Beauties in Simulation Cross over into Reality

Chapter 57: Chapter 51: Sister, Brother Xiao… He’s… Back…

Fuchen left.

Xiao Qing sat on the stone bench in the courtyard, staring at the Elixir in her hand. Fuchen’s words echoed in her mind.

“Xiao Qing.”

Her sister’s voice came from outside the courtyard.

Xiao Qing jumped in surprise and quickly hid the Elixir in her sleeve.

“Sister, you’re back.” Xiao Qing stood up, a flicker of guilt in her eyes.

“Xiao Qing, is something wrong?” Bai Ruxue noticed her sister was acting a little strange.

“No, nothing.” Xiao Qing shook her head. “Let me help you hang the laundry.”

Xiao Qing walked over, took the laundry basin from her sister’s hands, and helped her hang the clothes on the bamboo poles, one piece at a time.

“Sister…” Xiao Qing glanced at her sister’s profile and called out softly.

“Hm?”

“A female Daoist named Fuchen came by earlier,” Xiao Qing said, wanting to know if her sister really knew Fuchen.

“Daoist Master Fuchen came?” Bai Ruxue was a little surprised.

“Do you know her, Sister?”

“I do. Daoist Master Fuchen came to see me before. She wanted to take me as her disciple, but I refused. Xiao Mo said she’s a good Daoist master.

Later, I heard from Xiao Mo that there’s an Elder in the Tianxuan Sect whose true form is a Vermilion Bird. Her name is Fuchen, so it must be her.”

’So that’s how it is…’ Xiao Qing nodded, pressing her thin lips together, finally feeling at ease about Fuchen’s identity.

“Did Daoist Master Fuchen say anything to you, Xiao Qing?” Bai Ruxue asked.

“Well…”

Xiao Qing looked directly into her sister’s eyes.

“Sister, Elder Fuchen said you need to hibernate immediately. After this hibernation, you’ll become a Transformed Python. If you force yourself to stay awake, not only will it damage the foundation of your great path, but you might even be in mortal danger.”

“Sister!” Xiao Qing grabbed Bai Ruxue’s wrist. “Let’s go up the mountain and hibernate. Otherwise, when Brother Xiao comes back, what will we do if something happens to you?”

“Xiao Qing, did the Daoist Master say how long I’ll sleep for this time, when I transform into a python?” Bai Ruxue asked.

“…” Xiao Qing lowered her head, her expression complicated.

Seeing her sister’s reaction, Bai Ruxue knew the answer even without her saying a word.

’Just as I thought.’

’This hibernation… it’s going to be a very, very long time…’

“Xiao Qing, I’ll be fine. I want to wait for him to come back,” Bai Ruxue said, having made her decision.

“Sister… but this is a matter of life and death…” Xiao Qing’s eyes looked as if she was about to cry.

Bai Ruxue smiled and shook her head. “But Xiao Qing, Xiao Mo is more important than my own life.”

Xiao Qing: “…”

“Alright, Xiao Qing, don’t worry about it. My luck is usually very good. Maybe nothing will happen to me at all. As for my Realm or Root Bone… when have I ever cared about those things?”

Just as Xiao Qing was about to say more, Bai Ruxue gently pressed her delicate fingertips to her sister’s lips. “Don’t bring this up again. I’m going to make dinner.”

Bai Ruxue walked toward the kitchen.

Watching her sister’s retreating figure, Xiao Qing clutched the Elixir in her hand.

’I know how important Brother Xiao is to her.’

’I also know that if she goes to sleep now, it could last for the rest of his life.’

’And I know better than anyone how devastated she’ll be when she wakes up and he’s no longer there.’

’If it was only her Realm on the line, I wouldn’t be this torn.’

’But this… this is about her life.’

’She’s been looking worse and worse lately.’

’If this goes on, can she really hold out?’

’It’s deep winter now, and I’m getting sleepier and sleepier. I can barely stay awake myself.’

’What if something happens to her while I’m hibernating?’

’No! I can’t let anything happen to my sister!’

Xiao Qing gripped the Elixir tightly, her gaze growing resolute.

…

That afternoon, Bai Ruxue sat in the courtyard, making a pair of shoes for Xiao Mo.

Xiao Qing ground the Elixir into a powder, dissolved it in water, and brought the bowl out. “Sister, have some water.”

“Mm-hm.” Bai Ruxue took the bowl.

Under Xiao Qing’s nervous gaze, Bai Ruxue drank all the warm water in the bowl.

The water had a faint, sweet taste, but Bai Ruxue didn’t pay it any mind.

Bai Ruxue set down the earthenware bowl and went back to making the shoes for Xiao Mo.

Xiao Qing sat beside her sister, pretending to read a book while anxiously watching her.

An hour passed. Bai Ruxue felt herself growing drowsier and drowsier.

Bai Ruxue shook her head, splashed cold water on her face, and, feeling refreshed, sat back down on the stone bench.

But soon, the drowsiness returned.

She picked up a chili pepper from the table and took a bite.

Bai Ruxue, who had always hated spicy food, winced, but the pepper’s effect was only temporary.

Bai Ruxue’s sleepiness grew heavier and heavier.

This wave of sleepiness was far stronger than any before.

She could feel herself starting to lose the battle…

Even when she tried to pinch herself, she barely had the strength.

Sitting to the side, Xiao Qing’s heart ached as she watched her sister try everything she could to stay awake.

“Xiao Qing…” Bai Ruxue grabbed her sister’s hand. “Pinch me. Hard.”

“Sister…” A mist formed in Xiao Qing’s eyes.

Seeing Xiao Qing’s reluctance, Bai Ruxue, still on the bench, grabbed a thick needle from the table and was about to stab herself with it.

Xiao Qing snatched it away. “Sister… just go to sleep…”

“I can’t…”

Bai Ruxue forced her head up. Her breath was faint as a thread, her consciousness hanging by one.

“His shoes… I haven’t finished them yet…”

“He’s still in the Capital City… I haven’t waited for him to come back yet…”

“I can’t sleep… I can’t…”

“I can’t break my promise… he’ll resent me…”

Bai Ruxue’s voice grew softer and softer, her head felt heavier and heavier, and her consciousness faded.

Seeing her sister in this state, Xiao Qing felt as if her heart were being eaten by ants. She pulled her sister into a tight embrace. “Sister… Brother Xiao won’t blame you. It’s all my fault. I’s sorry, Sister… I’m so sorry…”

Xiao Qing’s voice grew fainter and fainter in Bai Ruxue’s ears.

In Bai Ruxue’s mind, memories flashed by one after another, like scenes in a revolving lantern.

The first time they met.

The first time they rode an ox together.

The first time she had him teach her how to read and write.

The first time he praised her cooking…

…

“Xiao Mo, what does it mean to grow old together?”

The young woman had asked him that spring.

“Growing old together means two people spending their entire lives with each other, until they’re old,” the man had replied.

“Then… will we grow old together?” the young woman asked again.

The man paused for a moment, then raised his hand to gently stroke her hair, smiling. “We will.”

…

’I promised him… we would grow old together.’

Leaning in her sister’s arms, with those final words, Bai Ruxue’s eyes slowly closed.

In the last moments of her sight, she thought she saw his figure:

“He’s back…”

Xiao Qing froze, lifting her head to look at the empty yard outside. Tears dripped down, one by one.

“Yes… Sister…

Brother Xiao… he’s…

He’s back…”