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

The next day, Jiang Xiaochuan got up very early, tucked the woven sword tassel into his bosom, and rode his spear directly to Xiaozhu Peak.

I've been here a few times, so I know the way pretty well.

Jiang Xiaochuan steeled himself and walked to Lu Xueqi's bamboo hut. He raised his hand and knocked on the door.

A cold, clear voice came from inside: "Who is it?"

"it's me."

There was a moment of silence inside, then footsteps sounded, and the door opened.

Lu Xueqi stood inside the door, dressed in a moon-white casual dress, her hair simply tied up, as if she had just gotten up. When she saw him, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure.

"So early?"

"Ah, I couldn't sleep, so I came." Jiang Xiaochuan felt a little awkward. He took out the dark blue sword tassel from his pocket and handed it over. "Here, as promised."

Lu Xueqi's gaze fell on the sword tassel. The deep blue silk threads were woven tightly and neatly, and the tassels were smooth and shimmered with a delicate luster in the morning light. It was very exquisite and showed that a lot of care had been put into it.

She reached out and took it, her fingertips accidentally brushing against Jiang Xiaochuan's palm. The slightly cool touch made Jiang Xiaochuan's fingers curl up slightly.

Lu Xueqi held the sword tassel, examined it carefully, then looked up at him, her lips curving upwards slightly.

"nice."

Jiang Xiaochuan breathed a sigh of relief and smiled slightly: "I'm glad you like it. Um... I'm leaving now, you go ahead with your work."

With that, he turned to leave.

"Wait a minute," Lu Xueqi called out to him.

Jiang Xiaochuan stopped and turned around.

Lu Xueqi looked at him with clear eyes, her gaze carrying an air of undeniable authority.

"Sit down for a while. Keep me company... and talk to me."

Jiang Xiaochuan was stunned. This... wasn't this a bit inappropriate? So early in the morning, a man and a woman talking alone in the house?

As he hesitated, Lu Xueqi stepped aside.

"Come in."

Jiang Xiaochuan had no choice but to bite the bullet and go inside. The bamboo house was simply and elegantly furnished, with a bamboo bed, a bamboo table, two bamboo chairs, a zither table by the window, and a sheathed longsword hanging on the wall, Tianya. There was a faint, cool fragrance in the air that belonged to Lu Xueqi.

Lu Xueqi closed the door, walked to the table, poured two glasses of water, and pushed one of them in front of him.

"sit."

Jiang Xiaochuan sat down on the bamboo chair, holding a water cup, looking a little awkward. He wasn't very good at handling situations where he was alone, especially with... Lu Xueqi.

Lu Xueqi sat down opposite him, picked up the sword tassel, and gently stroked it in her hand without saying a word.

The room was quiet, with only the rustling of bamboo leaves in the wind outside the window.

"Yesterday," Lu Xueqi suddenly spoke, her voice very soft, "when you looked at that clay statue in Caomiao Village, you seemed... not very happy."

Jiang Xiaochuan didn't expect her to bring this up, and gave a wry smile: "It's not that I'm unhappy, it's just that I feel... unworthy. I haven't done anything, but I'm being treated like royalty. It's really awkward."

"They are grateful to you," Lu Xueqi said.

"I know." Jiang Xiaochuan looked down at the water in his glass. "But I feel I don't deserve this gratitude. Back then... if I had been stronger and faster, I might have saved more people."

Looking at his downcast eyes and the clear guilt and sadness on his face, Lu Xueqi remained silent for a moment before saying, "You did your best."

"Trying your best isn't enough." Jiang Xiaochuan shook his head, his voice low. "Some things, simply trying your best isn't enough."

Lu Xueqi fell silent. She recalled how he risked his life to save Xiao Yicai and his fellow disciples at Liubo Mountain, and then rushed over to save her. He was always like this, taking responsibility upon himself, as if he was responsible for the life and death of everyone.

Foolish, so foolish.

But she liked his silliness, his seemingly casual nature but deep loyalty and affection, his constant thinking of others despite his own troubles, and the melancholy and gentleness he occasionally revealed that were beyond his years.

"Jiang Xiaochuan," she called his name.

Jiang Xiaochuan looked up at her.

Lu Xueqi looked at him and said very seriously, "You are not a god, you can't save everyone, it's not your fault."

Jiang Xiaochuan was stunned. He looked into Lu Xueqi's clear yet unusually serious eyes, and felt a slight, bittersweet feeling, as if something had gently bumped into him.

No one had ever told him this. His master and mistress would only say "It's good that you're back," his fellow disciples would only say "Thank you," and Zhang Xiaofan and Lin Jingyu would only look at him with dependent eyes, as if he was born to be strong, omnipotent, and always standing in front to protect others.

But he is different. He feels fear, exhaustion, helplessness, guilt, and confusion.

Only Lu Xueqi saw through the vulnerability beneath his hard exterior and calmly said: You are not a god.

His Adam's apple bobbed, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he only gave a low "hmm," looked away, his eyes a little hot, afraid that if he looked any longer he would lose his composure.

Lu Xueqi didn't say anything more, just quietly looked at him, at Jiang Xiaochuan's lowered eyebrows, at his slightly trembling eyelashes and tightly pursed lips. She could feel his vulnerability at that moment. The Jiang Xiaochuan who was always laughing and joking, who seemed to care about nothing, the Jiang Xiaochuan who killed people like flies on the battlefield and had cold eyes, was now like a child who had done something wrong but was trying hard not to cry.

She longed to reach out and touch his face, her fingertips brushing against the corners of his slightly reddened eyes, wiping away any possible moisture, or, like on that rainy night at Liubo Mountain, to hug him tightly, burying her face in the crook of his neck, letting his warmth tell him: I'm here, I understand, you're not alone.

But she restrained herself, her fingers curling slightly inside her sleeve, her nails digging into her palms. Not now. It would scare him away. He was like a sensitive, wounded puppy, needing to be approached little by little, needing a great deal of patience.

So she just sat quietly, looking at him, silently conveying the unspoken words with her gaze: It's okay, Jiang Xiaochuan, it's okay if I don't do well, it's okay if I can't save everyone, as long as you are safe and sound by my side, that's enough.

As for those he couldn't save, and those things he felt guilty about... if there are still such things in the future, she will face them with him. If he has to bear them, she will help him bear them. After all, he saved her life, and they are already bound together.

We'll share the same bed in life and the same grave in death; it's a promise we made.

The room fell silent again, but the atmosphere was no longer stiff; instead, there was a strange sense of peace.

After sitting for a while longer, Jiang Xiaochuan felt it was time to leave. He stood up and said, "Um... I should go back. My master might need to see me."

Lu Xueqi also stood up and nodded: "Mm."

I almost bumped into someone as soon as I stepped out of the bamboo forest.

A faint sandalwood scent wafted over, and Jiang Xiaochuan looked up to see Master Shuiyue standing quietly by the roadside, looking at him with calm and undisturbed eyes.

Jiang Xiaochuan's mind went blank for a moment, then he stiffly bowed, "Shui...Shuiyue Shishu..."

Shuiyue looked at him for a moment, her gaze falling on his still somewhat flustered face, which he hadn't yet fully concealed. She glanced at the warm yellow light deep in the bamboo forest, said nothing, just nodded slightly, and walked past him toward the bamboo hut.

Jiang Xiaochuan stood frozen in place until Shuiyue's figure disappeared at the end of the bamboo forest path. Only then did he suddenly come to his senses, a cold sweat breaking out on his back. He dared not linger, summoned the God-Slaying Spear, and fled Xiaozhu Peak at top speed.

Lu Xueqi stood at the entrance of the bamboo hut, still holding the newly woven sword tassel in her hand. She watched Jiang Xiaochuan's almost hasty retreat disappear into the end of the bamboo path, and the corners of her mouth curved into an almost imperceptible smile.

coward.

Then she saw her master walking slowly down the path on the other side. His moon-white Taoist robe was spotless in the morning light. Shuiyue's gaze swept lightly over the sword tassel in her hand, then looked at her again, her eyes calm and unreadable.

Lu Xueqi's body stiffened almost imperceptibly for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure.

She bowed slightly: "Master."

Shuiyue walked up to her, stopped, and lingered on her face for a moment before looking in the direction Jiang Xiaochuan had left. She sighed softly, her voice carrying a rare, almost imperceptible hint of helplessness and indulgence.

"It's so good to be young," Shuiyue said softly, almost to herself.

Then she looked at Lu Xueqi, her eyes regaining their cool and calm expression: "The sword tassel is well-made. Better than the previous one."

Lu Xueqi's ears burned slightly, and she whispered, "Thank you, Master."

"Don't neglect your cultivation," Shuiyue said, leaving only one sentence. "Next time he comes, there's no need to hide inside to talk. There are stone tables and benches in the bamboo grove; it's more open and bright."

After saying that, he left.

Lu Xueqi stood still, her fingers tightening around the sword tassel.

Young is so good.

The words "Master" were spoken softly, yet they were like a warm pebble thrown into the frozen lake of her heart, rippling outwards.

She recalled her master's youth.

I heard that Master once had someone he liked, but what happened after that... no one knows, and no one has ever dared to ask.

She suddenly realized that her master's words, "Youth is wonderful," were not just an exclamation, but also... a silent blessing.

May she have what her master never had.

Lu Xueqi's eyes felt a little hot. She took a deep breath and suppressed the bitterness.

The morning light shone on her cool face, the faint blush not yet completely faded. She looked down at the deep blue and silver tassel on her sword, then looked up towards the direction of Dazhu Peak. Something in her eyes settled down, soft yet firm.

Next time, I won't let him run away.