Beauties in Simulation Cross over into Reality

In the kitchen of a courtyard in the Xiao Mansion, Zhou Ruoxi was cooking while her maid, Cuicui, assisted her.

Normally, Zhou Ruoxi would only make one or two dishes to eat with Cuicui. After all, it was just the two of them, and they didn’t eat much.

Today, however, the spread of dishes was bountiful.

Because Zhou Ruoxi knew that once her son returned to the capital, he would certainly come home for a meal.

”Mother... I’m home.”

Just as the sun began to set, Xiao Mo’s voice drifted from outside the courtyard.

Hearing her son’s voice, Zhou Ruoxi quickly plated the food from the wok, wiped her hands, and rushed outside. ”Mo’er, you’re back! And the Princess is here too.”

”Aunt Zhou...”

Qin Siyao curtsied, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush.

”Mo’er, why don’t you have the Princess take a seat? The food will be ready in a moment,” Zhou Ruoxi said with a gentle smile.

”Aunt Zhou, I... I’ll help you too.” Qin Siyao gathered her skirts and trotted toward the kitchen, looking just like a new daughter-in-law trying to impress her mother-in-law, hoping to win her approval.

Xiao Mo sat on a stone stool, gazing at everything in the courtyard.

From the time Xiao Mo was born until now, everything in the courtyard seemed unchanged, exactly as it had always been.

And every time he came home, looking at these familiar surroundings brought him an immense sense of peace, as if he could slowly let go of everything else in the world.

It was as if the slaughter on the battlefield was a world away.

Of course, Xiao Mo knew.

A large part of the reason his mother had always refused to live in Prince Shuang’s Mansion, or even to move out of this courtyard, was that she wanted him to always have a familiar, unchanged home to return to—a place where he could find rest and respite.

”Mo’er, have you been waiting long? The food is ready.”

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Zhou Ruoxi and Qin Siyao came out carrying the dishes.

Xiao Mo went forward and helped take the hot dishes from his mother’s hands.

Cuicui brought out the bowls and chopsticks, and the family gathered around the stone table in the courtyard for dinner.

His mother’s cooking still tasted the same as before, without the slightest change.

’But how could time possibly allow everything to remain as it was?’

Xiao Mo looked up and faintly saw a strand of white hair nestled within his mother’s cascade of black hair.

Only then did Xiao Mo realize that his mother was already forty-seven, nearing fifty...

’And what, after all, is the lifespan of an ordinary mortal?’

”What’s wrong, Young Master? You’ve returned triumphant, yet you look like you have something on your mind,” Cuicui asked with a smile, seeing him with his eyes downcast.

”It’s nothing.” Xiao Mo shook his head with a smile. ”I was just thinking, Aunt Cui is already over forty. Are you really not going to find a husband?”

”Oh, Young Master, you!” Cuicui pouted. ”Why on earth would I want to get married? If I end up with a bad one, I’d regret it for the rest of my life. I’d much rather stay with Madam forever. It’s much more carefree and easy.”

”Oh, you.” Zhou Ruoxi also shook her head and sighed, then said to Xiao Mo, ”I tried to arrange a few matches for your Aunt Cui before, but she refused. So we just let it be. It’s good to have Cuicui stay and keep me company.”

”Young Master, Madam herself said so. You can’t chase me away now,” Cuicui said, quickly hugging Zhou Ruoxi’s arm.

”How would I dare chase Aunt Cui away?” Xiao Mo said, shaking his head with a laugh.

In Xiao Mo’s view, it was a good thing that Aunt Cui wasn’t getting married.

”Speaking of which...” Cuicui glanced at her Young Master, then at the Princess. ”Even though the Young Master is a Cultivator, he’s already in his twenties. When are you getting married? Cuicui is waiting to hold a little young master.”

As Cuicui’s words fell, the already shy Qin Siyao lowered her head even further, taking tiny bites of her food.

Seeing this, Zhou Ruoxi and Cuicui exchanged a look, sensing that something might have happened between the two of them.

”Actually, there’s something else I wanted to tell you and Sister Cuicui today.” Xiao Mo smiled, took out the Holy Decree, stood up, and respectfully handed it to his mother. ”Mother, Your Majesty has decreed my marriage.”

”Eh?” Zhou Ruoxi froze for a moment, then quickly wiped her hands on her clothes before accepting the Holy Decree.

As she read, shimmering teardrops welled up in the corners of Zhou Ruoxi’s eyes. She glanced at her son and Siyao with relief, her voice trembling:

”Wonderful. This is wonderful... It’s truly... wonderful...”

Cuicui also hurried closer to look at the Holy Decree, then happily bowed to her young master and the Princess. ”Congratulations, Young Master! Congratulations, Princess! Cuicui wishes you a happy union and a long life together! May you have seven or eight chubby little boys!”

”Aunt Cui...” Qin Siyao’s face was beet-red as she tugged on Cuicui’s arm.

The once lively and cheerful young woman had now become somewhat shy, yet she already seemed to have the air of a wife.

”Let’s eat,” Zhou Ruoxi said, gently wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes. ”This is truly a magnificent piece of good news.”

Zhou Ruoxi gently stroked the Holy Decree, a delighted smile on her face.

Xiao Mo couldn’t remember the last time he had seen his mother so happy.

After the family finished dinner, Xiao Mo first escorted Qin Siyao back to the Princess’s Mansion.

For the next few days, Xiao Mo would not be returning to Prince Shuang’s Mansion, but would stay at the Xiao Mansion to accompany his mother.

However, it wasn’t long before Xiao Shi called Xiao Mo over.

By the time Xiao Mo returned to the courtyard, night had fallen, but his mother was still sitting there, the Holy Decree for the marriage from His Majesty resting on her lap, her eyes gazing up at the countless stars in the sky.

”Mother.” Xiao Mo entered the courtyard and bowed. ”You haven’t rested yet.”

”Not yet.” Zhou Ruoxi shook her head with a smile and patted the seat beside her. ”Mo’er, would you be willing to chat with your mother for a while?”

”Of course.” Xiao Mo nodded and sat down beside his mother.

”Mo’er, do you know what your mother worries about most?” Zhou Ruoxi asked, looking tenderly at her son.

”My safety?” Xiao Mo asked.

”Mmm.”

Zhou Ruoxi nodded.

”There isn’t a mother in the world who doesn’t worry about her child’s safety. When you went to the Iron Tiger Army, I worried. When you went to war, I worried even more.

When I learned you were defending Yanmen Pass alone, I sought news of you day and night.

Thankfully, the heavens protected you, and you were safe.

When I knew you were returning in triumph, I thought I could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

But then, I realized there was still one more thing I couldn’t stop worrying about.

And that is your marriage.”

Zhou Ruoxi gently caressed the Holy Decree resting on her lap and said softly,

”I am just a mortal. My lifespan is but a hundred years.

But Mo’er, you are different.

You are a Cultivator, and your talent in the Martial Dao is astonishing. They all say that in the future, the height of your Realm will reach a level ordinary people can’t even imagine.

I should be happy for you.

But instead, I grew more and more worried.

Worried that you would walk further and further down your path, with no one to accompany you.

Worried that you would have no one by your side to take care of you.

Worried that you would have to bury your troubles in your heart, with no one to confide in.

But now, I can finally let go of those worries...”

As she spoke, Zhou Ruoxi gently ruffled her son’s hair, just as she did when he was three years old.

”You, you have a cold personality and are rather stubborn.

Although many young women like you, and many people have come to me to propose matches for you...

But what’s the use if it’s a marriage you don’t like?

Besides, how many of those girls wanted to marry you because of your power and status?

Fortunately, you met a girl like Siyao.

Siyao is a good girl, and she has a good temperament too.

When you are headstrong, she is soft.

When she cries a little, your anger fades away.

And Siyao is easy to coax. Just say a few nice words, and she’ll be happy again, just like before.

And did you know, Siyao never used to believe in or pray to Buddha.

But while you were on campaign, Siyao set up a Buddhist shrine at home and chanted sutras to pray for you.

Whenever she had free time, she would ask me to teach her how to cook, and she would chat with me, worried that I might be lonely.

When she learned you were almost killed while defending Yanmen Pass alone, Siyao snuck out of the city. After she returned, she was punished by Your Majesty and forced into seclusion to reflect on her actions.

During her confinement, I went to visit Siyao a few times. She told me she had seen that your shoes from the army were worn out and wanted to make you a new pair.

So I taught her.

Siyao is actually a fast learner, but she’s a bit slow when it comes to cooking and needlework.

But no matter how many pairs of shoes she ruined, Siyao never gave up.”

As she spoke, Zhou Ruoxi smiled. ”I suppose that bit of stubbornness... she got that from you.”

Xiao Mo lowered his head, recalling the sight of Siyao making shoes when he saw her earlier today.

”Now, everything is well...”

Zhou Ruoxi looked at her son with a smile.

”Siyao is also a Cultivator, and her talent is likely no less than yours, Mo’er.

In the days to come, the two of you can accompany each other.

Even when I’m gone one day, I can rest easy.”

”Mother, don’t say such things,” Xiao Mo said, shaking his head.

”Hehehe, why not? Birth, aging, sickness, and death—it is the will of heaven.”

Zhou Ruoxi looked up at the night sky.

”Mo’er, I’ve heard that when people pass away, they become stars.

Years from now, when you look up at the sky, perhaps your mother will be watching over you and Siyao.”

”Mother...”

”Alright, alright, enough of that.” Zhou Ruoxi placed the Holy Decree back in her son’s hands. ”It’s late. You should go rest. I’ll sit in the courtyard a while longer. And remember, you are not to bully Siyao in the future, or I won’t let you off the hook.”

”Yes... You should also rest early, Mother.” Xiao Mo stood up with the Holy Decree, gave a bow, and walked slowly into his bedroom.

In the courtyard, Zhou Ruoxi rested her hands on her lap, quietly gazing at the inky night sky.

A short while later, as if sensing something, Zhou Ruoxi extended a slender hand.

White petals drifted down from the sky, landing in her palm and gradually melting.

COUGH COUGH COUGH...

Zhou Ruoxi coughed a few times, then looked up at the white blossoms drifting in the air, a gentle smile gracing her lips.

”It’s snowing...”