Bai Ruxue slowly turned around.

Not far from the woman stood an elderly man with white hair.

Looking at the appearance of the person before her, Bai Ruxue's red lips parted slightly, trembling somewhat.

Her long legs beneath her skirt stepped forward, and Bai Ruxue walked toward him step by step.

Bai Ruxue dared not walk too quickly.

She feared that when she approached him, she would discover it was merely an illusion.

She feared that when she walked to his side, he would disappear.

Finally, even when the woman stopped her steps and stood before him.

Bai Ruxue still doubted whether she was dreaming, whether all of this was real.

She extended her hand, wanting to touch him, but each time she was about to make contact, Bai Ruxue fearfully pulled her hand back slightly, repeating this several times.

Until finally, when Bai Ruxue gathered her courage and her tender palm touched his weathered cheek.

The real sensation from her palm told the woman.

This was not a dream.

He truly stood before her, existing genuinely and completely.

Bai Ruxue gently caressed his rough face.

Looking at the wrinkles on his face.

Looking at the spots at the corners of his eyes.

Looking at his full head of white hair.

Tears blurred the woman's eyes, silently sliding down her cheeks and shattering on the green leaves at her feet.

Each time her throat moved as she wanted to speak, those thousand words would get stuck in her heart again.

Seeing Bai Ruxue's dazed, tearful appearance, the old man reached out his hand, gently stroking her cheek and wiping away the tears at the corners of her eyes.

He slowly spoke, his voice carrying the weariness of years, "Silly girl, haven't I returned? What are you crying for?"

Bai Ruxue gazed at him foolishly, as if she could never bear to look away.

Afraid that if her eyes moved away for even a moment, he would disappear.

"Did you... did you meet Elder Zhang?" the woman looked into his eyes.

The white-haired old man nodded, "I did."

"What is Elder Zhang's character like? Is he well?" Bai Ruxue asked like a wife concerned about her husband.

"Elder Zhang is informal, has an elegant temperament, acts decisively, and is quite a good person," the old man nodded in reply.

"Did you give him the honey? Elder Zhang didn't find it distasteful, did he?" the woman asked again.

The old man smiled, "He didn't find it distasteful. Elder Zhang liked those two jars of honey very much and even said if there's extra in the future, to send him two more jars, and he'll trade good wine with me."

Bai Ruxue nodded silently, "How did you do on the examination this time? Was it alright? Were the questions difficult?"

"It was fine, I achieved the top scholar position." The old man's tone carried some pride, like a young person, "I got top scholar, impressive, right?"

"Mm, but I heard that when the results are announced, there would be matchmaking attempts beneath the rankings. You weren't caught, were you?"

"No, I ran very fast. By the time they noticed me, I had already vanished without a trace." The old man laughed, "Besides, Elder Zhang had Miss Zhang bring people to guard outside my inn, so they couldn't take me away."

"You should have been caught."

Bai Ruxue could no longer hold back, tightly grasping the old man's collar, pressing her forehead against his chest.

The woman's tears fell like rain, "A full forty-eight years, forty-eight years! Why haven't you married yet? Who took care of you during the days I wasn't here? You always said I was silly, but why are you so silly too?"

Looking at the woman sobbing uncontrollably before him, watching her shoulders trembling continuously, the old man reached out and gently patted her back, "Silly girl, because I had to wait for you. Look, didn't I wait for you after all?"

The old man's words were like a sharp sword, piercing into the softest part of the woman's heart.

The woman's crying grew louder, her tears soaking his collar and seeping through his undergarment.

The old man only gently patted her back, quietly accompanying her.

"There, don't cry anymore. I've returned, shouldn't you be happy?" After a long while, the old man slowly spoke, "Besides, I've returned, but you haven't formally welcomed me yet."

Hearing the old man's words, Bai Ruxue gradually stopped crying, though her eyes were already red and swollen.

The woman wiped the corners of her eyes with her sleeve, stepped back two paces, and took a deep breath.

Those slender, delicate hands slowly emerged from her sleeves. Her right hand's four fingers were like orchid buds about to bloom, quietly folding over her left hand. Her palms slightly curved inward, forming a subtle and graceful arc, lightly placed at her waist and sinking slightly downward. Her knees didn't bend hastily but curved with perfect measure.

The young woman bowed in courtesy and smiled brilliantly, "Husband, you've returned."

The gentle breeze ruffled the old man's worn blue shirt, clinging to his figure that stood as upright as an old pine.

The old man named Xiao Mo was slightly stunned, his face showing a smile like a wanderer returning home:

"Yes, I've returned."

At Tianxuan Sect's Ten Thousand Carp Lake.

A woman dressed in Daoist robes stood in the water pavilion, watching the large and small koi in the lake.

Fuchen occasionally dropped fish food from her hand, and the koi would crowd together, competing with each other for it.

Red ones, white ones, green ones, more and more koi swam toward Fuchen's direction.

"Master."

A girl who was over sixty years old by bone age but appeared to be seventeen or eighteen walked to Fuchen's side and bowed respectfully.

"Mm." Fuchen nodded, "What is it?"

"Prime Minister Xiao Mo of Qi Kingdom has retired and returned to his village. Xiao Mo and Bai Ruxue have already met," the woman named Li Sisi said.

Fuchen's slender hand, which was about to scatter fish food, froze in mid-air.

After a long silence, Fuchen sighed softly, scattered the fish food in her hand, and replied, "Your master understands."

"Master, this disciple doesn't understand. Why does Master feel it would be better if Xiao Mo didn't meet Bai Ruxue?" Li Sisi asked in confusion.

Over forty years ago, Li Sisi already knew that her master somewhat cared about that white snake from Qi Kingdom, occasionally performing divination for it.

Li Sisi also knew the story of that white snake and that scholar.

In Li Sisi's view, Xiao Mo and Bai Ruxue meeting was clearly a good thing. Even though Xiao Mo didn't have many years of life left, at least Bai Ruxue could still accompany Xiao Mo through his final journey.

When Xiao Mo returned to dust, Bai Ruxue should also break free from worldly attachments, cultivate properly, and have no more concerns for the mortal world but Master had always felt it would be better if the two didn't meet.

This puzzled Li Sisi.

"Sisi, have you ever liked someone?" Fuchen asked her disciple.

Li Sisi thought for a moment, then shook her head, "No, Master. I've been cultivating on the mountain all day, meeting few people. How could I have someone I like?"

Fuchen turned around, looking at her disciple with a smile, "Since you've never liked another person, how can you understand the weight of the word 'like'?"

"Some kinds of love cannot be let go."

Fuchen raised her head, looking at the misty sky, though stars and moon were reflected in her eyes.

"Perhaps this is their fate."