Chapter 365

He was momentarily stunned.

“Junior Sister Yun, how are you here?”

Moreover, Yun Duanyue, who rarely spoke to others, had actually greeted him with a soft “hello”!

“She, she, she… her family came to attend the Xianling Conference, so she followed them to Xuanxu. By chance, we met,” Lin Xun quickly interjected, knowing Yun Duanyue’s reserved nature, “And Senior Sister Yun brought small gifts for all of us but hasn’t had the chance to distribute them yet.”

He Zhizhou nodded in understanding and explained the purpose of his visit.

The Little White Dragon, known for his mild temperament, responded cheerfully, “Of course, no problem! Just take her to my study directly

—Senior Sister Yun, would you like to have a look?”

And so, the four of them made their way to the study together.

Lin Xun, born in the Dragon Palace, had been immersed in both literature and martial arts since childhood.

Writing poetry was naturally part of his repertoire.

Being a quiet soul who disliked outdoor antics, he often spent his solitary hours reading books.

“Don’t worry, I’ll help you find which books are suitable for children,” Lin Xun said as he began browsing the shelves.

Meanwhile, Qiu Qiu, unable to stay still, wandered curiously around the room.

Being small, she could only see the lower bookshelves.

As she looked around, she suddenly noticed a peculiar-looking large book.

It was thick, larger than her face, and quietly nestled in a corner, resembling a silent giant.

Finding it intriguing, Qiu Qiu struggled to pull it out.

For some reason, Lin Xun, who had been watching from across the room, suddenly turned around when his peripheral vision caught her movements.

Upon seeing the book in her hands, he panicked.

“Wait, Qiu Qiu! That book mustn’t—”

Unfortunately, he didn’t finish his sentence.

The girl had already opened the cover, tugging hard on the first page as he shouted.

What met her eyes was pure white.

It wasn’t a book at all but a hollowed-out box disguised as one.

With the sudden opening and a gust of wind blowing in from the window, the white sheets inside scattered to the floor.

Lin Xun froze, unable to speak as a flush of deep crimson spread across his face.

“What’s this?”

He Zhizhou’s curiosity was as piqued as Qiu Qiu’s.

Squatting down, he picked up one of the sheets and instinctively began to read aloud, “Ahem, Senior Sister Yun—”

The moment he spoke, he realized something was off.

Clearing his throat awkwardly, He Zhizhou laughed uneasily, placed the paper back where it came from, and glanced at the pair standing nearby.

Lin Xun’s face was now red enough to drip blood.

His amber eyes shimmered with a watery sheen, and even his eye sockets were tinged with pink.

Although Yun Duanyue didn’t know what was written on the paper, seeing his expression revealed much, and her face turned red as well.

The atmosphere in the study grew heavy with an inexplicable tension.

Suddenly, the crisp voice of a child broke the silence.

Qiu Qiu stared at one of the papers and read aloud word by word:

“Senior Sister Yun, the autumn air is fresh, and the leaves in the Xuanxu Forest have mostly turned red. I sincerely invite you to visit our sect—I will surely—why does it stop here?”

Unaware of the adult tension around her, Qiu Qiu assumed they were all listening intently to her recitation.

Encouraged, the little girl picked up another sheet.

“Senior Sister Yun, today I saw a beautiful tabby cat. It was very cute, and I’m sure you would like it. If you have time, why not come to Xuanxu for a visit? I will be a gracious host.”

Qiu Qiu scratched her head.

“Who is this ‘Senior Sister Yun’? If Brother wrote letters to her, why are they back in the study?”

Lin Xun was mortified.

He and Senior Sister Yun shared similar temperaments and interests, and they often exchanged letters discussing poetry, philosophy, and life’s ideals.

But at some point, he began yearning to meet her in person.

The desire grew so strong that she even appeared in his dreams.

Thus, Lin Xun had tried writing invitations to her, each attempt more elaborate than the last, from summer to deep winter.

Yet, he could never summon the courage to send any of them.

Qiu Qiu, puzzled by the mystery, picked up another letter.

The moment she read it, even this little girl couldn’t help but smile.

“Senior Sister Yun, would you have time to visit Xuanxu?”

She giggled, her grin widening.

“Hehe, I miss you very much.”

Wow.

He Zhizhou wanted to laugh but held it back, letting out an overly deliberate cough instead.

“No, no, it’s not like that.”

Lin Xun’s voice quivered with embarrassment, and he clutched his clothes tightly.

His tone was soft, trembling, and almost pleading:

“I… I didn’t, I didn’t write that ‘hehe.’ I was very serious about… wanting to tell you.”

Both of them seemed to be testing the limits of how red a person’s face could get.

Yun Duanyue didn’t dare look at him either.

She softly replied,

“…Mm.”

After a pause, her voice dropped to a mosquito-like hum:

“I was supposed to return to my mother’s family with my mother. But this time, I spent several hours pleading with my father… before he allowed me to come here.”

So it wasn’t merely “tagging along with her family for a casual trip.”

This visit was Yun Duanyue’s own decision.

She wanted to come here.

She wanted to see someone.

He Zhizhou was sure that, at that moment, Lin Xun’s eyes briefly but unmistakably sparkled with an uncontrollable smile.

How unbearable.

Staying near these two was simply intolerable.

***

Qiu Baishuang and his wife, Lady Yunshang, exited the main hall of Xuanxu as the evening approached.

For absolute safety, both children were equipped with artifacts that allowed their exact location to be determined.

Their daughter, Qiu Qiu, was in the lakeside pavilion.