Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Reunion—Princess Yong Ning and Tower Lord Shen Xiao

Inside River City No. 1 High School, in the counseling office.

Ye Wan Lan knocked. After permission came, she entered.

The room was plain: desk, chairs, a bookshelf, a computer.

Rong Yu looked up. “You must be Student Ye, the one who booked yesterday. You—”

He stalled.

The girl before him wore a fresh modern Chinese-style outfit: a pure white cross-collared blouse and a pale-blue moonlight skirt. When the hem moved, the patterns seemed to ripple like a galaxy.

Sunlight touched her cool, painted features with gold. She was so beautiful it felt as if time itself had been sealed, leaving people silent, afraid to disturb her.

Rong Yu remained frozen until someone curled up in a soft chair kicked him.

“Ow—” Rong Yu jolted back to reality. “Hello, Student Ye. I’m your psychological counselor this time. My surname is Rong. Sit down first. I’ll take your pulse.”

Ye Wan Lan sat, one brow lifting. “A psychological counselor who takes pulses like a Chinese medicine doctor?”

Rong Yu’s expression turned inscrutable. “I’m different. I only need your pulse.”

Pulse. Surname Rong…

Tai Su Lineage.

Ye Wan Lan’s eyes narrowed.

Rong Yu did not notice, but the man in the room did. He lifted his lashes, eyes cool as moonlight, voice gentle. “What is it?”

Ye Wan Lan replied blandly, “I’ve never heard of therapy like this. I’m just curious.”

Of course she had heard of it.

Back then, Tai Su Sect—one of Shen Zhou’s Six Great Sects—had been a Jiang Hu power renowned for physiognomy.

A Tai Su Chancellor knew Heaven’s will above and peered into hearts below.

Ye Wan Lan did not know Rong Yu, but she knew his ancestor.

“Student Ye, don’t worry.” Rong Yu tried to sound confident. “I’m very reliable.”

He took her pulse.

Seconds passed. Then a minute. Then another.

His expression grew heavier… and then cracked.

Something was wrong. He could not read anything. Not a single thread.

How was that possible?

He was Rong Family, with the orthodox inheritance of Tai Su Sect. Reading an ordinary person should have been effortless.

“Seems like taking my pulse isn’t doing much,” Ye Wan Lan said, leaning back. Her smile was faint, calm. “Doctor Rong can try a different method.”

Rong Yu stared at her as if his soul had left his body. After a beat, he rasped, “…Student Ye. Fill out the form.”

Ye Wan Lan sat at the computer and completed the mental health assessment.

When she finished, a cup appeared in front of her.

A voice said, “Drink some hot water.”

Ye Wan Lan looked up.

It was the other person in the office—someone she had noticed the moment she stepped inside.

His nameplate read assistant, but nothing about him felt like an assistant. His smile was soft, his gaze clear and bright, refined as if carved from moonlight—like a jade tree standing in the wind.

And yet Ye Wan Lan caught the thick scent of blood on him.

It reminded her of someone from her previous life.

She had a secret: she had been reborn with her memories intact.

Even the name she used in this life—she had chosen it herself.

Old acquaintance was not quite right. When she had been Princess Yong Ning, they had never met. Only their names had stood side by side, written together.

Three hundred years ago, the youngest Wu Lin alliance leader in Jiang Hu—Tower Lord Shen Xiao.

People claimed that she and Tower Lord Shen Xiao were the twin pillars of their era: one the heir apparent of Great Ning, one the saint of Wu Lin. Apart, they ruled court and Jiang Hu as kings of separate realms. Together, Shen Zhou would be undefeated—unmatched under heaven.

Later generations embroidered a romantic legend for them in unofficial histories, dreaming of that dragon-and-phoenix pairing. The truth was simpler: they had never known each other.

Her impression of Tower Lord Shen Xiao existed only in rumors.

And now, three hundred years later, mountains and rivers lay silent. Even legends had turned to ash.

Ye Wan Lan met the man’s eyes.

They looked at each other quietly—one composed, one smiling.

Yet it felt like lightning behind still clouds, like a storm held back by sheer will.

In the end, the man looked away first. Strange ripples passed through his dark gaze.

Rong Yu, oblivious, stared at the test results and sucked in a sharp breath. “Your condition is very serious. What do you think about every day?”

Ye Wan Lan said, “Killing. World-destruction level.”

Rong Yu blinked. “…Huh?”

In that instant, killing intent surged through the room, sharp enough to feel like a blade against the throat.

Rong Yu’s chest tightened. He could barely breathe.

Ye Wan Lan smiled—sudden and bright. “I’m kidding, Doctor Rong. I’m an upright, virtuous person.”

The pressure vanished. Air rushed back in.

Rong Yu coughed violently. “S-Student Ye, that joke… that joke wasn’t funny. You have to think less about dark things. Look at flowers and trees and little animals every day. Doesn’t the world feel beautiful then?”

“No.”

“…Right.” Rong Yu looked like he wanted to retire on the spot.

An hour later, the session ended.

Rong Yu stared blankly at the wall.

He, too, wanted to go world-destruction level.

The man rose. “I’ll walk Miss Ye out.”

Rong Yu jolted. He had known Yan Ting Feng for four years. His brother was always gentle and almost never volunteered for anything like this.

Yan Ting Feng did not explain. He simply followed Ye Wan Lan out.

Outside, Ye Wan Lan said coolly, “No need.”

Then, as if anticipating the obvious fear, she added, “Relax. At least right now, I won’t do those things.”

Yan Ting Feng blinked, then laughed softly. “It’s raining, Miss Ye.”

Fine mist drifted through the air. Raindrops tapped the ground in a hush.

In the blurred rainlight, his features looked even more elegant—gentle as spring water.

He lifted a hat and settled it on her head. “Be careful on the way.”

Ye Wan Lan left.

The smile vanished from Yan Ting Feng’s face in an instant, replaced by something cold and violent.

A shadow guard appeared behind him without a sound.

“Investigate her,” Yan Ting Feng said.

“Yes, Young Lord.”

—

That afternoon, at the Lin Family’s old residence.

The Lin Family held a family dinner every week. Today happened to be Saturday.

Lin Huai Jin’s generation had four siblings. Lin Wo Yu and Lin Huai Jin were twins—born together, a sister and brother. Their names came from the four characters “Huai Jin Wo Yu.”

“Your cousin is coming tonight,” Lin Wo Yu warned. “When she gets here, don’t say anything you shouldn’t. Keep your mouths shut.”

“Our cousin?” Lin Yue and Lin Qin spoke at the same time, both startled.

“You forgot?” Lin Wo Yu continued. “Your eldest uncle’s daughter—your third uncle brought her back—”

Lin Yue gave a short, derisive laugh. “Of course we know. Mom, ask around River City. Who among the big families hasn’t heard of Miss Sheng Yun Yi’s stand-in?”

Lin Wo Yu smacked his shoulder. “Watch your mouth!”

“I’m stating facts.” Lin Qin’s tone stayed cool. “Why is she coming?”

Lin Yue’s words were not wrong.

If clinging to the Zhou Family had failed, maybe Ye Wan Lan had discovered Lin Qin might one day lead this branch back to the main family in Yun Jing—and now she was back to build connections through the family dinner.

Lin Qin’s expression remained flat.

She did want to see what Ye Wan Lan—gone for four years—was up to now.