After Forgetting Two Exes - Chapter 14

When Ji Xun Yue arrived, Zhong Ling was sitting on a ridge, staring blankly at the villagers busy in the fields.

“Zhong Ling!”

Hearing the familiar voice, Zhong Ling froze for a moment. She looked toward the sound and said in disbelief, “Senior Sister?”

Ji Xun Yue rushed to her, half-kneeling on the ground. She pressed her hands on Zhong Ling’s shoulders and asked anxiously, “You haven’t already…”

Her junior sister’s eyes were red and swollen; she had clearly just had a long cry.

“No, Senior Sister, I haven’t.” Zhong Ling’s smile was pale, and she lowered her head as her voice began to choke up.

The heavy stone in Ji Xun Yue’s heart finally fell, and for a moment, she felt completely drained of strength.

“I am sorry, Senior Sister, for making you worry.” Zhong Ling buried her head between her knees, her shoulders trembling.

Ji Xun Yue did not speak; she simply stroked the girl’s hair, letting her cry in silence.

Fortunately, they had made it in time. Fortunately, she had not acted impulsively. Although Ji Xun Yue felt sad for her, she felt mostly relieved.

After Zhong Ling’s emotions stabilized, she looked up sheepishly. “I am sorry, Senior Sister. I caused you so much trouble.”

“It is alright,” Ji Xun Yue gave a comforting smile and sat down beside her.

“How did Senior Sister find me so quickly?” Zhong Ling asked. “I clearly…”

“Clearly told so many lies to hide from me?” Ji Xun Yue finished the sentence for her.

Seeing Zhong Ling open her mouth to apologize again, she quickly interjected, “Master brought me here.”

“Master?” Zhong Ling’s expression darkened. “Master knows too? Is he very angry?”

Ji Xun Yue shook her head. “No, he was as worried about you as I was. Junior Sister, I told you that no matter what happens, you can tell me. I will always be on your side.”

After a thought, she added Xuan Huai: “Master is on your side too.”

Regardless of the past, Xuan Huai had helped her a great deal today.

Zhong Ling gave a soft laugh. “I understand, Senior Sister.”

Ji Xun Yue finally took a careful look at the surrounding fields. “Junior Sister, is this your hometown?”

Zhong Ling nodded, pointing to a man in the distance. “The man over there is my father. His name is Zhong Tao.”

Ji Xun Yue followed her finger. In the fields ahead, a man with dark skin and old clothes was busy swinging a hoe.

Zhong Ling continued her story: “Even though my family was poor and I am a girl, my father insisted I attend the village school for a year when I was nine. However, when I was ten, my mother caught a strange illness and was confined to her bed. She used to do embroidery to help with expenses, but after falling ill, she struggled even to lift her arms. The entire burden of the family fell on my father’s shoulders.

“After that, I stopped going to school to take care of my mother and the housework. When the fields weren’t busy, my father would go to the city for odd jobs. Sometimes he would bring me back little trinkets. Those days were very hard, but I don’t want to forget them at all.” As Zhong Ling spoke, her eyes reddened again.

Ji Xun Yue felt a pang in her heart. She took the girl’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze to offer comfort.

“A few months ago, my mother’s illness suddenly worsened. Sometimes she was only conscious for two or three hours a day.” Zhong Ling gazed at Zhong Tao, her eyes calm and sorrowful. “Senior Sister knows the rest. I was guided by immortal fate, and I thought that climbing the Immortal Ladder meant becoming a deity who could save my mother. But I didn’t realize that was only the beginning. Becoming an immortal is so far away; even descending to see my parents once is so difficult.”

Ji Xun Yue was stunned. “So from the very beginning, your purpose was to save your mother.”

Zhong Ling nodded.

Ji Xun Yue sighed. She had never imagined that Zhong Ling’s heart would hold so many heavy burdens, weighing down a thirteen-year-old girl. Yet her junior sister’s expression was always bright and carefree, fooling everyone.

She asked in confusion, “Since you took the Dragon Soul Grass, why did you give up?”

Zhong Ling gave a bitter smile, took out a folded silk handkerchief, and opened it.

Ji Xun Yue looked at a pile of powder that looked like charcoal dust. “This is…”

“After I reached the mortal realm, I realized that fate was unwilling to leave me even a single chance,” Zhong Ling whispered mournfully.

It was Ji Xun Yue’s first time seeing the result of bringing an immortal herb back to the mortal realm. She was stunned, murmuring, “So this is immortal fate…”

From the moment her junior sister stepped into the Immortal Realm, everything she did was in vain.

“I thought that, at the very least, I could trade my life for my mother’s health. But today I finally understand that I truly cannot go back. If I violate celestial regulations again, I will lose you, I will lose Master, I will lose even more…”

Ji Xun Yue looked at her silently, unable to say a single word.

Zhong Ling’s smile was bitter. “Senior Sister, you were right. The past is sometimes an obstacle. But letting go is truly so hard.”

Ji Xun Yue said, “No matter what you choose, Senior Sister will support you.”

This was not empty talk; it was her promise.

Zhong Ling gave a shallow smile. “I never intended to stay, so I cherished every day I spent in the Immortal Realm. It was a life I had never experienced. You and Master were so good to me; sometimes I really almost forgot why I came to the Immortal Realm.”

She continued, “Senior Sister, perhaps this really is immortal fate. It is unavoidable. The more you resist, the more you get hurt.”

Ji Xun Yue looked at her intently. “So you plan to…”

Zhong Ling nodded. “Senior Sister, memories are too painful. So it is better to forget, right?”

Ji Xun Yue shook her head. Having experienced the death of her own family, she understood the pain of wanting to forget but being unwilling to.

“If you cannot bear to let go, keeping it in your heart is fine too.”

Zhong Ling smiled again, her eyes showing a maturity beyond her years. “But I chose the wrong path. Shen Zhi Yao will definitely expose me. Instead of being forced to forget, it is better to let go after thinking it through myself.”

At the mention of Shen Zhi Yao, Ji Xun Yue sighed. “Junior Sister, you played quite a long game. You had me completely fooled.”

“After I found out the descent location was Qinzhou, I started looking for another way. Qinzhou is too far from Yongzhou; it would take several days to travel back and forth, which would definitely make Imperial Princess Ling Ran suspicious. Besides, I didn’t want you to know I planned to violate regulations to treat my mother. When Shen Zhi Yao told me she was going to Yongzhou, I decided to risk everything. That way, I wouldn’t involve you or the Princess.

“I told Shen Zhi Yao that I hadn’t taken the Dust-Severing Pill and wanted to see my parents. She was delighted to have this leverage over me and immediately told her master. I don’t know what her master was thinking, but he actually changed the descent time. I was originally wondering how I would tell you all that I wasn’t going anymore.”

Ji Xun Yue’s mind shifted. “It seems Fang Qingchen likely wanted to use your matter to threaten Master.”

Zhong Ling was stunned. “What?”

“I previously caught him trying to get Master to refine medicine for him, and Master refused. He clearly hasn’t given up and thought that catching you would give him leverage.”

Zhong Ling was dazed for a long time, then said with lingering fear, “I thought I wouldn’t involve Master, but I almost fell into their trap.”

Ji Xun Yue comforted her: “It is over now. You made the best choice.”

Zhong Ling smiled with relief. “Senior Sister, I am glad that I finally kept the promise I made to you.”

In such a heartfelt moment, Ji Xun Yue could not help but say, “Actually, Senior Sister also has things hidden from you, but I cannot say them yet. I hope you won’t blame me in the future.”

Zhong Ling immediately shook her head. “I won’t. Senior Sister is steady and thoughtful; whatever you do is done with consideration. Including pretending you can’t learn Qi refining.”

With that, she gave a mischievous wink.

Ji Xun Yue froze. “You saw through that? Was my acting that bad?”

Zhong Ling’s eyes curved. “Senior Sister, how could you not learn something even I could learn? In my heart, you are the most powerful person, even more powerful than Master!”

Ji Xun Yue was overjoyed. “Just for that, Senior Sister will become the most powerful person in the whole world!”

“Okay, let’s pinky-swear!”

Ji Xun Yue readily promised. Looking at her junior sister’s smiling face, she felt both heartache and gratification. After the playfulness, Zhong Ling grew quiet again; the laughter seemed only to soothe her inner sadness.

“Senior Sister, let me see my father and mother one last time, and then we will go back.”

Ji Xun Yue nodded. Zhong Ling stood up, and Ji Xun Yue followed her.

Zhong Ling spoke to her father, who no longer remembered her. “Uncle, could we go to your house for a drink of water?”

Zhong Tao gave a simple smile. “Sure. Just wait a moment, I’m almost finished with my work.”

Zhong Ling smiled sweetly. “Okay, thank you, Uncle.”

As he worked, Zhong Tao asked, “Little girl, I saw you sitting here all afternoon. Whose girl are you? I haven’t seen you before.”

“I am not from here. I am just traveling through.”

“Oh? You look so young; aren’t your parents worried?”

Zhong Ling’s smile faltered, and she dodged the question. “It’s alright. I will take good care of myself.”

Zhong Tao nodded. “Truly impressive. Your parents will be proud of you.”

Zhong Ling’s eyes filled with tears, which she quickly blinked away. “Yes, I definitely won’t let them down.”

Ji Xun Yue watched from the side, feeling as though her junior sister had grown up a great deal in an instant. After finishing his work, Zhong Tao led them to his house.

Zhong Tao sighed. “Speaking of which, if my girl were alive today, she would be about your age.”

Ji Xun Yue and Zhong Ling exchanged a glance.

Zhong Ling asked cautiously, “She… passed away?”

“Yes, she passed away when she was ten. My wife was heartbroken and has been ill ever since.”

It was ironic that her junior sister’s existence had been erased in such a manner. Zhong Ling was dazed, and Ji Xun Yue was equally surprised.

Seeing Zhong Ling’s low spirits, Zhong Tao thought she was being sympathetic and added, “But it’s alright, it’s all in the past. About ten days ago, a traveling doctor came to the village, diagnosed my wife, and gave her some medicine. She’s already much better.”

Zhong Ling’s eyes lit up with joy. “Really?”

Zhong Tao was a bit puzzled and scratched his head. “Why would I lie? Once my wife is healthy again, we want to have another child. Hopefully a girl; it would be great if she’s as clever as you.”

Zhong Ling’s voice was a bit choked. “She will definitely be even better than me.”

Zhong Tao said broadly, “Better or not isn’t important. Children of poor families don’t have many requirements, as long as they live happily.”

When they reached his house, Zhong Tao shouted even before entering the yard, “Wife, I’m back!”

The partially closed door of the main house opened, and a woman who was still a bit pale stepped out. She was thin but seemed energetic. “You’re back? Dinner is ready. Who are these two?”

“They are passing through our village and wanted a drink of water.”

The woman said warmly, “Oh, come in and rest. I’ll go pour some water for you.”

Inside, the house was simply furnished but kept very clean. Zhong Ling looked at the home that was familiar yet impossible to return to, her expression somewhat forlorn.

Zhong Ling’s mother brought two bowls of water. “Come, sit and rest.”

Zhong Tao returned after putting away his tools and said to Ji Xun Yue and Zhong Ling, “Will you stay for dinner? I’ll go fry up a few more dishes.”

Zhong Ling hurriedly waved her hands. “No thank you, Uncle. We would be bothering you too much.”

Zhong Ling’s mother urged, “It’s no trouble. Try his cooking; you won’t be disappointed.”

Zhong Ling shook her head. “Really, thank you. We are in a hurry. If we don’t leave now, it will be even harder to travel once it gets dark.”

Zhong Ling’s parents looked at each other and finally agreed. Ji Xun Yue could tell that Zhong Ling still lingered on the memory, but after saying goodbye to her parents, she left without looking back.

On the way back, Zhong Ling mocked herself: “Senior Sister, I was afraid that if I looked one more time, I wouldn’t want to leave.”

Ji Xun Yue listened as she continued.

“I didn’t expect my mother’s illness to take a turn for the better after I left. I am suddenly very glad I came back for a look. Now, I have no regrets.”

Zhong Ling wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes and smiled at Ji Xun Yue. “Senior Sister, this is the best ending, isn’t it?”