When the Beautiful, Strong, and Tragic Meets the Unbeatable Protagonist | Chapter 46

Before Yu Rong got married, she was a young lady from a wealthy family, and even after marrying, she was still a noblewoman, always having people to take care of her every need. Unfortunately, life doesn’t always go smoothly; after losing her husband, she also lost her family. The significant changes that ordinary people never experience all came crashing down in the latter half of her life, and she had certainly been tempered by hardship.

Yu Rong only started learning to cook after she fell into the hands of a farming family. However, she didn’t have much time to be clear-headed; most of the time, it was enough for her not to cause trouble, and she still needed someone to look after her. Even when she was awake enough to help, she could only manage to lend a hand at a basic level.

“Maybe I just don’t have the talent; the dishes I cook taste pretty average. But to thank Master Ling Yun and Xiao Bai for taking care of A Ji these days, I... I still want to show my humble gratitude,” Yu Rong said shyly.

Lu Xiaobai and Lin Ji exchanged glances: Uh, actually, there’s really no need... right?

Having seen Meng Wanqiu’s experience, they were genuinely afraid that forcing something they weren’t good at would backfire, and in the end, it would be them who had to clean up the mess.

Lin Ji quickly moved over to support Yu Rong, “Mother, I’m right here. You don’t need to thank me. Just sit down; I’ll handle the cooking.”

Yu Rong looked surprised and a bit confused: “You used to be so spoiled; you could spend half an hour picking out ginger strips from the dishes, and if your clothes got a little dirty, you’d just throw them away. When did you learn to cook?”

Lu Xiaobai couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

“Mother, that was all when I was a child!” Lin Ji was most afraid of these moments when his parents couldn’t help but reveal their child’s shortcomings in front of others.

Although Lu Xiaobai wasn’t a stranger, it was still more embarrassing for him to hear it than for anyone else! Lin Ji quickly glanced at Lu Xiaobai and then hurriedly looked away, his ears turning red.

Seeing his reaction, Lu Xiaobai found it even more amusing and wanted to laugh, but he still helped Lin Ji out: “Auntie, our Luoxia Peak is different from other places; we never abandon our appetites. You see, those spiritual fields were cultivated by us together.”

“Three meals a day are just ordinary; you are the elder, so if you want to help, just lend a hand from the side. The rest, let us younger ones handle it.”

Lu Xiaobai was really good with words; with just a few sentences, he made Yu Rong laugh and agree to their proposal.

Fortunately, Yu Rong’s cooking skills weren’t as poor as Meng Wanqiu’s; she could handle washing vegetables, picking them, scrubbing pots, and washing dishes, and she would ask questions if she didn’t understand. She was eager to learn and listened well, not trying to take on too much, making the kitchen feel harmonious.

At one moment, when Yu Rong looked up and saw Lin Ji, who was cutting and preparing vegetables with a relaxed expression, it was clear he was accustomed to and at ease with this kind of life. As a mother, her eyes felt a bit misty, and her heart was filled with comfort.

Later, Lu Xiaobai also taught Yu Rong how to make a few simple home-cooked dishes, allowing her to feel a sense of participation.

The group prepared a sumptuous meal and gathered together to enjoy it, with only Meng Wanqiu not lifting a finger. He was eating with a guilty conscience, shoveling rice and drinking soup, looking blissfully happy.

Lin Ji felt that this was the happiest day since his rebirth; the people he cared about were all around him.

A few days later, after Yu Rong had watched Lin Ji practice his immortal techniques and swordplay, and after Lin Ji’s health had improved, she called him over: “Mother needs to leave now.”

Lin Ji lowered his eyes, not particularly surprised by this.

As the only mortal in the Peifeng Sect, Yu Rong had been watching cultivators soar through the skies and wield swords all day, and her will had become quite strong.

To her, the cultivation world felt like another realm entirely.

She was temporarily staying here because of Lin Ji, but now that she was well, she couldn’t keep relying on this place, feeling out of place herself.

Previously, Lu Xiaobai had asked Lin Ji: “How do you plan to settle your mother? It needs to be something you’re happy with and that will satisfy Auntie.”

Lin Ji knew that Lu Xiaobai was just being considerate and never interfered in other people’s family matters, but he replied: “Xiao Bai, you always think things through. What do you think I should do?”

As long as he, the person involved, took the initiative to ask, Lu Xiaobai could freely interfere in his matters.

Lu Xiaobai: “…”

Lin Ji moved a low stool to sit beside Yu Rong and brought up the solution he had discussed with Lu Xiaobai.

The Peifeng Sect was located on a secluded immortal mountain outside Qingzhou, and the surrounding villages and towns, including Qingzhou, were places where the Peifeng Sect could provide protection.

They had finally reunited, so his mother naturally couldn’t be too far away from him; it would be best for her to reside within Qingzhou. This way, even if he had to go elsewhere, his mother would still be under the protection of the Peifeng Sect.

After all, disciples of the immortal sect weren’t just born from cracks in the rocks; most had families and parents. Although entering the cultivation world meant they couldn’t linger in the mundane world, the Peifeng Sect was protective of its disciples and their families. For example, when disciples sent longevity pills back home, as long as there were no issues, the elders would turn a blind eye.

Moreover, the Lin family was wealthy, and his mother was used to a comfortable life, so there was no need to find a village to live a hard life. Lin Ji planned to move the Lin family’s assets and wealth here, just like his father and third uncle; it didn’t matter where they did business. After all, they didn’t have any emotional barriers about leaving their hometown.

At that time, the Lin family’s business would have managers and some loyal subordinates to run it, and Yu Rong could just oversee things from the side. Lin Ji was worried about the risks of not having family supervision. Those subordinates had considerable power and room to maneuver, and with him watching over them, they wouldn’t make things uncomfortable for his mother.

As for the woodcutter family that had saved his mother, he naturally had to repay the kindness. The most practical way was to ensure they would never lack for money in their lives. If they were willing to move and keep his mother company, that would be even better; if they had relatives who wanted to move as well, that was fine too.

After all, the Lin family wasn’t short on money, but Lin Ji didn’t need money in his daily life.

“So, Mother, you don’t need to rush down the mountain. Let me arrange everything first. If you don’t want to think about returning to Dongzhou, we can discuss other solutions.”

Yu Rong was taken aback and quickly said, “I don’t want to go back; that place is full of painful memories. It’s just your father; I can’t let go of him.”

Lin Ji began his calm tone again: “If you can’t let go, then just move here together.”

Yu Rong: “…”

After a long time, Yu Rong gently stroked Lin Ji’s face, “Unknowingly, you’ve grown up, handling things so comprehensively, quite like your father.”

“The solution you mentioned is very good; I will naturally listen to your arrangements. This way, we won’t be too far apart, and we can see each other whenever we want.” After a pause, Yu Rong lowered her eyes and sighed lightly, “Actually, your mother hasn’t been completely useless; I can handle accounts and business. When I first married, the Lin family’s business wasn’t that big; we built it up slowly.”

“But ever since your father died, I’ve lost my spirit and neglected everything.”

In the end, Yu Rong’s first half of her life had been too smooth; she had never experienced any setbacks. Whether it was her family background or her relationship with her husband, everything had been great. She was quite shrewd, and those years with Lin Lang were a time of mutual progress; she wasn’t just a pretty face.

Though her body had suffered, her spirit had never been struck down, so when she was hit, she couldn’t get back up. If it weren’t for the greater blow that came later and the chance to regain her son, Yu Rong might have forever remained trapped in her own world, unwilling to step out.

“Now, I’ve made up my mind; I must manage the remaining assets of the Lin family well. I can’t just keep your father in my heart and think of him occasionally.”

“…” Lin Ji twitched the corner of his mouth.

Three sentences without mentioning his father; he had little confidence in his mother’s promise.

The next day, Lin Ji confirmed with Yu Rong again: “Since you have no objections, I will handle this matter.”

“And,” he paused, tilting his head, “the methods I’m using to handle this aren’t all my own ideas; I consulted Lu Xiaobai.”

Yu Rong was puzzled: “I know; your Xiao Bai senior brother seems to be liked by you, and he really does well in both character and actions, but you don’t need to mention him every three sentences, right?”

Lin Ji: “…”

Having made a decision, Lin Ji naturally had to run a trip to settle everything; it wouldn’t be finished in a month or two.

Before that, he first settled Yu Rong in a small town near the Peifeng Sect for her recovery.

Meng Wanqiu only reminded him: “A Ji, I hope this matter can be resolved quickly, so you won’t have to be burdened by mundane affairs anymore. After all, in the cultivation world, cultivation is the main focus.”

Lin Ji agreed wholeheartedly: “I will heed Master’s teachings.”

Meng Wanqiu pondered for a moment and hesitated to speak: “I heard your mother say that your family was harmed by monsters. But you once said your family was harmed by enemies; is there some hidden truth?”

“I can understand not telling your mother the truth for now, but as your teacher, I hope you won’t hide anything from me. Do you know who the murderer is? Just tell me, and I will seek justice for you.”

After a long time, Lin Ji moved his lips: “I… don’t know.”

Meng Wanqiu also learned about the Mermaid Pearl from Lin Ji, but at this moment, he was thinking, if he didn’t know, how could he be sure someone was manipulating things behind the scenes? A Ji was unwilling to speak, so he could only suppress his doubts in his heart.

Meng Wanqiu clasped his hands behind his back, his expression serious: “Alright, but if one day you find out who your enemies are, you must tell me first. Don’t act rashly.”

After saying that, Meng Wanqiu turned to leave, and Lin Ji remained in place for a long time.

Unfortunately, it was already too late; he didn’t dare to confess and let Meng Wanqiu know he was a ruthless person.

Lin Ji turned around and saw Lu Xiaobai standing not far away. After being discovered, he walked over.

Lin Ji’s heart trembled: “Did you hear everything?”

Lu Xiaobai countered: “Did you not want me to know?”

Lin Ji: “… No.”

He just didn’t know how to face them. At first, Lin Ji sought revenge simply for the sake of being straightforward, thinking that living one more day after rebirth was like gaining another day, and he didn’t care how others viewed him; at that time, he had no one in the world to care about.

But now, it was entirely different.

Lu Xiaobai didn’t ask further, only saying: “We’re going down the mountain tomorrow; have you packed your things?”

This time, Lu Xiaobai didn’t need to accompany him, naturally staying at the Peifeng Sect.

Lin Ji looked at him, and Lu Xiaobai patted his shoulder: “Get some rest early; we need to get up early tomorrow.”

Taking Lu Xiaobai’s advice, Lin Ji couldn’t sleep early that night.

He picked up the wooden carving that had been placed on the desk, something he had never paid much attention to before, and looked at it for a long time.

Lin Ji was a bit curious; in this life, he rarely wore sky-blue clothes, so why did Lu Xiaobai’s gift to him—a wooden carving—end up painted in sky-blue?

What moment of him did he carve?

The next day, Lin Ji placed the puppet at the very bottom of his bag, stored it in his storage jade pendant, and then bid farewell to others, using his sword to leave the sect to handle family matters.

After Lin Ji left, Lu Xiaobai’s daily activities were no different from before.

It was just tending to the spiritual fields, cooking, practicing until tired, taking a nap, playing with the Yan Yu Beast, and occasionally finding things to do with his companions.

Lu Xiaobai had a lot to practice every day: body training, alchemy, reviewing techniques, reading spiritual cultivation texts, and at night absorbing spiritual energy to nourish his body… Oh right, even though he didn’t primarily practice swordsmanship, he still needed to practice swordplay.

At some moment while practicing swordplay, Lu Xiaobai suddenly thought of Lin Ji.

He sheathed his sword, deciding not to practice anymore.

In the past, he had used sweeping to hone his temperament, aiming to improve his focus. No matter how the world changed or how his mood was before starting something, he had to clear his mind of distractions; during the process, he couldn’t be distracted.

Since he couldn’t do that, continuing wouldn’t be effective.

Lu Xiaobai simply took a broom to sweep the floor, trying to regain his state.

But while sweeping, someone popped back into his mind.

Lu Xiaobai recalled the moment before Lin Ji left.

Damn it, why did he have to wear sky-blue clothes and then walk over to him and say:

“Actually, sky-blue is quite nice.”

“…”

Why?

What does that even mean?

Lu Xiaobai put the broom back in its place, simply sitting cross-legged and propping his head up to continue pondering.

Unable to find a clue, he simply picked up a wooden bucket from the kitchen to fetch water, returning to fill the water tank.

Meng Wanqiu was sitting nearby eating buns. He knew Lu Xiaobai had this habit and couldn’t help but advise: “Xiao Bai, don’t be too hard on yourself. Sometimes, the more you don’t want to lose focus, the harder it is to control.”

“It’s already quite rare to manage your words and actions in life; controlling what your mind thinks is even harder.”

After finishing his bun, Meng Wanqiu said, “At my age, I still find myself thinking about being a bit hungry while reading; have you finished cooking yet… It’s normal for thoughts to wander, as long as it doesn’t affect the main business.”

Lu Xiaobai: “… I know.”

But he was a bit angry with himself, unable to articulate why, so he could only find something to do to distract himself.

It was just a struggle with himself.

Sometimes, Lu Xiaobai would go down the mountain to the nearby town to visit Aunt Yu Rong, chatting with her to relieve her boredom and helping her set up her new home.

Every time, Yu Rong would warmly and politely welcome him, even showing a bit of respect.

Lu Xiaobai often went to visit, which wasn’t really related to Lin Ji; the main reason was that he felt Aunt Yu Rong treated him very kindly and gently, reminding him of his own mother from childhood.

Perhaps the longing for maternal love was a common feeling, even though she was Lin Ji’s mother.

As time passed, the two became familiar with each other. Yu Rong stared at Lu Xiaobai for a long time before tentatively asking, “Xiao Bai, have we met before?”

Lu Xiaobai shook his head, “Auntie, what do you mean?” Without Lin Ji, they wouldn’t have any connection.

Yu Rong lowered her eyes: “I just feel like you look a bit familiar.”

Somewhat like the immortal she saw under the moon before she completely lost consciousness.

At that time, the Lin family was annihilated by monsters, and then an immortal came to exorcise the demons. Although she now understood that they should be called cultivators.

At that moment, she was lying on her back on the ground, her face turned to one side, and anyone would think she was dead. But when the rain fell on her face, she hazily opened her eyes and saw that scene.

She seemed to have vaguely seen two immortals in white, but they weren’t on the same side. One circled above the Lin family, suddenly roaring in anger for some unknown reason, saying something fierce that she couldn’t hear clearly.

Just before leaving, another immortal in white suddenly appeared and injured the first one, causing him to flee in panic.

Perhaps it was the silver hair of that immortal that was too eye-catching; even though her mind was muddled, she still had an impression.

Suddenly, he floated lightly in front of her, sighed softly: “I’m still late.”

After an unknown amount of time, he raised his hand to envelop her in a layer of immortal power, softly saying: “Take a nap.”

Yu Rong recounted the situation at that time, and Lu Xiaobai’s expression subtly froze before quickly returning to normal: “It seems Auntie might have been too severely injured and experienced hallucinations.”

He picked up his teacup, looking down at the reflection in the cup: “Otherwise, if there really were immortals, why didn’t they arrive earlier to save you?”

He drank the tea in the cup in one go.

Yu Rong concealed the sorrow in her eyes: “Perhaps it’s fate; I can’t blame anyone.”

“Actually, even if you don’t tell me, I know that the massacre of your family was likely caused by the Mermaid Pearl. I don’t mention it to A Ji just because I see that he’s living well with you now; there’s no need to be burdened by hatred. I don’t want to lose anyone again.”

Yu Rong took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears, “I can only tell you this; I hope you won’t mention it to him…”

Sometimes, people just can’t hold back their words; if they don’t say it, they feel uncomfortable, but after saying it, they want others to keep it a secret.

Lu Xiaobai nodded: “I will.” After a pause, he added: “As for the hallucination, please don’t mention it to Lin Ji, to avoid stirring up his obsessions.”

To prevent him from doubting his intentions again.

Yu Rong nodded, thought for a moment, and curiously asked: “Xiao Bai, how do you usually get along with A Ji? He often mentions you in front of me, praising you a lot. As his mother, I really can’t figure out how you two became so close.”

Lu Xiaobai’s expression was calm at first, but the more he listened, the more he felt something was off. He straightened up, his face showing genuine confusion: “Ah, he praises me?”

When did Lin Ji ever praise him? He hadn’t even called him senior brother.

Yu Rong calmly sipped her tea: “I knew it; he wouldn’t dare say it in front of you! He often says you’re very attentive to him.” She thought for a moment, equally puzzled, “But why are you so surprised? Is it that your relationship isn’t good? Is he…?”

Lu Xiaobai quickly waved his hands: “No, no.”

Yu Rong, as an elder, was kind to others, but she also had some common… parental habits, always worrying that her child would cause trouble for others.

Lu Xiaobai often heard her imagining whether Lin Ji was causing trouble at Luoxia Peak or something, and she would apologize in advance for her son, then praise Lu Xiaobai, which made him, a peer, feel scared.

Even Lu Xiaobai found it hard to distinguish whether the compliments from the older generation were out of politeness or genuine praise. Even when she said Lin Ji would praise him, Lu Xiaobai felt she was just being courteous.

“So, do you two get along well?” Yu Rong genuinely seemed worried; she really liked this junior and thought it was great that A Ji had such a senior brother.

Lu Xiaobai poured another cup of tea and casually said: “A Ji and I have always… gotten along well. We just occasionally bicker; that’s normal. After all, we’ve known each other for years, and there wouldn’t be no conflicts at all.”

Or rather, there had always been conflicts, and once they erupted, they became serious.

Hearing this, Yu Rong felt relieved; after all, they were just young and impetuous boys.

As Lu Xiaobai chatted, he gradually became more sincere: “I just don’t quite understand what he thinks of me.”

Just like he couldn’t understand himself; clearly, he had planned to let things flow naturally and maintain a light relationship, yet he still found himself tangled up, unable to let go.

Lu Xiaobai: “Sometimes I feel like he doesn’t like me, and other times I think he doesn’t dislike me as much as I thought.”

Perhaps Lu Xiaobai was too melancholic, which affected his focus. He subconsciously muttered, but didn’t realize that Yu Rong had sharp hearing and understood his general meaning.

She originally wanted to ask if A Ji had done something wrong… but this sentence from Xiao Bai sounded strange, and combined with his tone, it felt even stranger, almost like a complaint after a quarrel.

Yu Rong thought hard, trying to give him an answer, and suddenly said: “Maybe it’s not that he doesn’t like you?”

“…”

When Lu Xiaobai returned to the Peifeng Sect, he pondered over what Aunt Yu Rong had said not long ago.

At the mountain gate, a familiar sky-blue figure waved at him.

Lu Xiaobai’s eyes lit up, and when he looked up, he froze—turns out it was a disciple from the Yunshang Immortal Sect.

He walked over and said: “What are you doing here?”

Song Ruoci smiled: “I’m here to visit on behalf of my father and to bring a formal invitation for your master.”

Lu Xiaobai temporarily set aside his chaotic thoughts: “If that’s the case, let’s go in and talk.”

“Sure!” Song Ruoci was delighted.

Then, the two walked in with their arms around each other.

Song Ruoci’s father, the owner of Ming Ding Manor, had a good relationship with Ling Yun Zunzhe, and out of friendship, Song Ruoci was treated as a guest and stayed at Luoxia Peak for a few days.

After all, Luoxia Peak had guests coming and going, so having one more wouldn’t make a difference.

To be fair, Lu Xiaobai found that Song Ruoci was inexplicably attentive to him, but he instinctively felt that this person wasn’t here for personal gain; he genuinely wanted to be friends with him.

Perhaps it was because Song Ruoci had publicly resisted Xuan Yi Zhenren and had a fierce debate with Lin Ji that left a deep impression on him. That rebellious demeanor clearly didn’t seem like someone who was insincere, and Lu Xiaobai felt he got along well with him, so he was happy to befriend him.

However, after a few days, Song Ruoci found the mountain boring; it was just a change of scenery to watch others cultivate, so he actively requested Lu Xiaobai to take him down the mountain for a tour.

Lu Xiaobai gladly agreed.

Lin Ji quickly handled his mundane affairs and returned to Luoxia Peak, only to find fallen leaves drifting to the ground, and the surroundings were silent.

He searched for a long time but found no one.

Finally, he found his master in the Spiritual Artifact Library and asked about Lu Xiaobai’s whereabouts. Meng Wanqiu, quite interested, said: “Speaking of which, if you’re not tired, you can go down the mountain to play with them.”

Lin Ji: “Them?”

Meng Wanqiu explained about Song Ruoci’s visit and casually suggested that Lin Ji make more friends.

However, Lin Ji’s face suddenly darkened, and he said slowly: “Alright.”

He turned and left.

Down in the town, Lu Xiaobai and Song Ruoci hit it off quickly.

Song Ruoci was someone who truly knew how to enjoy life; wherever there was something interesting, he either couldn’t stop walking or was running around everywhere.

Lu Xiaobai didn’t have as much energy as him; after visiting a few places with him, he felt tired, completely lacking the enthusiasm he had when touring with Lin Ji.

“Wait, let’s find a quiet place to rest; it’s too noisy.”

If he were truly at the age of his body, he would definitely enjoy the hustle and bustle, but Lu Xiaobai now preferred to sit alone on a fishing platform and watch others have fun.

Song Ruoci kindly asked: “Where do you want to go then?”

This caught Lu Xiaobai off guard.

After a moment, he pinched his chin in thought: “I’ve always wanted to play a simple game of chess with someone or listen to music and appreciate melodies.”

Song Ruoci: “…”

But playing chess was boring; he couldn’t sit still, and he hadn’t expected that the Dragon Ao Tian had a taste for high art.

Song Ruoci: “Alright, then let’s book a private room in a restaurant. When the time comes, you can have them bring whatever you want to listen to or play chess.”

Lu Xiaobai sighed: “You guys really have money.”

So they really went to book a private room, and since Song Ruoci wasn’t interested in high art, he sat aside enjoying food and drink while listening to Lu Xiaobai play the piano.

Lu Xiaobai didn’t mind, as many times he didn’t even have an audience.

After finishing a piece, Song Ruoci noticed that Lu Xiaobai had started a bit awkwardly but soon became proficient. The Dragon Ao Tian was indeed versatile.

Song Ruoci was a bit puzzled, but he was straightforward by nature, so he simply sat next to Lu Xiaobai and asked: “I don’t quite understand; why do you like these?”

Lu Xiaobai plucked a string on the piano, enjoying the state of being able to speak freely without having to think: “Let’s put it this way, the less one has, the more they want to experience something.”

“Even in the cultivation world, there are many big families, and I’m a bit curious about their lives. But if I had to live that kind of life every day, I might quickly get bored again, but for now, I still like it.”

Song Ruoci nodded, understanding the aspirations of a grassroots protagonist: “It’s fine; once your cultivation improves and you hold a high position, you’ll have everything!”

Lu Xiaobai: “That’s not the same.”

What he envied was the innate grace and composure of those families, just like… Lin Ji. There was something about them that was inherently attractive to him.

Song Ruoci continued to encourage: “Whatever you want to do, you’ll succeed. Right now, you’re just waiting for the right moment to shine; I believe that even ascending won’t be difficult for you.”

“Oh? Brother Song, you’re overpraising me.” Lu Xiaobai looked disinterested, “Ascending isn’t that meaningful.”

Song Ruoci: “… What do you want to do then?”

The protagonist of an upgrade story doesn’t want to ascend? He must have crossed into a fanfiction.

Song Ruoci thought for a moment, “Could it be that you want to retreat to the mountains?” After all, protagonists usually end up in one of these two scenarios.

Lu Xiaobai shook his head repeatedly: “Retreating is fine, but retreating to the mountains isn’t.”

“Ordinary people have it too hard; there are natural disasters and man-made calamities, heavy taxes, and pressure from local gentry. Tending to spiritual fields at Peifeng Sect is for pleasure and cultivation, but going home to farm is labor. Early to rise and late to return, working under the stars and moon, there’s hardly any harvest in a year; what’s good about that?”

“Accidentally causing a drought or flood could lead to starvation everywhere, and people might resort to cannibalism.”

Having experienced it, Lu Xiaobai didn’t plan to retreat to the mountains, but rather to call it worldly cultivation.

“I just want to live a life that is both wealthy and leisurely, helping those in need when I have the means.”

Song Ruoci gasped, pouring him a cup of wine: “Great minds think alike!”

The dream of the Dragon Ao Tian was too down-to-earth, but he felt the same!

As the two clinked their cups, the door was suddenly pushed open.

They looked up to see Lin Ji slowly walking in, his expression neither angry nor happy, but rather solemn, giving off an uncomfortable vibe to others.

He stared directly at Lu Xiaobai, his eyes unblinking.

Lu Xiaobai placed the empty wine cup back on the table, recalling Aunt Yu Rong’s words, and he felt a bit flustered, accidentally knocking over the wine cup and hurriedly setting it upright.

Lu Xiaobai looked up: “You’re back?”

Soon, he lowered his gaze again, pondering the meaning of “not necessarily disliking.”

After a long time, Lin Ji chuckled: “It’s lively; count me in.”

Saying this, he walked over and forcibly sat down between the two.

“…”

Song Ruoci was left speechless, silently moving away.