Chapter 40

Chapter 40: Those With Heart Need No Teaching

Long after the general had left, little Jingliu still hadn't spoken to Wangshu. It wasn't anger — she was just sitting by the window, chin propped in her small hand, gazing quietly outside. Her crimson eyes had gone slightly unfocused.

It wasn't until Wangshu crouched down and tugged her bunched-up socks a little higher, then wrapped his hand gently around her ankle — so slender — that she stirred.

"Little Jingliu, are we still going out to work the stall today?"

He looked up at her, keeping his voice soft.

The batter was ready. But between last night's home invasion and today's general's visit, it seemed his storyline was entering the main plot too.

Jingliu lowered her eyes to her own neatly pressed calves. "Yes. We're definitely going out!"

She paused, a thread of stubborn resolve woven into her tone: "When you leave too someday, at least I'll have a photo to remember you by."

With that, she hopped off the chair with brisk efficiency — looking even busier than usual as she started gathering the odds and ends needed for the stall.

Wangshu: ...

Wangshu watched her small, bustling figure and followed close behind, trying to explain: "You should believe in me. Or in the future you."

He didn't even need to hold the card anymore. The future Senior Jingliu was incredibly generous — there was no time limit on borrowing her power.

That kind of abundant strength was hard not to feel confident about.

"...Dad used to say the same thing."

Jingliu didn't turn around. Her hands faltered for an almost imperceptible instant. Her voice was level, yet carried an undercurrent of sadness. But Jingliu was a strong child — she would never act out over the big things.

Her parents had been heroes who'd protected Cangcheng. She was proud of that. She'd also borne the loneliness it left behind.

Now little Wangshu had come, carrying a mission to change a tragedy... She took a deep breath, forcing down the sourness that surged in her chest.

"Little Wangshu, I'm very disappointed in you."

She finally turned, crimson eyes fixed on him. Every word was deliberate.

"I'm sorry. But I've been borrowing your future self's power. I really can't give you the answer of standing by and doing nothing."

In the group, Wangshu wasn't as strong as Jingliu, didn't have Asta's resources. But he was in Star Calendar Year 6299. He had an advantage no one else did.

He could help rewrite others' regrets and steer things toward a better ending. The temporal gap even let him assist Asta in many ways. Many people's hopes rested on him.

"That's not it." Little Jingliu shook her head. Her crimson eyes held his, complicated: "The reason I'm disappointed is that you made this decision because of her again. Not because of me."

Wangshu blinked, processing... Huh?

Little Jingliu's tone took on a faint note of hurt: "It should be for the present me. Not for her — not going off to a war that might take you away from me and leave me alone again."

"I've always been on your side. I even stopped going out with classmates after school, because I thought — we're family."

As if channeling the fear and unease about war through this sense of being wronged, little Jingliu bit down on her lip.

"Forget it. Those with heart need no teaching. The indecent little Wangshu has been told this many times and still won't learn."

She turned back to packing the bottles and jars for today's stall. Her small hands moved quickly — she'd watched Wangshu do this every morning and, though she'd never tried herself, had it memorized.

"I..."

Wangshu started, then fell silent for a beat. "Jingliu, actually — I lied to you from the very beginning. I do know your future self, but we're not lovers."

Little Jingliu's hands paused. She turned her head slowly, tilting it slightly, the rims of her eyes faintly flushed. She seemed unable to process the sentence.

"Senior Jingliu and I get along well, but we're genuinely not lovers. There isn't even an unrequited crush."

Wangshu scratched his head. Senior Jingliu was beautiful, sure — silent and poised, she made a fine image of a cold, ethereal swordswoman. But they'd only known each other a few days. Their relationship was, at best, good friends.

Little Jingliu's thoughts were a jumble. So the strong and mighty Lady Jingliu had been wrong from the very start?

The air went quiet for a moment. Wangshu sat to one side, head hanging. When a lie is finally laid bare, you have to weather the consequences that time has compounded.

Little Jingliu quickly swiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. She stood up straight again, spine perfectly erect — she even seemed to rise slightly on her toes. Her voice was more earnest than it had ever been.

"Then why are you still willing — without a single moment's hesitation — to fight in a war that might take you from me? And you're doing it for her?"

"Little Wangshu, I'm even more disappointed now."

Her crimson eyes were crystalline, reflecting Wangshu's stunned face with perfect clarity.

Wangshu was dazed for quite a while. Little Jingliu's hands-on-hips, disappointed little glare left him genuinely lost for words. It was something like... frustrated exasperation?

"Um, Jingliu — what I'm saying is, I was lying to you all along."

He had a feeling she hadn't fully registered it.

"I've known since the bad woman called Huoshi showed up. I already knew you were the indecent little Wangshu by then."

Her retort came back sharp as ever.

As for the lovers thing... Jingliu had believed it at first, but it had always been more of a hazy, hopeful expectation. She couldn't let the future version of herself — who was obviously a bad woman — define everything about the present.

But after spending these days together, she'd discovered that the present was worth holding onto regardless. This had nothing to do with the future her.

"Waaah, little Jingliu!"

It finally clicked. Wangshu pulled the delicate, stubborn, complicated little creature into his arms and pressed his cheek firmly against her soft face. Hard.

"Mmph! Let — let go!" Jingliu's expression was displeased as she pushed back. "I'm very disappointed right now! Extremely disappointed!"

She emphasized.

"Then please, Teacher Jingliu, educate this slow-witted little Wangshu one more time. I'll take notes this time. I'll review them every single day."

Wangshu loosened his grip just enough to give her space, but his arms still hovered around her. He ducked his head, expression meek and obedient.

Up close, he could see her eyes even more clearly. Those crimson irises were truly beautiful — like the purest rubies, luminous, bright, crystal-clear to the depths. And right now, they reflected his face.

Little Jingliu didn't push anymore. She tilted her small face up, as if stepping fully into the role.

"Then I'll ask you: right now, why are you willing to defend Cangcheng?"

Wangshu answered almost before she finished: "For the Jingliu standing right in front of me."

"That sounds like a lie you didn't even think about." Jingliu gave a light "hmph," then raised her hand to point outside. "So right now — are you going out to work the stall, or are you going out to play with me and make some memories that belong to us?"

Wangshu answered instantly: "Go play!"

As for all those loyal jianbing guozi and shouzhuabing customers... sorry, but today the boss was skipping work to spend time with the most important person.

【Bright Future Chat Group】

Wangshu: "@Jingliu, Senior! Your past self is so kind!"

Jingliu: "..."

Wangshu: "Ehehe"

Asta: "..."

March 7th, with no idea what was happening: "?"

Xing: "Are you all speaking in code?"

Wangshu: "Ehehe"

Asta: "Ehehe"

March 7th: "Ehehe"

Xing: "Hey, hey, hey! And Ms. March 7th, did you actually understand that?"

Jingliu: "Candle.jpg"