Kunlun, the sky is clear.
Xiao Jin opened her eyes.
Since traveling to ancient times, it was rare for her to wake up naturally.
But as the ultimate recluse living in Kunlun, she knew that merely waking up early was never enough. Just as her eyes opened a crack, she was already preparing to go back to sleep for a while longer.
G527,2.0, an executive who didn’t need sleep, mercilessly woke her up in her mind.
“Although I’ve slowed down the flow of time in this world, you still need to make good use of your time, constantly instilling a sense of rule of law in Chu Shao and helping her integrate into the era, so you can return to your 21st century sooner.”
Xiao Jin was very sleepy. “Today is the weekend, even in the 21st century, I can’t possibly wake up at 10:30 a.m.”
Is waking up at 10:30 a.m. considered waking up early?
The executive remained silent for a while before continuing, “Weren’t you eager to go back before?”
“That’s true.” Xiao Jin admitted frankly, “After all, at that time, I thought I couldn’t go back.”
“So, has your mindset changed now?”
Xiao Jin turned over, still unable to open her eyes. “Of course it has. Now I know for sure that you will send me back. Why should I worry?”
“…”
The executive asked, “Why are you so sure that I will send you back?”
Xiao Jin gave a reasonable reason, “I am the first generation, and you are the second generation. Without me, where would you come from? If I don’t go back, no one can replicate you, and your existence won’t be valid.”
The executive didn’t want to talk and shut down.
After being awakened by the executive, Xiao Jin’s sleepiness was mostly gone. She began to think about the legal awareness she lacked in her mind.
What’s the punishment for waking someone up on the weekend?
Xiao Jin’s mind wasn’t fully awake yet when Chu Shao entered the room.
She held a cup of tea brewed with Kunlun snow and handed it to Xiao Jin.
Xiao Jin took the tea and asked, “Why is there only one cup? Don’t you want to drink, Shao’er?”
Chu Shao smiled and said, “Your Highness mentioned before that in your place, you should drink a glass of water in the morning to maintain a healthy lifestyle.”
“So I already drank one at dawn.”
Dawn, seven in the morning.
Such a healthy and reasonable biological clock.
Xiao Jin rubbed her temples. She really didn’t know how Chu Shao, who stayed up so late last night, still had the energy to wake up so early.
Unlike Xiao Jin, who looked like she was about to fall apart, Chu Shao was energetic and even had the mood to mention today’s schedule.
“Your Highness, you mentioned yesterday that we would leave Kunlun today and go to the Dali Temple in Qi Country.”
Xiao Jin’s hand holding the cup trembled, but she remained composed on her face. “You were tired yesterday. Let’s go tomorrow instead.”
Chu Shao smiled brightly. “Your Highness, you said the same thing a couple of days ago. And you also reminded me not to slack off.”
“…”
After being influenced during this period of time, Chu Shao was now able to use some modern classic internet vocabulary. In order to help Chu Shao integrate into modern society as soon as possible, Xiao Jin decided to maintain a positive attitude and live with optimism.
So she swiftly got up and dressed.
However, when she stepped on the Jade Flute, which was slightly moist, her legs trembled and she stumbled.
Looking at Chu Shao’s smiling eyes, Xiao Jin helplessly thought, “My wife is so clever. Even if she doesn’t have enough skills, she knows how to use the flute.”
….
On a day of rest, the Dali Temple was bustling with activity.
Devotees held several sticks of incense as they walked between the Zen halls and temples, seeking blessings and worshipping Buddha.
Only two people stood outside the Mahavira Hall, merely watching without entering.
If it were any other day, the worshippers wouldn’t pay attention to these two women who didn’t seem devout at all. However, the two had extraordinary appearances, looking like immortals among the crowd.
Xiao Jin remained calm and composed, allowing others to stare at her.
After noticing the inquisitive gazes of the worshippers on Xiao Jin, Chu Shao slightly frowned.
With a slight movement of her fingertips, she embraced Xiao Jin’s waist, utilizing lightness skills, and floated towards a secluded place in the temple.
The worshippers were dumbfounded, staring in astonishment.
White clothes accompanied by a black shadow disappeared among the bamboo groves and pines, displaying an extraordinary air.
Xiao Jin was slightly taller than Chu Shao, but at this moment, she pretended to lean against her and said with admiration, “Chu Daxia, your lightness skills are truly outstanding, and your demeanor is so elegant.”
“With your martial arts skills, you would be more than capable of being the protagonist of a xianxia novel.”
Although Xiao Jin knew she was teasing her, Chu Shao enjoyed it greatly. She smiled, and they flew even faster.
When they landed, the courtyard was quiet and spacious, with several rooms and a few white cranes.
After looking around for a while, Xiao Jin asked Chu Shao, “Is this the place?”
Chu Shao nodded.
In fact, a few days ago, Xiao Jin had thought about coming to find Zhao Yang. She never liked dragging things out, but with this matter, she had been delaying for a long time.
The reason was simple: Xiao Jin knew she was not Prince Yan.
Moreover, after a big dream, the real Prince Yan G527, 3.0, was staying in the central control room, in a deep sleep, and no one knew when she would wake up.
Speaking of which, 3.0 was overthinking it.
At that time, the executive was only going to maintain the dimension, not to die. Their little actions were all seen by the executive, who didn’t stop them, which meant tacit approval.
Later on, the thought even appeared in Xiao Jin’s mind, asking if she wanted to go back to the modern era with Chu Shao.
“Or,” the executive’s mechanical voice was indifferent, “come with me, back to my era.”
Xiao Jin politely declined.
Her reasons were valid. She was human, and even if she squeezed herself into the ranks of the androids, she would still be an outsider.
The executive said, “But you are human. After returning to the 21st century, sooner or later, your physical body will die.”
“If you come to my world, I can transfer your consciousness into a machine so that you can enjoy endless life.”
Xiao Jin laughed, “Are you talking about immortality?”
The executive fell silent.
“But in my opinion, having eternal life doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good thing.”
Xiao Jin said, “The reason why beautiful things are precious is often because they are fleeting. If every moment of life is perfect and smooth, even the most fulfilling moments would become ordinary.”
The executive asked, “So, you don’t want to attain eternal life?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because endless life would make time lose its meaning.”
Xiao Jin smiled, “I only seek happiness in the present moment and hope to have fewer regrets in this lifetime. That is enough.”
At this moment, Xiao Jin stood still in the courtyard, hesitating.
What if the person she saw through the divination instrument was not her, Xiao Jin, but someone with a similar name, like Wang Jin or Chu Jin? It was not impossible.
As Xiao Jin was thinking this, she looked up.
She saw, in the temple, under the marriage tree, a figure in Buddhist robes.
Red silk was tied to the old locust tree, with wish cards attached.
The wind blew, and the bright red color dazzled the eyes, accompanied by a crisp sound. The wooden wish cards fluttered with the red silk.
The familiar person stood in the wind, accompanied by a white crane.
The familiar eyebrows and eyes, as free as the morning sun.
Holding a string of prayer beads, she approached and smiled at Xiao Jin, “I see that the benefactor has a kind face, and I believe we are destined to meet.”
“Could the benefactor please tell me your name? So that I may pray for your blessings in front of the Buddha and seek a good karma connection.”
Xiao Jin looked at her and replied, “My surname is Xiao, Xiao Jin.”
Xiao Shuang paused for a moment and then smiled, “Jin, it’s truly a wonderful name.”
Xiao Shuang untied the prayer beads and wrapped them around Xiao Jin’s wrist, holding her hand. Then, she turned around and walked back to her room, disappearing under the marriage tree.
The white crane followed closely, never leaving her side.
….
After some time had passed, with drizzling rain and spring breeze, it was the perfect time for an outing.
Xiao Jin and Chu Shao were on a boat, moored on the lake.
Passing through a bridge and by the riverbank, peach blossoms and willows bloomed, and light cotton fluff floated freely in the air.
There were two young girls selling flowers by the shore, their stall full. But because they were still inexperienced, they hadn’t sold many flowers after half a day.
Xiao Jin stared at the faces of the two girls, memories surfacing in her mind.
The older girl seemed to notice Xiao Jin’s gaze and looked up, meeting her eyes.
For some inexplicable reason, Xiao Jin impulsively picked up a dew-kissed magnolia flower and extended it towards the front of the boat, saying, “Sister, would you like to buy a flower? Two coins for each.”
Xiao Jin looked at the flower in the girl’s palm, then looked at the person beside her.
Chu Shao smiled at her, “Do you want to buy it?”
The older girl, clutching the corner of her clothes with the other hand, nervously stared at Xiao Jin.
Xiao Jin smiled and reached out to take the flower from the girl’s palm, placing down a silver ingot, and said, “Thank you.”
The girl held the silver and anxiously chased after them on the shore, but the small boat had already drifted away.
After another half a year had passed, a heavy snowfall occurred in the Qi Country.
Xiao Jin and Chu Shao found shelter in Yangjiao Alley, had two bowls of tofu soup, one sweet and one salty, and then braved the snow to return home.
Passing by the end of the alley, they saw a green figure buried in the snow.
The two exchanged glances and pulled the person in the green clothes out of the snow.
The person had pale lips and face, and Chu Shao reluctantly carried them on her back, while they trembled and said, “Thank you both, thank you.”
Walking beside them, Xiao Jin couldn’t help but ask, “Doctor Su, how did you end up in the Qi Country and buried in the snow?”
Doctor Su, already somewhat delirious, didn’t know why the other party knew her name, and only mumbled, “I mixed up the medicine and accidentally poisoned myself…”
Xiao Jin’s footsteps paused, then she burst into laughter.
At the end of the four seasons, on a snowy night.
The executive told Xiao Jin that Chu Shao’s condition was stable, and they could start preparing to return to the modern era.
Xiao Jin looked at Chu Shao by her side but felt a bit nervous. “Shao’er, would you like to come back to the modern era with me?”
Chu Shao, with a smile in her eyes, said, “Your Highness, of course, I would.”
“But this place, isn’t it your hometown?”
“No, Your Highness.”
“You are my home.”
The snow fell heavier, and Xiao Jin held Chu Shao’s hand, feeling that indeed, my wife’s hand is the softest and warmest in the world.
On a fateful day, once you grasp it, you never want to let go.
With the heavy snowflakes floating in the air, the last words spoken by Xiao Jin in this world were:
“Good, let’s go home together.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Translator’s note: I feel like the ending was rushed by the author. I’m not quite satisfied with it, but this is how the story concludes. I don’t have the right words to comment because I can’t think of anything positive to say 😆. Also, I always feel empty when I finish a book or a novel. It’s like I never want the story to end. Sigh… 🙂.
Anyways…
That’s the end of the story with Xiao Jin and Chu Shao returning to the modern era. This book is officially signing off. As for me, I will be translating another book by this author. I really enjoy her other works, so I’m eager to translate it. With that, I am also officially signing off from translating this book. Goodbye and see you soon~.
If you are satisfied with my translation, I would greatly appreciate it if you could consider sending me a monetary contribution of any amount, even as little as ₱1. You can send the amount through GCash to this number: 09202881825.Â
 Thank you very much for your consideration and support. I love you all 😘.
THE END.Â
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