Chapter 424: The Beauty of Red Spider Lilies
Yang Haoran was deeply moved by Xu Meijing's words. The bitter expression on his face vanished, replaced by his usual smile. "I don't think I'll disappoint you. Just wait and see," Yang Haoran said with a laugh. "Don't sound so uncertain. You can completely omit those 'I don't think' words," Xu Meijing replied. "I've already affirmed you before, so this time I'm expressing it differently. Besides, I prefer this way of expressing myself," Yang Haoran explained with a smile. The two chatted and laughed as they walked towards the Underworld city gates, the atmosphere between them exceedingly pleasant.
Leaving the Underworld and ascending the Bridge of Helplessness, they still didn't see Meng Po, but there were many more Underworld officials on the bridge than when they had arrived. Whether Meng Po was on the Bridge of Helplessness or not didn't concern Yang Haoran; to him, it was all the same. However, Xu Meijing differed from Yang Haoran in this regard. She secretly wished Meng Po wasn't on the Bridge of Helplessness, as it meant she wouldn't have to bow to her. She was inherently someone unwilling to yield, and bowing to others was a truly difficult thing for her to accept. Descending the Bridge of Helplessness, they arrived on the Yellow Springs Road. Gazing at the endless expanse of red Red Spider Lilies, they ignored the melancholic symbolism of the blossoms without leaves, and instead purely admired the flowers' beauty.
When people appreciate Red Spider Lilies, different individuals, at different stages of life, in different states, and with different experiences, perceive them in unique ways. Some see the beauty of the Red Spider Lilies, others their sorrow. Some see beautiful memories, while others see unspeakable pasts. And there are those who always admire the Red Spider Lilies with wounds in their hearts, thinking of the vanished leaves when the flowers bloom, and the vanished flowers when the leaves emerge. These people, what they think in their hearts and see in their eyes, are always things that have passed away, often overlooking the beauty they currently possess. They only saw the desolation of the Red Spider Lilies, not their beauty.
Just like autumn's falling leaves, some see the golden beauty, while others see the desolation of the shedding. Some see the freedom the leaves gained at the cost of their life, while others see the tree's unwillingness to hold them back. But at that moment, Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing were both in excellent spirits, and thus everything they saw was beautiful. In such a state, how could they possibly care about the melancholic symbolism of Red Spider Lilies blooming without leaves?
As they admired the beauty of the Red Spider Lilies, they walked towards the end of the Yellow Springs Road, chatting and laughing along the way, their bond deepening with every step. Before they knew it, they had reached the road's end. Here, numerous Underworld officials had opened Ghost Gates at various points, returning to their respective cities of jurisdiction.
"Time really flies. I felt like it was just a moment, and yet we've already reached the end of the Yellow Springs Road," Yang Haoran said with a smile, withdrawing his gaze from an Underworld official stepping through a Ghost Gate. "Even the longest journey has an end. Let's go, it's our turn to head back," Xu Meijing replied with a faint smile, then pulled her hands from her pockets, formed a hand seal, and summoned the Ghost Gate.
Yang Haoran had originally wanted to linger on the Yellow Springs Road for a while longer, but considering Xu Meijing was eager to refine the Soul-Refining Cauldron, he didn't stop her from opening the Ghost Gate. At Xu Meijing's beckoning, Yang Haoran stepped through the Ghost Gate with her, bringing an end to their trip to the Underworld for the year.
Back in the conference room of the Ancheng Underworld Division, Yang Haoran didn't immediately rush back to Lecheng. Instead, under Xu Meijing's astonished gaze, he set up a restrictive barrier. "There's something I wanted to talk to you about. I didn't dare say it in the Underworld, but now I finally have the chance," Yang Haoran said, his smile vanishing, his expression turning serious.
Seeing Yang Haoran's rare serious expression, Xu Meijing asked with a laugh, "What could be so important that it makes you drop that fake smile? You're making me a little nervous. " Yang Haoran knew Xu Meijing was teasing him, but he wasn't in the mood for jokes right now.
"I didn't expect you to notice that. I thought you'd overlook the issue," Xu Meijing said with a faint smile. "My heavens, Big Sister, the number of souls you submitted this year is quite different from last year. Anyone who pays attention to you would surely notice something amiss," Yang Haoran said, a speechless expression on his face.
"But besides you, who else would pay attention to me? " Xu Meijing asked. "How would I know? But are you sure no one noticed you? That Huo Laoban today is a prime example; do you think he didn't notice you? Besides, the number of souls we submit each year is recorded. If the discrepancy is too large, do you think the higher-ups won't discover anything? " Xu Meijing's expression remained calm as she asked with a smile, "So, what do you think should be done?"
"It's simple: keep the souls that should be kept, but you absolutely must submit the ones that shouldn't be. Don't risk losing a lot by trying to gain a little," Yang Haoran said.
Hearing this, Xu Meijing smiled faintly, a hint of triumph on her face. "Are you really concerned about me, or are you looking down on me? Do you think I'd be foolish enough to do something so stupid? The number of souls submitted this time is indeed a bit low, but that's because some special incidents occurred in Ancheng this year. Given the circumstances, if the number of souls I submitted didn't noticeably decrease, *that* would be the real problem. While I did hold back quite a few souls, they are all within my controllable limits. " Xu Meijing's words made Yang Haoran pause, but then he let out a sigh of relief, a smile returning to his face.
"When I submitted the souls, I specifically clarified the situation with the recording Ghost Official and had him make a special note. So, the higher-ups won't find anything amiss, nor will it cause me any trouble. Even if they send someone to investigate, it will be exactly as I've stated," Xu Meijing continued. "That's for the best then. Looks like I worried for nothing," Yang Haoran said with a laugh.
"No, you didn't worry for nothing. At the very least, your concern made me feel your sincerity and your care for me, wouldn't you agree? " Xu Meijing asked with a smile. Yang Haoran's face flushed slightly. Being spoken to like that by Xu Meijing, he genuinely felt a little embarrassed, while Xu Meijing, in turn, was amused by Yang Haoran's expression.
"Heh heh, your shy expression is much more appealing than that fake smile of yours. Still, your reminder wasn't entirely meaningless to me. At least it let me know that you handle things very well in this regard, so I don't need to worry about you," Xu Meijing's words made Yang Haoran even more embarrassed. He just chuckled awkwardly, saying nothing, for he truly didn't know what to say.
"It's almost New Year's in less than two days. Do you have any plans for this year? " Xu Meijing asked with a smile. "No plans really, you know my situation," Yang Haoran replied, simultaneously putting away the phone only usable in the Underworld into his independent space, and then retrieving his mortal realm phone.
"Since you don't have any plans, why don't you just—" Before Xu Meijing could finish her sentence, Yang Haoran's phone began vibrating rapidly, message notifications constantly chiming. "So busy? " Xu Meijing didn't continue her previous thought, but instead asked playfully.
"It's almost New Year's, so it's probably New Year's greetings from friends," Yang Haoran replied with a smile, then instinctively glanced at his phone. But after just one look, the smile vanished from his face, and his brows furrowed slightly. Xu Meijing noticed the change in Yang Haoran's expression and asked curiously, "What happened?"
"An enemy has come calling. I need to go back and deal with them," Yang Haoran said, putting away his phone. "When did this happen? " Xu Meijing asked. "Judging by the message's timestamp, about ten minutes ago," Yang Haoran replied.
"Let's go, I'll come with you to check it out, just in case you get bullied," Xu Meijing said with a smile. However, Yang Haoran shook his head, refusing Xu Meijing's offer. "No need. It's just a minor character, not worth your time. I can handle it. " With that, Yang Haoran quickly tore open a spatial rift. Before stepping into it, he told Xu Meijing, "I'll call you when I'm done. " As his voice faded, Yang Haoran stepped into the spatial rift. Xu Meijing watched the rift heal, looking as if she wanted to say more, but ultimately shook her head helplessly.
"This guy, I really don't know if he's smart or foolish. He's as sly as a fox in front of others, but in front of me, he acts like a complete idiot."
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