Ha, Karma! – Chapter 79

Mother Chu revealed a gratified expression.

The two returned to Fu Lianxue’s home.

Chu Zhaoqiu pulled out a wet wipe and sat down on the long shoe-changing sofa in the entryway to wipe Baobao’s four paws.

The kitty had just been stepping all around outside, getting its paw pads dirty. It would be even worse if it started doing parkour on the sofa later.

The hygiene-conscious Young Head of the Chu Family wouldn’t allow such a thing to happen.

Fu Lianxue took the wet wipe from her hand, scooped Baobao into her arms, and took over the task herself.

“Your hand hasn’t healed yet. It wouldn’t be good if it struggled and kicked you.”

Seeing her girlfriend’s concern, Chu Zhaoqiu’s eyes curved into crescents, and she didn’t refuse.

She got up and went to her girlfriend’s study, emerging again after a short while with an expression carrying a hint of satisfaction and relief.

“Airu took very good care of the Blue Star flower.”

During the time her hand was injured, Qu Airu had proactively taken on the role of flower caretaker.

Fu Lianxue and Chu Zhaoqiu were both her benefactors. When her benefactors needed help, she felt duty-bound to step up!¹

Fu Lianxue wiped Baobao down once with the wet wipe, then took a dry tissue to dry it off again.

Fu Baobao didn’t like having water on its body, not even a little bit.

While tending to Baobao, she responded to Chu Zhaoqiu, “Yeah, she’s been particularly attentive to this flower, taking care of it very professionally.”

“But you should still hurry up and get better. It’s not quite right to have someone else raise the flower you gave me, is it, Young Head of the Chu Family~”

Her voice tilted upwards lightly at the end, playful and cute, yet seemingly also hooking Chu Zhaoqiu in.

The hooked Young Head of the Chu Family walked over to her, leaned down, and kissed her lips lightly, naturally, and skillfully.

“So, can I move in now?”

“Although I can’t use too much force with this hand, taking care of one pot of flowers is still no problem. How about it, will our great star consider it?”

Fu Lianxue blinked.

“You make a good point,” she said, “but you can’t move in right now.”

This time it was Chu Zhaoqiu’s turn to be curious. “Why not?”

Fu Lianxue’s gaze flicked towards Chu Zhaoqiu’s hand, still wrapped in a layer of bandages. “Your parents are still at home, you know.”

Chu Zhaoqiu followed her gaze to her own hand and smiled faintly. “Then can I come over occasionally? Is that okay?”

“I want to spend more time with you.”

After their reunion, she longed to see her every moment, to make up for the thousands of years they had missed, one by one.

As long as she was with her, anything was fine.

Hearing her words, Fu Lianxue put Baobao down to let it play by itself, then reached out, pulled her down to sit beside her, stood up, and settled onto her lap, wrapping her arms around her neck.

“Chu Zhaoqiu, you’re really direct now, and quite clingy too.”

Chu Zhaoqiu gently supported her waist, smiling. “Is that bad?”

“You don’t like it?”

After the misunderstanding was cleared up, Fu Lianxue had also become very open, no longer awkward. “I like it. I just wanted to know if you like being this way.”

When they first met, Chu Zhaoqiu was still in the phase of not letting her emotions show.²

Except for the times when her ear tips turned red from Fu Lianxue’s kisses, Chu Zhaoqiu was serious and proper all the time, as if she would remain that way even in a relationship, never changing.

Who would have thought that after several thousand years, she would express her affection and declare her feelings so openly?

Would she like this change in herself?

Chu Zhaoqiu said, “I like it.”

She liked this state of “having a mouth”.

No hiding, no concealing, no need for excessive consideration.

Wanting to see the person you like, wanting to be with the person you like, wanting to kiss the person you like, wanting to be loved forever by the person you like… confessing openly is more moving than any silence.

“If it were several thousand years ago, I indeed might not have been this direct, but things are different now,” she looked into Fu Lianxue’s eyes, utterly sincere. “I have seen many sights, experienced many lives. I already know what the right way is, what suits me better.”

“I’ve matured, and I love you even more.”

Mature love means letting your partner know: I am loving you right now.

So she would tell her she liked her, tell her she wanted to see her, tell her she wanted to be together, even using little tricks, playing pitiful to make the other person soften, just to get closer.

She wanted to express her love boldly; she didn’t want any more regrets.

It would be like this from now on too. Her affection was both “present tense” and “future tense.”

Fu Lianxue listened to her speak, a smile quietly appearing at the corners of her eyes.

She liked this, liked it very much.

She had no desire for a love that couldn’t speak its mind.

“Keep it up,” she said happily, wrapping her arms around her neck. “I’ll leave the door open for you—the bedroom door.”

After thinking for a moment, she added, “Why don’t you just sleep here tonight?”

Chu Zhaoqiu raised her eyebrows slightly.

The two looked at each other, their posture intimate and ambiguous.

“Then I’ll let my parents know I’ll be back tomorrow morning.”

They lay in bed under the covers, watching a movie with a projector.

After watching for a while, Fu Lianxue turned her head to look for Baobao, only to see her short-legged little darling lying sprawled on its back in the flower-shaped cat bed—fast asleep.

Her first reaction was to have Chu Zhaoqiu look at the cute little cat too.

Then she turned down the movie volume and took out her phone to take pictures of Baobao.

Her phone’s photo album was mostly filled with her little darling.

“Our Fu Baobao is cute enough to die for~” she sighed emotionally.

“You’re very cute too.”

The person beside her suddenly said this.

“You’re the cutest Yaoguai I’ve ever seen.”

From the past until now, the cutest Yaoguai in her heart had always been her.

A smile slowly spread across Fu Lianxue’s lips. She put down her phone and met her gaze, her fingertips lazily tracing aimless patterns on Chu Zhaoqiu’s chest. “The Young Head’s mouth is really sweet.”

They lay on their sides facing each other, having forgotten the movie.

Chu Zhaoqiu’s eyes, full of affection, gazed directly at Fu Lianxue, beautiful and bright, captivating. “What’s most important is that the Lady of the House likes it.”

The fingertips doodling on her chest paused suddenly, and a smile instantly bloomed in Fu Lianxue’s eyes.

“Lady of the House? If others found out that the girlfriend of you, the Young Head of a Demon Hunter House, is a Yaoguai, wow… that would definitely be quite something, quite extraordinary.”

Chu Zhaoqiu smiled faintly. “Mm, it definitely would be quite extraordinary.”

“I think they would definitely envy me for having such a wonderful and capable girlfriend like you.”

Fu Lianxue blinked. “I meant they would laugh at you.”

Chu Zhaoqiu was perfectly composed. “Then let them. They aren’t important to us.”

Why can’t humans and Yaoguai fall in love?

Her Lianxue hadn’t harmed anyone.

Those old-fashioned, rigid impressions should have been tossed beyond the highest heavens³ long ago.

If anyone laughed at her because of this, then let them laugh. She had long stopped caring about the words of irrelevant people.

Seizing the present, seizing the love she had missed—that was what she should be doing.

“I only care about your opinion of me,” she gazed into Fu Lianxue’s eyes. “Lianxue, all of them combined aren’t as important as you.”

If someone else had said this, Fu Lianxue wouldn’t have cared.

But coming from Chu Zhaoqiu’s mouth, it was incredibly pleasing to Fu Lianxue, incomparably sweet to hear.

This was the honest and direct Chu Zhaoqiu!

“You care about me that much, huh,” Fu Lianxue leaned softly against her, suddenly smiling wickedly. “Then what if I want you to indulge in pleasure and neglect your duties, never mind about catching demons again? Will you listen to me?”

Then she heard Chu Zhaoqiu say very crisply and decisively, “Okay, I’ll listen to you. Let’s do just that.”

Fu Lianxue: “…?”

She was completely stumped.

She shot upright immediately. “Chu Zhaoqiu, I was joking! You can’t do that! This is something you yourself enjoy doing, don’t just give it up because of a few words from someone else!”

She still remembered Chu Zhaoqiu saying she liked the feeling of helping others.

She naturally hoped she would keep doing what she loved.

—She could make that kind of joke, but Chu Zhaoqiu couldn’t take it seriously!

She finished speaking with a completely serious expression, only to see Chu Zhaoqiu smile.

She smiled very gently, very happily, yet also with a hint of having expected this.

Chu Zhaoqiu reached out and pulled her back into her arms.

“Because I knew you wouldn’t really make me do that.”

Her Lianxue had her in her heart.

Precisely because of this, Fu Lianxue had previously considered leaving on her own, not wanting to make things difficult for her.

And precisely because of this, Fu Lianxue was willing to wait for her to give an explanation, instead of killing her outright.

So she also believed that Fu Lianxue wouldn’t let her give up her beloved work to become a useless person lost in pleasure.

She had her in her heart; she had always known.

Fu Lianxue paused for a moment, then pinched her waist. “Our Young Head is really smart, figuring that out.”

Chu Zhaoqiu felt ticklish from the pinch, her eyes full of smiles.

“Because one has to be a bit smarter to be worthy of our most formidable Yaoguai.”

Very pleasing to hear.

Fu Lianxue was in a good mood after hearing this. She reached out, wrapped her arms around her neck, touched her forehead against hers, her gaze drifting lightly to Chu Zhaoqiu’s lips, which were red without any makeup.

“Quite the smooth talker, you deserve a reward.”

Her kiss was her reward.

Their affection whispered between their lips.

This kiss was more passionate and free than any before, an opening of hearts after the misunderstanding was resolved. There were no longer secrets or barriers between them.

Gradually, Fu Lianxue’s hands started to roam, and the kiss on the lips began to yearn for more places.

As their lingering, seductive gazes met, Chu Zhaoqiu saw the desire in her eyes.

She kissed her lips again, lightly biting her fair, soft earlobe.

She heard her whisper in her ear:

“Zhaoqiu, I want…”

Temples brushing, breaths mingling.

Chu Zhaoqiu opened her eyes slightly, asking softly in a daze, “What?”

Fu Lianxue sat up, looking into her eyes, her direct gaze becoming even more fervent.

She sat on top of her, her slender, pale fingertips tracing paths on her arm.

In the cool, air-conditioned room, she was like a surging, passionate flame, tempting others to throw caution to the wind for her sake.

“I want you.” Even her voice was utterly alluring.

They could progress to a deeper, closer intimacy, starting today.

After speaking, Fu Lianxue stared intently at Chu Zhaoqiu, afraid of missing even the slightest change in her expression.

She saw Chu Zhaoqiu open her mouth, but no sound came out.

And then… Chu Zhaoqiu’s entire face turned red.

—Just as red, just as flustered, as the first time Fu Lianxue had kissed her.

“Lianxue…”

Even her voice was flustered.

Fu Lianxue’s eyes brightened even more, and she couldn’t help leaning closer. “Hm?”

Chu Zhaoqiu lowered her shy eyes, unconsciously pressing her lips together.

After a long moment under Fu Lianxue’s burning gaze, she managed to awkwardly utter, “I… don’t know how…”

Fu Lianxue’s eyes instantly lit up.

It was as if she had discovered an incredibly cute treasure.

—How could she be this adorable even now?

She cupped Chu Zhaoqiu’s face and asked, “Then tell me, do you want me or not?”

Chu Zhaoqiu’s brow furrowed slightly, her face growing even redder, her expression so cute it made one want to cherish her.

She forgot to answer.

Seeing her adorable appearance, Fu Lianxue wanted her even more.

She kissed her lips, their breaths intertwining, foreheads touching, her captivating voice continuously tempting her heart: “Don’t you want to be closer to me…”

Her fingers slowly threaded through Chu Zhaoqiu’s, clasping their hands tightly together. “Don’t you want to see more of me? Hm?”

She was seducing her.

Blatantly.

Chu Zhaoqiu knew this clearly in her heart, but she… couldn’t resist.

“…I do.”

She desired her more than anyone else.

She wanted to be the only one in her heart, wanted to achieve an intimacy with her that surpassed everyone else.

An answer signifying mutual devotion.⁴

Fu Lianxue was very satisfied.

She hugged her happily, then glanced at their hands, especially Chu Zhaoqiu’s hand conspicuously wrapped in bandages. The corners of her lips immediately turned down.

Looks like today wasn’t a good time.

“Not today. We’ll talk about it when we’re ready.”

“Listen to me, you won’t go wrong.”

The Young Head of the Chu Family looked bewildered.

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The next evening, at the Chu residence.

Chu Zhaoqiu was sitting by the window reading a book.

On the table beside her was a plate of freshly cut fruit she had prepared for Fu Lianxue, who was coming over soon.

Soon enough, Fu Lianxue climbed in through the window, following a familiar path with practiced ease.⁵

This time, she was holding something in her hand.

—Nail clippers.

Chu Zhaoqiu was baffled. “Hm?”

Fu Lianxue smilingly moved a chair next to her, took out a tissue to place on the table. “Be good, hold out your hand. Jiejie will help you clip your nails~”

“After yours, I’ll do mine. No one gets left out, all neat and tidy.”

Although Chu Zhaoqiu didn’t move, she still obediently gave her hand, unable to resist saying, “Jiejie? Lianxue, after recovering my memories, shouldn’t I technically count as someone several thousand years old…”

Fu Lianxue overruled her. “What several thousand years old? You just have memories spanning several thousand years. Your body is only twenty-three right now. Going by that, you are younger than me. Be good and call me Jiejie.”

Chu Zhaoqiu: “…”

Fu Lianxue: “Don’t fidget now, Jiejie is going to help you clip your nails~”

Chu Zhaoqiu couldn’t help but chuckle, shaking her head with a resigned smile.

Oh well, as long as her girlfriend was happy.

Just then, Father Chu and Mother Chu happened to pass by the door.

They immediately saw the scene of Fu Lianxue meticulously and thoughtfully helping Chu Zhaoqiu clip her nails.

The two looked at each other in dismay, then tacitly turned and left, not wanting to disturb them.

“Looks like this Miss Fu is quite good after all, very considerate towards our daughter, even helping her clip her nails.”

Mother Chu revealed a gratified expression.

After clipping the nails, she’s going to eat her up!

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