Chapter 104 Even in the face of utter destruction, I will never turn back in the darkest night. ...

It was past 7 PM, the busiest time for the taverns on the street corner. Guests sat around tables, chatting and laughing happily. Lou Cangyu had been in Rongdu for several months, only ever going to Shiya Pavilion with Xiao Ma and the others, and even then, he only looked around without ever sitting down. Although the taverns on West Street were far less luxurious than Shiya Pavilion, the clinking of glasses still dazzled Lou Cangyu. Standing outside the threshold, Lou Cangyu hesitated, afraid that Wushuang would see through his inexperience. Hesitating, unsure of what to do, his palms, gripping the sword, were damp with sweat.

Seeing the boy's embarrassment, Wushuang gently pulled Lou Cangyu's stiff wrist and led him straight to an empty table. "Hurry up, this is the best tavern in Rongdu. If we wait any longer, there won't be any seats left."

Lou Cangyu's mind went blank. Ren Wushuang led him, and all he could see was her elegant jade-colored face dress.

"—You two look unfamiliar." The innkeeper's shrewd eyes darted between the two. The young swordsman was reserved, clearly inexperienced, while the woman in the masked robes was elegant in her simple blue dress, her brows serene, suggesting some background. The innkeeper tilted his head, looking at Wushuang, "My shop's name is…"

“I know about family cuisine.” Wushuang took off her clothes, and her imposing demeanor made the shopkeeper tremble uncontrollably. “We want rouge goose breast, crispy fried quail, steamed aged preserved meat, crab soup, and a jar of ten-year-old daughter’s red wine.”

The shopkeeper probably hadn't expected that a complete stranger could know his shop's signature dishes so well. He nodded vigorously and hurried off to prepare the dishes, leaving Lou Cangyu dumbfounded, staring blankly at Wushuang.

"Do you come out often?" Lou Cangyu managed to squeeze out the question.

Wushuang blinked like an elf, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw the shopkeeper walk away. She leaned against Lou Cangyu with her elbow on the table and said in a low voice, "This is my first time here too."

Lou Cangyu swallowed hard. "Then how do you know everything?"

Wushuang chuckled softly, "Haven't you ever seen a pig run even if you haven't eaten pork? The head of the inner quarters, Shen Ao, his wife loves the family cuisine at this tavern the most. Shen Ao is afraid of his wife, so he sends someone here to buy the dishes every few days. When he explains the dishes, I listen in and remember them." Wushuang pointed to her heart as she spoke, "Everyone says that the family cuisine is a recipe passed down from the imperial kitchen. I've wanted to try it for a long time."

After hearing Wushuang's explanation, Lou Cangyu was completely convinced and gave her a thumbs up. He looked around, then, imitating Wushuang, he propped his elbow on the table and leaned closer to her. "So... you've really seen a pig run?"

Their eyes met for a moment, and they couldn't help but chuckle. Wushuang was usually aloof and unapproachable, but her hearty laughter was even more captivating. Was he the only one who had ever seen her like this before...? Lou Cangyu thought, a sweet feeling welling up in his heart.

When the dishes were laid out, Lou Cangyu was stunned once again. Not only were they incredibly fragrant, but the presentation was also exquisite. Even the steamed preserved meat was arranged in a floral display. This was no longer food; it was clearly a decorative piece. Lou Cangyu's stomach rumbled, and he swallowed hard, but he couldn't bear to touch the exquisite presentation with his chopsticks.

Wushuang rolled up her sleeves, picked up a piece of marinated, bright red goose breast, and put it into Lou Cangyu's bowl. "Eat it."

Lou Cangyu felt a warmth in his heart. Just as he was about to take a sip, he suddenly remembered something, picked up the wine jar, and quickly filled Wushuang's cup. "This wine smells wonderful as soon as it's opened. You should drink it."

Wushuang sat still, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at Lou Cangyu and said, "I'll serve you food, and you'll pour me wine. Lou Cangyu, what are you up to?"

Lou Cangyu's heart skipped a beat. Not knowing what she had done wrong, she hurriedly dropped the wine jar, looking bewildered. She grabbed a fried quail with her bare hands and handed it to Wushuang, saying, "Then...then you eat some too..."

Wushuang was amused by his helplessness. She suppressed a laugh and took the fried quail. She took a bite and found it so crispy that it crumbled into pieces. She couldn't even catch it in her palm. Lou Cangyu burst out laughing and almost bit his tongue when the goose breast went into his mouth.

A few tables away, Wan Qixi, who was drinking alone, had noticed the somewhat awkward couple at this table. He watched them with interest for a while, then shook his head and smiled as he poured himself another full glass of wine.

"What are you looking at? And you're laughing?" Song Mian wiped his sweat and strode over. He had been following Wan Qixi around for several days. Song Mian skillfully pulled up a stool and sat down opposite him, picked up his teacup and drank it all in one gulp. "I'm exhausted today."

Seeing Wan Qixi staring blankly at something, Song Mian curiously looked over and, upon seeing the face of the sword-wielding youth, opened his mouth and said "Oh."

"You recognize them?" Wan Qixi whispered in his throat.

Having carried heavy bags all day, Song Mian was starving and didn't even bother to answer Wan Qixi. He reached out to pick up the biggest quail, but Wan Qixi slapped his charcoal-covered hand away with his chopsticks and frowned, saying, "I'm asking you a question. Do you know them?"

Song Mian turned his head and glanced at the sword-wielding youth again. "I don't recognize him, but I've seen him before. That sword-wielding youth is a swordsman from Xingguo Ward. As for the woman..." Song Mian blinked a few times, "The woman... I've never seen her before."

"I forgot you went to Xingguo Lane." Wanqi Xi put down her chopsticks and looked at Qingyi Wushuang, who had taken off her veil.

Song Mian picked up the quail, crunching loudly bone and all. He took such big bites that he had to drink quite a bit of wine before swallowing it whole. As he gnawed, he said, "Boss Wanqi, what are you staring at that woman for? She's beautiful, but how old is she? You... aren't you a bit too old..."

Wan Qixi spat out a mouthful of wine, glared, and said, "You can't expect anything good to come out of a dog's mouth. What nonsense are you spouting?"

“That’s true.” Song Mian sucked the oil off his fingers and said aggrievedly, “A woman that beautiful is a perfect match for a young talent like us, but she’s really not a good match for you…”

"Pah!" If they weren't in public, Wan Qixi would have already given Song Mian a good beating. "A fairy-like figure, you think you're a match for her? Besides, even if I stuffed a quail in your mouth, you'd be a better match for a quail."

Lou Cangyu had never tasted such delicious food in his life. At first, he was a little reserved, afraid of losing his composure in front of Wushuang. On the contrary, Wushuang calmly sipped the wine in her bowl, and even her breath was filled with the intoxicating aroma of wine, which made Lou Cangyu feel dizzy and see double.

The joy in his heart wasn't because of what he ate, but because of the person in front of him. Lou Cangyu propped his head up with one hand, holding a wine bowl in the other, staring blankly at Wushuang's rosy cheeks, his soul seemingly leaving his body.

"Why are you staring at me?" Wushuang grabbed the wine jar, her body going limp like a cat.

"Peerless." Lou Cangyu felt as if another version of herself was speaking, "You are so beautiful."

Wushuang smiled and said, "I know, everyone has said I'm beautiful since I was little."

"You are even more wonderful than they say." Lou Cangyu suddenly downed the wine in his bowl, slammed the empty bowl down, and said with all his might, "Can I... still be with you?"

"What... shall we do together?" The man with the blank eyes tempted the slightly drunk Lou Cangyu.

Lou Cangyu picked up the sword beside him. "Let's test swords together, drink together, and... just like now. As long as I'm with you, nothing else matters."

"Testing the sword?" Wushuang smiled faintly. "Would you be willing to let your sword break again?"

Lou Cangyu pushed his beloved sword toward Wushuang, his eyes blazing with fire, "I'm willing to do anything."

"I don't want your sword." Wushuang pushed the sword back to Lou Cangyu, picked up her cloak to cover her jade-like face, and said, "What I want, you can't give me."

Lou Cangyu's face was flushed, and his breath reeked of alcohol. "Whatever you want, I'll give it to you." Seeing Wushuang get up to leave, Lou Cangyu leaped to block her way. "I'd give you my life."

Not far away, Wan Qixi also stood up, his rough fingers secretly reaching for his sword. Song Mian was picking at the soup and rice in his bowl when he suddenly caught a glimpse of Wan Qixi's actions and was so startled that he almost slipped off his stool.

Wushuang reached out and touched Lou Cangyu's burning face. The soft skin made Lou Cangyu's Adam's apple bob, and he instantly became as quiet as a child. He wanted to cover Wushuang's hand, but he didn't dare. Everything that had happened tonight was as beautiful as a dream. Lou Cangyu was afraid that if he touched her, he would wake up from the dream. He had heard the old man on Canglang Island say that dreams and reality are opposites. The more beautiful the dream, the more painful the reality. If he could, Lou Cangyu wished he could stay trapped in this dream and die in it willingly.

"—Boss Wanqi…" Song Mian called out timidly, "Have you run into an enemy?"

"Manager!" Wan Qixi raised his sword and waved it. The tavern manager hurriedly put down his abacus and rushed over.

Wan Qixi wiped the wine stains from his mouth with the back of his hand, took out a silver ingot from his pocket, whispered a few words into the shopkeeper's ear, and the shopkeeper glanced at the man and woman at the next table and nodded in understanding.

Wan Qixi lowered his arrogant brows, slung his sword over his shoulder, and, too lazy to pay any attention to Song Mian, lazily stepped out of the tavern door, hiccuping. "Such petty love affairs, as if no one has never been in one before. Acting like it's life or death, it's laughable."

Song Mian hurriedly followed, and as he left, he couldn't help but turn his head to look at the swordsmen of Xingguo Ward, his sunken eyes revealing a hint of envy.

"Let's go." Wushuang flicked her finger and poked Lou Cangyu's forehead. "It's almost past 7 PM, aren't you afraid your godfather will come looking for you?"

"Don't be afraid." Lou Cangyu continued to let her poke at him. "I've been out for several hours, have you seen anyone come looking for me?"

Wushuang lowered her delicate hand and gazed at Lou Cangyu, saying, "If I were them, I would definitely come looking for you."

With just this one sentence, Lou Cangyu would risk his life.

Seeing the shopkeeper glancing at them from time to time, Lou Cangyu thought of something, reached into his robes, and his face suddenly flushed. Wushuang pressed his hand down, "It seems someone has already paid for us."

"Pay the bill for us? Who?" Lou Cangyu asked doubtfully.

Wushuang watched the figures on West Street gradually disappear into the distance, then calmly walked out of the tavern. "Just think of him as...someone who wants to befriend me."

Lou Cangyu was confused, but he didn't want to think about it too much. Since he planned to be with Wushuang, the people Wushuang befriended would also be the people he befriended. It didn't matter who they were.

“Boss Wanqi.” Song Mian counted on his fingers. He could read and do math, but something felt off the whole way. “You gave me way too much silver ingot just now, and the shopkeeper hasn’t given us any change yet. Why are we leaving? Should I go and ask him for it back?”

"If you utter another word of nonsense," Wan Qixi whirled around, drew half a horizontal sword, and brandished it fiercely at Song Mian, "Believe it or not, I'll cut out your tongue."

Song Mian covered his mouth, shaking his head to indicate that he would not say another word. Suddenly, as if he had seen something horrifying, he let out a low cry and shrank back under Wan Qixi's horizontal blade. "A-Jiu?"

Ajiu? Wanqixi followed the gaze and, amidst the interplay of light and shadow, a man in black brocade robes walked by carrying a sword. Several other men in black robes appeared in the crowd, following closely behind him. Passersby might not notice anything unusual, but Wanqixi only needed one glance to tell that these mysterious men were all formidable experts from the Imperial Palace, the Eagle Guards, and only the Black Eagle Guards of the Eastern Palace.

“No, he’s not A-Jiu.” Song Mian stared wide-eyed and said firmly, “He’s not A-Jiu.”

How could you see that? Wan Qixi picked up the hilt of his knife and tapped Song Mian on the back of the head. "You're blind from drinking too much. Let's go."

Song Mian kept rubbing his hands together until his fingertips turned blue. Although he obediently followed behind Wan Qixi, he still looked back at the man in black from time to time.

Wan Qixi looked up and took a deep breath of the cold night air. He could feel it; it was as if an invisible force was trying to pull everyone into an unknown abyss. But even if they were doomed, Wan Qixi would never turn back.