Chapter 243: Intimacy of a Reunion?

Qingyun Prefecture, Lin Family's small courtyard.

Lü Ya sat on the stone bench in the courtyard, savoring delicacies, and tended the courtyard's flowers and plants with great care.

On the ground, it was covered with the "correct" symbols she had drawn.

Each stroke was a longing for the young master.

Squeak!

At that moment, the door was pushed open.

Lü Ya sprang to her feet, delightedly looking toward the doorway, only to see a woman clad in a teal Daoist robe.

It was Yun Zhi Yi.

The instant she saw Yun Zhi Yi, Lü Ya's mind went blank.

These past days, she had rehearsed countless lines—what to say when she met Sangyu, what to say when she met Tu Shan Jiao Jiao, what to say when she met Yun…

She recited those lines every day.

But when the moment arrived, all the words turned into two characters—awkward.

The expression on her face was reduced to a dumb smile.

Yun Zhi Yi remained very composed, smiling, "Lü Ya, long time no see, you've become beautiful."

"You… you are too."

Perhaps it was the invisible aura of a cultivator, or perhaps her own insecurity, that made Lü Ya's voice tremble.

Yun Zhi Yi, already accustomed, went to the stone table, sat down, poured Lü Ya a cup of tea, and got straight to the point, "You should remember that dream, right?"

"Hmm, I remember." Lü Ya nodded.

"You needn't be so humble; in the dream you were formidable, and besides you are Chuan's destined Sword Spirit, the closest to him."

Yun Zhi Yi's smile was warm, bright as a spring breeze.

Before coming here, she had many mental musings, but once she thought them through, her thoughts became much clearer.

You cannot avoid it; acceptance is the way.

With feelings like this, there are only two choices: stay or go.

Moreover, after all she's been through, she's already at peace.

Lü Ya, trembling, asked almost involuntarily, "Do you… do you still want to fight?"

Yun Zhi Yi laughed lightly, "Fight over what?"

She took a sip of tea and sighed lightly:

"The heart I left behind told me everything; I know all that you and Chuan have experienced."

"If we keep squabbling over trivial matters, it would be too petty."

"Some things yield no result from fighting, and there's no need to fight them."

A few days earlier, memories resurfaced again in Yun Zhi Yi's mind.

It was the heart left by Yun Baobao before his fall that gave her this, and she witnessed the Sword Spirit Girl's resolve.

She also witnessed Sangyu and Tu Shan Jiao Jiao's journey to the end, enduring the hardships of seeking Chuan's destiny.

What concerned her most was Black Mist's invasion of this world.

Too many things can outweigh the quarrels of love and affection.

If not for this dream, she might have kept fighting, never yielding a breath, but now, what's etched in her heart is far beyond Chuan.

Sword Spirit, Sangyu, the Empress…

All are sisters in spirit to her.

In that dream, missing any one of them might have prevented reaching the end.

She fears she wouldn't be who she is now.

Looking at the deeply moved Yun Zhi Yi, Lü Ya wanted to say a few words, but after racking her brain she couldn't think of what to add, so she asked blankly:

"Then… what should I do?"

"You needn't do anything."

Yun Zhi Yi said, "Wait for a result; they should be returning soon."

Lü Ya's heart tightened, "You're talking about Sangyu and Tu Shan Jiao Jiao, right?"

"Of course."

Yun Zhi Yi finished speaking and said no more.

Lü Ya sat, unable to settle.

Compared to Yun Zhi Yi, she feared Sangyu more.

After all, when Sangyu went berserk she cut off all ties, and she had personally witnessed the original clash between Ye Xue and Sangyu.

…

In the following days, Lü Ya became busy.

Yun Zhi Yi meditated and cultivated in the courtyard, so Lü Ya had to water and weed frantically to ease the awkwardness.

At first Yun Zhi Yi tried to teach her cultivation, but later gave up.

She still clearly recalls the expression on the other's face.

It was like a young lady teaching a young master commerce in childhood, with a clenched‑tooth, bitter expression, resenting that iron wouldn't turn into steel.

Fortunately, she accepted her own "clumsiness" readily and wasn't saddened at all.

A few days later, the courtyard's door was pushed open again.

Tsk tsk tsk.

Before anyone arrived, a voice of bone‑deep charm already echoed through the courtyard.

"Yun Baobao really is one step ahead, huh."

A flash of light flickered, and Tu Shan Jiao Jiao had already arrived at the stone table.

Yun Zhi Yi, who was meditating, slightly furrowed her brows; she opened her eyes a sliver, and what met her gaze was Tu Shan Jiao Jiao's pride.

It seemed to be considerably larger than herself.

"Old acquaintances, yet still pretending to be aloof?"

Tu Shan Jiao Jiao deliberately lunged forward, striking with a ball, "Why so shy, Yun Baobao? These are just little tricks now."

"It'll be more fun when the husband returns."

"If you can't play along, you'll take a big loss."

"……"

Facing Tu Shan Jiao Jiao, who kept chattering and pressing her with the ball as soon as she returned, Yun Zhi Yi's brows furrowed tighter.

At this moment, she seemed to somewhat understand Lü Ya's feelings.

That utterly powerless feeling of being unable to communicate…

This Fox Spirit! How can she be so instantly familiar?!

Can't she give herself a buffer period?

Can't she be a bit more restrained first?

The crux is that she doesn't even know how to get angry.

"Enough!"

After being repeatedly provoked and struck many times, Yun Zhi Yi finally couldn't hold back, stood up from the stone bench, and stared at Tu Shan Jiao Jiao.

"Oh dear, Yun Baobao looks so cute when she's angry."

Tu Shan Jiao Jiao's smile remained unchanged.

"Are we that familiar?"

Yun Zhi Yi tried her best to stay unswayed.

"Familiar, indeed."

Tu Shan Jiao Jiao flashed to Yun Zhi Yi's back, wrapped her arms around her waist, and teased:

"Only the dearest can be called 'baby', right? My Yun Baobao."

"Get lost!"

Yun Zhi Yi finally couldn't endure any longer, transformed into a flash of light and fled to a room in the courtyard, waving a hand to cast a seal.

Finally… it's quiet.

She had thought she was fully prepared to accept.

But when Tu Shan Jiao Jiao arrived, she realized her preparation was insufficient, far worse than the Fox Spirit's.

Outside the house.

Facing Yun Zhi Yi's 'refusal', Tu Shan Jiao Jiao was unfazed, knowing the other was only feigning anger, merely unable to accept too much intimacy for now.

A few more visits would be fine.

She had long thought that in Past Life dreams, everyone was a life-and-death close sister, but in reality, reaching that point still required adjustment.

A big family—how can it work without a bonding agent?

Then who would be suitable?

Lü Ya? A social anxiety case.

Yun Zhi Yi? Kind of like a restrained maiden, a genteel lady.

Mo Sangyu? Schizophrenic.

As for Ye Xue, not to mention there is no Past Life connection, even if there were, Ye Xue would certainly have the most volatile temper.

"Without me? This family would fall apart."

Tu Shan Jiao Jiao's smile was full, and now her goal was to apply a bit of intimate bonding agent to everyone.

When the husband returns, the fun can truly begin.