She had just discovered something incredible.
Fu Lianxue didn’t sleep the whole night. The next day, she got straight up and went out to work, not delaying in the slightest—earning money was still very important.
Thanks to her past experience pulling all-nighters, she could force herself to stay alert and push through today’s work.
But her slightly listless state still couldn’t escape Cheng Hanxi’s sharp eyes.
During break time, Cheng Hanxi pulled her onto the balcony to catch the breeze and chat.
It was just the two of them here, so they could speak openly.
Cheng Hanxi cut straight to the chase: “You don’t look too good today either. Did something happen these past two days?”
Fu Lianxue glanced at her, then lowered her head and continued stirring the coffee in her cup with a straw. “Sigh, something did happen, and it was something quite unexpected.”
“What is it? Is it convenient to talk about?”
“Hmm…”
After thinking for two seconds, Fu Lianxue said, “Alright, it’s a good chance for you to help me analyze it.”
She beckoned with her finger, signaling Cheng Hanxi to lean closer, then whispered in her ear, “I think… I like Chu Zhaoqiu.”
“Ah?!”
Cheng Hanxi suddenly began to suspect she wasn’t fully awake yet; otherwise, how could she be hearing such a thing!
Seeing her expression, Fu Lianxue’s tone couldn’t help but become agitated, as if she’d found a kindred spirit: “Right? You think it’s shocking too!
“Like, me and her, this, how is it possible!
“That’s Chu Zhaoqiu!!!”
She started rambling incoherently.
Cheng Hanxi understood. She understood completely.
The person with whom she shared a thousand-year grudge, the person whose neck she had grabbed, shouting kill upon their first reunion, had today become the person in her heart. This was simply fate playing a cruel joke! Who wouldn’t be shocked if it happened to them?
“Ah… no wonder you cared so much about her affairs yesterday,” Cheng Hanxi realized belatedly.
Then, she thought for a moment and said, “That’s not right. Even so, you shouldn’t have mistaken her for being involved in ‘orthopedics’1 with her sister.”
Fu Lianxue shot her a look. “What wild guesses are you making? Did I ever say that sister was her biological sister?”
Cheng Hanxi blinked, then said with astonishment, “She has other sisters?!
“Looks like our Eldest Miss Chu isn’t as proper as she appears on the surface…
She couldn’t help but lean closer to Fu Lianxue, her face full of confusion. “Tell me, what exactly happened? Didn’t she like you? Has her affection shifted elsewhere?”
Fu Lianxue turned her head to look at the scenery outside, saying wistfully, “No, it was a misunderstanding.
“She said it wasn’t a biological sister, but closer than one.”
Chu Zhaoqiu’s explanation from last night was still vivid in her mind.
Cheng Hanxi grasped the key point: “Oh? She came to explain things to you?”
Fu Lianxue stopped talking and took a sip of coffee.
Cheng Hanxi nudged her with an elbow, her expression full of gossip. “Hey, she came to explain to you, so does she know about your feelings for her…”
Fu Lianxue let out a melancholic breath.
“She knows everything.”
Even now, she could still remember how bright Chu Zhaoqiu’s eyes were in that instant, how happy her expression was, as if she had obtained the moon from the sky.
She really liked her, and she truly hoped that she could like her back.
“Oh my, this situation of yours,” Cheng Hanxi said, both surprised and amused, “the progress is quite something.”
First enemies, then one-sided love.
Now, it was good, both sides had fallen, and they had even been completely open about it; both parties knew.
The progress was so fast it left her stunned, completely unsure of what to say.
Now it was good, she didn’t know if she should seek revenge, nor if she should love.
“And then you worried all night and didn’t sleep?” Cheng Hanxi asked.
Fu Lianxue nodded, sighed heavily, and looked up at the sky.
Even at this moment, she still couldn’t figure it out.
She frowned at Cheng Hanxi, her tone filled with confusion and bewilderment: “Analyze it for me. What do I like about her? How could I possibly like her!”
Cheng Hanxi nodded. “Alright, let’s analyze it then. You go first. Tell me what you think is bad about her, what makes her unworthy of being liked.”
Fu Lianxue didn’t hold back and started first.
Wasn’t it just finding Chu Zhaoqiu’s flaws? What was so difficult about that?
Once she found a hundred flaws in Chu Zhaoqiu, she definitely wouldn’t like her anymore!
“Let me ask you, what’s so good about Chu Zhaoqiu?
“Isn’t she just pretty, exceptionally capable, from a prominent family, loyal and honest, someone who does what she says, someone who grants every request, someone who…”
Fu Lianxue’s voice gradually weakened, eventually becoming inaudible.
She wasn’t finding flaws at all.
As she tried to cast aside Chu Zhaoqiu’s good points and arrogantly pick out those tiny imperfections, she found she couldn’t find any.
With every “good point” mentioned, a corresponding image appeared in her mind, each scene depicting Chu Zhaoqiu’s partiality and meticulous care towards her.
It was like this now, and it had been like this back when they were together in the sect too.
Regardless of how Chu Zhaoqiu treated others, towards her, she was indeed good in countless ways.
She simply couldn’t pick out any faults.
Cheng Hanxi was raising an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue, but saw her stomp her foot angrily, suddenly grit her teeth, and walk away.
Cheng Hanxi: “?”
She left angrily because she couldn’t find any flaws?
Fu Lianxue walked into the room and took out her phone to glance at it.
Not long ago, Chu Zhaoqiu had sent her a message, telling her to work well and not worry about the cat at home, saying she would help take good care of Baobao.
She also reminded her to be careful outside, eat well, and finally sent her a picture of Baobao to help alleviate her longing for the cat.
Fu Lianxue put away her phone irritably, feeling incredibly awkward inside.
—Damn it, this person is even gentle and considerate!
Fu Lianxue worked until past ten in the evening.
After eating dinner and returning home, she took a shower. She originally wanted to play with Baobao for a while, but while petting the cat, she directly collapsed onto the bed and slept straight through until noon the next day.
When she groggily woke up, she vaguely heard a doorbell ringing.
She paused for a moment; the doorbell was still ringing, it wasn’t a dream.
She got up impatiently and walked towards the door.
Who could possibly be disturbing someone’s sweet dreams at noon?
If it was Chu Zhaoqiu, she was dead meat; knowing the house code and still ringing the doorbell outside!
She peered through the peephole.
Outside the door stood a girl, holding an insulated bag in her hand.
The girl had delicate and sweet features, and was incredibly familiar to her—it was Qu Airu, who had changed her name.
Fu Lianxue opened the door, utterly confused. “Why are you here?”
Qu Airu smiled, her eyes curving, and followed her inside to change her shoes.
“I came to deliver lunch to you, Daren2, and to help you take care of the Blue Star Flower.”
Fu Lianxue: “?”
She wondered inwardly, wasn’t taking care of the Blue Star Flower someone else’s job?
Could it be… Chu Zhaoqiu didn’t want to come see her anymore??
As if seeing through her confusion, Qu Airu said, “It’s like this, Heavenly Master Chu3 isn’t free today, so she asked me to come take care of the flowers. She said I’m familiar with you, and since it’s summer vacation and I have time, having me come is most suitable.
“She said she already messaged you about all this. Didn’t you check your phone?”
Fu Lianxue: “…”
She definitely hadn’t looked at it at all.
If it weren’t for checking who was ringing the doorbell, she would certainly still be lying in bed right now.
Qu Airu could tell: this big star had just woken up.
She placed the food on the table. “Sleeping so long, you must not have even eaten breakfast. You should quickly go brush your teeth and wash your face, then eat. My mom made braised pork ribs, they’re delicious!”
Fu Lianxue, however, stood rooted to the spot.
After a long moment, she finally asked, “What about tomorrow?”
Qu Airu paused. “What?”
Fu Lianxue said, “Who will come help me take care of the flowers tomorrow?”
Hearing this, Qu Airu smiled innocently. “Heavenly Master Chu, of course!
“She said it’s her responsibility; she just had something today and couldn’t get away. She’ll continue to come over tomorrow when she’s free.”
Fu Lianxue’s doubts instantly vanished, and her previously furrowed brow smoothed out again.
“Oh.” A very calm reply.
She turned and went to wash up.
Inside the bathroom, she looked at the person in the mirror and suddenly felt melancholic.
So annoying… she had actually just been worried that Chu Zhaoqiu wouldn’t come anymore.
After eating, Fu Lianxue sat in the study holding Baobao, watching Qu Airu take care of her flowers.
Qu Airu was meticulous and skillful, good at taking care of people and flowers.
Her maintenance routine was exactly the same as Chu Zhaoqiu’s; clearly, she had done her homework with Chu Zhaoqiu.
These were the Daren’s favorite flowers; she had to be careful, careful, and more careful, not to damage them.
Once Fu Lianxue noticed Qu Airu’s care technique was the same as Chu Zhaoqiu’s, she gradually relaxed, then unconsciously started zoning out while petting the cat.
Chu Zhaoqiu, Chu Zhaoqiu… when exactly did she start liking Chu Zhaoqiu?
After their reunion, her feelings towards her clearly hadn’t changed at all. How could she not even notice when her heart was moved?
How strange. When exactly did she start liking this person, Chu Zhaoqiu?
She sat alone, worrying. After a while, she suddenly heard Qu Airu say, “Daren, Heavenly Master Chu is really good to you. It wasn’t in vain that you searched for her for so long.”
Hearing that name, Fu Lianxue instantly snapped back to reality.
Qu Airu carefully trimmed the branches and leaves while whispering softly, “It’s fortunate that you both met safely in this lifetime. Otherwise, how sad you would have been.”
Fu Lianxue frowned. “Sad? Why would I be sad?”
Qu Airu put down the scissors and turned her head. “If something happened to her, you would be upset.”
Fu Lianxue: “Why would you think that?”
Qu Airu: “Because when we first met at the mass grave, weren’t you looking for Heavenly Master Chu? I remember you even breathed a sigh of relief when you couldn’t find her.”
How much must one want to see that person to even walk through a mass grave?
And how much must one care about that person to feel relieved upon not finding them in such a place?
Therefore, she believed that Chu Zhaoqiu must hold a very important place in Fu Lianxue’s heart.
After she finished speaking, she turned lightly to look at Fu Lianxue.
Only to find the other person sitting in the chair, utterly stunned, motionless, as if frozen. She didn’t even react when Baobao slipped out of her arms.
Qu Airu: “Daren, what’s wrong?”
Fu Lianxue’s mind was in chaos.
Because she had just discovered something incredible.
My feelings for Chu Zhaoqiu actually started in the past?!
The author has something to say:
Little Fu: Giving myself quite a shock.
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