Faint starlight fell upon Li Zijun's face. Strands of her hair, wet with droplets, slipped down to her collarbone. The wet clothes clung to her body, outlining her delicate and curvaceous figure, making it seem almost as if she were half-exposed. Her jade-like arms were gently bent, revealing her graceful poise.
With a gentle motion, she gathered her long, water-saturated hair behind her head. The water drenched her robes, sketching out the perfect contour of her body. She glanced at Ji Nanjue sowhat sheepishly.
Her clothing, not yet fully removed, clung to her tender body, slightly translucent and revealing her skin tone. What was normally concealed by her rather loose robes now revealed its true splendor, like seeing Mount Lu in its full glory.
Ji Nanjue watched her with clear surprise, then curled the corner of her mouth, speaking playfully, "True to master and disciple, even your lies are carved from the sa mold..."
"Forget it. If you want to call Sister, go ahead. 'Mistress' does sound bizarrely old-fashioned."
Under the water, her jade-like legs gently brushed the surface, creating a few ripples. Then, with a light push of her arms, she stood up, completely bare. The water barely covered her thighs, revealing half of her supple waist, slender and flat without an ounce of excess flesh.
"Take off your clothes. You can't very well bathe with them on, can you?"
This single robe had been with Li Zijun for who knows how long, though it bore no stains.
Li Zijun shyly removed her dress and set it on the shore, then imdiately settled into the pool, hiding herself completely.
Ji Nanjue did not laugh at her and sat down beside her.
The air was sowhat heavy; the period before rain always seed particularly restless.
Her slender hand gently played with the water, letting it cascade down. Suddenly, she said, "You've only t him a few tis. Are you so certain of your feelings?"
"It's normal for soone your age to admire soone, but your conduct doesn't suggest you're an impulsive person."
"I'm curious; can you share your thoughts?"
After a pause, feeling her question was indeed a bit tricky, Ji Nanjue added with a smile, "Of course, it's fine if you don't want to talk about it..." As she spoke, her eyes were fixed on Li Zijun.
"My thoughts?"
Li Zijun gently pursed her lips and didn't look at Ji Nanjue, just murmured quietly. Staring at the sowhat murky pool water, she pondered for a mont, then spoke softly, "Does liking soone necessarily require much thought?"
"Isn't it that at certain monts, because of sothing that deeply touches the heart, one's heart unwittingly cos to hold another person?"
"Maybe it's just a glance, just a certain action."
Ji Nanjue was stunned for a mont. Listening to her voice, which seed tinged with sadness—though the tone was very gentle—Ji Nanjue sohow sensed a great deal of vexation in it. Then Ji Nanjue held her tightly in her arms, their cheeks touching. "Love at first sight?"
Previously, I would have scoffed at the notion, dismissing it as absurd. The idea that two people could confirm their feelings with just a glance seed, to , based at most on an appreciation of physical beauty. But now, my heart is gradually coming to terms with the phrase. My life and Su Bei's had sohow aligned effortlessly. The emotions that developed from surviving adversity together, from that ti we had co back from the brink of death, were naturally profound. Perhaps even before that night, my heart had already been marked by his shadow; it was only that my long-sealed heart had never acknowledged it.
"That's also true."
Li Zijun gave a bitter smile. It seems she's misunderstood . My feelings for Su Bei aren't as simple as I just described. It was only after nearly a century of shared experiences and understanding that I confird my feelings.
"Sister Nan Ji, Zi Jun is feeling a bit cold..." Li Zijun said, gently hugging her own arms and blinking at Ji Nanjue.
"Let's go back."
"Mistress— Sister, you stay here by yourself for a while."
Ji Nanjue smiled warmly at her, her heart filled with complex emotions.
After all, I am a woman. Even though I know my relationship with Su Bei can never be public, I still feel repelled by any woman who wants to take even a bit of his tenderness away from . Moreover, this woman is his disciple... Emotionally and rationally, it feels utterly wrong. A rather peculiar thought surfaced in my mind: his disciple, my Master... and caught in between? What a complicated relationship... Three generations under one roof, indeed! It's all Su Dudu's fault. There's no right or wrong in matters of the heart. But if one had to assign bla, the root of it all lies with that philandering Su Bei. If he hadn't been so affectionate and promiscuous, how could he have racked up so many emotional debts? He's the one enjoying himself, after all...
Li Zijun waved her hand in front of Ji Nanjue's face. Ji Nanjue snapped back to her senses and playfully pinched Li Zijun's delicate nose, saying with a laugh, "You've worn that dress for too long. If you don't mind, you can wear this one of mine for now."
Her hand then pointed at the white gauze dress on the shore.
Li Zijun blinked, then gave Ji Nanjue a sweet smile.
With a soft rustle, she donned the dress and headed towards the Daoist Temple.
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