Love and Crown

From afar, the corners of his lips lifted slightly, as if he were smiling. He gave a faint nod—whether to me or to the crowd in the front courtyard, I couldn’t tell.

I collapsed heavily into my chair. Was this a dream? It had to be. I would never see that person again, never. But who was this figure standing so vividly before me? My vision blurred, yet that achingly familiar voice still reached my ears: "Time is short, and the tea is humble. I hope our fellow martial peers will forgive the lack of hospitality..."

He was exchanging pleasantries with the crowd.

My mind went blank, save for one voice screaming inside: It’s him. He’s back. He’s back...

A hand rested lightly on my shoulder. Mu Yan’s voice was uncharacteristically calm. "Do you know the Pavilion Master?"

I didn’t dare nod or shake my head. Wasn’t this a dream that would shatter at the slightest touch? A phantom that would vanish with the smallest disturbance?

Half a year had passed. I hadn’t even dreamed of him—I hadn’t dared to. To see him in a dream, only to wake to emptiness, left alone to face the cold, desolate night—I couldn’t bear that feeling even once. Not even once, or I wouldn’t have survived in this world without him.

But he was back. Whole and unharmed, standing before the crowd with a smile, speaking in that soft, measured tone of his—he was back.

I stood up, stumbling and pushing through the crowd toward him. Shouts of protest rose around me, all eyes turning my way. The hall masters of Phoenix Come Pavilion rose to their feet.

Did I look like a troublemaking madman?

It didn’t matter. I just wanted to confirm—to confirm whether that body was warm, whether the living, smiling, speaking person truly existed.

I knew I should have waited patiently. I should have waited for him to finish his business before quietly reuniting with him in private. But I couldn’t wait. Every moment stretched unbearably long, every second filled with endless cycles of doubt and certainty, certainty and doubt. I would have gone mad.

"Who are you? You—" I had already reached the front tables and chairs when Su Qian, the white-robed hall master of Net Moon Hall, stepped in my way.

I looked past her arm at the man still seated in his chair. He tilted his head slightly, long lashes casting faint shadows beneath his eyes. Resting a hand on the table, he remained silent before finally rising slowly and nodding. "Let her come."

I strode forward without hesitation and wrapped my arms tightly around him.

His body was warm. He was even thinner than last winter. The scent of his robes was still so familiar—warm, with a faintly sharp medicinal fragrance. There was no mistake. This was him.

The tiny spark in my heart swelled instantly, warming me until I felt like I might burn up.

I heard my own hoarse voice. "Brother Xiao."

His arms didn’t return the embrace. He simply stood there, neither welcoming nor rejecting my hold.

I looked up at his face. There was no trace of emotion—no joy at our reunion, no disgust or disdain. He merely gazed at me with that same detached calm, like any composed leader of the Martial World regarding a stranger.He pushed me away slightly: "Go rest for a while first."

My vision swam—had he forgotten who I was? Had he forgotten everything?

He spoke again, his voice still devoid of inflection: "Cang Cang, wait for a moment first."

He hadn't forgotten. I wanted to speak, but he had already turned his head, his voice warming slightly: "Mu Yan, you're back."

Mu Yan, who had followed behind me, nodded: "Yes, I'm back." His gaze shifted to me. "This is the Pavilion Master's..."

"An old acquaintance." The reply was cold and indifferent. Those deep, obsidian eyes turned to my face. "Just an old acquaintance."

Xiao Huan—this cold version of him, his eyes still faintly reflecting the sharp, ruthless glint unique to those of the Martial World—repeated calmly: Just an old acquaintance.

I released my grip on him, took a step back, and smiled: "Alright, I'll rest first. You handle your matters. I'll wait."

Xiao Huan no longer looked at me, turning instead to smile at Mu Yan: "You've worked hard."

He then stepped forward to address the crowd: "Thank you all, fellow martial artists, for coming. Right and wrong will become clear once you've heard the explanation. I trust you'll judge fairly."

What followed proceeded smoothly. Zhong Lin stepped forward to testify that the current Chariot Water Hall Master, Li Xiyan, was the one who had led the group to her home that night to commit murder. Li Xiyan was apprehended on the spot, and many others involved in the incident that night were implicated.

Before the assembled heroes of the Martial World, Xiao Huan dealt with Li Xiyan and the rebellious disciples of the Phoenix Come Pavilion on the spot.

I stood at the edge of the courtyard, watching the crowd before me, unmoving.

My heart had gradually calmed. After confirming it over and over, I no longer doubted—he was truly alive. As long as he was alive, that was enough.

The blazing midday sun had, at some point, sunk behind the western mountains. The shadow at my feet slowly lengthened, stretching past the steps beneath me, then past the flowerbed not far away, and finally past the distant rockery. The day was nearly over.

I remained standing. As the crowd dispersed, occasionally someone would pause to scrutinize me with strange looks—particularly the young, beautiful female warriors. Their lips curled with ambiguous smiles, laced with disdain: Who was this madwoman who had thrown herself at the Phoenix Come Pavilion Master in public? Shameless. Now left standing here all day, utterly humiliated.

I shifted my gaze to their delicate embroidered shoes in shades of green and red, saying nothing.

When the twilight sunlight spilled onto the flagstone before me, a pair of black boots finally came to a stop in front of me.

With what seemed like a faint sigh, Xiao Huan spoke: "Come with me."

I lifted my head and followed him. My legs, having stood for so long, were numb and moved stiffly.

He led me all the way to the waterside pavilion, lifting the beaded curtain to enter the inner chamber. He took a seat behind the desk, then paused briefly: "Have you been well lately?"

I looked up at him but didn't answer. He likely hadn't expected me to—this cold, polite tone was merely his way of breaking the silence.

"I never knew how to face you when we met again," he said slowly. "How to speak without hurting you, and to make you understand."

I watched his profile in silence.He continued, his voice calm: "I'm sorry I didn't come to see you again... but I'm tired, so I don't want to be involved in those past matters anymore. I've already died once—I won't seek the throne again. Now, I only want to do the things I wish to do."

As he spoke, he raised his head and looked at me, smiling faintly. His eyes were tranquil. "The promise to protect you for a lifetime—I'll still do my best to keep it while I live. As for this alias now, consider it a memento of the past."

There was one more thing he didn't say: Don't drag me down anymore.

I opened my mouth—what else could I say? Everything I wanted to say, everything I didn't want to say, he had already said it all. If I spoke further, even I would feel like a shameless beggar reaching out to him for more.

I nodded, steadying myself against the chair as I stood up. "I understand. It's nothing. I just wanted to see if you were doing alright. That's enough. Goodbye."

I tried to walk away, but my vision darkened for a moment, and my knees hit the floor with a heavy thud. I scrambled up and bowed to him. "Sorry. I'm leaving."

I fled the room like a fugitive, my vision blurring. The sky was growing dark, but no lamps had been lit in the courtyard. In my panic, I stumbled several times—this courtyard was still too vast to escape quickly.

In my haste, I bumped into someone. My shoulder was firmly grasped.

I looked up—it was Xiao Qianqing. He gazed at me, then suddenly smiled. "Cang Cang."

In the night, those light jade-green eyes were filled with a light I couldn't comprehend. He raised his arms and embraced me.

Not a word was spoken, yet I calmed down. Then tears welled up, and I clung to him, burying my face in his shoulder and taking a deep breath.

"Cang Cang..." After a long while, he finally spoke. "No matter what you do, I'm here."

I had forgotten about him. The entire afternoon, I had stood in the courtyard waiting for Xiao Huan, while he had been waiting for me—until now.

The night was as still as water. I closed my eyes and held this man before me tightly.

The sunlight was dazzling, and the open space by Xuanwu Lake was crowded with people.

This was a newly acquired prime plot of land by the Phoenix Come Pavilion—backed by mountains and facing water, every inch worth its weight in gold.

Now, it was packed densely with people, dust swirling in the air as shoulders jostled.

I squeezed through the crowd. The burly man to my left kept clearing his throat and spitting, the thick phlegm landing with a splat on the ground before he rubbed it into the dirt with his shoe.

In front of me, a wandering monk with a shaved head was gnawing on a pig's trotter, the grease dripping down the corners of his mouth with each noisy bite.

Behind me, a heavily made-up female warrior with two Emei steel spikes at her waist seemed to have body odor. As she shifted impatiently, waves of stench wafted over.

"Next." From the temporary canopy ahead, a man spoke listlessly. He wore white robes with a blue satin sash at his waist—the mark of a Phoenix Come Pavilion branch leader.

"Coming!" The wandering monk in front of me tossed aside the pig's trotter, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and cheerfully stepped forward.

"Name, sect, background, what martial arts do you know? What weapons do you use?" The branch leader under the canopy fired off questions like rapid arrows. His face was lean, his brows sharp, and though he was still young, his temples were already streaked with gray.

"This humble monk is Lu Tihua, disciple of Mount Wutai, known in the Martial World as the Staff-Breaking Nine Provinces, Rival to Lu Zhishen..." The monk began spouting with flying spittle."Don't mention your reputation in the Martial World to me," the white-templed hall master impatiently interrupted him. "Staff Breaks Nine Provinces? Show me your staff technique."

Seeing he'd encountered an expert, the wandering monk awkwardly fell silent. He pulled out a staff from behind him—a staff forged from fine iron, completely black and gleaming. When placed on the ground, it immediately left a deep dent.

To wield such a heavy weapon required genuine skill.

The wandering monk wore a smug expression as he glanced sideways at the white-templed hall master. With a "whoosh," he swung the staff in a full circle.

The gust of wind nearly hit me, forcing me to take a step back.

In an instant, the monk unleashed a flurry of staff strikes, each one fierce and powerful. Sand and stones swirled in the wind, and amidst the billowing yellow dust, his shiny bald head spun like a top.

Covering my nose, I jumped back a few more steps, remembering how the burly man to my left had been spitting earlier. Who knew what other filth was mixed in with this dirt...

Fortunately, it didn't take long for the wandering monk to finish his routine. He planted the staff firmly on the ground, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and looked triumphantly at the white-templed hall master.

The white-templed hall master fanned away the lingering dust in front of him and, without turning his head, instructed the female disciple standing behind him: "Chuxue, show him your staff technique."

The disciple called Chuxue stepped forward, cupping her hands in salute to the monk. "Master, may I borrow your staff?"

The monk hesitated, eyeing Chuxue's slender frame with a hint of disdain before handing over the staff. He chuckled, "Little lady, this is eighty catties of fine iron. Don't let it crush your delicate hands."

Chuxue bowed slightly. "Thank you, Master." With effortless grace, her slender hands took hold of the heavy staff as if it weighed nothing.

She first twirled the staff leisurely in the air and said, "Pardon my poor skills." Then, her figure suddenly moved.

Her white silhouette resembled an egret spreading its wings in an instant, the black iron of the staff flowing seamlessly like feathers beneath her arms. The massive, unwieldy staff became as light as a willow branch or a drifting leaf in her hands.

As the staff spun, the yellow earth beneath rose with the wind, swirling around her as if animated, not a single speck escaping outward. The technique lacked brute force, but within the tightly controlled movements, a chilling aura slowly seeped out. Even under the blazing sun, an eerie cold wind seemed to sweep across the yellow earth. The biting chill spread, and the onlookers seemed to forget to breathe, their eyes fixed on the mesmerizing figure.

Abruptly, the staff stilled, and the yellow dust collapsed back to the ground. Chuxue stood upright and returned the staff, her white robes pristine, untouched by even a speck of dust. She presented the iron staff back to the monk with both hands: "Fang Chuxue of Star Sun Hall, under Hall Master Shu Qinghuan. Pardon my poor skills."

"Fang Chuxue!" someone nearby exclaimed. "From the Fang family?"

The wandering monk had been staring dumbfounded. Now, he let out a dry chuckle. "So it's a member of the Fang family, renowned for their staff techniques. This humble monk was indeed showing off his axe before Lu Ban. How embarrassing." Though he claimed embarrassment, his face remained shamelessly grinning, not a trace of actual shame to be seen.

I sighed inwardly: This wine-and-meat monk sure has thick skin.

The white-templed Shu Qinghuan sneered. "I don't want boastful incompetents. Next."I glanced at the wandering monk whose expression had suddenly turned sour. Even if this monk wasn't likable, this Hall Master Shu really didn't spare anyone's feelings.

Thoughts aside, the next person in line before Shu Qinghuan was me. I stepped around the wandering monk and approached with a smile: "Greetings, Hall Master Shu."

Shu Qinghuan didn't seem to appreciate my overly familiar attitude, frowning as he looked at me: "Name, sect..."

I cut in: "Name's Ling Cangcang. As for sect, even my Master never told me. Experience-wise, I used to scrape by following others before becoming self-sufficient by collecting government bounties. My martial arts are quite varied—I know some finger and palm techniques, but my best skill is swordsmanship. Pity my sword just got broken. Preferred weapon? As I said, it was a sword, but now it's broken." I grinned. "You can save your breath when talking to me—no need to repeat questions."

Shu Qinghuan raised an eyebrow, his frosty demeanor unchanged: "Good. Then what do you think you can do?"

I smiled: "While Phoenix Come Pavilion certainly needs those with strong martial arts and high reputation, it also needs quick-witted and nimble errand runners, right?" I glanced around. "Actually, I think leaving people standing in an open field like this, picking disciples as if selecting laborers—no matter how prestigious Phoenix Come Pavilion is—true masters would still disdain coming."

Shu Qinghuan snorted coldly: "You've got quite the opinions. Don't you think you're being too talkative?"

I grinned cheekily: "If I were really talkative, I'd casually mention that your hair turned white because you practiced an unorthodox internal art from the Great Radiance Palace. That technique may yield quick results, but prolonged practice risks qi deviation. If you don't want to end up a cripple with useless limbs, you'd better switch to the Shaolin Temple's Muscle-Tendon Changing Classic before you turn thirty."

Shu Qinghuan finally lifted his gaze to look at me, smiling coldly: "You really are talkative. I detest presumptuous people." With a wave of his hand, he said to the clerk beside him, "Note the name—Ling Cangcang."

At his words, Fang Chuxue, standing behind him, handed me a wooden token carved with a vermilion bird design and smiled: "You may proceed to the main hall. Someone there will assign you to a division and position."

I grinned triumphantly, taking the token and turning to leave, noticing the stunned expressions of those nearby. After all, apart from the long-renowned swordsman He Rufei, no one had managed to get a token from the notoriously picky Shu Qinghuan all morning.

It's all about technique. With arrogant types like Shu, you have to out-arrogant them.

Cheerfully stepping out, I strolled toward the edge of the field when someone called out to me: "Cang Cang? What are you doing here?"

I looked up to see Mu Yan, who was overseeing the disciple recruitment.

I waved the token at him smugly: "Remember to have your subordinates keep me at the main hall. From now on, I'll be working under you, Hall Master Mu."

Mu Yan looked astonished, eyeing me up and down: "What are you up to?"

"Can't you tell?" I rolled my eyes. "I'm now a disciple of Phoenix Come Pavilion."Although Mu Yan didn't know my identity, he could tell something from Xiao Qianqing's demeanor and asked in surprise, "Aren't you the King of Chu's... What are you doing at our Phoenix Come Pavilion?"

I smiled. "The King of Chu is the King of Chu, and I am me."

Xiao Qianqing couldn't stay away from the capital for long and left in a hurry that very night. After that day, Zhong Lin also disappeared without a trace.

Alone in Jinling, I heard that Phoenix Come Pavilion was recruiting new disciples on a large scale, so I came running over.

Mu Yan nodded at me. "Alright... but what exactly are you here for?"

I glanced sideways at him. "Want the truth?"

He nodded, slightly puzzled.

I cleared my throat. "To flirt with your Pavilion Master."

"Huh?" Mu Yan swallowed hard, looking around at the passersby who were now staring. "You... what did you say?"

"I'm going to flirt with the Phoenix Come Pavilion Master!" I shouted, pumping my fist.

Since the ties were already severed and the past was sealed away, why not start over?

Mu Yan was stunned by my lion-like roar and immediately waved me off to report to the main hall, walking away so fast it seemed like standing with me for another moment would cost him a limb.

Meanwhile, I cheerfully grabbed my wooden token and ran all the way to the main hall of Phoenix Come Pavilion on Xuanwu Avenue.

After handing in my token at the entrance, I was led to a small courtyard behind the Vermilion Hall, where quite a few people were already gathered in small groups.

I stood under the corridor for a while before deciding to stir up some trouble. I patted the shoulder of a black-clad swordsman nearby. "You seem quite at ease, brother."

The swordsman gave me a sidelong glance and grunted.

Still aloof, huh? I pressed on. "Brother, your demeanor is so striking and extraordinary—I can't help but admire you. May I ask your name?"

The swordsman looked at me again, his gaze still somewhat disdainful but his tone slightly softer. "No need for flattery. I am Ren Fei from Shandong."

"You're the renowned 'Swift Wind Sword' Ren Fei, who single-handedly stormed the Black Wind Stronghold, recovered the disaster relief funds, and saved tens of thousands of victims?" I rattled off in one breath.

Ren Fei gave a faint hum. "That would be me."

I clicked my tongue in awe. Ren Fei was a long-established lone hero in the Martial World, and his righteous act of rescuing the relief grain had only boosted his fame and respect.

Although Phoenix Come Pavilion's reputation had been soaring recently, and its unconventional recruitment of skilled individuals had attracted many talented and righteous figures, I never thought someone of Ren Fei's stature would stoop to joining as a mere disciple. Yet here he was.

Still marveling, I chatted with Ren Fei for a bit longer before moving on to others.

After asking around eight or nine people, I found that each one was either a long-famed hero or the prized disciple of some great master—every name dropped was impressive. The more I asked, the more my confidence waned, and I couldn't help but mutter, "Instead of idling around, why don't you all go out and perform heroic deeds to save the people? Why crowd here?"

"Huh? Why come here?" A crisp voice chimed in right after I spoke. "The other day, I saw the Pavilion Master of Phoenix Come Pavilion in front of the Vermilion Hall and thought, 'This person is really good-looking.' Then today, I saw Phoenix Come Pavilion recruiting new disciples by Xuanwu Lake, so I came. Thinking about it carefully, I don't even know why I'm here—maybe just to see that good-looking Pavilion Master?"

I turned around to see a purple-robed girl, about fifteen or sixteen, who had cheerfully finished her sentence and was now blinking her big eyes at me.Finally meeting someone I could talk to, I couldn't help but ask, "When those people by Xuanwu Lake asked why you wanted to come to Phoenix Come Pavilion earlier, what did you tell them?"

"I just said I thought the Pavilion Master was really good-looking, and working under him must be joyful every day. Then the person listening to me laughed and gave me the wooden token to report here." The girl looked completely innocent. "What? Is there something wrong with that?"

I nodded repeatedly. "Nothing's wrong." After a moment's thought, I continued, "May I ask which hall master gave you the wooden token?"

"It wasn't any hall master. Hall Master Mu from the Star Sun Hall gave me the token," the girl replied, her expression shifting to one of dreamy admiration. "So Phoenix Come Pavilion isn't just about the Pavilion Master being handsome! Hall Master Mu has such a beautiful smile too. What a wonderful place this is!"

I had a feeling it was that unreliable Mu Yan who gave this girl the token, and sure enough, I was right.

But this girl—she's even more straightforward than I am...

"My name is Zhang Lige. 'Li' as in parting, 'Ge' as in song. I learned swordplay from my grandmother," the girl chirped cheerfully before I could say anything more. "Everyone here is so stiff and indifferent, but you seem quite friendly. Let's be friends! What's your name?"

I nodded in heartfelt agreement. "Yes, it's rare to meet someone I click with. I'm Ling Cangcang—just call me Cang Cang."

Lige beamed, her eyes always crinkling when she spoke. "Cang Cang, why did you come here? Also because you think the Pavilion Master is good-looking?"

"Well... that might be part of the reason," I admitted with a light cough.

As we chatted, a hall master entered the courtyard and began reading from a sheet of paper. His voice wasn't loud, and he wasn't standing particularly close to us, yet I could hear him as clearly as if he were speaking right beside us. He must have been using some profound internal technique like sound transmission.

Rumors had long circulated that Phoenix Come Pavilion was home to hidden dragons and crouching tigers. Seeing even a hall master display such skill firsthand proved it wasn't an exaggeration.

The hall master was assigning everyone their placements. Lige and I strained our ears but didn't hear our names called. By the time most people had received their assignments and left for their respective halls, the courtyard had emptied—and still no mention of us. Finally, only the two of us remained. The hall master lifted his head from the paper and looked around.

I quickly pulled Lige over to him. "I'm Ling Cangcang, and this is Zhang Lige. Why weren't our names called? Where are we supposed to go?"

The hall master smiled. "Ah, so you're Ling Cangcang and Zhang Lige. Follow me." With that, he turned and walked out.

Lige and I trailed behind as the hall master led us through a maze of twists and turns, the path growing increasingly remote. Unable to hold back, I asked, "Excuse me, but what exactly are we being assigned to do?"

"Heh." The hall master was quite amiable. He chuckled and generously showed us the list in his hand. "The two of you were personally arranged by Hall Master Mu—he took special care with your placements."

I leaned in to look at the paper. Our names were circled together, next to which Mu Yan had scrawled four bold, almost flying characters in thick ink: Suitable for odd jobs.

Odd jobs? Is he recruiting disciples or hired hands? At least hired hands get paid a few strings of cash a month—Lige and I aren't even getting that!The hall master walked while dutifully introducing the general layout of the Phoenix Come Pavilion's main hall: For convenience in daily life and work, this large compound was divided into many smaller courtyards. Xiao Huan resided in the One Water Courtyard, adjacent to Su Qian's Clear Square Courtyard, while Mu Yan's Light Hue Courtyard was situated far away from the others. These courtyards were all partitioned according to the garden's terrain. The grand Vermilion Hall in the front courtyard served as the meeting place for disciples.

As we talked, the hall master led us to a small courtyard. Unlike the others adorned with lush flowers and elegant pavilions, this one was piled high with firewood, coal, and large wooden tubs for laundry. Numerous servants, including cooks and maids, bustled about inside.

The hall master called out to a plump woman wrapped in an apron, "Sister Ma, I've brought you two new helpers."

Sister Ma responded, setting down the clothes she was washing and walking over with a smile. "Hall Master Cheng, long time no see. You've been looking well these days." She sized up Li Ge and me as she spoke. "These two slender girls? I doubt they can handle heavy work."

Hall Master Cheng chuckled. "No worries. These two are newly recruited disciples who've trained in martial arts. Don't let their delicate appearance fool you—they can definitely manage heavy tasks."

This smiling fox sure knew how to make decisions for us. I shot him a glare inwardly, while Li Ge protested loudly, "I came to Phoenix Come Pavilion to see the Pavilion Master! Why are you assigning me here?"

Hall Master Cheng showed no surprise at Li Ge's blatant intentions and simply smiled. "This is where you'll see the Pavilion Master most often. The Pavilion Master keeps to himself—even hall masters and branch leaders rarely get an audience. But errand-running servants actually have more opportunities to meet him."

So, was Mu Yan being thoughtful by assigning me here? Then again, it was just as likely he couldn’t be bothered to care.

Well, since we were already here, we might as well go with the flow. I tugged at Li Ge and said to Hall Master Cheng, "Thank you for guiding us, Hall Master Cheng. We’ll stay here."

Hall Master Cheng chuckled again, offered no further instructions, and left.

Since Li Ge and I were now assigned here, Sister Ma introduced us to the layout of the servants' courtyard.

The courtyard had two main sections: the kitchen, responsible for daily meals for everyone in the main hall, including the Pavilion Master and hall leaders, and the laundry room, which handled washing clothes and bedding, as well as heating water for baths and washing.

These two sections employed about a hundred people, all under Sister Ma’s management.

After the introduction, Sister Ma assigned us to the boiler room to tend the stoves for heating water.

The work wasn’t too hard—just adding coal and removing ashes from the stoves occasionally.

The day passed easily. After dinner, Sister Ma stopped us and pointed to a large wooden tub. "Follow Miss Fen and deliver this hot water."

I nodded and saw a young maid standing beside Sister Ma, bright-eyed and fair-skinned, smiling but silent.

She nodded at Li Ge and me, then led the way. We carried the tub and followed closely behind.

Miss Fen took us quite a distance before stopping at a building. She gestured for us to wait outside, then gracefully pushed open the door and stepped inside.After Miss Fen entered, she closed the door behind her. Someone inside spoke softly, and then Miss Fen came out again, shutting the door tightly before gesturing to me and Li Ge.

She hadn’t spoken to us the entire time, and now I finally realized that this pretty maid must be mute.

I understood her meaning—that hot water wasn’t needed inside just yet, and we were to wait here until called before entering—so I nodded to show I got it.

Miss Fen smiled, then unexpectedly left me and Li Ge outside the door and walked away on her own.

Li Ge and I exchanged glances. Considering that the person inside must be the leader of Phoenix Come Pavilion, we had no choice but to wait outside.

We spent a long time counting stars, but there was no movement from inside. Just as I was growing impatient, the sound of splashing water finally reached us. I figured that since they’d already started bathing, even if no one had called for us, we couldn’t just not add hot water. So I signaled to Li Ge, and together we lifted the bucket and pushed the door open.

After stepping inside and rounding a painted screen depicting mountains and water, we saw a large bathtub filled with steam. It turned out there was already hot water inside. Miss Fen’s earlier gesture must have meant we were to wait until the person inside had bathed for a while and the water cooled before being called to bring in more. I had misunderstood.

But now that we were inside, it would be awkward to leave, so I just set the bucket down with Li Ge and said, “The hot water is here.”

Before the words had even left my mouth, Li Ge let out an excited shriek beside me.

I quickly looked up and saw the person sitting bare-chested in the tub, watching us calmly.

My first instinct was to cover Li Ge’s eyes—she was practically hyperventilating with excitement.

As I shoved her behind the screen, I bowed deeply. “Apologies, Pavilion Master. We didn’t mean to intrude. Please, continue your bath.”

Li Ge struggled to steal another glance, but I didn’t give her the chance, pushing her straight out the door.

Once she was gone, I quickly smoothed my slightly disheveled hair and clasped my fists in salute. “Pavilion Master, my name is Ling Cangcang, and the other girl is Zhang Li Ge. We’re new disciples recruited today and haven’t had the chance to meet you yet. From now on, we’ll serve as members of the pavilion, at your command.” I had prepared this speech long ago—I just hadn’t expected to deliver it under these circumstances.

A soft “Mm” came from the other side, and I cautiously raised my head.

Xiao Huan’s lashes were lowered, and the hazy steam had dampened a few loose strands of hair at his temples. The wet black locks fell over his shoulders, making the skin above the water seem almost translucent in its paleness. It was the first time I’d noticed how fair Xiao Huan’s complexion was—so pale it was as if no blood flowed beneath it.

A long silence passed before his voice finally sounded. “Ling Cangcang, was it? Pour this bucket of hot water in for me.”

I hurriedly replied, “Yes.” Lifting the bucket, I walked over with my head bowed, setting it on the wooden rim of the tub before slowly tipping the water in.

The water was scalding, and waves of steam rose to warm my cheeks. Under its cover, I secretly dipped my fingers into the tub to test the temperature—just slightly too hot, perfect for a bath.

Letting out a breath, I lifted the empty bucket and raised my head—only to meet those unfathomably deep eyes.

“Why did you come?” he asked quietly.

A droplet of condensed steam slid from the tip of his nose and fell into the water, sending out tiny ripples.

“Can’t I come?” I smiled.He shifted his gaze from my face and paused for a moment. "Must it be this way? Can it not end?"

"Pavilion Master must be joking," I took a deep breath and smiled slightly. "What end or not end? This subordinate doesn’t understand. I only just entered Phoenix Come Pavilion today. From now on, I am a disciple of the pavilion, and you are the master I serve—nothing more." I emphasized the last four words with a smile.

Silence lingered for a long while before he finally spoke. "Very well. From this day forward, I shall treat you as an ordinary disciple of my Phoenix Come Pavilion—no different from the others."

I nodded, raising my face to meet his gaze with a smile. "Naturally, Pavilion Master must treat all subordinates equally. But no one ever said a subordinate cannot admire her master, did they?"

I lifted my hands from the edge of the wooden tub. "Has no one ever told you, Pavilion Master? With your damp hair and half-bare figure, any woman would be enchanted. I am utterly captivated."

After saying this, I bowed to him, picked up the wooden bucket, and turned to leave.

Outside the door, Li Ge’s beautiful eyes widened as she rushed over. "Cang Cang, you were so loud! I heard everything! You’re amazing! I get so nervous around the Pavilion Master I can barely speak."

I chuckled softly and shoved the bucket into her hands. "Right? Pretty impressive, huh?"

"Finish refilling the water and leave. What’s all this noise in front of the Pavilion Master’s quarters?" A cool voice interrupted. Su Qian walked slowly down the corridor, her gaze sweeping over me indifferently. "It’s you."

I clasped my hands respectfully. "This subordinate, Ling Cangcang, greets Hall Master Su."

Su Qian gave a faint nod, her cold eyes barely glancing at me before she walked past.

I stood with my head bowed and hands at my sides, waiting for her to leave.

"Ling Cangcang," Su Qian suddenly stopped near the end of the corridor, not turning back. "I don’t care what past relationship or affection you shared with the Pavilion Master. But from now on, I won’t tolerate you hindering him with such trivial emotions."

Trivial emotions? I smiled faintly and clasped my hands again. "Understood. This subordinate will remember."

Without another word, Su Qian disappeared down the corridor.

Li Ge nudged my shoulder. "Hall Master Su is so domineering! Could it be she also admires the Pavilion Master and wants to compete with you?"

I shrugged. "You figured it out. Good men are rare these days—everyone’s fighting for them."

Li Ge nodded in agreement. "In the two months I’ve been down the mountain, I’ve barely met any handsome, skilled men. The rest are all useless."

I laughed, surveying the surroundings under the moonlight. Beyond the thick cluster of photinia bushes lay the lotus-scented pond. So this was another entrance to that waterside pavilion—I hadn’t realized earlier in my daze.

Turning back, I saw the warm glow from the pavilion’s window casting a square of light on the bluestone floor beneath my feet.

Knowing he was there, under that lamplight—that was enough. Just this, was more than enough.