Long Chen froze.
Not because of the woman’s cultivation level or soone was waiting at his cave. Not even because of the potential threat she represented.
He froze because he recognized her face.
Dugu Qinglan.
She was beautiful. Not in the flashy, attention-grabbing way that so cultivators cultivated like a weapon. Her beauty was quieter, more refined. Sharp features softened by youth, long black hair that caught the spirit lamp’s light, and eyes that—
Long Chen blinked.
’Get it together. You’re acting like you’ve never seen a woman before.’
But the problem was, technically, Aiden hadn’t. Not like this.
Back on Earth, he’d been too busy being a failure to have ti for relationships. No girlfriend, not even a crush who’d given him a second glance. Who would be interested in trash like him? A broke writer living in a moldy flat, surviving on instant noodles and rejection letters.
And now here he was, face to face with soone who was technically his fiancée, and his inner nerd was taking over.
Long Chen opened his mouth to say sothing—anything—when Qinglan’s expression suddenly shifted.
Her cold, serious deanor cracked.
Her eyes widened and her mouth opened slightly in surprise. And then her entire face lit up like the sun breaking through clouds.
"Big Brother Chen!" she said, her voice bright and warm. "How much I’ve missed you!"
Before Long Chen could process what was happening, she was running toward him.
She closed the distance in three steps and threw her arms around him in a tight hug.
Long Chen stood there, completely rigid, his brain short-circuiting.
’What. Is. Happening?’
Her arms were wrapped around his shoulders, her head pressed against his chest, and she was hugging him like she hadn’t seen him in years.
Which, technically, she hadn’t.
Aiden knew from Long Chen’s mories that they’d once been very close—practically inseparable as children. Qinglan had followed him around the clan compound, shared als with him, defended him when others mocked him. She’d been one of the few bright spots in the original Long Chen’s miserable life.
But that was years ago. Before she’d gotten early admission to the sect and taken by a man with a terrifying cultivation base that even the clan head had been shaking in fear. That was before the gap between them had grown so wide it seed impossible to cross.
Aiden had assud that her high status would have built walls between them. That she’d beco distant, cold, untouchable which would have made breaking off the engagent easy for Long Chen.
Apparently, that was not the case.
Qinglan pulled back slightly, still holding onto his arms, looking up at him with an expression so genuinely happy it made Long Chen’s chest feel tight.
"Big Brother Chen," she said again, like she couldn’t stop saying it. "You’re really here. I couldn’t believe it when I heard soone nad Long Chen had joined the inner disciples. I thought maybe it was soone else, but then I saw your na on the roster and—"
She paused, her smile faltering slightly.
She pulled at his sleeve, her expression shifting to sothing more uncertain, almost sad.
"Don’t you recognize anymore, Big Brother?" she asked quietly.
Long Chen snapped out of his daze.
’Right. She thinks I’m the original Long Chen. And he would definitely recognize her.’
He forced his expression to soften and smiled. "Of course I recognize you, Qinglan. How could I forget?"
Her face lit up again imdiately.
Then Long Chen decided to push his luck a little. "You’ve gotten more beautiful since the last ti I saw you. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were a fairy who descended from the heavens."
The words ca out awkward, clumsy. His attempt at flirting sounded stiff even to his own ears.
*PFFT—* Azazel’s laughter exploded in his mind. *What was that!? "Fairy who descended from the heavens"? Are you reading from a manual? That was the worst pickup line I’ve ever heard!*
[I have to agree with Azazel,] the system chid in. [That was painful to witness. I’m giving it a 3 out of 10 for effort.]
*3? That’s generous. I’d give it a 1.*
Long Chen ignored them both.
Because sohow, impossibly, it worked.
Qinglan’s face went bright pink. Her eyes widened, and she looked away quickly, one hand moving to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Big Brother Chen," she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper. "You can’t just say things like that..."
*No way,* Azazel said, his tone shocked. *That actually worked? How? Why? This makes no sense!*
[Love makes no sense I guess.] the system replied philosophically.
Long Chen kept his smile steady, even as his brain was screaming in confusion.
Qinglan cleared her throat, her cheeks still flushed, and quickly changed the subject. "I—I should show you around the sect! There’s so much you haven’t seen yet. The Pavilions, the gardens, the training grounds—"
She grabbed his hand without waiting for an answer and started pulling him along the path.
Long Chen let himself be dragged, too stunned to resist.
*She’s holding your hand,* Azazel pointed out helpfully.
’I noticed.’
*And she’s blushing.*
’I noticed that too.’
*You accidentally flirted your way into sothing, and you don’t even know what it is.*
’Shut up.’
Qinglan led him through the sect with the enthusiasm of soone who’d been waiting years to give this tour.
She pointed out landmarks as they walked—the Alchemy Pavilion where disciples refined pills, the Weapon Forge where spirit swords were crafted, the ditation Gardens where high-level cultivators practiced closed-door cultivation.
She talked the entire ti, her voice bright and energetic, occasionally glancing back at him to make sure he was listening.
Long Chen listened.
Partly because the information was useful. Mostly because watching her talk—her expressions shifting from excitent to curiosity to pride when she pointed out sothing particularly impressive—was strangely calming.
They passed other disciples along the way. So stared, a few whispered. Long Chen caught fragnts of conversation.
"Is that Senior Sister Qinglan?"
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