Chapter 36 Part 2

Yun Chun’s brows furrowed slightly.

Xu Lanmeng was studying Yun Chun’s features. In the silence, she silently analyzed the girl’s face. Yun Chun looked a lot like Yun Yueqin—the resemblance was clear in her eyes and brows. That was why, when Xu Lanmeng had caught sight of Yun Chun’s photo in that magazine by chance, she had frozen on the spot.

Looking at Yun Chun’s picture had made her think of someone else. Someone she hadn’t dared to think about, see, or even inquire after for over a decade. The sight of Yun Chun’s photo had unleashed a torrent of longing, shattering the dam Xu Lanmeng had built around her heart over those long years in an instant. The floodwaters had come crashing in, sweeping away her fragile resolve.

Xu Lanmeng, who had left her hometown far behind years ago, had returned there for the first time afterward. And what she heard was that Yun Yueqin had passed away.

At first, she hadn’t believed it. But when she stood before Yun Yueqin’s grave, she realized there really was one way to forgive everything from the past in a heartbeat.

To forgive the betrayal. To forgive the unrequited deep love. To forgive the sudden withdrawal of affection. To forgive not being chosen unwaveringly… To forgive the Yun Yueqin she had hated for half her life.

And the price of that forgiveness was eternal separation between the worlds of the living and the dead.

In truth, where had all that hate come from? It was nothing more than love unfulfilled, love that cut too deep.

“…”

Xu Lanmeng took a sip of tea. “There’s something I need to make clear to you.”

Yun Chun leaned forward. “What?”

Xu Lanmeng set down her cup and spoke measuredly. “Two months ago, I found your mother.”

Yun Chun shot to her feet, disbelief flooding her eyes. “Then why—”

She faltered for a second before demanding, “Why did you lie to me back then?”

Even though her voice was low, it was clear she was angry.

After everything she’d been through, her temperament had mellowed. She went through each day with a bright smile and easygoing manner, but in reality, she was reserved at heart. The smiles and carefree attitude were just protective camouflage for life.

Over time, that camouflage had made Yun Chun lose a bit of herself. In any case, she rarely lost her temper anymore. She could even smile at someone like Li Gaoxuan, pour him a drink, and call him President Li with a laugh. But this? She couldn’t accept it.

Xu Lanmeng remained calm in the face of Yun Chun’s question, her tone steady. “Her condition was extremely poor at the time. Any excitement or unexpected trigger could damage her spirit body. She was already so fragile that she might have scattered into nothingness, doomed to never reincarnate.”

Yun Chun didn’t buy that answer. She pressed on. “You could have at least told me! I didn’t have to see her right then! Why keep it from me? Do you know how much I wanted to see her? If you’d told me, I would’ve had hope—at least I’d know my mom was here with you, right by my side.”

Xu Lanmeng met her gaze evenly. “I didn’t tell you for a reason.”

“What reason?”

Xu Lanmeng rested her hands on her knees, her eyes calm. “If you knew your mom was here with me but couldn’t see her, wouldn’t you ask me every day when you could?”

The anger coiled in Yun Chun’s chest eased a little. She had a feeling she knew where Xu Lanmeng was going with this.

Before Yun Chun could respond, Xu Lanmeng continued slowly. “Wouldn’t you show up at my door unannounced now and then, knocking until I answered?”

“Wouldn’t you keep texting me, asking how your mother’s recovery was going?”

“Wouldn’t you start thinking I was scamming you? That I claimed to have found your mom but wouldn’t let you see her, just to squeeze money out of you?”

Yun Chun looked away, her lips parting. “That’s not the point.”

“It is the point.”

Xu Lanmeng went on. “Your constant visits and messages would disrupt my life.”

“You…”

Yun Chun wanted to argue, but she couldn’t refute it. Of course she would do all those things—nothing mattered more than seeing Yun Yueqin.

But Xu Lanmeng was the one who hadn’t kept her word first. How had it turned into Yun Chun’s fault?

“Of course, there’s an even more important reason.”

Sensing Yun Chun’s lingering resentment, Xu Lanmeng spoke again, revealing the crucial point. “Your mother’s situation can’t be known to that female ghost by your side. I didn’t tell you ahead of time because I was afraid you’d let it slip.”

Sister Qingxue?

What did this have to do with Sister Qingxue?

That was exactly what Yun Chun thought—and asked. “Why can’t she know?”

Xu Lanmeng countered with a question of her own. “Do you know what she does?”

“She’s a ghost.”

Xu Lanmeng couldn’t help rolling her eyes. But she quickly reined herself in; if she herself hadn’t figured it out until recently, how could Yun Chun possibly know?

With patience, Xu Lanmeng explained. “After people die and turn into ghosts, those who did mostly good in life reincarnate. Those who committed grave sins face punishment. But there are also wandering ghosts—isolated souls roaming the human world without oversight. The Underworld doesn’t ignore them. It sends specialized ghosts to escort them back for reincarnation or punishment. Those in charge of this are known as Black and White Impermanence. Black Impermanence handles souls in the Underworld, while White Impermanence manages wandering souls in the mortal realm. They’re not individuals but groups fulfilling those roles.”

Xu Lanmeng watched Yun Chun. Seeing the gravity settling on her face, she knew the words had sunk in. “The one by your side is part of White Impermanence. That’s her job.”

“I only learned this a few months ago when I went looking for your mother’s spirit. If I’d known her identity sooner…” Xu Lanmeng caught herself before saying too much. She pressed her lips together, took a sharp sip of tea, and continued. “If she finds out your mother’s with me, she’ll take her away.”

Yun Chun had heard Lu Qingxue mention guiding souls before.

She had no issue with that part, but Xu Lanmeng’s follow-up drew an immediate rebuttal. “Sister Qingxue wouldn’t do that.”

Xu Lanmeng let out a huff of laughter at Yun Chun’s naivety. She arched a brow. “Duty is duty. Why would she consider the feelings of a living person like you? Unless she’s powerful enough to defy the Underworld and the ghost realm entirely—to do whatever she pleases. But do you think… that’s possible?”

Yun Chun fell silent. She had no idea how capable Lu Qingxue really was. She’d asked, but Lu Qingxue had never told her.

Still, when it came to standing against the Underworld on her own, Yun Chun doubted Lu Qingxue could manage it.

Then something occurred to her. She turned to Xu Lanmeng. “But… she said she has wandering ghosts as her underlings. If she were really like you say, why would she take ghosts under her wing?”

Xu Lanmeng’s brows knitted briefly before smoothing out. “Did she? If she wasn’t lying to you, then she’s defying Underworld rules, trying to build her own kingdom.”

“But…” Xu Lanmeng dismissed her own words. “Do you think that’s possible?”

Yun Chun had no response.

She didn’t believe Lu Qingxue would lie to her, of course.

But right now, her knowledge of Lu Qingxue was so limited that her certainty wavered into doubt.

Once the scales tipped, restoring balance meant adding weight to the lighter side.

But Lu Qingxue hadn’t seemed pleased the few times Yun Chun had tried to “get to know” her better. And figuring out Lu Qingxue without her noticing would be tricky.

So what should she do?

Let it be and see what happened? Or work to even the scales?

Before coming here, Lu Qingxue had even offered to help find her mother. If Lu Qingxue found her first… would that mean they’d reunite only for her to take Yun Yueqin away right after?

Yun Chun clenched her fists.

Xu Lanmeng didn’t give her time to dwell on her silence. “That’s exactly why I was afraid to tell you—afraid you’d think like this.”

She spoke slowly. “Your mother is safest staying by my side.”

Yun Chun’s lashes fluttered. “So… on the phone, you didn’t say why you wanted to see me because you were worried I’d tell Sister Qingxue?”

“It’s not that I was worried. You definitely would have.”

Her thoughts laid bare, Yun Chun turned her face away.

She had no secrets from Lu Qingxue—let alone something as earth-shattering as finding her mother. Of course she’d have told her right away.

What would Lu Qingxue do then? Follow her here and take her mother away?

Yun Chun didn’t want to believe it, but Xu Lanmeng’s words were steadily reshaping her understanding. Duty was duty, after all.

Xu Lanmeng’s voice pulled her attention back.

“Your mother has recovered well now. Even if she gets emotional seeing you, it won’t harm her. And she won’t be so easy to take away anymore.”

Xu Lanmeng paused for a moment, then said, “So now I’ve told you.”

Xu Lanmeng said: “Yun Chun, I hope that after seeing your mom today, you won’t mention anything about her to Lu Qingxue when you get back.”

Yun Chun’s eyes flickered, and without giving an answer, she instead asked: “What about my mom?”

Xu Lanmeng remained silent. On this matter, she could not compromise.

If Yun Yueqin hadn’t been mentioning Yun Chun more frequently in her ear lately, Xu Lanmeng might not have let them meet so soon.

Lu Qingxue’s presence turns Yun Chun’s meetings with Yun Yueqin into an adventure.

Xu Lanmeng didn’t dare to take the gamble. Even if this person was Yun Chun, Yue Qin’s daughter. Precisely because she was Yue Qin’s daughter, Xu Lanmeng felt affection by association; otherwise, she would never take such a risk for anyone else.

Even before Yun Yueqin died, they had already missed a lifetime together. After Yun Yueqin’s death, Xu Lanmeng naturally kept her by her side.

Even if hated by Yun Yueqin.

Hate is fine too. She hated Yun Yueqin for half her life; now it’s Yun Yueqin’s turn to hate her. Why not say they were made for each other?

She had the thought of keeping it to herself, but upon seeing the longing and concern in Yun Yueqin’s eyes, she couldn’t bear to do so.

Had no choice but to call Yun Chun over.

Xu Lanmeng looked at her without speaking, and Yun Chun naturally knew what she meant. She hesitated slightly, then nodded: “I won’t say anything.”

After she said that, Xu Lanmeng replied to her, “Okay.”

Xu Lanmeng said: “I’ll let you meet your mom right away. But after you see your mom, you have to keep it a secret for me.”

?

She asked: “What secret?”

Xu Lanmeng coughed awkwardly. “Because your mom asked me two months ago to help her find you, I…”

Yun Chun instantly understood. “You waited until now to tell her too?”

Xu Lanmeng nodded.

Yun Chun lets out a light scoff: “The way you do business is really shady.”

Xu Lanmeng got up from the sofa and said nonchalantly, “Then I won’t take your money, and I won’t treat it as business.”

Normally, Yun Chun would definitely follow up with, “This doesn’t fit your money-grubbing image,” but now she only has one thing on her mind, her whole body practically pressed against Xu Lanmeng.

At this moment, Yun Chun is just like a little tadpole, her mouth only repeating one sentence: “Where’s my mom?”