"Everyone's gone, so I'll head out for a walk too. It's been a long time since I looked around this city. I wonder how the scenery has changed?"
Thinking that, she got out of bed. Looking down at herself in nothing but pajamas, she recalled last night's chaos. Her face flushed slightly before she smiled softly. "What a strange night... Hopefully everyone forgets about it."
Since she had already decided to go out, she immediately got moving. From the wardrobe inside her personal space, she tossed out a large pile of clothes and dresses, arranging them neatly into the closet. Then she rested her left arm against her right hand, supporting her chin as her gaze wandered across the outfits, yet she still could not find anything she truly liked.
"Forget it. No more picking. This will do."
She had been wearing dresses every day lately, and had spent quite a while in cheongsams too. Today, she decided to try a sailor uniform instead.
Reaching out, she picked up a white sailor uniform set, removed her pajamas, and changed into it.
A faint warm breeze drifted in through the window, making the girl's body relax pleasantly as all traces of exhaustion vanished. Home really was the best. At the very least, she did not have to constantly worry about the people around her trying to harm her.
After getting dressed, she stood before the fitting mirror and examined herself, spinning around a few times. Her long black straight hair matched the outfit's style perfectly, so she abandoned the idea of changing her hairstyle. From a drawer beneath the wardrobe, she took out a new pair of white stockings. Sitting at the bedside, she lifted her legs and slowly put them on.
Changing clothes was a kind of mood, and after that inexplicable night, it was also a way to sort through her thoughts. Peeling away the traces of last night and changing into something new felt like beginning again. At least for the girl, changing clothes was no longer something simple. It had become an act carrying a strange emotional significance.
"Although this look is nice, I still need to suppress the charm of Orchid in the Valley. Otherwise, once I go outside, I won't even be able to walk around properly. Hmm, I'll go take a walk by the lake. At the very least, seeing the current scenery sounds nice."
After getting fully dressed, Chu Lian tidied her long hair and lightly applied makeup, subtly altering her appearance. This way, the chances of others recognizing her would become much lower.
"Whew... Mom, Anna, I'm heading out. I should be back around dinner time, so don't worry."
Now that the house arrest order had been lifted, Li Mingxue no longer stopped Chu Lian from going out. She merely reminded her, "Remember to come back early. Don't keep us waiting too long."
While putting on her shoes, Chu Lian replied, "Got it. If I'm not back by six, you can eat first."
"Go ahead, Mommy. Anna will wait here for you."
Although the obedient-type Anna really wanted to follow her outside, the most important thing right now was changing everyone's impression of her. Only then could she slowly integrate herself into the group and isolate them from Mommy's side. As long as she succeeded, Mommy would belong to her forever. For that dream, she could endure almost anything.
"Mm, good girl, Anna. Oh right, Mom. Remember to tell Satsuki too, otherwise she'll probably look for me everywhere."
Chu Lian had not forgotten the white-haired girl. Although she had stumbled upon that awkward scene, she now understood clearly that it had only been her own imagination running wild. Most likely, the real situation had simply been the girl changing clothes while she happened to walk in.
She still did not know where the girl had gone. To avoid Satsuki searching everywhere for her, it was better to mention it beforehand.
"Got it. Go on already~"
Curled up on the sofa reading a book, Li Mingxue nodded in agreement after hearing Chu Lian's words.
Bang...
As the soft sound of the door closing echoed out, Li Mingxue set down her book and sighed.
"In the end, this reunion was unavoidable. The grievances and entanglements of past and present lives will finally be settled at this moment. From now on, the Xiang family and the Liu family will have no more ties..."
She seemed to know something, yet remained endlessly mysterious, never explaining it aloud.
"Mommy..."
Meanwhile, Anna snapped out of her daze and stared at the now-empty doorway, feeling strangely lost. It seemed Mommy had not spent time alone with her in a very long while.
"The bright sunshine really feels comfortable. Neither too harsh nor too cold. Still, for the sake of my skin, I should use shade."
Opening a black lace parasol at the doorway, Chu Lian admired the beautiful scenery before stepping forward with light, graceful footsteps.
This area was part of the suburbs and not located along the main road, so there were not many cars passing through. Only after Chu Lian turned onto the main avenue did she finally see the bustling crowds.
Even though today was still a workday and school day, there were still so many people.
Marveling at the prosperity of her city, Chu Lian kept her figure hidden as much as possible within shadows and crowds, avoiding letting others clearly see her face.
Actually, wearing a mask would have been better. But the girl did not want that. She would rather be recognized than sneak around furtively. Compared to living like that, she would rather be adored openly.
As she walked, Chu Lian eventually saw the lakeshore appear before her and realized she had arrived at the Su Causeway. Looking at the people leisurely seated beside the embankment, her mood relaxed as well.
"Although last night was dangerous, I managed to get through it in the end, didn't I?"
"I just hope nothing like that happens again in the future. Otherwise, next time I won't even know how to resolve it. After all, opportunities like this, where I can deal with everyone at once, won't happen every time. Once their strength improves further, pulling something like that off will become nearly impossible."
"Whew... What I didn't expect was that everyone silently agreed to give me time to prove myself. That's a good thing too. Maybe they think I need time to think. Maybe they're giving me time to sort everything out. In any case, having time at all is already the greatest kindness they could give me."
"Half a year... It's neither long nor short. The things that happened during these twenty days are more exciting than what ordinary people experience in an entire lifetime. I still have enough time... Well, relatively speaking, enough time."
"Without realizing it, I've already accumulated so many emotional debts. Ayase, Inori, Hare, Chu Chu, Yanran, Ya'er, Xiu'er, Albedo, Narberal... and even the three Dark Giant sisters? I'm not sure about them... These are all bonds that can't be severed. They're also people I should spend my entire life protecting."
"The situation is becoming increasingly unclear. The changes in America still haven't fully spread yet, but judging from the current state of things, it won't be long before Huaxia intentionally or unintentionally starts exposing everyone to this side of the world."
"Perhaps it's for future events. Perhaps it's for the changes about to occur. Or perhaps it marks the beginning of hidden factions and the cultivation world stepping into the public eye as supernatural forces. No matter what, I need to start preparing."
"Xiu'er, Ya'er, and Yanran all need to begin training. Fortunately, their talents are exceptional. Learning won't be difficult for them. As long as they find cultivation methods suited to their own attributes, they'll definitely gain enough strength to protect themselves within a short time."
"Most importantly, once that happens, they'll be able to stay by my side without feeling pressured anymore."
"A girl's heart is sensitive. If she can't find a reason to feel hurt, then even if she's reluctant in the future, she'll still choose to leave."
"The biggest problem right now is that I don't have enough resources to exchange for cultivation methods suited to them. Those things are far too expensive—so expensive that I simply can't afford them at my current level. I can only wait until this mission ends and find a suitable world to plunder. It's regrettable, but for the sake of the people around me, it's the only choice."
"Classes start again tomorrow. I wonder how they're all doing?"
Chu Lian's thoughts drifted aimlessly. She did not know where they were heading, but she understood that sometimes, no matter how overwhelming the emotions, they were nothing more than tangled threads—impossible to cut cleanly, impossible to sort out—until one eventually had to reorganize them from the beginning.
"Forget it. The most important thing now is to strengthen myself and the people around me. Once I reach the Earth rank, I should be able to gain a foothold in this world that's beginning to descend into chaos."
"At Earth rank, defeating someone at Earth peak would still be difficult—but combined with the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception, it wouldn't be a problem."
"I just hope this world doesn't change too drastically. Otherwise, how am I supposed to continue my mission? Even though the presence of the current main quest feels incredibly weak, it still has to be completed."
"In troubled times, there's no room for entertainment. A chaotic world is a battlefield for heroes, not a stage for performers. I hope the system's future tasks will truly make me feel the weight of the main quest's presence."
As the wind brushed past her, Chu Lian's mood grew lighter and more distant, until she felt as though she were soaring among the clouds. It was a strange sensation—one she still could not explain. Why did she so often find herself lost in thought like this?
"Past life, present life... The past feels like a dream. How many identities do I truly have? How many past lives? How many entanglements?"
She shook her head and gently pressed her lips together. When it came to this question, even Chu Lian did not know how to resolve it. For now, she could only set it aside.
Still, being able to stand here like this... it's really nice. At least I'm no longer alone.
Rising to her feet, she patted her skirt and confirmed that no dust had clung to it before taking light steps away.
She had sat there for quite some time, holding a black lace parasol and wearing a pure white sailor uniform, gazing at the scenery—yet countless others had been gazing at her.
They realized that once she sat there, the already beautiful landscape seemed to become even more moving. She blended perfectly with the surroundings, becoming part of a breathtaking painting.
Though she left, the beauty she had created would soon spread across the internet. Who was she? What had she been thinking? Perhaps some already knew—but what did that matter?
"Hmm? This aura..."
As the girl swayed lightly past a pavilion, she sensed a familiar presence. Turning her head, what she saw was a ragged young man, his face smeared with dirt.
"Wang—"
She had barely spoken before the boy, recognizing her, abruptly turned away. He retreated several steps, leapt down from the pavilion, and ran toward a more deserted area in the distance.
"Why did she have to see me like this? Why... why..."
"She's still the center of attention, like a princess. But I lost my halo long ago. I'm not worthy to stand beside her anymore. Why did we have to meet again?"
"Couldn't those memories just remain in the past, preserved as the most beautiful thing in my heart?"
"A pathetic failure like me... a homeless wanderer like me... what right do I have to face her again?"
The boy ran a long distance. Only after confirming that the girl was no longer behind him did he lean against a tree, tilt his head back, and let silent tears fall.
All the emotions and memories—those that should exist and those that shouldn't—surged together into his heart, leaving him with a bitterness too complex to describe.
"Wang Tingsi..."
The girl's gentle call sounded beside him. It had once been the voice and presence he longed for day and night. But now, in his current state, it felt like nothing more than a nightmare.
"Why?" he asked.
"Nothing. I just wanted to know what happened to you," she replied.
"Me? Heh..."
Lowering his head, he no longer knew how to answer.