Knock, knock, knock.
The sound of knocking echoed.
Zhang Lexuan, who was busy processing official business, spoke without lifting her head: "Come in."
"Eldest Sister..."
"Mhm? Luochen? You... what's wrong?" Zhang Lexuan was about to offer a few pleasantries, but she saw Ling Luochen walk in with red-rimmed eyes, looking as if she were about to crumble.
"I—I'm fine..."
Does a person who is 'fine' look like that?
Zhang Lexuan sighed softly. After ushering Ling Luochen to a seat, she cut straight to the chase:
"Tell me about it. Let's see if I can help."
Ling Luochen fell into a brief silence, then spoke hesitantly: "Actually, it's about a friend of mine..."
A friend.
Zhang Lexuan's expression shifted slightly. This 'friend' you're talking about... it wouldn't happen to be you, would it?
"...This friend of mine, she—she fell in love with someone, and that person seems to like her back..."
"Isn't that great? Mutual affection," Zhang Lexuan comforted.
"But... but Eldest Sister, that person doesn't just like one person! He likes... several people! And all of them like him back! I—my friend really doesn't know what to do now..."
Zhang Lexuan realized the truth.
Alright, I get it. My junior sister has indeed been hurt by our Pagoda Master, that scumbag.
I suppose this was... expected?
"Then what does... I mean, what are your friend's current thoughts? Disappointment? Anger? Or is she preparing to leave immediately?"
"Leave? No—my friend has no intention of leaving." Ling Luochen shook her head hastily.
Leave? How could that be!
She had spent so long "questing" for him, and she had already signed her "indenture contract." Even if she ran away, once the Soul Master Competition ended a year from now and she graduated, she would have to come to the Spirit Transmission Pagoda to take up her post.
At that time, her direct superior would be that scumbag. She'd just be a lowly employee watching that scumbag show off his affection with Sister Skydream and Sister Bingbing. That would be true agony!
Besides, long before she appeared, that scumbag was already living with Sister Skydream and Sister Bingbing... She was the latecomer.
Moreover, given their daily lives, it was only a matter of time before "sparks flew" and things escalated. Such an occurrence was within her expectations; she just didn't expect it to happen so soon.
And from the very beginning, even though she knew there were already others by that scumbag's side, she had still charged forward while telling herself, "Nah, I'd win!"
It wasn't that she hadn't considered being behind. If she hadn't known that guy had more than three in his heart, she might have been unable to resist agreeing earlier...
Being a "concubine" wasn't out of the question. After all, though Sister Skydream was unreliable and Sister Bingbing was proud and quiet, they were both very good people and very easy to get along with.
What truly made her angry enough to storm out was that this guy actually wanted more than three!
Scumbag! Scumbag!
Zhang Lexuan's expression was peculiar.
She was now certain that her junior sister was completely infatuated... the type that would keep charging into a brick wall without looking back.
She doesn't want to leave? Knowing she can't have him all to herself, she still doesn't want to leave? Is this what love is...
Zhang Lexuan's eyes flickered, her thoughts unknown. After a moment's hesitation, she spoke:
"Did your friend discover his indecisiveness herself, or did he confess it to her proactively?"
Ling Luochen blinked, hesitating: "It counts as... him confessing to m—my friend, right? But that person had no intention of hiding it from my friend..."
"Mhm, I see. He didn't abandon her after deceiving her of her money or body, and he chose to be honest rather than hide it.
"At least this proves he still cares about your friend. It seems the man isn't a total scumbag; at least he still acts somewhat like a human being..."
Huo Yuhao's precarious image in Zhang Lexuan's heart was somewhat salvaged.
"Then, I want to ask one more thing. What about the other people he likes? What are their choices? Acceptance, or leaving?"
Ling Luochen's expression showed some hesitation: "They... they should have accepted it, right?"
Sister Skydream and Sister Bingbing got along so well. And throughout this past week, Sister Skydream still clung to Yuhao whenever she could, with no sign of distancing herself—in fact, she was even a bit more excessive than before.
It didn't look like she was going to leave at all.
"Then... the second question. Do you think that person would give up the others he likes just for you, and choose only you?"
"Probably... not," Ling Luochen said blankly.
Asking Yuhao to completely give up Sister Skydream and Sister Bingbing to choose her... it just didn't seem realistic. Yuhao is so responsible, and now he's even "eaten" Sister Bingbing; how could he possibly abandon her?
"So, your friend doesn't want to leave that person, yet she can't accept his indecisiveness. What do you think the outcome will be for your friend?"
"...I understand, Eldest Sister."
Ling Luochen grasped the key point.
Zhang Lexuan nodded with relief. It's good that she's giving up. Turning back early is the right move.
Although the saying goes "advise reconciliation, not separation," the problem was that the guy on the other side was a scumbag! Even if he was honest and barely qualified as a human, it didn't change the fact that he was a scumbag.
If her junior sister didn't give up and continued like this, she would likely end up as his mistress kept on the outside—no status, and not even much affection to speak of...
She was still thinking about properly grooming this junior sister to be her deputy and ease her workload; she couldn't let her be ruined by the Pagoda Master.
"I understand! I'm going to go take that guy down right now! The 'first bite' is already gone; I absolutely cannot fall behind any further!"
"Mhm, as long as you under—wait, what?"
Zhang Lexuan's expression froze. Ling Luochen, however, gave Zhang Lexuan a grateful bow and said seriously:
"Thank you for the encouragement, Eldest Sister. I'll be going now! Goodbye, Eldest Sister!"
With that, Ling Luochen turned and left, leaving Zhang Lexuan stunned and silent in her office.
Zhang Lexuan: ...
What did I even say?! And what did you 'understand'?!
Was that what I meant?! I wanted you to recognize the difficulty and retreat to find your own life! How did it turn into encouragement?!
Zhang Lexuan didn't understand. Zhang Lexuan was profoundly shocked. Even she, who had weathered great storms, felt a bit lost for a moment.
"Does love really make a person so irrational?"
Zhang Lexuan muttered to herself, then felt an involuntary sense of relief in her heart.
Fortunately, she didn't deal with romance. Since childhood, it had been cultivation, cultivation, cultivation. Her engagement with Bei Bei had long been voided after she decided to join the Spirit Transmission Pagoda.
Her fiancé had become her younger brother; it wasn't strange, but rather a relief. After all, for both her and Bei Bei, that marriage contract was a source of pressure.
In a sense, she was unburdened.
But...
Zhang Lexuan fell silent. Although she didn't want to touch the thing called "romance," she had to admit that the emotion in Ling Luochen's eyes after she made up her mind... was truly dazzling.
Inexplicably... she was a little envious.