Chapter 121: After All, It's Just a Zither

On the way back, I suddenly remembered why I had gone out in the first place. Looking down at my empty hands, I realized bringing breakfast back now was pointless. It was already so late—Zi Lian must have eaten by now.

Frustration welled up inside me as I blamed myself for the oversight.

By the time I returned to the Azure Phoenix Hall, Zi Lian was nowhere to be seen.

Walking slowly from the Clear Water Pavilion towards the Jade Cloud Chamber, I kept my eyes peeled, searching for any sign of Zi Lian while admiring the vibrant purple lotuses blooming in the summer breeze, swaying gently.

A soft wind brushed past, carrying the scent of lotus flowers that lingered around my hair. In that instant, memories of my first meeting with him at Azure Phoenix Hall flooded back. The thought stirred many feelings—our encounter had been a misunderstanding, marked by a sharp rebuke. That was when we formally met for the first time. I had grabbed his sleeve, mistaking him for one of the mischievous disciples from the sect’s mountain gate, someone who had taken his form to tease me. Boldly, I had even reached out to tug at his face. Honestly, thinking back, I marvel at my own audacity then. Nowadays, even borrowing a fraction of that courage, I wouldn’t dare. I even find it difficult to meet his gaze without feeling a bit intimidated.

A small smile unconsciously appeared at the corner of my lips. Foolish, very foolish—but also deeply nostalgic. Back then, not knowing who he was, I treated him like any passerby, interacting naturally, even playfully tugging at his clothes. Now that my identity as a woman has been revealed to him, a layer of deception has crept between us, making it impossible for me to face him with a clear conscience.

“Junior Uncle, Junior Uncle.”

A soft, chubby voice called out from across the lotus pond.

I stretched my neck and turned to look.

He was dressed today in a simple green robe, a wide pale green sash tied around his waist. His hair was styled into two round buns that bobbed comically as he walked. In his hands, he cradled something, wobbling his plump body as he approached.

“What is it?”

I wasn’t particularly pleased by his arrival. There’s a saying—no one visits the Three Treasures Hall without reason. This chubby fellow was probably here to stir up trouble for me—or to send me on some errand.

“This is a gift for Master,” he said.

“For my master?” Hearing this, I suddenly perked up, eyes fixed on the object in his hands. It was just a guqin, and an old, battered one at that.

I looked at the instrument in disbelief and asked, “This is just an ordinary guqin, and such a worn one at that. Why would my master want it?”

To me, Zi Lian seemed like the kind of immortal who could have anything he desired within the Six Realms. Surely, the items he collected would all be splendidly adorned with gold lacquer and dusted with golden powder.

The chubby boy looked puzzled as well. Hearing my question, he lowered his head to examine the ancient instrument he held, then looked up and replied, “I don’t know either!”

With that, he bowed respectfully and offered the worn guqin forward.

The instrument must have been heavy because the little fellow seemed to struggle holding it. I reached out to take it, and he said, “This guqin was just brought back by Junior Immortal Meng Shao. He said that Master had been searching for this very guqin for a long time and has only just found it.”

“Oh! No wonder it’s so old. So this guqin isn’t Master’s after all!”

I smiled and asked him, “Chubby, have you seen where my master went?”

“No.”

The boy shook his head, then a serious expression crossed his face. “Junior Uncle, when Junior Immortal Meng Shao came earlier, he said he would come to Azure Phoenix Hall to find you and wanted to take you to his residence to play.”

“Ah?”

I gasped at his words. I hadn’t expected that troublesome Meng Shao would have followed me from his residence all the way here, truly persistent.

“Where is he now?”

Unease gnawed at me as I asked.

The chubby boy pointed toward the hall’s entrance. “He was just here a moment ago, but now I don’t know where he went. Earlier, when Junior Immortal Meng Shao was about to come to Azure Phoenix Hall, he met my master outside the hall door. The two spoke quietly for a bit, then Meng Shao smiled and turned to leave.”

“Ah?” I exclaimed again. “After talking quietly for a few sentences, he just obediently left like that?”

“Yes!” the boy blinked his big watery eyes and nodded.

I couldn’t help but reach out and ruffle his little bun of hair. “I’ll accept this guqin on behalf of my master for now. If you have nothing else, you can leave. I’m a bit tired and will go rest.”

To convince him, I yawned.

“Oh! Then Junior Uncle, you rest well! Chubby will take his leave now.”

With that, he bounced off on his short legs, running back the way he came.