at night, Shang Can tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
After Yun Duan finished applying the medicine, she left, despite repeatedly assuring her that she was just next door and could come to help at any time. However, out of politeness, she left Shang Can alone.
Under normal circumstances, after not being able to sleep at all the previous night, Shang Can should have been able to sleep soundly now. Yet, she found herself wide awake.
Was it her imagination? Even now, she seemed to faintly catch the scent that belonged to Yun Duan, inexplicably making her restless.
Yun Duan’s firm tone during the application still lingered in her ears. She had said, “No matter what happens in the future, I will always be by your side.”
This wasn’t a good thing, Shang Can thought; she should have realized that.
The word “future” carried a vague ambiguity, yet Yun Duan, always meticulous, could simply and confidently speak of it.
It was a beautiful promise, but Shang Can dared not dwell on it.
Shang Can considered herself somewhat reckless, living in the moment with a “seize the day” mentality, treating the present as the utmost priority. Ever since recognizing their identities, she had deliberately avoided topics about the “future.” Even when Yun Duan brought it up, she brushed it off with laughter. Given Yun Duan’s intelligence, she clearly noticed Shang Can’s avoidance and no longer mentioned it.
Shang Can found it difficult to think about anything related to the future. After all, she was someone without a past, while Shang Can felt she was someone without a future. She believed that Yun Duan must want “Shang Can,” yet just today, Yun Duan had said that her identity posed no conflict for her. Every word conveyed a sincerity that only her presence mattered.
What was she to do?
Shang Can harbored unspoken feelings for Yun Duan, yet even without this affection, she wished she could gather all the beauty in the world for Yun Duan. She would even want to pluck the moon from the sky for her. Yun Duan was her only junior sister and the person she cherished the most in this world.
Weary, Shang Can closed her eyes.
…But at this point, what she held in her hand to give to Yun Duan was merely a dream.
The next morning.
After washing up, Shang Can slowly stepped out of her room and was greeted by the aroma of food wafting through the air as she walked into the hall.
“Finally awake? You really can sleep!”
Wan Shao, who had mysteriously disappeared the night before, was shouting from afar, her voice full of complaints. “Yun Zhongjun has already prepared breakfast. We were just waiting for you!”
Hearing this relaxed tone made Shang Can seethe with anger. She sat down leisurely, wearing a warm smile as she replied, “I didn’t know you had an appetite for breakfast. I thought the chestnut cake from Yun Cheng was enough to fill you up. Was it good?”
“…”
The chatterbox suddenly fell silent. After a moment, she awkwardly replied, “It was… good…”
“Oh, that’s really great.” Shang Can nodded with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes, then pressed on, “Which place did you get it from, the one in the East City or the West City? I think the West City one is better.”
Wan Shao seemed hesitant for some reason, stammering, “Uh, I just randomly found a place on the roadside; I didn’t pay attention to which one…”
“Let’s not talk about that!” She abruptly interrupted, asking, “How’s your back injury? Is it feeling better after Yun Zhongjun applied the medicine yesterday?”
“It’s better…”
Shang Can casually nodded but suddenly felt something was off. Frowning, she asked, “How do you know that Yun Duan applied the medicine yesterday? Didn’t you go out?”
“—”
The other party suddenly fell silent. Just as Shang Can was puzzled, she heard Yun Duan’s voice from nearby: “I told Wan Shao this morning to take a good look at your injury later.”
As she spoke, she walked over to the table and placed a steaming bowl of porridge in front of Shang Can, gently saying, “Eat first; we can bother Wan Shao later.”
Shang Can’s attention immediately shifted. After thinking for a moment, she greeted Yun Duan, “Good morning. Sorry to trouble you to wake up early. It must be tough. Next time, let’s go out to eat instead.”
“No need,” Yun Duan replied as she sat beside her, softly saying, “I’m used to waking up early; it’s not a hassle.”
Since she said so, Shang Can didn’t insist any further. As she drank the porridge, she asked, “Do you have any plans for today? Did you have enough of the chestnut cake last night? If not, we can go out for some more today.”
Seemingly caught off guard, Wan Shao coughed after being choked by the porridge and meekly said, “I had enough! I promise I won’t— I mean, unless there’s a special need, I definitely won’t go again.”
The flower demon’s words suddenly took a turn, as if she wanted to leave herself an escape route. Shang Can found it strange and asked, “What kind of special need are you talking about?”
Wan Shao hesitated for quite a while before finally saying, “Well… when I really want to eat chestnut cake…”
For some reason, her voice trailed off like a question, sounding rather flighty. Shang Can was baffled, but then Wan Shao abruptly changed the topic with firmness, saying, “Anyway, I need to take a good look at your injury today. I rushed out this time and didn’t bring many medicinal materials. I was planning to buy some in Yanyang, and now that we’re in Yun Cheng, we should check your condition first— I just don’t know if the medicinal materials here are complete.”
“Don’t worry about that.” Yun Duan replied softly, “Yun Cheng has a wealth of medicinal materials nearby; we shouldn’t be missing anything. I also have some medicinal materials stored at home; feel free to use them if needed.”
Shang Can nodded along. Just as she was about to share her past experiences of collecting medicinal herbs near Yun Cheng, she suddenly heard Wan Shao mumble, “…Do you have any Heart Lotus seeds here?”
“…Those are probably not available, as Heart Lotus seeds aren’t exactly medicinal materials; they’re more like treasures…”
Yun Duan’s voice sounded somewhat troubled, quickly followed by her questioning, “By the way, I remember Shang Can went to the Heavenly Realm to attend the debate conference for Heart Lotus seeds. Is there a specific reason you need them? What’s wrong? Wan Shao, your complexion doesn’t look too good.”
“Nothing.”
Shang Can discreetly retracted her foot that had been harshly stepping on Wan Shao’s shoe and smiled, “Maybe she just ate too much chestnut cake.”
“You know how amazing Heart Lotus seeds are, so when I heard that the prize at the debate conference was them, I thought I’d try my luck, maybe I could improve my cultivation,” she said nonchalantly, setting down her spoon and shaking her head. “I remember that Yun Cheng is rich in medicines for treating wounds. I wonder if there are any special medicines for issues like chaotic spiritual energy for cultivators?”
“There should be.” Yun Duan replied without suspicion, thinking for a moment. “Let me search my home first. It’s been a while, and I can’t remember too clearly.”
Shang Can smiled in agreement, slowly finishing her porridge and secretly letting out a sigh of relief.
“…Why did you suddenly ask about Heart Lotus seeds? They aren’t something you can find just anywhere, so why bring it up?”
Back in her room, Shang Can, who had just been calm in front of Yun Duan, immediately frowned, turning to Wan Shao with a stony expression, the white cloth appearing almost emotionless: “You’ve made Yun Duan worry for no reason.”
Wan Shao, who had come to check on her injury, felt small, pitiful, and helpless. Ever since arriving at this house, she had endured nothing but bullying.
“I… I just spoke without thinking…”
Wan Shao replied weakly, and with a hint of defiance, she muttered, “…Why can’t you even tell Yun Zhongjun this? You already revealed your identity to her, and you’re still afraid she’ll find out you want Heart Lotus seeds to heal?”
“Of course not.” Shang Can firmly rejected what she felt was a reasonable request, declaring, “Since we’re close to getting the Heart Lotus seeds back from Qin Yi, there’s no need to bring it up again.”
Shang Can paused for a moment, her expression gradually softening, and she said quietly, “Yun Duan is thoughtful. If she finds out, she’ll surely have several sleepless nights.”
Heaven above, when will the two of them hurry up and become Dao partners?
Taking advantage of Shang Can’s inability to see her, Wan Shao devoutly clasped her hands together and bowed repeatedly.
“Speaking of which, what’s been going on with you these past few days?”
Perhaps having shaken off her worries about Yun Duan, Shang Can quickly reverted to her usual irritated demeanor. She plopped down at the table with a thud and slammed her hand on it, exclaiming, “You made your escape quite smoothly—do you know what I went through last night?”
As Shang Can spoke, her face flushed with alternating colors, her expression quite dramatic. Wan Shao was at a loss for words, resignedly swallowing the “I know” that had been on her lips.
…Ah, it’s likely that Shang Can herself isn’t even fully aware of it.
Of course, Wan Shao had no idea what happened between Shang Can and Yun Duan during their time alone, but regarding last night’s events—
Wan Shao silently wiped her face; she was probably the most qualified to speak on the matter.
To put it simply, she hadn’t gone out at all last night.
Not to mention leaving a note saying she was going to eat chestnut cake—though her usual antics might be chaotic, she wouldn’t suddenly pull a stunt like that! It made it seem like she hadn’t had chestnut cake in years! How embarrassing!
But that was fine; Wan Shao willingly accepted such blame, sincerely admitting her fault and repeatedly assuring Shang Can she would never do it again.
After all, she was merely an accomplice. As for the mastermind…
Wan Shao’s thoughts drifted to the person who should be diligently searching for demonic creatures for Shang Can, the cold and ethereal Yun Zhong Jun. It was hard to reconcile her image with that of the person who had pushed through the door last night, nervous and awkward, but still maintaining a serious expression.
In summary, from the moment Shang Can stepped into the bath, this person had been completely unaware of the unpredictable chaos around her.
Last night, Wan Shao had intended to dutifully wait for Shang Can to finish bathing with her back to the wall, but as soon as she reached the corner, she heard the door creak open. Startled, she quickly turned around and locked eyes with Yun Duan, who hesitated at the door.
In that electric moment, she grasped Yun Duan’s unsaid intentions and made a move she still thought was brilliant—she swiftly darted to the door, slipped out, and shoved Yun Duan into the room, shutting the door behind them.
Heavens. Wan Shao wiped the sweat from her brow, feeling utterly refreshed. She had just set up a pair of lovers!
In a good mood, she hummed a little tune as she returned to her room, happily propped up against the headboard, reading a novel with her legs crossed. Still, she felt a little restless—what if Shang Can ended up kicking Yun Duan out again?
With such concerns in mind, Wan Shao haphazardly skimmed through half a book, not retaining a single word, when she suddenly heard footsteps outside her door, finally stopping right in front of it.
What was this? Did Shang Can finish bathing and come looking for her? The hardworking demon lord twitched her ears, and just as she was about to sit up and ask, she heard Yun Duan’s muffled voice say, “I don’t see a light on inside…”
“…”
Wan Shao’s “Shang Can” was caught in her throat as she turned her head to glance at the three lamps she had lit, realizing it wasn’t bright enough for her liking. Holding her breath in confusion, she remained silent.
Even as Shang Can stormed into the room, she managed to suppress any sound—though she had no idea what was happening. Wan Shao desperately tried to signal to Yun Duan with her eyes, seeking some information. In response, Yun Zhong Jun, who was seemingly lost in thought, offered Wan Shao an apologetic glance and calmly stated, “She’s not in the room.”
…Alright, even though she didn’t know what was going on, there must have been a reason for Yun Zhong Jun to say so. Wan Shao, having sensed some undercurrents, cooperatively played dead, not acknowledging her presence even if the Heavenly Lord himself were to visit.
She acted so convincingly that she nearly faltered when Yun Duan mentioned leaving a note about going out for chestnut cake but managed to hold it together. After all, seeing the look of distress on Yun Zhong Jun’s face made it clear that she wasn’t accustomed to telling lies; finding an excuse in such an urgent situation was already commendable. However, Shang Can probably wouldn’t believe it, and she would need to provide some cover for Yun Zhong Jun—
Glancing at Shang Can’s furious reaction, which indicated she completely believed the story, Wan Shao couldn’t help but feel a sense of melancholy, thinking that she really needed to reflect on her actions.
Five minutes after the two left her room, Wan Shao finally dared to breathe a sigh of relief. Reflecting on the apologetic look Yun Duan had given her, she felt at peace, even wanting to smile, sincerely praying for this Yun Zhong Jun, who couldn’t express her jealousy openly, to make progress with Shang Can.
Returning to the present, watching the completely clueless Shang Can, Wan Shao felt a twinge of urgency in her heart, yet she knew there was nothing she could do as an outsider. Thus, she maintained a facade of peace on her face, sighing heavily in her heart.
Ah, she truly had given so much for this family.
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