Chapter 48: Unexpected Reunions and Urgent Quests

“Hello, Xiyue, I’ve only been gone half an hour, and I already miss you terribly. I even took the initiative to call you. Tsk, tsk, tsk, it seems I truly can’t bear to leave your side. How about we head back soon? I intend to speak with Grandpa about staying at your place for a while, as I happen to have something important to discuss with you.” Chi Congyu’s words were laced with a palpable sense of reluctance.

“Oh, please, my place simply can’t accommodate you. Stop being so nauseating. Even if you truly insist on coming over, I can’t really object, but you’ll be relegated to the sofa.” Ouyang Xiyue promptly ended the call after delivering his retort.

‘Something to discuss?’ he pondered internally. ‘What could possibly be so urgent? Moreover, having this woman in close proximity would undoubtedly prove unsafe.’

The hour was still quite early. Ouyang Xiyue sighed deeply, his thoughts consumed by the recent developments. There was Ling’er’s predicament, and then Night Xuehui’s situation. Tsk, how was he ever going to resolve these complications? The sheer annoyance was overwhelming.

“I suppose I should give that one a call,” Ouyang Xiyue murmured, then promptly dialed Night Xuehui’s number.

The voice that subsequently answered, however, was an automated one.

“We’re sorry, the number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later.” The message then repeated in English.

Ouyang Xiyue scratched his head, making two more attempts to call, only to be met with the identical result. Tsk, good heavens, could she genuinely be upset? He recalled having stood her up on numerous occasions. He had declared Sundays to be her “maid day,” yet he seemed to have rarely honored that promise. A sudden wave of shame washed over him; he felt profoundly remiss in his responsibilities.

‘Why is she still not picking up?’ he pondered, having already dialed six times. ‘This person… she must truly be furious.’

‘It appears I’ll have to go there myself,’ Ouyang Xiyue resolved, and without further delay, he departed.

Night Xuehui’s residence, conveniently, was not far from the school. Ouyang Xiyue, moving with exceptional speed, arrived within a mere few minutes. Upon ringing the doorbell, he was met with a slight surprise: despite his calls going unanswered, the door opened almost immediately.

To Ouyang Xiyue’s slight disappointment, however, Night Xuehui was not present. Instead, he encountered Night Jia, whom he hadn’t seen in a considerable time. Night Jia, as consistently affectionate as ever, immediately rushed forward to embrace him the moment she recognized Ouyang Xiyue.

“Wuwuwu, Sister Xiyue, it’s been ages! I’ve missed you to death. I only just discovered your true identity from the news headlines, Sister Xiyue. I never would have guessed you were the Third Princess of the Saint Spirit Continent! Please forgive any past transgressions, Sister; I beg you not to dwell on them.” Night Jia, speaking with a sweet obedience, settled herself beside him.

In that moment, Ouyang Xiyue, however, seemed entirely preoccupied. His primary concern, far outweighing anything else, was to ascertain Night Xuehui’s current movements.

“Um, Little Sister Night Jia, where is your brother? I haven’t seen her anywhere… Do you happen to know where she’s gone?” Ouyang Xiyue inquired, his gaze sweeping around.

“Hmph, I knew it! Sister Xiyue only came here looking for my brother. That makes me quite jealous, you know,” Night Jia declared, her lips forming a distinct pout of dissatisfaction.

“Cough, cough, whatever gives you that idea? Sister was also eager to see my adorable little sister, whom I haven’t seen in ages. Now, be a good girl; Sister has something to discuss with your brother. Do you know where she might be?” Ouyang Xiyue said, managing an awkward, strained smile.

Indeed, as Ouyang Xiyue gazed at the young girl before him, his thoughts drifted to his own sister. It had been a considerable time since their last meeting, and he wondered how she fared these days. ‘Perhaps I should call her and arrange to meet,’ he mused. ‘I find myself missing that one quite a bit.’

“Blech, alright, alright. The truth is, Sister Xiyue, ever since the news of your engagement was revealed, Brother’s mood has been rather foul. She seems irritable and agitated no matter what she does. Just this morning, I nearly witnessed her getting into a physical altercation with a passerby; thankfully, I intervened swiftly. Brother hasn’t eaten anything lately… even though I prepared meals for her, she refuses to eat a single bite, no matter how much I plead, and she doesn’t even wish to utter a word. I truly feel heartbroken for Brother. Alas, Brother is already so grown, yet she has never once been romantically involved with a girl; it’s quite pathetic. Especially considering Brother’s demanding schedule, bearing the entire future of the Ye family on her shoulders. Father holds Brother in high regard and has always been exceptionally strict with her.” Night Jia confessed, her head bowed, her voice noticeably thick with emotion.

Listening to Night Jia’s words, Ouyang Xiyue was suddenly overcome with a touch of sympathy for Night Xuehui. ‘Ah, no matter who it may be,’ he mused, ‘no matter how refined, poised, or upright they appear on the surface, everyone harbors their own solitary side in private.’

‘It’s quite unexpected, though, that she hasn’t had a girlfriend. Someone as striking as her shouldn’t be lacking in that department, tsk, tsk, tsk. She truly possesses an impressive degree of self-control.’

‘Although, cough, cough, I haven’t exactly had a girlfriend myself, have I? Given my identity over these past few years, it simply hasn’t been permissible. If I were to pursue a girlfriend while presenting as a girl, wouldn’t that overtly declare to outsiders that I am a lesbian? No, no, that would be far too humiliating. I am a boy; how could I possibly be a lesbian? Lesbianism is love between girls. I don’t comprehend it, and frankly, I have no desire to!’

“This marks the first time Brother has had such extensive contact with a girl. And we can clearly see that Brother is actually quite indulgent towards Sister Xiyue. Sister Xiyue, you might not realize this, but Brother truly doesn’t eat food prepared by strangers. Even if she has known someone for a considerable time, Brother might not necessarily partake in their cooking. Brother rarely frequents restaurants, and even when she does, she typically refrains from eating. Brother is likely under immense strain, given that she has long occupied the position of the Ye family’s young master… it’s truly exhausting. There are always individuals with malicious intentions, hoping to force Brother to abdicate, sigh.” As Night Jia recounted numerous details about her brother, it became evident that tears were already glistening in her eyes.

Ouyang Xiyue slowly enveloped Night Jia in a comforting embrace, gently patting her back, and then offered reassurance in a soft, tender voice.

“Little Sister Night Jia, please don’t fret. Entrust your brother to me from this moment forward. I will endeavor to care for her to the best of my ability. Didn’t you mention she refuses to eat food prepared by others? Observe, our acquaintance has been brief, yet she still consumed my meal. Therefore, she does not reject me; she is capable of accepting me. I will undoubtedly look after her with utmost care. There, there, stop your crying.”

“Sister Xiyue, Brother actually departed from home early this morning. She appeared rather downcast when she left. I heard that something might have occurred. I recall Brother mentioning, quite inadvertently, some time ago that they had successfully captured a fire elemental spirit. However, this spirit has proven incredibly volatile and seems on the verge of becoming uncontrollable. Apparently, they’ve been pressed multiple times, stating a desperate need for a Zero-Degree Ice Seal magician to suppress the elemental spirit. Yet, Sister Xiyue, you understand that such individuals are exceedingly rare, particularly those wielding absolute zero ice magic; it is an exceptionally uncommon phenomenon.” As Night Jia continued speaking, she noticed Ouyang Xiyue’s complexion had grown somewhat pale. She was just about to inquire about her condition.

“Tsk, now I finally comprehend why that one was seeking me out. Night Jia, do you know her current location? Take me there without delay!” Ouyang Xiyue exclaimed, his brow furrowed with palpable urgency.

“Ah? Sister Xiyue intends to go? Excellent! If it’s Sister Xiyue, then there will certainly be no issues. Sister, please wait; I’ll contact someone immediately.” Just as Night Jia reached for her phone, Ouyang Xiyue, who was standing beside her, gently restrained her.

“There’s no need to inconvenience anyone else, Little Sister Night Jia. You simply need to inform Sister of your brother’s whereabouts, and I shall fly there on my sword.” Ouyang Xiyue stated, his gaze turning serious as he looked at Night Jia.

“Sword flight? Oh, Sister, are you truly that powerful? Alright… alright… but I do have one condition. Sister Xiyue, you must take me along with you, as there might be several diverging paths, and I can guide you. If you refuse, I swear I won’t reveal Brother’s location, even if it costs me my life.” Night Jia declared, her face set with an equally grave expression.

Ouyang Xiyue gazed at the diminutive figure before him. ‘Good heavens, this little one is so young, yet she has already mastered the art of coercion. Tsk, tsk, tsk, she certainly embodies her brother’s character.’

‘Very well, then. To prevent any possibility of getting lost, I suppose it’s best to bring Night Jia along.’

“Very well, then. We shall depart at once.”

Without a moment’s hesitation or unnecessary delay, Ouyang Xiyue swiftly scooped up Night Jia and initiated sword flight, moving at an incredible pace towards the direction Night Jia indicated.

****

Meanwhile, at the dormitory entrance… Ding-dong, ding-dong, the distinct sound of someone pressing the doorbell resonated. As the view drew closer, an emerald-clad figure became visible, their brow furrowed in concentration as they repeatedly pressed the bell.

“Tsk, it seems I truly arrived a step too late, didn’t I? Has Ouyang Xiyue already departed? Is she truly so heartless? Could she genuinely not grasp my implications? I made it quite clear I would be coming over momentarily. Sigh, never mind. You, Ouyang Xiyue, I shall simply wait here for your return. You’ll certainly regret this tonight, hmph, just you wait.” Chi Congyu declared, her lips forming a slight pout of resignation, before settling directly onto the dormitory doorstep.

The minutes slowly bled into hours. As noon approached, Chi Congyu, still seated by the doorway, found herself on the verge of drifting to sleep. Yet, Ouyang Xiyue’s figure remained absent. It was then that a familiar voice pierced the quiet, gently rousing Chi Congyu from her state of semi-consciousness.

“Excuse me, miss, are you waiting for someone, sitting by my dorm door?” The newcomer was Shangguan Yun. She regarded the emerald-haired girl seated at the entrance with a hint of bewilderment, for she did not recognize this girl, nor had she ever heard of Lord Xiyue having a friend with such a rare hair color. Hmm, quite suspicious, indeed.

“Oh, my apologies, I must have dozed off. And you are, miss?” Chi Congyu replied awkwardly, immediately posing a question in return.

“Me? I live in this dorm. So, if you please, miss, what exactly is your business here?” Shangguan Yun inquired, maintaining her polite demeanor.

“Oh, so you’re Ouyang Xiyue’s roommate! I’m Ouyang Xiyue’s fiancé—no, perhaps fiancée—no, that’s not quite right either. Oh, never mind what it is! All you need to know is that Xiyue is mine. I’m here waiting for her; she’ll be back soon. May I come in and sit down? I’ve been waiting here for hours, and I’m utterly exhausted.” Chi Congyu spoke with complete nonchalance, as if she were no stranger at all.

It was only then that Shangguan Yun understood the identity of her visitor. Yet, she found herself unable to refuse, for this person was the granddaughter of the Holy Light Church’s Pope, and moreover, Lord Xiyue’s nominal betrothed. Thus, Shangguan Yun invited her into the dormitory… It felt very much like letting a wolf into the house, Shangguan Yun lamented inwardly. But as a subordinate, what choice did she truly have?