Whatever choice you make, I can accept it.

After that, Little Yu didn’t ask anything else and soon left.

She figured the others were also eager to learn about the matter, so she didn’t linger.

Little Yu stepped out.

Li Siyi looked puzzled. "That fast?"

"Yeah, it’s done."

"I thought you’d take longer." Li Siyi felt her own time had been short—though not too short—but Little Yu was even quicker.

Didn’t she do anything else?

Faced with Li Siyi’s confusion, Little Yu didn’t understand. Was a simple conversation supposed to take long?

In any case, she had already learned everything she needed to.

Nangong Xiyun stood up. "My turn now. Might take a while."

Jiang Ningshu grumbled, "Hurry up."

Nangong Xiyun waved her off and walked straight into the room. If she listened to Jiang Ningshu, she wouldn’t be herself.

Nangong Xiyun entered the room.

"Have a seat—" Su Luo began.

"Will do right away."

Then Nangong Xiyun pounced on Su Luo, sweeping a hand over him. Without even needing to feel it, Su Luo knew his clothes were gone.

Nangong Xiyun’s eyes gleamed red.

"Wait, now’s not the time for this."

Weren’t they supposed to talk? Shouldn’t they handle the important matters first? Who just jumps into things like this?

"We’ll talk later."

Nangong Xiyun paid no attention to Su Luo’s protests, her hands and feet never stopping as she loomed over him like a terrifying werewolf—crimson eyes, fangs bared, hungry and relentless.

......

Some time passed.

Then some more time passed.

Nangong Xiyun lay back, thoroughly satisfied. "Alright, go ahead and speak."

"I..."

Su Luo’s face was slightly pale. Though he’d had a similar experience before, this time was undoubtedly worse.

He wanted to turn the tables, but after Li Siyi and now Nangong Xiyun, he was running out of energy.

Still, he quickly recovered—after all, he was close to the realm of an immortal.

"After all that, I don’t even know what to say anymore."

Su Luo had truly entered a state of post-clarity.

"Just say whatever. Honestly, I already know most of it." Nangong Xiyun wasn’t in a hurry, nor was there anything specific she wanted to hear.

Casual talk would do.

So Su Luo recounted his situation again.

Nangong Xiyun, however, chimed in with questions and even reminisced.

"Back when I became Yun, I just wanted to see how far you’d go. Didn’t expect you to take it so seriously."

"Now you’re making me sound like a clown. Everyone around me knew what I was doing except me."

"But you never really trusted me either, did you? Just saw me as a useful subordinate. How cruel."

"Hmph, that’s the me who’s been through hardship. Though, can you really be sure I trust you now?"

Bringing up the past now didn’t matter much. Su Luo wasn’t the type to hold grudges over things like this.

Besides, Nangong Xiyun hadn’t done anything bad to him back then—and things had turned out fine in the end.

Nangong Xiyun snuggled closer. "Of course you trust me. Your body’s being very honest."

Her hands started wandering again.

"Stop. I believe you." Su Luo sensed trouble brewing.

And he was right—Nangong Xiyun didn’t stop.

Some time later.

"What was your world like?"

"A world without cultivation. The closest thing to immortality was staying up all night. But it had plenty of entertainment—even staying home, there was always something to do."

"Sounds like how I used to be." Nangong Xiyun had also been fond of staying in.

"Not quite. At most, you’d drink, cultivate, or fiddle with the treasures in your storage. But for me, there were games, movies, anime, comics... endless ways to pass the time."

"Oh? That does sound nice."

"You know, back then I was just an ordinary guy. I even fantasized about being noticed by a celestial beauty and rising to greatness. Looks like that came true."

Su Luo glanced at Nangong Xiyun beside him. Not a bad outcome.

"Is that so?"

Nangong Xiyun stood up, her expression shifting to one of lofty dominance, as if nothing in the world could compare.

A soft glow emanated from behind her, casting a faint radiance over her skin as she floated into the air.

She looked divine, untouchable.

"Close enough."

Would’ve been more convincing with clothes on.

Nangong Xiyun lifted Su Luo with her will, the two of them hovering midair. She positioned herself slightly higher, maintaining her regal demeanor—before leaning in for a kiss.

Some time later.

They lay side by side again.

Nangong Xiyun had managed to keep up her divine act at first, but eventually reverted to her usual self, devouring Su Luo once more.

Then, as if nothing had happened, she resumed the conversation without missing a beat.

"You’re not upset I hid the diary from you, are you?"

"At this point, there’s no point dwelling on it. Everything turned out fine."

"Then I’ve got nothing else to ask."

There were more questions, but Jiang Ningshu was still waiting.

She’d taken up a lot of time—proportionally speaking, maybe a 9:1 split, with conversation only making up a tenth.

Less urgent matters could wait. Su Luo wasn’t leaving immediately.

So Nangong Xiyun was being considerate of Jiang Ningshu—if only a little.

"That’s it?"

"Mm, that’s enough."

"Aren’t you curious about my final choice?"

Whether he’d stay or go.

"Of course I’m curious. But I won’t say anything about it. The decision is yours to make."

Nangong Xiyun continued.

"I’ve lived long enough to face many choices, moments of doubt included. So I understand—in the end, the choice is always yours. What matters is what you want."

"We’re all adults here. We know how to decide for ourselves."

"Whatever you choose, I’ll accept it."

That was Nangong Xiyun’s stance.

"Really?"

"Really."

She wasn’t lying.

Of course, she left out the part where "accepting" didn’t necessarily mean she’d do nothing afterward.

Nangong Xiyun stepped out.

Jiang Ningshu couldn’t help but remark, "You took the longest."

Even longer than Li Siyi and Little Yu combined. Was there really that much to talk about? Didn’t she already know most of it from the diary?

"Sorry, got carried away."

Her tone held no trace of apology.

Still, Jiang Ningshu found it strange—Nangong Xiyun actually saying "sorry," even if insincerely, was unheard of.

But Jiang Ningshu didn’t dwell on it, heading straight for the room.

As she passed by, Nangong Xiyun whispered in her ear:

"Su Luo is drenched in my scent right now."