Faint starlight touched Li Zijun's face. Her hairline was dotted with droplets that trickled down to her collarbone.
The wet fabric clung to her body, accentuating her exquisite and delicate figure, making her seem like a half-peeled fruit. Her jade-like arms were gently bent, revealing her graceful form in its entirety.
With her fair hands, she gathered her water-soaked hair behind her head. The water, having drenched her robe, sculpted a perfect silhouette as she shyly glanced at Ji Nanjue.
The clothes, not yet fully removed, clung to her tender body, faintly revealing the tone of her skin beneath. The usually loose-fitting robe concealed much, but now, her true figure was revealed, as if unveiling the true face of Mount Lu.
Ji Nanjue looked at her with clear surprise, then a playful smile touched the corner of her lips as she spoke,
"You and your master are truly cut from the sa cloth... even when it cos to lying."
"Forget it. If you want to call Sister, go ahead. 'Teacher's wife' sounds rather old-fashioned anyway."
"..."
Her jade-like legs, hidden beneath the water, gently stirred the surface, sending up a few ripples.
Then, with a gentle push of her arms, she rose, standing completely bare. The water barely reached the tops of her thighs, revealing a slim, flat waist, utterly devoid of excess flesh.
"Take off your clothes. You can't very well bathe in them, can you?"
This robe had been with Li Zijun for who knows how long on their journey, though it bore no stains.
Li Zijun shyly shed her dress, placed it on the bank, and then imdiately sat down in the pool, concealing herself thoroughly in the water.
Ji Nanjue didn't laugh at her; she simply took a seat beside her.
The air was sowhat stifling; the period before rain always felt particularly tense.
Her small hands gently scooped up so water, letting it cascade down as she suddenly spoke,
"You've only seen him a few tis. Are you so certain of your feelings already?"
"It's normal for soone your age to have such admirations, but your words and actions don't suggest you're an impulsive person."
"I'm curious, could you share what's on your mind?"
She paused, perhaps feeling her question was indeed a bit probing. Ji Nanjue then added with a chuckle,
"Of course, it's okay if you don't want to say..."
As she spoke, her gaze t Li Zijun's.
"My thoughts?"
Li Zijun gently pursed her thin lips. Without looking at Ji Nanjue, she murmured softly.
Gazing at the sowhat murky pool water, she pondered for a mont before saying softly,
"Does liking soone necessarily require specific thoughts or reasons?"
"Isn't it often that at a certain mont, due to sothing that deeply touches your heart, soone unknowingly finds a place there?"
"Maybe it's just a glance, just a gesture."
Ji Nanjue was taken aback. Listening to Li Zijun's voice, which was tinged with lancholy, she found that despite its gentle tone, it inexplicably conveyed a wealth of suppressed emotions.
She then pulled Li Zijun tightly into her embrace, her cheek pressed against hers.
"Love at first sight?"
Ji Nanjue might have once scoffed at this phrase, dismissing it as re nonsense. The idea that two people could be certain of their feelings after just one look seed possible only if they were rely coveting each other's appearance.
However, her heart had now gradually co to accept this term. Her life path and Su Bei's seed to inadvertently converge. That ti they had both returned from death's door, the bond forged through shared hardship was naturally profound.
Perhaps even before that night, her own heart had already been imprinted with his image. It was just that she, whose heart had been sealed for so long, had never acknowledged it.
"That's also true," Li Zijun said with a wry smile. It seems she misunderstood . Her feelings for Su Bei were far from the light and fleeting thing she had just described. It had taken nearly a century of developing alongside him to truly confirm her heart.
"Sister Nan Ji, Zi Jun is feeling a bit cold..." Li Zijun said, hugging her arms around herself and blinking at Ji Nanjue.
Ji Nanjue smiled warmly at her, her own heart feeling sowhat conflicted. "Go back then," she said.
"Sh... Sister, you can stay here alone for a while," Li Zijun suggested.
Ultimately, she was a woman. Even though she knew she and Su Bei could never make their relationship public, she still felt a sense of aversion towards any woman who wanted to share his affection. Moreover, this woman was his Disciple... From any perspective, whether emotional or rational, this felt like a major transgression. A peculiar thought surfaced in Ji Nanjue's mind: his Disciple, her master... and herself stuck in the middle? What a complicated relationship... It was like three generations under one roof, wasn't it? It's all Su Dudu's fault. There's no right or wrong in matters of the heart. If bla must be assigned, the root cause was that fickle-hearted scoundrel. If he hadn't sown his wild oats everywhere, how could he have incurred so many emotional debts? He certainly had his fun...
Li Zijun waved her hand in front of Ji Nanjue's face. Ji Nanjue snapped back to reality, playfully tapped Li Zijun's delicate nose, and chuckled,
"You've been wearing that dress for too long. If you don't mind, wear this one of mine for now."
"..."
She gestured toward the white gauze dress on the bank.
Li Zijun blinked and then flashed Ji Nanjue a sweet smile.
With a soft rustle, she put on the dress and headed towards the Daoist Temple.
Watching Li Zijun's retreating figure, Ji Nanjue sighed softly.
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