Memories (11): Return to Yungui Mountain

"Creak—"

The heavy wooden door of the guest room was pushed open from the outside, not particularly gently. Afternoon sunlight seized the opportunity to pour in, casting dazzling patches of light across the floorboards. Following the light, two nimble and swift white figures surged into the room.

They were truly two "white fluff-balls" in the most literal sense.

Running in the lead was naturally Yi Jiang. She seemed to have groomed herself with care today, yet her long, silver-white hair still lifted in playful arcs from the exertion of running, and the simple pearl hairpins tucked within trembled slightly. A sweet, purposeful smile played on her face; the moment she entered, her violet eyes locked onto Yun Lan, as if the master and the solemn atmosphere of the room did not exist at all. Her steps were light, carrying an air of entitlement as she intruded, her skirt fluttering like a small beast that had finally found its habitat.

Following closely behind was her younger sister, Yi Xuan. She possessed the same frost-white hair, but her temperament was quieter, and her pace was not as urgent as her sister's; she simply followed steadily. She pursed her lips slightly, her eyes clear. Her gaze swept over Yun Lan first to confirm he was safe, then she turned toward the master with a hint of apology, nodding gently in acknowledgment.

Even so, the way she stood beside Yi Jiang clearly radiated a resolute stance of standing together through thick and thin.

One quiet and one active, yet both possessing striking white hair and exquisite features, their sudden intrusion into this solemn space brought not only the flow of light and wind but also a vivid and lively "sense of presence," instantly diluting the previously heavy atmosphere of the conversation.

It was only after they had entered the room that they realized there was someone else inside.

Yi Jiang was the first to voice her question: "Young Master, who is this...?"

She did not directly interrogate the newcomer, but instead asked Yun Lan. Her posture appeared submissive, yet in reality, she firmly kept the power of definition and explanation between herself and Yun Lan. Yi Xuan, standing beside her, did not speak, but she quietly raised her eyes, her cold, clear gaze resting on Ye Shunguang with similar curiosity and observation.

The air in the room seemed to stagnate for a moment due to this brief question. The master stroked his beard, watching from the sidelines, his eyes growing even more intrigued.

Yun Lan took in Yi Jiang's subtle defensive posture, and his heart felt a helpless smile. His expression remained unchanged, still wearing that gentle look. His gaze swept over the slightly uneasy Ye Shunguang before falling back onto the twins, and he dropped the first expected "thunderbolt" of the day in a steady tone:

"This is Ye Shunguang." He paused, then stated clearly, "I brought her back."

"Barring any accidents," his gaze flickered over the suddenly tightened corners of Yi Jiang's mouth and Yi Xuan's slightly widened eyes as he delivered the final verdict, "from now on, she will be your junior sister."

Ye Shunguang's voice, carrying a hint of stubbornness, broke the brief silence. She tilted her head, looking up at Yun Lan, her clear eyes reflecting confusion and persistence: "Brother, the apprenticeship letter I gave was for you, wasn't it?" This question was direct, pointing out that there seemed to be some earlier, more direct agreement between her and Yun Lan.

Hearing this, the gentle smile on Yun Lan's face deepened, mixed with a touch of indulgence unique to those he held dear. He reached out naturally and ruffled the top of Ye Shunguang's hair, his movements familiar and intimate, his tone softening further with a coaxing quality: "Didn't I say, let me consider it?" He paused, uttering a more intimate term of address, "Be good, Little Guang."

This word "good," along with the unabashed head-patting, was like a stone cast into a calm pool, yet the ripples it stirred carried a scorching temperature.

Yi Jiang took in this entire scene. Deep within her violet eyes, that habitual sweet smile froze instantly, as if the sunlight had been obscured by a passing dark cloud, and a murky, unreadable expression flashed across her face. The emotion was complex and difficult to discern—there was shock, a sharpness as if stung, and perhaps a trace of something deeper that she was desperately suppressing. Yet, she maintained a composed demeanor on the surface, though the line of her jaw tightened slightly.

She did not look at Ye Shunguang again, her gaze returning to Yun Lan's face. Her lips even curled into a curve once more, though the smile was faint and fleeting. She spoke, her voice not loud, but clear enough for everyone to hear. Her tone was one of deliberately maintained, poised calm, yet between the lines, a chilling sensation seeped through:

"So, the Young Master's trip down the mountain was a ruse," she paused, her eyes shifting slightly as she finally glanced at Ye Shunguang, "and specifically finding a 'junior sister' for us was the truth."

This was cleverly phrased, defining Yun Lan's act of bringing Ye Shunguang back alone as something done for "them," instantly pulling the newcomer into the relationship dynamic she had drawn between "us" and the "Young Master." At the same time, she used the word "specifically" to cast a layer of ulterior motive over the event, perhaps even diluting their own uniqueness.

Yun Lan immediately caught the sting in her words. He withdrew his hand from Ye Shunguang's head, his brows furrowing slightly. The look he gave Yi Jiang carried a more earnest sense of explanation: "Yi Jiang, stop talking nonsense."

His gaze swept over Ye Shunguang's beautiful, even somewhat ornate clothing, and recalling her previous plight, his tone grew deeper, carrying a sincerity he hoped everyone would understand: "Little Guang... her past has not been easy. My intention in bringing her back is the same as when I brought you two back."

He tried to use "the same" to smooth over the differences, emphasizing the benevolent nature of his actions. However, to Yi Jiang, this sentence might have been the most piercing part of all.

"The same"?

How could it be the same?

She and Yi Xuan were one of a kind. If not for the Young Master, their world would have collapsed long ago. Their "world" was rebuilt because of him. How could this bond be "the same" as anyone else's?

Yi Jiang did not immediately retort, but that fleeting smile deepened, while the darkness in her eyes seemed to congeal into a deeper pool. She lowered her eyelids slightly, her long white lashes trembling like butterfly wings, masking all the surging emotions, and she only replied softly: "Is that so... the Young Master is always so kind-hearted."

This sounded like agreement, but the overly calm tone and the posture of no longer looking at Yun Lan clearly spoke of the exact opposite. The air seemed thicker than before; a silent, icy tension, following Yun Lan's explanation that the "original intention was the same," did not dissipate, but instead quietly permeated the room amidst Yi Jiang's silence and that emotionless response.

"Alright, alright, this is not the place for you juniors to bicker, all of you get out." Seeing that the drama had reached its peak, the master, Xuan Mingzi, began to shoo them away.