nightmare

Liu Qingbai was in a daze and had many dreams. He dreamed of many people, his mother, his father, and Bao Fu. So many people passed by him that he couldn't catch any of them.

The dream ended with Feichun and Helanzhu leaving him together, and he couldn't catch them no matter what.

He roared at the top of his lungs, but the two of them didn't even turn around. For a long time, only Helan Zhu raised Feichun's hand as if to show off.

Damn it! Liu Qingbai tried to pry his hands apart, but his movements were in vain.

When I woke up, there was no one in the strange house.

Quietly, the door was pushed open, and it was Shen Ju'an who had not been seen for a long time.

"Second Young Master Liu, don't get up. Are you feeling better?" Shen Ju'an found a seat while talking to himself. Without waiting for Liu Qingbai to reply, he continued, "I passed by Twin Snake Mountain and saw Second Young Master Liu poisoned by a snake in a dilapidated temple. I saw you unconscious, so I brought you back. But what happened?"

Accidents? There are so many accidents that I don’t know where to start.

"Why is Mr. Shen here?" Liu Qingbai changed the subject, not wanting to recall what had happened.

"Of course, I came here to take up my post at the order of the imperial court."

"What position?"

"He's just a small official, a county magistrate."

"The student would like to congratulate Master Shen. Unfortunately, I have nothing now."

This is just a polite remark, but the fact is that I have nothing.

"It's okay. We're no longer teacher and student, so there's no need to address each other that way. You just need to get well."

Liu Qingbai didn't understand why Shen Ju'an saved him. What good could a waste like him do?

"Thank you very much."

This place is only a dozen days' journey from Mingyue Mountain, but Feichun left him behind.

He looked up and saw a bright moon in the night sky.

Saying he'll never give up is all lies. It's a lie, if he really died, it would be a lie for a lifetime. But he was allowed to live. Where are you, worm?

Even when he was in the North Courtyard and he was in such a miserable state, Chong'er didn't give up on him. Why would she abandon him so easily now?

Is it because of Helan Zhu?

Liu Qingbai suddenly lowered his head and chuckled, then kill him.

Will the bugs protect him?

He didn't know, but he knew that if the insects protected him, he would be even more likely to die.

It would be best if I died without anyone noticing, so that the insects wouldn't be sad and would just think that I had gone somewhere else.

He will come to Mingyue Mountain, but not now.

"Sir, it's cold at night, go back to the house early."

Is that the sound of insects?

He looked back in surprise, but lowered his eyes dejectedly.

The maid's voice happened to be somewhat similar, and she draped the cloak over Liu Qingbai's shoulders.

If it wasn't her, how could she be here? Perhaps she had already gone up Mingyue Mountain with Helan Zhu, entered Mingyue Village, and met that Nie Qing.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"My name is Chanjuan, and Master Shen has ordered me to serve you."

The maid didn't look like Chong'er. She had a rough and even bloated figure, but her voice was about 70% similar.

"Thank your master for his kindness on my behalf, but please go. I'm used to being alone."

The North Courtyard is always alone. Of course, there is also Bao Fu...

The thought of this made his heart ache.

There are very few people in this world who treat him well, and they leave him one after another.

Perhaps because he was a useless man, God took everyone away one by one. Family, friends, and lovers were all taken away. He thought that Feichun was the only one in the world who would never leave him, and that Feichun was the only one who would love him and never leave him.

After all, he was too greedy.

Liu Qingbai held a silver hairpin in his palm, which prickled with hair. The more he tightened his grip, the more painful it became. It was the hairpin that had pierced his shoulder when the insect had pierced his shoulder.

Blood was all over the floor. Chanjuan took a handkerchief to wipe it, but was dodged.

"No need, this matter has nothing to do with you, go back."

Seeing that the girl was still kneeling and refusing to leave, all he felt was disgust and nausea.

There was a loud bang. He had slammed the door shut, like a slap in the face. He just didn't want to chase her away himself; it was dirty.

Now, late at night, Liu Qingbai lay alone on the couch, no one to be wrapped in his arms, and no one could smell the fragrance of jasmine powder. Faced with the dim room and unfamiliar environment, he could only light the familiar incense to regain a sense of security.

In the dream, amidst the swirling clouds and mist, a figure of a bug suddenly appeared. In a grove of peach blossoms, a steaming pool rose. Feichun was clad in a thin silk shirt, her porcelain-white skin faintly visible. She emerged from the water like a snake, snaking around his waist and causing his lower abdomen to tighten.

"Bug?"

Liu Qingbai stroked Feichun's cheek, asking her to look up at him and see herself clearly.

But Feichun in the dream had her eyes covered with a thin veil, unable to see. She used her hands as eyes, slowly climbing up his waist, then his chest, then his shoulders, caressing his skin inch by inch, and finally crawling beside his ear, breathing in and out her breath.

Today it’s still jasmine powder.

He stroked Chong'er's wet hair, pressed it gently against the back of her neck, and whispered, "Who do you think I am?"

Liu Qingbai waited for a moment, and only felt the girl clinging to his shoulders hesitate for a moment, then whispered back, "Is it Helan Zhu?"

Helan Zhu?

Suddenly, murderous intent arose.

Liu Qingbai grabbed Feichun's neck and pulled off the veil covering her eyes: "Look carefully, who am I!"

“Please…”

In those dark pupils, he saw himself with tears on his face.

He let go of her hand, knelt in front of Feichun, and asked in an almost begging voice, "Why did you abandon me?"

Why?

"Because..." she said coldly, "You are trash."

In an instant, water splashed everywhere and Liu Qingbai woke up from his dream.

He looked around and saw the maid named Chanjuan kneeling beside his bed.

"Sir, you are having a nightmare. I asked the kitchen to make some brown rice and barley porridge." She held the porcelain bowl above her head. The porridge in the bowl was still steaming, so it must have been freshly cooked.

"Why don't you leave?" Liu Qingbai didn't take the porridge, but asked calmly.

"My master has ordered me to serve you. I will do my best to serve you."

Sure enough, there would not be another bug in the world that would come just for him.

After a long silence, Liu Qingbai finally said, "Take it and drink it yourself."

Shen Ju'an wrote a letter of recommendation for Liu Qingbai. The empire was in turmoil, and the court was in need of talent. Soon, Liu Qingbai was offered a small official position: a county lieutenant.

Together with Shen Ju'an, we live in a corner of Shuangshe County.

Liu Qingbai was sitting in the restaurant. Today was the feast prepared by Shen Ju'an for him, so he couldn't refuse.

There is a private room with two 8-person tables. The dishes on the tables are all mountain delicacies and are very expensive.

Just looking at the dishes themselves, if we didn’t mention it, it would be like the world is at peace and the people are prosperous.

"Brother Shen, Liu is just a county lieutenant, why do we need such a grand ceremony?"

Shen Ju'an was obviously drunk and started talking nonsense.

He asked, "What do you think we gain from being officials?"

Liu Qingbai replied, "I still remember Mr. Shen's teachings: Establish a mind for heaven and earth, establish a destiny for the people, carry on the lost knowledge of the past sages, and bring peace to the world for all eternity."

"Wrong!" Shen Ju'an refuted forcefully, "It's all for! Face! Money! And power!"

He put his arm around Liu Qingbai's shoulder and continued, "What the hell is this peaceful and peaceful life? Can I, Chen Wei, achieve this alone?"

Liu Qingbai helped Shen Ju'an back to the house. He was drunk and swearing all the way, unable to cover his mouth.

Once they arrived at the mansion, they threw him to the maid.

"Don't you have a mistress in the Shen Mansion?"

Liu Qingbai had been puzzled for a long time. He had not seen Aunt Fan, nor any other concubines or the woman in charge.

"Mr. Shen hasn't married yet." The maid covered her mouth and smiled shyly.

Not married yet? Where did Concubine Fan go? Didn't she elope with Shen Ju'an?

"Don't mention it! Ning Hua doesn't love me at all!"

I don't know who brought it up, but it wasn't Liu Qingbai. Shen Ju'an suddenly sat up and began to babble, half drunk.

"She just wanted to use me to escape from the Liu family!"

Speaking of this, Shen Juan was even more angry. Then, drunkenly, he began to complain bitterly.

As soon as he and Fan Ninghua left the city gate, Ninghua said goodbye to him.

She was riding on a horse with a veil on her head. In the setting sun, she was a figure that he could not catch up with.

He only left one sentence: "Brother Shen, take care of yourself."

"Brother Liu, the world is so chaotic right now, how can a girl like her survive alone? She just despises me for not having any official position or job! I'm just a pedantic scholar! She wants to find a better partner..."

Liu Qingbai listened to his chattering, and his thoughts had already flown away.

In troubled times, a woman can survive on her own. Why must she cling to someone? If a woman must cling to a man to survive, then how could his worm... leave him? She should cling to him, please him.

But his insects, his crickets, his magnolias, his Feichun... she doesn't need to please anyone, she is the most perfect woman in the world.

No! It's not his! It's not Liu Qingbai's!

It belongs to her.

"Brother Liu, please say something!" Shen Ju'an was tired of talking to himself, so he asked Liu Qingbai to agree.

Liu Qingbai hesitated for a moment before continuing, "They are free to live their own lives."

Mingyue Mountain is named after the bright moon that surrounds the mountain peaks.

There is a lake on Mingyue Mountain, named Mingyue Lake. There is also a village on Mingyue Mountain, named Mingyue Village.

There was a knight in Mingyue Village named Nie Qing. He held a mother-and-child sword in his hand and wore a Pisces jade pendant around his waist.

"Hero Nie, this is a gift from Miss Yin." Helan Zhu handed over the jade pendant respectfully, but a cold light flashed and the sharp blade was already in front of his throat.

"A man?" Nie Qing lowered his head and chuckled. "Why would Zi Yan give the jade pendant to a man? You must have stolen it!"

Swords and knives have no eyes.

He Lanzhu immediately explained, "Miss Yin did not give the jade pendant to him. She gave it to another Miss Ye. However, Miss Ye was in an accident on Twin Snake Mountain and fell off a cliff. She was unconscious for several days and never regained consciousness. That's why He Lanzhu had to take the jade pendant and ask Miss Nie for help."

"really?"

Nie Qing turned his head and saw that there was indeed a cart behind Helan Zhu. A pale woman was lying on the cart, and another burly woman was pushing the cart.

"She?" Nie Qing was skeptical.

"That's right!" He Lanzhu knelt before Nie Qing and begged, "Please, lady, save Miss Ye!"

"I would save you even without you telling me!"