A Painful Embrace and a Fleeing Junior Sister

[N-no… that’s not it…]

[H-how is Senior Sister here…? Shouldn’t she be in seclusion in some cave right now?]

[Hiss—]

[Could it be that she’s specifically here to catch me, Chacha?]’ Zhang Xiaocha’s eyes widened dramatically, her throat bobbed, and she immediately lowered her head.

‘[No, no… she doesn’t know that all these things that happened at the Jade Maiden Sect were done by me, Chacha…]’

The soft, sweet, and sticky thoughts echoed within Luo Bingning’s sea of consciousness. Luo Bingning bit down hard on her lower lip, her mind awash with complex emotions.

‘It was truly Xiaocha who saved me…’

An unspoken joy welled within her, yet as the tragic state of the sect flashed through her mind, that joy was instantly extinguished.

‘I must take Xiaocha away!’

Not far away,

Upon seeing the newcomer, Mu Xi could no longer hold back her tears. Large, pearl-like drops, as if from a broken string, streamed down her pale cheeks.

She bypassed Zhang Xiaocha and rushed to embrace Luo Bingning, burying her face in Luo Bingning’s neck. Mu Xi’s eyes were clouded with tears, and her voice trembled, “Bing… Bingning, is what Junior Sister said true? Are… are you abandoning me?”

Luo Bingning nodded, glancing at the tear-filled eyes of Mu Xi in her arms. Her body stiffened slightly, and her luminous eyes swirled with a myriad of complex emotions.

As if sensing Luo Bingning’s rigidity, Mu Xi felt all her strength drain away in that moment. Tears instantly blurred her vision, her shoulders heaved violently, and a long-suppressed sob tore from her throat. One cry after another, as if to unleash all the grievances and pain within her. “Why… why…”

“Is… is there something I haven’t done well enough?”

The faint, fresh scent of Mu Xi’s hair lingered in Luo Bingning’s nostrils. Past memories, like a revolving lantern, repeatedly surged into her mind.

They had trained and playfully sparred together in the soft dawn light; they had sat side-by-side under the tranquil moonlight, confiding in each other…

Every single scene was so vivid, so profound…

And yet…

A struggle flickered in Luo Bingning’s eyes. She slowly raised her fair wrist, a hint of hesitation in her movement, gazing at Mu Xi’s dark, lustrous hair.

A bitter smile involuntarily touched the corners of her lips.

She lifted her head slightly, her eyes half-closed, allowing her fair wrist to fall naturally…

In the end, she did not gently stroke Mu Xi’s head as she once would have.

She parted her lips, intending to speak, but then paused, her throat feeling as if something was lodged within it. After a moment, she managed to utter with difficulty, “Mu Xi, please go back first… The sect is fine. I’ll return to explain everything to you after I send Xiaocha… Junior Sister back, alright?”

Mu Xi clung desperately to Luo Bingning’s slender waist, her knuckles turning pale from the intensity of her grip. Her tears had long since overflowed, and her voice was laced with hoarseness. “No… don’t… please don’t leave me…”

“Bingning… I don’t know what’s happened these past few days, but I… I just want to be with you…”

She held Luo Bingning tightly, tears crisscrossing her face, her body trembling…

[What a perfect chance! While their emotions are running high, I, Chacha… hehe~]

Zhang Xiaocha, who had already crept some distance away, glanced back at the two embracing figures. A smile involuntarily curved her lips, and her round, big eyes darted playfully.

Hearing the soft, sweet thoughts in her mind, Luo Bingning’s brows furrowed slightly. She instinctively looked at Zhang Xiaocha, only to see a grey velvet blanket appear in her hands. Luo Bingning instinctively wanted to break free from Mu Xi’s embrace but suddenly felt herself held tighter.

Mu Xi’s embrace tightened further. Luo Bingning’s face showed difficulty. “Xi Xi, let go first! I…”

But before she could finish speaking, Mu Xi interrupted her.

She clung tightly to Luo Bingning, her face streaked with tears. “No… I won’t…”

“If I let go now, you’ll only distance yourself further from me, perhaps even… even come to despise me!” She lifted her head, looking at Luo Bingning’s anxious gaze directed behind her, and wept inconsolably.

“Xi Xi, trust me, I won’t…”

“You still say that! I’m right here in your arms, yet what about you? You won’t even spare me a glance!” she shrieked.

Luo Bingning’s pupils constricted. Her fingers instinctively dug into her palms as she lowered her head slightly.

As her gaze met Mu Xi’s tear-streaked face, her heart trembled uncontrollably, and she struggled to speak. “Xi Xi, I…”

Not far away,

Hearing the argument erupting behind her, Zhang Xiaocha couldn’t help but clap her small hands together. “Yay, yay! They’re finally fighting! Hahahaha~”

[Hopefully, this will let me, Chacha, max out Senior Sister’s Disgust Value!]

“Hehe~”

She then flung herself onto a nearby floating magic carpet, her disheveled hair casually resting behind her. Her eyes sparkled, and her small lips pouted slightly. “Mmm…”

“Good blanket, hurry! Quickly take me, Chacha, away! Once I’m out, I’ll definitely buy you lots and lots of snacks. You and I, Chacha, won’t be able to finish them all~”

“Hehe~”

Her voice was soft, sweet, and sugary.

As she spoke, she slowly extended a small hand to rub her tummy.

‘So soft~’

She couldn’t help but let out a soft groan. “Mmm~”

“Sooo com-fy~”

In an instant, the magic carpet ascended vertically from its spot, flying higher and higher.

Listening to the wind rushing past her ears,

Her eyes curved into crescents, and two small dimples bloomed on her cheeks. Her calves instinctively kicked back and forth. “Hehe~”

Her small face was filled with pure delight.

Watching the flying carpet carry Xiaocha, steadily ascending in mid-air, Luo Bingning’s brows furrowed slightly. ‘What is Xiaocha doing?’

She glanced again at Mu Xi, who was nestled in her embrace. Her eyes involuntarily closed, her fingers digging deeply into her palms as she instinctively yearned to push Mu Xi away.

‘Forgive me, Xi Xi,’

‘I must take Xiaocha away now, otherwise…’ Luo Bingning murmured in her heart.

Just then, Mu Xi lifted her head once more.

She took a deep breath, exhaled slowly to calm her turbulent emotions.

She pressed her cheek against Luo Bingning’s, gently rubbing, savoring the familiar softness and warmth. A faint blush subtly crept up her face, as if she had made a crucial decision.

She then tilted her head slightly, meeting Luo Bingning’s complex gaze. She gently raised her fair wrist, her fingertips trembling slightly, inching closer to Luo Bingning’s face.

Her eyes were weary, yet burning with fervent affection. It was as if everything around them had ceased to exist; only Luo Bingning’s form remained in her sight.

Her delicate hand slowly caressed Luo Bingning’s cheek, her fingertips gently stroking her skin. The tears that had momentarily ceased now overflowed again. Seeing Luo Bingning about to speak, Mu Xi slowly raised her palm and placed it over Luo Bingning’s lips.

She choked out, “Please, just listen to me first…”

“Although I don’t know what exactly has happened these past few days…”

“I do know that you like me, and I like you too…”

“That’s enough…”

Her voice paused slightly, as if she had thought of something, and her eyes dimmed a little. She spoke with difficulty, “Even if there’s now an additional junior sister whom we both, to some extent, resent, that shouldn’t stop the three of us from living and cultivating together… just like we two did before…”

“Even if such a relationship isn’t recognized by others, still…”

“At least… at least we can continue to be together like we were before, can’t we? So…”

“I beg you, please don’t leave me… really, okay?” Her expression was haggard, as if she had expended all her strength, as she leaned against Luo Bingning’s embrace.

Silvery moonlight cascaded before the Lan Zhi Residence. A gentle breeze swept past, outlining their graceful figures. Mu Xi’s fingertips lightly stroked Luo Bingning’s cheek.

Suddenly!

She cupped Luo Bingning’s flawless, beautiful face, then rose onto her tiptoes, tilted her head slightly, and slowly brought her lips closer…