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

The tent wasn't big, but it was big enough for two people to fit in.

Inside, thick mats and blankets provided insulation from the damp cold of the ground, making it very warm.

Jiang Xiaochuan breathed a sigh of relief, took off his outer robe, and crawled into bed. Lu Xueqi followed him in, but did not lie down; she simply sat beside him.

"You rest, I'll watch over you," Lu Xueqi said, her voice sounding exceptionally clear and gentle in the small space.

Jiang Xiaochuan thought for a moment and shook his head: "You were on your sword, on guard, and killed so many ferocious beasts during the day. You must be exhausted. Go to sleep. I leaned against your sword and slept for a long time during the day. I'm not sleepy now. I'll just keep an eye on you."

Lu Xueqi looked at him, without saying a word or moving.

Jiang Xiaochuan moved over and patted the empty space next to him: "Come on, lie down. It's good to close your eyes and rest. You don't know what you'll encounter tomorrow, so you need to conserve your energy."

Lu Xueqi seemed to hesitate for a moment, but finally lay down, turned to her side, and faced him.

Jiang Xiaochuan naturally reached out and pulled her into his arms.

Lu Xueqi immediately relaxed, wrapped her arms around his waist, buried her face in his neck, took a deep breath, and then sighed softly with satisfaction.

"Go to sleep." Jiang Xiaochuan patted her back, just like he would when he coaxed Yunzhou and Yueyao to sleep.

Lu Xueqi hummed in agreement and closed her eyes.

Her breathing quickly became even and long, as if she were truly exhausted. Enveloped in his familiar and reassuring presence, she swiftly drifted into sleep, clinging to his arm without letting go.

Jiang Xiaochuan kept his eyes open, listening to the crackling of the campfire outside the tent, the faint sounds of wind and insects in the distance, and the steady breathing of the person next to him.

He was definitely not sleepy.

During the day, he slept soundly and peacefully on Lu Xueqi's sword, nestled in her warm embrace and enveloped by her scent. Now, he feels much better.

After lying there for about half an hour, he heard that Lu Xueqi's breathing was still steady and deep, so she must be fast asleep.

He carefully, little by little, tried to pull the arm she was using as a pillow out of her head.

The movements were very light and slow. Lu Xueqi seemed to move slightly, but she didn't wake up.

Jiang Xiaochuan breathed a sigh of relief, finally gently moved his body, lifted a corner of the blanket, and quietly slipped out of the tent.

The campfire outside was still burning, though it had shrunk.

The disciples on night watch moved slowly along the edge of the camp, vigilantly observing the surrounding darkness. Most of them held their magical artifacts, sitting or leaning, closing their eyes to rest.

Jiang Xiaochuan stood outside the tent, stretching his stiff arms. The night wind blew, carrying the unique, bone-chilling dampness of a swamp night, and he subconsciously wrapped his robe tighter around himself.

His gaze swept across the camp, and suddenly, in a dimly lit corner a little distance from the fire, he caught sight of a red figure huddled there, hugging its knees.

It is Tian Ling'er.

She wasn't asleep or meditating; she was just hugging her knees, resting her chin on them, staring blankly at the leaping flames in front of her, her eyes empty, as if she were looking at something or thinking about something.

Jiang Xiaochuan's heart stirred slightly. After hesitating for a moment, he still walked over quietly.

He stopped beside Tian Ling'er, squatted down, and softly called out, "Senior Sister Ling'er?"

Tian Ling'er seemed startled, her body trembling almost imperceptibly. She suddenly looked up and saw it was him. A hint of panic flashed in her eyes, and she quickly lowered her head. Then she raised it again, forcing a smile that looked normal, but in the dim light, the smile seemed a little forced.

"What's wrong, Xiaochuan?" Her voice was a little dry.

"Nothing," Jiang Xiaochuan sat down beside her, glancing at the fire. "You're still awake. Is it... can't you sleep?"

Tian Ling'er shook her head and didn't speak. After a few seconds, she whispered, "No, it's just... I'm not sleepy."

Jiang Xiaochuan said "Oh," but didn't know what to say next.

Silence fell between the two, broken only by the faint crackling of the flames licking the firewood.

Silence spread, carrying the chill of the night breeze.

Jiang Xiaochuan thought for a moment and said, "It's damp and cold at night, it's not good to stay outside for too long, why don't you go into the tent and sleep for a while? I think Xueqi is fast asleep, it's warm inside."

Tian Ling'er shook her head abruptly, her voice a little urgent: "No need! I... I'm perfectly fine here."

She paused, as if realizing she'd overreacted, then softened her voice and added, "Aren't you... going to sleep?"

"I slept too much during the day and can't sleep now," Jiang Xiaochuan smiled, "I came out for some fresh air."

Tian Ling'er fell silent again.

She lowered her head again, looking at her toes. After a long while, she said softly, as if talking to herself, "You... seem to trust her."

Jiang Xiaochuan was taken aback for a moment before realizing she was referring to Lu Xueqi. He nodded, his tone matter-of-fact: "Of course."

Tian Ling'er's body seemed to stiffen for a moment.

She didn't look up, her fingers unconsciously digging into the fabric at her knees. A long time passed, so long that Jiang Xiaochuan thought she wouldn't speak again, before she suddenly spoke, her voice very soft, as if it might be blown away by the wind at any moment:

"When...did you get married?"

Jiang Xiaochuan sighed inwardly; what's meant to happen will happen.

He paused for a moment, then answered honestly, "Three years ago."

"Three years ago..." Tian Ling'er repeated, her voice trembling, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Jiang Xiaochuan looked at her lowered profile, the firelight flickering on her face.

"Weren't you in seclusion at that time? It was a critical moment, and I didn't dare to disturb you."

Tian Ling'er fell silent again.

She simply lowered her head, her fingers ceasing their digging into the fabric. Jiang Xiaochuan could see that her drooping eyelashes cast a small, trembling shadow beneath her eyelids.

After a while, she sniffed, looked up at the fire, and tried to keep her voice calm: "I heard... you have two children."

Jiang Xiaochuan nodded. When he mentioned the child, his tone softened unconsciously, carrying a hint of barely perceptible pride:

"Hmm, a pair of twins, a boy and a girl. The boy's name is Jiang Yunzhou, and the girl's name is Jiang Yueyao. What do you think? Aren't the names lovely?"

Tian Ling'er was about to nod, her lips even instinctively curving upwards into a congratulatory smile. But just as she nodded, she heard Jiang Xiaochuan's naturally smiling continuation:

"It was Xueqi who named it."

Tian Ling'er's smile and the nodding motion froze in mid-air, a very subtle stiffness that would have been almost imperceptible if Jiang Xiaochuan hadn't been watching her the whole time.

But Jiang Xiaochuan saw it. He saw the nascent smile on her lips gradually fade and disappear. Her hands, which were resting on her knees, clenched tightly.

Another long silence followed, then the night wind blew, carrying with it the mournful cry of some night bird from the depths of the distant swamp.

Tian Ling'er slowly loosened her clenched fist, her fingers moving stiffly.

She kept her eyes on the fire, her voice soft, with a barely perceptible tremor: "This time... after I go back, can I... go see them?"

"Of course," Jiang Xiaochuan said immediately. "You're welcome anytime. Yunzhou and Yueyao are very well-behaved; you'll definitely like them when you meet them."

Tian Ling'er hummed in agreement and stopped talking. She hugged her knees tightly again, rested her chin on them, and stared intently at the leaping flames, as if there was something in those flames that was extremely attractive to her.

Jiang Xiaochuan felt bad seeing her like this.

He knew she was upset, but he didn't know how to comfort her.

Some things, once they've happened, are gone forever. The wound is there, and it can't be healed with just a few words. It seems that all he can do is sit with her for a while and say a few innocuous words.

He looked at her thin, huddled figure, looking rather lonely in the cold night wind.

He hesitated, wondering whether he should carry her into the tent. At least it would be warm and dry inside, but... how could he carry her? In what capacity? As her junior brother and senior sister? But their relationship seemed to have long since transcended that of junior brother and senior sister, and besides, Xueqi was still inside...

Just as he was hesitating and torn between his own thoughts, the tent flap was gently lifted.

Lu Xueqi came out, wearing a casually draped outer robe over her shoulders. Her long hair was loosely draped over her shoulders, and her face still had a faint languor from just waking up, but her eyes were clear and bright, showing no signs of sleepiness.