Zhu Xian: They've all been reborn

He turned around, his gaze sweeping over them blankly.

My mind was a complete mess, like a ball of yarn scratched by a hundred cats, impossible to sort out, leaving only frustration and an impulse to give up entirely.

talk?

Let's talk then.

Can't we come up with something more interesting?

He shook off Tian Ling'er's hand, walked back to the center of the room, casually pulled up a round stool closest to the door, sat down, crossed his arms, adopting a defensive posture that seemed to say, "If you want to talk, talk it out quickly and then leave."

"What are we talking about?" he asked, his voice dry and devoid of emotion.

"How do you plan to divide the spoils among me?"

Who gets to keep the day?

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday belong to Lu Xueqi; Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday belong to Biyao; Sunday is rock-paper-scissors between Xiaobai and Tian Ling'er.

Or should it be based on the hour?

Go back to Tian Ling'er in the morning, to Xiao Bai at noon, to Bi Yao in the afternoon, and to Lu Xueqi in the evening?

These words were harsh, filled with sarcasm and self-deprecation.

He hadn't actually intended to say that, but the words were on the tip of his tongue, and the frustration and helplessness he felt turned into a thorny shell.

The four women's expressions all changed.

Lu Xueqi frowned almost imperceptibly, a hint of displeasure flashing in her cool eyes, but she quickly regained her composure, only her gaze towards him deepened.

Biyao bit her lip, her dark green eyes dimmed, and her fingers tightened around her sash.

Xiao Bai clicked her tongue softly, a hint of helplessness flashing in her silver eyes, and shook her head, saying, "Xiao Chuan Chuan, don't say things out of anger."

Tian Ling'er's eyes reddened even more, her voice trembling with grievance: "Xiao Chuan! How could you say that! We weren't..."

"So how do you want to talk?" Jiang Xiaochuan interrupted her, his tone still stiff, his gaze sweeping back and forth across the four people's faces.

"Talking about feelings?"

I have feelings for any of you.

Lu Xueqi, I admit it, you were good to me, you taught me cultivation, helped me forge swords, and stayed with me for nine years.

But is that 'liking'?

Is it 'love'?

I have no idea!

I can't tell if it's gratitude, dependence, or something else!

Biyao, you tied me up, locked me up, beat me, and... and treated me like that, I only feel fear and disgust!

Little White, you've been with me for much longer, but most of the time I only thought of you as a fox that was exceptionally intelligent. Suddenly you turned into a human, suddenly you said you loved me, I... I couldn't accept it!

"Tian Ling'er, you are my senior sister. We grew up together. I feel familial affection and dependence on you, and perhaps... a little bit of affection, but it's definitely not the kind of unforgettable, 'I'll marry no one but you' kind of love you're talking about!"

He finished speaking in one breath, his chest rising and falling slightly, as if he had run a long way.

These words had been bottled up inside me for a long time. Saying them out loud didn't make me feel any relief; instead, it added to my confusion and helplessness.

He was telling the truth.

At least, it's the genuine confusion he can feel right now.

"So, what are we talking about?" he repeated, his voice lowered, weary.

"How did I develop that kind of...so-called 'love' for all four of you in such a short time?"

I can not do it.

I am not one of those romantic talents in plays who fall in love with every woman they meet and are passionately devoted to one another.

I'm just an ordinary person—a coward, afraid of trouble, and...emotionally slow.

Silence fell in the room once again.

The only sounds were his slightly rapid breathing and the rustling of bamboo leaves in the wind outside the window.

After a long while, Xiaobai finally let out a soft sigh, breaking the silence.

She shifted to an even more languid posture, leaning against the soft couch, her silver eyes gazing at the swaying bamboo shadows outside the window, her voice somewhat unsteady:

"Actually... if it weren't for considering how you felt at the time, being afraid of scaring you, and being afraid of... making things worse."

When I found you after my rebirth, you were only eight years old, a tiny little thing. I should have just kidnapped you.

I'll take you to a place where no one can find you, raise you by my side, and watch you grow up little by little, with only me in your eyes and heart.

And that's how all the trouble that followed was avoided.

Her tone carried a hint of regret, and a subtle, almost imperceptible, reverie about "what ifs".

These words, spoken casually, sent a chill down Jiang Xiaochuan's spine.

Abducted at the age of eight?

develop?

He couldn't help but shiver, and his gaze towards Xiaobai held a hint of horror.

This old monster is truly beyond the comprehension of ordinary people!

Lu Xueqi glanced coldly at Xiaobai, ignoring her words, and instead looked at Jiang Xiaochuan, her tone returning to its usual coldness and an almost analytical calmness:

Feelings can be cultivated.

There is a nine-year foundation between us.

Biyao is deeply obsessed with you, but her methods are extreme.

Xiaobai has been with you for a long time, and our friendship is deep.

Tian Ling'er and you were childhood sweethearts, and your feelings for each other were pure.

It seems that you are not heartless towards us, but you are either not yet clear about it or unwilling to face it.

She paused, her gaze icy and sharp as she looked into Jiang Xiaochuan's eyes:

"You said you're not a romantic and talented man, and that you can't fall in love with all four of us at the same time."

If we set aside the word 'love' and only ask our hearts, who do you... dislike being around?

Whom do you dislike being close to?

Or, if you had to choose one person to spend the rest of your life with right now, would you have even a slight preference in your heart?

Even if it's just because of habit, or because of... guilt?

This question is more tricky and more direct than the previous ones.

Jiang Xiaochuan was stunned.

Dislike? Aversion?

It doesn't seem like it's gotten to that point yet...

Lu Xueqi's closeness made him nervous, but he didn't seem to dislike it; in fact, he seemed to be... somewhat used to and dependent on it.

Biyao's approach frightened him, but the memory of her tears made him feel a lump in his throat.

Xiao Bai's touch made his heart race and left him at a loss.

Tian Ling'er... he just didn't want to hurt her.

Choosing one person to spend the rest of your life with?

His mind subconsciously flashed images of Lu Xueqi's aloof face, Biyao's despairing eyes, Xiaobai's languid smile, and Tian Ling'er's aggrieved tears...

It's chaotic, so chaotic.

Bias?

Perhaps... there's a slight bias towards Lu Xueqi?

After all, it's been nine years. After all... she seems to know everything, and she always seems to give him a strange sense of security.

But this bias was so slight that even he himself was unsure.

"I..." He opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything.

Severe case of decision paralysis, hopeless.

Biyao looked at his hesitant and struggling appearance, a trace of pain flashed in her eyes, but a faint hope was also ignited.

At least he didn't immediately say things like "I hate you the most" or "I would never choose you," right?

Tian Ling'er looked at him nervously, her fingers tightly intertwined.

Xiao Bai raised an eyebrow, looking on with amusement, but deep in her silver eyes, there was a hint of barely perceptible tension.

Jiang Xiaochuan felt his scalp tingle under their gazes, and the thoughts of "giving up" and "what's the use of trying" grew wildly in his mind again.

He even had an extremely absurd thought that, if spoken aloud, might get him beaten to death on the spot by Tian Buyi and viewed strangely by his fellow disciples.

Or, why not just say you like men?

One hundred!

But as soon as the thought popped into his head, he dismissed it.

No, Tian Buyi could probably break his legs, and Su Ru's teacher's wife would probably faint on the spot. He Dazhi, Du Bishu, and the others don't know how they'll talk about him... Forget it, this path won't work.

What should we do then?

He thought despondently, "Maybe... I should just do whatever."

They do whatever they want, and it seems like... it doesn't matter who they're with?

In any case, objectively speaking, Lu Xueqi is an absolute beauty and genius, Xiao Bai is mysterious and powerful, Bi Yao has a noble status, and Tian Ling'er is her childhood sweetheart...

No matter who he's with, it seems like he always gets the better deal?

Although this "cheap" deal is a hot potato, it might also attract other "cheap" offers that could come at a price...

Or... take them all?

The thought was even more terrifying and absurd, like a bolt of lightning striking his chaotic mind.

In my past life, when I read online novels, I did fantasize about having two women on my left and right and enjoying the bliss of having multiple wives, but that was just a fantasy!

Just imagining it happening to him made his legs weak, his kidneys ache, and his head feel like it was going to explode.

Moreover, does Lu Xueqi's attitude just now seem like that of someone who is open to "sharing"?

He subconsciously and stealthily raised his eyelids, quickly glancing at the four women in front of him.

His gaze first fell on Lu Xueqi's face.

Yes, beautiful, with an aloof and unparalleled air. Her skin is as smooth as fine white porcelain, her eyebrows and eyes are exquisite, her nose is straight, and her lips... are very pale in color, but have a beautiful shape.

His gaze involuntarily slid down, passing over her slender and graceful neck, and landing on her shapely chest wrapped in a moon-white Taoist robe... The robe's fabric was soft, yet it couldn't conceal the astonishing curves and fullness beneath.

A thought flashed through his mind uncontrollably:

It seems... it's too big to hold in one hand?

Pooh!

Jiang Xiaochuan, what are you thinking!

He quickly looked away, his face feeling a little hot.

Their gazes shifted to Xiaobai. Xiaobai leaned back lazily, the neckline of her light green gauze dress slightly open, revealing a section of her delicate, snow-white collarbone and an alluring cleavage below.

Her silver hair partially obscured her figure, adding to her allure. She seemed more...voluptuous than Lu Xueqi, with those curves...

Jiang Xiaochuan's throat moved as he recalled the time Xiaobai "forced" him to press his hand against her chest. The touch was... incredibly soft, and also... frighteningly hot.

It seems... it's too big to hold in one hand?

Stop!

Can't think any more!

He glanced at Biyao again.

Biyao wore a light green dress today, which made her skin look like jade and her figure slender.

She seemed to notice his gaze, slightly puffed out her chest, a blush rose on her face, but her eyes held a hint of provocation and expectation.

Jiang Xiaochuan quickly looked away, but muttered to himself:

It seems like... the size is just right?

One hand... can probably... hold it?

bah bah bah!

Jiang Xiaochuan, are you a fucking scoundrel?!

Finally, it's Tian Ling'er.

His body hasn't fully developed yet, and he still looks a bit immature.

Her chest... well, it seems rather reserved compared to the other three.

The words "xiaolongbao" popped into Jiang Xiaochuan's head at an inopportune moment, and he immediately wanted to slap himself.

Tian Ling'er is your senior sister!

We grew up playing naked together! (Although he doesn't remember us.)

He despised himself in this serious (?) moment of negotiation.

My mind is actually wandering to all sorts of random thoughts!

They're worse than animals!

No, they're beasts!

However, how could the subtle changes in his facial expressions, especially the brief lingering of his gaze on those key areas and the subsequent blush and shifty eyes, escape the eyes of the four women who were staring intently at him?

Lu Xueqi's brows furrowed completely, a hint of understanding flashed in her clear, cold eyes, along with a barely perceptible... embarrassment and annoyance?

She knows him too well.

Having been husband and wife for hundreds of years in their past lives, his little tricks and schemes were almost impossible to hide from her.

This guy says no with his mouth, but his body (eyes) tells a different story.

Moreover, she was already used to his "appreciation" and "knowledge" of her figure, and even... deep down, she didn't dislike it; on the contrary, she felt a secret satisfaction.

Who told him to like biting there when he loses control?

Thinking of this, Lu Xueqi's ears also felt a little hot, but her face remained expressionless. However, her gaze towards Jiang Xiaochuan became even more profound.

Xiao Bai chuckled, her silver eyes curving into crescents, filled with undisguised mockery and smugness.

She deliberately stretched her body further, making her curves more pronounced, and said in a lazy, amused voice, "Oh, it seems our little Chuan Chuan isn't completely indifferent to us older sisters after all~ What are you looking at? Hmm?"

Biyao also noticed the momentary pause and dodge when Jiang Xiaochuan's gaze swept across her chest. A hint of understanding and a complex emotion flashed in her dark green eyes.

Sure enough, this guy is still the same coward at heart, all lust and no guts.

In their past life, she teased him relentlessly, leaving him blushing and flustered, yet he never dared to cross the line.

Even when he was bound and humiliated in this life, apart from fear and resistance, he never showed any truly lewd desires in his eyes.

I don't know whether to be glad or angry about this.

Tian Ling'er's face flushed bright red, like a boiled shrimp.

Although she didn't fully understand the meaning behind Jiang Xiaochuan's lingering gaze, her female instincts made her aware of that scrutiny, especially the subtle... pause after the comparison?

She subconsciously puffed out her chest, trying to make herself look more "well-endowed".

But then she felt that the action was too embarrassing, so she quickly hunched her shoulders and shrank back.

Her cheeks were burning hot enough to fry an egg; she was both ashamed and angry. She glared at Jiang Xiaochuan, her eyes screaming, "You pervert!" and "You filthy!"

Jiang Xiaochuan was exposed by Xiaobai's words, and then stared at by four gazes with different meanings, all of which made him feel ashamed. His face flushed red, almost to the point of bleeding!

He sprang up from the stool as if he had a spring under his buttocks.

"I...I...I'm going to see Master and Mistress!" He stammered, then rushed out of the side hall like he was being chased by a ghost, crashing into the door with a loud bang. He staggered and almost fled in panic.

The four women left in the side hall looked at each other in bewilderment.

Lu Xueqi looked at the still-shaking door and sighed softly. The shame and anger in her eyes faded, leaving only a faint helplessness and a hint of... indulgence?

I knew it would be like this.

Xiao Bai laughed so hard her silver hair trembled with her laughter: "You run really fast~ But at least you're not a complete block of wood anymore."

Biyao pouted and snorted, "A coward with lustful thoughts but no guts." Her tone was no longer as cold and desperate as before.

Tian Ling'er covered her face, still embarrassed by what had just happened, but also felt a strange, inexplicable joy in her heart.

At least... he looked at it and even compared it? Although the result left her a little disappointed.

The atmosphere inside the side hall was strangely eased a little because of Jiang Xiaochuan's "suicidal" escape.

At least, that heavy, suffocating rigidity has been broken.

Jiang Xiaochuan ran wildly until he rushed into the front courtyard of Shoujing Hall. Only when he was exposed to the afternoon sun did he feel the burning heat on his face subside a little.

He leaned against the old locust tree in the yard, panting heavily, cursing himself a thousand times in his heart.

Jiang Xiaochuan, you've really made something of yourself!

How can you still be thinking about those things at a time like this!

They even got caught red-handed!

I'm too ashamed to show my face!

"Seventh Brother? What are you doing here? Why is your face so red? Were you chased by a ghost?" Tian Buyi's rough voice came from behind.