Chapter 353

Chapter 353: Shall We Make a Deal? (4000 words)

Sitting in the courtyard, Ming gazed at the star-filled night sky, lost in thought.

For Ming, this was the first time he had ever felt so powerless.

Ming believed that his life had been incredibly smooth sailing up until now.

Sure, he started off as a bastard son.

But even then, as an illegitimate offspring of nobility, life was far from hardship—clothes and food were never an issue.

Even without status, he’d eventually receive a house, a wife, and a steady flow of silver coins more than enough to scrape by till the end.

Not to mention, with the system, he embarked on a path of sheer convenience, everything going smoothly from there.

With such advantages, Ming believed that as long as he kept leveling up, anything was possible.

But now, Ming realized just how arrogant he had been.

The system wasn’t omnipotent. In this world, many things lay beyond its reach, requiring him to find solutions on his own.

“Master, the lady has awakened.”

Ming didn’t know how long he had been sitting dazed in the courtyard.

When he heard Chun Yan’s voice, he snapped back to reality, realizing it was already noon the next day.

“Master… Master!” Chun Yan rushed into the courtyard, panting as she spoke, “Lady Chen is awake!”

Ming stood up, said nothing, and followed Chun Yan straight toward Xiao Chun Courtyard.

Upon entering his mother’s room, Ming saw her pale face.

Suyan reclined against the headboard, covered by a blanket, her hands folded neatly atop herself, smiling softly at him.

This was the familiar smile Ming remembered, still as gentle as ever.

What struck Ming most about his mother was her non-competitive nature.

Even when she was merely a concubine, she chose to live quietly in a secluded courtyard, staying out of everyone’s way.

Even after gaining recognition due to his achievements, she refused to move to larger quarters offered by Xu Mansion, choosing instead to remain where she was.

She harbored no intentions of suppressing others, continuing her quiet life as before.

Thus, with just one glance, Ming knew this was truly his mother—not someone pretending to be her.

“Mother,” Ming composed himself, sitting beside her bed with a soft smile.

Suyan reached out and caressed her son’s cheek. “You’ve grown up…”

Her voice carried weakness.

Her eyes stared earnestly at her son’s face, as if memorizing every detail for fear she might never see him again. “When you were born, you were so tiny, crying your lungs out.”

“Why does Mother bring this up?” Ming smiled, trying to hide everything.

In Ming’s view, his mother had no memory of the other personality. He’d instructed others not to tell her, ensuring that upon waking, Chun Yan wouldn’t divulge any details.

“I know…” Suyan chuckled softly, shaking her head. “Actually, Ming, I’m aware of everything that happened last night.”

“…”

Ming’s mouth opened slightly, then closed again.

He didn’t know what to say.

Suyan’s gaze seemed distant, as if reminiscing about the previous night. “Last night, it felt like I was having a dream.

“In the dream, I walked out of my room and met a very beautiful female monk.

“That monk must have been Shixin, right? The top-ranked beauty on the Red Beauty List.”

Ming nodded. “Yes.”

“No wonder… A woman like that could make even me feel a bit smitten.”

Suyan smirked, continuing.

“Then, I fought with that female monk.

“The entire time, I felt like a mere spectator, watching everything unfold before me but unable to stop or control my body.

“At the time, I wondered if it was all just a dream.

“If it was a dream, why did it feel so real? Later, after defeating the monk, you and a group of people rushed into the courtyard.

“And I heard myself speaking.

“The words weren’t just directed at you all; they were also meant for me.”

Ming grasped his mother’s hand tightly, looking at her earnestly. “Mother, don’t worry, really, everything will be fine. Just rest and recuperate. I’ll handle everything. Don’t let her deceive you.

“She’s merely a cultivator who wants to take over your body. All I need to do is drive her out.”

Suyan shook her head. “Foolish child, though I stay within these walls, I’m not stupid. I can distinguish truth from falsehood.”

Ming: “…”

“Alright, alright, don’t look so glum. Mother doesn’t want to see you unhappy.”

Suyan tucked a strand of hair behind her son’s ear.

“Ming, I’ve never asked for much. I only hope you grow up healthy and safe. When you’re older, marry a good wife.

“But look at you now, achieving so much… At that poetry gathering, you stunned the whole of Wudu.

“From then on, they called you a prodigy.

“Afterward, you joined the Blood Floating Pagoda.

“When you told me you wanted to join, I was genuinely worried.

“Both the Lǎotàitai and Lord Xu urged me to hold you back. They said the Blood Floating Pagoda isn’t a place for humans—it’s a death trap.

“They argued that with your talent, you could excel in the imperial exams instead of risking your life.

“Truthfully, that’s what I thought too.

“But I didn’t care whether you passed the exams or not. What mattered most to me was your safety.

“I understood what the Blood Floating Pagoda entailed.

“Truthfully, I didn’t want you to join either. I feared what might happen to you there. How would I go on living if something terrible befell you?

“But I knew, despite your youth, you understood yourself well. From a young age, you displayed maturity far beyond your peers.

“I didn’t want to hold you back.

“After you entered the Blood Floating Pagoda, I prayed for you daily, praying to Buddha and the gods for your health and safety.

“Fortunately, they heard my prayers.

“Not only did they return you safely, but you also became the Zhuāngyuán.”

“Mother…”

“Ming, let me finish. I fear I won’t have another chance.”

Suyan gently held her son’s hand. “Ming, when you became the Zhuāngyuán, I was truly proud of you.

“But amidst the joy, I felt a pang of sadness.

“Because I realized my Ming had truly grown up, no longer needing me.

“Especially when you ventured out to train, when I learned you were a cultivator, I knew you were drifting further away from me.

“I couldn’t always be by your side.

“But this is merely a mother’s sorrow. You shouldn’t dwell on it. After all, which parent can stay with their child forever?

“I know I’m just an ordinary person, unable to do much for you.

“All I can do is take care of myself and not burden you.

“I hope you continue to pursue your dreams and achieve greatness.

“But alas, I’ve caused you trouble. Ming, I’m sorry. It’s all Mother’s fault for troubling you so.

“It’s also because of me that you clashed with Miss Shixin.

“Mother sincerely apologizes to Miss Shixin.”

“Mother, don’t say such things. Shixin wouldn’t blame you. Her greatest wish is for you to be well.”

Ming tightened his grip on his mother’s hand.

“And everything I have is thanks to you. Without you, there wouldn’t be me. How could you possibly be a burden?”

Suyan smiled tenderly, shaking her head. “Ming, don’t worry. Even if I disappear someday, it’ll be alright. I’ll always watch over you.”

Suyan weakly continued, “And besides, rest assured, I won’t let her harm you. Not even tigers eat their own cubs. No matter what, she’s still your mother.”

Ming shook his head. “She’s not my mother.”

Suyan didn’t argue, lying quietly in bed. “Ming, remember this: preserving your life is always the priority.

“Human desires are endless. Though I don’t understand cultivation, the path of cultivation mirrors human desires.

“I’ve heard countless stories of people losing themselves over opportunities.

“But I trust you, Ming. As long as you’re safe and healthy, anything I do is worth it.”

“Mother…”

“Ming, I’m a little tired. I’d like to rest.” Ming wanted to say more, but Suyan softly interrupted.

Suyan slowly closed her eyes.

“Then rest well, Mother. I’ll come check on you later.” Ming stood up, bowing respectfully to his mother.

As soon as Ming left his mother’s room and exited the courtyard, Wei was waiting outside.

“Zhuāngyuán Láng, His Majesty has been worried about you.” Wei said.

Being close to the Emperor of Wu, Wei clearly knew what had transpired.

“Thank you, Wei, for guiding me.” Ming bowed politely.

“My pleasure, please follow me, Zhuāngyuán Láng.”

Wei quickly led Ming into the Imperial Palace.

“Your servant, Xu Ming, pays respects to Your Majesty.”

Ming bowed deeply.

The Emperor immediately rose from his couch. “Formalities are unnecessary. I already know what has happened.”

Ming: “I’ve troubled Your Majesty.”

The Emperor sighed. “Regarding your mother, there’s little I can say. This is beyond external interference, and you shouldn’t worry too much.

“A soul with multiple personalities is something I’ve heard of.

“Actually, Ming, you could look at it positively.

“If it were two different souls, your mother’s divine soul wouldn’t stand a chance against a cultivator’s, leading to inevitable absorption.

“But with differing personalities, they’re equal. Both your mother and her former self are on the same plane. Who takes the lead remains uncertain.”

Hearing the Emperor’s comforting words, Ming simply smiled, saying nothing.

The Emperor was right; with the same soul but different personalities, the disparity wasn’t immense.

The problem was, if it were separate souls, Shixin would’ve resolved this already.

Even with differing personalities, the gap wasn’t negligible.

Factors influencing personality strength include memories, the most crucial aspect.

More memories equate to stronger, more stable personalities.

The cultivator had lived who-knows-how-long, while his mother’s personality had only existed for a short time.

What chances did his mother stand against her?

The Emperor knew Ming’s concerns but lacked reasons to comfort him.

The Emperor patted Ming’s shoulder. “Overthinking won’t help. Since we can’t do anything, we wait. But beforehand, we can investigate other matters, perhaps finding breakthroughs elsewhere.”

Ming looked up at the Emperor.

The Emperor pulled out a stack of documents from his desk. “Here’s information about your mother, Chen Suyan—her birthplace, background, and various events throughout her life. Review it.”

Meanwhile, back at the Xiao Chun Courtyard in Xu Mansion,

Suyan gradually drifted into sleep.

As she entered the Dream Realm,

“Come, have you?”

‘Suyan’ smiled warmly at her.

“Yes, I’m here,” Suyan nodded.

Despite being an ordinary woman, Suyan showed no fear toward the other.

“Shall we make a deal?” ‘Suyan’ smiled.

[Next month, two dorm mates from university will visit Xiamen. It’s been ages since I’ve seen them. I’ll show them around properly.

“It’s been three years since our last meeting.

“Time flies so fast.

“I wonder how those two are doing. Judging from our chats, they seem to be doing well.]