Battle Through the Heavens: Starting with Cao Ying as an apprentice

His eyes were fixed on the figure on the bed, as if afraid she would open her eyes at any moment.

Three steps, two steps, one step...

Her hand finally touched the door frame. Su Baichen felt as if she had been granted a pardon, slipped out of the room, and gently closed the door behind her.

The moment the door closed, the figure on the bed suddenly opened their eyes and looked towards the doorway.

[This is so shameful, so exciting! Butterfly, how could you do this?]

But I'm so happy!

Chapter 154 Cai Lin's Description of Su Baichen

On the other side, Su Baichen, looking flustered, hurried towards his room.

"It's over, it's over, I'm really going to die this time..."

He muttered to himself as he walked, the suffocating image of waking up flashing through his mind—Cai Die's sleeping face so close to his.

Worse still, when he frantically tried to get out of bed, Cai Die seemed to unconsciously snuggle into his arms, and the soft touch still lingered in his arms.

Thinking of this, Su Baichen quickened his pace, almost running towards his room.

As soon as he entered the room, Su Baichen quickly locked the door from the inside, the "click" of the lock going into its groove sounding particularly crisp in the quiet room.

He gently pressed his forehead against the cool door, trying to let the slight chill calm his turbulent emotions. But it was no use; his heart was still pounding like a drum, and he could even hear the sound of blood rushing through his ears.

"What should I do?" he whispered to the closed door, his voice filled with helplessness. "What will Cai Die think when she wakes up? What if Cai Lin finds out..."

He dared not think any further, only feeling a chill rise up his spine.

In this world where the strong are respected, although he had reached the Dou Zun realm, his extraordinary cultivation seemed so pale and powerless in the face of this situation.

Su Baichen has always been upright and honest, and he treats everyone with sincerity and devotion. He never imagined that he would find himself in such an awkward situation.

"What do you mean we're doomed? What should we do?"

A familiar voice sounded from behind, a voice that was lazy yet playful, each word like an ice bead, hitting Su Baichen's heart with pinpoint accuracy.

Su Baichen froze on the spot, his breath caught in his throat. He felt as if the air around him had solidified into a tangible substance, pressing heavily on every inch of his skin.

When I came in, I was so preoccupied with the butterfly that I didn't even notice there was anyone else in the room.

That familiar, subtle fragrance only belatedly entered my nostrils—it was Cai Lin's unique body scent, a blend of some rare floral fragrance.

Now things are awkward; he's been caught, and by the very person he least wants to see right now.

Time seemed to stretch out infinitely. Su Baichen could hear the heavy thumping of his heart with each beat. He knew that this moment was unavoidable. Escaping was not his style; facing it was.

"Oh well, the sooner I die, the sooner I'll be reborn. I'll still be a hero in the next life." He gave a bitter laugh to himself, and that self-deprecating remark actually made his tense nerves relax a little.

Su Baichen took a deep breath, as if using all his strength, and slowly turned around. The movement was so slow that it seemed as if he were carrying a thousand-pound burden, and every joint was silently resisting.

When he finally turned around completely and his gaze fell on the figure sitting on the edge of the bed, his heart tightened again.

Cai Lin casually sat on the edge of the bed with her legs crossed, her long, crimson dress like a blooming udumbara flower in the night, the hem of the dress spreading out on the bed, shimmering with a delicate luster.

She turned slightly to the side, one hand supporting herself on the edge of the bed, the other casually resting on her knee.

Those usually sharp and beautiful eyes were now half-closed, and her long eyelashes cast a small shadow under her eyes, making it impossible to see the emotions in them.

That was the woman he had longed for day and night, and whom he still loved deeply. But at this moment, this face that had moved him countless times sent a chill down his spine.

Upon seeing Cai Lin, Su Baichen forcibly suppressed all his turbulent emotions and tried his best to make his expression appear calm.

He cleared his slightly dry throat and tried to speak in a natural tone, but his voice still betrayed him, carrying a barely perceptible tremor:

"Cai, Cai Lin, when did you get back?"

Cai Lin did not answer immediately. She slightly raised her eyes, her gaze slowly sweeping across Su Baichen's face. Her beautiful eyes seemed to hold deep pools, with undercurrents surging beneath the calm surface.

She looked at Su Baichen's face, which practically screamed "guilt," and a half-smile curled at the corner of her lips.

"Me!" she finally spoke, her voice soft yet clear, "I just got back. I was planning to go back to my room to rest, since I've been out all night and I'm tired."

She paused, then gave Su Baichen a deliberately amused look. That gaze was like fine needles, gently pricking Su Baichen's skin—not painful, but making him feel uneasy all over.

“But as soon as I opened the door,” Cai Lin continued, a hint of mockery in her voice, “I witnessed a truly spectacular scene.”

Su Baichen's heart sank.

“So-and-so is holding his ‘special pillow’!” Cai Lin deliberately emphasized the words “special pillow”, each word like a small hammer hitting Su Baichen’s heart.

"She was sleeping so soundly. I stood at the door for a while, but I didn't have the heart to disturb her."

"Ugh—!" Su Baichen made a muffled sound in his throat, as if he had choked on something.

He opened his mouth, wanting to explain something, but all the words were stuck in his throat, and he couldn't utter a single one.

Finally, he simply lowered his head deeply, staring at the small patch of ground in front of his feet, as if there was something extremely attractive there.

Where was even a trace of the majesty of a Dou Zun powerhouse? At this moment, he resembled a schoolchild caught red-handed by the teacher for doing something wrong, anxiously awaiting his punishment.

But Su Baichen didn't feel ashamed of it—after all, he was in the wrong first, and he understood right and wrong. He couldn't and didn't want to try to justify himself or cover up his mistakes.

"Cai Lin." He finally spoke, his voice low and sincere. "I'm sorry, it's all my fault. Last night I... I don't know how..."

"So what?" Cai Lin raised an eyebrow, her tone still revealing neither joy nor anger.

"Well..." Su Baichen gritted his teeth and simply told her everything.

"I didn't realize that person wasn't you. I swear, I just... I just mistook her for you..."

The last few words were spoken very softly, yet they clearly reached Cai Lin's ears.

Seeing Su Baichen's appearance, Cai Lin's heart softened a little.

Her husband is genuinely kind to everyone around him, and more importantly, he is reasonable.

In this dog-eat-dog world where the strong rule, too many people in high positions are used to being the only ones who matter, especially the male heads of large families, who are almost all chauvinistic.

Women are always inferior to them, and even if they are wrong, they will never admit it, believing that it would damage their dignity.

But Su Baichen is different. He respects everyone around him, whether they are his partner, family, or subordinates.

He usually jokes with everyone, listens carefully to everyone's opinions, and considers everyone's feelings when making decisions.

He was powerful, yet he did not bully the weak; he held a high position, yet he was not arrogant. It was this quality that made Cai Lin feel warmth and cherish him from the bottom of her heart.

However, despite the warmth, the matter of his own sister still needed to be resolved.

Chapter 155 Accepting the Butterfly!

Thinking of this, a complex look flashed in Cai Lin's eyes.

Actually, she had already sensed something was wrong when she pushed the door open this morning—that girl Cai Die was clearly awake, but was just pretending to be asleep.

How could she, as the older sister, not know what her younger sister looked like when she slept? That girl had never been a good sleeper since she was little; she could roll around on the bed several times when she was asleep. How could she possibly lie so quietly and obediently in Su Baichen's arms without moving?

Moreover, as she gently closed the door and left, she clearly caught a glimpse of the butterfly's eyelashes trembling slightly.

That girl was probably awake a long time ago, but she was just too shy to face it.

Cai Lin sighed softly to herself. How could she, as the older sister, not see her silly little sister's feelings for Su Baichen?

Those secretly following gazes, those hesitant expressions, those deliberate yet clumsy attempts to get closer... A young girl's thoughts are like dewdrops on flower petals in the morning, so transparent that they cannot hide any secrets.

She never said it out loud, nor did she ever make it clear. Ultimately, matters of the heart must be understood and chosen by the individuals involved.

She could accept that Su Baichen had other people around him—in this world, it was not uncommon for powerful people to have multiple partners—but she would never allow anyone to harm Cai Die, not even Su Baichen.

Moreover, even without today's events, she would still have planned for Su Baichen to take in her younger sister, since she would be a future asset to her.

"Hmm, not bad attitude." Cai Lin finally spoke again, her tone softening slightly, but her eyes remained sharp.

"So, what do you think of my sister?"

"What?!" Su Baichen suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with astonishment, clearly not expecting Cai Lin to ask this question.

Cai Lin frowned slightly, her tone becoming more serious: "What? You've basically seen my sister naked, and even slept with her all night. I'm asking you what you think of her. Is there a problem?"

Su Baichen was speechless, feeling his cheeks burning. Cai Lin's words were like a mirror, laying bare the facts he had been trying so hard to ignore under the sunlight.

Yes, that happened. Regardless of the reason, he ultimately saw what he shouldn't have seen and touched what he shouldn't have touched.

In this world, a woman's reputation is of utmost importance, especially since Cai Die is still an unmarried girl...

"I..." Su Baichen opened his mouth, but didn't know how to answer. Saying that the butterfly was nice? That seemed to imply something.

To say anything bad about Cai Die? That would be a lie. That lively and spirited girl, kind, innocent, and completely trusting and dependent on him—how could he bear to use any negative words to describe her?

Seeing Su Baichen's conflicted expression, Cai Lin's last bit of anger subsided. She knew him too well; this seemingly carefree and unrestrained man was actually surprisingly pure and serious when it came to relationships. It was precisely because of this seriousness that he was in such a dilemma at the moment.

“If you think it’s okay,” Cai Lin’s tone softened, and her gaze became complicated, “then I don’t care. Anyway, that girl’s heart has long been with you. As her older sister, I only hope that she can be happy.”

She paused, her voice lowering, tinged with a faint sigh: "Over the years, I've watched her gaze follow you, watched her laugh and worry for you, watched her carefully conceal her thoughts... Sometimes I think, maybe this is for the best. At least, you are someone I can trust to rely on."

Su Baichen was stunned upon hearing this. So easy to talk to?

"Don't you want to take responsibility?" Seeing that Su Baichen remained silent, Cai Lin's tone suddenly turned cold, and her sharp gaze shot towards Su Baichen as if it were a physical object. There was scrutiny and questioning in her eyes, and deeper down, there was a trace of tension that was not easily detected.

Upon hearing this, Su Baichen hurriedly waved his hand and said in a panic:

"No, no, no, I'll take responsibility, I'll definitely take responsibility!"

The words had barely left his mouth when he was stunned. The answer was too hasty, almost imperceptible, bursting from the depths of his heart, thus revealing his truest thoughts.

Su Baichen's face flushed crimson instantly, and he hurriedly added, "What I mean is... Cai Die is a good girl. I... since I did something like this, I have to take responsibility. Besides... besides..."

Besides what? Countless images suddenly flashed through Su Baichen's mind: Cai Die hopping and skipping over to show him the freshly picked flowers, her bright eyes sparkling; her stubborn look as she tried to make pastries, her face covered in flour but still trying her best after failing...

Those emotions that had been deliberately ignored now surged forth like a burst dam, overwhelming the carefully constructed defenses he had built.

The older sister has already agreed, so what else can he say? Besides, he has long harbored feelings for that lively and spirited girl, but because of Cai Lin, he has always suppressed these feelings deeply and has not even dared to think about them in detail.

He always told himself that Cai Die was just a younger sister, someone who needed protection, but those unintentional feelings of attraction couldn't be faked.

Now everything is fine. This thought brought a sense of relief to Su Baichen, followed by a surge of complex emotions that were hard to describe—a sense of relief, joy, and a touch of uncertainty about the future.

But soon, another, stronger emotion took over:

To have two sisters together is the luckiest of luck!

The thought made Su Baichen's heart skip a beat. It wasn't that he hadn't fantasized about such a scene, but those vague imaginings had never been as clear and real as they were now.