"You… you… you're really Qingyao?!"
Lin Che's finger trembled uncontrollably as he pointed at the girl in the soft yellow dress. His voice was a shattered wreck, as if he'd been trying to use it as a gong. Tears streamed uncontrollably from his red-rimmed eyes—half from overwhelming joy, half from sheer terror. After all, anyone who discovered that their long-lost lover had suddenly "become" their little sister, while also being confronted with the soul-crushing question of "Explain this 'Sister Qingcheng' to me," would be in a similar state.
Yet, Lin Ying's reaction—or rather, the reaction of the awakened Su Qingyao—was utterly unexpected.
Instead of the icy coldness Lin Che had braced for, she let out a sudden, musical laugh. The sound was like ice melting and spring blossoms bursting forth, instantly shattering the heavy atmosphere in the room. She clasped her hands behind her back, tilted her head, and her deep, soulful eyes sparkled with mischievous mirth, blending Su Qingyao's wit with Lin Ying's innate playfulness.
"Oh, Pavilion Master Lin," she teased, her tone light and airy, "is seeing me really worth getting so worked up over? Look at you, a mess of tears and sniffles. Aren't you afraid Sister Jiayin will laugh at you?"
Stunned by her sudden smile, Lin Che instinctively wiped his face. "I… I'm not… Qingyao, you… you're not angry?"
"Angry?" Su Qingyao raised an eyebrow and glided over to him. She looked up at him, her expression a mix of amusement and curiosity. "Why would I be angry? Because you and Sister Jiayin practiced dual cultivation to increase your power? Or because…" she deliberately drew out the pause, her smile widening, "…there's another young lady named Meng Qingcheng by your side?"
Lin Che's heart leaped into his throat.
"I…" He opened his mouth, but no words came out. Just then, the ever-meddlesome system in his mind went into a frenzy.
[Ding! Host is facing a critical emotional crisis! Triggering emergency mission: Confession of Love!]
[Mission Objective: Within five minutes, confess your relationship with Meng Qingcheng to Su Qingyao (in Lin Ying form) and obtain her understanding.]
[Mission Reward: If successful, host will receive the title "World's Best Man" and a +100 Charm bonus!]
[Mission Penalty: If failed, host will be cursed with "Abandoned by Family," reducing all romance-related luck to absolute zero for three months, and all female characters' favorability will drop by 50%!]
Lin Che: "…" Thank you so much! Just what I needed right now!
"What's the matter? Is the question that difficult?" Su Qingyao asked, noticing the storm of emotions on his face. But instead of pressing him, she calmly walked to the table, poured herself a cup of tea, and took a delicate sip. "Actually, you don't have to say anything. I think I can guess."
She set the cup down and swept her gaze over the anxious Lin Che and the conflicted Luo Jiayin. Her voice was eerily calm. "These past years, you've done many things you had no choice but to do—all to find me, all to survive in this brutal world of cultivation. Sister Jiayin fought by your side; you cultivated together for strength. I understand that. As for that 'Sister Qingcheng'…"
She paused, her eyes settling on Lin Che. Her gaze held a deep understanding, and… a trace of pity?
"Knowing you as I do, I suspect it was either your 'soft-hearted fool' nature acting up again, or you had some clue, some promise, that led you to get involved with her. Am I right?"
Lin Che was flabbergasted. A perfect hit! Qingyao knew him better than he knew himself!
"Qingyao, I…" Moved and ashamed, he stepped forward, wanting to take her hand.
But Su Qingyao nimbly sidestepped, evading his grasp. A sly smile returned to her face. "Ah, ah, don't try to get chummy so fast. Understanding is one thing, but that doesn't mean I'm okay with it."
She walked to the bed and sat down, swinging her legs like the Lin Ying of old. But the words that followed made a cold sweat break out on Lin Che's back.
"Now that I'm 'back,' some things are going to be done my way." She held up a finger. "First, Sister Jiayin is family. From now on, we'll all get along peacefully. You are not to bully her."
Hearing this, Luo Jiayin's cheeks flushed slightly, and she lowered her head.
"Second," Su Qingyao said, her smile bright but her eyes holding a clear warning, "regarding that 'Sister Qingcheng,' I'm giving you three days. Either you settle things with her, cleanly and clearly, ending whatever it is you have… or you bring her here. Let me meet her. I'd like to see what kind of peerless beauty has our great Pavilion Master Lin in such a 'difficult' position."
Lin Che's vision swam. Bring her here?!The thought was too terrifying to contemplate.
"Well? Is that a problem?" Su Qingyao arched a brow.
"N-no! No problem at all!" Lin Che snapped to attention, his will to survive overriding all other instincts.
"That's better." Su Qingyao nodded in satisfaction, then let out a soft yawn, a trace of weariness showing on her face. "Alright, I've said my piece. I've just 'woken up,' and this body still needs time to adjust. I'm going to take a nap. You two can do as you please."
With that, she actually kicked off her shoes, pulled the covers over herself, curled up like a kitten, and was soon breathing evenly in a deep sleep.
An eerie silence fell over the room.
Lin Che and Luo Jiayin stared at each other, disbelief written plain on their faces.
That was it? No crying, no accusations, just a few light-hearted teases and two firm, non-negotiable "rules"? Was this really the Su Qingyao they knew?
"She… she seems different from before," Luo Jiayin whispered.
Lin Che gazed at the small, huddled form under the blankets, his heart a whirlwind of emotions. Yes, she was different. She possessed Qingyao's memories and wisdom, yet retained Ying'er's personality and body. She was no longer the delicate young girl who needed his protection. She was… a new existence, both achingly familiar and wonderfully strange.
Just then, the system in his head stirred again.
[Ding! Su Qingyao's emotional state is stable. No physical or psychological attacks detected. Mission "Confession of Love" is 50% complete.]
[Reward Issued: Host gains the "Barely Survived" status effect, valid for 24 hours.]
[Friendly Reminder: Host, please cherish this hard-won peace and resolve the Meng Qingcheng matter quickly. Otherwise… hehe.]
Lin Che's eye twitched. He mentally raised a middle finger toward the source of the obnoxious messages.
This damn system… it really needs to be put in its place.
But then… he looked at the peacefully sleeping figure on the bed—his sister, his lover. A soft, genuine smile finally touched his lips.
No matter what form she took, as long as she was back, everything was right with the world.