Peaceful Jianghu

Chapter 121

“My father’s title is hereditary.” Wei Xinjie was fine before, but now that Xiaoyue really treats him like a sister, he feels that he was slighted and bullied. So he looks at Liu Ruyue and says, “So, Xiaoyue is also a princess.”

Liu Ruyue took a deep breath and smiled at Xiaoyue, "Congratulations, Princess Xiaoyue."

Xiaoyue thought for a moment, then turned to look at Wei Xinjie, "Could I just be Lou Xiaoyue?"

"hey-hey."

Xiao Dao chuckled, and seeing everyone looking at him, he lowered his head and continued feeding the two little yellow dogs by the table with meat buns.

Wei Xinjie stared at Xiaoyue for a long time, then nodded, "Of course, but you must visit your father when you have time. He misses you very much."

Xiaoyue smiled and nodded, "Yes, thank you, big brother."

Wei Xinjie didn't have a younger sister to begin with. If he had some ulterior motives before wanting to adopt Xiaoyue, he was now completely overjoyed! It's human nature to be like this; having a younger sister isn't so bad after all! What's more, Xiaoyue has a simple personality and is quite pleasing to the eye. Wei Xinjie felt that having a younger sister had elevated his status considerably, which was wonderful!

Liu Ruyue left the Beihai Sect with her maid. After breakfast, everyone went about their own business.

Shen Xinghai was packing his things when he heard a knock on the door. He turned around and saw Xue Beifan leaning against the door looking at him.

"I'm going back to Xinghai Garden," Shen Xinghai asked Xue Beifan. "Do you need me to stay and help?"

Xue Beifan waved his hand, "You go ahead and do your thing."

"I have to go back and explain things to my mother, and there's a whole lot of other stuff to do." Shen Xinghai smiled with a troubled expression. "Actually, my mother has become increasingly confused over the past six months."

Xue Beifan asked, puzzled, "What do you mean?"

“She doesn’t remember many things anymore, and she doesn’t always try to make me stand out like before. On the contrary, she does care about my life now. Unfortunately, she forgets things quickly, sometimes she even forgets who I am.” Shen Xinghai packed his bags. “It seems that the matter of bringing glory to the Shen family can only be left to the next generation.”

Xue Beifan laughed, "This is actually quite good, free and unrestrained. Xiaoyue is indeed much, much better than that princess."

Shen Xinghai glanced at Xue Beifan, shook his head and smiled wryly, "Sometimes you're quite shrewd, but sometimes why are you so clueless?"

"Huh?" Xue Beifan didn't quite understand.

"You don't actually think Xiaoyue will stay by my side, do you?" Shen Xinghai asked rhetorically.

Xue Beifan was taken aback. "But you've already given up on that princess, and then..."

"And that was it." Shen Xinghai packed his bundle. "Tell Chonghua for me to take good care of Xiaoyue." With that, he slung his bundle over his shoulder, swiftly left the Beihai Sect, and gracefully descended the mountain.

Xiao Dao stood at the door of Xue Beifan's house, looking at Shen Xinghai in surprise, speechless.

"What?" Xue Beifan asked her, "What brilliant idea do you have?"

Xiao Dao shut his mouth and smiled slowly, "So many things can be figured out in one night, but people are used to making decisions immediately or delaying them, which leads to either making absurd choices or missing opportunities due to hesitation."

...

Chonghua was on the back mountain, while Xue Beifan was sitting in the small building, lost in thought watching the waterfall, when he sensed someone approaching from behind. He sighed, assuming it was Xue Beifan, and handed him a wine jar, saying, "Sit down and have a couple of drinks together?"

The wine jar was taken from him, and then someone sat down next to him.

Chonghua caught a glimpse of the delicate pale yellow dress and slender fingers, paused slightly, and looked up... only to see Xiaoyue sitting beside him, holding a wine jar.

"Xiao...Xiaoyue." Chonghua was a little flustered, but quickly calmed down and asked her, "When do we set off?"

Xiaoyue tilted her head. "Where to?"

"When are you and Shen Xinghai going back to Xinghai Garden?" Chonghua asked, looking down. "Or are you leaving soon to say goodbye?"

Xiaoyue stared at him for a while and said, "Young Master has already returned to Xinghai Garden."

Chonghua was slightly taken aback.

"I'd rather go to Chonghua Tower," Xiaoyue said, holding a wine jar. "And I haven't even finished learning how to use an abacus yet."

Chonghua slowly, very slowly, opened his mouth wide, somewhat disbelieving that he was awake.

Xiaoyue put down the wine jar and looked at him. "If you don't want it, then I'll go travel the world."

"Yes!" Chonghua grabbed her hand, as if afraid she would run away immediately. He scratched his head, somewhat incredulous. "You..." After a long moment of bewilderment, Chonghua asked Xiaoyue for confirmation, "You choose me?"

Xiaoyue looked at him and nodded, "Mm!"

"Why?" Chonghua asked a silly question, but it was indeed unexpected. He had originally thought that Shen Xinghai's decision was a great sacrifice, and that Xiaoyue, being in love with him, would surely live happily ever after. He had even comforted himself that at least Xiaoyue was happy, which wasn't so bad. But now... happiness had come too suddenly, leaving him completely unprepared.

Xiaoyue thought about it seriously for a moment, then shook her head. "I don't know."

Chonghua was taken aback. "Don't you know why you chose me?"

"Hmm." Xiaoyue nodded. "No reason."

Chonghua smiled and pulled Xiaoyue into his arms. "It's good that there's no reason!"

No reason is better than any reason!

...

59

[Not necessarily worry-free]

Around dinner time, Xiaodao couldn't find Xiaoyue anywhere in the house, and was sitting in the middle of the yard, stroking his chin in a daze.

"Hello."

A light tap on the shoulder made Xiao Dao turn his face, and then someone poked him on the other cheek. Xiao Dao turned his face again, and was poked on the other cheek, but the person was nowhere to be seen. Xiao Dao got annoyed and simply stopped looking; both cheeks had been poked…