily silent.

Unexpectedly, her only two Blue Star flowers were both given by the same person.

Baobao called out docilely by her feet.

She placed the flower and the preserved withered branch on the bay window’s small table, then sat down by the window holding Baobao, gazing at the flower lost in memories.

On an unremarkable evening thousands of years ago, Chu Zhaoqiu followed Elder Tianxuan [天玄長老 | Tiān Xuán Zhǎng Lǎo] to visit Elder Chuyang [楚陽長老 | Chǔ Yáng Zhǎng Lǎo] who raised Blue Stars.

After arriving, the two elders first discussed Chu Zhaoqiu and Ji Hanyan’s [霁含雁 | Jì Hán Yàn] cultivation matters, then began chatting idly over tea.

Elder Tianxuan, fearing his disciple wouldn’t enjoy listening to old folks’ idle chat, asked Elder Chuyang if Chu Zhaoqiu could go to the back garden to look at the beautifully blooming Blue Star flowers.

Elder Chuyang gladly agreed, clearly very trusting of Chu Zhaoqiu.

Chu Zhaoqiu obediently went to the back garden, not disturbing the elders’ conversation.

As soon as she left the elders’ sight, Fu Lianxue immediately appeared.

They stood shoulder to shoulder, watching the dreamlike, mottled points of light before them.

Fu Lianxue couldn’t help but sigh softly: “Wow, it’s so beautiful…”

Spots of blue light drifted with the wind, like fireflies in the mountains, or like stars falling from heaven to earth.

These were the most beautiful flowers she had seen in all her years of life, so beautiful that she wanted to possess one.

“Can I pick one?” she asked.

“No.” Chu Zhaoqiu didn’t even think about it.

“Why not!”

“Blue Stars are difficult to cultivate, they can’t be picked carelessly, and besides, these belong to someone else.”

“But there are so many here, it won’t matter if I pick one, no one will notice.”

“Still not allowed. Taking without asking is theft.”

What a principled person indeed.

She simply hugged Chu Zhaoqiu’s arm, saying intimately: “Then why don’t you ask your elder to give you one?”

Chu Zhaoqiu turned her head to look at her.

She smiled with curved eyes: “Then you can give it to me, how about that?”

Chu Zhaoqiu: “…”

Chu Zhaoqiu didn’t speak, seemingly rendered speechless by her logic.

Seeing this, she snorted and released Chu Zhaoqiu’s arm: “If you won’t give it, then don’t.

“I’m going back, before your shifu [師父 | shī fu | master/teacher] and that whatever elder discover me and throw me out.”

In her weakness, she couldn’t defeat them yet.

She couldn’t even defeat Chu Zhaoqiu.

Before leaving, she reluctantly bid farewell to the flower field: “Goodbye, beautiful flowers, we’re destined to have no connection.”

Chu Zhaoqiu stood motionless in place, watching her.

She snuck around carefully, finally successfully slipping back to Chu Zhaoqiu’s room, flopping onto the bed, directly occupying Chu Zhaoqiu’s bed and blanket.

She would sleep for a while first, gather her energy, and when Chu Zhaoqiu returned, she would seduce her and disturb her cultivation!

She slept very well and comfortably in Chu Zhaoqiu’s bed, not considering herself an outsider at all.

But she ended up sleeping until daybreak, without implementing any of her seduction plans.

She sat up wrapped in the blanket, rubbing her eyes rather helplessly.

—Fu Lianxue, ah Fu Lianxue, sleeping ruins everything, you should sleep less!

When she opened her eyes clearly, she discovered a small wooden box had appeared beside the bed, with a small note attached to it, containing just two characters: Open it.

She recognized the handwriting on the note.

It was Chu Zhaoqiu’s.

Since Chu Zhaoqiu told her to open it, she wouldn’t be polite about it.

When the wooden box opened, a Blue Star flower leaped into view.

Her face lit up with joy, excitedly taking out the Blue Star to look at it again and again, just as Chu Zhaoqiu returned from morning lessons.

She asked delightedly: “Is this for me?”

Chu Zhaoqiu, facing away from her, awkwardly made an “mm” sound.

She became even more excited, saying something shocking: “Did you secretly pick it?!”

Chu Zhaoqiu: “…”

She realized it herself: “No, you’re not the type of person who would do that—did you really go ask that elder?!”

Chu Zhaoqiu walked back and forth in the room organizing her things, never meeting her eyes throughout, but responded to basically everything.

“Elder Chuyang had several dried Blue Star flowers, well-preserved, so they still glow at night, he gave me one.”

As she finished speaking and turned around, she saw her running barefoot from the bed, suddenly pouncing towards her happily, followed by continuous kisses landing on her face.

“Thank you!”

Fu Lianxue was too happy for words, hugging her neck and showering her with wild kisses.

Chu Zhaoqiu’s face turned completely red from the kisses, caught off guard.

Young and innocent, she never knew how to respond to such intimacy.

“You—how dare you!”

“How is this daring?”

“Kissing you? I only kiss you, haven’t kissed anyone else, that’s not being daring, that’s being devoted, you should be happy~”

She remembered Chu Zhaoqiu’s expression then was very awkward, extremely awkward, even becoming unable to speak, not refuting her shamelessness, not even saying her usual “silver-tongued” remark.

She openly hugged Chu Zhaoqiu’s neck, hanging on her, pretending to look at her innocently.

After quite a while, she finally heard Chu Zhaoqiu force out between her lips: “…put on shoes.”

According to her usual rebellious nature, she would normally cling to Chu Zhaoqiu barefoot, challenging her cleanliness obsession.

But not this time.

Because Chu Zhaoqiu had given her a gift, she wanted to give her face.

“Alright, I’ll put on shoes~”

She obediently went back.

Having the Blue Star made her incredibly happy.

During that period, she didn’t try to seduce Chu Zhaoqiu anymore, didn’t disturb her cultivation, being exceptionally well-behaved.

She loved this gift and would preserve it well—for this gift, she was willing to be good to Chu Zhaoqiu for life!

They were indeed close then, but life is unpredictable.

Later, she smashed this Blue Star to the ground, trampling it into today’s broken state.

She would never be good to Chu Zhaoqiu again.

The hatred then was real, the resentment was real, the disappointment was also real.

She couldn’t understand why Chu Zhaoqiu would treat her this way, how she could be so heartless to do such a cruel thing.

But today, when she learned from Qu Xinru’s past that Chu Zhaoqiu had been searching for her after reincarnation, her feelings suddenly became complex.

So Chu Zhaoqiu had been looking for her too…

Then Chu Zhaoqiu wasn’t completely indifferent about this matter…

But why was she looking for her?

She didn’t know, only Chu Zhaoqiu herself knew clearly.

She originally had many things she wanted to say to Chu Zhaoqiu, but now she didn’t want to say them anymore.

For someone who hadn’t recovered any memories, no matter how much she said, the other person wouldn’t understand, like playing a zither to a cow [對牛彈琴 | duì niú tán qín | idiom: wasting words on an uncomprehending audience].

At this moment, the phone on the table suddenly rang.

She picked it up to look—Qu Xinru.

She casually answered it.

The other party excitedly shared good news over the phone.

She didn’t need to reincarnate now, she could stay with Cen Zhu for a very long time.

Mr. and Mrs. Qu would establish a grave for their deceased daughter, then give their current daughter a new name, letting her live a life truly her own.

Most importantly—Cen Zhu had confessed to her.

Hearing this, Fu Lianxue’s eyebrows lifted slightly.

So these two children were following a script of mutual attraction [情投意合 | qíng tóu yì hé | idiom: perfectly matched in feelings].

The person on the phone couldn’t contain their excitement, then realized something: “Elder, is Qiu Tianshi the person you’ve been looking for?”

“Mm.” Fu Lianxue didn’t deny it.

“That’s wonderful!” A joyful voice came through the receiver, “Then Elder, did you get the answer you wanted?”

Back then, when she learned Fu Lianxue was also searching for someone, she asked her a question.

She asked why she was looking for this person.

Fu Lianxue said: “I have questions to ask her, she owes me an answer.”

She didn’t know about their grievances, nor what kind of question it was.

She hoped she would find that person soon, and also hoped to find the General herself.

Now they had both found who they were looking for, truly a happy ending for all!

But Qu Xinru was still curious: “Did you get the answer you wanted?”

Fu Lianxue sighed.

“No.”

Qu Xinru said: “What exactly did you want to ask?

“Qiu Tianshi is quite nice, do you need me to ask her for you?”

—How could someone with no recovered memories answer anything.

Fu Lianxue clicked her tongue: “What’s a child being so curious for, stop asking, go date your girlfriend—hanging up.”

She ruthlessly ended the call.

As soon as she hung up, Qu Xinru’s words floated past her ears again: Qiu Tianshi is quite nice.

Her eyes unconsciously looked at the Blue Star on the table.

That Chu person was indeed quite nice… both before and now.

Especially now, fulfilling her every request, perhaps she should go thank her?

With these thoughts, she had already stood up.

She looked at the cat in her arms, then at the flower on the table.

“Baobao, don’t damage mama’s flower, understand?”

Baobao looked left and right, wagged its tail, without making a sound.

In the end, Fu Lianxue still added a protective energy barrier around the Blue Star before leaving with peace of mind.

Chu Zhaoqiu changed into her sleepwear, pulled open the curtains, and opened the window.

Then she saw the runaway great demon suddenly appear before her eyes.

In that instant, the timing was perfect.

They stared at each other, neither expecting the timing to be so coincidental.

The atmosphere suddenly became silent.

Then, Fu Lianxue extended her hand: “I permit you to carry me down.”

The Young Master Chu was embarrassed, but still complied.

Fu Lianxue hugged her neck, satisfyingly patting her hair: “Ah, so obedient.”

Before Chu Zhaoqiu could speak, there was another knock at the door.

Chu Sining’s voice followed: “Jie, Nianai asked me to bring you fruit, it’s very sweet.”

Both people looked toward the door, then at each other.

“Very sweet, I want some too,” Fu Lianxue said.

Chu Zhaoqiu understood, bending down to put her down.

But Fu Lianxue refused again, this time directly imitating Chu Zhaoqiu’s tone of voice: “Come in.”

Chu Zhaoqiu: “?”

Chu Sining turned the doorknob.

“The door’s locked.”

Taking advantage of Chu Zhaoqiu’s occupied hands, Fu Lianxue directly used magic to open the door, continuing to imitate her voice: “Alright, come in.”

Chu Sining pushed the door open without any guard—

“Hi.”

Another familiar greeting.

This time even in a princess carry, with her sister being the one doing the carrying.

Chu Sining: “…”

She silently placed the fruit plate on the table, silently walked out.

Fu Lianxue immediately couldn’t stop grinning in Chu Zhaoqiu’s arms.

Teasing young people was too much fun.

Then the door was knocked again, and Chu Sining walked in again, this time adding another fork to her sister’s fruit plate.

Fu Lianxue watched her leave, watched the door close, then looked at Chu Zhaoqiu with confusion.

She hadn’t seen wrong, right?

Wasn’t Chu Sining’s meaning that she should eat together with Chu Zhaoqiu?

Was this still the Third Miss Chu who didn’t like her??

Seeing this, Chu Zhaoqiu explained: “Sining heard about the past from Miss Qu, so she has somewhat changed her view of you.”

Chu Sining’s impression of her hadn’t completely improved, but since she had helped her friend, and was someone her sister liked, giving an extra fork to share fruit was acceptable—anyway, grandmother didn’t mind.

Hearing this, Fu Lianxue sighed with regret.

“Then who should I tease next time… hey, when is your second sister Little Chu Zong coming home?”

“…Leave them alone.”

Chu Zhaoqiu helplessly put her down.

Sometimes, she really didn’t know which one of them was actually the twenty-three-year-old.

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