Starting My Cultivation With Time Management

Chapter 1075: Chapter 53 Birth!_3

But the distinctive feature of Liuli Lady’s appearance can be described with one word: “gentle.” At first glance, nothing stands out; she is just an ordinary beauty. However, upon closer and prolonged inspection, one finds that every feature is precisely in its place, belonging to the category of timeless beauty.

Or rather, she resembles a classical lady who has stepped out of a painting or poem. Her allure is not in making an immediate impact but is contained in the deep elegance inherent in her every movement, like a cup of rich wine, clear and cool as spring water at first sip, yet with an extremely sweet aftertaste…

“Drink.” Shi Liuli raised the golden cup and handed it to him.

“Huh?” Chen Guanshui snapped back to reality and saw that she had, somehow, produced a wine pot and two wine cups—each already filled with amber-colored wine.

Why the sudden decision to drink? Could it be that you’re Senior Sister An in disguise?

“Why the sudden urge for wine?” Chen Guanshui took the cup, asking cautiously.

“Nothing else to do.” Shi Liuli replied with a statement that sounded very much like An Zhisu.

This made Chen Guanshui even more uneasy, so he tentatively suggested:

“How about we do something else? Perhaps a game of couplets?”

Shi Liuli seemed to see through his worry, giving a faint, cold laugh:

“Concerned the wine might be poisoned?”

“Of course not!” Chen Guanshui instinctively denied, then composed himself and softly said, “Liuli, you didn’t used to like drinking, so suddenly… it worries me a bit.”

Shi Liuli fell into a long silence, then said:

“Drink this cup first, and I’ll tell you.”

Chen Guanshui nodded, thinking that with the Summoning Sword within him, he didn’t fear any drugged wine, and drank it all in one go.

Seeing him drink it all, Shi Liuli also raised her cup to her lips and took a sip.

“To speak frankly.” Whether due to the alcohol or witnessing Chen Guanshui’s trust in her, her icy expression relaxed slightly, revealing a hint of sorrow, “Since the day my husband left without a word, I’ve been unable to sleep a wink, tossing and turning every night.”

A cultivator could just enter meditative concentration; there’s no need to sleep, Chen Guanshui complained in his heart, but he dared not voice it.

“I’ve been wondering if I did something wrong, whether you…” Shi Liuli raised her cup-bearing hand, hiding her eyes behind her hand, her voice slightly trembling, “no longer want me…”

“Liuli…” Chen Guanshui uttered weakly.

Had Liuli Lady been crying inconsolably, wailing with all her heart, or even cursing him with venomous words… he would have known how to console her.

But it was precisely this seemingly calm demeanor that ripped at his heart like a knife, making him fear looking into the calm façade that concealed her pain.

“It’s nothing.” Shi Liuli set down the cup, slowly rotating it for a moment, muttering, “It’s all in the past.”

Chen Guanshui saw her eyes merely red-rimmed, without any trace of tears, evidently held back with great effort, causing his heart to weigh more with guilt.

Shi Liuli refilled both their cups, speaking softly:

“Is my husband puzzled? For instance, why a cultivator would choose to sleep when they could just enter meditative concentration…”

“No, no.” Chen Guanshui quickly denied, “I sleep occasionally too.”

“Actually, after marrying you, I often dreamed of my father at night.” Shi Liuli said softly, downing the wine in her cup, “At first, I thought it was my deceased father visiting me in dreams, but later realized… I just missed my father too much.”

“After my mother’s downfall, Father protected me too well. My life was spent in the world he created, a life of happiness without hardship and worry.”

“But Father also knew that in these times of great conflict, where good and evil clashed with increasing brutality, he couldn’t guarantee my safety forever, so he found you.”

“A few times he subtly inquired my attitude and thoughts about you… I didn’t understand anything then, but at least I didn’t dislike you. Father must have noticed that and finally decided to entrust you with the Heavenly Craft Workshop and me, on a future day…”

“So, after marrying you, I often dreamt of Father. I wanted to tell him that my husband and I are doing well and that he needn’t worry.”

These words seemed like a sharp blade, stabbing once more into Chen Guanshui’s already bleeding heart.

Indeed… Elder Shi Ding entrusted his daughter to me, yet I…

“Why the guilty look, my husband?” Shi Liuli asked with a faintly intoxicated demeanor, a gentle blush on her cheeks, and smiled softly, “Have a drink with me.”

In silence, Chen Guanshui raised his cup, clinking it against hers, then downed it in one gulp.

“I’m not blaming you.” Shi Liuli continued, refilling her own cup once more, “After all, mending the sky came first, my father’s promise came later. If anyone’s at fault, it’s my father’s.”

“Liuli, drink less.” Seeing his lady continuously pouring and consuming wine, Chen Guanshui was immensely pained, “Actually, after mending the sky, I intended to…”

“Enough.” Shi Liuli gently interrupted him, “Don’t be in a rush to comfort me, have you truly thought it through, my husband?”

Chen Guanshui was left speechless.

“Guanshui.” Shi Liuli’s eyes seemed somewhat disoriented, “All along, I’ve been thinking that your significance to me might not be as simple as a Daoist Companion.”

“To put it in an inaccurate way, you’re like a continuation of my father.”

She let out a few self-deprecating laughs, set down the wine cup, and chokingly said:

“No matter how strong or independent I pretend to be, in truth… my life, cared for meticulously since childhood, has made me accustomed to relying on the most important person in my life. Initially, he was my father. After Father’s downfall, that person became you…”

“So, when you left, it was as if I lost the pillar supporting my existence, akin to a vine deprived of a supporting trunk…”

Her misty eyes glistened, as if a film of tears was forming, trapping all of Chen Guanshui’s words in his throat, unable to be uttered.

Unnoticed, Shi Liuli had slightly risen, her upper body leaning forward as if powerless, embracing Chen Guanshui’s neck, pressing her cheek affectionately against her husband’s face.

“My husband,” she said dreamily, “regardless of whether you’ll leave me again in the future…”

“At the very least, give me a child…”

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