Ha, Karma! – Chapter 73

Then Let’s Consider It Settled.

Ye Linlin sat by the window, quietly watching the moon.

Suddenly, Fu Lianxue’s figure appeared in her field of vision.

She flew out from the direction of Chu Zhaoqiu’s room, holding a milky-white cat in her arms. In the blink of an eye, she transformed into a wisp of faint mist and vanished completely.

Ye Linlin: “……”

She came looking for Zhaoqiu-jiejie again.

She had saved Zhaoqiu-jiejie before, saved them…

If Fu Lianxue hadn’t intervened and joined the battle that day, Fingerless Madam might not have spared any of the demon hunters present. So, Fu Lianxue had not only saved Chu Zhaoqiu, but she had saved them too.

Ye Linlin thought of this, and then thought of Fingerless Madam’s plight, leaning against the wall involuntarily, her feelings complicated.

She had once been harmed by evil spirits, and because of that, she believed that all the world’s yao and gui¹ stood in opposition to humanity; not a single one was good.

Therefore, after emerging from that shadow, she resolutely became a demon hunter, wanting to protect herself, wanting to exorcise demons and defend the righteous path².

But she was a bit slow, unable to achieve the kind of success Chu Zhaoqiu had at such a young age.

Chu Zhaoqiu, the eldest daughter of the Chu family, renowned, a dazzlingly brilliant junior.

How many people wished for a child like her, and how many children saw her as a role model, jealous yet envious?

But Chu Zhaoqiu had fallen for a yao.

And that yao had saved them…

Ye Linlin lowered her eyes, unable to stop herself from pondering whether her past malice towards yao had been too unreasonable.

Yao and gui, they weren’t necessarily all bad, were they? Among them were clearly those who had been forced into becoming gui…

“Knock knock.”

The door was suddenly knocked gently.

Chu Zhaoqiu’s voice followed: “Linlin, it’s me.”

Hearing the familiar voice, Ye Linlin instantly snapped back to reality, got up, and opened the door.

Opening the door, she saw Chu Zhaoqiu holding a bowl of cut fruit.

She quickly took it, saying urgently, “Your hand is injured, don’t carry things!”

Chu Zhaoqiu lowered her left hand, followed her into the room, and said with a smile, “My right hand is, my left isn’t. No need to be nervous.

“You haven’t eaten yet, have some fruit first to tide you over³. This apple is very sweet and crisp.”

Ye Linlin said thank you, then added dejectedly, “But I don’t really feel like eating right now…”

Chu Zhaoqiu noticed her melancholy and began to speak, “Linlin, we should have the courage to accept new viewpoints and new things.

“The world changes daily⁴, it doesn’t stand still. Today’s perspective might not suit tomorrow, but that’s nothing to be afraid of. Just lift your foot and follow along.

“Discovering mistakes, correcting mistakes, continuing to move forward—that’s growing up.”

That’s growing up…

Ye Linlin hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping herself.

After a moment, she said in a low voice, “Then have I been spinning my wheels in error for so many years? I was clearly really harmed by a yao…”

She was too conflicted.

Although someone had told her that yao and gui weren’t simply black and white, she hadn’t listened.

The concept of “yao equals evil” was deeply rooted in her heart, making her firmly believe the world was like that. Yet today, she had actually been saved by a yao, and had personally heard the living hell a fierce ghost had endured before death.

Her conviction wavered; she was both terrified and afraid.

Afraid that she was wrong, and faintly afraid that this conviction of hers had perhaps invisibly harmed many yao and gui…

Just then, a hand landed on her head, stroking it very lightly and gently.

“Your past self simply had one less angle from which to view the world compared to now.”

Ye Linlin lifted her eyes to look at her.

Chu Zhaoqiu gently curved her lips. “Because you were harmed, you developed fear and hatred towards yao. That’s one angle.

“Because you were saved, and personally heard of their suffering, you developed pity and pleaded for them. That’s also an angle.

“Linlin, you see more now than before.”

Ye Linlin blinked slowly.

Chu Zhaoqiu added, “This is your growth. You are also kinder and more merciful than you imagine.”

Even with hatred, with aversion, when truly encountering yao and gui who didn’t deserve to die, Ye Linlin could still empathize with them, plead for them.

Her hatred for yao had probably already changed imperceptibly.

“So there’s nothing to be afraid of. Don’t resist or reject growth,” Chu Zhaoqiu said. “This is a path we must all take; it isn’t terrifying.”

Ye Linlin listened intently.

Perhaps it was because Chu Zhaoqiu’s voice was gentle, her words like a breeze blowing into Ye Linlin’s heart, melting strand by strand into her soul⁵, that she felt no aversion at all, slowly accepting it.

Yes, she wasn’t wrong, she had grown up, she saw more now…

Ye Linlin gradually brightened, spearing a piece of apple and putting it in her mouth.

The sweet juice filled her mouth, making the smile on her lips turn sweet as well.

“I understand, Zhaoqiu-jiejie! I’ve grown up! From now on, I’ll learn to look at this world from more angles!”

Chu Zhaoqiu’s eyes curved into crescents, like an older sister. “Then, can our Miss Ye eat now?”

Ye Linlin nodded with a smile.

“One more thing,” Chu Zhaoqiu said. “If possible, I still hope you can apologize to Lianxue.”

Ye Linlin froze for a moment. “?”

Chu Zhaoqiu said, “When you attacked all yao before, you were also offending her. She didn’t do anything wrong, she shouldn’t have suffered such an attack for no reason, right?”

Ye Linlin: “……”

Chu Zhaoqiu patted her shoulder, speaking with maturity and composure. “In life⁶, it’s better to live honestly. Speak your mind, admit your mistakes. Otherwise, who knows when you might deeply regret it, lamenting that you didn’t speak up at the time.”

She spoke very seriously.

So seriously, it was as if it came from personal experience.

“How could it get to the point of deep regret!”

Ye Linlin poked an apple in the bowl, her face full of embarrassment.

“Alright, alright, I’ll try next time…”

Although Fu Lianxue had saved them, her mind was now filled with the image of Fu Lianxue bickering with her.

This made her very embarrassed to admit fault to Fu Lianxue. Fu Lianxue would probably laugh herself to death!

Chu Zhaoqiu nodded in satisfaction. “Go eat, don’t stay hungry.”

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Saturday morning, Fu Lianxue came to the Chu residence carrying Baobao.

She was here this time to leave her little cat in their care.

“I have to participate in a show, so I’ll be leaving Zhoucheng for a few days. I leave this afternoon. Is it okay to leave my Baobao at your place?” She placed Baobao beside Chu Zhaoqiu’s leg. “If it’s inconvenient for you, I’ll go find my friend.”

Baobao lay beside Chu Zhaoqiu’s leg, meowing, as if protesting that Mama was going on another long trip.

Fu Lianxue sat on the edge of the bed, leaning down to kiss and hug it, her eyes soft. “Aww~ Baobao doesn’t want Mama to leave, right? But Mama isn’t leaving our Baobao on purpose. Mama has to go out and earn money for Baobao’s cat food.”

Baobao meowed twice more.

Fu Lianxue casually took out a cat treat stick.

Baobao stopped meowing. Eating was more important.

Chu Zhaoqiu smiled, stroking Baobao’s fluffy head. “It’s convenient. Just leave him here.”

Her parents were still staying here for a few more days. With Baobao around, they would surely be happy too. Besides them, there was also Chu Sining, the university student on summer break, who could play with the kitty.

In short, even if her injured hand prevented her from playing with Baobao, there was still no shortage of people in this house to play with the little cat.

Fu Lianxue then readily handed her the Qiankun Bag⁷ containing Baobao’s things.

Everyone was experienced cat owners; no need for lengthy explanations on how to use things.

Just then, Ye Linlin and Chu Sining passed by Chu Zhaoqiu’s doorway.

Both stopped, turned back in unison, and then froze.

“Baobao!”

Chu Sining excitedly walked into her sister’s room to adore the cat⁸.

No one could resist an adorable short-legged kitty!

Fu Lianxue turned her head and saw Ye Linlin standing motionless in the doorway, looking a bit awkward, none of the previous arrogance she had shown towards her remaining.

She raised an eyebrow.

“Little friend, what are you doing standing in the doorway?”

Chu Zhaoqiu’s gaze also turned towards the door.

She saw Ye Linlin standing there, fiddling with her hands, her expression hesitant, wanting to speak but stopping herself, seemingly having something to say but too embarrassed to start.

Chu Zhaoqiu understood immediately, smiled faintly, and didn’t press her, waiting for her to say it when she was ready.

Fu Lianxue saw it too.

“Say, do you have something you want to say to me?”

Suddenly having her thoughts exposed, Ye Linlin was startled. Looking at Fu Lianxue’s face again, she instantly felt even more embarrassed.

But on second thought, Fu Lianxue really hadn’t done anything wrong, and had even saved them. She truly deserved this apology…

In life, one must dare to act and dare to admit it!

Thinking this, she took a deep breath, mustered her courage, and opened her mouth:

“—Sorry.”

After saying it, she suddenly felt a sense of relief.

Those two words weren’t as heavy as she had imagined…

Fu Lianxue paused. “What?”

Even Chu Sining was stunned listening.

Did they hear correctly?

Ye Linlin found more courage and continued speaking sincerely, “Sorry, I misunderstood you as a bad guy⁹ before and said some unpleasant things to you. I hope you aren’t angry with me…”

Fu Lianxue raised her eyebrows in surprise.

She turned to look at Chu Zhaoqiu, only to see the other calm and composed, clearly aware of the situation.

It seemed Chu Zhaoqiu had said something to Ye Linlin. She hadn’t expected this young lady¹⁰ would actually be willing to apologize to her, her love rival yao.

Fu Lianxue, on a whim, suddenly wanted to tease Ye Linlin.

She stood up, walked over to Ye Linlin, tapped her shoulder, and then said, “I am a bad guy, the super bad kind that can bewitch people’s hearts, you know.

“Like this—”

Ye Linlin paused. “What?”

As soon as the words left her mouth, her gaze inadvertently met a pair of eyes glowing with an eerie purple light.

In an instant, her consciousness seemed to be abruptly snatched away. Her eyes became vacant, her mind filled with nothing but Fu Lianxue.

She suddenly felt that Fu Lianxue was very, very beautiful, even Chu Zhaoqiu couldn’t compare to Fu Lianxue…

“Lianxue.”

Chu Zhaoqiu stood up to stop her.

Fu Lianxue smiled and snapped her fingers.

The crisp sound of the snap entered her ears like a temple bell in the mountains, instantly jolting Ye Linlin awake.

She realized she was leaning against Fu Lianxue’s shoulder, strangely docile.

Then Fu Lianxue patted her head as if petting a kitten, her smile sly. “Your mind was just full of Lianxue-jiejie. You can’t let go of Zhaoqiu-jiejie anymore, oh.”

Ye Linlin’s ears flushed hot. Too ashamed to look at Chu Zhaoqiu again, she turned and ran off with a grief-stricken expression.

Chu Zhaoqiu told Chu Sining to go check on her.

Chu Sining immediately rushed out holding Baobao. “Linlin!”

Fu Lianxue crossed her arms, walking back into the room laughing, her laughter utterly wicked, just like a villain’s.

“Teasing kids is the most fun!”

Chu Zhaoqiu said helplessly, “Don’t tease her anymore.”

Fu Lianxue met her gaze, suddenly smiling as she moved closer. “Then who should I tease? Our Young Head of House? Want to try?”

After speaking, her beautiful eyes once again shimmered with a magnificent, bewitching purple, eager to try.

She had never controlled Chu Zhaoqiu before.

Bewitching someone like Chu Zhaoqiu, with such a steadfast mind and profound cultivation techniques, wasn’t easy. Either you made them willing; or you caught them off guard; or you fought them, and once they lost to you, they would naturally be easier to control.

Suddenly, a slender, fair hand gently covered her eyes.

A familiar fragrance brushed her nose—she was embraced.

Chu Zhaoqiu’s voice then fell beside her ear. Though her tone was gentle as always, this time it carried blatant resistance. “Don’t do this to me, Lianxue.”

She lowered her head, burying it in the crook of Fu Lianxue’s neck, her voice soft. “I don’t like this.”

Fu Lianxue couldn’t help but pause.

This was the first time Chu Zhaoqiu had refused her.

Chu Zhaoqiu didn’t like the feeling of being controlled.

“Alright, alright,” The purple in Fu Lianxue’s eyes vanished instantly. She took Chu Zhaoqiu’s hand away from her eyes. “Seeing as you’re helping me look after Baobao, I won’t use this on you.”

She turned to look at Chu Zhaoqiu buried in her shoulder, unable to resist adding, “Not in the future either…”

After saying this, she heard Chu Zhaoqiu let out a soft laugh, seemingly recovered.

Chu Zhaoqiu secretly kissed Fu Lianxue’s cheek. “Then let’s consider it settled.”

She added, “I’ll go check on Linlin.

“Don’t tease her like that again next time. She’s still a kid, she gets shy.”

Fu Lianxue’s nose twitched slightly as she muttered, “As if you aren’t a kid yourself…”

The next second, her voice suddenly rose. “Besides, it’s the shy kids who are the most fun to tease!”

Chu Zhaoqiu was simply helpless with her.

Just then, Chu Sining returned carrying the cat.

The two sisters looked at each other.

Chu Zhaoqiu asked, “Where’s Linlin?”

Chu Sining put Baobao down. “Oh, she’s fine. She’s washing her hair in the bathroom.”

Chu Zhaoqiu: “?”

Fu Lianxue: “?”

Chu Zhaoqiu: “Why is she suddenly washing her hair?”

Chu Sining explained with a straight face, “She said her brain was invaded, her head isn’t clean anymore.”

Chu Zhaoqiu listened to the heartless laughter beside her: “……”

That truly was an unexpected angle.

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