Chapter 34: Just to Take a Look

On the second day at the training base, You Xue was woken up by a knock on the door.

Her consciousness was hazy.

Rubbing her sleepy eyes, You Xue sat up, her gray-white hair splayed across the pillow.

She burrowed her head into the pillow for a moment before thinking about getting up, but a few stubborn strands of hair got caught under the pillow.

When she lifted her head, it tugged at her scalp, causing a slight sting.

You Xue let out a small cry.

Hearing this, Sanjian Ying’s slightly worried voice came from outside the door.

“You Xue, what happened?”

“Nothing.”

You Xue replied, frowning as she pulled the strands of hair out from under the pillow.

She had trouble sleeping in unfamiliar places.

After spending one night in this strange room, her head still felt dizzy.

She changed her clothes simply, didn’t forget her eye patch, and without washing up, opened the door.

The first thing she saw when she opened the door was Sanjian Ying’s somewhat concerned expression.

Frowning, Sanjian Ying said,

“I heard you cry out just now. Did something happen?”

You Xue shook her head and quickly explained.

“It was just my hair getting caught under the pillow. It pulled a little.”

Sanjian Ying was stunned for a moment, then couldn’t help but laugh.

Then she gently poked You Xue’s forehead with her finger.

“You, you usually seem so serious about work, but you’re so scatterbrained about daily life.”

Sanjian Ying then gave You Xue a once-over.

“And your hair is a mess, like a bush.”

She suggested,“Let me comb your hair for you.”

“I just woke up and haven’t had time yet.”

You Xue instinctively wanted to refuse, but Sanjian Ying had already slipped into the room, pulled out a chair, and sat down.

“Hey, don’t be so quick to refuse. I’ve noticed you always wear the same hairstyle. It wouldn’t hurt to change it up once in a while.”

Seeing Sanjian Ying’s enthusiasm, You Xue couldn’t bring herself to refuse.

She sat down in front of Sanjian Ying, with her back to her.

She always wore the same hairstyle because that was the only one she knew how to do: gathering all her hair at the back and tying it with a ribbon.

Even when she was a childhood sweetheart, since she had no relatives to take care of her, she had never been taught these kinds of things.

And as a reincarnator, she had been a boy in her previous life, so she naturally wasn’t very familiar with this either.

At that moment, Sanjian Ying picked up the comb and started gently untangling the hair from the ends, strand by strand.

You Xue quietly felt the teeth of the comb slide softly through her hair.

She suddenly recalled that there used to be someone who would patiently comb her hair like this.

Who else could it be?

Only Su Li.

Life in the village had always been slow and calm.

Two little children couldn’t accomplish anything big, so they had plenty of free time.

And so those idle, quiet, slightly boring moments were always spent together.

Su Li would comb her hair, chatting slowly and gently as he worked through the tangled strands.

Back then, You Xue had felt a little inferior.

She thought she was clumsy, lacking strength, and couldn’t braid any pretty hairstyles.

At those times, You Xue could only shyly tie her hair into a simple bunch and then hesitantly ask Su Li,

“Do… do I look good?”

Su Li had smiled then, a small but sincere smile.

“You look very good.”

He said seriously.

“Your hair is beautiful, so no matter what hairstyle you wear, it looks good.”

Hearing those words, You Xue’s timid feelings faded a little.

She curved her lips.

“Thank you.”

That was what she said in the end.

***

“You Xue?”

Sanjian Ying’s gentle voice pulled You Xue back from her memories.

“Huh?”

You Xue’s mind was still a little fuzzy.

“Why are you spacing out?”

“I was just remembering something…”

You Xue didn’t want to explain too much.

“Oh, I guess I combed you too comfortably.”

Sanjian Ying teased with a smile.

“Are you done?”

You Xue asked.

“I’m done.”

Hearing that, You Xue was about to stand up.

“Wait.”

But Sanjian Ying stopped her.

You Xue turned her head and tilted it at the other girl.

“You really are like a little kitten.”

Sanjian Ying couldn’t help but chuckle.

“What’s the rush? The hair is combed, but I haven’t done your hairstyle yet.”

You Xue could only obediently sit still, letting Sanjian Ying’s hands work through her hair.

“Any work today?”

She asked softly.

“It’s pretty busy for me.”

Sanjian Ying’s hands didn’t stop.

“But for You Xue, there’s not much work. The students haven’t reached the point of using amulets yet, so you can rest well today.”

You Xue felt a little speechless.

‘If there’s no work, why did she wake me up? I wanted to sleep in.’

“I just came to check on you.”

Sanjian Ying explained.

She looked at this somewhat obedient child in front of her.

It reminded her of the younger sister she had gotten along with when she was little, but that girl had become hard to deal with.

The reason she woke You Xue up was really just to see her, because she was genuinely afraid something dangerous might happen.

For example, the small cry she’d heard through the door this morning had worried Sanjian Ying for quite a while, only to find out it was just a hair tug from getting out of bed.

“Done.”

After a moment, Sanjian Ying stopped and looked at the girl before her with satisfaction.

It wasn’t an intricate or complicated braid, just a gentle, loose half-updo.

Her long gray-white hair fell softly over her shoulders, with a few strands lightly brushing her cheeks.

She looked much softer now.

Even with an expressionless face, there seemed to be a hint of tenderness.

Sanjian Ying took out a mirror for You Xue to see.

“How is it?”

You Xue pressed her lips together.

She was a little surprised—the girl in the mirror was undoubtedly pretty.

But…

It was completely different from her previous life’s self.

Even though she always comforted herself that she was used to it, whenever she looked at herself in the mirror, she still felt a subtle sense of incongruity.

Sanjian Ying sensed You Xue’s mood drop for a moment.

“You don’t like it?”

“No.”

You Xue shook her head and gave a slight smile.

“It looks pretty good. I like it very much.”

She said sincerely.

Sanjian Ying looked at You Xue again.

The expression on her face didn’t seem fake, so she decided not to worry about that fleeting moment of disappointment.

“Well, I still have work to do, so I can’t stay here. But since I came, you should go out for a little walk. Don’t just hole up in your room.”

You Xue nodded and said,

“Okay.”

“Oh, right. Today the students are all training at the training ground. That boy you’re interested in is also there. Don’t you want to go take a look?”

You Xue couldn’t come up with an answer immediately.

“I…”

“It’s fine if you don’t want to go. Follow your own heart. But you must go out for a walk. Don’t stay cooped up all the time.”

Sanjian Ying waved her hand, turned, and left.

The atmosphere in the room gradually quieted down.

Only then could You Xue calmly think about what to do.

In the end, the conclusion was simple.

‘I’ll go take a look.’

She had nothing better to do anyway.

Besides, wasn’t the reason she came here precisely to see him?

‘As long as I don’t get caught.’

With that thought, You Xue made up her mind.