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墨書 Inktalez
Lin You wore a pure white long dress, her black long hair cascading down her back, adorned with a white crown headband. The golden-red light of dusk illuminated her, enhancing her ethereal aura.
She was already beautiful, but she had never favored such understated attire. So, upon first glance, I hesitated, thinking I might have called the wrong person. Yet when she looked up, there was no doubt that the face before me was indeed Lin You.
She smiled gently at me, her voice soft. "Anxin."
I felt a mix of surprise and relief; Lin You seemed like a different person after her time abroad. Considering what she had gone through overseas, it made sense that she would change somewhat. I just hoped our friendship could bring her happiness. While she couldn't completely forget Ling Feng's death, she still needed to live well.
"Xiao You."
I rushed down the stairs, opening my arms to embrace her tightly. My nose tingled, and tears fell as I said, "You’re finally back! That’s wonderful, truly wonderful."
"Anxin, it's so good to see you!"
Lin You's eyes glistened with tears as well. She had lost a lot of weight and didn’t seem as lively as before, but as long as she was my friend—my Lin You—that was enough.
"Xiao You, when did you come back? Why didn't you contact me?"
"I just returned not long ago. I tried to reach you, but your phone was off. I thought you had gone home and didn’t want to disturb you."
I linked my arm with Lin You's and smiled playfully. She knew everything about my situation, so I was sure she would be interested in the matters concerning the underworld. However, just as I opened my mouth to speak, Jun Chong's voice echoed in my mind: "Don't say anything."
Jun Chong's tone was serious and reprimanding. I froze for a moment and swallowed the words that were on the tip of my tongue. Feeling awkward, I replied, "I did go back home and haven’t been back for long. Didn’t you say you were going to be away for a while? Why are you back so soon?"
"Because of Ling Feng."
I was taken aback; the smile faded from my face as I grasped her slightly trembling arm in the wind. "I've heard about that from Su Ziqian. Xiao You, I'm sorry—I couldn’t help at that time and left you to bear it alone."
"It’s because I had to bear it alone that I understand how important it is to protect myself." Lin You gazed at me thoughtfully, lifting a strand of hair with one hand and smiling as she continued, "We cannot be weak; we must be strong to protect what we hold dear."
Lin You's words made me feel that the friend in front of me had become somewhat unfamiliar. She used to never say such things, but after being alone abroad and encountering Ling Feng's situation, it was understandable that her temperament had changed.
I sighed, linking my arm with hers, and comforted her, "Being strong means being strong in front of others, but for you and me, we can support each other. Xiao You, everything will pass."
Lin You's eyes flickered, her rosy lips pressed into a thin line as she held my hand, trembling slightly. "Anxin, it's so good to know you."
"You are my lifelong friend," I said, tugging at her cheek to bring back the atmosphere to what it used to be. "I'm hungry; let's go eat!"
"Sure."
Although Lin You and I had been apart for a while, the events we encountered during this time would always be a turning point in our lives, whether we thought about them now or in the future.
As we chatted and laughed like before, we both sensed that what had happened could not be undone. We had to learn to grow up and protect ourselves.
"Anxin, I know you want to ask if I killed Ling Feng. Su Ziqian must have told you that I was right next to Ling Feng at that time, right?"
The topic suddenly shifted to this matter, and I paused for a moment before nodding.
"I was worried about you and knew about your situation with Ling Feng. The Xiao You I know would never kill anyone. Your presence here is the best proof of that. It's just that Su Ziqian was too serious at the time; I really worried you wouldn't get through it."
Lin You lowered her head, slowly putting down her hand that was propping up her cheek. Her pure black eyes sparkled with a strange light due to the refraction of light, making it hard to see clearly. She didn't answer immediately, and I didn't press further.
The restaurant was filled with noisy chatter in waves, but our corner became very quiet. Soon after, Lin You's phone rang; it was Su Ziqian calling. They were dating. Although I didn't know the specifics of their relationship, Su Ziqian must have helped Lin You a lot. Even though I couldn't become friends with him because of Jun Chong and the Su Family, I truly wanted to thank him for Lin You's sake.
Without him, Lin You and I probably wouldn't be able to sit here eating and chatting again!
"Anxin, Su Ziqian has something to say to you," Lin You smiled slightly as she handed me the phone. "Don't worry; he’s not coming over."
"Oh."
I picked up the phone, and the light laughter of Su Ziqian came through. The first thing she said was, "Have you seen Xiao You?"
"Yes."
"Anxin, I promised you that if you came to work at the Su Family, you would see Xiao You again. Now that you haven't come yet, I've still arranged for you two to meet. Can we consider this promise fulfilled? The Soulstone is given to you by the head of the family; you can indeed think it over carefully and consider whether our intention in giving you the Soulstone has another purpose. But Anxin, while you can wait, Molin may not be able to."
I tightened my grip on the phone. Ever since I returned, every time I asked about Shizui or Molin, Shizui's expression had been gloomy, which made me realize that the situation was not optimistic. We didn't have extremely powerful spiritual energy to provide for Molin, nor could we plead with his parents to sacrifice their lives to save him. So far, only the Soulstone could protect Molin's soul.
Shizui had mentioned that over time, Molin's soul would dissipate. Currently, Molin's master had used the Red String Copper Coin Life Extension Method to prolong his life, but it was only temporary; we still needed the Soulstone.
As for Jun Chong—he wasn't unwilling to save Molin; he was just considering my feelings.
Caught in hesitation, I struggled for a long time before finally biting my lip and making a decision.
"Alright, I promise you. I'll report to the Su Family on Monday."
"Anxin, welcome to the team."
Su Ziqian handed the phone over to Lin You. They chatted for a few more moments before hanging up. Lin You smiled at me excitedly. "Anxin, I'm also working at the Su Family now! We won't be apart!"
"Really?"
"Really."
"That's great!"
It was wonderful that Lin You and I were classmates and could work at the same company. The atmosphere gradually lightened again as we chatted until late into the night. After Lin You took a taxi home, I walked along the empty street, feeling my mood finally lift a little.
"Jun Chong, do you blame me for agreeing to Su Ziqian?"
Feeling the familiar coolness behind me, I leaned back and was embraced by that person.
"Jun Chong," his chin rested on the top of my head, his voice hazy, "No. Anxin, don't let me influence all your decisions. I hope you won't be bullied by the Su Family and can have the means to fight back against them, but not everything in this world can develop as we wish. Su Ziqian's appearance with Lin You is the best proof of that."
I knew Jun Chong was thinking of me, so even when I felt anxious inside, I wouldn't deliberately go against him.
Leaning in his embrace and gazing at the starry sky, I thought how wonderful it would be to stay like this forever, watching the stars and feeling the night breeze in my lover's arms.
"But for me, as long as Xiao You is safe and sound, I'm happy."
His long, cool fingers glided down my forehead, playfully tracing my cheek. The refreshing sensation was quite pleasant; I squinted my eyes and only heard him say, "Anxin, whether it's shallow or deep connections, there will always be intimacy and distance. Sometimes in life, to achieve a goal, one must sacrifice certain things. Lin You is a friend you find hard to let go of; I know you will always think this way, but she may not."
Jun Chong's words made me feel somewhat uncomfortable, but I understood that everything he did was for my sake. He had given up a lot for me and had once used me to achieve his goals, but he was my greatest love, so I wouldn’t mind.
The same went for Lin You; as long as she didn’t give up on our friendship, I wouldn’t let go either. But who could predict what would happen in the future?
"Jun Chong, I know that perhaps Xiao You being with Su Ziqian makes you worried, but I believe in Xiao You. She would never do anything to harm her friends; Ling Feng's death was not her doing."
Jun Chong's restless hand gently brushed over my furrowed brow. With one hand, he pressed down firmly to smooth out the waves of emotion. "I hope you're right. But Anxin, if anyone causes you harm, whether you like it or not, I will take action."
The determination in his words struck me with a jolt. Thinking about Lin You's slight changes made me wonder—would she really stand against me?
I didn't want to reach that day, but what if it really happened?
My heart felt slightly restless as I shook my head vigorously to avoid the topic. "It's getting late; let's go find Noble Lady!"
"No rush; we can go tomorrow. Let's rest tonight."
"Why?"
"You’re tired; there’s no rush with the Mirror Demon."
Since Jun Chong was so resolute, I didn’t say much more. I wrapped my arms around his neck and leaned against him like a limp ragdoll. "Carry me back."
A light laugh brushed past my ear, accompanied by the coolness of his lips. Jun Chong tightened his grip and lifted me up. "You should act spoiled with me more often."
My face flushed, and I opened my mouth to bite down hard on his neck. "Stop talking; let’s go home."
"Alright, my dear wife."
I slept soundly until dawn. Since it was already Thursday and I needed to buy clothes for work next week, I asked Lin You for her new number and arranged to go shopping together after she got off work.
At exactly five o'clock in the afternoon, I arrived at the entrance of Su Group. Looking at the towering building, its grandeur alone was enough to intimidate others. The might of Su Group was as impossible to ignore as the reputation of the Su Family's Onmyoji.
"Xiao You, I'm here! Where are you?"
"I'll be down soon; see you at the entrance."
"Okay!"
Just as I hung up the phone, I looked up and saw Noble Lady walking toward me from the lobby. She was dressed in a black work outfit, her face pale, eyes vacant, trembling as she made her way to the door.
A colleague beside her helped steady her, and she thanked him stiffly before continuing forward in a daze. Her entire demeanor reminded me of when I first met Shi Qingqing, but this time I could see a dark aura of death hovering above her brow.
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