Volume 3, Chapter 431 – My Gift?

Her fifteenth birthday, the hairpin ceremony.

Chi Xiyan felt a little dazed.

It was already this time.

Three years ago, after Chi Xiyan entered the Chi family’s Internal Affairs Hall, she began building up her influence there, relying on her experience and ability, as well as a little backing from Chi Muxue.

Within three months, she uncovered that the Third Elder had embezzled profits from the Southern Border Spirit Mine and falsified mining records.

Then, through Chi Ning, she exposed a pill hall steward who had skimmed materials meant for Foundation Establishment Pills, weakening the cultivation of branch family disciples.

She also shut down a black market chain in which certain higher ups in the Chi family sold trial qualifications at high prices.

Chi Ning too had fully joined Chi Muxue’s camp, becoming her subordinate.

Finally, through her repeated efforts and with the backing of the Chi family’s eldest young lady, Chi Xiyan successfully became one of the most powerful steward elders in the Chi family’s Internal Affairs Hall.

However, everyone knew that Chi Xiyan was Chi Muxue’s most loyal “hunting dog.”

Controlling the Internal Affairs Hall was also the prelude to the eldest young lady’s control over the Chi family.

Three years had passed in the blink of an eye.

The hairpin ceremony was a woman’s coming of age ceremony.

A woman who reached fifteen would coil her braid atop her head and pin it with a hairpin to mark her coming of age.

At the same time, it meant she had reached the age where marriage could be discussed.

Chi Xiyan felt a pang of wistfulness.

Who would have thought she would be fortunate enough to experience the hairpin ceremony twice.

The first time, as the Chi family’s eldest young lady, she had announced her engagement to the Song family’s prodigy at her own hairpin ceremony.

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This time, without all that, she felt considerably more at ease.

But what concerned her now was Chi Muxue’s hairpin ceremony.

Looking at the girl before her, who was now no different from the one in her memories, Chi Xiyan felt a complicated stir within.

When she had met that girl, she was already an adult.

Her childhood had been rough, her experiences miserable, and she had even lost her purity.

But for the girl before her, born with a golden key in hand, what would her hairpin ceremony be like?

“Xiyan! Xiyan! Why are you zoning out again!” the girl said, puffing her cheeks in displeasure. “Does talking to me bore you that much?”

Chi Xiyan smiled helplessly, “Of course not. I was just thinking about something, so I got a little lost in thought.”

Chi Muxue asked curiously, “What is it? What has absorbed you so?”

Chi Xiyan fell silent for a moment. “Do you want to hear it?”

“Oh? Does it have to do with me?” Chi Muxue blinked and leaned in close to her. “Tell me then.”

That achingly familiar, pretty face loomed large before her eyes once more.

Chi Xiyan’s expression grew a little stiff.

She thought of how she had once announced her engagement at her own hairpin ceremony, and her gaze shifted away involuntarily. “I was wondering who will be lucky enough to become your companion in the future.”

“…” Chi Muxue’s expression instantly froze.

She said nothing, only staring blankly at Chi Xiyan.

The very air seemed to freeze in that moment.

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Watching the girl’s expression, Chi Xiyan felt a faint stirring of unease in her heart.

She swallowed, and asked tentatively, “Did I say something wrong?”

“Mm.” Chi Muxue took half a step back, biting her lower lip lightly. “Xiyan. Why would you ask that?”

“…” Seeing her take that half step back, Chi Xiyan felt a tightness in her chest.

She asked, “Is there something wrong with my question?”

“Don’t tell me you’ve already settled on an engagement?”

“Xiyan.” Chi Muxue’s gaze turned complicated. “Do you think I should get married?”

Chi Xiyan’s body stiffened at once.

After all these years together, she already knew this girl’s temperament well.

For her to ask something like this, it could not possibly be a whim.

“Muxue, what do you mean by that?”

Chi Xiyan had meant to ask if she really intended to marry.

But the words, once they reached her lips, felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.

She felt as though she had been cursed. A thousand words, all of them stuck in her throat.

In the end, she only managed a bitter laugh. “Muxue, whether or not you marry is your own choice.”

“If you truly have your eye on some young master, you can tell me, and I’ll help look into him for you.”

The girl lowered her eyes slightly. She ignored Chi Xiyan’s explanation and instead changed the question, asking again, “Xiyan, do you want me to get married?”

The two questions seemed similar, but their meanings were entirely different.

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The first question, Chi Xiyan could understand as Chi Muxue asking for her advice.

But the second question felt as though Chi Muxue wanted to peel away some kind of pretense on her and knock directly on her heart.

Especially with the girl before her staring into her eyes with such a burning gaze.

Chi Xiyan found it increasingly hard to tell the difference between the girl in front of her and the one in her memories.

As if the real Chi Muxue were questioning her through this illusion right now.

This question, Chi Xiyan could not answer.

Not because she didn’t know, but because she didn’t dare.

She wasn’t sure what would happen once she actually answered this question.

To face fear head on, to know one’s own desires.

It sounded simple enough, but if the Illusory Heart Realm were really so easy to break, then the formation wouldn’t be so famous.

“Is this question so hard to answer?” The girl waited a long while before asking again.

“…” Chi Xiyan fell silent for a moment. “Does my answer matter that much?”

She raised her head and looked into the girl’s eyes.

“If I really gave you an answer, would it be the one you’re hoping for?”

Chi Muxue’s gaze deepened. She stared hard at Chi Xiyan for several breaths.

After a moment, she suddenly broke into a smile.

“What’s with that! I was just joking with you! Why so serious!”

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She clasped her hands behind her back and circled around Chi Xiyan once. “Little Xiyan really can’t take a joke. Look at your face right now. If someone saw us, they might think I was interrogating you!”

Interrogating?

Chi Xiyan looked at the girl who had suddenly changed her expression, and thought to herself.

‘For me, this really was about the same as an interrogation.’

‘It was like having her heart peeled open, its secrets laid bare without any concealment.’

“Of course I know you were just joking.” Chi Xiyan forced a smile onto her own face as well. “I was just playing along with your question.”

“After all, humoring the young lady’s moods is also part of a ‘hunting dog’s’ duty.”

“Besides.” Chi Xiyan paused for a moment. “I think my acting is pretty good too.”

“Yes, yes, yes!” Chi Muxue said irritably. “It really is good. I couldn’t even tell you were joking.”

She looked at Chi Xiyan and continued, “What I really wanted to ask was, what gift do you plan to give me for my hairpin ceremony!”

“As for your hairpin ceremony gift, I’ve already got mine ready!”

“A gift?” Chi Xiyan pondered for a moment. “Of course, I’ve prepared one for you too. Do you want to see it?”

“Stop right there!” Chi Muxue raised her hand. “Don’t you dare show me now!”

“The surprise should be saved for tonight’s banquet!”

With that, the girl turned and walked away. “Let’s go, it’s time to get ready for the banquet.”

Chi Xiyan watched her retreating figure, her gaze growing ever more complicated.

Was it really just a joke?