area51novel Chapter 22 Bibi Dong: Smiles Don't Disappear, They Just Move
Chapter 22 Bibi Dong: Smiles Don't Disappear, They Just Move
……
The Holy Maiden's Palace, the sleeping quarters.
The sunlight outside the window was a bit dazzling, but the atmosphere inside the room was as cold as an icebox.
Bibi Dong leaned against the headboard, her face as pale as paper. The chaotic, sometimes crazy, sometimes gentle look in her purple eyes was gone, replaced by a chilling stillness and indifference.
The door was pushed open.
Qian Daoliu, Jin E, Guang Ling, and Qian Renxue, whose eyes were red-rimmed, stood at the door and did not come in.
Qian Renxue looked at her mother, whose face was as cold as ice, and the glimmer of hope that had just risen in her heart was instantly shattered, and her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, felt half cold.
The mother who would hold her and watch the stars, who would feed her mung bean cakes... is really gone.
"woke up?"
Qian Daoliu broke the silence, his tone tinged with embarrassment.
"snort."
Bibi Dong sneered, but did not answer. Instead, she raised her head, her purple eyes like two ice blades, piercing straight at Qian Daoliu.
"Great Venerable One, should I thank you?"
"Thank you for your kindness earlier?"
"What do you mean?" Golden Crocodile Douluo frowned.
"What do you mean?" Bibi Dong asked coldly.
"That clone, though beyond my control and erratic, still originated from my soul. You destroyed her…are you punishing me?"
Qian Daoliu opened his mouth, but found himself speechless.
What could he say? That he just wanted to check someone's household registration? Who knew that clone would have such a volatile temper, self-destructing at the slightest provocation?
"grandfather……"
Upon hearing this, Qian Renxue abruptly turned to look at Qian Daoliu, her eyes filled with disbelief. "You really...you really hurt Mom?"
"Xue'er, I..." Qian Daoliu took a deep breath, his voice dry, "I just wanted to check on her safety. After all, she not only has independent consciousness, but also... she's too close to you. I have to be careful."
"Defend?"
Bibi Dong sneered, her mockery undisguised. "You defended her to the point of forcing her to self-destruct? You defended her to the point of almost destroying me as well?"
"Great Elder, your methods are truly swift and decisive."
"Mom! Don't blame Grandpa!"
Qian Renxue couldn't bear to listen anymore. Although she was also heartbroken, she didn't want to see her mother and grandfather arguing. Her voice trembling with tears, she said, "Grandpa didn't mean it... Mom, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
Bibi Dong glanced at Qian Renxue.
"What's wrong with me?"
"You should ask your good grandfather about that."
"Thanks to the High Priest's divine power, that noisy thing in my head that was always trying to steal my body... is now completely quiet."
"It's estimated that she won't be showing up to bother the Grand Master for quite some time."
"This can be considered... fulfilling your wish, isn't it?"
"What?!" Qian Renxue was struck dumb, her face turning deathly pale. "Then...then does Mom...does she never...will she never be that gentle person again?"
Bibi Dong didn't answer; she simply closed her eyes and leaned back against the headboard.
I'm tired.
"Now that the High Priest has achieved his goal, there's no need for him to stay here and watch me in this pathetic state, is there?"
I want to be alone.
"besides……"
She opened her eyes, her gaze sweeping over the people at the doorway before finally settling on Qian Daoliu, her tone carrying a deeper meaning:
"I also need to have a serious talk with the guy in my head."
"Let's see what's wrong with me, and see if this so-called dual personality can still... coexist."
Upon hearing this, Qian Daoliu's pupils contracted slightly.
Want to talk?
Yes, although that clone exploded, it was essentially just a manifestation of soul power.
As long as the original body remains, and as long as Bibi Dong hasn't completely gone mad, that consciousness might still be dormant in her spiritual sea.
If an agreement can be reached, perhaps... there's still a chance?
Thinking of this, a glimmer of hope rose in Qian Daoliu's heart.
As long as there is hope, Xue'er will not despair.
"it is good."
Qian Daoliu nodded, glancing at Bibi Dong with a complicated expression. "Then you should rest well. As for Xue'er... I'll take good care of her."
"Let's go, Xue'er."
Qian Daoliu took Qian Renxue's hand, wanting to take her away.
"No! I won't leave! I want to stay with Mom!" Qian Renxue struggled desperately, crying and shouting that she didn't want to leave.
"obedient!"
Qian Daoliu's tone became more serious, "Your mother needs peace and quiet right now, she needs to heal. You're only bothering her here. Once she's better... that mother might come back."
"Really?" Qian Renxue looked up with teary eyes.
"Really," Qian Daoliu said reluctantly. "Grandpa promises you."
Under Qian Daoliu's half-coercion and half-coaxing, Qian Renxue was finally taken away, looking back every few steps.
Jin'e and Guangling also left one after another, and considerately closed the door behind them.
The footsteps gradually faded into the distance.
The palace was once again deathly silent.
Bibi Dong remained leaning against the headboard, maintaining that weak posture. Only after confirming that everyone had left the area of the Holy Maiden's Palace did a strange smile slowly appear on her originally indifferent face.
"Nanfeng, are you satisfied now?"
"Now, not only will Qian Daoliu not dare to touch you casually anymore, but in order to appease Qian Renxue, he will have to find a way to support your clone in the future."
"Now that you're in the Spirit Hall, you can really do whatever you want."
"..."
"Nanfeng?"
Deep within the sea of the spirit.
On the large bed in the palace, which was entirely constructed of spiritual energy, the once arrogant little purple light figure, who always seemed to have everything under control, was now sprawled out like a dead dog with its tendons pulled out, its purple light dimmed.
"Leave me alone..."
Faced with Bibi Dong's call, Nan Feng didn't even bother to move a finger, letting out a weak wail.
"My head is throbbing right now, like someone is mining inside it with a chisel."
"First, there was the overwhelming wave of malevolent energy from the Rakshasa Secret Realm, which almost turned me into an idiot. Then came the angelic power of that old pervert Qian Daoliu. That scalding holy energy drilled into my soul and collided with the Rakshasa's cold and evil thoughts..."
Nan Feng rolled over in pain, burying his face in the pillow, his voice muffled:
"It's like experiencing both ice and fire, sister! Even a soul of iron couldn't withstand such torment!"
"This is so hard... so incredibly hard..."
Nan Feng became increasingly aggrieved as she spoke, and began to mutter complaints:
"Ever since I've been tied to the same boat as you, I haven't had a single day of peace."
"I have to busy myself with scheming against Qian Xunji, guarding against that cunning old man Qian Daoliu, and being a full-time nanny for your love-starved daughter. After taking care of the young one, I still have to take care of the old one!"
"I want to give up too! I want to lie low too! I'm just a 100,000-year-old kid!"
"Now look what happened! To build up your persona, I had to get my soul raped by that old bastard Qian Daoliu, and then I had to self-destruct... I'm exhausted, okay? My life matters too!"
"Get out! Get out! Don't talk to me! I want to shut myself away! I want to sleep! Don't call me even if the sky falls!"
Looking at the purple orb wrapped in a blanket on the bed, radiating an aura of "keep away" and "overwhelming resentment," Bibi Dong, standing beside the bed, showed no sympathy whatsoever; on the contrary…
"Oh."
She couldn't help but laugh out loud, genuinely.
This laugh, like ice and snow melting, carried a hint of schadenfreude and exhilaration.
In the past, it was always this old spider that annoyed her, schemed against her, and drove her to the point of rage.
From the conspiracy of sacrificing and parasitizing, to forcing her to sign a soul blood pact, and then to those shameless plans just now, she was always on the defensive, being led by the nose by this guy, and could only watch him smugly show off.
And now?
Watching this guy get his comeuppance and being tortured to the point of near death, Bibi Dong felt incredibly satisfied.
"So you've finally met your match?"
Bibi Dong sat on the edge of the bed, reached out and poked the bulging blanket, her tone filled with undisguised pleasure:
"Who was it that said they'd take me flying? Who said this was nothing special?"
"What? You can't take it anymore? You're already complaining about being tired?"
"Nan Feng, where did that arrogant and overbearing attitude of yours go? Show it again."
The blanket was suddenly thrown back, revealing Nan Feng's face, somewhat dull from exhaustion of mental energy. He stared at Bibi Dong with dead fish eyes:
"Don't you have a conscience? Who did I become like this for?"
"For your own sake."
Bibi Dong crossed her arms and retorted confidently, "You said it yourself, we're in the same boat. You're risking your life so you can survive, and I'm just a byproduct."
"Besides..."
Bibi Dong leaned down, looking at Nan Feng's frustrated face, and the corners of her mouth widened:
"Just like you always told me—"
"The smile doesn't disappear; it just moves from your face to mine."
"It feels so good to see you suffer."
Below is an image of Nanfeng; you can provide materials as needed.