Chapter 79 Seeing the Letter is Like Meeting in Person

Cheng Yuan remained silent.

Chu Jianshan could only say again, "Don't worry, I won't abandon you."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Chu Jianshan immediately sensed something was wrong.

Sure enough, as soon as he finished speaking, Cheng Yuan's face darkened, and the light from the oil lamp reflected in his eyes.

Do you think I'd still believe you?

Chu Jianshan was speechless for a moment, not knowing what to say. It seemed that his character was indeed not very good.

"I need a guarantee," Cheng Yuan said again.

What guarantee?

"Come here."

Chu Jianshan moved his feet slowly, and it was unclear what he was planning to do.

After dawdling for a long time without getting even half a meter closer, Cheng Yuan became impatient and pulled him over. Chu Jianshan was unsteady on his feet and was pulled into Cheng Yuan's arms.

"What are you doing... ugh!"

A stinging sensation filled his neck, and Chu Jianshan couldn't help but frown. He tried to push Cheng Yuan away, but Cheng Yuan held him tighter and tighter.

Cheng Yuan bit him on the neck, breaking the skin and flesh, showing no mercy whatsoever. After a while, Chu Jianshan felt that Cheng Yuan wanted to eat him.

He tore apart bones, flesh, blood, everything, chewed it up, and swallowed it whole.

In fact, that was what Cheng Yuan was thinking, but at the last moment, Chu Jianshan's words "It hurts..." brought him back to his senses.

Cheng Yuan slowly released him, his eyes still a little blurry, but he couldn't bear to take his eyes off him. Bright red blood slid down the corner of his mouth, as if it had fallen into Chu Jianshan's heart.

As if possessed, Chu Jianshan slowly tiptoed, grabbed Cheng Yuan's shoulder, and kissed him. His tongue briefly touched Cheng Yuan's skin, taking away the drop of blood.

When I came to my senses, a burning sensation instantly washed over my cheeks.

This is so... embarrassing! What is he doing?!

Chu Jianshan coughed to avoid Cheng Yuan's gaze. Cheng Yuan didn't say anything, but both of their heartbeats were racing.

Chu Jianshan's wound was still bleeding. Cheng Yuan used some spiritual power to stop the bleeding, swallowed hard, and said, "I want to see you before my wound is fully healed."

"Is this what you wanted?" Chu Jianshan's voice trembled slightly.

"What did you think it was, another cold spring bath?"

Before the last word could even land, Chu Jianshan reached out and covered it with his hand, signaling him to shut up.

"I thought you were going to poison me! This stuff seems much safer."

Cheng Yuan chuckled: "How do you know I didn't poison him?"

Chu Jianshan's eyes widened. Before he could even curse, he hurriedly pulled open his sleeve to check his own pulse—it was steady and strong, with no signs of poisoning whatsoever.

Looking up, Chu Jianshan saw that the man was still smiling, which made him furious. He raised his foot and kicked him.

Cheng Yuan was prepared and dodged the man's powerful kick.

"Could we switch seats next time?" Cheng Yuan asked.

Chu Jianshan retorted defiantly, "What, are you afraid your bride will be alone on your wedding night?"

Finally, she's willing to be jealous.

Cheng Yuan smiled, but slowly, he withdrew his smile and solemnly called out, "Master."

"Um?"

"Take me with you."

Chu Jianshan turned around and looked at him.

"Take me away from our arranged marriage, how about it? Let's elope."

His tone was somewhat joking, but Chu Jianshan understood the weight of his words.

Chu Jianshan asked, "Are you aware of the consequences?"

“I know better than anyone else,” Cheng Yuan said, his eyes gleaming, his tone steady, “but I also know that if I continue living like this, I won’t be able to hold on.”

"Master, save me."

A drop of wax fell to the ground, breaking the tranquility of the space.

Chu Jianshan rarely saw him like this, and couldn't help but wonder: "Did Linyi Sect force you to do something? Besides what I know, what else could it be?"

Cheng Yuan shook his head. "No, it's just that I'm no longer willing to be an accomplice to evil, and I just want to be free."

His words were a mixture of truth and falsehood, and Chu Jianshan dared not believe them completely, but he dared not gamble on them even slightly.

"If that's the case, I'll take you away."

A weight lifted from Cheng Yuan's shoulders, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

He lifted Chu Jianshan's face, his voice soft, almost whispering, "You won't lie to me this time?"

Restrained by his actions, Chu Jianshan couldn't nod, so he closed his eyes to signal, and Cheng Yuan took the opportunity to kiss him on the eyes.

...

When he opened his eyes again, the oil lamp in the secret passage had been replaced by candles in the city lord's mansion. Chu Jianshan touched his eyes; they were no longer warm from that person.

With a creak, the door was opened from the outside.

"When will you learn to knock on the door?" Chu Jianshan sighed.

"Don't even think about it in this lifetime." Bai Qianfan walked in with a swagger, carrying several medicine bottles in his hand. He had just put down the medicine and hadn't even sat down properly when he caught sight of the wound on Chu Jianshan's neck.

"I heard you were injured, is it here? It looks like you were bitten."

Chu Jianshan didn't explain anything, but his silence was the conclusion, something Bai Qianfan understood better than anyone else.

"Tsk tsk tsk, what do you mean by this..." Bai Qianfan said with a look of disgust, "What kind of quirks do young people have these days?"

Despite his initial disdain, he picked out a bottle and walked over, preparing to apply medicine to Chu Jianshan.

But as soon as the medicine bottle was opened, Chu Jianshan turned his head to avoid it, saying, "Don't apply the medicine."

Bai Qianfan's hand, holding the medicine, froze in mid-air. After several seconds of stunned silence, he exclaimed in shock, "What kind of fetish do you have now?!"

"What... what are you two doing, master and disciple?"

"Cheng Yuan's wedding is on the sixth day of next month," Chu Jianshan quickly changed the subject.

"So what?" Bai Qianfan was still puzzled. "You were so heartbroken that you let someone leave a mark on you, preparing to spend the rest of your life relying on this memory?"

"What is all this nonsense? Stop making things up about us." Chu Jianshan finally couldn't help but speak up.

"Well, I don't understand you two. I've never really understood." He emphasized the word "always."

Chu Jianshan pinched the bridge of his nose. He had guessed that Bai Qianfan would nag him when he got back, so he didn't mention his injury, but it still turned out the same way.

Bai Qianfan wanted to say something, but when she saw Chu Jianshan's expression, as if he wanted to jump off a building, she swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue.

After a moment of silence, Bai Qianfan asked, "Are you going to make your move?"

“Hmm,” Chu Jianshan replied, “I don’t know what Linyi Gate is up to, but in any case, the longer it drags on, the worse the situation gets.”

Bai Qianfan was uncertain: "You need to think this through. The Linyi Sect is deeply rooted and cannot be wiped out in one fell swoop."

"I understand the difficulties involved, but as long as we can severely damage Linyi Sect, we can at least ensure peace for more than ten years."

Bai Qianfan took a deep breath: "If we want to achieve this, the biggest help would have to be Changjin Mountain, but... will Changjin Mountain still help us now?"

Chu Jianshan lowered his eyes: "I have already betrayed Changjin Mountain, so the troops of Changjin Mountain are naturally unusable."

Bai Qianfan's eyes suddenly lit up: "Who said it can't be used?"

Chu Jianshan didn't even bother to lift his eyelids, and asked him, "What kind of crazy idea is it this time?"

Bai Qianfan's wicked intentions were already written on his face. He said excitedly, "It's not a trick! I've already inquired before. Jiang Yan of Changjin Mountain is practically semi-retired now, and Ji Shi is handling all the big and small affairs of Changjin Mountain. That's Ji Shi! That silly boy is definitely on our side. Although Jiang Yan is angry with you, he will probably turn a blind eye out of consideration for our past relationship."

"Ji Shi?" Chu Jianshan was somewhat shocked, then laughed, "Has he become this powerful already?"

“That’s right!” Bai Qianfan hurriedly defended Ji Shi: “I didn’t believe it when I first heard it either, but Changjinshan has never made a single mistake since he took over.”

“Alright,” Chu Jianshan nodded, “I will write to Ji Shi. If they are willing, that’s good. If they are not willing, don’t force them.”

"Speaking of which..."

Chu Jianshan hesitated, then looked at Bai Qianfan and asked, "I've always wanted to ask you, why do you help me no matter what I do? I remember we didn't get along before."

Bai Qianfan smiled and said, "I'm a magnanimous person."

Chu Jianshan: "The truth?"

Bai Qianfan: "Of course it's a lie. You actually believe such nonsense now?"

Chu Jianshan laughed and said, "It's not that I believe in ghost stories, it's that I believe in you."

"That's rare..." Bai Qianfan took a deep breath, smiled and shook his head.

"Who would have thought that the two of us would get to where we are today? It's been quite an achievement! Come, let's toast with tea instead of wine!"

Chu Jianshan picked up his teacup with a crisp sound and asked, "What did Xie Yin say to you before he died?"

The cup, which was already at my lips, suddenly stopped.

Bai Qianfan lowered his eyes, slowly put down his teacup, and recalled, "He told me to take care of myself, and to take care of you, and to trust you."

"I need you to take care of me?" Chu Jianshan's voice was very low, his throat as tight as a taut string.

"Of course not, you are Immortal Venerable Chu." Bai Qianfan smiled and drank the tea in his cup.

It was as if the glass truly contained liquor, a strong liquor that burned the throat, rolling down the esophagus and searing the stomach along with it, all to mask the pain.

"Chu Qingyuan," she called out the same name over and over again, "I never interfere with your decisions, and this time is no exception, but you have to come back alive."

Chu Jianshan drank the water in his cup in one gulp and laughed, "It's not that serious. You make it sound like a life-or-death situation."

Bai Qianfan's tightly furrowed brows remained unchanged: "You believe me, but I don't believe you. You don't tell the truth in many of your words."

Chu Jianshan didn't speak, but lowered his head and poured himself another cup of tea. At this moment, he wished the cup really contained wine, so that he could at least get drunk and forget about it.

Late at night, the candlelight was so bright it hurt his eyes. Chu Jianshan put the envelope he had written to Ji Shi away and placed it aside, suddenly unsure of what to do next.

He had some paper left, so he picked up a pen and paper and began to write.

Sister, seeing this letter is like seeing you in person; it brings a smile to my face.

I have so much to say to you, but when I actually pick up a pen, the words get stuck in my throat.

I know you must be wondering how we are doing. Don't worry, Chang Jinshan and I are doing well. I heard that Ji Shi is already taking care of things at Chang Jinshan's headquarters for his senior brother. You've always liked him, so I'm sure you'll be very pleased to know that.

Ah Sheng's illness hasn't gotten better yet, but fortunately, my senior brother has been taking good care of her. I will also find the best doctor, and she will gradually get better. Please don't worry.

When I was little, you always said that you would watch me grow up, settle down, and start a family. Unfortunately, things don't always go as planned in this world. If you're a step too late, you'll regret it for the rest of your life.

When we were little, I loved to fight with you for the same piece of osmanthus cake. My mother wouldn't let me eat too much, but you would always secretly save half for me.

Sister, in the next life, please save half a piece of osmanthus cake for me too.

If I could see you, death wouldn't be so scary.

Chu Jianshan took the letter to the candle, and the flame quickly engulfed the letter. The ashes drifted towards the window and were torn to shreds by the wind.