Chapter 97 The Depth of a Look: The Connection Between Two Souls

Chapter 97 The Depth of a Look: The Connection Between Two Souls

After Qin Teng and Shi Yunyang left, the living room suddenly felt much more spacious.

"Qin Wanshu," Zuo Qinghuan murmured, resting her head in Qin Wanshu's lap, "why does everything you say resonate with me so deeply?" She loved this closeness.

"Silly girl," Qin Wanshu said softly, gently stroking Zuo Qinghuan's cheek as it lay in her lap. Zuo Qinghuan's features were delicate, her eyes bright and always filled with a hopeful light. The Buddha said it takes five hundred glances in a past life to earn a fleeting encounter in this one. What kind of deep connection must they have shared in a former life to be this close now?

"Qin Wanshu, I want to become better," Zuo Qinghuan declared, a strong desire welling up inside her. She wanted to improve herself, to have her own vast horizons, to soar alongside Qin Wanshu. She knew she was currently like a butterfly just emerging from its cocoon, while Qin Wanshu was a magnificent roc. It might seem overly ambitious for a butterfly to chase a roc, but could a butterfly's wings one day stir up a tornado?

"You will," Qin Wanshu replied with a smile. Zuo Qinghuan possessed an unparalleled ability for self-improvement and learning. She was always striving to change her circumstances, radiating vibrant energy.

"I'm serious," Zuo Qinghuan said, looking earnestly at Qin Wanshu.

"I know. In my eyes, Zuo Qinghuan has always been exceptional." Zuo Qinghuan had been diligently learning new things, like the tea ceremony. Starting from absolute ignorance, she could now distinguish several types of tea. Her progress was clear. Sometimes, Qin Wanshu worried that Zuo Qinghuan might improve too quickly. People rely on each other when they're weak, instinctively depending on someone stronger. But once they become strong themselves, that reliance might lessen. So, out of a touch of selfishness, Qin Wanshu hadn't taught Zuo Qinghuan everything she knew. She didn't want Zuo Qinghuan to become too powerful too soon. She cherished the feeling of being needed.

"Qin Wanshu, I hate the way they look at me with pity, as if I'm weak. It feels awful. I feel like a vine clinging to you, draining your strength," Zuo Qinghuan said, her voice tinged with gloom.

"People tend to judge others based on their own limited perspectives. But how can they understand the joy of a fish if they aren't a fish themselves? They aren't me, so their opinions don't matter. As long as I think it's right, that's all that counts," Qin Wanshu reassured her.

Zuo Qinghuan smiled. If Qin Wanshu had lived in ancient times, she would have been a talent like Su Qin, her eloquence and persuasiveness capable of uniting six states.

"Qin Wanshu, you're amazing," Zuo Qinghuan said with genuine admiration.

"Ji Shengzi trained fighting roosters for the king. After ten days, the king asked, 'Are the roosters ready to fight?' Ji Shengzi replied, 'Not yet. They are still arrogant and full of youthful energy.' Ten days later, the king asked again, and Ji Shengzi said, 'Not yet. They still react to every shadow and movement.' Ten days later, the king asked once more, and Ji Shengzi said, 'Not yet. They still glare fiercely and are bursting with vigor.' Ten days later, when the king asked again, Ji Shengzi said, 'Almost there. Even if other roosters crow, they remain unfazed. They look like wooden roosters, their virtue complete. No other rooster dares to challenge them; they simply flee.'" Qin Wanshu suddenly shared this ancient parable with Zuo Qinghuan.

"Huh?" Zuo Qinghuan didn't quite grasp the meaning of the old story.

"When a person reaches a certain level, it's the realm of inner strength. Once your spirit is strong, you become fearless. You'll understand someday," Qin Wanshu explained. She had a vast knowledge of classical studies, but she particularly admired Taoist philosophy, which emphasized using the Tao to master skills.

Zuo Qinghuan listened, understanding only partially.

"Qin Teng, in what way am I inferior to Zuo Qinghuan?" Shi Yunyang asked Qin Teng as they walked away, still unable to accept the situation. What was so great about love anyway?

"You're better than Zuo Qinghuan in every way, except for the one thing my sister wants that you can't give," Qin Teng replied. Shi Yunyang was excellent in every aspect, but she lacked heart. She was a woman with a cold heart, someone who would never truly understand love. A person who never learns to give might never find true happiness.

"What is it?" Shi Yunyang frowned.

"Selfless love," Qin Teng said. Although Zuo Qinghuan might not be a perfect match for his sister, she genuinely loved her with all her heart. At the very least, she was someone his sister could easily guide and manage.

"Ha, selfless love. Qin Teng, for some reason, hearing those words from you feels particularly ridiculous," Shi Yunyang said before hitting the accelerator, leaving Qin Teng standing there. Her mood was sour. While she was used to being carefree and playing games with love, being criticized by Qin Wanshu was one thing, but Qin Teng had no right to judge her.

Qin Teng's face paled slightly.

"Don't you think our fates are strangely similar?" Li Xin asked, patting Zuo Qinghuan's shoulder as she sat lost in thought.

"Huh?" Zuo Qinghuan blinked, coming out of her reverie.

"We were both mistresses, then we weren't. The people we like both got divorced around the same time, and then they both left with nothing. Now we're both living happily. It feels like our destinies are oddly alike," Li Xin mused. She felt that she and Zuo Qinghuan must have been connected in a past life, given how parallel their life experiences were.

"I hadn't thought about it before, but now that you mention it, it does seem that way," Zuo Qinghuan nodded. However, she couldn't shake the feeling that Li Xin and Yan Ruozhe's path seemed smoother. They didn't face external conflicts like she and Qin Wanshu did, who had both internal and external challenges—though the internal struggles were mostly on her side.

"Qin Wanshu gave up everything for you. Why are you still so insecure?" Li Xin was envious of Zuo Qinghuan and Qin Wanshu's relationship. At least they loved each other mutually, unlike her and Yan Ruozhe, who was as dense as a brick and only just starting to show signs of understanding.

"It's precisely because she's so amazing that I'm afraid. What if one day she thinks I'm not good enough? How can I become better?" Zuo Qinghuan asked Li Xin.

"When you first set your sights on Qin Wanshu, this Mount Everest of a woman, I didn't see you being afraid. Why are you feeling inferior now?" Li Xin raised an eyebrow. After interacting with Qin Wanshu a few times recently, she was even more impressed by how extraordinary she was. Even Yan Ruozhe, who usually didn't notice other women, couldn't stop praising her. It was no wonder Zuo Qinghuan felt pressure and insecurity. A woman like Qin Wanshu wasn't just someone to love—she was someone to admire.

"Times change," Zuo Qinghuan said. Her mindset at the beginning was completely different from now. Back then, it was just a mischievous desire to tease the seemingly indifferent Qin Wanshu. She never expected to fall so deeply in love with her. It was truly a case of reaping what you sow, but Zuo Qinghuan didn't regret meeting Qin Wanshu at all.

"As long as Qin Wanshu loves you, nothing else matters," Li Xin said, simplifying the issue. In her view, mutual love was enough to conquer any obstacle.

"Do you and Yan Ruozhe have common topics or interests?" Zuo Qinghuan asked.

"Common topics? What are those? Common interests? Does bedroom activity count?" Li Xin joked. Now that Yan Ruozhe, the workaholic, had some free time to spend with her, and she had returned to being a doctor with limited free time, their schedules were packed. Li Xin was full of wild ideas and occasionally tried to inject some romance into their relationship. Although Yan Ruozhe was responding better than before, she was still far from being a typical romantic. The news said there would be a meteor shower tonight. How romantic it would be to make a wish under the shooting stars! But Yan Ruozhe, with her severe lack of romantic spirit, probably wouldn't agree to go up the mountain to watch the meteors and stars...

"Forget it. Asking you was a waste of time. Your brain probably only goes as deep as romance and silliness," Zuo Qinghuan said, realizing she had asked the wrong person. Li Xin's mind was filled with all sorts of nonsense. How she became a doctor was beyond her understanding.

"You'd better work on overcoming your insecurities. If you don't, the pressure will only build. Unequal relationships can be very painful," Li Xin said, patting Zuo Qinghuan's shoulder again. The gap between them was obvious. Unless Zuo Qinghuan could close that gap, she would have to learn to ignore it and be selectively blind. Otherwise, these negative emotions would eventually affect Qin Wanshu, and over time, she might grow tired of it. Zuo Qinghuan's inner demons wouldn't be easy to conquer, but no one else could help her with that. She would have to face them herself.

"I know," Zuo Qinghuan sighed softly.

"Why did you upset your grandfather again?" Lin Jingxian asked her usually sensible eldest son, Qin Yu.

"Grandpa suddenly asked me what the complicated seal script on that antique seal meant. I'm not like Wanshu, who's been interested in these things since she was a kid, so I couldn't figure it out," Qin Yu said, feeling completely wronged. Aside from Wanshu, he was the grandson Grandpa doted on the most. Recently, he had been summoned to Grandpa's study every other day to look at antiques, and it was driving him crazy. Qin Yu felt that if his precious sister didn't return soon, he would lose his mind. Grandpa couldn't do without Wanshu. A true confidante was hard to find, and for the sake of this confidante, Qin Yu believed Grandpa would eventually compromise. Wanshu had probably anticipated this all along. The few people in the Qin family who knew about the situation remained silent, neither supporting nor opposing. In truth, the Qin family was quite open-minded.

Sure enough, that was the reason for Grandpa's anger. The number of times Grandpa had lost his temper recently exceeded the total number of times he had done so in all the years Lin Jingxian had been married into the Qin family. She could only hope that Wanshu would return soon.

________________________________________

If you want more chapters, please consider supporting my page on Patreon. with 30 advanced chapters available on Patreon

https://www.patreon.com/GirlsLove1