“Tianyu, Ling’er, come here and try the osmanthus cakes I made!”
A soft, sweet, and melodious voice reached their ears.
In the pavilion, Qu Qirong, who had changed into a black ink-wash-colored long dress, beckoned to Deng Tianyu and Ling’er.
He and Ling’er approached, his gaze falling upon her, and a trace of amazement flashed uncontrollably in his eyes.
Her exquisitely beautiful face wore no makeup, yet she was still as gorgeous as peach and plum. Her beautiful eyes seemed to hold a pool of autumn water. Her long hair still carried a hint of dampness, and her entire body exuded an intoxicating, subtle fragrance.
“Aunt Rong, are you feeling better?”
Deng Tianyu sat on a stone chair and looked at Qu Qirong.
After the Heart-Controlling Gu was removed and she had bathed, Aunt Rong, cleansed of artificial glamour to reveal her natural beauty, seemed as if reborn. She exuded a refined and gentle aura, yet also carried an alluring, mature charm, breathtakingly beautiful.
“Yes!” Qu Qirong nodded gently, a smile in her beautiful eyes.
“That’s good!” Deng Tianyu genuinely felt happy for her!
To the side, Ling’er, who was stuffing the exquisite pastries into her mouth, shifted her gaze back and forth between the two.
Perhaps it was her imagination, but after the Heart-Controlling Gu was removed, she noticed that Madam looked at Deng Tianyu with a slightly different gaze.
Before, it was the affection of an elder for a junior. Now, besides that affection, there was something else mixed in, something she didn’t quite understand.
“Tianyu, try these osmanthus cakes. Aunt Rong made them herself.”
Qu Qirong picked up her chopsticks, lifted a pastry, and placed it in Deng Tianyu’s bowl.
Deng Tianyu lowered his head and took a bite. His eyes immediately lit up.
Instantly, a rich osmanthus fragrance swept across his taste buds—sweet but not cloying, crisp but not soggy, truly delicious.
Qu Qirong smiled softly. “How is it?”
“Delicious! I didn’t expect Aunt Rong to have such skill.” Deng Tianyu nodded, somewhat surprised.
As a foodie himself, if he found something delicious, then it truly was delicious.
“If it’s good, eat more!” Qu Qirong was very pleased with Deng Tianyu’s praise.
Ling’er licked the pastry crumbs from the corner of her lips and asked, still wanting more, “Madam, is there any more?”
Deng Tianyu, who had just taken one bite, looked down and was dumbfounded!
The plate that had just been full of osmanthus cakes was empty, he didn’t know when.
Confirmed by the look in her eyes: this Southern Border little dark-skinned girl was a foodie.
If you put her together with Big Loli Li Shishi and the little fox Yingying, they could probably become great friends at the dinner table.
Qu Qirong parted her red lips slightly. “There’s more in the kitchen. Ling’er, go bring it out!”
“Okay!” Ling’er’s face lit up with joy, and she hurried towards the kitchen, as if afraid the pastries would be stolen if she arrived too late.
Her current demeanor was even more excited than when she had challenged Deng Tianyu to battle earlier. Clearly, for this Southern Border little dark-skinned girl, good food ranked number one.
Qu Qirong withdrew her gaze from Ling’er’s retreating back and fixed it on Deng Tianyu. “Tianyu, why did you step onto the path of cultivation?”
Deng Tianyu pondered for a moment before raising his head. “To be able to follow my heart’s desires, and to protect the people I care about.”
Qu Qirong was surprised. “Not to seek eternal life and immortality?”
“Why should I?”
“Why shouldn’t you?”
Deng Tianyu took a sip of the fragrant tea and looked towards the lotus pond, where a school of koi was frolicking in the water.
“Actually, what I want is quite simple. Not seeking immortality, only peace of mind!”
“Just like the koi in the pond. Although their lives are extremely short, every day is carefree and free.”
“And among those who wholeheartedly pursue eternal life, how many actually succeed?”
“In the end, family, friends, confidantes—all depart one by one. You yourself finally become a lonely widower. In the end, no matter how unwilling, it’s just a handful of yellow earth.”
He had understood this point from the very moment he stepped onto the path of cultivation.
To say he didn’t desire immortality would be a lie.
But what meaning did eternal life have if everyone you cared about was gone?
After listening to these words, Qu Qirong’s smile grew increasingly radiant. With a hint of concern, she asked, “Then, among the people Tianyu cares about… is Aunt Rong among them?”
“Aunt Rong is certainly among them!” Meeting her gaze, Deng Tianyu gave an affirmative answer.
“Yes!” Qu Qirong’s heart felt warm, that budding, peculiar feeling growing.
Deng Tianyu asked curiously, “Then why did Aunt Rong step onto the path of cultivation?”
Qu Qirong thought for a moment and spoke softly, “I initially started cultivating just because my father asked me to.”
Having said that, she paused briefly before continuing, “Actually, I’ve never really thought about immortality. I just wanted to live an ordinary, simple life.”
“Marry someone I like, share life’s joys and hardships with him, give birth to a filial baby like Tianyu, and be a good wife and mother!”
“Unfortunately… things didn’t go as I wished!”
Looking back, Qu Qirong discovered that the path she had walked was all arranged by her family, completed step by step, dutifully.
Stepped onto the path of cultivation, learned business, became the Sect Master’s Wife, and was finally abandoned!
She had never disobeyed any arrangement made by her family.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to, but she clearly understood that even if she was unwilling, she couldn’t resist!
Until now, with the Heart-Controlling Gu removed, she was no longer a marionette but a person with her own autonomous will.
Deng Tianyu asked with some heartache, “Has Aunt Rong ever thought about leaving the family?”
“Leaving is useless!”
“With the Spirit Treasure Sect’s influence, even if I left, I would be quickly captured and brought back.”
Qu Qirong’s expression was calm as she revealed the darkness within.
It wasn’t that she hadn’t tried to escape. It was during one of those escape attempts that she met Deng Tianyu’s Mother Consort, made her only friend, and even became sworn sisters with her.
Soon after, she was brought back by powerful experts from her family.
Since then, Qu Qirong understood that leaving was useless.
Her thoughts paused there. She narrowed her beautiful eyes and seemed to speak to herself. “So, I don’t plan on leaving anymore.”
“They want to control me? Then let’s see who controls whom in the end!”
Deng Tianyu looked thoughtful, giving her a deep glance. “If Aunt Rong ever needs me, just say the word!”
“Tianyu has already helped Aunt Rong so much!”
“Leave the remaining matters for Aunt Rong to handle.”
Qu Qirong suppressed the gloom in her heart and spoke softly.
No matter who, including herself, no one wanted to show their unpleasant or dark side in front of someone they cared about.
Coincidentally, what she had to do next would involve some dark and ruthless methods.
Qu Qirong suitably changed the subject. “Oh, by the way, I’ve finished ‘A Chinese Odyssey’. Does Tianyu have any other books?”
“I have three more here. That should be enough for Aunt Rong to read for a while!”
Deng Tianyu took out from his Storage Ring the books he had retrieved from Big Loli Li Shishi.
“Aunt Rong, you seem to really like stories about love?”
“Because I’ve never experienced it, so I yearn for it!” Qu Qirong tucked a stray strand of long hair behind her ear and casually picked up one of the books.
Deng Tianyu smiled without speaking, occasionally explaining some parts of the books to her, fulfilling his filial duties!
Chatting about everyday matters, discussing stories, eating pastries, teaching her sketching hand-in-hand—he and she spent the day in such a peaceful and fulfilling manner.
