Chapter 295

Strolling through the lantern festival, listening to operas, raising cups in toasts—this night had grown profoundly boundless.

Yet the "again" in "the night has grown deep again" implied a prior identical midnight, when Yan Shuyi and Yuan Caimei had simultaneously recalled last night's alternating performances.

At this thought, four pale, delicate feet beneath the tea table instantly curled up.

After last night's fierce struggle, aside from a brief exchange at dawn, the three had said nothing of it all day.

Sweeping the courtyard, pasting couplets, eating meals, admiring lanterns—it had all proceeded as if nothing had happened.

This was mainly because every moment of last night felt absurd; not only did Yan Shuyi stubbornly deny it, Yuan Caimei also avoided it, so though her tone had been soft at dawn, she still called him "Young Master."

To the two women, letting things unfold naturally in the future might be easier to accept.

But this night was just like last night's—same protagonists, no outsiders. Ji You's words "the night has grown deep again" carried immense weight and instantly shattered their feigned composure.

Yan Shuyi glared at him with furrowed brows: "Since Young Master Ji also says the hour is late, we won't disturb you further. We're strangers who met by chance—thank you for your hospitality today."

You've filled every cup and still call us strangers…

After hearing this, Yuan Caimei blinked slowly, pretending ignorance, and gently shifted her hips to follow suit and leave.

Her elixirs were exhausted; without the Little Mirror Master to share the burden, she couldn't bear it alone—she feared it might kill her.

As for the Little Mirror Master, she hadn't acknowledged a single thing from last night all day—she wouldn't be fooled again so easily.

Even if she were taken, she wouldn't endure being taken side-by-side with Yuan Caimei again, unless she couldn't hold out.

But the next instant, they discovered Ji You pulling out a stack of playing cards and a stack of red envelopes from a drawer.

"After the New Year comes the first day—may peace endure year after year."

"?"

Yan Shuyi took her envelope from his hand, opened it, saw a stack of silver notes, and softly pursed her lips.

Yuan Caimei also took hers, opened it, saw the silver notes inside, and her gaze rippled slightly.

These were the most common, vulgar objects in Qingyun's realm—but both knew Ji You was extremely frugal with money, even stingy with himself.

"Last New Year, I spent all my money buying backup elixirs from Yu Danzong to bait the Fengzhou Immortal Villa's appetite—I didn't give you anything then. Today, I'm making up for all previous years."

Yan Shuyi and Yuan Caimei looked up at him, knowing he meant the red envelopes had been prepared long ago, unrelated to last night's events.

Ji You spread the cards on the table: "What I meant earlier was—the night is deep. Want to play cards?"

"Dog thief."

"Why do you both look so scandalized?"

Yan Shuyi narrowed her eyes, thinking: the dog thief's mind turns fast indeed.

Just moments ago he was fondling feet—clearly wanting to provoke—and now he's solemnly proposing card games.

She glared at him, her gaze fixed on the deck he'd brought, and suddenly a flicker of curiosity crossed her face.

These cards were the same "Fight the Landlord" they'd played before in the Sages' Garden, but the faces had been redrawn.

The joker card depicted a woman holding a sword, with a spiritual mirror hovering above her head—though the painting was crude, it was unmistakably her.

Yuan Caimei also spotted a card that seemed to depict herself.

She recognized it as herself not because it looked like her, but because the woman before her held a three-legged elixir furnace.

"Did you paint these?"

Ji You nodded: "I doodle during idle moments between cultivation, just finished them before the New Year."

Yan Shuyi lifted her gaze and realized that, had last night not happened, this stranger might have simply wanted to invite them to play cards.

At this thought, she couldn't help recalling how he'd held back last night, urging her to leave.

Though the dog thief constantly chattered about "endless life," he'd never forced her, nor had he used sweet words to trick her body like those tales in folk novels.

Ji You laid his cards flat on the table: "Let's be clear—loser takes off one piece of clothing."

"?"

As soon as he spoke, Yan Shuyi swung a punch at him, while Yuan Caimei bit her lip tightly.

After all those tricks, the dog thief still wanted to take them.

Ji You blocked the punch, silently thinking: no harm, no harm—there's plenty of time ahead…

He knew himself: if only one of them were present, perhaps she'd have half-heartedly consented—but all three… the elixirs' role was immense; replicating it was nearly impossible.

Besides, Yan Shuyi flatly denied everything—she refused to cry in his arms again while calling him "husband." Taking even one of them was hard; the rest were fantasies.

Ji You believed human desire was a refined matter, distinct from lewdness; he wasn't the type who, having accidentally gained advantage, spent every day scheming over such things.

After all, they were already his—nowhere to run.

Perhaps it would be simpler to break them apart and deal with them one by one.

Ji You reached for the cards and noticed Yuan Caimei leaning in, seemingly curious about the next card's image—he flicked her delicate nose with his finger.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the exquisite immortal beside him narrowing her eyes—and instantly, sword qi howled through the room.

They'd fought side by side—and yet her jealousy hadn't lessened a bit.

The New Year lantern festival would last three days, so the bustle continued until dawn the next day; mist-covered alleys and streets teemed with figures bowing and paying respects.

Just after the hour of Mao, light snow began to drift.

The back courtyard of Wulü Trading House opened, and Cao Jingsong, Ban Yangshu, and Wen Zhengxin entered—one ahead, two behind.

During the festival, movement was frequent; they'd had no time for quiet seclusion. Yesterday, newly admitted disciples from Fengzhou invited them to a banquet, so they came to Wulü Trading House early today.

Upon entering, they saw the Little Mirror Master of Lingjian Mountain seated at the tea table, sipping tea delicately—exquisitely beautiful, like a fairy from a painting.

Last night, the three had played cards all night; Yuan Caimei was the first to tire, and Ji You carried her back to her room to rest.

No one knew if Yuan Caimei had been taken advantage of after entering the room, but when Ji You returned, the Little Mirror Master knew she'd been kissed.

Still, kiss or no kiss, she remained the same—denied ever having eaten or done anything, insisted he was a stranger, and when kissed, she glared fiercely, eyes wide open.

Then she noticed his mouth tasted of a different kind of sea salt—and bit him, leaving a fresh wound.

Now Ji You was in the kitchen preparing breakfast, while she sat quietly sipping tea.

Cao Jingsong and the others halted upon seeing her, exchanging glances in the snow-dusted courtyard.

"So the Little Mirror Master spent the New Year in Shengjing?"

"Mm…"

"So the woman living in Ji's courtyard these past few years was indeed her."

They'd suspected a romantic connection between the Little Mirror Master and Ji You during the Tian Dao Assembly, and had guessed the woman in his courtyard was her—but only now was it confirmed.

Even so, seeing her still made them tense.

The youngest Wuxiang cultivator in the realm, the next leader of Lingjian Mountain—she seemed impossibly lofty.

Especially now, with Yan Shuyi's expression blank; though she released no aura, years of high status naturally radiated pressure, making them dare not overstep.

Yan Shuyi sensed their arrival, turned, and saw Cao Jingsong and the others—she rose from the bamboo couch beside the tea table.

Seeing this, Cao Jingsong bowed slightly.

Back during the Tian Dao Assembly, they'd accidentally entered her viewing pavilion; back then, she'd risen too—her manners were impeccable.

"Greetings, Mirror Master."

Yan Shuyi spoke softly: "Greetings, the three of you."

Cao Jingsong glanced around the room: "Where's my beloved disciple?"

"In the kitchen, making breakfast."

"How have you been spending your days in Shengjing?"

Yan Shuyi nodded slightly: "I came to Shengjing to cultivate through worldly experience. I never expected to meet Ji You—these past days, I've been his guest, and it's been quite pleasant."

Hearing her distance herself so cleanly, the three didn't believe a word.

They'd returned to Fengzhou together during the Tian Dao Assembly—they'd seen the Little Mirror Master daily rushing out to hear people call her "Madam Ji."

As they spoke, Ji You entered the hall carrying breakfast. He looked at Cao Jingsong: "Why did you come here?"

"The New Year's a brief break from seclusion—we came to see you."

Ji You studied the three; their qi had indeed grown denser since their last meeting—they were progressing well.

Cao Jingsong and the others studied him too, their eyes fixed on the fresh tooth marks on his lip—so this was what the Little Mirror Master meant by "hospitality."

At that moment, Yan Shuyi, still holding her soup bowl, suddenly rose from her seat and walked toward the courtyard.

Ji You instinctively turned—saw Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu had returned to the courtyard; they'd delivered Xiang Yuanchen back to the Wei family's villa and now reported in.

He paid them no further attention, turning back to Cao Jingsong: "How effective was the Fang family's spirit platform?"

Cao Jingsong tore his gaze from Ji You's lip: "Extraordinarily effective—I estimate I'll break through in two or three years."

"Two or three years?"

"That's already fast. Do you think everyone's like you?"

Cao Jingsong knew Ji You's cultivation had hit a snag—he should've entered the Rong Dao realm two summers ago.

But in truth, decades of steady cultivation were the norm—even the most gifted cultivator, like the Little Mirror Master of Lingjian Mountain, needed years to cross a major realm.