Transmigrating into the world of Jade Dynasty, I was targeted by the female lead in a reverse romanc

"I can't reach it."

Jiang Xiaochuan, with a long face, was desperate: "She just... she just likes me, what can I do..."

Tian Buyi was completely speechless.

His chubby face shifted between expressions of astonishment, confusion, and disbelief, eventually turning into a jumbled mess.

He glanced at Jiang Xiaochuan, then at Su Ru, who was equally bewildered, and finally just waved his hand helplessly, signaling Jiang Xiaochuan to get lost.

Jiang Xiaochuan felt as if he had been granted a pardon and quickly got up and slipped back to the vicinity of the cave entrance.

He sat on his bunk, lost in thought for a while, then looked towards Tian Ling'er. Tian Ling'er was lying on her side with her back to him, motionless, as if she were asleep.

Jiang Xiaochuan hesitated for a long time, but still tiptoed over and squatted down next to her. Tian Ling'er didn't react, but Jiang Xiaochuan saw that her eyelids were trembling slightly and her eyelashes were wet.

He sighed, took out a small oil paper packet from his pocket, and gently placed it next to Tian Ling'er. Inside were some simple milk candies he had made earlier, with a little honey added, sweet but not cloying.

"Ling'er, this... is for you to eat."

Tian Ling'er stiffened for a moment, then remained motionless and silent.

Jiang Xiaochuan waited for a while, but when she didn't react, he had no choice but to stand up and tiptoe back.

As soon as he left, Tian Ling'er slowly opened her eyes. She looked at the small oil paper package beside her, bit her lip, and then reached out to take it and open it.

Inside were several milky white, thumb-sized candy cubes, emitting a faint milky and sweet aroma.

She picked one up, put it in her mouth, and the sweetness melted on her tongue, carrying the rich aroma of milk, sweetening her heart. It felt like... she wasn't so sad anymore.

She curled up, buried her face in her arms, and silently ate the candy, one piece after another.

Su Ru watched from a distance, feeling both heartache and helplessness. She walked over, sat down next to Tian Ling'er, and gently patted her daughter's back.

Tian Ling'er didn't look up, but simply handed the oil paper package in her hand to Su Ru.

Su Ru shook her head and didn't take it. She looked at her daughter's slightly trembling shoulders and sighed silently.

Jiang Xiaochuan returned to his bunk and saw Su Ru comforting Tian Ling'er. He felt even worse. After thinking for a moment, he walked over to Su Ru and took out a small oil paper packet, which he then put into Su Ru's hand.

"Master's wife, you should eat some too. Girls... should all like sweet things."

Su Ru paused for a moment, looking at the small oil paper packet in her hand, then looked up at Jiang Xiaochuan. In the firelight, the boy had a slightly ingratiating, cautious smile on his face, his eyes clear, and still carrying a lingering sense of guilt.

Her heart softened, and she felt a pang of sadness. She opened the oil paper package, picked up a piece of candy, and put it in her mouth. It was sweet and warm.

"My teacher's wife is not young anymore, why is she still eating candy?" she said softly, her tone gentle.

"In my heart, my teacher's wife will always be eighteen years old," Jiang Xiaochuan blurted out.

Su Ru was taken aback again, then burst out laughing and gently tapped Jiang Xiaochuan's forehead.

"You're so sweet-talking."

"Really, your master's wife is young and beautiful. If you go out, people will definitely think that you and Senior Sister Ling'er are sisters."

Su Ru's smile deepened as he coaxed her, and the fine lines around her eyes smoothed out. She jokingly scolded him, "You have no manners!" But her mood inexplicably improved.

She casually picked up a piece of candy from the oil paper package, tossed it behind her without even looking at it, and the candy flew in an arc, landing precisely in the arms of Tian Buyi, who was leaning against the stone wall with a look of "I'm contemplating life."

Tian Buyi was jolted awake by the candy. He picked it up, frowned, and muttered, "So sweet, what's so good about it..."

As he spoke, he popped the candy into his mouth, smacked his lips a couple of times, then looked at Su Ru, his voice muffled: "...Is there any more?"

Su Ru rolled her eyes at him, ignored him, took another candy, and slowly ate it. The sweetness filled her mouth, washing away the vexation in her heart.

Night deepened, and the sounds of snoring returned to the cave. Jiang Xiaochuan lay on his bunk, eyes open, staring at the dark cave ceiling.

The sweetness of the seafood from the afternoon and the refreshing taste of coconut water still lingered in my mouth, and the warm weight of the Tianya Sword still seemed to remain in my arms.

He turned over and closed his eyes.

"Sister Hongli," he called softly in his heart.

After a few moments, Hong Li's lazy, slightly sleepy voice rang out: "Hmm? Still not sleeping in the middle of the night, thinking about which little girl again?"

"No," Jiang Xiaochuan said in a muffled voice.

"Why would I call you if you weren't here?" Hongli yawned, her voice muffled. "Disturbing my peaceful sleep, may I be struck by lightning!"

"I can't sleep," Jiang Xiaochuan said, his voice lowering. "I'm a little... unhappy."

Hong Li was silent for a moment, and then Jiang Xiaochuan felt that the cold silence deep in his left chest seemed to ripple slightly, almost imperceptibly. A gentle, indescribable aura slowly spread out, not warm, but strangely soothing the anxiety in his heart.

"Oh, even our little heartless one can be unhappy?" Hongli's voice softened, sounding like she was coaxing a child.

"Tell me, who upset you again? Lu Xueqi was really nice to you today, cooking for you and sleeping next to you. That fat guy Tian Buyi didn't scold you either, and Zhang Xiaofan looked at you like you were a treasure. What are you unhappy about?"

Jiang Xiaochuan didn't answer immediately. He listened to the distant sound of the waves outside the cave for a long time before asking in a low voice, "Sister Hongli, why... are you so good to me?"

Hong Li seemed to be taken aback for a moment.

"Why? Why?"

"How do you know what I'm thinking, know everything about me, and why have you been following me and helping me all this time?"

Jiang Xiaochuan asked softly, as if asking himself, "I'm just a... lost soul who inexplicably came here. My aptitude is decent, but my cultivation is low, and I'm always causing trouble. What are you after?"

The cave was quiet except for the sounds of snoring and the waves. Hongli remained silent for a long time.

Just when Jiang Xiaochuan thought she wouldn't answer, or would try to brush him off with some other nonsense, Hong Li's voice suddenly rang out, very calm, so calm it was almost hollow.

"Me? ...originally, I was nothing."

Jiang Xiaochuan was taken aback.

"It has no shape, no consciousness, and not even the concept of 'existence'."

It's just... a touch of pure 'sharpness,' a touch of 'killing intent' condensed to the extreme, floating in a vast expanse of 'nothingness.'

How long did it drift? I don't know.

Time has no meaning there; it has no past, no future, no up, down, left, or right. It just drifts, drifts on and on, until it completely dissipates or is swallowed up by something else.

Her voice was calm, as if she were telling someone else's story.

"Later, one day, I 'sense' something nearby, another... an 'existence' that was about to be completely swallowed by that 'nothingness,' very weak and scattered, like a candle flame in the wind, about to go out in the next second, but for some reason, I 'moved closer,' and then... it grabbed me."

Jiang Xiaochuan held his breath.

"We held on tightly, using the last bit of strength, and then... we were entangled together. My 'sharpness,' his fading consciousness, and the chaotic, fragmented spacetime turbulence around us... all mingled together. It was a strange feeling, like... dying once and coming back to life. I regained 'consciousness,' though it was blurry. I saw a crack, very thin, shimmering with light, leading to another place. We... we crawled inside."

"Then, we arrived here. Your body... was in terrible condition back then, almost unusable. I spent a lot of effort piecing together the fragments, adjusting and repairing it. As for your height... I shortened it a bit to avoid you standing out too much. I also slightly optimized your aptitude. Otherwise, with your original foundation, you might never even reach the edge of the fourth level of Jade Purity even if you cultivated until you died. As for the rest... you know."

She stopped and said no more.

Jiang Xiaochuan felt as if something was blocking his throat, and his eyes felt a little sore and swollen. He blinked, forcing back the moisture.

It turned out to be the case.

"Thank you, Sister Hongli."

"Call me wife," Hong Li immediately corrected, her tone returning to its usual lazy manner.

"Wife," Jiang Xiaochuan obediently changed his address.

But after a while, he called out softly again, "Sister Hongli..."

Hong Li seemed to chuckle softly, the laughter coming through the connection of consciousness, carrying a hint of helpless indulgence.

"Don't be silly, don't get too touched. I haven't done anything great. Besides, you're under my protection now. If I'm not good to you, who else should I be good to? Don't worry, kid, in this world, I'm the only one... who understands everything about you. I've understood you since you were just a wisp of consciousness about to dissipate."

Jiang Xiaochuan's nose stung even more. He felt an invisible hand gently and softly brushing against his cheek. There was no wind, but he could still feel it.

"Sleep now," Hongli's voice softened, like humming a lullaby. "I'll be right here. Always."

Jiang Xiaochuan closed his eyes, and the pent-up frustration in his heart dissipated at some point, leaving only a heavy, yet reassuring, weariness.

As he listened to the rhythmic snoring beside him and the distant sound of the ocean tide, his consciousness gradually blurred, and he sank into a warm, dark world.