Mistress, I Want to Hug You

He Shutong stood quietly by the doorpost, watching the boy's somewhat stubborn back.

She sighed softly, almost imperceptibly, yet filled with an indescribable tenderness and emotion, silently thinking to herself:

I never imagined that time could flow backward in such a wondrous way, allowing me to make up for the time I missed. In reality, I have hardly witnessed your growth.

When I have the opportunity, I choose to ignore you; when I want to make up for it, I'm hindered by my health and no longer have the means to be with you.

But in this dream, everything has a chance to turn around. Even though it's just a self-deceiving fantasy, I'm enjoying it...

While He Shutong was lost in thought, You Su had already quietly returned from Ji Lingruo's window.

As a young man who cares deeply about those around him, the most important thing he should do after waking up is to check on his junior sister, who is also unconscious.

However, one thing shocked him greatly: he discovered that he wasn't the only one who could control this dream. His Mistress also possessed this ability.

He pretended to be unconscious the whole time, and was fully aware of his Mistress's every move. From the moment he fell unconscious, his Mistress stayed by his bedside, completely ignoring the junior sister he had left at the door.

This is certainly not to say that the Mistress is indifferent to her junior sister, but rather because the Mistress is well aware that this is a dream, and there are some things she doesn't need to do herself. When You Su remembered her persona of caring for her junior sister, she was shocked to find that her junior sister, who should have been at the door, was already in her own room.

While You Su couldn't see outside the door, his Mistress changed his junior sister's position with just her mind. Of course, He Shutong didn't know that You Su had discovered everything, and her explanation was that she had personally taken care of Ji Lingruo while You Su was unconscious.

In other words, this dream no longer belongs solely to You Su; his Mistress has also successfully intervened in this dream.

You Su guessed that his Mistress was trying to find a way to get rid of this mental obstacle so that it could be preserved for a long time.

He bowed to He Shutong again, his movements still revealing a hint of restraint and reverence.

"Your junior sister is more seriously injured than you. She needs to rest and recuperate, so you shouldn't disturb her too often. I will take good care of her. The situation in Chuyun City is not peaceful right now. This fog is strange. You are also injured, so you should stay in the sect and not go out anymore."

He Shutong kept giving You Su instructions, her tone reassuring, but You Su felt a chill run down her spine upon hearing it.

He always had a feeling that his Mistress was worried about something.

Logically speaking, given the Mistress's personality and strength, she wouldn't have given so many instructions. In any case, if any demons or monsters came to the door, she would be there to protect them, and they could simply hide under her wing.

So why did she give so many instructions...?

You Su instantly understood the reason. He realized that his Mistress was worried that being exposed would affect the stability of the dream, so she wanted to prevent him from interacting with anyone other than his Mistress.

If that's the case... then the junior sister in the dream will probably stay lying there forever and never wake up again...

To confirm her guess, You Su cautiously asked again:

"But I'm already a member of the City Lord's Mansion's guard; it wouldn't be right not to go..."

"What's wrong with that? You barely managed to save yourself, yet you want to protect Chuyun City?" He Shutong's voice was unusually serious. "Your master entrusted you to me, so I can't just watch you seek your own death. I've already set up a barrier at the gate; no one can get in, and you can't get out."

You Su thought to himself, "As expected." He just hadn't expected that his Mistress would go to such extremes as confining someone to their quarters in order to maintain the stability of the dream world... This allowed You Su to see another side of his Mistress.

"The city lord said there are evil spirits causing trouble in the fog. As cultivators, how can we only seek to protect ourselves?" You Su asked again, feigning concern and putting on a righteous and awe-inspiring demeanor.

Upon hearing these beautiful words, He Shutong frowned, a hint of sternness flashing in her eyes, yet mixed with an indescribable tenderness and worry. She said softly:

"You Su, do you know that the most foolish thing in this world is to disregard your own safety and blindly pursue those illusory principles? The path of cultivation is long and arduous. If you don't even know how to cherish your own life, how can you talk about protecting others and safeguarding this world?"

Her voice was soft, yet every word struck You Su's heart like a hammer, leaving him stunned.

He always felt that his Mistress was stricter with him in the dream, like an elder who truly wanted to see the child's best... In reality, even with the added identity of a master, his master's Mistress had almost never spoken harshly to him, let alone tried to refute his views so seriously.

It's not that his real-life master's Mistress didn't care about him, but rather that Mistress felt unworthy of such a position. Although she was the Lotus Sword Venerable, she was trapped in the Lotus Birth Pool and couldn't help him with many things. She could only watch You Su do things, so she couldn't bring herself to advise or teach him.

But in this dream, the Mistress is invincible, so this Void Glimpse Sword Immortal is finally able to show the powerful side he should have shown in front of him.

He Shutong had no idea that You Su so many thoughts in his mind; he only thought of him as a naive child whose values were not yet fully formed.

She continued her earnest admonition, "Your master entrusted you to me not so that you could act like a hero and do things beyond your capabilities. He hoped that you could protect yourself wisely and cultivate steadily. You are just a blind child. Will the world collapse and the earth crumble without you saving it? Even if Void Glimpse Venerable were to disappear, the entire Five Continents would still exist. Therefore, you must never have such thoughts again."

"But my master taught me that every citizen has a responsibility for the rise and fall of the five continents..." You Su seemed to have some self-doubt.

Upon hearing this, He Shutong sighed deeply, "If what she taught was correct, she should be the one standing here teaching you now. I'm teaching you this way for your own good. If you prefer to listen to your master and feel that I'm harming you, then I won't bother teaching you anymore."

After saying this, the Fairy shook her head in disappointment and made a move to turn around and go back into the house.

You Su quickly grabbed the Fairy's sleeve, bowed his head deeply, and whispered in a barely audible voice, "I... I'll listen to my Mistress's wife..."

He Shutong then turned her head, a sly smile appearing on her lips, her cool and beautiful face captivating.

After a moment of secret delight, the Fairy felt even more ashamed. She realized that she had actually taken advantage of the boy's respect for her to do something that bordered on threatening; it was truly despicable...

However, He Shutong seemed completely unconcerned about not doing it again, since the threat had an immediate effect. For her, who wanted to mold Meng You Su into her ideal image, this weapon was indispensable.

As for the issue of despicable methods... well, that's just in the realm of dreams where she only seeks to feel good. In reality, she would never have the heart to say such things to You Su.

He Shutong quickly suppressed her secret joy by removing You Su's hand from her clothes, took a deep breath, and continued:

"You Su, you must remember that regarding yourself as the most important thing is not selfishness, but taking responsibility for yourself. Only when you live well will everything have meaning and possibility. The second most important thing is the people around you. You should protect them as much as possible, while ensuring your own safety, so as not to fail your duty as a man. As for those things of eliminating evil and protecting the righteous, if you have the strength to do so after protecting the two important things mentioned above, you can do them, but you must never value them more than your life. Do you understand?"

Upon hearing this, a flicker of realization crossed You Su's eyes. He feigned ignorance, nodded, and said:

"Mistress, I've remembered."

Looking at You Su's obedient and docile appearance, He Shutong felt a warm current well up in her heart. She gently stroked the top of You Su's head and said softly:

"You are a promising young man. Remember, no matter when or where, always put your own safety first. My greatest wish is for you, your junior sister, and your master to live peacefully and safely."

He Shutong secretly regretted that she had almost mentioned You Su's betrothed senior sister as well.

He Shutong was most worried about was You Su's fearless nature in his willingness to risk his life for others. You Su had risked his life countless times for those around him, including He Shutong himself. This made He Shutong, who could only soak in the Lotus Birth Pool, feel anxious and uneasy all day long.

Now that she finally has a chance to change the naive You Su, she naturally won't let the opportunity slip by. She doesn't want her disciples to be saints or Saintess; she only wishes them to be safe and sound, even if they are mediocre.

Feeling the warmth of his Mistress's palm, You Su couldn't help but feel moved. He knew that although his Mistress's teachings seemed to be about putting self-interest first, they contained endless love and concern for him.

After hesitating for a moment, You Su finally mustered her courage and asked cautiously:

"Mistress, were you injured before? Why have I never heard you mention it?"

His gaze was filled with concern and curiosity, as if he were trying to piece together fragments of He Shutong's past from her few words.

Upon hearing this, He Shutong's eyes dimmed slightly, but she quickly regained her composure.

She parted her lips slightly, quickly crafting her words: "I didn't lie to you. I truly had no cultivation before. I suffered Qi Deviation during my breakthrough, leaving me with ailments. But recently, I've had a sudden awakening, my illness has healed, and my cultivation has fully returned. You don't need to worry; worrying about yourself is the right thing to do."

After she finished speaking, she intentionally tilted her head slightly to avoid seeing her cheeks, which had turned pink and white, but then she remembered that You Su was blind and couldn't possibly see the change in her complexion.

The reason her cheeks flushed was that she hadn't expected her dream self to be so bold, readily spouting lies and deceptions—a far cry from the aloof, refined, and taciturn righteous sword immortal others perceived her to be.

In this illusory dream, she seemed to see not only a more real You Su, but also a more real version of herself...

Upon hearing this, You Su felt he had a new understanding of his Mistress. However, he did not resent her for Mistress and hiding things from him. Instead, he wanted to understand Mistress playful and lively side even more.

He murmured softly, almost to himself, "This is the first time my Mistress has ever spoken so much to me..."

Although the voice was soft, it was enough for He Shutong was standing right next to her, to hear it clearly.

He Shutong's eyes widened in surprise as she looked at You Su's incredulous and grateful expression. A wave of guilt and pity surged through her heart, leaving her with a complex mix of emotions.

She knew the boy still saw her kindness as charity. After all, she had been so indifferent...

"I may have been too harsh on you before, neglecting your feelings." Her voice was as gentle as a spring drizzle. "But that Non-Self intention; it's just that your Mistress had her own difficulties."

His words were filled with deep remorse.

If she continued, she would probably have to beg You Su for forgiveness. You Su would never blame his Mistress, so she would never let He Shutong continue.

"Mistress, I understand..." You Su's voice choked with emotion, and he hesitated, "I..."

"What's wrong?" He Shutong asked with extreme concern.

stammering, as if making a decision, You Su softly said, "I want to hug you..."

These words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples to spread through He Shutong's heart.

She had intended to open her arms and welcome the boy without hesitation, but looking at You Su in front of her, she suddenly became more sober.

You Su was already a head taller than her, and a grown man of eighteen, no longer the blind boy of eight years old when they first met. It seemed no longer appropriate for her, as his Mistress, to embrace such a disciple.

But looking into You Su's expectant yet slightly nervous eyes, how could she bear to refuse?

The boy was kind-hearted; he just wanted to rely on me a little more...

Just as He Shutong was hesitating, You Su seemed to sense her predicament. He slowly withdrew his outstretched arms, a hint of disappointment and self-reproach flashing in his eyes.

This scene stung He Shutong's heart, and she secretly berated herself for being so sentimental. She and You Su had hugged more than once; what difference would one more time make?

"Oh well, it's just a dream anyway..."

He Shutong comforted herself in her heart, then took a deep breath and took a step forward, gently pulling You Su, who had already retreated halfway, into her arms.

Her arm gently encircled You Su's strong back, and one hand pressed against the back of the boy's head, resting him on her shoulder, as if to convey all her warmth and care to him.

She could almost feel You Su's body trembling slightly, and the warmth and dependence he conveyed. Her own heartbeat became unusually rapid during this intimate contact, yet she felt an unprecedented peace and contentment. Although this embrace was just an illusion in a dream, it felt incredibly real to her.

Feeling his Mistress's soft embrace and sweet scent, You Su felt an indescribable surge of emotion. This embrace was different from all the previous ones; this time, it was his Mistress who took the initiative to hug him, rather than him intentionally or unintentionally getting close to her.

You Su closed her eyes tightly, savoring this rare intimacy and warmth. Even through that soft, warm embrace, she could feel her heart pounding.

Having never failed in a dreamlike state before, he suddenly began to understand why so many people became trapped in illusions, unable to escape. He didn't want to wake up from this dream either.

"No! You can sleep, but you're going to strangle me!"

A child's exasperated voice shattered the beautiful atmosphere.