Chapter 490: The Past, The Hesitation
“I heard you guys went to Tianhai City, but I never expected you to bring back Little Ling…”
After that, Yun Zhonghe graciously invited Master Youyue to hang out at his place for a bit.
He spilled the beans about everything that went down in Tianhai City.
At the same time, Master Youyue shared her own past.
Decades ago, she lived in Tianhai City and met Chen Leling.
Back then, they were just kids and best buddies. But Master Youyue had to leave for her training, and when she returned, the Chen Family told her that Chen Leling had been missing for ages.
Master Youyue thought she had lost her important friend forever.
“So, Little Ling, she was modified by the Chen Family?”
Master Youyue looked at Chen Leling, who was hugging her tightly and grinning like a Cheshire cat, her expression was very complicated.
Yun Zhonghe was pretty tense too; after all, Master Youyue was a big deal, and he worried that Chen Leling’s behavior might be seen as rude.
But hey, they were friends, so it should be fine, right?
Yun Zhonghe replied, “Yes, when I found her, she escaped using her own strength and lived in the wild for who knows how long. She was practically a wild beast, and it took a lot of time to teach her to get back to human habits.”
“Is that so…”
Master Youyue’s eyes drooped a bit, her voice flat, giving off a vibe that she wasn’t too excited about it.
It was supposed to be a touching reunion.
“Little Bai…?”
Chen Leling tilted her head, curiously gazing at Master Youyue’s face, sensing her complicated emotions.
Master Youyue: “…”
After a moment of staring at each other, Chen Leling seemed affected as well, looking a bit uneasy.
Yun Zhonghe took a brave leap and said, “Sorry, Master, but look at Leling—she’s looking so anxious. Can you say something?”
Master Youyue: “What exactly do you want me to say…?”
It felt like Master Youyue wasn’t that great at socializing.
And you bet Yun Zhonghe could feel that. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to engage; she just seemed a bit lost, unsure of what to say.
She had a bit of that social anxiety vibe, reminding Yun Zhonghe of the old Su Xiaoxiao.
Thank goodness for Tao Jiu’er who chimed in with a suggestion: “Master, you could say… it’s been a while?”
Master Youyue frowned slightly, looked at Chen Leling, hesitated for a moment, and then her lips moved: “Uh, it’s been a while… Little Ling.”
Chen Leling: “Ah, uh…”
Master Youyue just repeated it… how awkward!
Even Chen Leling was left speechless.
Master Youyue was that classic quiet ice queen at first glance, but honestly, she sometimes just didn’t know what to say, not so good at chitchatting.
Only good at training, not at talking, what a lovable goof.
Yep, this little quirk of hers was also a charm point in the original game.
In the game, Master Youyue had a rich inner world, and it was clear she was very sensitive, just not great with words—so she often said nothing, creating this intimidating vibe, which made people talk to her even less.
Speaking of which, in the original game’s personal storyline, it was mentioned that losing an important friend in her childhood led to her developing a fear of forming connections.
And shockingly, that “friend” turned out to be Chen Leling.
What a small world!
“I can’t believe… Little Ling, you’re really alive.”
Finally, amidst all the anticipation, Master Youyue managed to squeeze out another sentence.
Hearing that, Chen Leling broke into a bright smile: “Gah, gah oh~”
And just like that, she started babbling again.
With that little beastly talk, it seemed the floodgates opened, and Master Youyue got back into the swing of things.
She couldn’t help but smile lightly, looking quite enchanting: “You’ve grown up, Little Ling.”
Chen Leling, holding on to Master Youyue, playfully chimed in: “Gah oh~ Little Bai has grown up too!”
After hearing Master Youyue say that, Chen Leling couldn’t help but beam with joy.
But the next second, she grabbed her own chest: “Look, my b*obs got super big—!”
Master Youyue’s lips twitched: “Um, don’t say that so loudly.”
Yeah, that kind of growth was indeed rather shocking.
Of course, it wasn’t that Master Youyue was unprepared; in front of Chen Leling, any size looked petite and delicate.
Although the conversation was taking a rather odd turn, it was still a touchy moment.
Even after decades apart, they didn’t exactly look the same height or appearance-wise, and their memories shouldn’t be so vivid, right?
Yet they recognized each other right away, which proved how close they were as kids.
“Well, Little Ling’s aura hasn’t changed much since back then, so I recognized her instantly,” Master Youyue explained.
Chen Leling laughed, “Little Bai too! I recognized you right away~”
Listening to her, Master Youyue’s gaze shifted slightly: “Not really… I… I’ve changed a bit; sorry about that.”
Chen Leling: “Huh? What?”
Master Youyue closed her eyes: “It’s nothing; just wanted to mention that.”
It felt like Master Youyue had something stuck in her throat, a bit uncomfortable.
“By the way, I remember you registered Chen Leling as a spirit pet… what’s that all about?” Master Youyue turned to Yun Zhonghe, asking curiously.
Yun Zhonghe quickly explained that it was meant to keep Chen Leling’s special nature from being discovered.
After hearing that, Master Youyue nodded in understanding: “Makes sense, considering from the Immortal Alliance’s perspective, Little Ling is indeed an uncertain danger factor.”
“Am I dangerous?” Chen Leling’s gaze was all soft and gentle, with those clear eyes looking so timid that it was heartbreaking to watch.
Master Youyue shook her head: “Not dangerous, it’s just that people who don’t understand might fear Little Ling.”
Chen Leling: “I would never hurt anyone!”
That was a rational statement, making it hard to imagine that she should actually be a crazed zombie.
Looks like Yun Zhonghe had been taking excellent care of her.
Master Youyue: “…”
Master Youyue: “It’s getting late; I should head back.”
Suddenly standing up, Chen Leling looked like she still wanted to bask in Master Youyue’s presence, visibly distressed.
She looked at Master Youyue with puppy eyes: “You’re leaving again? Little Bai.”
Leaving again?
That statement hit Master Youyue hard right in the feels.
She bit her lip: “Little Ling, I’m not the same as before… I have many things to do, and…”
Master Youyue glanced at Yun Zhonghe: “There’s someone else who can protect you better than I can.”
Chen Leling: “Huh…”
She looked so reluctant to part with Master Youyue, but unfortunately, Master Youyue now had plenty of responsibilities on her plate.
