Fairy, Don't Be Afraid, I Am Blind

"A lonely grave a thousand miles away... nowhere to speak of desolation!"

The withered old man lamented with sorrow, his murky eyes streaming with tears.

He struggled to prop himself up, clutching He Kongyue’s forearm and shaking it incessantly.

Although still emotionally stirred, he no longer seemed as despairing, but rather somewhat invigorated.

He Kongyue put down the rice paper left by You Su and took out a handkerchief to wipe the old man’s tears.

"Father, you should rest well..."

He Mingpei finally lay down slowly, but his hand clutching He Kongyue’s forearm was reluctant to let go.

"Yue’Er, are you sure this poem was left by Miss You?"

"Yes... he wrote it in front of me, but according to him, it was something he heard elsewhere."

"Heard elsewhere?" He Mingpei’s old eyes flickered, "But given her age and experience, it’s indeed beyond her to write such profound and heartfelt elegiac words..."

The old man looked at the portrait hung on the wall, depicting a stately woman in splendid attire, smiling sincerely, capturing the old man’s heart in a trance.

"This meeting gift... is truly too valuable. Yue’Er, you must treat her well, make up for it on behalf of your father..."

He Kongyue pursed her lips, "I will, father..."

"Yue’Er, let me ask you again, do you truly like this Miss You?"

The old man had regained his composure and thinking of serious matters brought new spirit to him.

He Kongyue was taken aback by the question, unsure of how to respond for a moment.

If she said she liked her, was she answering as her true female self, or from the male identity her father believed her to be?

Seeing her hesitance, He Mingpei’s expression darkened considerably, and with a tone of exasperation, he pounded the bed,

"You foolish child, Yue’Er! Such a good person, and you don’t even take notice of her?!"

"Father, I..."

"Miss You is beautiful, talented, well-bred, and scholarly, and she even doesn’t have familial concerns. She’s practically a perfect partner; you must seize the chance!"

As He Mingpei spoke, his emotions grew agitated, and he began to cough again.

He Kongyue helplessly helped him sit up straight, speaking softly,

"I understand, father..."

"You better understand!" He Mingpei grumbled, eyes widening, "Don’t think I don’t know the foolish things you’ve done outside! Now that you’ve met someone desirable, it’s time to settle down!"

He Kongyue was indeed of the same mind, having dallied amongst the flowers merely for her father’s and the skeptics’ sake, who refused to believe she was a man. Having played the role for so many years, there was no need to continue.

"Alright, alright, I’ll heed you, father. You should get some sleep."

"Ah..."

He Mingpei was also feeling tired, slowly closing his eyes, "I know I don’t have much time left. I merely wish to see you wed before I die without regrets..."

To wed??

He Kongyue’s pretty eyes widened suddenly, her thoughts drifting to the gently dressed You Su earlier today.

An audacious idea sprouted in her heart...

...

When You Su returned to the mountain, both his junior and senior sisters were unexpectedly not back yet.

This unsettled You Su a bit, but also brought him comfort.

This world should not revolve around him, and neither should the women he adored. They ought to pursue what they desired and exercise their own free will.

Miss Xueruo was highly independent with a strong personal initiative, while the junior sister, despite her preference to stay around him, also had her own goals and thoughts.

In this regard, the change in the senior sister had been most significant.

Since he joined Lotus Peak, the senior sister had nearly devoted herself entirely to him, as if she finally found her life’s anchor. This revealed just how dull and tedious her earlier life must have been.

But now, she too had busy matters of her own.

Indeed, the senior sister had grown up.

You Su decided that he would not tell her childish tales of the green pastures tonight, but instead, upgrade her bedtime stories from being suitable for under tens to those for under sixteens.

Taking advantage of the two women’s absence, he first took a bath and changed clothes, so as not to let the junior sister make fun of his fleeting effeminacy.

As dusk fell, You Su, engrossed in practicing swordplay, was awakened by Ji Lingruo.

Yet unbeknownst to You Su, a layer of thin gauze stockings was faintly visible on the ankles of both women.

"Junior sister, senior sister, you’ve returned!"

"Something’s fishy."

Ji Lingruo circled around You Su.

"What’s the matter?" You Su was puzzled.

"Who bathes before practicing swordsmanship? Won’t you have to bathe again after practicing?"

Ji Lingruo’s keen deduction directly pinpointed the oddity.

You Su was left speechless by the question; with the senior sister present, he dared not lie. After a while, he couldn’t come up with a suitable explanation, nervously fidgeting.

He certainly couldn’t reveal that he and Mr. He had pretended to be a couple...

Ji Lingruo displayed an "I knew it" expression, "Confess! What exactly did you do that required concealing with a bath? You must’ve caught a woman’s scent on you! Afraid it would be detected by us!"

Fairy Wangshu also curiously looked his way.

Unexpectedly, faced with this predicament, You Su’s expression suddenly changed, and he burst out laughing.

He had prepared early on, producing several finely wrapped jade boxes from his Qiankun Bag.

"Ta-da! I specifically went to the most famous rouge shop in Henggao City to buy you these beauty powders. The place was too fragrant; I couldn’t stand it, so I took a bath."

Ji Lingruo hurriedly snatched the jade boxes from You Su’s hands, opening them one by one. Inside were not only lip balm and blush but even eyebrow powder, showcasing You Su’s thorough preparations.

"This Spring Red is quite expensive!"

Born beautiful, Ji Lingruo, like any girl who loves beauty, would not shy away from enhancing her looks. Seeing You Su had really brought gifts, her face lit up with delight.