Chapter 38: Confession
The Sword Saint taking on new disciples was a momentous occasion, though Luo Nianshang herself didn’t see it that way.
She was currently focused on guiding Bai Jingxue’s cultivation. The cat, naturally gifted, had smoothly reached the Foundation Establishment stage under Luo Nianshang’s tutelage.
Bai Jingxue, sensing the steady flow of spiritual energy within her body, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction, was pleased.
She craved power. Strength would solve many of her problems.
Luo Nianshang was also pleased. “Little White, you’re so clever,” she said, a smile curving her lips. “What reward would you like?”
“Meow.”
Luo Nianshang realized, with a pang of embarrassment, that she couldn’t understand the cat. “You’ll be able to transform once you reach the Nascent Soul stage,” she said, patting Bai Jingxue’s head.
She couldn’t help but wonder, “What will Little White look like in human form?”
What would she look like? Bai Jingxue thought back to her past life. Her most notable assets had been her intelligence and her appearance.
She had always been cautious, distrustful of the world, believing that beauty was a dangerous trait.
She had kept her head down, avoiding attention.
As a result, during those formative years of adolescence, she had never received a single love letter.
Then, after the college entrance exam, she had found a long, heartfelt confession tucked into the pocket of her spare uniform. It had been signed “Lü Qingyan.”
Bai Jingxue would never forget the mix of emotions she had felt: the joy of being loved, the confusion that followed.
She had kept the letter, then continued with her life as if nothing had changed.
The end of the exams had also marked the end of her time in that city. She had two months to earn enough money for tuition before moving to another province.
She had packed her belongings, her suitcase surprisingly light, but the memories she was leaving behind felt heavy.
She couldn’t understand why anyone would love someone as awkward and introverted as her. She had wanted to escape.
As she had descended the stairs, a thought had struck her. Did she also have feelings for Lü Qingyan? Was that why she had felt such joy upon reading the confession?
Her mind a jumbled mess, she had quickened her pace. She usually took the bus, but she had hailed a taxi, then couldn’t help but glance back as she watched the city fade into the distance.
The taxi driver was a chatterbox, which was torture for Bai Jingxue.
“How did the exams go, young lady?”
Bai Jingxue, suppressing a sigh, replied, “They were okay.”
“Ah, well, it’s alright. Are you going home alone?”
He had asked because the streets were filled with private cars, parents picking up their children after the exams. Even those who couldn’t afford cars were waiting outside the exam hall.
He immediately realized his question had been insensitive. “Well, sometimes parents are busy,” he said, trying to recover.
Bai Jingxue forced a smile.
Her parents weren’t busy. They had simply forgotten that it was the last day of the exams. But she had long since abandoned any expectations from them.
They reached the bus station.
Bai Jingxue’s home was in the countryside. Buses there were infrequent. She waited for over forty minutes before boarding one.
She settled into a window seat at the back of the bus. Her phone vibrated, and she pulled it out. It was Lü Qingyan.
Her heart pounded. She almost dropped the phone. Answering would be awkward. They had both pretended the confession hadn’t happened.
After a moment of hesitation, she declined the call.
A message popped up on her phone.
[Lü Qingyan]: Jingxue, why did you hang up?
Lü Qingyan’s username wasn’t her real name, but Bai Jingxue had changed it in her contacts.
She hadn’t expected Lü Qingyan to contact her through messaging. She was about to delete Lü Qingyan’s contact when another message arrived.
[Lü Qingyan]: You left your wallet and ID card at my place!
Bai Jingxue froze, her finger hovering above the delete button. She frantically searched her bag, her heart sinking as she confirmed that her wallet was indeed missing.
She quickly asked the driver to stop, then rushed off the bus.
Panicked, she called Lü Qingyan. “Are you home?”
The background noise on the other end of the line was chaotic, as if Lü Qingyan were at a market.
Lü Qingyan chuckled. “Why are you in such a hurry?” she asked. “Is something chasing you?”
Bai Jingxue was speechless. The person “chasing” her was the one she was talking to. Lü Qingyan had written a confession, then pretended it hadn’t happened.
But since Lü Qingyan hadn’t brought it up, Bai Jingxue couldn’t initiate the conversation.
“Where are you?” she asked. “I need to get home.”
“Home?” Lü Qingyan said, surprised. “But the road to your village is under construction. It’s closed.”
This news was devastating. Bai Jingxue, usually calm and composed, raised her voice. “It’s under construction again?!”
That road was always under construction, constantly being closed and reopened.
“Yeah, I checked because I knew you were going home,” Lü Qingyan said. “It’s only accessible halfway. Don’t leave yet. I’ll take you home tomorrow.”
Bai Jingxue frowned. “How?”
“Hey, mister, these are all dead! Give me the fresh ones! Don’t try to cheat me just because I’m a girl! Huh? What did you say, Jingxue? It’s too noisy here.”
“I asked how you were going to take me home.”
“I’ll drive you on my motorcycle,” Lü Qingyan said, her voice muffled as she carried a bag of fresh shrimp out of the market.
Bai Jingxue hadn’t known Lü Qingyan could ride a motorcycle.
“Just stay one more night,” Lü Qingyan said. “I’ll make you dinner.”
“It’s settled then. Come back quickly.”
She hung up before Bai Jingxue could respond.
The bus had already traveled some distance. There were no buses available at this location. Bai Jingxue sighed, hailing a taxi back to the city.
The driver rolled down the window, and they both stared at each other, surprised.
The driver chuckled. “Looks like you’re bringing me good business today, young lady.”
Bai Jingxue forced a smile.
It was already dark when she returned to the apartment. She dragged her weary body up the stairs.
She placed her key in a spot where Lü Qingyan would find it, but before she could retrieve it, the door opened.
Lü Qingyan, wearing an apron, a spatula in her hand, greeted her with a smile.
She quickly disappeared into the kitchen, setting down the spatula and turning off the stove. She grabbed Bai Jingxue’s suitcase, pulling her inside.
“You’re just in time,” she said. “Dinner’s almost ready. Is there anything else you want to eat? I can’t cook it now, but I can order takeout.”
Bai Jingxue stared at the four dishes already on the table, her mind reeling. It felt like New Year’s Eve.
Wasn’t this enough? She wanted to order more?
Lü Qingyan placed the final dish, a spicy shrimp stir-fry, on the table, then removed her apron, muttering, “That vendor tried to cheat me because I’m a kid. He kept raising the prices and giving me the dead ones. Luckily, I’m smart.”
She placed two bowls of rice on the table, then rummaged through the refrigerator. “Where’s the yogurt?” she mumbled. “Ah, found it!”
Bai Jingxue, staring at the cold yogurt and the steaming dishes, felt her stomach churn before she had even taken a bite.
After dinner, Bai Jingxue sat on the couch, her silence heavy with awkwardness.
Lü Qingyan, however, was already putting on her shoes, her voice cheerful. “Let’s go for a walk,” she said.
She acted as if nothing had changed, as if she hadn’t written that confession. Bai Jingxue began to wonder if it had been a prank.
The park was bustling with activity. People were dancing in the square, and vendors had set up stalls, their wares illuminated by colorful lights.
Plush toys were displayed on blankets, and the vendor stood beside them, holding a ring toss game. A handwritten sign read “Twenty yuan for ten rings.”
But the most eye-catching item was a small blue cage containing a puppy.
The puppy, only a month old, trembled, overwhelmed by the noise and the crowd.
Bai Jingxue paused, her gaze fixed on the puppy. Lü Qingyan, noticing her interest, immediately bought ten rings.
“Here, Jingxue.”
Bai Jingxue glanced at her, momentarily mesmerized by Lü Qingyan’s smile.
She quickly looked away, forcing herself to focus on the task at hand. She began to toss the rings, aiming for the cage.
She missed every single one.
Just as she was about to give up, a ring landed perfectly around the cage.
“I got it, Jingxue! What else do you want?”
A while later, Bai Jingxue was walking down the street, her arms full of plush toys, the cage containing the puppy dangling from her hand.
The puppy, suddenly airborne, whimpered anxiously.
Bai Jingxue set the cage down. They wandered aimlessly, eventually reaching a bridge.
Bai Jingxue loved this spot. She often came here alone to enjoy the view.
But now, she wasn’t alone.
Remembering the confession, she felt a surge of awkwardness. Lü Qingyan, oblivious, was crouched down, playing with the puppy.
“Its fur is so white,” Lü Qingyan said, her voice filled with delight.
Bai Jingxue glanced at the puppy, then shook her head. “It’ll turn yellow when it grows up.”
She frowned, noticing Lü Qingyan’s school uniform. “Why are you still wearing that?” she asked. “I thought you hated it.”
Lü Qingyan scratched her head, her cheeks flushing under Bai Jingxue’s surprised gaze.
She took a deep breath, as if gathering her courage. “I have something for you,” she said.
She reached into her pocket, her expression shifting from shyness to panic.
She turned her pockets inside out. “It’s gone? But how?”
Bai Jingxue, seeing her frantic search, instantly guessed what she had intended to give her.
The clumsy girl had probably put the confession in the wrong pocket. Their uniforms had been hanging side by side.
The awkwardness she had been feeling vanished. She couldn’t help but tease Lü Qingyan. “What is it?” she asked.
Lü Qingyan was a mixture of embarrassment, frustration, and anxiety. She had spent hours revising that confession, crafting the perfect words. Losing it was devastating.
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. “Jingxue, there’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you.”
“I like you. Not as a friend. I want you to be my girlfriend.”
“This might be sudden. I’m not very good with words.”
She paused, glancing at Bai Jingxue, her voice hesitant. “What do you think of me?”
Bai Jingxue looked up at the sky, her thoughts racing. Finally, she smiled. “I think you’re quite cute.”
Her answer was vague, and Lü Qingyan was about to press for clarification when Bai Jingxue pulled out a few sheets of paper from her pocket.
Lü Qingyan’s face burned as she recognized her confession.
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