Category: My Girlfriend is a Cold and Aloof Sickly Beauty

Chapter 59: I Want to Go to School With You

Uncle Seuss’s estate had grapes year-round. Jiang Xue didn’t know the specifics of how they were cultivated, but she remembered him saying “feel free to pick any grapes in the garden” during her last visit.

It was the same this time, even Xie Xitong, an outsider, took a bunch of ripe grapes.

Fresh grapes didn’t last long, and Jiang Xue was thinking of other uses for them.

Like making grape juice for Xiao Luo, or asking Sister Cheng to make them into preserves, or even baking them into raisins for snacks and baking.

As she mentally planned the fate of the grapes, she snipped them with her scissors.

Xiao Luohan followed beside her, holding the basket. After observing for a while, she knew that Jiang Xue had a good eye, picking only the best-looking grapes.

But Jiang Xue wasn’t completely confident. A few bunches made her hesitate. Instead of picking them immediately, she first picked a grape and tasted it.

“Although there are differences within a bunch, since they grow together, the taste shouldn’t be too different.” After explaining, she peeled the grape in her hand. “Want to try?”

Xiao Luohan was about to reach out when the juicy grape was brought to her lips.

“Thank you.” She didn’t refuse, lowering her head and gently taking a bite.

A warm, moist softness brushed against Jiang Xue’s finger. It was just a momentary contact, but it made her shiver.

But she quickly recovered, covered the faint mark left by Xiao Luohan with her thumb, and quickly wiped it away, lest Xiao Luo feel embarrassed.

But the ripples from that moment still lingered in her heart.

As she walked towards the next bunch of grapes, she felt like she was floating.

Fortunately, despite feeling lightheaded, she remained composed and filled the basket with high-quality grapes.

Xiao Luohan also peeled and tasted a few. They were sweet, sour, and juicy, and would probably be delicious no matter how they were prepared.

They returned to the house with the basket of grapes.

Uncle Seuss, who was feeding apples to his horse, smiled at the sight of their “bountiful harvest.” “A-Xue, if you’re free during the summer vacation, bring Xiao Luo here to help me pick grapes and make wine. I’ll pay you double!”

“Okay!” Jiang Xue readily agreed, then explained to Xiao Luohan after entering the house, “That was just polite talk, not a binding agreement.”

Worried that Xiao Luohan wouldn’t understand, she added, “My uncle casually asks whenever he feels like it, and I, being happy at the time, would also casually agree. But we’ll deal with it when the time comes. Everyone understands that.”

Although life went on as usual every day, plans never kept up with changes. Sometimes it was due to unexpected events, sometimes whims, and sometimes sudden work or school arrangements.

“It’s the same with everyone else in the family. Only truly important matters are repeatedly emphasized. Don’t feel too pressured,” she further explained.

Xiao Luohan thought about it and agreed—as for how to interact with her new family, she would consider it when she met them. There was no rush.

Uncle Seuss’s kitchen was fully equipped for processing fresh grapes. Jiang Xue sorted the grapes according to her plan: some for juicing, some for baking, some for preserves, and some for Xiao Luohan to deal with as she pleased.

While the juicer and oven were running, Xiao Luohan sat there, staring at her portion of grapes.

“I want to make them into a mixed drink, like milk tea,” she said after a moment. “Do you have any recipes for that? And how should I process the grapes?”

“Yes, of course,” Jiang Xue washed her hands and searched for related videos. “Some videos have recipes, some don’t. If you prefer text and pictures, you can search in another app.”

Jiang Mei, coming downstairs during her work break, saw the two girls together, surrounded by a cutting board, a fruit knife, a muddler, and a shaker. A large glass of sparkling purple grape juice had already been filtered and placed next to a lemon, ready to be used.

She didn’t interrupt their enthusiastic exchange, only taking a picture and sending it to her two mothers.

【Sword: Getting along well.】

Not only were they getting along well, but they also shared the workload and took care of each other.

Ms. Jiang simply replied with a thumbs-up emoji, but Ms. Wei was overjoyed.

【Cai Wei: [cat holding a heart.gif]】

【Cai Wei: Both my babies are so well-behaved!】

She truly liked Xiao Luohan.

During the process of making the drink, Jiang Xue took care of the tasks that required more strength, while Xiao Luohan was responsible for picking grapes, slicing lemons, and controlling the amount of juice, ice, lemon slices, soda water, and other ingredients.

In the end, it was Jiang Xue who drank the resulting iced grape soda. Xiao Luohan said that her health was poor and cold drinks would upset her stomach.

“Then I have to ask Dr. Qi to come more often,” Jiang Xue said, holding the cold glass. “Today’s grape soda is so delicious. It’s a pity you can’t drink it!”

“No rush, there will be opportunities in the future,” Xiao Luohan smiled faintly, recording her thoughts and the process in the phone’s notes app.

The notes app was truly a good thing. She was an ordinary person, only having read a few more years of books than others. Even with her “photographic memory,” there were too many things to learn, so it was best to write them down.

Seeing her open the notes app, Jiang Xue remembered that there were still some speculations she hadn’t shared with her.

But those speculations still lacked concrete evidence. Even if she could explain her thoughts, they wouldn’t necessarily be the truth.

It was better to just look at the results. Good results were all that mattered.

If Xiao Luohan became curious, she would find a way to explain it when she asked.

With their flight scheduled for 10:00 AM tomorrow, both went to bed early tonight.

But Jiang Xue couldn’t sleep. She was thinking about where Xiao Luohan would stay after she went to school.

There was an empty seat next to her. Her deskmate rarely came to school anymore, barring any major events. But she wasn’t sure if Si Ling allowed non-students to audit classes.

This was something she had never looked into. After much thought, she could only discuss it with her older sister.

【Sword: Ms. Jiang already asked the Si Ling administration today. If it’s just listening to lectures, you just need to inform the teacher, but ‘auditors’ aren’t allowed to take exams.】

In Xiao Luohan’s case, according to current regulations, she could only take the college entrance exam for adults, and before that, she had to obtain a high school equivalency diploma from a relevant institution.

【Sword: But you should still ask Xiao Luo what she wants. School is also a small society. If she doesn’t want to interact with too many people for now, she can stay at home.】

Jiang Xue immediately told Xiao Luohan.

Xiao Luohan was reading an English novel borrowed from Uncle Seuss, with a translation app open on her phone, looking up unfamiliar words.

Due to her frail health since childhood, she had spent most of her life indoors, mainly reading and drawing. She had unconsciously developed a photographic memory.

She had already considered the things Jiang Xue was thinking about several times. After listening, she said without hesitation, “If it won’t trouble you, I would like to go to school and attend classes with you.”

She wasn’t incapable of socializing, but due to her status and health, besides her mother, elder sister, the late Empress, and the palace servants and eunuchs, she had barely any social opportunities.

Although school was also a “small society,” at least the students at Si Ling Foreign Language School had the same goal, and besides studying, they rarely needed to worry about other things. Even if they joined the student council or clubs and became leaders, they had to step down in their senior year. Relatively speaking, it was a pure environment suitable for transition.

“Of course it won’t trouble me!” Jiang Xue immediately perked up. “But you should wait a day before coming to school. I need to clear the empty desk next to mine. I’ve been using it as storage since my deskmate went abroad!”

“It’s alright, I can help you tidy up,” Xiao Luohan said. “I can tidy up the bedroom and study, so a desk is no problem.”

Jiang Xue was speechless.

She actually wanted Xiao Luo to study in a clean and organized environment from the start, but since Xiao Luo was willing to help, she couldn’t refuse her kindness.

After all, for Xiao Luo, this was probably also part of “repaying her kindness.” Perhaps by doing these chores, Xiao Luo could fulfill her insistence on “repaying her kindness” sooner.

“Okay, then we’ll go to school a little early that day,” she agreed, then remembered something else. “By the way, where do you want to sleep on school nights?”

“The rent for the apartment is paid until the month of the college entrance exam. I usually sleep there, so I can sleep in a little longer in the morning. The downside is that it’s definitely not as comfortable as home, and the bed is smaller…”

Although they could squeeze together—that night when Xiao Luohan came over as a cat and then turned into a human, they had slept together—the space was small, and they couldn’t stretch out, so the sleep quality might be affected.

“I’ll go with you,” Xiao Luohan said after carefully considering the pros and cons.

Not wanting to trouble Jiang Xue’s family was one reason, and another was that she didn’t want Sister Cheng to work harder.

High school students left early and came home late, with morning and evening self-study at opposite ends of the day. If she lived separately from Jiang Xue, Sister Cheng would have to make two trips.

Even though she had sent Shizhu away before crossing over, and had seen her safely arrive at her mother’s side in a dream, even entering the service of the late Empress’s maternal family, Xiao Luohan still felt guilty towards her.

Shizhu would have wanted to witness her going to Jiang Xue’s world, but she had still sent her away for her safety, without explaining the reason beforehand, afraid that Shizhu wouldn’t leave if she knew.

They hadn’t even said a proper goodbye.

“Don’t worry about troubling us!” Jiang Xue said, sensing her thoughts. “Your health is poor now. Until Dr. Qi gives you the all-clear to stop taking your medicine, it’s best to maintain your usual schedule.”

She remembered that Xiao Luohan usually went to bed before Xu Shi (7-9 PM). Her sleep schedule had been disrupted these past two days because of the severe cold. Sleeping more during the day meant staying up later at night, and she would definitely have to adjust after returning home.

“Sister Cheng and I plan to pick you up from home every day during dinner time at school, or you can have dinner with me and then go back. Anyway, you don’t have to stay up late with me for evening self-study. There are no classes to attend at night.”

Sitting up straight, Jiang Xue looked into Xiao Luohan’s eyes and said seriously, “Only this matter is non-negotiable for now. I apologize! I’m very afraid of Dr. Qi.”

Her tone was much firmer, but Xiao Luohan felt more at ease.

This family and Dr. Qi were all sincerely thinking about her well-being. They respected her habits and tried their best to give her the best possible experience as soon as she arrived.

“Okay, okay, we’ll discuss the details with Sister Cheng when we get back. It’s time for bed!”

Jiang Xue’s words interrupted her thoughts. The next second, a light purple, candy-shaped pillow was placed in her arms.

“I asked my uncle to find this… cough, it’s Wei Mommy’s old pillow. I’ll hug the blanket tonight, and you can hug this.”

Xiao Luohan: …

That wasn’t necessary.

Chapter 58: She Held Her, Guilty Yet Self-Satisfied

The night was foggy, and Jiang Xue didn’t dare let Xiao Luohan stay outside for too long. After about half an hour, she took her back inside.

But even after returning to the room, she wasn’t idle. She first explained the use of the toiletries to Xiao Luohan, then demonstrated how to use the faucet and showerhead.

“The styles here are slightly different from those in your country, but the principle is the same.” She turned off the faucet. “You can use the towels, toothpaste, and toothbrush here. They’re all disposable, and my uncle will throw them away after we leave. When we get back home, you’ll have your own towels. I asked Sister Cheng to install an extra towel rack.”

Sister Cheng was truly all-purpose, knowing a little about everything.

“As for toothpaste, I use mint…” She opened the shopping app again.

But Xiao Luohan felt there was no need to buy more things and hurriedly said, “I’ll use what you have at home.”

She pointed at the phone and changed the subject, “After we’re back and there’s no more diary, can I contact you with the phone?”

“Look at my memory!” Jiang Xue patted her head, rummaged through her backpack, and took out the spare phone Xiao Luohan had used. “I brought it too!”

This was the first time Jiang Xue had personally handed it to Xiao Luohan. Before, she had always sent it through the diary.

“The settings haven’t changed, but now that you’re here, and your ID is ready, you can register accounts for all the apps!” Jiang Xue said excitedly. “Try it, I’ll watch.”

Xiao Luohan nodded, but the first thing she did was change the font back to simplified characters in the settings.

Jiang Xue was surprised. “Eh?”

“Since I’ve come to this world, I should learn the language as soon as possible,” Xiao Luohan explained. “If I can’t recognize all the characters, I’ll just read and write more. I haven’t finished all the works you downloaded.”

Jiang Xue had thought that Xiao Luohan would eventually start learning simplified characters, but she hadn’t expected her to be so proactive, having just arrived!

She was happy for a moment, then felt a pang of guilt and sadness.

After all, this was someone she had personally brought from another world!

And Xiao Luo was so intelligent, she knew very well that if she couldn’t keep up with the pace of the new world, she might be left behind.

She wanted to tell her that there was no need to rush, that she would take care of her, that her older sister and two mothers also liked her, and that she didn’t have to worry about anything in this home.

But Jiang Xue also understood that saying this wouldn’t give Xiao Luo enough security—Xiao Luo had already experienced what it was like to live under another’s roof, ever since she could remember.

Living in the cold palace before the marriage alliance, a princess in name only, constantly at the mercy of her environment.

And her life after the marriage alliance didn’t need to be mentioned. She had almost lost her life!

So, while Xiao Luohan was figuring out how to register a WeChat account, Jiang Xue suddenly hugged her tightly.

Xiao Luohan was stunned. Turning her head, she saw Jiang Xue leaning against her shoulder.

“…What’s wrong?” she asked, at a loss.

“I feel sorry for you,” Jiang Xue whispered. “I originally thought that you would have a free and easy life after coming here, but I forgot that you can’t stay idle.”

Although she was still a student, she knew from various works and the experiences of her elders that some people couldn’t stay idle.

They didn’t dare to be idle, didn’t dare to rest, as if they were afraid that if they stopped, they would instantly lose everything.

But if you asked them why they couldn’t rest, they would look confused, only knowing that they felt more secure when they were busy.

Xiao Luohan paused, then sighed softly, understanding what she meant. “A-Xue is truly kind.”

She wanted to tell Jiang Xue not to worry, so she used the nickname like everyone else.

“But A-Xue, don’t forget, I chose this willingly.” She softened her voice. “Your world is very good, and precisely because it’s good, I want to integrate quickly, interact with more people with you, and do more things.”

“Then don’t overwork yourself!” Jiang Xue emphasized. “Your health is weak. Focus on recovering first. You can gradually get used to new things during this time. Don’t be too anxious, it’s not good for you.”

“Yes, I know.” Xiao Luohan smiled, then hesitated for a moment, reached out, and ruffled Jiang Xue’s hair, imitating Jiang Mei. “I won’t overwork myself.”

Jiang Xue felt that tingling sensation again and quickly let go of her, abruptly changing the subject. “Th-Then continue registering. Tell me when you’re done, and I’ll add you as a friend.”

She sat beside her, watching as Xiao Luohan slowly registered her WeChat account.

When it came to choosing a username, Xiao Luohan thought for a moment and simply entered “Yu” (Jade).

“Luo” was too precious, “Zhuìyù” (Adorned Jade) implied subservience, she disliked the “cold” winter months, didn’t dare mention “snow,” and “mei” (plum blossom) she planned to keep in her heart as a symbol of remembrance, so she simply used this single character.

Seeing her staring at the blank profile picture box, lost in thought, Jiang Xue was about to send her some ancient-style pictures she had saved for her to choose from, but Xiao Luohan had already skillfully opened the photo album and found the picture of the plum blossom branch she had taken earlier.

This was the plum blossom branch Shizhu had brought. It had been knocked to the floor along with the vase when the Crown Prince came that night, and Xiao Luohan had entrusted it to Jiang Xue when she “moved out.”

After placing it in her room, Jiang Xue had taken a picture with her spare phone.

In the photo, the plum blossom branch, having just been transferred to the new vase, still looked a little wilted, but Xiao Luohan still set it as her WeChat profile picture.

—This was her now.

Jiang Xue quickly added her as a friend, taught her how to enable and disable friend requests, and then continued to guide her through the registration process for other apps.

Two or three hours passed unknowingly. Xiao Luohan, having slept for most of the day, was still energetic after taking her cold medicine, but Jiang Xue was starting to feel sleepy.

“You can play by yourself later. Don’t mind me,” Jiang Xue said, yawning, and went to the bathroom. “I’m not a light sleeper.”

Xiao Luohan replied with an “Okay” and immediately put the phone on silent.

Considering that she also needed to wash up, Jiang Xue, after returning, crawled to the far side of the bed, hugged the rolled-up blanket, and closed her eyes. But a few moments later, she sat up in a panic.

“I only took one blanket!” She looked at the blanket in her arms in dismay. “If I hug this, what about you?”

What was even more terrifying was that if she didn’t hug the blanket and left it for Xiao Luo, what if she accidentally hugged Xiao Luo in the middle of the night?!

Xiao Luohan: …

She wanted to laugh, but managed to restrain herself and said softly, “You can hug it. I don’t need it tonight.”

Jiang Xue was still a little worried, but Uncle Seuss was already asleep, and she didn’t want to rummage through his cabinets. After much hesitation, she chose to trust Xiao Luohan, turned towards the wall, hugging the blanket, and tried to fall asleep.

She was very sleepy, and the blanket was soft and comfortable to hug. Soon, she drifted off.

Hearing her even breathing, Xiao Luohan slowly put down her phone and looked over.

Jiang Xue slept soundly. At least, she hadn’t seen her frown in her sleep these past few times, but she herself would.

Not only would she frown, but she would also curl up.

She watched Jiang Xue for a long time, first sitting up, then lying down, moving closer.

In her dreams, she had seen the lively and active Jiang Xue many times and loved her energy.

But she was also happy to see Jiang Xue like this, quiet and peaceful.

So happy that she couldn’t help but want to get closer.

She couldn’t describe this feeling, but looking at Jiang Xue’s fair neck, she felt a strange warmth in her heart.

Like a cat pawing gently.

…It was strange, but even stranger was that she didn’t mind it.

She thought for a moment, then turned off the lights, lying there and quietly listening to Jiang Xue’s breathing.

Without the lights, she couldn’t see.

Jiang Xue had told her that looking at her phone in the dark was bad for her eyes, so she also turned off her phone screen and placed it on the nightstand, next to Jiang Xue’s phone.

Then, counting Jiang Xue’s breaths, she let sleep come.

She didn’t know when she fell asleep, only vaguely feeling that she was also hugging something soft.

Soft, warm, fluffy, and breathing.

She sleepily thought that she must be hugging a human-sized cat. Even though she knew it wasn’t right, she was so attached to this sense of security that she snuggled closer, apologizing in her heart.

In the middle of the night, Jiang Xue was woken up by the embrace.

Without even turning around, she knew that Xiao Luo must be hugging her like a cat again.

But Xiao Luo was sleeping so soundly, her breathing even and peaceful, that Jiang Xue only hesitated for a few seconds before closing her eyes again.

Xiao Luo had just arrived. Being able to eat and sleep well was the most important thing.

As for the rest… they could deal with it later, there was still time.

The two slept peacefully until morning.

Xiao Luohan woke up at her usual time and, opening her eyes, found herself hugging Jiang Xue tightly. She instinctively wanted to let go.

But before letting go, she couldn’t help but check.

…Jiang Xue was still asleep.

Her fingers, which had already loosened, tightened again, and she continued holding her, guilty yet self-satisfied.

And because she felt so at peace, she unconsciously drifted back to sleep.

So when Jiang Xue woke up, she found the arm around her still there.

“…” But she had woken up because she needed to use the bathroom. Feeling a little embarrassed to wake Xiao Luohan, she first tossed the rolled-up blanket to the foot of the bed, then used the extra space to “wriggle” out of Xiao Luohan’s embrace.

She didn’t know that Xiao Luohan, a light sleeper, had already woken up when she tossed the blanket.

But she continued pretending to be asleep, not daring to open her eyes, afraid of embarrassing Jiang Xue.

It wasn’t until Jiang Xue returned from the bathroom after washing her hands that she slowly opened her eyes, covering her mouth with her hand and yawning as she greeted her.

Jiang Xue was relieved, and Xiao Luohan was happy.

But while getting dressed, they both thought of the future.

“I should prepare two body pillows,” Jiang Xue thought. “Otherwise, Xiao Luo will be embarrassed when she wakes up and finds herself hugging me.”

“Should I keep pretending like this every day?” Xiao Luohan thought. “When should I confess? Jiang Xue is also very perceptive. After a while, she’ll definitely notice and talk to me about it.”

But she truly enjoyed cuddling with her while sleeping.

But… was this something she could talk about now?

Xiao Luohan felt that it wasn’t, so she just continued getting dressed.

She asked Jiang Xue how to use the electric toothbrush. In her opinion, it was much better at cleaning teeth than the disposable toothbrushes at her uncle’s house.

With this back and forth, the matter of “cuddling while sleeping” was forgotten.

The two, each with their own thoughts, finished washing up, went downstairs for breakfast, and then went out for a walk and to bask in the sun.

The winter sun was good for one’s health.

“There won’t be such nice sunshine after we get back. I saw the weather forecast, the temperature will drop in the next few days,” Jiang Xue said, stretching. “The climate here is warmer than back home. It’s a good place to visit in winter.”

“When is our flight?” Xiao Luohan asked. “I’ve almost recovered and can travel by plane.”

“Tomorrow morning at 10:00 AM. If there are no delays, we’ll be home around 4:00 PM.” Jiang Xue replied. “Do you want to go shopping nearby? Buy some local specialties or something?”

“No need, maybe next time,” Xiao Luohan shook her head. “I’ll rest more and try to fully recover.”

She was truly afraid that something might happen to her on the plane and worry Jiang Xue and the others.

Jiang Xue blinked, then suddenly took her hand. “Then let’s pick some ‘manor specialties’! You can just hold the basket and watch me pick!”

She led Xiao Luohan, excitedly entering her uncle’s vineyard.

Chapter 57: If I Marry Jiang Xue in the Future…

When Jiang Xue asked Uncle Seuss for a blanket, she was met with a knowing look.

Her uncle, a staunch bachelor, enjoyed watching other people’s romantic entanglements unfold like a drama, especially the “push and pull” phase.

He saw through her but didn’t say anything, quickly finding a blanket.

“I’m not sure about the situation in your country, but the young ladies from wealthy families here love to sleep with life-sized body pillows,” Uncle Seuss said with a straight face, making things up. “The more particular ones even commission artists to draw their favorite person in three views and have it made into a life-sized body pillow.”

Jiang Xue: …?

She was a little confused, not understanding the deeper meaning behind her uncle’s words, but still politely replied, “I’ll ask Xiao Luo later. I’ll buy her whatever she likes.”

As for her uncle’s words, she would just treat them as an interesting anecdote.

Watching her walk away with the blanket, Uncle Seuss sighed deeply.

He had hinted so obviously, but this young person truly didn’t get it!

The fleece blanket, rolled into a makeshift body pillow, was placed in Xiao Luohan’s arms.

“By the way, there are plushies and pillows in my room. You should have seen them this morning, right?” Jiang Xue took the opportunity to ask. “Do you have anything else in mind? If so, there’s still time to order them now. They can be delivered tomorrow, and Sister Cheng can wash them. Then you can hug them when we get back.”

“…Not for now, thank you,” Xiao Luohan said softly, curling up slightly, hugging the “blanket pillow” and closing her eyes with a hint of disappointment.

Actually, she did have something in mind, but that incredibly well-behaved large cat could probably only be hugged in a dream.

Perhaps due to the side effects of the cold medicine, she didn’t dream this time. When she woke up, she found that the sky outside the window had darkened. It was time for dinner.

The medicine Dr. Qi prescribed was very effective. The sore throat and body aches from the cold had subsided significantly, and Xiao Luohan wanted to get out of bed and walk around.

The night before the “wedding day,” she had returned Jiang Xue’s clothes. Now, Jiang Xue had taken them all out again, laying them out beside Xiao Luohan, one by one.

“Sister Cheng bought a complete set of clothes, inside and out, top to bottom. They’ve already been washed, dried, and put away in the bedroom. Just make do with these for now.” Jiang Xue placed a pair of freshly washed socks at the foot of the bed. “You can get dressed yourself. Call me if you need help.”

After saying this, she carried a chair to the window, sat down with her back to Xiao Luohan, and took out her phone.

She seemed to be cramming for her liberal arts subjects, but her mind was elsewhere.

Since they were going to live together, they would definitely be changing clothes in the bedroom.

Did she need to buy a screen for Xiao Luo? When they were changing into their costumes in the dance studio earlier, Xiao Luo had kept staring at the floor and even blushed.

Ancient women were generally reserved, and even though they were transtemporal pen pals with a life-or-death bond, Jiang Xue felt that she should still be mindful of this.

Besides… she was feeling a little guilty now.

But as she opened the shopping app and started searching for screens, she felt she was being too presumptuous.

Since they had such a close bond, adding anything to their room shouldn’t be a unilateral decision.

She hadn’t even asked what Xiao Luo thought or if she minded, but was still subconsciously making arrangements based on stereotypes.

Then she remembered: Xiao Luo hadn’t written down “screen” on the shopping list.

So she asked, “Xiao Luo, do you want to buy a screen for our bedroom?”

Xiao Luohan’s hand paused slightly as she was putting on the sweater, but she quickly continued, pulling her head through the turtleneck.

If they didn’t buy a screen, when she changed clothes, Jiang Xue would turn around, and she would also have to turn around.

Unless she clarified that they were both girls of similar age and there was no need to be so reserved.

But if they didn’t turn around, she felt that she might really blush when watching Jiang Xue change, which would lead to concern and questions, and she didn’t want to bring this up so early—Jiang Xue still had her studies, and her energy should be focused on that.

Then what if they bought a screen?

After a moment of consideration, she nodded. “Okay.”

Jiang Xue immediately switched back to the screen browsing page and handed her the phone after she finished getting dressed, letting her choose.

Xiao Luohan scrolled for a long time, finally choosing a Japanese-style screen.

Most of it was white cloth lattice, with only a solid dark brown wooden panel at the bottom.

It was antique and elegant, and most importantly, through the white cloth, as long as there was light, she could vaguely see the figure behind the screen.

Jiang Xue, completely unaware of her complicated thoughts, simply thought “as expected” when she saw the screen Xiao Luohan chose.

This was indeed the style Xiao Luo would like.

She happily placed the order, and Xiao Luohan got out of bed, sat at the makeshift dressing table, and slowly brushed her long hair.

People in this world didn’t have the concept of “hair and skin being gifts from parents.” Regardless of gender, even men with long hair were rare now—even Uncle Seuss, with his shoulder-length hair, was jokingly called an “artist.”

Xiao Luohan had always respected her mother, but her mother hadn’t taught her about this. Even when she saw related content in books and asked about it, her mother had only said, “Since everyone is like this, if you don’t want to be bullied, don’t be different.”

Based on her understanding of her mother, she probably didn’t care much about this.

“Elder Sister… Mei-jiejie asked me how I wanted to style my hair,” she said to Jiang Xue while skillfully tying up her hair. “I hadn’t decided back then, but now I think it would be good to have it trimmed.”

She had many things to do here, and she wanted to visit many places in this world. Whether it was exercising, studying, or traveling, if her hair was too long, it would be time-consuming to manage.

But she also cherished her long hair. It wouldn’t be good if it was too short. Fortunately, there were many women in this world specializing in hair styling, so she could discuss her ideas with them later.

“Dr. Qi has a… uh, long-time friend who’s very good at styling ancient-style hairstyles, and also does manicures!” Jiang Xue said. “After we get back, I’ll ask her to introduce you?”

She almost blurted out “old flame,” afraid that Dr. Qi would glare at her if she found out.

The matter was settled. After Xiao Luohan finished styling her hair, they went downstairs, where Uncle Seuss had already prepared a table full of dishes.

Considering that Xiao Luohan wasn’t used to using knives and forks, he had thoughtfully prepared a table of dishes from her country, with both mild and spicy flavors—Jiang Xue liked spicy food, and she would try anything spicy, even the chili peppers from small snack shops.

Jiang Xue silently took a picture for Xie Xitong, who was already on the plane, figuring that she would send her a bunch of screaming emojis after landing.

Xiao Luohan, remembering Shizhu’s “spicy food method,” first filled her stomach with mild dishes, then took a small amount of mapo tofu and ate it with rice.

But after just one bite, she realized her spice tolerance was very low.

She had taken the food too quickly, and Jiang Xue, not expecting her to try the mapo tofu, was unprepared and continued eating from her own bowl. It was Jiang Mei who noticed something was wrong.

“Uncle’s mapo tofu is very authentic. Your throat is still inflamed, don’t touch it for now!” she hurriedly stopped her. “Rinse your mouth. I’ll get you some milk.”

Milk and soy milk were both good for neutralizing spiciness. After drinking some, Xiao Luohan felt much better.

But she still looked at the fragrant mapo tofu with a mixture of regret and longing.

“It’s okay! After your health improves, you can gradually learn to eat spicy food!” Jiang Xue said, seeing her expression, and quickly comforted her. “My sister used to prefer mild flavors, but once she went on a business trip to Sichuan for half a month, and when she came back, she couldn’t enjoy food without something spicy!”

As soon as she finished speaking, she was glared at by Jiang Mei.

Uncle Seuss put down his juice and smiled. “I hope that next time Xiao Luo comes, she can also enjoy my specialty dishes.”

“Next time.”

Xiao Luohan knew that he had already accepted her as a true relative.

As they were finishing dinner, Jiang Mei said, “Dr. Qi has taken care of Xiao Luo’s identification. But for now, she’ll be registered under your name, without any academic qualifications, only a medical history recommending ‘home recuperation.’”

There were similar cases both domestically and internationally. Some children, due to congenital conditions or disabilities, couldn’t attend regular schools, so they would apply to the government for a different educational path.

But Xiao Luohan was from another world. Although registering her after explaining everything wasn’t impossible, explaining the seventeen-year gap would be too troublesome and might even alert some government departments. It was more convenient to give her the identity of an “overseas relative.”

They all hoped that Xiao Luo could live a peaceful life here first. As for the future, they would let Xiao Luo, who would be familiar with the new world by then, decide for herself.

Xiao Luohan had already finished eating. While Jiang Mei and the others were talking, she listened quietly, nodding occasionally.

They were all sincerely thinking about her well-being, she could feel it.

After dinner, Jiang Xue wrapped a scarf around Xiao Luohan, put a woolen hat on her, and took her for a walk nearby.

They hadn’t walked far when they heard the sound of approaching hooves.

Uncle Seuss was taking his beloved “horse son” for a walk. As they passed by, the horse neighed, as if greeting them.

“Actually, we all call Uncle ‘Hermes’ in private,” Jiang Xue explained to Xiao Luohan after her uncle and the horse were gone. “But he truly loves this horse, which he raised since it was a foal, like his own son.”

“I remember some vloggers raising cats and dogs like their daughters and sons,” Xiao Luohan said.

“Yes, it’s similar for Uncle,” Jiang Xue nodded with a smile.

Xiao Luohan didn’t reply, her thoughts drifting.

She thought, this was good. If she married Jiang Xue in the future, they wouldn’t need children, just a cat for company would be nice.

Fortunately, the sky darkened quickly and deeply here. When she noticed her face burning, Jiang Xue was oblivious, looking up at the stars.

“I also have a telescope,” she said. “It’s in the attic on the roof of our house. When the sky is clear, I’ll take it out to look at the stars.”

Xiao Luohan thought for a few seconds. “For astrology and divination?”

She remembered that the Beiliao Imperial Palace had an Office of Astronomy, observing celestial phenomena to predict major events.

“Maybe A-Xi would do that, but I just look,” Jiang Xue said. “Perhaps… like appreciating flowers?”

At the mention of appreciating flowers, Xiao Luohan understood, then thought of the old plum tree in Wangmei Pavilion.

“I used to enjoy appreciating plum blossoms. Now I’ll also try ‘stargazing’,” she said.

Jiang Xue thought of Elder Sister Red Fox’s last words and couldn’t help but say, “I’m looking forward to the plum blossoms blooming.”

If the plum blossoms bloomed and never withered, it would fulfill Elder Sister Red Fox’s words, wouldn’t it?

—”I have already attached my soul to the plum branches. Even after decades, the blossoms will not wither.”

Chapter 56: I Like to Cuddle People in My Sleep

Before her older sister could open the door, Jiang Xue quickly let go and curled up on the far side of the bed, practically plastered against the wall, afraid of being misunderstood.

When Jiang Mei reached the bedside and saw her younger sister’s face as red as a cooked shrimp, she probably guessed what awkward situation had transpired. Without saying anything, she simply asked, “How are you two feeling today? Do you want to come downstairs for breakfast, or eat in bed?”

“I’m going downstairs!” Jiang Xue wanted to escape this place as quickly as possible, scrambling out of bed and grabbing a brush to tie up her hair.

Xiao Luohan also wanted to get out of bed, but Jiang Mei checked her forehead with a thermometer first. “…You still have a low fever. You can stay in bed for another day.”

“I’ll bring her breakfast!” Jiang Xue said and ran off, tying her hair on the way.

The sisters’ reactions puzzled Xiao Luohan. She instinctively bowed her head. “I’ll be troubling you in the future.”

“Don’t mention it, we’re family now. There’s no need for formalities.” Jiang Mei smiled and ruffled her hair.

Her hair was soft and fine, but lacked luster. It needed to be properly cared for.

Xiao Luohan replied with an “Mm,” then fell silent.

She didn’t know how to interact with… this Mei-jiejie, who resembled her elder sister so much, yet wasn’t her elder sister.

If it were really her elder sister here, she would have so much to say.

However, she answered all of Mei-jiejie’s questions seriously.

Her preferences, dislikes, the kind of clothes she wanted to wear in the future, the hairstyle she preferred, and… whether she wanted a separate room or to share with Jiang Xue.

“If Jiang Xue doesn’t mind, I also don’t mind sharing with her,” she answered the last question without hesitation, secretly omitting a word.

Jiang Mei noticed, but she didn’t ask further, only nodding. “Then I’ll confirm with Jiang Xue when she comes back.”

Young people’s feelings were often confusing and ambiguous. Many times, they themselves couldn’t clearly define what it was. As long as it didn’t affect major life decisions, it was best to let them explore on their own.

So when Jiang Xue returned with breakfast, she heard this arrangement.

If it were earlier, she wouldn’t have hesitated and would have immediately agreed—sharing a room with another version of herself, what was there to be unwilling about?

But after repeatedly experiencing that “tingling sensation,” she became a little worried, afraid that she would, like just now, sleepily “cuddle someone in her dream.”

“This… I need to talk to Xiao Luo privately.” She coughed lightly, put down her own breakfast, and handed Xiao Luohan’s portion to her. “Uncle Seuss’s breakfast is a bit special. See if you like it.”

After closing the door and making sure Jiang Mei was gone, Jiang Xue looked at Xiao Luohan for a moment, then decided… to eat first!

Xiao Luo had finally escaped that mire. Her first breakfast in the new world had to be enjoyable!

One leaned against the bed, and the other sat by the bedside, each holding a bowl of oatmeal and milk porridge, occasionally taking a bite of soft, toasted cheese bread.

It wasn’t until Xiao Luohan put down her bowl and stopped eating the toast that Jiang Xue straightened up.

“Just to be clear, I’m willing to share a room with you, but I’m really curious about something and can’t help but ask,” she said. “You’re a princess, and in our world, where personal needs are valued, you can definitely request a separate room.”

“And our house is big enough. The guest rooms are usually empty. With a little cleaning and renovation, it would be a great room.” She paused. “You… don’t have to force yourself to share with me just to repay our kindness or anything. You’re free now. Don’t think about owing me or owing us anything. We’re helping you out of our own free will, without expecting anything in return.”

Xiao Luohan listened attentively, then softly asked, “What if I also sincerely want to share a room with you?”

Before Jiang Xue could answer, she softened her voice and explained, “I’m new here and feel apprehensive. If I can stay with someone I’m most familiar with, and have her guidance, I think I can adapt to the environment more quickly.”

Jiang Xue couldn’t refute this. She herself liked staying in her familiar “comfort zone.” Even though she traveled during vacations, she still preferred staying at home, with the people she was most familiar with.

She was convinced by Xiao Luohan, but then she remembered the awkward incident that had just happened.

“But, uh… I’m a very restless sleeper,” she said, rubbing the bottom of the bowl and carefully choosing her words. “You just now… should have experienced it, right?”

On her way to get breakfast, she had thought about it and figured that what had probably happened was that Xiao Luo, waking up and seeing her sleeping on the floor, had been worried she would catch a cold and tried to move her onto the bed, but she had then clung to her as a source of warmth.

Xiao Luo, kind-hearted, hadn’t wanted to wake her up, so she had let her hug her until she woke up.

…Anyway, she had been sound asleep at the time, not even dreaming, just instinctively snuggling closer to the warmth.

“It’s not strange,” Xiao Luohan said, smiling and shaking her head. “It was cute. I just treated it like being hugged by a cat.”

Jiang Xue: …

She felt a mixture of shock and an indescribable disappointment.

“If-If you don’t mind, then let’s share a room,” she mumbled. “But my room is very messy. We’ll have to tidy it up together when we get back, and you’ll have to gradually add your own things.”

Seeing Xiao Luohan nod seriously, she stood up and took the empty bowl and plate. “I’ll be right back. Let’s make a shopping list first.”

Before Xiao Luo crossed over, she had repeatedly asked about her preferences, but Xiao Luo had always avoided the topic. Now that everything was settled, Xiao Luo should start thinking about her future.

When Jiang Xue went downstairs, Uncle Seuss was about to start the dishwasher. Seeing her, he strode over and added their bowls and plates.

Xie Xitong was still by the pantry, deciding what to bring on the plane. Her flight was at 1:00 PM. She had only taken one extra day off and had to go back to school tomorrow, taking notes for Jiang Xue so she wouldn’t fall behind in her studies.

“It’s a pity I can’t see Xiao Luo’s reaction to her first plane ride,” she said regretfully, taking three blueberry jam tarts, two ciabatta rolls, and finally, a bunch of fresh grapes.

Uncle Seuss also expressed regret. “If only the New Year’s holiday was seven days long, I could have seen more of the ‘yin-yang eyes’!”

“Leave A-Xi alone!” Jiang Xue retorted. “I know you! If A-Xi had seven days off, you would definitely take her to the cemetery to see ‘dirty things’! Grandma Xie would scold my sister and me to death!”

“But there isn’t a seven-day holiday,” Uncle Seuss said slowly. “Besides, A-Xi will be an adult soon. If she doesn’t want to go, I won’t force her.”

Xie Xitong raised her hand. “I actually kind of want to see if vampires and ghosts really exist…”

“Both of you, stop it!” Jiang Xue interrupted, exasperated.

She had only come downstairs to put away the dishes. Seeing that there was nothing else for her to do here, she hurried back upstairs, grabbing paper and pen from her uncle’s study on the way, to make a shopping list for Xiao Luohan.

Xiao Luohan did have some ideas, but she hadn’t seen Jiang Xue’s room yet and didn’t know how to adjust the layout to satisfy both of them. When Jiang Xue returned, she asked about this first.

“You can do whatever you want with my room, even if you want to change the single bed to a bunk bed,” Jiang Xue said, not minding at all. “I’m very adaptable!”

She handed the paper and pen to Xiao Luohan, opened her phone, and asked Sister Cheng to take a video of her bedroom and study. After Xiao Luohan finished watching, she opened a shopping app.

“You write first, write down whatever you think of, and I’ll search for it. If you like anything, we’ll buy it directly. If you don’t like anything, you can draw it, and I’ll find someone to custom-make it.”

Besides the room furnishings, Jiang Xue planned to do the same for Xiao Luo’s clothes and daily necessities.

Since Xiao Luohan needed to rest all day and didn’t have to do anything, Jiang Xue carefully selected all the necessities she could think of.

And when Jiang Xue was paying, Xiao Luohan memorized the not-insignificant amount.

After lunch, Dr. Qi came over with supplies for a skin test and tested Xiao Luohan for the most effective antibiotics currently available.

Xiao Luohan wasn’t afraid of needles. In the ancient world she came from, acupuncture was a common treatment.

But before the needle pierced her skin, she suddenly felt her vision go dark, her eyes covered by a pair of hands from behind.

“Why are you covering her eyes?” she heard Dr. Qi ask, exasperated. “Do you think Xiao Luo is you, fainting at the sight of a needle?”

Xiao Luohan was about to laugh when the needle pierced her skin. Although it didn’t hurt much, the feeling of the cold liquid being injected under her skin made her shiver.

“She’s a patient! I’m just taking care of her!” she heard Jiang Xue retort confidently.

“Really? Then let me give you a shot too? A calming acupuncture point.”

“No! I sleep very soundly, ask Xiao Luo if you don’t believe me!”

So Xiao Luohan said with a smile, “Yes, A-Xue does sleep soundly.”

So Jiang Xue was afraid of needles. That was… even more endearing.

The results of the skin test came back quickly. Fortunately, she wasn’t allergic to the antibiotics. Dr. Qi gave her another check-up, then prescribed the medicine and watched as she took it.

“Although your constitution isn’t very good, you’re young, so you’ll recover quickly,” Dr. Qi said, packing up her medical bag. “But don’t do that kind of thing again.”

She understood the pride and stubbornness of people from ancient times, but as a doctor who grew up in a peaceful world, she always felt that life was more important than anything else.

Where there’s life, there’s hope.

After Dr. Qi left, Xiao Luohan took her cold medicine and soon felt sleepy. Feeling sleepy made her a little worried.

“It’s okay, it’s just a side effect of the medicine. If you’re not allergic, it’s normal.” Jiang Xue wiped her face with a cleansing wipe, removing the remaining traces of eyebrow makeup. “Just go to sleep. I’ll wake you up when it’s time to eat.”

Xiao Luohan replied with an “Okay” and turned over, closing her eyes.

But soon, she opened her eyes and turned back, asking softly, “Is there anything… I want to hug something.”

Jiang Xue was afraid of accidentally hugging her in her sleep if she felt a source of warmth. She had the same worry.

After all, this had actually happened before they crossed over, although Jiang Xue had been in her white cat form at the time, she had still hugged her.

But this request stumped Jiang Xue.

“…Is it too late to go out and buy a body pillow?” she wondered. “My uncle lives alone and prefers a minimalist style. He doesn’t have anything like that at home.”

Before Xiao Luohan could answer, she continued brainstorming. “You… if you really want to hug something, why don’t I… why don’t I find a summer blanket and roll it up for you?”

She stammered, and Xiao Luohan almost thought she was going to ask if she could hug her. Coming back to her senses, she felt the little deer that had stirred in her heart die.

Forget it, she was staying at her uncle’s house for now. A blanket would do.

Chapter 55: It Wasn’t Me, I Didn’t Do It!

“Yes, the traffic is a bit heavy, but don’t worry, we have medicine prepared here.”

As soon as Xiao Luohan opened her eyes, she heard a familiar voice.

She followed the sound and saw a long-haired woman, who resembled her elder sister, talking on the phone. Beside her, a curious girl was staring intently at her.

Meeting her gaze, the girl blinked and touched her forehead with the back of her hand.

Xiao Luohan recognized her and remained motionless, letting the slightly cool hand test her temperature.

“She still has a fever. We need to take her temperature and see if she needs fever reducers.” After checking her forehead, Xie Xitong didn’t withdraw her hand, but instead shook the person beside Xiao Luohan. “Hey, wake up! Your Xiao Luo has crossed over!”

Xiao Luohan instinctively looked over and saw Jiang Xue groan as Xie Xitong shook her. The first thing she said after opening her eyes was to ask Xiao Luohan, “How are you feeling? You were coughing up blood just now! You need to take your medicine!”

“Coughing up blood?!”

Jiang Xue’s words brought Jiang Mei over as well. “Rinse your mouth first, and when Dr. Qi arrives, we’ll have her take a look. If it’s not good, we’ll take you to the hospital for a check-up!”

“Dr. Qi is coming too?!” Jiang Xue was shocked. “Doesn’t she always take time off during the New Year’s holiday?”

“We discussed this beforehand.” Jiang Mei explained while sending a message to Dr. Qi. “She’s very happy to be involved in anything related to Xiao Luo. We also asked her to help with Xiao Luo’s identification documents.”

Jiang Xue paused, recalling the conversation she had overheard a long time ago:

—”Okay, if she can really come over, I’ll find someone to help immediately.”

—”Thank you.”

—”Don’t mention it. This is more interesting than a medical miracle. Just consider it my own selfish curiosity.”

So that’s what her older sister and Dr. Qi were talking about!

She breathed a sigh of relief and wanted to get out of bed to help, but her limbs were sore, not from exhaustion, but just a general weakness.

“You’re just startled,” Uncle Seuss said, entering with a kettle of hot water. He had overheard Jiang Xue’s description. “You might have nightmares for a few days, which is normal. Ordinary people experiencing this kind of thing, in more serious cases, would have PTSD. Your symptoms are mild. We’ll ask Dr. Qi to prescribe some calming medicine later.”

Even though, for Jiang Xue, killing the Crown Prince had happened in a dream, she had still witnessed his death up close, and before Xiao Luohan had acted, she herself had thrown a porcelain jar at him, diverting his attention.

Uncle Seuss wanted to come in and see his new “niece,” but Jiang Mei stopped him at the door. “Xiao Luo needs to rest!”

Actually, rest was only one reason. They had noticed that Xiao Luohan, after crossing over, was only wearing a plain white undergarment. Her wedding dress and jewelry were gone, although her makeup was still intact.

Jiang Xue had helped Xiao Luohan sit up, and she was now leaning against the headboard, wrapped in a blanket, sipping warm, slightly salty water.

“Perhaps knowing that I dislike the Crown Prince’s things, Elder Sister took them all away,” she explained softly in response to their puzzled looks. “It’s for the best, otherwise, Uncle Seuss would have to deal with more trash.”

The Crown Prince was dead, and she had arrived in a new world, so she should look forward.

Twenty minutes later, Dr. Qi arrived in a hurry. After hearing Jiang Mei report Xiao Luohan’s temperature, she sat down, took out her stethoscope, listened for a while, then checked her tongue coating, examined her eyes, and finally, took her pulse.

“Your illness is the same as Second Miss’s, just that it hasn’t been properly treated for so many years, so it looks more serious.” Withdrawing her hand, Dr. Qi said, not surprised, “But let’s treat the cold first. We’ll take it slow with the other treatment.”

She took out some traditional Chinese medicine for relieving cold symptoms from her medical bag and skillfully wrote down the dosage. “We need to do a skin test for common anti-inflammatory drugs to see if you’re allergic. Tonight, just take these with fewer side effects. I’ll come back and check on you tomorrow.”

“Thank you,” Xiao Luohan bowed to her, then looked at Jiang Xue. “Jiang Xue wasn’t feeling well after leaving the dream. Could you please take a look at her too?”

Dr. Qi smiled and agreed, but when she turned to Jiang Xue, her eyes were filled with reproach.

Jiang Xue: …

She wanted to shout “It wasn’t me, I didn’t do it!” Besides doing her best to help Xiao Luo, she hadn’t done anything wrong!

But she didn’t want to discuss this with Dr. Qi in front of Xiao Luohan, so she changed the subject with a deadpan expression. “Uncle Seuss said I was just startled.”

Knowing that they had been through a lot before crossing over, Dr. Qi quickly examined her, prescribed some calming medicine, and left, reminding everyone to rest well tonight.

Jiang Xue had already slept for a whole day. Besides being hungry and a little sore, she wasn’t tired at all.

Sitting at the small dining table by the bed, eating the beef clear soup noodles Jiang Mei had made for her, she said to Xiao Luohan, “You go to sleep. I’ll watch over you. Tell me if you feel uncomfortable.”

To ensure there were no problems with this transtemporal rescue, Jiang Xue had taken leave from school. After the three-day New Year’s holiday, she still had four days to help Xiao Luohan recover from her cold and adapt to the new world.

Anyway, the most important thing this semester was the final exam. The main events were the final selection exam in April and the college entrance exam in June. As long as she kept up with her studies, it would be fine.

Xiao Luohan replied with an “Mm,” but just looked at her quietly.

She was wondering if it would be inappropriate to bring up the matter of repayment now.

Jiang Xue might use “focus on recovering first” as an excuse, but that wasn’t the response she wanted to hear…

“You have something you want to tell me,” Jiang Xue said with certainty before she could even voice her thoughts. “Just say it. My sister, A-Xi, and I also sometimes have things we’re hesitant to say, but after thinking about it, they’re not a big deal. There’s nothing we can’t talk about.”

But before Xiao Luohan could speak, she quickly added, “Of course, if you don’t think it’s the right time yet, then don’t say it. It’s entirely up to you. Don’t force yourself to please me!”

Personalities needed time to adjust to each other, and she didn’t expect Xiao Luohan to completely abandon her original personality and become as outspoken as herself.

Moreover, Xiao Luohan was someone she had rescued from another world. As the saying went, “Excessive kindness can be a burden.” She didn’t want this kindness to become a shackle, restricting this girl.

…Despite saying this, seeing Xiao Luohan pause, smile faintly at her, and reply with an “Okay,” without elaborating, she still felt a little regretful.

It was just like when she had given her the dictionary!

So, what did Xiao Luo want to tell her?!

All night, Xiao Luohan rested peacefully, and Jiang Xue watched over her, gazing at her serene sleeping face, her mind filled with this question.

In the middle of the night, she finally couldn’t take it anymore and opened Xie Xitong’s chat window on her phone.

【Yu Xue: I think I missed an opportunity to get closer to the truth…】

【XiXi No Xixi (Senior Year Version): What silly thing did you do again? Tell me~】

Jiang Xue recounted the events.

Then she was bombarded with various laughing emojis from Xie Xitong.

【Yu Xue: You don’t have to laugh so hard!!】

【Yu Xue: [cat punching you.gif]】

【Yu Xue: So, do you have any ideas?】

【XiXi No Xixi (Senior Year Version): Revealing the answer directly wouldn’t be any fun!】

Jiang Xue: …

Because of the Crown Prince, she was now a little allergic to “riddle people.”

But she knew her best friend’s personality since childhood. And it was precisely because she couldn’t figure it out and had to find an answer that she had wanted to vent to someone she knew. So she didn’t ask further.

She would wait. Anyway, they were now in a peaceful and safe world. If Xiao Luo wanted to wait for a suitable time to talk, then she would let her.

In the dream, Xiao Luohan was back in her “mindscape.”

The furnishings hadn’t changed, even the traces left by Jiang Xue were still there, not disappearing because of her crossing over.

The only change was outside the window.

It had originally been the scene Xiao Luohan wanted to see, but now it had become a distant view of a city.

But she recognized it at a glance—it was the capital of Beiliao.

Had Elder Sister changed her mindscape? Could she… could she meet Elder Sister again here?

With this thought, she couldn’t help but walk to the window.

The distant view suddenly zoomed in, the light flickering and changing, then everything stopped.

She was surprised to see Shizhu. Shizhu was kneeling in front of her mother, and her mother was holding her letter, as if asking Shizhu to rise.

The scene changed again, and she saw her elder sister’s aunt—the late Empress’s younger sister—taking her mother and Shizhu away from the cold palace.

…Having left the cold palace, where were they going?

Just as she thought this, the scene shifted to the Jiang family’s residence.

Her mother had changed into different clothes and was sitting across from her elder sister’s aunt, talking seriously. Shizhu, also in the clothes of a Jiang family servant, was standing beside her mother, listening quietly.

Xiao Luohan couldn’t hear what they were saying, but just by looking at her mother and Shizhu’s clothes and their complexions, she knew things must have improved.

She breathed a soft sigh of relief and tried calling out “Elder Sister.”

No one answered, and the red fox didn’t appear, but the next moment, the scene outside the window changed again.

She saw a rifle leaning against a wall, then rows of targets standing in the sun.

The rifle looked like the one in the materials Jiang Xue had sent. When she saw her elder sister’s aunt holding the rifle, aiming at the targets, Xiao Luohan finally relaxed completely.

It seemed that Elder Sister’s dream-sending was also going smoothly.

She thought for a moment, then ground some ink in the mindscape, spread out a sheet of paper, and left a message for her elder sister.

【Elder Sister, I hope this letter finds you well.

I have arrived in Jiang Xue’s world. She, her family, her best friend, and her family doctor are all very kind to me. Please don’t worry.

My only concern now is how to repay their kindness. But I also know that I shouldn’t rush this and should let things take their natural course. I will just live here and adapt to the new environment for now.

May Elder Sister also achieve her wish soon.】

As soon as she finished writing, the paper was lifted by a gust of wind, floating out the window and transforming into a gyrfalcon, soaring into the sky.

When Xiao Luohan woke up from the dream, it was already early morning.

Soft breathing sounds came from beside the bed. She turned her head and saw Jiang Xue lying on the edge of the bed, fast asleep.

Even though the heater was on in the room and she wouldn’t get cold, Xiao Luohan didn’t want her to sleep in such an uncomfortable position. She got out of bed, intending to help her onto the bed.

Jiang Xue, half-asleep, suddenly felt a source of warmth and instinctively snuggled closer, unconsciously clinging to it.

She didn’t know how long she slept, only waking up when she was startled by a knock on the door.

…She felt that she had woken up the wrong way.

Why, why had she, who had clearly been sleeping on the edge of the bed, woken up in bed with Xiao Luohan, clinging to her like a koala?!

Chapter 54: Crossing Time and Space

As soon as she stepped out of the sedan chair, Jiang Xue saw the Crown Prince.

On this “joyous” day, the Crown Prince was also dressed festively, in bright red with gold-embroidered python and auspicious cloud patterns, and a red and yellow crown on his head.

According to Daying palace customs, there weren’t many elaborate rituals for taking a concubine, and the Crown Prince, with his ulterior motives, cared even less.

“Follow me,” he said, striding towards the bedchamber.

Xiao Luohan, her face still covered by the red veil, couldn’t see the path, but no one came to help her!

Jiang Xue felt that the Crown Prince was still trying to make things difficult for Xiao Luohan because of the “ghostly powers,” but they were at the crucial step now, and they didn’t bother arguing with a dying man. They would let him be arrogant for a little while longer.

So she extended her hand to Xiao Luohan and led her closely behind the Crown Prince.

As she followed, Jiang Xue couldn’t help but look around, observing the distribution of the guards.

The closer they got to the bedchamber, the quieter it became, so quiet that it was eerie.

If it weren’t for the red silk decorations everywhere, she would have thought she had entered a haunted house.

When they finally reached the bedchamber, she found that the guards from earlier were all gone.

…Was the Crown Prince that confident? Or was the scene they were about to witness a forbidden taboo that couldn’t be seen by outsiders?

Regardless of the reason, Jiang Xue clenched her fists nervously.

Just then, a flash of bright color caught her eye.

The red fox was standing beside them, its gaze meeting hers.

Jiang Xue suddenly relaxed—even if Elder Sister Red Fox was blocked by the magic and couldn’t enter the bedchamber, as long as she knew she was there, they could both feel at ease.

“Elder Sister Red Fox is with us!” she immediately told Xiao Luohan softly.

Xiao Luohan paused, then nodded slightly, clutching the diary in her sleeve.

The Crown Prince walked quickly and had already entered the bedchamber, leaving only the slightly open door behind him.

Jiang Xue was about to push the door open when Xiao Luohan stopped her. “I’ll do it.”

She gently pushed the door open, as if afraid of disturbing something.

Sandalwood.

A strong sandalwood fragrance wafted towards them, and through the red veil, she could sense many flickering candle flames inside.

Besides that, there was also a faint scent of wine, the smell of the ceremonial wedding wine.

“…I knew it!” she heard Jiang Xue’s trembling voice. “Uncle’s guess…”

Before she could finish, she knew what Jiang Xue had seen.

“Remove it yourself. Do you need me to do it for you?”

It wasn’t her imagination. There was a hint of amusement in the Crown Prince’s voice, as if he was greatly enjoying this.

Sighing softly, Xiao Luohan removed the red veil with one hand.

She first saw Jiang Xue’s back—the young woman was standing in front of her with her arms outstretched, breathing heavily, but even so, she stood firmly, preventing her from seeing what was ahead.

Then, red candles filled her vision, from the table to the floor, burning brightly, flickering, as if some kind of bizarre ritual was being performed.

Xiao Luohan didn’t approach, but said in a deep voice, “My elder sister’s body is missing. Your Highness must have hidden it.”

“Ha… did the ghosts and spirits tell you the answer? How boring!” The Crown Prince’s voice was filled with disappointment. “I originally wanted to see your terrified expression when you saw your sister, but you’re so calm! It seems you’re also a heartless and ungrateful wretch! Princess Zhemei even called out your name before she died!”

The more he tried to wound her with his words, the calmer Xiao Luohan became.

Her real elder sister was currently maintaining the “connection” between the two worlds, waiting outside the palace, ready to send her away as soon as she fulfilled her wish.

She placed her hand on Jiang Xue’s arm, patting it twice, indicating that she didn’t need to stop her, then calmly walked forward, her gaze landing on the “woman” sitting opposite the Crown Prince.

Her elder sister was dressed in the same wedding attire as her, her hands resting on her lap, her eyes closed, her expression serene, leaning back against the sandalwood chair.

But Xiao Luohan immediately saw that there was a silver needle inserted into her forehead and another into the xuanji acupoint on her neck, presumably the “soul-trapping” devices.

After observing, she opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but her throat tightened, and she covered her mouth, coughing violently, her mouth filled with the metallic taste of blood.

Even though she had been prepared, seeing her elder sister, who had died for her country, in this state, Xiao Luohan still couldn’t control her emotions.

“Xiao Luo!!” Jiang Xue hurriedly supported her, patting her back, her gaze unconsciously falling on the bloodstains on the cover of the diary.

“Haha! I thought you were so calm, but it seems just a few glances are enough to break you!” She heard the Crown Prince laugh triumphantly. “Don’t forget! This is your choice—your own choice!”

…The red candle.

Xiao Luohan recalled the four items on the tray that night.

The wine cup representing poisoned wine, the white silk representing hanging, the silver silk charcoal representing death by suffocation or burning Wangmei Pavilion, and… the red candle, which she thought represented death on the “wedding night.”

She had chosen the red candle, and on the “wedding day,” the Crown Prince had indeed shown her a room full of red candles.

She wiped the blood from her lips, exhaled, walked to her elder sister’s body, hugged her, and then knelt down.

At the same time, she used her lipstick-stained fingernail to make a deep mark on the last page of the diary!

“There, you’ve broadened your horizons. Nothing happened, did it?”

She heard the Crown Prince chuckle and saw him stand up from his chair and walk towards her. “The ghosts and spirits you rely on so much are watching right here, right? They can’t do anything, they can’t save you. They can only watch as you sisters reunite in this bridal chamber!”

Hearing this, Xiao Luohan immediately went on high alert.

—”Uncle Seuss said that scum like him, with their twisted minds, when they’re about to kill you, they actually want to watch you die slowly!”

—”So you must be wary of him suddenly rushing forward and strangling you!”

She calmly turned on the stun gun in her hand, setting it to maximum power.

Seeing the Crown Prince’s hand reach towards her, she gripped the stun gun tightly.

The next moment, she heard the thud of a porcelain jar hitting someone! Then the Crown Prince’s furious roar!

“Useless evil spirits! Only resorting to such despicable tricks!”

Now!

As the Crown Prince turned around, clutching the back of his head, Xiao Luohan leaped up!

Like a nimble cat, she silently pounced on him, her eyes flashing coldly, the stun gun hitting the Crown Prince’s neck with pinpoint accuracy!

“Zzz!!”

“Ugh!!”

Just as Uncle Seuss had predicted in his plan, the Crown Prince, caught off guard, collapsed under the powerful electric shock.

But she didn’t relax. She pressed the stun gun against his neck again, then his temples, his eyes, the bridge of his nose… all the most vulnerable spots that Uncle Seuss had marked on the anatomical chart.

Perhaps with her elder sister’s blessing, she felt an immense surge of strength and courage. She didn’t stop until the Crown Prince was only convulsing involuntarily, then put down the stun gun and made another lipstick mark on the diary.

Jiang Xue, who had frozen after throwing the porcelain jar at the Crown Prince, came to her senses and hurriedly stepped forward. “I-I’ll take the stun gun! I can do it!”

Xiao Luohan shook her head. “Please bolt the door. We can’t let the guards come in so quickly!”

Jiang Xue quickly did as she was told, not only bolting the door but also pushing nearby cabinets and tables against it, blocking it completely.

When she returned, Xiao Luohan had already taken the gun with the silencer Uncle Seuss had prepared and was checking the bullets.

Although her hands were trembling, Xiao Luohan’s movements were swift. Once everything was ready, she aimed the gun at the Crown Prince’s forehead.

“Bang!”

It was the fatal shot. After a muffled sound, a bloody hole appeared on the Crown Prince’s forehead.

But Xiao Luohan didn’t stop there. She fired two more shots, one into his heart and another into his chest.

“Is-Is he… is he dead?” Jiang Xue asked, her voice trembling. “I’m not A-Xi, I-I can’t see souls…”

Xiao Luohan didn’t answer, only putting the gun into the diary, then staggering towards her elder sister’s body.

She used all her strength to carry her elder sister down from the chair and placed her among the red candles on the floor.

But the moment Xiao Linghan’s body touched the ground, Xiao Luohan’s vision went dark, and she collapsed as well.

Jiang Xue panicked, calling out her name and trying to help her up, but she heard Xiao Luohan say weakly, “Help me…”

Help me bury my elder sister.

Jiang Xue’s tears flowed as she nodded, biting her lip. In front of Xiao Luohan, she found cloth and paper from the cabinets, placed them around the room, helped Xiao Luohan into a chair, and then lit the flammable materials with the red candles, one by one.

By the time she lit the third pile of paper, the flames had started to engulf Xiao Linghan’s body, and smoke filled the air.

“Let’s go!”

A red figure suddenly appeared in the room, transforming into a human amidst the flames and smoke. “Don’t do anything unnecessary! Come with me!”

“Elder Sister Red Fox!” Jiang Xue was both surprised and overjoyed, her nose tingling. “How did you—”

But she knew this wasn’t the time to ask questions. She quickly picked up Xiao Luohan, who was exhausted, and followed closely behind.

Xiao Luohan’s consciousness was fading. She felt pain and heat all over her body, and her breathing was labored, but she still clutched the diary tightly.

She vaguely felt Jiang Xue carrying her, running through a dark passage.

She seemed to see her elder sister, not in armor, but dressed in a red outfit as she remembered, walking ahead, not too far away, occasionally turning back to guide them.

“After the Crown Prince’s death, the witchcraft that bound me was lifted. I just personally destroyed his soul,” her elder sister’s voice reached her ears, as if through a wall.

“After sending you away, I’ll catch up with Shizhu and return to Beiliao with her.”

That’s good… with Elder Sister escorting her, Shizhu… Shizhu should be…

Before she could finish the thought, she felt something struggling in her hand.

The movement wasn’t large, but it… seemed to want her to “let go”…

So she let go.

Her vision suddenly cleared. She saw her elder sister walking ahead, and the diary, which both she and Jiang Xue cherished, was floating in mid-air, its pages flipping.

Then, in the blink of an eye, it burst into flames!

The ashes transformed into gray moths, rising one after another towards the sky, towards an unknown destination.

Xiao Luohan instinctively reached out to grab the ashes—that was Jiang Xue’s diary! All of Jiang Xue’s important memories since high school!

But her outstretched hand was firmly grasped by Jiang Xue.

“If that’s the price, I’m willing!” Jiang Xue said to her. “I’m willing to exchange a diary for your freedom and future!”

Or rather, it was a blessing that they only had to pay such a small price.

As the diary burned to ashes, a small light appeared ahead, gradually expanding.

Jiang Xue could see clearly! As long as they passed through the circle of light, she could bring Xiao Luohan back to her sister and the others!

“Jiang Xue.”

Hearing her name, Jiang Xue instinctively turned around.

Xiao Linghan was standing behind her, smiling gently and freely.

But in her eyes, Jiang Xue clearly saw reluctance and regret.

“Don’t forget to water my plum blossoms after you return.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Xiao Linghan’s form dissipated, transforming into countless red plum blossoms, flying away in the direction they had come from, presumably to catch up with Shizhu, who was still on the road.

Jiang Xue stood there, watching until she was completely out of sight, then turned and strode towards the circle of light.

“Let’s go home, Xiao Luo. Everyone is waiting for you!”

Chapter 53: The Wedding Day

Back in Beiliao, Xiao Luohan had witnessed her second brother’s wedding.

When the Crown Prince took a consort, envoys would deliver gifts to the woman’s family, consult their horoscopes, choose an auspicious date and time, the Crown Prince would pay respects to the heavens before the wedding, and on the auspicious day, he would leave the palace to welcome the bride, hold a grand banquet in the palace, and only enter the bridal chamber after dusk to lift the veil, drink the ceremonial wine, and consummate the marriage.

Earlier, Xiao Luohan had also asked Shizhu, who had been in the palace for a long time, about the process of the Crown Prince of Daying taking a wife or concubine. Compared to Beiliao, it wasn’t much different.

But perhaps because she was being taken as a concubine, or perhaps this wedding wasn’t important, on the “wedding day” the Crown Prince spoke of, only a few palace maids came to Wangmei Pavilion, carrying her wedding dress, cosmetics, and jewelry, to dress her up.

Xiao Luohan had sharp ears. Even sitting inside with the door closed, she could hear the palace maids whispering outside:

“Isn’t the princess sent for marriage alliance protected by ghosts and spirits? Why is Wangmei Pavilion so deserted on her wedding day?”

“Perhaps she offended the ghosts and spirits. I heard Eunuch Xiao Nan say that after His Highness burned the books to exorcise evil spirits that night, the ghosts and spirits were enraged and took back all the gifts!”

“Not only that, she also caught a cold. I’m afraid… she won’t live much longer.”

“How unlucky! Poor His Highness!”

“…”

Various speculations and rumors, like fabricated stories, were being spread.

Xiao Luohan, as the person involved, remained unfazed, treating it as entertainment.

Last night, she had conducted her final “move,” returning all the remaining winter supplies, sweaters, coats, and even the stun gun.

Considering that she might be searched before entering the Eastern Palace, after discussing it with Jiang Xue and the others, Xiao Luohan decided to only carry the diary, which only she could see. Whether it was the stun gun or the gun, she would tell Jiang Xue the code word when the time came, catching the Crown Prince off guard.

Wearing the heavy red wedding dress and jewelry, worried that the cosmetics might be poisoned, Xiao Luohan declined the palace maids’ offer to apply makeup. After they left, she opened the cosmetics her mother had left her and slowly started applying them, concealing her sickly appearance under the makeup.

When Jiang Xue arrived through the dream, she had just finished drawing her eyebrows and was about to apply lipstick.

“Use the lipstick from our side!” Jiang Xue hurriedly pointed at the diary. As soon as she finished speaking, a brand new lipstick appeared, which she picked up. “This will be yours from now on. You can familiarize yourself with it.”

She opened the lipstick, gently dabbed it on Xiao Luohan’s lower lip, then used a round brush and a flat brush to blend and define, adding color to her face.

Xiao Luohan sat obediently, feeling the small brush gently sweeping across her lips, a strange warmth in her heart.

They were very close, and they could hear each other’s slightly nervous breathing.

Three days was too rushed. Even though Uncle Seuss had diligently simulated various scenarios and put them into practice, and Jiang Xue had started teaching her as soon as she entered the dream, there was only one chance for the actual assassination. A slight misstep could cost her life.

“Sh-Should I go to the Eastern Palace and check the situation first?”

After finishing with the lipstick, Jiang Xue couldn’t help but ask, “It’s the day of the wedding. Elder Sister Red Fox shouldn’t stop me now, right? I can even check the exam venue before the college entrance exam!”

“Go ahead, don’t worry about me.” Xiao Luohan carefully put away the lipstick and brushes, placing them on the diary to send them back to the other world. “Since the Crown Prince wants me to die in the Eastern Palace, no one will make things difficult for me before that.”

Hearing her talk about “death” so calmly, Jiang Xue felt a pang of sadness. Before leaving, she hugged Xiao Luohan. “I’ll stay here with you until I take you home!”

---

As soon as Jiang Xue left, she saw the red fox squatting at the door, as if it had been waiting.

“I’m going to the Eastern Palace to scout the location,” she said to the red fox as she floated outwards. “The wedding is tonight. Even if that dog of a Crown Prince is setting up traps, he should be almost done, right?”

The red fox, as always, didn’t speak, only leading the way.

Jiang Xue had thought she would have to navigate the winding paths of the palace, but as they walked, the scenery around them gradually blurred, and when she came to her senses, she was already in a lively place.

Unlike the desolate Wangmei Pavilion, the Crown Prince’s Eastern Palace was decorated with lanterns and colored streamers today. It didn’t feel like he was taking a concubine, but marrying a primary consort.

She spat in disgust before entering, following the red fox through the crowd, straight towards the bedchamber.

However, the bedchamber was locked, and at least seven or eight tall guards were standing guard!

Jiang Xue frowned, circled around the bedchamber, and even tried the windows—they were also locked from the inside!

“Do you know what’s hidden inside?” she casually asked the red fox.

“It should be my body.”

When the cold and calm female voice rang out, Jiang Xue almost thought she was hallucinating.

“There’s a type of magic in the Daying palace, similar to witchcraft, that can trap souls and prevent ghosts from passing,” the red fox continued. “I can only sense the general location of my body, but I can’t approach it, and except for the ‘seventh day,’ I can’t stray too far from this place.”

Jiang Xue was shocked. Afraid that staying here would harm Xiao Linghan’s soul, she quickly floated out of the Eastern Palace.

“Th-Then what can we do to free you?” she asked with concern.

The red fox shook its head and crouched beside her. “Some of the soldiers who died in that battle have already moved on, but those with strong obsessions remain on the battlefield, unable to do anything to the living, only watching as Beiliao submits to Daying, their resentment gradually accumulating.”

“So I told them, if they could lend me their strength, I would first kill the Crown Prince of Daying, then send dreams to the generals of the Jiang family’s army, so that Beiliao can forge divine weapons and turn the tide of the war, defeating the enemy with a smaller force.”

“They were my soldiers, unwilling to surrender to Daying even in death. After that journey, I have devoured countless souls and vengeful spirits who willingly sacrificed themselves. Having made a promise to them, I must first fulfill our shared wish before I can talk about liberation.”

The more Jiang Xue listened, the more shocked she became.

Elder Sister Red Fox’s current situation was completely opposite to Xie Xitong’s speculation!

She could pull her, who was awake, into the dream, not because she was overexerting herself, but because she had gained more power by devouring souls.

No wonder Xiao Luohan felt that her elder sister seemed to have suddenly become more lively after hugging the red fox, no longer like a spirit, but more like a living person in a dream.

But possessing such special power must come at a price. Elder Sister Red Fox spoke vaguely, but Jiang Xue understood—without fulfilling the wishes of those souls, she couldn’t be liberated and couldn’t reincarnate.

…Perhaps, just as Xiao Luohan had speculated before, Xiao Linghan had willingly become an “earthbound spirit,” weaving a web of destruction for Daying in a realm invisible to the living.

“This is my own choice. You don’t have to pity me. Just take Xiao Luo away.” Seeing her emotions, the red fox said, “Heaven has already been kind enough to me. Otherwise, I would also be one of those countless vengeful spirits.”

As soon as she finished speaking, she disappeared. The surrounding scene changed again, and soon, Jiang Xue was back under the old plum tree in Wangmei Pavilion’s courtyard.

“I still have unfinished business in Beiliao.”

“But I have already attached my soul to the plum branches. Even after decades, the blossoms will not wither.”

Jiang Xue stared blankly at the old plum tree, pursed her lips, and turned to float towards the house.

No matter what choice Elder Sister Red Fox had made, Xiao Luohan, as her most beloved younger sister, deserved to know.

---

After hearing about her elder sister’s choice, Xiao Luohan remained silent for a long time.

“If it’s Elder Sister, I’m not surprised at all,” she murmured. “The late Empress always raised her like a son, teaching her about state affairs. Elder Sister joined the army, truly distrusting men, but also wanting to protect her home and country, which was her lifelong wish.”

That dazzling figure in red had donned her armor, picked up her silver spear, and calmly walked towards the ending she had chosen.

And her only selfish desire was probably for her frail younger sister, whom she had watched grow up.

Jiang Xue didn’t say anything, just sat beside her, gently patting her shoulder.

“Since Elder Sister can protect me as I leave this world, I still want to do one last thing for her,” Xiao Luohan finally said.

Jiang Xue’s eyes flickered—this matter had been mentioned once before.

She knew what Xiao Luohan wanted to do. Now that their path was secure, there was no reason to stop her. If she were in Xiao Luohan’s shoes, she would also want to help Elder Sister Red Fox in this way.

---

Dusk finally arrived.

Outside the dream, Jiang Mei, Xie Xitong, and Uncle Seuss were watching over Jiang Xue, who had been asleep all day, having prepared food and a first-aid kit in advance.

Three pairs of eyes were fixed on the diary. As soon as they saw obvious lipstick smudges, they would send the stun gun and the gun according to the code word.

In the dream, the wedding sedan chair had already arrived at the gate of Wangmei Pavilion, and the incoming servants had cleared a path, laying out a red carpet in the falling snow.

Xiao Luohan, her face covered by a red veil, walked out the door, accompanied by Jiang Xue.

Passing by the old plum tree, she looked up, taking one last look through the red veil.

Her elder sister had said that she had attached her soul to the plum branches. At this moment, she must be watching her.

“The auspicious time has arrived! Bride, quickly get into the sedan chair!” the eunuch in charge of the wedding ceremony shouted at the door.

Looking away, Xiao Luohan slightly quickened her pace.

Her severe cold hadn’t fully recovered, and walking a little too quickly made her cough, looking frail and weak in everyone’s eyes.

The wedding dress and jewelry were too heavy. As she got into the sedan chair, she felt unsteady and was about to reach for the door when a pair of hands steadily supported her back.

After safely helping her into the sedan chair, Jiang Xue followed, standing in front of her.

The space inside the sedan chair was cramped. One stood, and the other sat, waiting in silence.

Halfway there, Jiang Xue suddenly felt a tug on her sleeve. Turning around, she saw that Xiao Luohan had made space for her, her slender hand resting on the empty spot, inviting her to sit down.

Thinking this would probably reassure her, Jiang Xue didn’t hesitate and sat down, squeezing in next to her.

It was supposed to be a serious day, but at this moment, she couldn’t quite describe her feelings.

But she felt that she should at least be happy for Xiao Luohan—after tonight, Xiao Luo would come to her world, completely escaping the misery of feudal society and becoming free.

Just as she was thinking this, the hand resting on her lap was held.

The hand covering hers was small and thin, cold from the winter and illness.

Jiang Xue instinctively warmed Xiao Luohan’s hand with her own, hoping to make her feel more comfortable.

The journey from Wangmei Pavilion to the Eastern Palace wasn’t long. They didn’t hold hands for long before the swaying sedan chair came to a stop.

There was no suona music, no flower petals or firecrackers. It was the same eunuch again, shouting in a shrill voice according to the procedure, “Bride, alight! Escort her to the bridal chamber!”

It was like attending a banquet with hidden dangers, but they both knew who the victim would be.

Chapter 52: Do You Want to Wear My Clothes?

Perhaps because she had carefully read every piece of information about guns, even if there were parts she didn’t understand, Xiao Luohan had still memorized a lot of theory.

Now, with Jiang Xue’s instruction, she quickly got the hang of it and started practicing on the targets.

“You learn so fast!” Jiang Xue praised generously. “Uncle Seuss had to restrain himself from scolding me in front of my sister and A-Xi.”

They were both handling a gun for the first time, but Xiao Luo was much calmer than she was. She had only become proficient after practicing with the AR equipment.

Even then, she was still afraid of accidentally misfiring and injuring herself or Uncle Seuss.

“You shouldn’t underestimate yourself,” Xiao Luohan put down the gun and turned to her. “I’m determined to do this and succeed, so I have no hesitation. You’re different from me. It’s normal for you to feel this way.”

She believed that precisely because Jiang Xue grew up in a peaceful era, without having to worry about war or sudden separation from loved ones, she had such a pure aversion to weapons that could take a life.

This purity was extremely rare, and she herself had lost it, so she envied Jiang Xue.

Jiang Xue paused, then shook her head vigorously. “There’s no right or wrong way to feel.”

She knew what Xiao Luohan was thinking, but she didn’t think Xiao Luohan should feel guilty about it.

“Even laws are based on protecting the rights of ordinary citizens. You live in a time of war, facing a tyrant who treats human life like grass… uh, a violent Crown Prince who casually takes lives.”

“He’s the one who killed your elder sister and the soldiers of Beiliao, and not long ago, he almost killed you—if it weren’t for Shizhu and me, you would have frozen to death in the snow, with the servants watching!”

“Not to mention, last night, he forced you to choose a ‘path to survival’ that was actually a dead end! I can’t imagine, if you had hesitated or shown fear, if he would have chosen between poisoned wine, white silk, and charcoal, and ended your life right then and there!”

“Such a person deserves to die. If even this is ‘wrong,’ then I don’t understand what ‘right’ and ‘justice’ mean!”

Her words stunned Xiao Luohan.

But she could tell from the first sentence that Jiang Xue was speaking up for her.

Jiang Xue didn’t want her to be burdened by killing the Crown Prince, to be haunted by nightmares, and even after arriving in the other world, to repeatedly question herself, “Was it really right to do that?”

After all… this was indeed her first time doing something like this, and most likely, her last.

She was about to agree with Jiang Xue when the young woman, her face filled with apprehension, pushed her towards the target. “Quick, quick, quick! Practice first! In case you suddenly wake up from the dream!”

Xiao Luohan had used the excuse of “easily waking up from dreams due to restless sleep” to change the subject, and now it was being used against her.

So she practiced diligently, trying to implement all the details and techniques Jiang Xue had emphasized.

“Tomorrow, I’ll ask Uncle Seuss to export the videos of my error-free practice runs, and you can watch them on your phone. Correct any mistakes and keep practicing.” Feeling that the dream was about to end, Jiang Xue hurriedly said this.

She had thought she would also wake up, but when she closed and opened her eyes, she found herself in the real Wangmei Pavilion.

“…What’s going on now?” She was planning to draw the map of the Eastern Palace for Uncle Seuss first thing in the morning, and she was suddenly anxious.

Had Elder Sister Red Fox deliberately left her here? Why?

Was something about to happen?

As she anxiously pondered, she heard a soft groan from the bed.

As soon as Xiao Luohan woke up, she felt weak, achy all over, and drenched in sweat.

This discomfort wasn’t unfamiliar to her. She immediately touched her forehead with the back of her hand. It was burning up.

She had kept warm and taken medicine the night before last, and yesterday had passed peacefully, so she had thought her health had improved and that she would be fine, but she hadn’t escaped it this morning.

“What’s wrong?”

She heard Jiang Xue’s voice. “Could it be that you caught a cold?!”

Jiang Xue remembered that when her own health was poor, she would often experience “delayed colds” during flu season.

It wasn’t a serious matter, but it was bad timing!

Not to mention that Xiao Luohan was living alone now. No wonder Elder Sister Red Fox had kept her here, even though it was time for her to leave the dream.

Jiang Xue first went to find cold medicine, then brought ink and paper, asking Xiao Luohan to inform the other side—after the sudden “fainting” incident last time, Jiang Mei would be watching the diary while she slept.

“Just say that I’m staying here to take care of you for now, and ask them to send some easily digestible food,” Jiang Xue said. “By the way, where’s the water and the things for boiling water?”

Xiao Luohan pointed her in the direction and explained the method. Jiang Xue went to find the place, frowned at the unattended stove, and simply came back and asked Xiao Luohan to write in the diary, asking her sister to send over a few kettles of hot water.

“You need to drink plenty of water when you have a cold. You’ll need hot water to wipe your body and apply a cold compress to your forehead, and also to make instant food. You can’t wash clothes with cold water in winter, you have to add hot water…” Jiang Xue listed the things she needed to do, then casually asked, “Where are your towels, washbasin, and bathtub?”

Although she had never taken care of a sick person before, she had often been cared for by Sister Cheng and her family, and would ask questions from time to time—after all, if she went to a university far from home, it wouldn’t be convenient for Sister Cheng to come and go, so she might have to take care of herself. It was better to learn these life skills early on.

Xiao Luohan felt her body and cheeks burning. She didn’t know if it was because of the fever or some other reason, but she still obediently pointed out where the various items were kept.

When Jiang Xue returned with the wooden basin and bucket filled with towels, a small kettle full of hot water was already on the diary.

She immediately made two packets of cold medicine, poured half a glass of water into Xiao Luohan’s usual teacup, and let it cool. Then she added hot water to the wooden basin, fetched cold water from the well outside, and started adjusting the water temperature.

“Where are your clean clothes?” she asked, then hesitantly added, “Do you want to wear my clothes? They’re warmer and more comfortable to move around in.”

Her suitcase was large, and Sister Cheng had packed three complete sets of winter clothes, from underwear to sweaters and down jackets, all compressed, so they should be able to be sent over.

Now Xiao Luohan finally understood why her face was burning.

She pursed her dry lips, deliberately avoiding Jiang Xue’s gaze, and softly replied, “Okay.”

After the clothes arrived, Jiang Xue started wiping Xiao Luohan’s body.

Perhaps because she was eager to take measures and prevent the fever from worsening, looking at the young woman’s smooth back, she had only one thought: thin.

So thin! Wiping her with the towel, she felt like it was all bones.

Her heart ached. After wiping her back vigorously, she couldn’t help but say, “I’ll ask Dr. Qi to give you a proper check-up later, and we’ll nourish you for a year or so, so you can gain some weight…”

After finishing with the back, she felt too embarrassed to continue and simply rinsed the towel in the warm water, wrung it out, and handed it to Xiao Luohan. “Um… you can do the front yourself.”

Although they were both girls, some areas were still private.

There was no heating in the room. Considering that even a screen wouldn’t block much of the incoming wind, Jiang Xue thought for a moment and, since she was still in the dream, tried to float over and move the bookshelf, which was taller than her.

She actually managed to move it!

With the bookshelf blocking the wind, she drew the bed curtains and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Xiao Luohan had just finished wiping herself down, and Jiang Xue immediately unfolded her clothes and handed them over.

Their sizes were indeed similar, but Xiao Luohan was thinner, so the clothes looked a little loose on her. However, for someone with a fever, looser clothes were more comfortable.

Xiao Luohan felt a faint fragrance envelop her.

It was the lavender scent of laundry detergent, but it was also Jiang Xue’s scent, comforting and reassuring.

With Jiang Xue’s help, she put on the unfamiliar clothes from another world, one by one. Due to her unfamiliarity, her movements were a little clumsy.

She glanced at Jiang Xue shyly, but Jiang Xue didn’t say anything, only carefully adjusted the clothes for her, smoothing out the sleeves and collar, preventing wrinkles, and folding down the collar of the turtleneck sweater to reveal a bit of her neck.

“This is the front of the fleece-lined leggings, and the thermal underwear is like this…”

Seeing her embarrassment, Jiang Xue patiently explained, then tucked the clothes into the quilt. “Sister Cheng taught me this. Warming them up with the residual heat from the quilt makes them more comfortable to wear.”

Having done everything she could, hot porridge arrived just then. It was congee with preserved egg and lean pork, with the preserved egg, minced meat, and vegetables finely chopped, clearly made by Jiang Mei.

After watching Xiao Luohan finish the bowl of porridge, Jiang Xue closed her eyes and left the dream.

As soon as she woke up, she quickly got out of bed in Uncle Seuss’s guest room, washed up, got dressed, grabbed a piece of toast with jam, and rushed into Uncle Seuss’s study to find drawing materials.

“So eager, it seems Xiao Linghan has responded,” Uncle Seuss said, entering with a glass of warm milk and a bacon and egg sandwich, followed by Jiang Mei and Xie Xitong.

“She gave me a map of the Eastern Palace, including the bedchamber,” Jiang Xue said, trying to recall the details, her pen moving swiftly across the A4 paper. “But there were no markings for a body anywhere. I originally thought we had guessed wrong, that we had considered the worst-case scenario…”

She shared her speculation with her family and friend.

“Hmm… then we still need to use the mannequin during the simulation,” Uncle Seuss said. “Based on my understanding of ‘Chinese-style horror,’ if the Crown Prince really hid the body, he would probably have it sitting upright in a chair on that day, even dressed in wedding attire.”

His tone was as gentle and calm as ever, but the three present all paled.

“Anyway, let that little princess be mentally prepared,” Uncle Seuss pushed up his glasses, a cold glint in his green eyes. “As a man, I tend to assume the worst when it comes to the minds of scum like him.”

He quickly took the map of the Eastern Palace that Jiang Xue had drawn and went to the gym to simulate the scenario.

Seeing Jiang Xue silently drinking her milk, her gaze unfocused, Jiang Mei asked with concern, “Did you expend a lot of energy in the dream? Do you want to rest for a while?”

“No, Elder Sister Red Fox seems to be protecting me. No matter how much I do in the dream, I don’t feel tired.” Jiang Xue shook her head, looking down at the milk in her glass. “I have mixed feelings now. I want to fast-forward to the ‘wedding day,’ but I also hope time will slow down, at least… at least let Xiao Luo recover first…”

Xie Xitong gently patted her shoulder. “You’ve done your best. Just let nature take its course. Besides, we and Elder Sister Red Fox are here to help!”

Chapter 51: Holding the Red Fox

Although Uncle Seuss’s reasoning sounded plausible, Jiang Xue and Jiang Mei, who knew him well, knew not to take it completely at face value.

However, it was still nice to hear it as a blessing.

The winter in this country wasn’t as cold as back home. Jiang Xue took a sip of the still-warm black tea and, finding it to her liking, poured a small cup for Xiao Luohan and sent it over.

The Crown Prince hadn’t only burned books last night, but had also dismissed the servants of Wangmei Pavilion, leaving only enough supplies and water for three days. Although Xiao Luohan hadn’t taken the things the Emperor sent during the “move,” after witnessing the Emperor’s disgusting behavior, she didn’t even want to touch his tea.

Jiang Xue knew that she actually liked tea and would try to savor it when her health improved, but drinking too much would make her feel unwell, so she only poured a small amount, lest she “overindulge.”

Xiao Luohan quickly wrote back, saying that both the pastries and the tea were to her liking.

Precisely because she was feeling content, she brought up another concern: 【Does Uncle Seuss like calligraphy and paintings?】

Jiang Xue immediately understood. Xiao Luohan wanted to repay Uncle Seuss for the afternoon tea, but she had no suitable gifts left, only her calligraphy and paintings.

She thought for a moment and asked Uncle Seuss, “Do you mind the supplies given by the Emperor of Daying? I remember there was tea, precious medicinal herbs, incense, porcelain, fabrics…”

Before she could finish listing them, Uncle Seuss readily agreed. “You can even tell her that your uncle’s place is a garbage dump. I’ll accept any of that ominous stuff from the dog of a Crown Prince and the dog emperor.”

So all the gifts were moved into Uncle Seuss’s warehouse.

“Although they’re all brand new and can’t be sold as antiques, they’re all royal-grade, durable and practical.” Uncle Seuss’s smile was as bright as sunshine. “Tell her that I’m satisfied with this generous gift, it’s enough for ‘tuition,’ and she shouldn’t worry about it.”

After they finished afternoon tea, Uncle Seuss took them to his indoor gym.

The gym was divided into two sections, one with exercise equipment and various melee weapons, and the other a small shooting range.

“We won’t be using this room for now.” Uncle Seuss went straight to the shooting range. “I originally wanted to simulate the scene in the Eastern Palace, but A-Xue probably hasn’t been there, right? Should we discuss it with Xiao Linghan tonight?”

“Since she doesn’t want you to go to the Eastern Palace, she must have been there and knows what it’s like. Just ask her to tell you what we need to recreate to increase the chances of success in our simulation. It’s best to replicate the actual environment.”

Jiang Xue quickly nodded. “I’ll ask her when I enter the dream tonight!”

She actually understood Elder Sister Red Fox’s concerns.

Some things, when left at the speculation stage, allowed those who knew to hold onto hope. Once there was concrete evidence, and that hope was extinguished, the blow might affect the plan.

But if this influence was to increase their chances of success, she felt it was necessary to clarify and ask.

After receiving her promise, Uncle Seuss pointed to the large screen behind the human-shaped target.

“I usually use an AR game a friend gave me to simulate specific scenarios,” he said. “If I have a knowledgeable friend with me, they can give instructions from the outside and correct me in real-time. If not, I can record it and review it later. It’s very convenient.”

“In AR, you can use unlimited ammunition, and the guns don’t wear out, but that’s not the case in reality.” He took out the AR equipment from a locker. “But since you’re teaching that little princess in a dream, it’s fine to just familiarize yourself with the feeling of using AR first.”

Jiang Xue took the AR equipment and suddenly understood one of the points in the plan.

Before the practical training, she had to familiarize herself with how to use a gun.

At dusk, Xiao Luohan, who was about to make instant noodles, received food from Jiang Xue.

【It’s creamy mushroom pasta made by my older sister!】

【Do you want a drink? There’s fresh orange juice and coconut milk.】

The pasta was already rich and creamy, so Xiao Luohan hesitated for a moment, then asked for orange juice.

The room temperature in that country was just right, so the juice wasn’t cold in her hands.

She sipped the juice and ate the pasta while it was still hot, finishing everything.

Perhaps because of the increased frequency of “feeding” recently, she noticed that Jiang Xue and the others were becoming more precise with the portion sizes, neither too little nor too much.

After eating and drinking her fill, she rolled up her sleeves, carefully washed the dishes and glass, dried them with a cloth, and returned them.

After doing all this, she lit some incense, started the charcoal brazier, and sat down to warm herself by the fire, holding the gun-related materials Jiang Xue had just sent. She read each sheet, then tossed it into the brazier.

She still kept the charcoal and incense she had used for the initial offering to the ghost or spirit, and still remembered the ritual, but she didn’t know if her elder sister could see the materials this way.

If she could, this would be the last and most meaningful thing she did for Beiliao.

Since ancient times, if a reigning emperor was too incompetent, there would always be capable and ambitious people to replace him. If this could eradicate Beiliao’s deep-rooted problems, perhaps her mother wouldn’t have to continue living in the cold palace.

The stack of materials turned to ashes in the brazier. Xiao Luohan stirred the ashes, making sure nothing remained, then extinguished the fire and opened the door for ventilation.

She wouldn’t forget what Shizhu had taught her.

She didn’t know where Shizhu was now, or if she also remembered her instructions, to live well for herself no matter what she heard.

Before going to bed, she placed the diary on the nightstand and the stun gun under her pillow, within easy reach.

This was something Jiang Xue had reminded her of last night. She was afraid that after the Crown Prince’s outburst, some palace maids would come to bully her again. Even just showing them the electric sparks to scare them away would be good.

Besides, it was time to take out the stun gun.

Now that the path ahead was clear, Xiao Luohan slept more soundly. She knew that she needed to stay calm and conserve her energy at this time.

After a long flight and a long day of gun training, and having accepted Uncle Seuss’s request, Jiang Xue’s thoughts were preoccupied. After falling asleep, she didn’t go to Xiao Luohan’s mindscape first, but instead found herself in the familiar darkness.

She had been afraid when she first came here, but now, knowing that Elder Sister Red Fox was here, she was much bolder.

“Elder Sister Red Fox—Your Highness the Broken Plum Blossom Princess—Big Sister Xiao Linghan—” she called out into the darkness, using all three forms of address.

The red fox appeared in response, but still didn’t say anything, only dropping a rolled-up piece of paper in front of her.

Jiang Xue quickly picked it up and unfurled it in front of the red fox—it was a map of the Eastern Palace!

The bedchamber was the most detailed, with the positions of the tables, chairs, counters, lampstands, bed, washbasin, screen… everything marked on the map.

But after scanning it, Jiang Xue didn’t find any markings related to Xiao Linghan’s body, or any hints of a hidden corpse.

…Had they all guessed wrong?

No, if there was nothing in the Eastern Palace, Elder Sister Red Fox wouldn’t have repeatedly stopped them. It could only be hidden somewhere even Elder Sister Red Fox didn’t know about.

Jiang Xue looked up, wanting to confirm her guess, but the red fox pounced on her, grabbing her collar in its mouth.

She felt a tightness on the back of her neck, and then her perspective changed. When she came to her senses, she was already in the Wangmei Pavilion of the mindscape.

She saw Xiao Luohan looking at her in surprise. The next moment, the tightness on her neck loosened, but at the same time, something fluffy brushed against her back.

“Elder Sister, don’t go!”

Just as Jiang Xue steadied herself on the soft cushion, she saw Xiao Luohan turn and pounce on the fleeing red fox.

The red fox didn’t run, but let her hug it, staying like that for about half a minute before transforming into a plum blossom, flying out of Xiao Luohan’s arms and drifting out the window.

Jiang Xue didn’t interrupt the two sisters, only placing the map of the Eastern Palace, which she had been protecting, on the ground, slowly unfolding it with her paw—she had transformed into the large white cat when the red fox grabbed her collar.

“I got the map from Elder Sister Red Fox. I’ll draw it for Uncle Seuss tomorrow,” she said softly after Xiao Luohan calmed down. “I only learned how to use a gun today. Uncle Seuss wants us to practice first before the actual training. Now that we have this map, I think he’ll arrange the practical training tomorrow.”

After hearing her words, Xiao Luohan slowly returned to the desk, picking up Jiang Xue and the map along the way.

“Practice here?” she asked.

“Yes, after all, the actual location will be indoors… Although we’ve also considered outdoor scenarios, for basic training, it’s better to start indoors.” Jiang Xue looked around, pointing to an undecorated area. “Let’s go there. I’ll conjure the guns and targets.”

Xiao Luohan carried her over there, her mind still on the red fox.

Watching Jiang Xue transform back into a human, conjure two pistols, and set up the targets, she couldn’t help but say, “Elder Sister is a little different now.”

“Different how?” Jiang Xue turned her head in surprise.

“Although she was also in the form of a red fox before, she felt like a gust of wind,” Xiao Luohan carefully chose her words. “A bit like… the me in my dreams at first, or the you in your dreams.”

“Intangible and untouchable?” Jiang Xue understood. “More like a spirit than a physical being?”

“Yes, but Elder Sister now feels like she’s alive again,” Xiao Luohan continued. “When I hugged her, it was like hugging you—soft and warm fur, I could even feel the slight rise and fall of her chest as she breathed, and her heartbeat…”

She paused. “I don’t know if it’s because I wanted to hug such a lively Elder Sister, or… or if Elder Sister has truly found a way to strengthen her power.”

Jiang Xue was about to agree when she heard the second part and frowned.

She had heard from Xie Xitong that, according to the records of the elders in the Xie family who understood metaphysics, some powerful vengeful spirits strengthened their power by devouring other spirits.

—”Her elder sister is someone with a deep obsession, willing to pay any price to make this happen.”

With this speculation and association, she couldn’t help but recall Uncle Seuss’s words that afternoon.

However, they could only see the so-called “result” now. Since their understanding was limited, there was no need to assume the worst.

Before she could speak, Xiao Luohan said, “Let’s learn how to use the guns first. Although the night is long, I haven’t been sleeping well recently and might suddenly wake up from the dream.”

Jiang Xue was also worried about this and nodded vigorously, picking up a pistol. “I’ll teach you right away!”

Chapter 50: The Timeline

While Jiang Xue slept soundly in the first-class cabin, her dream self, in cat form, leaned against Xiao Luohan, letting her brush her fur.

Perhaps because Xiao Luohan’s interactions with her cat form were limited to brushing and cuddling, Jiang Xue rarely experienced that peculiar tingling sensation during this time.

She closed her eyes, enjoying the petting, and couldn’t help but ask, “If the mindscape disappears after you come over, do you… want to adopt a cat?”

Xiao Luo should like cats very much, right? The first time she transformed into a cat to accompany her, Xiao Luohan had sleepily hugged her and tucked her into the quilt. Later, when she came to this world, she also liked petting Xie Xitong’s cat.

As she asked, Jiang Xue was already recalling the costs and supplies for raising a cat that those cat-related vloggers had posted in their “adopt-don’t-shop” videos. If Xiao Luo wanted to adopt a cat, she would do her research.

“No,” Xiao Luohan’s answer came without hesitation. “If I want to pet a cat, I can ask A-Xi, or go to a cat café.”

She had recently read a web novel about a cat café, where the owner, who had the ability to communicate with cats, raised more than ten cats of different breeds. In the words of the novel, it was a paradise for cat lovers.

Jiang Xue paused, then chuckled. “Are you also a ‘pet, don’t adopt’ type?”

“I can’t even take care of myself, how can I take care of a cat?” Xiao Luohan explained softly. “Besides… I’m a little reluctant to see a beloved little creature suddenly disappear.”

“When I was young, a little sparrow was abandoned in a tree in the courtyard. My elder sister and I rescued it and raised it in a small nest Mother made from scraps of cloth and cotton, feeding it millet and corn every day…”

Recalling this, she still felt a little sad. “I thought that with such care, it would grow up quickly and be able to fly freely in the sky. But after a cold night, it just lay quietly in its nest, motionless.”

They had no experience raising sparrows. Even though they had provided what they thought was the best food and shelter, they could only watch as it silently passed away.

Jiang Xue closed her mouth after hearing the beginning and only spoke after Xiao Luohan finished, rubbing against her hand. “Then don’t adopt. It’s good that you have this concern. I also often think that if I can’t be responsible for any unforeseen circumstances, I shouldn’t raise a life. Otherwise, it would be…”

She didn’t finish her sentence, feeling it was a bit harsh.

But Xiao Luohan understood what she meant and nodded in agreement.

Two or three minutes passed quickly. Xiao Luohan, afraid of splashing the sauce from the instant rice packet on Jiang Xue, put the cat aside before tearing open the packet.

Jiang Xue jumped off the table and transformed back into a human, smiling. “I’ll treat you to Sister Cheng’s specialty Korean bibimbap sometime.”

Even though this was the flavor she had chosen for Xiao Luo, and she often stocked up on it herself, how could instant food compare to fresh food?

Actually, she had originally wanted to send Xiao Luohan an airplane meal for lunch. The first-class meals were quite good, but Jiang Mei had said it was best not to let others witness a “supernatural event”—there were cameras on the plane, so Jiang Xue had to give up on the idea.

Today’s lunch couldn’t be helped, but she still wanted to plan the other meals.

“By the way, Uncle Seuss usually has dinner around 7:30 PM, which is a bit late, but he likes afternoon tea and has it every day, without fail. I’ll send you some!” she said. “I used to love the grape scones and soufflés Uncle Seuss made…”

She started listing dishes, describing the ingredients and how to eat each dessert.

Xiao Luohan ate her mixed rice as she listened, feeling that it tasted even more delicious.

At 2:10 PM, the plane landed on time at the foreign airport.

Jiang Xue, dragging her suitcase in one hand and holding the diary in the other, followed Jiang Mei to the parking lot with Xie Xitong.

Uncle Seuss was already waiting at the agreed-upon spot. Compared to people in their home country, he was more reserved, only greeting the three girls with a warm smile.

“Get in the car. The roads are clear now. It’ll be worse when school lets out.”

He casually tied up his shoulder-length brown hair and gentlemanly opened the back door for them before going to the driver’s seat.

Seeing him take out a pair of glasses from the glove compartment and put them on, Jiang Xue said in surprise, “You’re nearsighted now?”

“I’m getting old, after all.” Uncle Seuss turned around and smiled at her. Through the lenses, his green eyes did seem dimmer than Jiang Xue remembered from a few years ago.

On the way to the manor, Jiang Xue updated her uncle on the latest developments.

Uncle Seuss had already heard about Xiao Luohan’s general situation from Jiang Mei. Back then, he had already decided that the Crown Prince of Daying wasn’t a good person, and even if Xiao Luohan had to stay in the ancient world, she had to find another way out and couldn’t be trapped in the palace.

Now, after hearing Jiang Xue’s story, he sighed deeply, pushed up his glasses at a red light, and said with a gloomy expression, “If your diary could send your uncle over there, I would sneak into the Eastern Palace tonight and send him straight to hell!”

Uncle Seuss looked gentle and had a mild temperament, but he was actually skilled in martial arts. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have agreed to let Ms. Jiang marry his younger sister—as a fellow practitioner, he could tell a person’s character just by testing their skills.

If anyone else said this, Jiang Xue would think they were bragging, but coming from Uncle Seuss, she actually felt it was feasible.

That’s why, when her older sister suggested borrowing a gun from her uncle, she had wanted to come here as soon as possible and learn more from him, so she could teach Xiao Luo.

“But three days is still too rushed.”

When the light turned green, Uncle Seuss calmly turned the car amidst the honking, continuing, “Although I’ve been working on a plan these past few days, ‘armchair strategizing’ is different from actual combat… Learn as much as you can.”

Despite saying this, as soon as the three girls arrived at his house and entered the study, they saw the blackboard covered with plans and various newly printed papers scattered on the floor.

And the wastebasket by the desk was already half-full of shredded paper.

“…Uncle Seuss is like this,” Jiang Xue explained to Xie Xitong. “He lists out all the possible plans and potential problems, and improves them bit by bit.”

She pointed to the paper shredder on the desk. “He discards the completely unfeasible plans.”

“Indeed, you must be amused,” Uncle Seuss said, taking a sheet of paper from the top of the blackboard and handing it to Jiang Xue. “This is the current plan. There’s only a textual description here. I’ll explain the details in person during the practical training.”

“If it were A-Xue, the difficulty of assassinating the Crown Prince would be slightly lower, but that little princess is weak and doesn’t seem to have much strength? We need to consider some things more carefully.”

After saying this, Uncle Seuss left the study. “I’ll be in the courtyard. Come out for afternoon tea after you’re done reading.”

His tone was calm, as if killing a Crown Prince was as casual as playing a game of soccer.

Xie Xitong, who had barely met him before, was intrigued, but Jiang Xue and Jiang Mei were used to it.

“Just think of him as having a severe case of chuunibyou,” Jiang Mei commented.

Jiang Xue carefully read the plan from beginning to end—she didn’t quite understand it. Her “chuunibyou” uncle’s thought process was erratic, and he used “code words” that probably only he understood.

Jiang Mei and Xie Xitong also leaned in for a closer look. In the end, the three decided it was better to ask her uncle for practical training directly.

When they returned to the courtyard, they saw Uncle Seuss grooming his beloved horse.

But a delicate afternoon tea was already set up on the small round table nearby: two three-tiered cake stands, a glass thermos of hot black tea, and cutlery and napkins placed in front of three seats.

Uncle Seuss’s afternoon tea depended on his mood. Sometimes it was traditional European style, sometimes a mix of various regional snacks.

The black tea was “Dianhong” that Ms. Wei had sent from China. It was Uncle Seuss’s favorite.

Jiang Xue took two grape scones to satisfy her hunger, then filled an empty plate with all the other snacks, greeted Xiao Luohan, and placed the plate on the diary.

“Is this the medium for transtemporal communication?”

Uncle Seuss had come over at some point, pushing up his glasses and watching with interest as the plate full of snacks disappeared into the diary. “Xiao Mei told me that this should be the intersection of two parallel worlds, but you haven’t figured out the principle yet?”

“We can’t. There are too few clues!” Jiang Xue shook her head.

Uncle Seuss smiled, sat down in his seat, poured her a cup of black tea, and said slowly, “Then let me share some of my current thoughts.”

“According to some ancient hypotheses, after death, the soul exists independently of our world, and the two worlds don’t interfere with each other, so ordinary people can’t see the souls of the deceased.”

He looked at Xie Xitong. “But also since ancient times, there have been a small number of people who have so-called ‘yin-yang eyes,’ who can not only see souls, but also things like resentment and vengeful spirits.”

“That belongs to a realm that ordinary people like us can’t access, but being unable to access it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. After all, there are still many unsolved mysteries in this world that we can’t observe with the naked eye or instruments.”

He picked up a sandwich. “Combining Xiao Mei’s speculation, I personally think that Xiao Linghan, in her soul state, probably came into contact with a realm inaccessible to the living and saw the possibility of two worlds intersecting.”

“Driven by strong obsession and resentment, she ‘captured’ the intersection of the two parallel worlds and bound it to her target—Xiao Luohan.”

“Of course, I’m not proposing a conspiracy theory, just stating a hypothesis. Based on the current information and the red fox’s behavior, I think Xiao Linghan’s motives are pure. We can even roughly construct a timeline based on her experiences.”

As he ate his sandwich, he picked up a packet of ketchup from the table, tore it open, and squeezed it onto an empty plate, using it to draw a timeline.

“The war between Daying and Beiliao, Xiao Linghan died in battle—in an area closer to Daying. But if she had been a little luckier, it would have been the Crown Prince who died in that battle. Let’s assume this is part of the ‘earthbound spirit’s’ obsession.”

“During her seven-day memorial period, she returned to Beiliao to bid farewell to her younger sister and mother. But her mother was poisoned by the Emperor of Beiliao, and her younger sister was about to be sent to Daying for a marriage alliance.”

“It would take some time for Xiao Luohan to travel to Daying, and the transtemporal diary appeared beside her pillow the day after she arrived—can I assume that when the diary appeared, Xiao Linghan had already successfully established the ‘intersection’ of the two parallel worlds?”

“Since the intersection has been established, she then needed to strengthen the connection between the two worlds through repeated interactions—that is, the connection between A-Xue and Xiao Luohan—to create a channel for crossing over, to send Xiao Luohan away from the land she hated.”

“As for the forms and contents of these interactions, I’m sure the two young ladies are very clear about them, so I won’t elaborate. Let me just state the conclusion.”

At the end of the timeline, Uncle Seuss drew a thick circle with ketchup.

“If my speculation is correct, then you don’t need to worry about the channel for crossing over.”

“Xiao Luohan will definitely come over safely. Her elder sister is someone with a deep obsession, willing to pay any price to make this happen.”