Listening to the two senior sisters discussing other people's Dao companions, Pei Lengxue couldn't help but suppress a light chuckle. She couldn't help but imagine whether others would gossip about her and her Senior Brother in the future. Perhaps even poets would compose a verse for her and her Senior Brother.
For instance...
"Often envious of the elegance of Hundred Lotus' Young Master Ye, Heaven has arranged for Lengxue to be his companion fair."
—Always envying the elegance of the Hundred Lotus Sect's young master, as even the heavens favor him, gifting him a gentle and intelligent maiden as pure as snow to accompany him.
Poets often use "compared to mandarin ducks, inseparable branches" to describe loving couples, right?
Wouldn't it be wonderful if in the future, when poets write love poems and verses, instead of using "compared to mandarin ducks" and "inseparable branches," they use the terms "Ye An" and "Lengxue" to symbolize a loving couple?
"Sigh—"
Of course, this was just a beautiful fantasy about the future.
Suddenly, Pei Lengxue thought of the "Xi Yue" mentioned by her Senior Brother in Wuxi Town and felt a slight unease in her heart.
What if in the future, it became "Often envious of Hundred Lotus' Young Master Ye, Heaven has arranged for 'Xi Yue' as his companion"? What would she do then?
And it wasn't just about Xi Yue.
Now there was also... Yudie...
Thinking of this, Pei Lengxue's gaze turned suddenly cold.
Xi Yue was one thing, but that Feng Yudie...
"Tsk..."
She didn't know if her Senior Brother had thought about marriage. He turned fifteen last year, which was considered an adult, but there seemed to be no sign of him taking a wife. He was still practicing! Training with a sword! Pestering his Junior Sister! Although he couldn't beat his Junior Sister anymore.
Thinking of this, Pei Lengxue also realized that her birthday was coming up soon.
Her fifteenth birthday, when she would reach maturity.
Fifteen was the age when girls could get married, whether they were mortals or cultivators.
On her past birthdays, her Senior Brother would run over every morning to wish her a happy birthday and give her gifts. Last year, he gave her a beautiful small potted plant.
She didn't know what her Senior Brother would give her for her coming-of-age birthday this year.
Would her Senior Brother give himself to her~~
Perhaps that "Xi Yue" and the like were Senior Brother's way of surprising her. He might have come up with that name to build anticipation, planning to save the best for last. On her birthday, dressed in festive red robes, he would stride into her room and say, "Junior Sister, you've finally come of age. Senior Brother has been waiting for this day for over a decade! Let's go, we'll get married!"
But... What if "Xi Yue" wasn't someone her Senior Brother made up?
In a brief moment, Pei Lengxue's expression changed multiple times. She started with a sweet smile, then looked disappointed, followed by a cold look, then another smile, and then more disappointment.
Watching this rich display of emotions on Pei Lengxue's face, Xiao Yunluo felt puzzled.
"Junior Sister Pei, what are you thinking?"
"Ah... nothing." Pei Lengxue quickly lowered her head, letting go of her bittersweet fantasy. After a moment's pause, she suddenly asked, "Senior Sister Xiao, what was it like for you when you came of age?"
"Coming of age?"
Xiao Yunluo paused, then suddenly widened her eyes.
She had always thought Pei Lengxue was around the same age as herself, or even older, given how capable she was.
"You haven't come of age yet?"
"It's still over three months away."
"... ..."
Xiao Yunluo fell silent for a moment, and her heart was inevitably dealt another blow. After contemplating for a while, she answered, "On the day of my coming of age, the Profound Star Sect held a pretty grand banquet. The young master of the Shadowmoon Sword Sect, the young island lord of the Wind and Rain Island, and the royal ministers of the Frigid Heaven Kingdom all attended and gave me many gifts."
"That impressive?" Pei Lengxue looked envious.
Seeing her expression, Xiao Yunluo stood with her hands on her hips. "Of course. I'm the Young Lady of the Profound Star Sect, so my coming-of-age day naturally had to be grand."
Seeing Pei Lengxue's expression, Xiao Yunluo couldn't help but show off again, saying, "But to be honest, it was quite annoying."
"Why was it annoying?"
"I had to talk to so many people, and on that day, I received quite a few love letters. Many sect leaders wanted to marry their sons into the Xiao family as sons-in-law, which was irritating. Those people kept fawning over me, showing off poetry and deliberately practicing sword dances where I could see them, all to grab my attention. They were really good at putting on an act."
Pei Lengxue tilted her head. "Putting on an act?"
"Just showing off poems in front of me or dancing with swords in places where I could see them. They were trying to get my attention and were exceptionally good at pretending."
"I see."
Xiao Yunluo had a "Behold! Admire your Senior Sister Xiao!" expression, but then fell silent for a moment. She suddenly blushed and lowered her head, asking in a voice as soft as a mosquito's:
"Junior Sister Pei, are we... friends now?"
Pei Lengxue nodded, only partially understanding, "Yes, I think so."
"... In that case, can I call you Lengxue? And you can call me Yunluo."
"Well... if Senior Sister Xiao doesn't mind, I don't have any objections."
Upon hearing Pei Lengxue's agreement, Xiao Yunluo couldn't hide her joy, immediately using her finger to point at her.
"Lengxue..."
Then, pointing at her own face, she said, "Yunluo..."
"Lengxue Yunluo, Lengxue Yunluo... friends... hehe—"
After giggling for a while, Xiao Yunluo felt that her legs and feet were mostly rested, so she stood up.
"Let's go, let's head back. When we're back in the room, call that silly boy over. I'll take you both to explore the Profound Star Sect's marketplace."
"Ah... okay."
With that, they each returned to their respective three-courtyard residences.
Pei Lengxue changed into cleaner clothes and then went to Feng Yudie's room to discuss the invitation from Xiao Yunluo. However, when she entered Feng Yudie's room, she didn't find Feng Yudie. Instead, she saw several uneaten roasted chickens on the table.
"Where is she? She's not resting, so where did she run off to?"
Without thinking too much, Pei Lengxue simply returned to her own room and began cultivating to refine her qi, taking the opportunity to rest as well.
After a while, Xiao Yunluo changed into different clothes and came to fetch her. Hearing that Feng Yudie wasn't around, Pei Lengxue didn't mind and went along with Xiao Yunluo alone as they soared on their swords toward the marketplace.
... ...
The Profound Star Sect marketplace was as lively as usual.
Pei Lengxue hadn't seen many things along the street before, feeling like an old granny entering a grand garden.
Seeing her expression, Xiao Yunluo naturally took on the role of a tour guide, introducing the special products of the Profound Star Sect with a proud expression.
Whenever they entered a shop, the shopkeepers would address Xiao Yunluo as "Young Lady" and be very polite. Xiao Yunluo also assumed the appearance of a big spender, telling Pei Lengxue to point out anything she liked, promising to buy it for her for free.
However, Pei Lengxue felt embarrassed to express her desires throughout the process. In the end, she only reluctantly mentioned that she wanted to try the candied sour spirit fruits sold on the street.
She thought they would be cheap, but when Xiao Yunluo was paying, she found out that a portion cost twelve spiritual stones. She immediately lost interest, but Xiao Yunluo still bought it.
Over the past ten years, she had saved up quite a number of spiritual stones.
When she arrived at the Profound Star Sect, her Senior Brother had told her that prices here were relatively high, so she had brought her small savings jar with her.
Pei Lengxue had thought that the spiritual stones she had saved for ten years should last quite a while. However, after strolling around the marketplace for a while, she realized that if she didn't spend them carefully, her small savings jar might not last even a month.
She clutched the sour spirit fruit in her hand but couldn't bear to eat it.
Seeing her like this, Xiao Yunluo asked, "What's wrong? Didn't you want to eat it? Why aren't you eating?"
"Ah... are things sold here really so expensive? Back in the Hundred Lotus Sect, a string of candied sour spirit fruits would only cost two spiritual stones. How come it's twelve here?"
"Ah? Two spiritual stones? So cheap?" Xiao Yunluo looked at the sour spirit fruit in her hand with a blank expression. "I remember this has always been sold for twelve."
"... ..."
"Forget it, Lengxue, do you want to eat anything else? I'll treat you."
"Ah... no need, no need. I'll just look around."
As they strolled through the streets for a while, two disciples from the Profound Star Sect came out of a shop ahead—a man and a woman. Their faces were rosy, and they looked quite relaxed.
Xiao Yunluo glanced at the signboard.
"Ye Massage Center? What's a massage center?"
Pei Lengxue heard the words "Ye" and instantly became alert. She quickly followed her gaze to the signboard.
Could it be her Senior Brother?!
Before she could react, Xiao Yunluo grabbed her hand and walked over there.
"Lengxue, let's also take a look. We don't know what kind of shop it is."
To see more of this story, please go visit my Tanslation Site - Galaxy Translation:
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