Volume 3: Old Tales of Kunlun
Eating Vinegar.1
Yi Qiu admitted that she was truly startled by the two words “go home.”
In fact, as early as the second night after arriving in this illusionary realm, she had already wanted to go home with You Yan.
She was used to following by You Yan’s side every single moment, used to making a bed on the floor beneath You Yan’s bed, used to watching You Yan sit on the edge of the bed in deep thought, or sit before the table sipping tea.
Although, if one were to really calculate it, once the years within the illusionary realm were excluded, the time she had known and accompanied that bird woman didn’t even add up to three full months, yet she had still so irredeemably developed an immense dependency on that bird woman.
But her desire to go home with You Yan wasn’t entirely because she couldn’t bear to leave You Yan’s side for even half a step; there was another point, which was that she wanted to understand You Yan more.
In the end, even if she and You Yan had experienced life and death together, they had never truly given each other absolute trust.
In truth, something like trust had always been mutual. You Yan was unwilling to say anything, so she didn’t dare to say anything either.
Therefore, between them, neither had ever truly understood the other.
But not understanding didn’t mean not caring.
It was precisely because of this care that she wanted to understand You Yan, to understand everything about You Yan.
She wasn’t as smart as You Yan, unable to change up her tricks2 to coax words out of You Yan. She could only open her own two eyes and try her best to observe, her best to watch from the side.
How she hoped that one day, she could truly become a person who understood You Yan, and no longer have to fearfully guess and judge.
If that day truly came, she would probably dare to stop being so secretive as well.
But she also knew that You Yan had a father at home, and the relationship between the father and daughter seemed a bit terrible. No matter from what perspective, an outside alpaca should not visit so easily, let alone move right in.
“Yi Qiu, why have you stopped talking again?” Seeing Yi Qiu remain silent for so long, You Yan couldn’t help but frown. “Are you unwilling to go home with me?”
The little alpaca snapped back to her senses and hurriedly shook her head with all her might, like shaking a rattle drum3.
“Then you’re willing to go home with me?” You Yan was, for a moment, overjoyed at the unexpected good news4, and she opened her arms to hug the little alpaca’s neck.
She used her cool cheeks to gently nuzzle the soft fluff on the alpaca’s neck, nuzzling until her hair was a bit of a mess.
Yi Qiu subconsciously stretched her neck, standing frozen on the spot and letting You Yan nuzzle for a good while before she finally asked in a low voice, “You Yan, if I go to your home, your dad, he…”
“On my daddy’s side, I will explain it clearly to him!” You Yan said, then couldn’t help but release the little alpaca’s neck. She sat up straight and said seriously, “I want to take you home, to accompany you every moment.” After speaking, she seemed to feel that something wasn’t quite right. After a brief daze, she quickly corrected herself, “No, no, I want to take you home, and then have you accompany me every moment.”
These two ways of saying it didn’t seem to differ by many words, but the feeling they gave off was completely different.
If one had to say what was different, perhaps it was the distinction between “I think you need me” and “I think I need you.”
Gazing at You Yan’s extremely expectant and incomparably sincere eyes, Yi Qiu’s heart couldn’t help but speed up. It took a long while before she blinked her slightly reddened eyes, sniffled, and said, “But what if… what if your daddy doesn’t agree, what if he especially dislikes me?”
“Then I’ll reason with him!” You Yan said, clenching her fists, her expression so serious it was as if she wasn’t going to reason with someone, but to fight them.
The little alpaca couldn’t help but laugh out loud, continuing to ask, “Then what if reasoning doesn’t work either?”
“If it doesn’t work…” You Yan gently bit her lower lip, her brows furrowed as she pondered seriously for a good while. Suddenly, she took a deep breath, her gaze firm as she said, “If it doesn’t work, then I’ll move over here!”
“You’re going to run away from home?” Yi Qiu couldn’t help but be greatly shocked.
She really had never thought that You Yan would make such a decision for her.
At such a young age, running away from home, is that appropriate?
A bird, for the sake of an alpaca, giving up a home to live in a tree hollow, does that even make sense?
But then again, regardless of whether it was appropriate or made sense, she was quite moved.
The little alpaca lowered her eyes and pondered for a moment. When she looked up, her gaze couldn’t help but drift toward the tree hollow not far behind her——Little Red Flower should be inside sleeping, or perhaps cultivating.
“If your daddy agrees, then is Little Red Flower going with us?”
“Little Red Flower likes it here, it wants to stay here forever.” You Yan said with a smile, “But that’s okay, before I met you, I would come to accompany it every day. Even if you go back with me, I still have to come and accompany it!”
“Right, that’s right…” Yi Qiu said, her eyelashes involuntarily drooping.
“I’ll carry you here on my back, and then carry you back again. The journey isn’t that far!” You Yan continued.
But the little alpaca suddenly fell into another silence.
How could she have forgotten? To You Yan, Little Red Flower was also an extremely important existence——how could the little bird forget the spider just because she had an alpaca?
How strange. The alpaca’s emotions are always fluctuating. One second she was very happy, and the next second she suddenly doesn’t really want to agree to You Yan’s offer anymore.
“I’ve thought about it, and I think it’s quite troublesome. Anyway, when you come to see Little Red Flower, you’ll also see me on the way…” The little alpaca said, pouting her lips and turning her head away. “Why should I bother running back and forth with you two extra times every day? It’s not like I really want to stick with you all day long…”
Actually, I do, but there’s no need.
After all, Little Red Flower is the one who has given You Yan the most companionship here in Kunlun Mountain. Now that even Little Red Flower isn’t going home with You Yan, what right does she, an alpaca who came later, have?
Her relationship with You Yan isn’t that special. She absolutely must not make it seem like the little what’s-it rising to power5. If she made Little Red Flower unhappy, that would be no good.
“But, but I… I want to stick with you all day long.” You Yan blinked, looking at Yi Qiu pitifully. “Did I say something wrong to make you angry?”
SAVE ME, this look, who could withstand it?
If only an alpaca’s hooves were a little more flexible, she would have wanted to raise a hoof to facepalm.
Is this the legendary type of woman who is both good-looking and knows how to act cute6? Forget men, even women who see it wouldn’t know how to refuse!
So why was she suddenly throwing a tantrum at You Yan just now?
Was it… because she was eating vinegar?
This is too strange. How could there be an alpaca who gets jealous of a spider over a bird with thorns on its butt!
She is You Yan’s friend, but so is Little Red Flower. For her to act like this is just too ungenerous!
My brain must be muddled, I need to clear my head immediately!
“No, you didn’t say anything wrong.” Yi Qiu hurriedly changed her previous attitude and explained, “I’m not angry, I just, I just feel that… I’ve lived here for some time now, and Little Red Flower has probably gotten used to my presence. If I just go home with you like this, it will have to sleep alone from now on. How lonely would that be!”
You Yan was stunned. Just as she was about to say something, she saw a very familiar red flower float down from the tree, landing impartially on her shoulder.
However, the tree behind You Yan was one that could not possibly bloom.
Yi Qiu fixed her gaze and, with the help of the sunlight, immediately found the single strand of spider silk attached to the back of the red flower.
“Little Red Flower.” There wasn’t a trace of surprise in You Yan’s eyes. She just lifted her shoulder slightly and turned her gaze to Little Red Flower. “When did you get here? I thought you were sleeping.”
“Little Red Flower!” the little alpaca, however, asked loudly in a surprised tone, “How long have you been eavesdropping up there!”
Yi Qiu still remembered that in the first two days after she arrived, she had told Little Red Flower about someone ferrying spirit and transmitting skills7 to her. And just now, she had spun a long tale to You Yan about the “food cultivation” method, completely failing to mention the matter of the skill transmission. If Little Red Flower had been eavesdropping in the tree this whole time, wouldn’t that be way too embarrassing!
Will Little Red Flower tell You Yan that I lied?
Yi Qiu couldn’t help but grow nervous.
She stared intently at the little red flower on You Yan’s shoulder, her eyes filled with a mix of pleading and begging for mercy, while the rest was pure embarrassment and regret.
Just then, Little Red Flower jumped from You Yan’s shoulder to the ground and lifted one of its writing forelegs.
The little alpaca instantly sucked in a sharp breath, her heart feeling as if it had leaped into her throat.
——I’ve been up there for a long time.
You Yan smiled and curiously asked, “How long is a long time?”
——Since you said, “Yi Qiu, Little Red Flower cultivates every day, why do you never cultivate?”
The little alpaca couldn’t help but let out a wronged whimper like an injured milk puppy8.
She thought that there probably wouldn’t be a second alpaca in this world that could make such a sound. She knew it was very embarrassing, but she just couldn’t help it.
Yi Qiu: “You, why didn’t you even make a peep!”
——I didn’t come quietly, it’s just that neither of you saw me, so I went up the tree.
As Little Red Flower wrote, it suddenly turned its gaze toward the little alpaca.
Yi Qiu: “…”
It had to be said, Little Red Flower’s eyes were too small. Although Yi Qiu wasn’t nearsighted, she still couldn’t discern what kind of emotion was flickering within those eyes.
After a brief moment of big eyes staring at small eyes, Yi Qiu was completely bewildered.
What kind of look is that? I don’t get it!
It’s not really going to expose me, is it?
You Yan just said “don’t lie” a few minutes ago. If she immediately discovers I told a fib, will she be angry?
Just as Yi Qiu was getting nervous, Little Red Flower suddenly retracted its gaze and once again began to write on the ground.
But thankfully, Little Red Flower did not continue the topic of cultivation.
——Yi Qiu, are you going home with You Yan?
At a time like this, I must curry favor with Little Red Flower!
Little Red Flower is so cute, how could she, for that bit of inexplicable dependency, just leave it alone in that tree hollow?
Thinking this, Yi Qiu hurriedly used her most resolute tone and said seriously, “I’m not going! I have to accompany you, otherwise you alone… a single spider would be so lonely!”
Hearing this, Little Red Flower quickly shook the flower on its back.
——Yi Qiu! No need, I don’t need company!
——You go back with You Yan. If you live at You Yan’s place, I can weave lots and lots of webs!
In that instant, a soft laugh suddenly sounded by the little alpaca’s ear.
The laugh carried a sense of déjà vu, which couldn’t help but make her think of a certain big bad bird outside the illusionary realm who always loved to watch the little alpaca make a fool of herself.
Yi Qiu: “…”
What are you doing!
Doesn’t a little alpaca need face9?
The author has something to say:
Yi Qiu: I kindly wanted to accompany you (although it was because of jealousy and fear of being sold out), but you only want to weave webs?
Guests came over during Wuyi10, so the first chapter was updated very late, and there were very few comments. My little angels, promise me you won’t let the comment count for the last chapter drop below double digits, my OCD will suffer QAQ
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