Faint specks of starlight touched Li Zijun’s face; the hair at her forehead was damp with water droplets, which trickled down to her collarbones.
The wet clothes clung to her body, making her delicate and well-proportioned figure seem half-exposed. With a slight bend of her jade-like arm, her captivating allure was fully revealed.
Her fair hands gently gathered the water-soaked hair behind her head. The water drenched her tunic, outlining her perfect silhouette, as she looked sowhat embarrassedly at Ji Nanjue.
The garnts she hadn’t fully removed clung perfectly to her delicate body, subtly revealing the color of her skin beneath. Her usually loose-fitting tunic concealed much of her figure, but now, it was as if Mount Lu’s true face was revealed.
Ji Nanjue watched her with obvious surprise, then curled the corner of her mouth, speaking teasingly,
"You and your Master are indeed carved from the sa mold when it cos to lying..."
"Never mind. If you want to call Sister, go ahead. The title ’Shiniang’ sounds rather old-fashioned anyway."
"..."
Beneath the water’s surface, her jade-like legs lightly stirred the water, sending out a few ripples.
Then, with a gentle push of her jade-like arms, she stood up, completely bare. The water barely reached the tops of her thighs, revealing half of her slender, flat waist, which was devoid of any excess fat.
"Take off your clothes. You can’t bathe with them on, can you?"
This single tunic had been with Li Zijun for an unknown length of ti on their journey, though it bore no stains.
Li Zijun, sowhat shyly, removed her dress, placed it on the bank, and then quickly subrged herself in the pool, ensuring she was well hidden.
Ji Nanjue didn’t laugh at her and sat down beside her.
The air was heavy, and the period just before rain always felt particularly oppressive.
Her small hands gently scooped up so water, letting it trickle down, before she suddenly spoke,
"You’ve only t him a few tis. Are you so sure about your feelings?"
"It’s normal for soone your age to admire soone, but from your words and actions, you don’t seem like an impulsive person."
"I’m curious, can you share what’s on your mind?"
She paused, feeling her question was sowhat pointed. Ji Nanjue then added with a smile,
"Of course, you don’t have to say if you don’t want to..."
As she spoke, her eyes remained fixed on Li Zijun.
"My thoughts, huh?"
Li Zijun gently pursed her thin lips. Without looking at Ji Nanjue, she murmured softly.
Gazing at the rather dark pool water, she pondered for a mont before speaking faintly,
"Does one necessarily need reasons to like soone?"
"Isn’t it that at a certain mont, because of sothing that deeply stirs your heart, that person unknowingly finds a place there?"
"Perhaps it’s just a glance, just a single gesture."
Ji Nanjue was taken aback for a mont. Listening to Li Zijun’s voice, which sounded sowhat dejected—it was a gentle tone, yet sohow, Ji Nanjue detected a wealth of suppressed frustration within it.
Then Ji Nanjue pulled Li Zijun into a tight embrace, her cheek resting against Li Zijun’s.
"Love at first sight?"
Perhaps before, Ji Nanjue would have sneered at this phrase and dismissed it as nonsense. To her, the idea that two people could confirm their feelings for each other rely by a glance was plausible only if driven by lust. But now, she found herself gradually accepting the idea. Her own life trajectory with Su Bei always seed to intertwine unintentionally. That ti they had returned from the brink of death, the bond forged from enduring hardship together was naturally profound. Perhaps even before that night, his image had already been imprinted on her heart; it was just that her long-guarded heart had never acknowledged it.
"There’s so truth to that."
Li Zijun smiled wryly. It seed Ji Nanjue had misunderstood her. Her feelings for Su Bei were far more profound than her simple words implied—it had taken nearly a century of evolving connection for her to beco certain of her heart.
"Sister Nan Ji, Zi Jun is feeling a bit cold..."
Li Zijun hugged her arms lightly, blinking as she looked at Ji Nanjue.
Ji Nanjue smiled warmly at her, though her heart felt a tangle of emotions. "You should head back then."
She paused, then added, "I... Sister will stay here alone for a little while."
Ultimately, she was a woman. Even though she knew that she and Su Bei could never make their relationship public, she still felt a sense of repulsion towards any woman who might divert so of Su Bei’s affection from her. Moreover, this woman was his disciple... By any asure of sentint or reason, it felt deeply improper.
A peculiar thought surfaced in Ji Nanjue’s mind: His disciple, my master... and I’m caught in the middle? What a complicated relationship... A three-generation household, indeed! It’s all Su Dudu’s fault!
There’s no right or wrong in matters of affection. But if bla had to be assigned, the root cause of it all was that philandering scoundrel. If he hadn’t spread his affections so freely, dallying wherever he went, how could so many emotional debts have arisen out of thin air? —He, on the other hand, certainly had his fun...
Li Zijun waved her hand a few tis in front of Ji Nanjue’s face. Ji Nanjue snapped back to her senses, lightly flicked Li Zijun’s delicate little nose, and said with a laugh,
"You’ve worn that dress for too long. If you don’t mind, wear this one of mine for now."
"..."
She then pointed to the white gauze dress on the shore.
Li Zijun blinked, then gave Ji Nanjue a sweet smile.
With the soft RUSTLE of fabric, she donned the dress and then headed towards the Daoist Temple.
As Ji Nanjue watched Li Zijun’s retreating figure, she sighed softly:
Reviews
All reviews (0)