Stepping inside, Su Ye paused.
A faint scent of incense lingered in the air. It was subtle, yet refreshing.
It carried a cool sharpness, like after rain settles.
His red eyes swept across the room. Everything was clean and orderly.
At the center rested a bamboo guqin, its polished surface gleamed faintly under the soft light.
Su Ye approached slowly. His pale fingers brushed across the strings.
A faint vibration answered him.
He lowered his gaze.
This guqin…Mother must have cherished it deeply.
"…Xiao Lan," Su Ye said softly, "why didn't Mother bring this with her?"
Xiao Lan stepped forward.
"Miss had two guqins. She brought her favorite to the Li family…this one was her first guqin ever."
"I see…"
Su Ye's fingers lingered on the strings once more.
For a moment, he could almost see it.
Su Ru sitting here, sleeves flowing, fingers dancing lightly as music filled the room.
The sunlight landing on her lips as they curved into a smile.
The sound echoing out as she plucked each string.
Even the smell of incense burning as she enjoyed her time.
He couldn't help but feel a deep sense of solitude knowing that she was gone.
He touched the Soul Gathering Orb on his wrist.
Even though this was a cultivation world, he knew that such practices of immortality usually resulted in bad endings...
At the very least, let her reincarnate to a better life.
Walking to the chair, he sat down.
A single note rang out.
It trembled briefly before fading into silence.
Yet the silence that followed felt heavier than sound itself.
He played a song.
It began smoothly before turning into a raging battlefield. The killing intent made every sharp sound ring.
His thoughts of Li Tao surfaced over and over again.
But it transitioned back to a smooth and longing tone as he remembered the moments with his mother.
His eyes were emotionless.
Hate and love mixed together to the point he no longer knew which one he desired.
With one single note, it ring through the room.
Behind him, Xiao Lan quietly wiped her tears.
"Young master…"
"This is a good guqin," Su Ye said softly.
Xiao Lan nodded with a faint smile.
His gaze fell to his wrist, the Soul Gathering Orb glowed faintly.
Will I…be able to see mother again?
After a moment of hesitation, he removed it and handed it to Xiao Lan.
"Hold this for me."
"Young master?"
"It's a spiritual artifact. Even without activating the Black Aura…it may still be affected. I don't want to risk it."
Xiao Lan nodded firmly. "I will protect it, Young Master."
Su Ye gave a faint smile.
After a while, he called his grandparents inside.
Shen Wanqing entered first, her elegant figure gentle as ever, while Su Linghan followed, his posture straight but eyes filled with anticipation.
For a brief moment, the room felt…warmer.
Shen Wanqing sat beside him.
"This room…your mother used to spend hours here. She would practice until her fingers turned red."
Su Ye listened quietly.
Su Linghan chuckled awkwardly.
"Your mother had a stubborn streak. Once she set her mind on something, even ten dragons couldn't pull her away."
A faint image formed in Su Ye's mind.
Shen Wanqing smiled faintly. "She wasn't always so composed. When she was little, she would sneak out to the markets and come back covered in dust."
Su Ye blinked slightly as if he had thought he had misheard. "…Mother did that?"
"Of course," Shen Wanqing laughed softly. "She once dragged your uncle along and caused quite a scene."
"Ha!" Su Linghan mocked. "That brat Yixiao was the one who escalated it!"
Su Ye's lips curved slightly.
"She also loved music," Shen Wanqing continued, glancing at the guqin. "Even when she married into the Li family…she never let go of it."
The room fell quieter.
Su Linghan cleared his throat. "Your mother…she always wrote about you. Even when you were just a baby."
Su Ye's expression stilled.
"She said…no matter what kind of person you grew into, she only hoped you would live freely and happily."
"..."
For the first time since arriving...
Su Ye didn't feel suffocated.
"…I see."
Though his voice remained calm, something within had softened, just slightly.