127: Revisit Shouzhuang

When he returned to the apartment, dusk had already deepened.

Lin Luo pushed open the door, and the warm yellow light accompanied by the light fragrance of tea greeted him. The living room was a scene of leisure: Shiina Mahiru was gently placing warmed tea on the coffee table; Kirisu Mafuyu was curled up in a corner of the sofa, focused on writing lesson plans; the most surprising was Ye Nianyao—she was wearing light grey loungewear, lazily sunk into the main sofa, casually flipping through a magazine.

Shedding her usual cold attire, at this moment, she seemed to have let down an invisible barrier. Under the light, a few strands of hair fell by her cheeks, and her whole being exuded a rare sense of relaxation. Perhaps it was this unintentional softness that quietly melted everyone's usual restraint.

"You're back?" Mahiru looked up and smiled, naturally handing over a cup of hot tea.

Lin Luo took the teacup, but his gaze couldn't help but fall on Ye Nianyao. She looked up and glanced at him without saying a word, only pulling the blanket on her knees closer and making room on the edge of the sofa.

Just as he sat down, the rhythmic sound of chopping vegetables came from the kitchen. He turned toward that warm light: "Is Yukino cooking again today?"

Through the half-open glass door, the slender back of Yukino Mifuyu could be seen wearing an apron. She was looking down, preparing ingredients, her ice-blue hair reflecting a soft luster under the light, every movement skilled and composed.

"Yes," Mahiru placed the teapot back on the warming pad, her eyes curving into crescents. "Mr. Lin Luo should like Young Miss Yukino's cooking the most, right?"

"Well..." Lin Luo rubbed his nose and laughed it off, "I like everything you all make."

Fragrance wafted through the air, mixed with the gentle sounds from the kitchen. Ye Nianyao had closed her magazine at some point, her gaze sweeping over Lin Luo, the corners of her lips curling slightly in an indiscernible way.

Seeing this, Lin Luo instantly became wary. "What are you trying to do?"

Ye Nianyao didn't answer, but slowly reached out from under the blanket. Her fingertips were pale and translucent, gleaming like jade under the warm light. She unhurriedly reached towards Lin Luo—

Lin Luo instinctively leaned back, but saw her wrist turn; she merely picked a medium-short hair that had landed on his shoulder at some point. The hair looked brownish-black under the light, clearly not belonging to anyone here.

"Why so nervous?" She flicked her finger, letting the hair fall, her tone carrying a hint of playfulness. "Could it be... a guilty conscience?"

Lin Luo was momentarily speechless, turning his gaze away and muttering softly, "What do I have to be guilty about..."

Ye Nianyao wrapped the blanket tightly again, sinking into the depths of the sofa like a lazy cat. Those cold eyes still held a faint, lingering smile, as if she had already seen through everything but chose to keep this chess piece to be played at the right moment.

Just then, the kitchen door was gently pushed open, and Yukino walked out carrying the first dish: "Dinner is ready."

The rising steam blurred her elegant face and appropriately dispersed the subtle atmosphere in the living room.

Lin Luo rose as if granted a grand pardon, but as he passed the sofa, he heard an extremely faint whisper. The voice was as light as a feather brushing against his ear, yet carried an unquestionable sharpness:

"Next time before you come home... remember to clean off the scent on your body."

Her fingertips lightly brushed her nose, an unusual light flashing in her eyes: "I can smell it."

Dinner ended in a subtle atmosphere. Due to Ye Nianyao's presence, the post-meal chats that usually lasted until late at night ended early today. Mahiru helped Yukino clear the dishes, and Mafuyu stood up to take her leave with her lesson plans, casting a thoughtful glance at Ye Nianyao, who was still curled up on the sofa, before she left.

Perhaps in time, once everyone gets used to the presence of this cold beauty, this space will once again be filled with the laughter and playfulness of the past. But for now, she was like a suddenly injected spring of clear water, forcing the originally warm pool to find a new balance.

Lin Luo saw everyone off. When he turned back, he found Ye Nianyao still in her original position, though the blanket had slipped to her waist. She was looking at the deepening night outside the window, her profile appearing exceptionally serene under the moonlight.

"Tohru has become your personal maidservant now; don't order her around like that." Seeing Tohru preparing tea and snacks in the gaps of her busy cleaning, Lin Luo couldn't help but speak up.

Hearing this, Tohru's dragon tail wagged slightly unconsciously, but she still honestly walked over carrying the tea and snacks. Since she had suffered a loss at Ye Nianyao's hands last time, she had become much more restrained and didn't dare to openly oppose her anymore.

Ye Nianyao leaned lazily against the sofa, her fingertips lightly stroking the rim of the teacup Tohru had just brought: "She's willing." She looked up at Lin Luo, her gaze playful, "Since you care for her so much, why don't I see you coming over to brew tea for me?"

Lin Luo pretended not to see Tohru's resentful gaze and cleared his throat: "Better let Tohru do it; the tea she brews is much more fragrant than mine."

Before he finished speaking, Ye Nianyao raised her tender white jade-like foot and gave him a light kick: "Such a young master's temperament."

Lin Luo took the opportunity to grab her ankle. The temperature from her fingertips made him startle slightly, then he let go as if nothing had happened, retorting: "Your Young Miss's style is also quite something."

Ye Nianyao gave a light snort, withdrew her foot, and curled back into the blanket. Like a cat that had lost temporary interest in teasing, her gaze turned back to the moonlight outside the window, leaving him only a quiet profile.

The night grew deeper, and the warmth and tea fragrance in the living room seemed to settle down along with the fading conversation. Lin Luo glanced at Ye Nianyao, who seemed to have her mind elsewhere, and turned to return to his room.

He closed the door, isolating everything from the outside world. No lights were on in the room; only the cold moonlight shone through the window, casting a layer of silver frost on the floor.

Lin Luo let out a long breath and sat cross-legged in the center of the room. As his consciousness sank, the breath within his body began to flow slowly. The Spiritual Qi within the arranged Spirit Stones was rapidly extracted, turning into a warm current that flowed through the long-dried Meridians like a stream, bringing a sense of fullness.

Within the Dantian, that core, like a Universe singularity, woke up and began to throb powerfully like a heart. It greedily swallowed the newly born Spiritual Power, refining and purifying it repeatedly, finally extracting a few drops of Spiritual Liquid as crystal clear as jade marrow and containing pure energy, which sank heavily into the vast and boundless sea of spiritual energy below. The sea of spiritual energy rippled slightly, emitting a soft glow.

After an unknown amount of time, Lin Luo slowly opened his eyes.

A sharp light seemed to flash through his eyes before vanishing, returning to calmness.

However, almost the instant his Spiritual Perception returned to reality, he sensed that unusual aura—crisp and tranquil, yet with a presence that could not be ignored.

His gaze turned toward the bed.

The moonlight outlined a slender figure there. Ye Nianyao had entered at some point and was sitting cross-legged peacefully on his bed, her posture somewhat similar to his earlier cultivation. She tilted her head slightly, as if absorbing the moonbeams flowing from the window, a very faint, almost imperceptible glow flowing around her body. Shedding the casualness of her loungewear, at this moment, she actually had a bit of a solemn, dignified air.

"Is my room that good? Did you drive Tohru away just to make it easier to break in at night?" Lin Luo looked at her helplessly, his tone carrying a bit of annoyance from being disturbed.

Ye Nianyao slowly lowered her eyelids. Those cold eyes appeared exceptionally bright in the darkness, like stars immersed in a cold pool.

"I'm leaving..." she said softly, then elegantly lowered her crossed legs, her tender white bare feet lightly touching the floor, as silent as a cat. With the soft opening and closing of the door, the room returned to peace once more.

In the morning, Lin Luo walked out of his room and found that Ye Nianyao had woken up very early. However, she was lazily lounging on the sofa first thing in the morning, with exquisite snacks and a pot of brewed clear tea on the coffee table. The faint morning light filtered through the window frame onto her, outlining a soft edge of light, making her whole body seem to be glowing, even the fine fuzz on her skin clearly visible.

He said good morning. Ye Nianyao, nestled on the sofa, only lazily lifted an eyelid in response, like a satiated cat that had lost interest in everything around it.

Lin Luo was about to go wash up when the phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated. The name "Mr. Long" jumping on the screen surprised him slightly—this elder, who was both a teacher and a friend, had not actively contacted him for a long time.

The call connected, and from the other end came Mr. Long's usual warm and steady voice. After a few unhurried pleasantries, he invited him to Longevity Manor for a talk. Lin Luo thought that he indeed hadn't visited for a long time and was about to agree, planning to go during his free time over the weekend, but Mr. Long's tone shifted slightly, adding warmly but unquestionably: "If it's convenient, come over now."

It wasn't a consultation, but a gentle notification.

Lin Luo's heart skipped a beat, and then he understood. This was not an ordinary invitation to visit.

"Alright, I'll be there shortly," he replied.

The call hung up immediately, crisp and neat, without any extra explanation.

Listening to the busy tone from the receiver, a faint sense of unease, like a stone thrown into a quiet lake, quietly rippled through Lin Luo's heart. He put away his phone, and his gaze inadvertently swept over the sofa—only to pause.

The sofa was empty, with only a few wrinkles and that still-warm cup of clear tea remaining, showing that it hadn't been an illusion just now. Ye Nianyao had disappeared without a trace.

Back to her room so fast?

Just as he was wondering, a very slight movement came from his side. Lin Luo turned his head and saw that Ye Nianyao had appeared silently at the entrance at some point, as if she had been waiting there all along.

She had changed out of her loungewear and was wearing a set of light-colored outdoor clothes with a sharp cut and excellent texture. Her long hair was draped casually but didn't look messy at all.

Seeing Lin Luo look over, her expression was flat. She only slightly raised her beautifully lined chin, her tone as natural as if discussing the weather: "Aren't we going?"

Lin Luo was momentarily speechless. Looking at her full preparation, he couldn't help but ask: "You... are going out?" He remembered that he hadn't mentioned the specific matter of Longevity Manor on the phone just now.

Ye Nianyao lightly straightened her cuffs and looked up at him. A very faint expression, similar to "do you even need to ask," flashed through those cold eyes.

"Aren't we going to Longevity Manor?" she asked back, her tone matter-of-fact. "It's just as well; I'll go take a look too."

Just as she finished speaking, another voice chimed in—"Where are you going? I want to go too!" Tohru poked her head out from her room, rubbing her sleepy eyes, her dragon tail wagging unconsciously behind her. Her face was full of the confusion of having just been woken up and an unquestionable determination to join the fun.

Lin Luo looked at these two, one cold and one hot, yet both equally impossible to refuse, and his lips twitched imperceptibly.

"Then let's go together."