LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 102: Farewell
Chapter 102: Farewell
The crowd turned to the source of the voice and saw a young man in a black robe standing in front of the stall. His demeanor was calm and composed, exuding an air of elegance.
The young man didn’t look anywhere else but kept his gaze fixed on the girl’s face, as if she were the only person in the world…
Wait, wasn’t that You Su?!
Someone in the crowd immediately exclaimed, “It’s You Su!”
You Su paid no attention to the commotion and instead addressed Ji Lingruo directly. “May I ask, miss, which pancakes are they calling subpar?”
Ji Lingruo’s lips curled into a smile, her eyes filled with affection. All the frustration she had felt earlier vanished, replaced by the joy and relief of seeing You Su. She played along, saying:
“What, sir? Do you also want to try them?”
“Of course. I’ve been eating these pancakes since I was a child. How could I let them be slandered without reason? Different people have different tastes. They call them subpar, but I don’t believe it.”
“So, sir, are you here to judge for yourself?”
Ji Lingruo covered her lips with the back of her hand, her eyes curved like crescents, her smile so enchanting that anyone who saw it would be captivated.
Only when facing You Su did she truly resemble a cunning and beautiful serpent, effortlessly syncing with his thoughts. Her heart felt as sweet as if she had eaten honey, thinking how perfectly in tune she and You Su were.
You Su also smiled brightly, ready to continue standing up for his Junior Sister. “Exactly. Please, miss, sell me one of the pancakes you made. If they’re truly subpar…”
“Enough!”
The leader of the three visiting cultivators suddenly shouted, cutting off their back-and-forth. His face was pale, his hawk-like eyes darting between You Su and Ji Lingruo. He then said in a deep voice:
“It’s all a misunderstanding. Brother You, please don’t take offense. We’re not from Chuyun City, and there’s nothing wrong with the pancakes. It’s just that they don’t suit our taste.”
You Su was momentarily stunned, not expecting the man to back down so quickly. It was likely because someone had called out his name, and the man had heard it. You Su couldn’t help but feel a bitter smile inside. He never thought his name would one day carry such weight.
Before You Su could respond, the young man shouted again, “Let’s go!”
His two companions, who had been so confident earlier, now looked deflated and followed him as they quickly left.
You Su grumbled inwardly: They left too easily. I had at least ten different ways to help Junior Sister save face, but they just ran off at the mention of my name. How boring. He had wanted to show off in front of Ji Lingruo, but now the opportunity was gone.
In truth, most of the townsfolk trusted the reputation of Wang’s Crispy Oil Pancakes. After all, it was a well-established, generations-old stall in Chuyun City with a sterling reputation. They also knew that the visiting cultivators had likely stirred up trouble on purpose, but due to the difference in status, they didn’t dare speak up too much. Now that You Su had driven off the troublemakers, and given his heroic deeds in saving the city, their admiration for him grew even stronger.
You Su suddenly felt overwhelmed, struggling to deal with the crowd’s excitement. It took him a while to finally disperse them.
Even Granny Wang tactfully called out, “Oh dear, my husband needs his medicine changed!” and hurried into the inner courtyard.
The once-noisy stall was now quiet, leaving only the young man and young woman facing each other in silence. The affection between them seemed to grow even more intense, as if the heat from the oil pot between them was cooking their emotions.
“Ahem.” You Su pretended to cough, breaking the silence.
“Oh, sir, you’re still here?” Ji Lingruo raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise, though her hands continued kneading the dough.
“Miss, you jest. I came to buy pancakes. Since I haven’t gotten any, of course I’m still here.”
“Pfft. What kind of pancake would you like, sir?”
“The best pancake in the world.”
“Oh? And what pancake is that?”
“It’s called the Junior Sister Pancake, made by my Junior Sister especially for me.”
“I don’t have any Junior Sister Pancakes here. All I have are You Su Pancakes, made with crispy oil. These You Su Pancakes are pretty mediocre. Do you still want them?”
You Su wasn’t bothered by Ji Lingruo’s teasing. Instead, he became even bolder. Seeing Ji Lingruo take a pancake she had made from the pot and place it in the basket on the right, he reached out and took it.
The pancake had a deep golden hue and emitted an appetizing aroma. Ji Lingruo was getting the hang of it, and this was the best one she had made so far.
Without hesitation, You Su took a big bite. The pancake was crispy and savory, making it hard to believe it was made by the same Junior Sister who couldn’t even cook a decent bowl of egg noodles.
“Miss, you may not know this, but this pancake is called the Crispy Oil Pancake, also known as the Junior Sister Pancake. It’s my favorite. And my Junior Sister’s favorite is the You Su Pancake.” You Su took a few more bites, seemingly unfazed by the heat.
“You’re full of nonsense.”
Ji Lingruo rolled her eyes, but the intimate words from You Su didn’t embarrass her. With their impending separation, she even wished he would say more.
Time flew by, and soon it was night.
Bright stars dotted the dark sky, shining like dazzling gemstones.
The night quietly stretched out, covering the grassland like an enormous black cloth.
You Su and Ji Lingruo lay on the grass, gazing at the silvery sky.
From morning until now, the two of them hadn’t returned to the sect.
They had spent the morning learning how to make the crispy oil pancakes. The process wasn’t difficult, but the key was in the secret recipe for the filling. Ji Lingruo learned diligently, even taking notes on all the important points. In the end, her efforts paid off, and the results were passable.
Afterward, she secretly left some silver and health-restoring pills for Granny Wang before leaving with You Su. They went to their favorite restaurant. It was amusing because, although they often ordered takeout from there, this was the first time they had eaten inside the restaurant together. Thanks to You Su’s presence, the restaurant’s business even picked up.
After eating their fill, they still didn’t feel like returning to the sect. After some awkward hesitation, they finally held hands and strolled through Chuyun City. Ji Lingruo took the opportunity to properly appreciate the city she had lived in for three years. Along the way, many people recognized You Su. Ji Lingruo wanted to pull her hand away, but You Su held on even tighter, making her blush as if she were a new bride meeting her husband’s family for the first time.
Unconsciously, the two of them wandered around, eating and buying various things. You Su’s smile never faded, as if making up for the regret of never having strolled through Chuyun City with his Junior Sister before.
After dinner, they walked to the grassland where they had once fought Elder Ling. You Su recalled the experience, feeling as if it had all been a dream. But thankfully, the most important person was still by his side.
Throughout the day, the two of them had tacitly avoided talking about their impending separation, focusing instead on enjoying each other’s company.
On the grass, the young man and young woman still held hands. They whispered softly, their words audible only to each other.
It was a beautiful night. A gentle breeze blew, and the delicate flowers shyly closed their petals, as if falling into a hazy slumber, yet still emitting a faint fragrance.
Ji Lingruo propped herself up and looked reluctantly at You Su’s peaceful sleeping face. Unable to resist, she leaned down and pressed her lips to his.
“Second Miss.” An old woman’s figure emerged from the darkness. Granny Liu gently reminded her.
Ji Lingruo ignored her. After a long while, she finally pulled away. She stood up calmly and looked at the frowning old woman.
“Granny Liu, let’s go.”
“There’s still some time before dawn.”
“No need.”
Since they would meet again, why cling to these fleeting moments? If she didn’t leave now, Ji Lingruo feared she might never want to. She took one last look at You Su before disappearing into the darkness with Granny Liu.
Outside You Su’s room, He Shutong stood at the door.
“Master, why hasn’t Junior Brother returned?” Heavenly Maiden Wangshu asked softly.
“He’s saying goodbye to his Junior Sister.”
“Oh…”
He Shutong suddenly furrowed her brow. Her fragile Spirit Platform was on the verge of collapse, but she forced herself to endure the discomfort and gently said to her disciple:
“Wangshu, go bring your Junior Brother back. We’re returning to the peak.”
“Yes.”