"Tang Xiaomin..."
Young Master Zhou's eyes widened in shock.
"Don't you want to be the Supreme Commander, to rule the Underworld?"
Tang Xiaomin didn't speak, the relieved smile on her lips spoke volumes of her state of mind.
"How is this possible? How could you give up such great power!"
"You must be lying to me, you're lying again! I don't believe it!"
...
*Crack!*
The cracks on Young Master Zhou's body deepened, and she was ultimately shattered.
Even as she turned to dust, her eyes were still wide open, refusing to believe what she was seeing.
The lingering menace was finally eradicated, and it was all over.
Holding the long sword, she walked over to Yan Jue and handed it back to him without hesitation.
After a long pause, Yan Jue remained unmoved, lost in thought.
Tang Xiaomin asked, confused, "What's wrong? Take it."
Yan Jue didn't speak and waved his hand.
Soon, the dense ranks of undead warriors rapidly retreated from the River of Oblivion.
A little later, only the two of them remained beneath the Bridge of Sighs.
Yan Jue said, "This long sword originally belonged to you, and now it's time to return it to its rightful owner."
"Minmin, once I've organized the territories of the Ten Kings of Hell, you will be the Supreme Commander of the Underworld, its most honored existence."
Tang Xiaomin didn't answer the question, instead quietly observing Yan Jue.
All this time, she couldn't understand why Yan Jue was so fixated on unifying the Underworld.
At first, she thought it was for power.
But now, as he returned this immensely powerful long sword to her, she understood everything in an instant.
Everything Yan Jue had done was clearly to return to her what she had lost.
She took Yan Jue's hand and placed the Lifeslayer back into his grasp.
"I am no longer the Supreme Commander. I am Tang Xiaomin, and I will always be."
"Compared to this illusory power, there are now more precious things for me to cherish."
Rather than occupying a high position and enduring the loneliness of being at the top alone.
She preferred being with her family and loved ones, living a simple, unadorned life filled with the warmth of the mortal world.
Tang Xiaomin's effortless words rendered all of Yan Jue's efforts in vain.
"Minmin, you truly don't care?"
Tang Xiaomin shook her head with ease and walked ahead of Yan Jue, speaking as she went.
"I've promised my friends we're going skiing in the winter, and after the New Year, we're going to the countryside to bring my adoptive parents back to Modu."
"There's also one important thing, I won't remind you."
The important thing. Yan Jue immediately recalled the engagement banquet. He had agreed to it when he went to propose.
A hint of tenderness instantly bloomed in his proud eyes.
Power was dismissed by her; she truly just wanted to return to being the simple Tang Xiaomin.
He knew Tang Xiaomin was the Supreme Commander he had cast into reincarnation, and he had despaired then.
He feared that Tang Xiaomin would turn against him if she knew the truth.
To be prepared, he had desperately tried to unify the Underworld to return it to Tang Xiaomin and earn her forgiveness.
Who would have thought Tang Xiaomin didn't care at all? All his efforts these past days had been for naught.
But Tang Xiaomin loved him more, so perhaps his efforts weren't entirely in vain.
Happiness came too suddenly; he was grinning widely behind her.
"Minmin, wait for me."
Tang Xiaomin ignored him and ran ahead quickly.
...
In the Department of Reincarnation, Tang Xiaomin couldn't bear to watch Wang Sheng, who was consumed by love.
Disregarding his wishes, she threw him into the vortex of reincarnation.
This way, he would completely forget everything and truly gain a new life.
With everything resolved, she didn't linger. She passed through the portal and returned to Xianfu Group.
As she emerged, she looked back at the portal, lost in thought.
This portal was an anomaly, and sooner or later, it would be closed.
She just didn't know when that day would be.
As soon as she returned, her phone rang incessantly.
After finishing a call from Zhang Meiyu, then the company's, then her adoptive parents'.
By the time she replied to them all, an hour had passed, and it was already dark.
Yet, she still had to work overtime pitifully, otherwise, she wouldn't be able to have a good New Year.
At half-past eight, Zhang Meiyu personally came to Xianfu Group to find Tang Xiaomin.
"Xiaomin, you haven't been home in so long. I brought you some tonic soup. No matter how busy you are with work, remember to take care of yourself."
Zhang Meiyu placed a thermos flask down and skillfully arranged the bowls and chopsticks.
Without needing to look closely, one could see the white hairs on her head.
Once an elegant socialite, now a toiling housewife, Tang Xiaomin was suddenly overcome with a strong sense of guilt.
Although she didn't mistreat Zhang Meiyu and was generous with clothes and food, she could never return to her former elegant socialite demeanor.
"Mom, have you thought about what your future days will be like?" Tang Xiaomin asked.
Zhang Meiyu placed a bowl of rice in front of Tang Xiaomin and thought for a moment.
"Nana is having a baby next year. I'll just stay home and hold my grandchild."
"And after the grandchild grows up?" Tang Xiaomin asked again.
At this, Zhang Meiyu looked at Tang Xiaomin lovingly.
"When the grandchild grows up, you should also get married and have children. Then, I can look after my grandchildren."
Zhang Meiyu's future life seemed to stretch endlessly ahead, revolving entirely around children.
Tang Xiaomin couldn't help but smile. As she smiled, she suddenly felt a pang of sadness.
She was of an age where she should be growing old with her husband, spending the twilight years of her life together.
But Tang Zhongcheng's betrayal was something she couldn't change, nor could she secure such a beautiful and warm old age for Zhang Meiyu.
In the end, she was still alone.
"If I said my father sincerely apologized to you, would you forgive him?"
The moment Tang Zhongcheng was mentioned, Zhang Meiyu's expression changed, and her breathing became rapid.
Seeing this, Tang Xiaomin quickly changed her tune.
"I was talking nonsense. Don't take it to heart. I won't mention him again."
For the rest of the time, Zhang Meiyu didn't say another word.
After Tang Xiaomin finished her meal, she quietly tidied up the dishes and then sat on the sofa, waiting for her.
Tang Xiaomin deeply regretted it, wishing she could slap herself. She thought she had gone mad to even mention that scumbag, Tang Zhongcheng.
In the following days, as the New Year approached, Tang Xiaomin specially took time to take Zhang Meiyu shopping.
She used to like buying clothes and thought it would make her happy.
But to her surprise, Zhang Meiyu only bought a down jacket for less than a thousand yuan.
At checkout, the sales assistant asked, "Cash or card?"
Tang Xiaomin thought she wouldn't be buying for her often and wanted to splurge a little.
However, her hesitation led to discrimination from the sales assistant.
"If you can't afford it, don't try it on. You're wasting everyone's time. You know your own spending capacity, don't you?"