Chapter 176: Chapter 176: From Lingnan to Lingnan
"Us?" Ling Qianjun and Hua Buwan blurted out at the same time. "Could it be..."
Hua Buwan’s mind was in turmoil. Her heart hammered in her chest, beating so fast it felt like it might leap out of her throat. Ling Qianjun felt exactly the same. For the first time in his life, his mind went completely blank, entirely stripped of coherent thought.
Overcome with a feverish excitement, Hua Buwan gritted her teeth, threw her arms wide, and lunged into Ling Qianjun’s embrace. He caught her with quick reflexes, opening his arms just in time to gather her against his chest. She dove into him like a joyful little bird, a bright, ecstatic smile radiating from her face as her eyes sparkled with sheer delight.
Ling Qianjun held her gently, savoring her warmth and happiness. His hands merely rested on her back, too afraid to hold her too tightly.
"Qianjun, it seems our meeting across a thousand years isn’t a mere coincidence. It’s destiny," Hua Buwan said passionately, a slight tremble in her voice.
Ling Qianjun gazed down at her with a tender smile. "Yes, it is destiny." How else could it be such a perfect coincidence that the place names were exactly the same? It had to be the unseen work of fate.
Hua Buwan looked up, meeting his eyes with a cheeky grin. "Qianjun, I’m genuinely so happy to have met you and made a friend like you."
Ling Qianjun stiffened. A friend? It was true, what else were they but friends? But he didn’t want to be just friends...
Her initial wave of excitement subsiding, Hua Buwan pulled back from his embrace. She self-consciously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and offered a blushing smile. "Sorry, I was just too excited just now and couldn’t help wanting to hug you. You... don’t mind, do you?"
She wondered, "Ancient people like him are so conservative, he must mind, right? But he didn’t reject my hug, and his hands were resting on my back. Does he have feelings for me too? Or am I just overthinking things?"
Ling Qianjun shook his head. "I don’t mind."
He thought, "How could I mind? I couldn’t be happier. In truth, I want so much more..."
A sudden quiet fell over the room. Ling Qianjun was the first to break the silence. "Buwan, would you like to come see our new home? Haiao Village from a thousand years ago."
"Yes, yes, yes!" Hua Buwan nodded vigorously. Of course she wanted to see it.
With that, she immediately started packing things up with Ling Qianjun, chattering away as she worked. "Since you’ve just moved into a new place, you definitely need to buy a lot of necessities. I’ll bring some things over from here as my housewarming gift!"
True to her word, she began raiding the supermarket. As long as her store stocked it, Hua Buwan wanted to pack up anything and everything the new house might be missing.
Ling Qianjun hurriedly stepped in to stop her shopping spree. "Buwan, taking the things from the stairwell is enough for now. We can worry about the rest later, alright?"
"Ah? I see." Hua Buwan glanced at the pile of items by the stairwell. There was indeed quite a lot. Bringing those first made sense, as they were the essential items Ling Qianjun and his family had been using previously.
"Well, I can’t go empty-handed. Let me grab two quilts for you guys first." She picked up a thick, heavy quilt in each hand.
Ling Qianjun couldn’t bring himself to refuse, so he turned around to gather the belongings in the stairwell.
Loaded down with bags and bundles of all sizes, the two of them opened the Any Door. Their destination: Lingnan from a thousand years ago, Haiao Village!