On the jade boat floating in Purple Return River, Gu Changge stood alone at the bow, his hands behind his back. His black hair fluttered in the wind, and his white robes were as pure as snow, untainted by dust, like an immortal who had stepped out of a painting.
Not far away, by the tea stove, Ye Suyi set down the ancient zither she had been holding and was using a small fan to control the heat. The tea water bubbled, filling the air with a rich aroma.
Although her situation at Purple Dew Mountain hadn't been good, before her mother fell ill, she had been a wealthy young lady hidden away in a deep boudoir, unknown to the world.
She had never done any manual labor and was skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.
Her talent in the zither, in particular, was extraordinary, showing signs of mastery at a young age.
After coming to Purple Dew Mountain to find her biological father, she had become a servant to Zi Susu.
However, in a way, this had also honed her skills in the zither and tea art.
Her slender, jade-like hands, as flawless as onion roots, were delicate and fair. She washed the tea set meticulously, and even the way she poured tea was uniquely graceful, pleasing to the eye.
Ye Suyi kept her head down, focusing on brewing tea and cleaning the tea set. Occasionally, she would glance up at the tall figure at the bow of the boat, her eyes filled with a hint of shyness.
Perhaps the help and support Gu Changge had offered at that time was just an unintentional act of kindness or a momentary sense of pity.
But for her, it was a ray of bright light that pierced through the darkness and despair of her miserable life.
At that time, she had been thinking about ending her life, putting an end to her hopeless and bleak existence.
But just when she was at her most helpless and desperate, Gu Changge had appeared.
He had reached out to her, handing her a clean handkerchief to wipe away the blood.
For Ye Suyi, this was like a lifeline suddenly appearing, giving her hope once more.
It turned out that there were still good people in the world, people willing to help her.
"It seems it's over. Although it took a bit longer than I expected, it doesn't matter much."
Gu Changge walked over from the bow of the boat, retracting his gaze.
The battle at the edge of the sky had concluded as he had predicted. Uncle Fu was no match for Di Kun.
Although Uncle Fu had bought Chu Xia some time, it was meaningless to Di Kun.
After all, Di Kun was a powerhouse who had survived six Heavenly Tribulations.
His strength was comparable to figures like Zhuo Fengxie and Hun Yuanjun. Catching up to Chu Xia was only a matter of time.
"Since that's the case, it's time for me to make the next move."
Gu Changge let out a faint smile.
Then, the void behind him blurred, and the White Bone Ancestor King appeared.
"Young Master..."
"Go and retrieve that old servant by Chu Xia's side," Gu Changge ordered.
The White Bone Ancestor King was slightly surprised and puzzled but didn't ask any questions. His figure vanished as he headed toward the desolate continent where Uncle Fu had fallen.
After the White Bone Ancestor King left, Gu Changge turned his attention to Ye Suyi, who was still on the boat.
Sensing his gaze, Ye Suyi, who had been focused on cleaning the tea set, suddenly felt her ears burn. She didn't dare to look up and meet Gu Changge's eyes.
"You're free now. You don't need to stay by my side. From now on, no one will constrain you."
"You can go wherever you want."
Gu Changge retracted his gaze and casually walked over, repeating the same words he had said earlier.
He had no intention of letting Ye Suyi stay by his side.
If she were powerful, exceptionally talented, or blessed with great fortune, he might have had a reason to keep her.
Unfortunately, she didn't possess any of these qualities.
There were countless stunningly beautiful women in the world. If he wanted, with a single command, countless prodigies and divine maidens would offer themselves to him.
But for Gu Changge now, no matter how beautiful a woman was, she was ultimately just a fleeting illusion.
Beauty was like a skeleton wrapped in red silk—ephemeral. If she didn't hold enough value for him, her appearance alone wouldn't stir the slightest interest in him.
"Young Master, are you trying to send me away?"
Ye Suyi kept her head down, her face suddenly turning pale.
Gu Changge sat down on a nearby chair, still speaking casually. "If you stay by my side, you'll only end up serving me like a maid, no different from your time at Riverside Pavilion."
"Instead of that, why not go and do something you truly want to do? Why stay by my side?"
He had spoken very plainly.
However, Ye Suyi still replied in a low voice, "But Young Master, you saved me. Even if I have to serve you like a maid, I'm willing."
"I don't need anyone to serve me."
"If you're worried about being bullied again after returning to Purple Dew Mountain, I can inform Zi Yun'er and have him take care of you."
Gu Changge shook his head slightly, not wanting to waste time on such trivial matters.
He didn't understand why this white-robed girl was so stubborn.
The two of them had only exchanged a few words and barely knew each other.
If she was this grateful just because he had helped her at Riverside Pavilion, then her sense of gratitude was too cheap.
He even considered erasing this part of her memory.
However, Gu Changge only thought about it and didn't plan to act on it.
Perhaps the time he had spent in Qing Shan Village had influenced him somewhat.
The hope and longing in this white-robed girl's eyes reminded him of Su Qingge, stirring a faint sense of pity in him.
"I don't want to go back to Purple Dew Mountain."
Hearing this, Ye Suyi shook her head vigorously, her eyes filled with hope and timidity as she looked at Gu Changge and pleaded, "Young Master, can you not send me away?"
"If you're嫌弃 that I stayed at Riverside Pavilion..."
"But I'm actually very clean. I've always remained pure and have never had any contact with the opposite sex."
She didn't know why, but she really wanted to stay by Gu Changge's side.
It wasn't just because he had helped her at Riverside Pavilion.
A large part of it was because Gu Changge had an indescribable, strange yet comforting aura that made her feel close to him.
Gu Changge's gaze fell on Ye Suyi again, and he frowned slightly.
He really didn't want to waste energy and time investigating the past of such an ordinary person.
It was like fishing out a tiny thread of fate from the River of Fate.