Chapter 140 (Heavy Selfishness) - Combined with Chapter 2

The flowers on the vines withered one after another, but after a refreshing rain, a new batch bloomed.

Elder He performed acupuncture on Zhou Yaren every few days, doing it personally and with utmost care. He pressed on her healed kneecap and removed the silver needles: "The recovery is going well."

After the elder's specially made secret pills ran out, Zhou Yaren asked him for another bottle, and the effect was exceptionally remarkable.

Tang Yuan, who rarely left the house, often peeked through the window and saw the man in blue appear in the courtyard with a cane, his injured leg becoming more and more capable of bearing weight each day.

As the flowers, grass, and trees grew increasingly lush, the annoying mosquitoes also gradually increased. Lin Mu dragged a charcoal brazier into the yard and burned some mugwort to repel the mosquitoes.

A child climbed over a wall to pick locust blossoms, but tripped over the vines and fell face-first to the ground. Luckily, a gust of wind caught him. Before anyone could scold him, he sat down and started wailing. In the end, Lin Mu gathered a basket of locust blossoms and took him home.

Zhou Yaren stood in front of the door, gazing silently at the death-announcing umbrella on the couch for a long time, before gently closing the door.

Elder He went to see the neighbors and won't be back for a while. Tang Yuan's older brother went to Shanzhou, and Zhou Yaren also plans to go out.

He hadn't gone far when he first went to the cloth shop. The shop wasn't very big, and the wooden shelves on both sides were filled with batches of cloths of various colors and patterns: moon white, indigo, crimson, yellow, and so on, layer upon layer.

The shopkeeper enthusiastically stepped forward to promote the fabrics, but Zhou Yaren shook his head, saying that he didn't want to buy fabric, as he didn't have time to tailor and sew; he just wanted to choose a suitable ready-made outfit.

He then went to the restaurant again, carrying a full pot of Fenqing liquor back home.

He couldn't see, but the people on both sides of the street turned around and looked at him with smiles on their faces.

They seemed to be happy for him, their smiles were very genuine. Zhou Yaren didn't stop until a child behind him asked excitedly.

Is he the groom?

Is he getting married today?

"The groom is really handsome."

"Which woman is he going to marry?"

Zhou Yaren raised the corners of her mouth and curved her eyes as she leaned on her cane and retraced her steps, as if she were walking a road home.

Carrying Fenqing liquor in his hand, a gentle breeze wafting from his sleeves, he smiled as he walked the path home, appearing before Bai Yuan a completely refreshed man. To Bai Yuan's astonishment, Zhou Yaren, bathed in the twilight, beamed at him.

Behind him was the sunset, like a ladle of molten gold poured out, its fiery red flames burning brightly.

She changed from her original blue dress to a red robe, and even her black hair was tied into a bunch with red silk, which complemented the shimmering sunset, making her look like she was inlaid with gold. She arrived in full regalia.

Perhaps the sunset and that red dress were too dazzling, for Bai Yuan was slightly lost in thought: "You..."

Zhou Yaren brought the wine to her: "I promised you before."

Bai Yuan was stunned: "What?"

Zhou Yaren smiled and said, "Fenqing."

The aroma of wine was irresistible, and Bai Yuan suddenly felt a dryness in her throat. However, Zhou Yaren's clothes were truly dazzling, so she asked, "Why are you dressed like this?"

“Mm.” Zhou Yaren replied naturally, “My clothes are old, I should change into something new.”

"Didn't the shopkeeper tell you that this is a bright red one?" Could it be that he's being taken advantage of because he's blind, and sold him the most expensive item in the shop?

"The shopkeeper told me that this dress makes me look healthier."

Bai Yuan tilted his head and laughed: "I wasn't lying to you."

He laughed along, "Does it look pleasing to the eye?"

Bai Yuan looked him up and down and commented, "He's pleasing to the eye, but a bit too flashy."

He was well aware of how conspicuous his outfit was.

"I'll go get the cups." Zhou Yaren carried Fenqing into the room, touched the two small teacups on the table, and poured them full.

Bai Yuan turned around, picked up the wine and sat down. She first brought it to her nose and sniffed it. Without any politeness to Zhou Yaren, she tilted her head back and drank it all down. It tasted exactly the same as the wine she had in the brothel in Ruicheng: "It tastes just like this."

Zhou Yaren had tasted the liquor in Baiyuan's mouth and remembered its aroma, so she personally selected each jar in the cellar. The jar she brought out was from the same batch of Fenqing liquor stored in the Ruicheng Hualou, so its color, aroma, and taste could not possibly be different.

Bai Yuan was a heavy drinker, but Zhou Yaren was not a strong drinker. He accompanied him with light sips, and after only two or three cups, the color of the wine seeped into his skin, visibly turning red and making him look healthier.

Bai Yuan gazed at the crimson sunset through the window, his eyes darting around until he saw Zhou Yaren standing at the table. As he turned slightly to the side and lowered his head to pour wine, the crimson sunset seemed to smear along his ears and down to his neck.

What a wonderful person!

Coupled with this red dress, it's simply too eye-catching.

Zhou Yaren picked up her wine glass and took a sip. The spicy liquid slid down her throat. His eyes were curved at the corners. Although he couldn't see, he was still sharing the sunset with her.

He had been smiling ever since he entered the room. Bai Yuan stared at his beaming face and felt that Zhou Ya was acting strangely today: "What are you smiling about?"

Bathed in the glow of the sunset, Zhou Yaren's long, slender, white fingers rested on the rim of his glass. He smiled and said, "I'm happy."

"What are you so happy about?"

"I feel very happy with this."

This was quite pleasant. Bai Yuan smiled without saying a word, reached out and grabbed the wine pot, and poured himself a drink.

After finishing a pot of Fenqing wine, the view through the window turned into a deep twilight. Bai Yuan was still not satisfied, so she put down the empty wine pot and asked Zhou Yaren, "Is there any more?"

"there is none left."

Just this one pot?

"Hmm," Zhou Yaren replied. "We agreed on one pot, but we only bought one. Now that the wine tasting is finished, shouldn't it be my turn to taste it?"

"What?" Bai Yuan was caught off guard.

Zhou Yaren looked directly at her: "Are you still interested?"

Bai Yuan couldn't help but laugh. She should have expected it; this person was indeed different today: "Zhou Yaren."

"Um?"

Bai Yuan pointed out: "You came prepared."

He wasn't just there to deliver wine; he was there to see someone off.

Zhou Yaren did not deny it: "Are you interested?"

She once lay on the rafters of a brothel in Ruicheng and drank six jars of Fenqing liquor without getting drunk, so she should be able to drink a thousand cups without getting drunk. Now, a mere pot of liquor is not enough to make her drunk.

It is clear that the liquid above is not this pot of Fenqing liquor.

Bai Yuan said, "Yes."

As soon as he finished speaking, a swirling breeze lifted the sleeves and curtains, slowly closing the window and completely blocking out the twilight.

Zhou Yaren removed the pitch pipe from her waist and gently placed it on the table.

Bai Yuan stared at the law enforcement tube without moving, until his hot breath rushed over...

The smell of alcohol lingered on his lips and teeth, easily making him lose his senses and become infatuated. He couldn't control himself and hugged that slender waist tightly, almost becoming lost in the moment.

Bai Yuan wasn't paying attention; his hand, which was supporting him on the table, accidentally knocked over a cup, and the remaining wine at the bottom of the cup wet his fingertips.

Her lower back was pressed against the edge of the table, feeling a little uncomfortable. Before Bai Yuan could say anything, a warm hand touched her lower back, and Zhou Yaren kissed the corner of her mouth: "Are you uncomfortable?" He added, "Let's go to the couch."

Bai Yuan didn't refuse; he knew Bai Yuan wouldn't refuse.

Zhou Yaren was determined to have a good time with Bai Yuan. It wasn't a wedding, but it was a bridal chamber, or at least he considered it a bridal chamber. Zhou Yaren had a lot of selfish motives, which is why he specially wore this wedding dress and arrived at the auspicious time of dusk.

People value etiquette, whether they are of noble birth or commoner, they all attach great importance to weddings and funerals.

The wedding ceremony, however, must be held at dusk.

He did not propose marriage, for he was not worthy of her, so he did not voice his secret desires.

Can Bai Yuan understand his feelings?

He hopes that the innocent will understand.

In this world, there are countless beauties, but he was never moved. Later, when he became blind, they were no longer pleasing to the eye.

Zhou Yaren thought he would cut off all love and affection, but unexpectedly, he rejected Ruicheng's top courtesan's advances, yet he cared about Bai Yuan saying he was tasteless. So he wanted to move Bai Yuan, at that moment, at this instant.

When Bai Yuan's hand subconsciously reached his waist and was about to pull on the belt, he suddenly stopped.

Zhou Yaren smiled, leaned over and kissed her: "Take it off."

Bai Yuan, who had originally intended to strip him of his clothes, hesitated upon hearing this. Zhou Yaren had always impressed her as reserved, introverted, gentle, and polite. Although his personality hadn't changed much, Bai Yuan found it strange: "Why are you suddenly being so proactive?"

“That’s me,” Zhou Yaren gave a very reasonable answer, “I’m open-minded.”

Bai Yuan was amused by his comment about being "uninhibited," and Zhou Yaren stared at her, smiling happily. Then he reached for Bai Yuan's wrist and pulled it to his waist, leading her to pull on the belt.

Bai Yuan didn't pull her away; her smile slowly faded. "Ya Ren," she asked, "do you want to repay me?"

Zhou Yaren was stunned.

Bai Yuan stopped laughing, his expression becoming more serious: "I know that people in this world repay kindness by offering themselves if they have no way to do so, but Ya Ren, I don't buy into that." Bai Yuan leaned against the headboard, casually pinching one of Zhou Ya Ren's slender fingers, and then said to him, "You don't need to repay me like that."

Zhou Yaren remained silent for a moment, then turned over and lay down beside Bai Yuan. His initial enthusiasm suddenly cooled: "You may have misunderstood. I never thought of repaying anyone in this way." Kindness is kindness, and affection is affection; he could distinguish between them much more clearly than Bai Yuan. Zhou Yaren said, "I thought you were quite interested in me, or at least liked my face."

Bai Yuan stared at his face without saying a word, but he did like him.

"It's not about repaying a debt, it's just about love between a man and a woman, don't overthink it," Zhou Yaren said. "Anyway, I've already had my fill of alcohol, and I've been in your bed. This is a rare opportunity, so don't miss it. Think about it."

While patiently waiting for her to make a decision, Zhou Yaren also impatiently urged, "Elder He and Lin Mu should be back later..."

Having a concubine like Tang Yuan isn't a big deal, but the vigilance of someone who practices martial arts and Taoism is extraordinary.

The implication was obvious, so Bai Yuan didn't delay any longer. She didn't want to spoil the mood, nor could she play hard to get, so she frankly pinched Zhou Yaren's chin and kissed her.

Zhou Yaren had no reason not to comply. He raised his chin, grabbed Bai Yuan's head with one hand, opened his mouth triumphantly, and pried open Bai Yuan's teeth with his tongue.

Bai Yuan reached out first, and Zhou Yaren helped her. The front of her wedding dress was lifted open and slowly slipped off her shoulders. The silky fabric slid down the edge of the bed to the floor, unnoticed by anyone.

As the night grew slightly cool, Zhou Yaren subconsciously tensed her body, revealing a taut, lean back.

He pressed down on Bai Yuan, their breathing becoming increasingly rapid during the kiss, both knowing what was about to happen.

Zhou Yaren went to untie her clothes, and Bai Yuan did not object, so everything proceeded naturally.

Perhaps it was nervousness. Zhou Yaren, who had never been close to women before, was experiencing this for the first time in his life. It wasn't that he had deliberately abstained from sex; it was just that for him, desire only arises from affection. Over the years, Zhou Yaren had been so pure and abstinent that he almost thought he was a virtuous gentleman without any desires. But at this moment, desire burned like wildfire in this bed, and Zhou Yaren realized that he was no more noble than others.

He kissed Bai Yuan's earlobe and sucked on her delicate earlobe.

It was too cloying; Bai Yuan found it hard to get used to. She turned her head away, but couldn't avoid it. Zhou Yaren sucked down her neck, and the previously bloodless skin blushed with spots of red.

A burning hot hand gripped her waist, applying some force. Just as Bai Yuan was feeling unbearable, Zhou Yaren suddenly leaned down, looked up, and stared intently at her.

Bai Yuan, unaware of the situation, asked, "What?"

“Why is there a mark here?” Zhou Yaren pressed her fingertip against a spot on her side.

Bai Yuan suddenly froze, she was so... blinded by lust that she had completely forgotten about this matter.

“It’s crescent-shaped,” Zhou Yaren said. It’s exactly the same as the crescent mark on his body, also branded on his side.

Bai Yuan gave a nonchalant "hmm," raised his hand to hold his chin, and pulled him up to kiss him.

“Innocent…” Zhou Yaren’s mouth was sealed, and she could only utter a few words indistinctly between utterances, “You… how…”

"You're so talkative." Bai Yuan thought, annoyed by his excessive chatter, and ran her other hand along his firm abs...

(The content in this section was simply too much to pass the review and was locked for several days. The writer had no choice but to tearfully delete four thousand words. *sobs*)

His first experience with sex was so wonderful that the pleasure was overwhelming; he never imagined he would become addicted so quickly.

It wasn't that he wasn't satisfied; he was quite satisfied just now, but he still felt unsatisfied and wanted to go again and again.

His hand lingered on Bai Yuan's waist. In such a pleasant atmosphere, he didn't want to bring up anything that would spoil the mood, so he lowered his head and kissed the overly pale shoulder and neck with intermittent kisses.

Bai Yuan was probably tired. Seeing that she had her eyes closed, Zhou Yaren suddenly had a whim and tore off the red ribbon that was used to tie her hair, tying it around Bai Yuan's slender wrist.

With his hot body pressed against hers, Bai Yuan felt a little languid and closed her eyes to rest for a while, letting him caress her. Then she opened her eyes and stared at the silk ribbon on her wrist: "Why are you wearing this?"

Zhou Yaren smiled and said naturally, "Consider this my promise to you today. I'll leave this as a token of my commitment."

Bai Yuan laughed upon hearing this, and raised her wrist: "A hairband?"

"I really don't have anything worth mentioning, please don't be offended."

There was no disdain in the matter. Before Bai Yuan could even speak, Zhou Yaren continued, "I know I am burdened with punishment and a sinner, not a good person."

Bai Yuan followed up, saying, "Well, with all these wronged souls and endless lawsuits weighing me down, I'm hardly a good match."

Bai Yuan asked, "So, do we still need to keep this token?"

Zhou Yaren suddenly felt unwell.

She wasn't stupid, and she said unjustly, "I understood when you came back wearing this wedding dress today."

"What do you understand?"

“You’re a rather traditional and proper person, so you definitely want to do this kind of thing with a legitimate reason,” Bai Yuan said jokingly. “Anyway, I don’t have anyone else around me, so I can give you that title.”

Zhou Yaren was amused by her few words and started to take advantage of her: "Will this title always be mine?"

"Hmm? What do you mean?" Bai Yuan sensed something was in his words. "Tell me."

Zhou Yaren then said, "If I were like He Yanguanlan," he didn't say the word "dead," he couldn't bring himself to say it, "if I changed my name and identity, could you still keep this title for me?"

Zhou Yaren appeared calm, but an unspeakable sorrow welled up inside her: "Could you please not have anyone else?"

Bai Yuan stared at him silently, trying to discern some clues from his face.

As Zhou Yaren waited expectantly, Bai Yuan feigned indifference and said, "We'll see."

Zhou Yaren was very dissatisfied. He felt uncomfortable and leaned over to bite a piece of the tender flesh on Bai Yuan's neck.

"No, what's this new problem you've developed?"

After taking a bite, Zhou Yaren would habitually lick it again, then press it against her neck and say, "Originally, I wanted to give you my next life, the life after that... life after life."

Before Bai Yuan could even feel happy after hearing this, a sense of unease began to creep in. Several words reached his lips, but he couldn't utter a decent promise: "You haven't even lived to the end of this life, and you're already worrying about the next?"

"You won't agree?" Zhou Yaren looked up, asking her the key question with a hint of accusation in her tone, "Are you going to find someone else?"

"What other person are you looking for? Where did this other person come from?" There was nothing to begin with, so how did it become a target for her? Is this some kind of fun that men and women have to create trouble out of nothing? Like, the kind of fun where they want to have a little tiff to spice things up?

"Just because it's not there now doesn't mean it won't be in the future."

Bai Yuan laughed: "Looking for trouble, huh?"

Zhou Yaren did indeed have a tendency to cause trouble: "If you don't agree, it means you have other intentions."

"What other thoughts could I possibly have?"

"What are you thinking? Everyone says the old is not as good as the new, and I am that old person."

Bai Yuan couldn't help but laugh: "You're really getting carried away."

Zhou Yaren grabbed her wrist and tied the slipknot of the ribbon into a knot.

Bai Yuan found it quite interesting, and said casually, "This kind of thing breaks easily, not as strong as the shackles that bind you and me."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yaren paused, then said nonchalantly, "It's different. This is a red thread, used to tie up a marriage. It's to remind you that you already have someone, and that you and I are committed to each other for life."

There was something else he kept to himself, something he absolutely couldn't say aloud: "This is probably all the good fortune I'll ever have in my life."

Zhou Yaren suddenly felt more uncomfortable than ever before. His nose stung, and his eyes felt sore. Then he heard Bai Yuan say, "I'll remember that."

Zhou Yaren immediately covered Bai Yuan's face, trying her best not to let her notice.

Bai Yuan sensed something was wrong. She moved back a little, raised her hand to lift Zhou Yaren's face, and stared at his red eyes, asking, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing much," Zhou Yaren couldn't avoid the question, so she smiled with red eyes, "I'm just happy."

He just said he was happy.

Bai Yuan scrutinized him for a moment and understood that he had suffered a great deal of pain time and time again, and rarely had any happy moments.

It's clear that he's happy, but not entirely happy.

Some people laugh while crying, some cry while laughing. Which one is Zhou Yaren?

Bai Yuan suddenly felt a pang of heartache: "Ya Ren..."

"Um?"

Bai Yuan said, "There won't be anyone else."

Zhou Yaren smiled genuinely: "It's a deal."

"Um."

"Come see me next time."

"It's too early to say..."

"Will you agree or not?"

"promise."

Zhou Yaren was finally satisfied. He kissed Bai Yuan's lips and estimated that it was about time. Bai Yuan had been lacking energy since being seriously injured by Qiu Jue Dao, and his body could not be maintained for long. Zhou Yaren had roughly figured out this pattern. At midnight, he opened the door and stepped out with the Death-Reporting Umbrella.

Zhou Yaren changed back into her old clothes and knocked on the door to wake Elder He and Lin Mu, who were already asleep.

Lin Mu was still half asleep, his eyelids drooping, when he heard the person who had disturbed his sweet dream speak solemnly, saying that they had a favor to ask.

Lin Mu was so sleepy that he mumbled, "What unreasonable request is it?"

"I need to ask your sect for a favor."

Lin Mu tried hard to open his eyelids, but they felt incredibly heavy. He struggled to open them even a crack: "What can I do for you?"

"I would like to ask the Taihang Sect to protect her for me." Zhou Yaren handed the Death-Reporting Umbrella to Lin Mu. "The journey to Taihang is not far now. I ask you to set off tonight and bring the Death-Reporting Umbrella back to your sect."

In an instant, Lin Mu, who was dozing off, suddenly woke up. He stared blankly at Ting Fengzhi, then looked down at the Death Umbrella held between his hands, and suddenly sat up, instantly wide awake: "What?!"

"I...I...go...I...back to...my sect..." Lin Mu was practically incoherent. Did Ting Feng just tell him to take the Death-Reporting Umbrella back to Taihang?

Zhou Yaren repeated the instructions once more.

Lin Mu, who had been acting silly, suddenly became anxious: "No, why? Has the Smiling Man come?"

"Not yet, but they'll be here soon, so please leave tonight and take the Death Umbrella back to the Taihang Mountains."

"Tonight? By myself? But my senior brothers haven't returned yet, I have to..."

"Don't worry, I've already sent Brother Tang to Shanzhou to tell Liuyun. They'll go back on their own afterward. You and Elder He can go first tonight."

Lin Mu finally realized something was wrong; it seemed like Ting Feng had everything planned out: "What about you? Aren't you coming back to Taihang with us?"

Lin Mu was stunned. He never expected that if Zhou Yaren wanted to go to Taihang Road with him, she wouldn't have handed the Death Umbrella to him.

Zhou Yaren said, "I'm not going."

Lin Mu asked anxiously, "Then where are you going?"

Zhou Yaren didn't make up any other reason: "My friend is in Shanzhou."

Lin Mu certainly knew who his friend was: "Officer Lu?"

"right."

"Are he and the Gu master both in Shanzhou?"

"right."

"Are you going alone?" Lin Mu couldn't possibly feel at ease. Besides, in Shanzhou, besides the Gu Master, there was also that damned Smiling Face. Ting Feng knew that going there would be suicide. "No, you're still injured and can't even walk properly."

"It wasn't just one person; Liu Yun and the others are all in Shanzhou."

"But..." What's the use? Even if all the senior brothers combined are no match for the Smiling Man.

Zhou Yaren was determined to leave: "I'll just have to entrust Bai Yuan to you and the elders' care along the way."