Chapter 14: 14: Is This A Dream?

Lin Songmei blew a puff of breath into her hands, warming them up a touch as she walked along with Liu Xueli. Songmei didn’t have mittens, but she didn’t mind, she had already gotten a fair amount of clothes from the sect. She kinda felt like a burglar in all honesty...

Xueli was carrying Songmei’s bags in a space expansion ring, so Songmei’s hands were free as she walked along the small road talking to Xueli about what she had done over the past few days. 

Sticking her hands back into her pockets, Songmei nodded to a passing disciple, Lu Qiang, one of the other direct disciples entering the sect this year. Songmei liked Lu Qiang, they had shared a few conversations, Lu Qiang wasn’t pure per se, but was just a very nice person. 

If Songmei had to really describe Lu Qiang in one phrase, she’d say that he was gentle but muscular... 

“So are the residential islands separated from the ones everyone can enter?” Songmei asked after she and Xueli crossed a bridge, walking down the main road on one of the larger islands that had a few clusters of buildings. 

“A little,” Xueli shrugged as she gave nods of acknowledgement to a group of elders walking by. “There’s a section of the floating islands that are designated for residential purposes. That makes it so there isn’t a residential island in the middle of a bunch of public use ones. Then, there are also just little check-in sensors on the bridge to a residential island, making it so people who aren’t authorized to enter the island, like a random disciple, won’t be able to enter.” 

Pressing her terminal—a fancy looking bracelet—against a little scanner, the gate in front of the two opened as they made their way in. 

Past the gate, Songmei stood there, frozen, from both the cold and from indecision. There were 10 bridges fanning out from behind the gate, each one going to a separate person’s residence. Which bridge went to Xueli’s though?

Getting dragged along by the Xueli, Songmei decided to just ask Xueli about her work as they traversed the bridge. “So the martial pavilion is kinda just a large dueling arena.... What do you do though as the head of that place?” 

Xueli brushed some snow off of her bare shoulders as she answered, she was wearing just a tanktop today as well to the absolute bafflement of Songmei. “Well, we’re also in charge of the training halls and stuff, so we partner with the Divine Repository to help disciples learn and get better at combat.” 

Beep. 

Swishhhh. 

As the gate slid open in front of them, Songmei gave a quiet thank you to Xueli as the view of Xueli’s residence was revealed to the pair. 

RICH! 

Xueli was rich as hell!

With a small river and tree in front of the doorway, the two had to cross a very small two-step bridge. Past the bridge they were greeted with the charming exterior of the house. With white walls and a red roof that had a little overhang over the wall, the house wasn’t too imposing, seeming cozy and welcoming. 

On one side of the door there was a small banner that read “Liu Xueli” while the other banner read a small inspirational quote that Xueli had put up. Was Xueli already at the age where she’d put up live, laugh, love signs? 

Cracking the door open, Xueli laughed at Songmei’s surprised expression as the two took off their shoes. Just inside the entrance way, there was a direct view into a courtyard in the middle of the building. “You like it, Songmei? This is your home for the next... many many years. Though this is the main courtyard, the small rooms that connect to this courtyard are for my personal use. There’s a west wing, that’s where you and your fellow direct disciple will be living.”

Xueli poked Songmei on the nose, staring at Songmei’s silver eyes with a small smile, “This is our home now, remember that.”  

“I-... I...” Struggling for words, Songmei was stunned. It was beautiful. In the small courtyard, there was a small pond with some koi, a tree that arched over the courtyard as a whole, and a small table with a half open book on it. “It’s... it’s beautiful.” 

Pulling Songmei into a hug, Xueli burst out into laughter at Songmei’s shy tone, running her hand through Songmei’s long silver-white hair, “I’m glad you like it~ I know you haven’t had much in the past, but with me, you’ll have all you’ll ever want, okay?” 

“... Thank you.” Songmei murmured, tearing up a little while returning the embrace. 

The two stood there in silence, embracing for a few moments as Songmei let her new permanent home sink in. Songmei didn’t even know what to think, she was happy, obviously, she had won the lottery with talent, she had entered a sect, everyone was nice to her, she had a home now and a kind master who insisted that she was just an older sister.

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Life... was good. 

‘I’ll work hard... I’ll make sure to get that huge house, and I’ll make sure to not let Xueli down...’ 

Squeezing her master, Xueli, one more time, Songmei let go as she coughed, embarrassed and ashamed at her little showing of emotion. “Well... uhm... c-can you show me the west wing? Sorry...” 

Songmei wanted to apologize more but she felt that overdoing it wouldn't help, so, telling herself that she’d work hard to pay back all the things that she had gained recently, she followed along Xueli. 

“In your room, there’s only a bed, a couple of cabinets, and a small table with some chairs on it right now.” Xueli began after reassuring Songmei that she was fine, deciding it’d be better if she didn’t focus on the previous topic. Songmei didn’t seem to realize that she had left two small wet splotches on her after all. “I’ll put your bags down in your room and you can start to unpack and make it home, okay? On your bed, there’s also a set of official robes, make sure to keep those somewhere you remember, you’ll need them for all official events.” 

“Y-Yes! I’ll make sure to do that...” Songmei nodded with vigor, resembling a bobblehead as she nodded along to all of Xueli’s words. “The entrance ceremony is one of those events, right?” 

“Yep~ Look at you go! Other than official events like that, you can just wear whatever you want, we’re not living 500 years in the past, after all.” Joked Xueli, pointing out a few helpful rooms such as the bathroom, the storage room, the private training hall, as they went. 

“We’re here!” At her exclamation, Xueli turned the corner then made a flourish as Songmei turned the corner as well. The west wing! With a smaller courtyard than the main one, the west wing as a whole was a little smaller. However, from the covered wooden walkway that surrounded the courtyard, Songmei could still see a number of rooms. 

“This... is so nice...” Songmei murmured, as she and Xueli walked towards the other side of the courtyard through the wooden walkways that surrounded the courtyard. 

“Attached to both of your rooms are small bathrooms, but this room over here has a larger bath in it, so feel free to use it. Here’s a storage room, I store a lot of stuff in here, you probably won’t need this room. Here’s the room the other direct disciple will be staying in. And... Here’s your room!” Xueli exclaimed, pushing open the door to Songmei’s new room. 

“T-... This is amazing...” Songmei thanked as she walked in, taking her bags from Xueli. 

Patting Songmei on the back a few times, Xueli smiled, “You can just take your time settling in! I’m going to go pick up the other direct disciple I’ve taken in. I’ll be back before lunch, it shouldn’t take long~” 

Hug. 

Songmei gave Xueli a surprise hug and a small thank you. 

Returning the embrace, Xueli couldn’t help but feel like she had tamed a small animal, shaking the thought out of her head before wishing Songmei good luck in her unpacking endeavors. 

Wind. 

Because the covered wooden walkway was raised a touch above the courtyard itself, at a height of a little more than a step, Songmei watched as Xueli leapt off that ledge, disappearing in a puff of snow, blending in with the gentle snowfall that was already happening. 

‘I want a technique like that one day too...’ 

But after Xueli left, Songmei decided to just settle down, unpacking her bags, hanging up and folding her clothes. Songmei set out her toiletries in the connected bathroom, put her stuffed cat Plum onto the bed, patting it a few times before getting ready to unwrap the packaging that Xueli had left on her bed. 

However, at that moment, Xueli had returned, bringing back the other direct disciple, and as the two came face to face, Songmei’s jaw dropped to the ground. 

“...Y-... Yan... Mingqing?! You’re here!?” 

Was this a dream...?