At that moment, Shen Zhenyu, who had been meditating quietly in the corner, opened his eyes. Silently, he stood and walked over. He looked straight at Song Meiyu and asked slowly, "…Why didn't you ask the guards earlier?"
There was a beat of silence.
Song Meiyu blinked, then straightened her back and said brightly, "I panicked."
From his cushion, He Yuying nodded without even glancing up. "She did. It was impressive."
Linyue, seated in the middle of the chaos like a very patient princess, lifted her teacup and took another slow sip.
Chaos family, confirmed.
Shen Zhenyu did not waste time arguing with them. Instead, he turned his serious gaze toward Linyue. His eyes were sharp, steady, and far too observant. "Linyue," he said slowly, "have you met him before? Last time, he asked if you ever came to the north."
Song Meiyu perked up immediately, arms waving like a windmill. "That's right! Maybe you met him a long time ago! He said he once saw a lightning cultivator using the same spiritual weapon!"
He Yuying, still lounging like he had no spine, added dryly, "But if it was Sister Linyue, how come he didn't recognize her face?"
Linyue set her teacup down and poured herself another. Her expression never changed. "I was wearing a white mask. Master gave it to me. I used to go near the north wall a lot to fight demons. I met plenty of people. Soldiers, mercenaries, a few weird ones with skull tattoos. I don't really remember them."
Shen Zhenyu's brow twitched. "So… he remembered you."
Song Meiyu gasped, eyes lighting up. "Sister Linyue! Could it be… you owe him something? Or maybe… maybe you accidentally toasted his people with your lightning and now he came for revenge?!"
Linyue thought about it seriously. She didn't usually electrocute people unless they started it. Wearing that white mask back then, most of them either ignored her or stared at her strangely. Not that she blamed them. She did show up silently, crackling with lightning, and didn't say much besides "Move." That left a certain impression. But now that she thought about it... there was that one time just before she met Shu Mingye in the snow.
"I did toast some people in the north. Four years ago," Linyue admitted casually.
Song Meiyu clutched her chest and gasped violently. "REALLY?!"
Linyue nodded. "They attacked me first."
Shen Zhenyu let out a sigh that meant, Why am I even surprised anymore?
Song Meiyu looked genuinely scandalized. "Sister Linyue! What if he's here to settle lightning debts?!"
Linyue picked up her teacup again. "Then he's four years late."
He Yuying, who had been silently munching on dried plum, chimed in. "Maybe his pride just finished healing last week."
Song Meiyu's head turned sharply, eyes sparkling with fresh panic. "So, what should we do? Should we run? Should we hide? Should we prepare soup traps?!"
Linyue calmly put her teacup down. "I'll go out and see."
Shen Zhenyu said without hesitation. "I'll do it."
He Yuying raised an eyebrow. "And get swallowed by flower petals again?"
Shen Zhenyu gave him a glare that said, it would never happen again.
Linyue smiled faintly. "Don't worry. The people I toasted back then weren't good people. I don't feel guilty. If he can't accept that… then I don't have anything else to say."
Song Meiyu pumped her fist. "Then you're going to toast him too?"
Linyue thought for a moment. "I'll decide after I see him."
Shen Zhenyu sighed again. It was basically his breathing pattern at this point.
He Yuying popped another dried plum into his mouth. "I want to see him get toasted."
Chaos family: certified and thriving.
The four of them headed for the palace gate. The moment they arrived, the Soup Man straightened up immediately. His sharp eyes locked on Linyue. "You finally come out."
Shen Zhenyu stepped forward immediately, placing himself like an unmovable wall between Linyue and the Soup Man. "What do you want?"
The Soup Man smiled. It was a confident and annoying smile. "I want to see Linyue."
Song Meiyu, who somehow had a pouch of popcorn (dried plums), gasped loudly. "He already knows your name!"
Linyue said flatly, "You see me. Now what?"
The Soup Man leaned a little to the side, his eyes trying to peek past Shen Zhenyu's shoulder. "I can't see you."
Shen Zhenyu did not move an inch.
Linyue let out a quiet sigh and stepped out from behind him. "Want to fight again?"
The Soup Man quickly raised his hands. "I'm sorry about last time. I came to make peace."
He Yuying made a sound from behind them. It wasn't quite a laugh, but it wasn't polite either. Definitely a sarcastic snort of disbelief.
Shen Zhenyu's expression darkened. His voice dropped a few degrees. "This is your idea of peace?"
"I'm serious," the Soup Man said, looking back at Linyue with strange intensity. "We've met before, haven't we?"
Linyue stared at him. "What if we have?"
"You wore a white mask that time, right?" he pressed. His voice sounded less smug now and more like he needed her to confirm it.
Linyue gave a soft hum. "Mm."
Song Meiyu leaned close to He Yuying and whispered with wide eyes, "So it's really revenge."
He Yuying didn't even pretend to be serious. His arms crossed, his expression faintly entertained, and he whispered back. "It'll be fun."
At that exact moment, the Soup Man did something strange. He didn't smirk. He didn't even act like he wanted a fight. Instead, he smiled like a normal, peaceful person. Which made him immediately the most suspicious person in the area. Then with slow and careful movements, he pulled something from his sleeve. A round white jade token. He held it out to Linyue in the open palm of his hand.
Linyue's eyes narrowed. She stared at it. The token was simple and smooth. A lotus flower was carved neatly into the center. She knew this token. She hadn't seen it in years, but there was no mistaking it.
Soup Man tilted his head, watching her reaction. "You recognize it, don't you?"
Linyue stayed silent at first. The air around them felt heavier as everyone waited. Then she nodded once. "Mn."
Song Meiyu gasped so loud, it startled a bird out of a nearby tree. "What happened?! Sister Linyue, you recognize it? Was it… a love token?!"
Linyue gave her the deadliest glare she could manage. If Shu Mingye had been nearby and heard the words "love token," there would be chains, a locked bedroom door, and a very long session of kissing and cuddling.
"No," she said flatly.
But Soup Man only smiled brighter, as if he didn't just walk into enemy territory surrounded by emotionally unstable people. "I thought we wouldn't have a chance to meet again."
Linyue raised one eyebrow. Her voice was cool and even. "If you didn't come here to fight, then leave."
"Do you have to be that cruel?" he asked. His voice sounded hurt. His face even tried for a wounded expression.
"I've always been like this," Linyue replied flatly. She turned, fully ready to walk away before this got any weirder or before a certain king with abandonment issues realized she was missing and came smashing through the palace roof in search for her.
"Wait!" Soup Man said quickly. "Let's talk for a bit."
"Not interested," Linyue sighed. The longer she stood here, the more likely she would be personally dragged back by her overly possessive lover. Probably by the ankle.
"I came for a reason," Soup Man said firmly.
Linyue stopped halfway and glanced over her shoulder. "Does it have something to do with me?"
He didn't look smug anymore. His eyes were serious. "You might want to hear this. All four of you."
Song Meiyu immediately straightened up. Her eyes sparkled like she was about to witness a palace-level drama.
Shen Zhenyu raised one brow, thoughtful but silent.
He Yuying, leaning lazily against the gate, tossed another dried plum into his mouth and muttered, "Finally, something interesting."
The chaos family meeting was unofficially in session. Or it was… right up until the air shifted. A sharp pulse of spiritual energy swept through the palace courtyard. It was faint but heavy enough to make everyone stand a little straighter. Even Soup Man blinked, his expression shifting slightly.