Wang Zhu did not fully understand her master's words, but she nodded nonetheless.
"You should go now, before that little bean returns and insists on tagging along," Grandmaster Jiang said with a knowing smile.
Without hesitation, Wang Zhu rose to her feet and bowed deeply.
"The disciple bids Master farewell."
Grandmaster Jiang merely hummed in response.
"Mm."
Without looking back, Wang Zhu turned and left.
Moments later, Pu Lian arrived, balancing a tray with tea and pastries.
He abruptly stopped, his brow furrowing when he realized his father was alone.
Setting the tray down with a quiet clink, he asked,
"Where is she?"
Grandmaster Jiang sipped his tea, eyes fixed on the tranquil pond before him.
"Who?"
Pu Lian's expression darkened. Clenching his jaw, he repeated,
"Your disciples."
He set down the items and asked,
"Where is she?"
Grandmaster Jiang, enjoying the view of his pavilion while sipping tea, didn't glance at his son. He simply replied,
"Who?"
Pu Lian, clearly irritated by his father's lack of response, clenched his teeth and repeated,
"Your disciple."
"Which one?" His father's tone was as calm as ever.
"I have dozens, including you. Be specific."
Pu Lian exhaled sharply, his patience wearing thin.
"Father, will you just—" He paused, forcing a deep breath to steady his irritation.
"I'm talking about Senior Zhu. Why isn't she here?"
Finally, Grandmaster Jiang looked at his son and smiled.
"Why didn't you say her name earlier? She's already left."
"Left? To her residence?"
"No."
"Then where?"
Grandmaster Jiang took another sip of tea.
"I don't know."
Pu Lian let out an exasperated huff.
"You-!" But before he could finish, he turned on his heel and stormed off, hurrying to find Wang Zhu before it was too late.
Grandmaster Jiang watched his son's retreating figure with mild amusement.
Unbothered, he turned his gaze toward a withered plum tree, just twenty-five steps from his pavilion.
"The weather these days is truly unpredictable," he mused softly, before taking another sip of tea.
Pu Lian raced down the long staircase leading to one of the sect's outer gates. His sharp gaze locked onto a lone figure descending the mountain path.
Wang Zhu.
She had already passed the entrance barrier.
Without a second thought, Pu Lian activated his martial arts speed, his body surging forward with urgency.
But just as he neared, Wang Zhu summoned her sword, preparing to take flight.
His heart clenched.
A sudden wave of desperation gripped him, and before he could think, he called out,
"Senior, wait!"
She stopped.
Without turning, she retracted her sword back into its scabbard.
Pu Lian came to a halt, standing just fifteen steps behind her.
"Where are you going?" His voice was quieter now.
"You will come back… right?"
Wang Zhu frowned slightly.
Does he know something?
She shook the thought away. A quiet sigh escaped her lips, but she offered no reply. Instead, she stepped forward, resuming her descent.
"Wait!"
There it was again, his voice, more urgent this time.
She halted once more.
Pu Lian hesitated, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. Then, steeling himself, he spoke.
"Wherever you go... stay safe. And come back. Come back, okay?" He swallowed.
"So I can show you how strong I've become. So I can see for myself how much I've grown beyond you."
Wang Zhu remained silent.
But Pu Lian refused to let the moment slip away.
"If..." His hands clenched into fists.
"If you won't promise to return, then I'll tell my father about you and Wu Jan meeting in secret."
At this, Wang Zhu finally turned. Her expression was as composed as ever.
Pu Lian let out a quiet breath, a small, relieved smile tugging at his lips.
She merely waited, her face unreadable, as if daring him to continue.
Straightening his back, he locked eyes with her, unwavering, ablaze with conviction.
"Senior," he called.
"I will become stronger. I'll surpass you and my father. I'll stand by your side. I… I'll be your companion. So until then, promise me you'll come back."
For the first time, Wang Zhu faltered.
Not in body. Not in expression.
But deep within the guarded walls of her heart.
A companion.
The word lingered; too vast, too burdensome. Too much for someone like her.
She wanted to tell him she couldn't promise something so uncertain. That the road ahead was unpredictable. That those promises were fleeting, that nothing in this world lasted forever.
But then she saw the unwavering belief in his eyes. And she found herself unable to say those words.
Instead, she replied,
"Then prove it. Grow stronger. Surpass me. Surpass your father."
Pu Lian's spirit surged. A wide grin stretched across his face, his heart pounding with excitement.
"I will. I promise I will!"
Wang Zhu gave him a single nod. Then, without another word, she turned and resumed her journey.
Pu Lian instinctively stepped forward, his right hand half-reaching for her.
But at the last moment, he let it fall back to his side.
All he could do was watch as her figure faded into the mist that blanketed the mountain.
His fists clenched. A fire burned in his chest. And with all the strength in his lungs, he shouted,
"Zhu Jiejie, I'll wait! I'll wait for you!"
Further down the path, Wang Zhu heard his cry, and for a moment, memories stirred; faint, distant, yet vivid as if time had never touched them.
She remembered a time when innocence still lingered between them, when genuine smiles and soft laughter filled the air like a lullaby.
Petty arguments, stubborn pleas, whispered apologies; all woven into the rhythm of childhood.
She could almost taste the sweetness of the plum fruit through the air, the lingering tartness on her tongue as they sat beneath the old tree, its roots deep, its branches stretching toward the sky.
That tree had been their silent witness, sheltering their fleeting, irreplaceable moments, until time took its toll, withering its roots and dulling its once-vibrant leaves.
Even time withered things.
But those memories, she would carry them until her last breath, because they were the only moments she had ever felt truly happy.
A fleeting time when the world had been lighter, when life had felt safe. Even just for a while.
A quiet chuckle escaped her.
For the briefest moment, a rare, fleeting smile graced her lips.
She didn't look back.
She kept walking, descending the mountain where Zui was waiting.
He greeted her with a knowing grin, his eyes gleaming with mischief.
"I saw you smile," he teased.
Wang Zhu arched a brow.
"As you know, I can command the wind to tell me what my eyes and ears cannot," he said smoothly.
Then, with a playful wink, he added,
"And right now, it whispers secrets even you might not know."