Chapter 635: Ji Lingxi's Frustration

It took Shangguan Lingxiu half a beat to figure out the true meaning behind Ji Lingxi's ambiguous mumbling, but when she was struck by the sudden epiphany, her body trembled at the revelation. She lifted her gaze, gaping at Ji Lingxi with unmasked disbelief.

Together... forever.

Whatever this meant, Shangguan Lingxiu had a pretty clear idea of it in her mind - she understood it perfectly.

"I... I don't quite understand... w-what you mean...," stammered Shangguan Lingxiu as her face flushed a deep red. Her arms were intertwined with each other as she seemed to not know where to place them - it was an extremely uncomfortable situation. How could she not understand - it was all too obvious!

Since the very beginning, Ji Lingxi had always sounded extremely condescending, or maybe it just sounded that way to her, at least. Most people had advised her to give it up. This man is solely mine, she seemed to say.

'You have no game!'

'Just give up before it's too late!'

However, that last sentence she uttered was so game-changing, it brought reality back to the way it was before.

This was a perfect example of an ultimate plot twist!

However, Shangguan Lingxiu still did not dare to believe what she had just heard. There's no logic behind this - how could it be so... unmanageable? How, how...

A painful expression of helplessness had etched itself deeply into Ji Lingxi's face to the point where even her lips had paled from its normal, healthy color. "I have my reasons, naturally... why would I seek for a compromise if I didn't have a legitimate reason. Sister Lingxiu, do believe me! If there was some other alternative, I would not have agreed to this - I would not even have brought this up..."

Shangguan Lingxiu felt her heart compress a little on the inside, her face revealing extreme concern at this point. "What has gotten into you? Are you injured? Are you ill?" She implored in panic.

This was the only plausible explanation Shangguan Lingxi could muster up to justify Ji Lingxi's increasingly bizarre behavior.

Ji Lingxi shook her head slowly.

"If there's something on your mind, you can settle it only if you spit it out! How do you expect to resolve things if you keep it to yourself?" cried Shangguan Lingxiu, her brows furrowing in disapproval.

She was genuinely concerned about Ji Lingxi's wellbeing now.

What sort of reason would make an egoistic girl like Ji Lingxi give up on claiming her lover solely for herself - willingly?

Her mind almost imploded from seeking for a logical explanation, but she could not find a single reasonable answer to justify that.

Judging from Ji Lingxi's reaction, it must have been something to do with her - it might not just be Yun Yang who was involved. It had to be a massive issue as well - one so big that could leave her in such a frustrated, helpless state!

How could such matter be a trivial issue? How could Shangguan Lingxiu just ignore her plight?

Ji Lingxi's face turned a deep red, followed by ghostly white, reverting back to crimson before turning white as sheet again. This went on in a repetitive cycle for over ten times before she finally said, begrudgingly, "I-It must be that old man at home who has caused me to become like this..."

"That old man in your house...? Caused you...?" Shangguan Lingxiu was getting increasingly perplexed by the bizarre scene unfolding before her. "Who is that? How could did he manage to cause you so much distress?"

"I'm talking about that old man who gave birth to me, but never raised me... oh, nevermind the raising part - I just can't believe that he actually cared for me to this extent... ugh!" She explained begrudgingly, her jaw tightened.

She emitted a long, touching sigh, revealing just how frustrated and helpless she felt right now.

Then, she was completely silent - she did not say a single word more!

Shangguan Lingxiu was completely lost. Clearly, she had been rendered stupid by somebody's lousy narrative on this matter!

'What is the meaning of all this?'

'Why can't I understand a single word of it?'

'What's it gotta do with...anything?'

"Sigh..."

Ji Lingxi emitted a few consecutive sighs, while Shangguan Lingxiu could not help but scratch her head, her eyes reflecting how perplexed she was at the moment.

Ji Lingxi approached her awkwardly after half a beat, biting her lip. "Sigh, I really don't know how to even start... t-this thing... regarding..." She mumbled into Shangguan Lingxiu's ear.

Shangguan Lingxiu stared at Ji Lingxiu, dumbfounded. Her palm shot upwards, stretching across her face to cover her red lips, as the agony in her eyes were replaced with a half-amused, half-confused expression, including, but not limited to, unending waves of shock induced by the confession.

Ji Lingxi felt as if her cheeks were on fire. "What do you reckon— looking at how things were, I really don't know how long I can put up with this. I don't even know if I'm able to see... that old thing... how do I even get rid of it?"

"If it cannot be resolved, what do you think..." Ji Lingxi reverted to her distressed state, her sighs revealing ultimate despair.

Shangguan Lingxiu also let out a long, heartfelt sigh.

This issue was quite a nuisance after all... a one that would induce a speechless reaction.

This was still a first for her since the beginning of time.

Just how strict was that old man towards the maidens in the household? Was it so extreme to the point where his own daughter could not even find in-laws now? Who would want a wife if he had to stay in bed for two months after just giving her a simple kiss and a hug let alone take things to the next level!

Ji Lingxi was an orphan since young, so to speak. How her parents were like, where were they now, whether or not there was still a possibility of locating them... all of this was still left undecided, only to be determined by fate itself!

This restriction... how could it be lifted? If it was never resolved, how could it be remedied?

Could Yun Yang and Ji Lingxi only gape at each other, a stool's width apart, for the rest of their lives?

Could they just look at each other like that, always?

The possibility of even being in the same bed was next to none!

Thinking about it, this was quite an unusual circumstance, not to mention a pretty sad one, no?

"Has it always been this way? Has there been no improvement since?" Shangguan Lingxiu was no longer sure of the expression that she was wearing at that moment.

Ji Lingxi did not even know what kind of expression she should even pick to wear.

"... Ugh! Because of this very issue, Yun Yang had ended up lying in bed for three times consecutively now, with or without that intent..."

"Cough... cough... cough..."

Shangguan Lingxiu tried to suppress her shock, but it started a vigorous coughing fit instead.

"Now, don't you misunderstand what I'm saying... it was only an unintentional coincidence. Sigh... how do I put it? Frankly speaking, although it might be too early to say this... I really don't want to..t-to just give myself away like that... b-but— ugh... I really don't know how to say this..." The crimson in her cheeks had found its way to her neck - Ji Lingxi's face was already a different shade entirely.

"Pfft..."

Shangguan Lingxiu genuinely did not want to laugh and knew that she had to restrain herself out of respect for the serious situation at hand - but she simply could not help but howl in laughter.

"You!"

Ji Lingxiu fumed and proceeded to sulk in the corner, sporting a pout while she was at it.

After half a beat, however, she found herself bursting into uncontrollable giggles too. She laughed, and sighed, and laughed again - only to finish with another strained, heavy sigh.

This issue really was truly... unresolvable.

At this point, Shangguan Lingxiu finally understood what was going on in Ji Lingxi's mind.

'You can't do anything despite being a pretty face, yet, you still planned on having him entirely to yourself, untouchable by others... what kind of logic is this?'

'Just because you like him, and have to be an old virgin for life...does that mean that your man has to be subjected to the same fate as well?'

'He has to continue the lineage of his family...'

'Can you... really?'

Ji Lingxi only came up with such a compromise because she had truly run out of ideas.

"Hahahahaha...."

Shangguan Lingxiu slapped a hand over her own mouth as she started to laugh, her whole body shaking uncontrollably.

"I'm about to die from distress, but here you are, laughing away..." Ji Lingxi was truly embarrassed to the core of her being.

"Die from distress?" Shangguan Lingxiu mused. "Oh, it was so distressing indeed - it was incredibly worrying too—"

Ji Lingxi, overwhelmed by embarrassment, pounced on Shangguan Lingxi, their two bodies twisting and tangling into a heap.

After a good while, Shangguan Lingxiu could not help but ask for mercy. "Good sister....do let me go—" she begged helplessly.

Ji Lingxi did not budge an inch. Instead, she seized the perfect opportunity to tickle her more.

"What in the world are you girls doing?"

A confused voice could be heard precisely at this moment.

The girls froze and turned their heads towards the direction of the voice. Yun Yang had stirred from his slumber. He wore a perplexed expression on his face, and his eyes betrayed his confusion at the sight that greeted him when he woke up. What sort of skill did he activate from passing out - how did these two girls suddenly become the best of friends?