Yan Ruyu knew Ye Ling all too well.
She was just like a child. Her emotions came and went quickly.
Just now, she had failed to hold back her emotions for a moment and shed tears in front of Yan Ruyu.
Ye Ling rarely cried.
She knew that no matter what happened, crying could never solve the problem.
It was just that before, upon learning that Ji Qinglin was no longer alive, and with her master present.
Where there was her master, Zhao Shuning felt a sense of reliance. With reliance, people would become much weaker.
Just like a child. When she fell, it hurt. But if there was no loved one around, she might just pat the dust off and stand up.
But if her parents or elder siblings were there and they offered a bit of comfort, that fallen child would surely feel aggrieved and cry loudly.
Zhao Shuning felt that she was in such a state just now.
She thought it was childish.
When her master was around, even if the sky fell, her master would prop up a new sky for her.
" Ning'er, Ji Qinglin is not really dead. He is living in another way."
Zhao Shuning didn't look at Yan Ruyu.
Yan Ruyu held her hand, which gave her a lot of security.
" Thank you, master."
When she was a child, whenever Ye Ling missed her younger brother, Yan Ruyu would take her out of the cave on Qingyun Peak. Then they would stand on the top of the peak, and Yan Ruyu would point at the stars in the sky and tell her the origin and meaning of those stars.
Zhao Shuning was not interested in astronomy, so every time Yan Ruyu started talking, she would fall asleep quickly.
But because of this, she also developed a habit. Whenever she was sad, she would drag her master to the top of the peak to watch the stars.
" Ning'er, look—"
Zhao Shuning looked up.
" Originally, Ji Qinglin should have been there. He is a star in the sky. Although he has fallen in this plane, maybe in another plane, he is re - living in another way."
" Master, you're kidding a child again."
Yan Ruyu smiled gently, a very charming smile.
Zhao Shuning was captivated by it.
Did her master know that he was such a beauty? How wonderful it would be if she could see his smile often.
" I'm not kidding Ning'er. Do you know that in another plane, there are the Three Realms?"
" The Three Realms? What are the Three Realms?"
" The mortal realm, the celestial realm, and the underworld."
" The underworld? I know. I've read in books that there are two soul - reaping messengers in the underworld called the Black and White Impermanence. When people die, they will be taken to the underworld. After being judged by the judge and having their crimes known, they will cross the Naihe Bridge, drink a bowl of Mengpo's soup, then cross the Wangchuan River and enter the cycle of reincarnation. Right?"
" A lot of it is right."
" Can what's said in the storybooks be taken seriously?"
" Some things are not groundless."
Zhao Shuning nodded.
" Ning'er believes so easily."
" Actually, I believe whatever master says. I still remember that when I first saw you as a child, you looked like this. Now, I've been reborn, but you still look the same. People say you're the millennium imperial teacher, and the rumors are so amazing. I also think so."
Zhao Shuning paused for a moment before adding the last sentence.
Yan Ruyu said, " Ning'er, three days later will be your birthday banquet. What do you want then? I'll find it for you, okay?"
" No need. Master has given me so much already."
The burden in Zhao Shuning's heart was lifted a bit.
Ji Qinglin's death had a great impact on her.
" Master, is there really no progress regarding the matter of the little follower?"
Yan Ruyu said, " Do you want to hear it?"
" Yes!"
Zhao Shuning nodded heavily.
Yan Ruyu said, " Xia Wanning said it was Zhao Huai who did it."
Zhao Huai?
" No, this is absolutely impossible! Master, you don't understand my elder brother. He's not such a person. We grew up together. He's a kind - hearted person on normal days. It's possible to say that I killed the little follower, but if you say it's my elder brother, I won't believe it even if you beat me to death."
" This is just Xia Wanning's guess. Ning'er, you're quite different towards your elder brother Zhao Huai."
Zhao Shuning withdrew her gaze and looked down at the bottom of the Ten - Thousand Buddhas Pagoda.
" Master, you don't know. Zhao Huai is really nice."
" Nicer than me?"
Zhao Shuning looked up. Under the moonlight, Yan Ruyu's face showed a trace of loss.
She was stunned and didn't react for a moment.
" Master, you?"
" Just asking. It's okay."
" Master and Zhao Huai are both very important people to me. You two can't be compared."
Because there was simply no comparability between them.
Yan Ruyu was the person Zhao Shuning loved and also the person she respected the most.
And Zhao Huai was Zhao Shuning's family member. They grew up together. When Zhao Shuning was still a baby, Zhao Huai held her the most. She could also feel Zhao Huai's care for her.
" Ning'er, if you're sleepy, go to sleep."
Zhao Shuning nodded.
She leaned on Yan Ruyu's shoulder and slowly fell asleep.
The night was as gentle as water. The faint moonlight shone on Zhao Shuning's side face, giving her a hazy beauty.
Ning'er was just like this. No matter how heavy the blow she received, she could stand up quickly. In her previous life, many people said she was heartless and had no feelings. But Yan Ruyu knew that Ning'er just felt that she didn't have the right to be weak. If she wasn't strong, the people she protected and who cared about her would surely suffer more serious harm.
So, it wasn't that she didn't feel pain. She just didn't have the time to grieve.
She had to use all her time to take care of the people she cared about and who cared about her.
Zhao Shuning had to move forward to avenge him.
She fell asleep.
Yan Ruyu looked at Zhao Shuning's face. Then his slender and fair fingers gently placed her head in his arms.
The starry sky that could be seen from the Ten - Thousand Buddhas Pagoda was limited.
The night wind was very cold. Yan Ruyu was worried that Zhao Shuning would get sick the next day if she was exposed to it for too long.
So he picked her up. With a flash, he was at the door of the Zhao family.
At this time, Zhao Zheng and Lin Min'er were waiting at Zhao Shuning's door for her to come back. They heard that their daughter was in a bad mood and wanted to come and talk to her.
But what they waited for was Yan Ruyu carrying Zhao Shuning.
Seeing this scene.
Zhao Zheng's face turned a bit ashen.
After all, his daughter was the apple of his eye. He didn't want his daughter to have too close contact with those men.
Looking at the sleeping Zhao Shuning in Yan Ruyu's arms, Zhao Zheng still sighed and gently pushed the door open.
" Come in."
" Thank you."
After Yan Ruyu put Zhao Shuning on the bed, he quickly came out.
Zhao Zheng was still waiting for him at the door.
" It's too late today, sir. If you're free tomorrow, we need to have a good talk."
Yan Ruyu nodded.
" Okay."