Chapter 60: Butterfly Dream

“I’m back.”

Qiu Wuji entered by opening the door, holding freshly bought vegetables in one hand and a roll of rice paper in the other. Her fingers were also hooked onto a plastic bag containing a brush and ink.

Chu Ge hurriedly came forward to take the things. “You’ve brought so much. We don’t need to buy groceries anymore. Let’s just order takeout.”

“I don’t like the food from outside.” Qiu Wuji rummaged through the vegetable bag and pulled out a piece of dogtail grass.

Chu Ge watched as she performed a magic trick and pulled out a small bag of soil from her pocket. She took a disposable plastic cup from the coffee table, poured the soil into it, and inserted the dogtail grass, placing it on the windowsill.

Chu Ge said, “…That’s so enchanting.”

Qiu Wuji gave him a disdainful look. “Isn’t it just a dogtail grass? It suits you.”

“But didn’t you say you want to live comfortably? How did it become something for me?”

Qiu Wuji couldn’t be bothered to pay attention to him. She cleared the dining table and spread out the rice paper.

Chu Ge stood aside curiously, watching her.

He hadn’t written about Qiu Wuji’s special cultivation in calligraphy and painting. Being too versatile would be too overpowered.

Qiu Wuji herself probably hadn’t learned much beyond the storyline. But in terms of calligraphy alone, as woman who had lived in the cultivation world for ten thousand years, her calligraphy skills were definitely top-notch, much better than his own crude handwriting. It was a delight to behold.

She wasn’t writing a poem that had her name as the source, but the famous Zhuangzi’s Butterfly Dream: “Once, Zhuang Zhou dreamed he was a butterfly, flitting and fluttering around, happy, and doing as he pleased. As a butterfly, he did not know he was Zhuang Zhou. All of a sudden, he awoke and found he was Zhuang Zhou, solid and unmistakably human. But then he did not know whether he was Zhuang Zhou dreaming he was a butterfly or a butterfly dreaming he was Zhuang Zhou. Between Zhuang Zhou and the butterfly, there must be some distinction.”

Chu Ge looked at her in astonishment. “Unbeknownst to me, you’ve already read so many books? You even read Zhuangzi…”

“Well, last time I told you I branded quite a few books to read later, didn’t I?” Qiu Wuji continued writing. “I’ve told you before, I want to read the scriptures of this world. I did some searching online, not to mention the scriptures, but these two great ancient philosophers, Lao Tzu and Zhuangzi, are remarkable.”

Chu Ge felt ashamed. While everyone else was searching for Lao Tzu and Zhuangzi, he was searching for codes…

It’s not surprising that she felt a special resonance with the Zhuangzi’s Butterfly Dream allegory. For her, her current experience was akin to living in a Zhuangzi’s Butterfly Dream.

“Do you think my experiences have the meaning of Zhuangzi’s Butterfly Dream?” Qiu Wuji said lightly. “Actually, there is much more.”

Chu Ge asked curiously, “What?”

“When I read this story, I even wondered, did you create me, or did I, in my pursuit of the Heavenly Dao, conceive of a creator myself?”

Chu Ge widened his eyes in astonishment.

What was it that he had thought about when he wrote that chapter earlier?

Qiu Wuji finished the last stroke, observed her work, and smiled. “Not bad. The words of the ancient philosophers themselves possess spirituality. Even if I don’t practice the Way of Calligraphy, this scroll hanging in the hall will still have its protective power.”

“No, I mean, what you just said…”

“Oh, that was just a playful remark.” Qiu Wuji shrugged. “Based on my observations and knowledge during these days, I know that you can indeed conceive of our world through various knowledge. But my knowledge is far from sufficient to conceive of your world, so it’s definitely not my creation. It’s just an interesting thought, isn’t it?”

Chu Ge sighed. “Indeed… But I never expected that you would think about the same thing as me. However, let me say this in advance, we ordinary people entertain such thoughts as mere play, but for cultivators like you, it’s hard to say. It’s easy to delve too deeply into such matters, which can lead to mental imbalance. So, please don’t dwell on it too much in the future.”

Qiu Wuji chuckled, “Once I confirmed it, what else is there to think about? If anything, we cultivators are purer than you ordinary folks. For example, even though we thought about the same thing, I seek to explore the truth, but what about you?”

“Well…” Chu Ge awkwardly changed the subject, “You mentioned that these characters have a protective effect?”

Qiu Wuji didn’t bother to argue with him and went along with the topic change, “Even though I don’t practice the Way of Calligraphy, the myriad laws of the world are unified, and these characters possess their own power. When this scroll is hung in the living room, it can have an effect on intruders, serving as a form of protection.”

Chu Ge asked, “You never considered setting up a defense system before. Why did you suddenly think about it?”

“I was arranging the decoration of the house, and protection was just an incidental aspect. Also…” Qiu Wuji lightly frowned her beautiful eyebrows, “Today, I discovered that the supernatural abilities in this world are quite interesting. They actually have an effect on me. I don’t know the mechanism behind it… In any case, we shouldn’t underestimate it and it’s better to take some precautions.”

Chu Ge was surprised, “So, you encountered an ability user’s attack just by picking a dog’s tail grass?”

“It wasn’t an attack… I just encountered it. Perhaps this is what you call protagonist luck?” Qiu Wuji laughed, “I am the female protagonist, aren’t I?”

Chu Ge: “…”

So, today I also encountered it, but it was a beating for me. Is this retribution or protagonist luck?

We actually encountered someone else’s supernatural abilities on the same day. Isn’t it fate?

Chu Ge became happy and said, “As long as it wasn’t an attack… What kind of ability had an effect on you?”

Qiu Wuji’s beautiful eyes glanced over his face for a moment, but she ultimately said nothing and calmly walked into the kitchen. “I’m cooking now, go do whatever you want.” She still finds this face more pleasant to look at, without any writing on his forehead.

Chu Ge, however, didn’t go back to writing and obediently followed her inside. “I’ve already posted two updates in the morning, even though I was scolded for the incomplete chapter… I think I deserve a break to balance work and rest, right?”

“Alright, I know you’re an ‘M.’ I asked you to rest, but you insisted on doing something. So, go and clean this rice.”

Chu Ge: “…”

You’re already using the term ‘M’?

Qiu Wuji started washing vegetables and casually said, “That’s good. It’s better than hiding in the house not knowing what to read.”

Chu Ge smiled, “If I say that I haven’t read anything in a long time, would you believe me?”

“What’s it to me? Didn’t you already give up on reading? Why explain anything?”

“If an opportunity arises, it’s still worth explaining.” Chu Ge rinsed the rice and suddenly laughed, “But I do have some good news that will make you happy.”

Qiu Wuji asked curiously, “What is it?”

“They think you’re an imitating reader of the character Qiu Wuji in the book.”

“Isn’t that a normal assumption? Who would actually think that it’s the real Qiu Wuji…”

“The key is that they feel you don’t quite resemble her.” Chu Ge chuckled as he poured the rice into the rice cooker, “So, what do you think? Isn’t it good news?”

Qiu Wuji paused in her vegetable cutting and seemed lost in thought.

Of course, it’s good news. Does it mean that she’s gradually breaking away from a predetermined character?

A smile unconsciously curved her lips, but she said, “What’s there to be happy about? Isn’t it only natural for me, as the main character?”

Chu Ge: “…”

Damn, she’s so proud.

Qiu Wuji began chopping the vegetables.

Chu Ge was stunned for a moment. “No more immortal techniques?”

Qiu Wuji replied, “I thought I’d try a more detailed experience. It’s not as interesting when it’s too simplistic.”

Do you also find it more interesting this way? I actually feel the same. Chu Ge looked at Qiu Wuji, who was wearing an apron and preparing the food, and he really wanted to embrace her from behind, but he didn’t dare.

He reluctantly turned his head slightly and asked, “How much water should I add to the rice?”

“Just slightly above the rice, that’s right…”

In the small kitchen, one prepared the meal while the other chopped the vegetables. For a while, no one spoke, only the sound of flowing water and the chopping of the knife on the cutting board, creating a symphony of home.

The dogtail grass on the windowsill swayed in the wind, just like Chu Ge’s current mood.

“In the afternoon, I’ll finish writing the chapters… How about we go out and have some fun tonight?” he suddenly said.

Qiu Wuji was curious, “Why suddenly think of that? Is there something fun?”

“I realized that it’s been so long, and it seems like I haven’t taken you out to have a good time… To experience things that modern girls should experience.”

Support The Translation, Read Extra Chapters – /FanTranslations