Chapter Two Hundred Forty-Nine: The One Who Truly Understands You
Many years ago.
That hot and suffocating summer.
“Quick, look, look!”
In the dimly lit evening self-study session, the silence was broken only by the sound of paper and pens scratching.
Everyone was quietly focused on their work when suddenly a girl with a messy braid, looking a bit out of place, excitedly poked her deskmate.
“I just thought of an amazing story! Xiao Wen, you have to see this!”
Her deskmate and best friend turned over reluctantly, took a brief glance, then pulled back with no enthusiasm.
“You’re a gifted student, Bai Ming. You don’t have to study; I do.”
“If I do as poorly as last time, my mom will kill me.”
Bai Ming still had the thrill of having created something she was proud of and whispered, “Well, I’ll take it back tonight for you to read as a bedtime story. It might help you relax, you know.”
Xiao Wen suddenly shot her a sideways glance.
Then, as if against her will, she took the little notebook.
“By the way, why do you always like writing these bizarre things? Didn’t your family want you to go to business school and take over the family business?”
Bai Ming thought for a moment.
Then she slightly pouted and mumbled:
“But I really don’t want to join the family business.”
“I really don’t.”
Honestly.
She really loved writing novels.
——
——
Looking back at those memories now, Bai Ming found it was becoming somewhat hard to recall clearly.
Those memories no longer felt like a distant past but had genuinely turned into a past life.
But even now.
Bai Ming still vividly remembers.
Under the immense pressure of the college entrance exam, everyone felt like moths trapped in a sticky summer classroom with creaky fans.
For the first time, she seemed to have a creative outburst, writing a story that moved her no matter how often she read it.
And likewise.
She would also remember that the next day she suddenly brought her notebook to find her homeroom teacher.
An unsuccessful heart-to-heart chat was followed by a call to her parents.
Then she watched her mother tear her beloved notebook into shreds right before her eyes.
Years later, Bai Ming struggled to recall the feelings of watching her treasured little notebook turn into snowflakes of pieces scattered everywhere.
But from that day onward.
She could never write a story like “The Princess and the Forbidden Trials” again.
She began to follow her parents’ wishes, studying in business school and participating in the management of the family business.
She became the model child everyone admired—the sparkling Bai family heiress.
She hardly wrote anything again.
Because she was just so tired.
So tired she could hardly breathe.
So tired she forgot her once most beloved activity.
She even forgot to resent the so-called best friend who secretly handed her notebook to the teacher.
From that day forward.
Bai Ming felt as if she had died once.
It wasn’t until she truly died again and arrived in a fantastical world that she gradually started to enjoy her life.
She secretly picked up the dreams she had discarded.
She enjoyed being a bestselling author, with her works collected by thousands and adored by countless fans.
She also enjoyed the feeling of anonymously shedding societal norms and prejudices, writing whatever her heart desired without restraint or limitations.
She accomplished it all.
Now, she is the head of Floating Splendor Commerce, a bestselling author at Fusa Pavilion known as Gongzi Shuiming, and a popular author in the inner net writing steamy tales.
By all accounts, she should have achieved everything she wanted.
Yet occasionally, Bai Ming still felt a certain void in her heart.
There was always something missing.
A sense of lack.
Until this moment, as she looked at Sang Zhe mentioning the title of this story.
Bai Ming suddenly realized.
…Right.
What I really want, perhaps, isn’t a thousand readers praising me.
But someone who can truly appreciate and understand me.
On the other end of the communication device, Sang Zhe had stopped messaging.
Yet Bai Ming remained staring blankly at those few chat records, reading and rereading them.
For some reason.
Right now, she didn’t want to think about the commerce stuff at all.
She didn’t want to think about what to do with the goods. She didn’t want to think about how to resolve the stuff with the Holy Kingdom.
She didn’t want to think about how to please Hua Jianglian. She didn’t want to think about how to handle the relationship with the Demon Cultivators.
Her mind was consumed with one thought.
…To write another story.
To return to that summer.
To find that little girl, crouched in the corner, silently weeping, collecting the pieces of her destroyed notebook.
To hug her.
And softly whisper in her ear.
…Keep writing.
One day.
You will meet the one who truly understands you.
Just then, a soft voice from the Little Maid at the door interrupted, “Master, it’s time to change and rest.”
Bai Ming snapped back to reality, remaining silent for a long time without responding.
Curiously, the Little Maid walked in and just happened to hear Bai Ming’s soft voice say:
“Pass me a message.”
“Cancel all appointments and schedules for tomorrow.”
The Little Maid was taken aback; it was the first time she saw her master not even doing work, which made her a bit scared:
“Mas—Master, are we… going to war?”
Bai Ming couldn’t help but chuckle, giving the little girl a light knock on the forehead.
“You silly girl. Don’t worry so much.”
“I’m going to… find the meaning of my existence.” Her gaze slightly lowered, a subtle smile tugging at her lips.
——
——
In Sang Zhe’s room.
“Sang Zhe, are you going back to the company in a few days?”
“Yeah.”
“I want to go back too.”
“Someone has to stay here to handle things, or Bai Ming will think we’re about to bail.”
“Um… but I won’t sleep well if I’m not cuddling with you at night.”
“…So you really see me as a big plush toy, huh?”
On the bed, Sang Zhe was scrolling through Xiao Wen’s steamy tales on the communication device, while Hua Jianglian, nestled in his arms, was reading the latest manga on her device.
Upon hearing that Sang Zhe was leaving soon, Hua Jianglian immediately curled up closer to him, losing interest in her manga, looking at him with pitiful eyes.
“Do you dislike the things I do for you and don’t want me anymore?” Her eyes turned red, resembling a puppy begging for treats from its owner.
“…Is that your way of holding a grudge, or what?”
Sang Zhe helplessly pinched her delicate, soft little face and comforted her, “I’m going back to take care of business; you know that.”
“Meng Qiyan and the others have many injured from this trip, and after delivering the goods, they’ll head back to the company.”
“I need to gather more information about those people from the Holy Kingdom, and seriously discuss plans for our next encounter with them with Yubing.”
“Don’t worry, it’s just three days at most; I’ll be back before you know it. Don’t be sad.”
But Hua Jianglian still blinked her big eyes, staring at him.
With an expression that clearly said, “I understand everything, but I just can’t bear to part with you.”
Helplessly, Sang Zhe leaned close to her ear and whispered:
“…When I come back, I’ll teach you some other fun positions.”
Hua Jianglian’s little face instantly turned crimson hot.
After a while, she rubbed against Sang Zhe’s chest and softly replied with a glistening look in her eyes:
“I don’t want to.”
“…I want to learn right now.”
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