Chapter 35

Chapter Thirty-Five

Early in the morning, Meng Yingying, with her stomach still empty, was about to hear an NPC report on their mission. The moment she sat down, the wound on her calf aggravated, and she gasped in pain. Shou Changyue noticed her expression and asked with concern, "What happened to you?" Meng Yingying, of course, wouldn't share her troubles with an NPC, so she naturally replied, "Nothing serious."

Meng Yingying politely added, "Thank you for your concern." Her mind was full of other things. Normally, she would have found a suitable reason to attribute it to the dream.

"Am I bothering you?" Shou Changyue lowered her voice, and anyone who heard it would sense a strange melancholy. Her previously chaotic emotions instantly transformed into a slightly awkward and helpless feeling. She looked at him earnestly. He had his eyes downcast; he was not yet an adult, had not yet tied his hair up, and his half-loose hair made him appear frail, with a faint sadness in his expression. Meng Yingying's saintly heart overflowed again.

"What do you want to tell me?" Meng Yingying softened her voice, after all, she had promised to chat. She completely forgot that she had just thought this was just a scene where an NPC was giving out a quest.

Shou Changyue breathed a sigh of relief and looked at her sincerely: "Please rest assured, young lady, I didn't mean anything by it. I just remembered what you told me about my mother yesterday."

“I suddenly really wanted to talk to you. In our family, my father doesn’t allow my brother and me to mention our mother. The only way I can express my longing is by looking at her portrait and gazing at it for a while. But the more carefully I look at it, the more hazy my memory of my mother becomes.”

Meng Yingying's hand clenched slightly. She understood this kind of emotion all too well. Time will erode people's memories. No matter how hard you try to remember, you will eventually forget because too much time has passed. And the most terrible thing is that you don't want to forget, but you still can't change it. Shou Changyue had this thought about her mother, and Meng Yingying had the same feeling about her mother.

Meng Yingying said, "Perhaps saying it will only intensify your mother's memory."

Shou Changyue looked at her and said, "I may offend you by saying this, but you look a lot like my mother."

Meng Yingying did not interrupt him, but continued to listen to him continue.

As Shou Changyue recounted the story, Meng Yingying envisioned a free-spirited and unrestrained girl from the 21st century.

"My mother's name is Teng Yu'e. She is very beautiful, the kind of beauty that is fresh and natural. She likes light blue the most. She met my father when the apricot blossoms were in bloom."

Spring is in full bloom. In April, the delicate apricot blossoms, still in bud, unfurl their petals, turning into snow-white flowers that adorn the entire tree. Shouquan picked up a fallen petal, a bruise on his lip, and stepped forward, his hand suddenly halting.

Beneath the apricot blossoms, her light blue skirt unfurled, a vibrant splash of blue appearing amidst the white, rippling gently. After painfully recognizing him, she cried out for help without hesitation: "Please, save me."

"I can't die yet... I can't die yet..."

Shou Quanli clenched his hands, which were covered in chilblains, and wanted to turn around and leave. If he took her back, he would definitely be beaten to death. Shou Quanli, do you have to make so much trouble for yourself?

Shouquan stood still, constantly warning himself.

As Teng Yu'e looked into his eyes, some of her expectations gradually faded. Just as her eyelids were about to fall heavily, she was lifted up. Her hands were weak, and in her surprise, she saw his appearance. He was not handsome, and even quite rugged.

"I'll take you back, but you'll have to figure out your own food, drinks, and lodging."

"I will heal you," he said curtly, and then led her away.

Shou Quan didn't even look down into her eyes. Teng Yu'e knew she had no way to say no, after all, she could die at any moment. Leaning against his chest, she whispered her thanks.

Shouquan walked forward without looking to the side.

During the journey, Teng Yu'e was steadily carried along. Her eyelids felt heavy, and she felt so tired. She really wanted to sleep. Then, she heard Shou Quan's cold voice from above:

"What's your name?"

"Teng...Yu'e".

Why are you here?

"I'm lost."

"Where is home?"

"Lin'an City..."

"Um."

...

This tedious conversation continued all the way until Shouquan put her in an abandoned cowshed, which was filled with the smell of cow dung, but not very foul.

Faced with this environment, Teng Yu'e's expression remained calm. Shou Quan looked at her clean clothes and felt a strong sense of unease. He said to her, "Don't make a sound, don't go out, rest quietly." After she nodded, he stepped out.

"Don't sleep," he coldly instructed from outside, his stern face expressionless.

Teng Yu'e was quite sleepy, but after hearing this, she barely managed to lift her eyes and gave a friendly smile: "Okay."

Shouquan looked at her smile, his eyes flashing quickly, and his mouth spoke faster than his brain: "Don't smile." Without waiting for her reaction, he disappeared from her sight in an instant.

Before long, she finally saw his poker face behind a huge pile of straw. He put the straw stack on the ground and said to her, "Lie down on this." The huge pile of straw was much more comfortable than the cold, abandoned cowshed floor.

Teng Yu'e wanted to smile and thank him, but then remembered that he had told her not to smile, so she held it in and said in a serious tone, "Thank you."

Her back was already covered in a thin layer of sweat from the pain, and her hands involuntarily twisted the fabric of her clothes at her chest.

Upon seeing this, Shouquan frowned and asked, "Are you injured in the chest?"

Teng Yu'e leaned back: "It's a heart ailment."

Shou Quanli looked at her and asked, "What kind of medicinal herbs do you need?"

Teng Yu'e knew perfectly well that this disease was completely incurable, but she couldn't help but smile and jokingly said, "I need a plate of spicy chicken."

Shou Quan nodded slightly, and before she could react, he quickly walked out.

Teng Yu'e couldn't stop him even if she wanted to.

Shouquan walked out, looked at the chickens in the coop, and reached out to grab one without hesitation. The chicken clucked, and the door of the thatched hut creaked open, revealing a man with an unnatural gait and a deep scar across his face. Seeing the chicken in his hand, he lowered his eyes and said, "What are you doing?"

His voice was unpleasant, rough and deep.

"Godfather... I want to eat spicy chicken," he said.

The man chuckled sinisterly, walked up to him, and slapped him across the face. Shouquan's face turned to the side, but he showed no displeasure. Instead, he repeated, "Godfather, I want to eat spicy chicken."

The man was sinister and resentful, wishing he could kill him, yet he also only wanted to torment him.

"Okay, you want to eat it, but what will you give in exchange?"

As night fell, Shouquan walked into the abandoned shed. Before she even entered, she smelled the aroma of spicy chicken. The pain in her chest seemed to lessen. She stood there, stunned, until his face appeared before her. At that moment, all the expectation on Teng Yu'e's face vanished.

Shou Quanli had his right eye tightly closed, and bright red liquid was flowing from the corner of his eye. This scene gave Teng Yu'e a deep visual shock.

In his hands, a porcelain bowl held spicy chicken.

Teng Yu'e stared at him in shock: "You—"

Shouquan placed the spicy chicken in front of her, then interrupted her, saying, "Don't ask."

He uttered two words in a low voice. Teng Yu'e picked up the bowl, took a bite with her hand, and put it in her mouth. Her tongue felt the spiciness, but tears welled up in her eyes uncontrollably: "What's your name?"

"Shouquanli".

"Shou Quanli, will you marry me?" Her voice was trembling with tears, and Shou Quanli could only see her clearly with one eye.

Teng Yu'e was in despair; she could see no end to the future.

Teng Yu'e stammered, "Why does it have to be me? Why did I have to come here? Why... why... I can't go back... I really can't go back... He could never possibly like me."

A cracking pain began in my chest, as if my entire chest was about to break apart.

Shou Quanli's cold face suddenly twitched.

"You will go back, someone will like you, don't be afraid." His cold voice softened, a softening he himself didn't even realize. In Shouquan's mind, something began to break down, and he suddenly wanted to hug her.

Teng Yu'e reached out and threw herself into his arms.

“That’s how my mother and father met. Later, my father escaped his control and came to Xinghua Village, which you see here now. He and my mother had us. My father took in many people, and most of the people in the village have benefited from my father’s kindness.” Shou Changyue’s mouth was dry as he drank the cold water. In the intervals between his drinks, Meng Yingying listened to this passage and her mind was almost completely connected. If Shou Changyue’s mother was a transmigrator, why did she choose to give birth to Shou Changyue and Shou Changxing here, but later become crazy?

This is so strange.

Just then, the door was pushed open, and a person in flowing white robes walked in. His gaze fell on them, and Meng Yingying froze for a moment before exclaiming in surprise, "Senior Brother!"

Zhou Xiuqi glanced at her, and as she approached, behind her stood Cong Rong, Xiao Zheyu, Kong Fusheng, and an unfamiliar girl. Kong Fusheng leaned closer and glanced at Shou Changyue.

With a reproachful expression, she said, "Senior Meng, even though A-Guai isn't here, you can't do something like this." Meng Yingying retorted inwardly, "Who said A-Guai isn't here?"

Meng Yingying didn't argue with him, but to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings, she introduced Shou Changyue: "This is Shou Changyue, the son of the village chief of Xinghua Village."

"He wanted to have a chat with me." After explaining, she changed the subject.

"How did you get here?" Meng Yingying asked.

Zhou Xiuqi's gaze swept over Shou Changyue, who smiled and greeted him. Zhou Xiuqi then calmly withdrew his gaze, a hint of mockery on his lips. Hearing Meng Yingying's question, he spoke bluntly the next second: "It's not appropriate." His words were concise and abrupt, and Meng Yingying had a feeling that what he said wouldn't be pleasant.

Kong Fusheng asked, dumbfounded, "What's inappropriate?"

Zhou Xiuqi said, "Place, people."

The air was still for a few seconds.

Shou Changyue broke the eerie silence first, not addressing anyone else, but saying to Meng Yingying, "We really do get along well."

Can I contact you again next time?

Meng Yingying just wanted to get rid of him as soon as possible, so she nodded with a smile, but then she noticed that Shou Changyue's gaze was fixed on the door. Who was outside the door?

The crisp sound of bells jingling against gold ornaments produced a melodious sound like jade pendants. A slender, beautiful hand rested on the door frame, its wrist protruding. Shang Mang appeared outside the door at some unknown time, his smile somewhat flamboyant. Meng Yingying, however, remembered that the more beautiful the flower, the more wicked it was.

For example, oleander.

For example, Shang Mang.

Shang Mang gripped the doorframe and stepped inside. A strong fragrance filled the room. Xiao Zheyu glanced at him; the man looked familiar, but she had never seen his face before. Why did this man smell so strongly of perfume?

Shang Mang looked at Shou Changyue: "Fate?" He tilted his head and smiled, as if he had heard something funny. He chuckled: "What kind of fate is this? Tell me in detail."

Shou Changyue's face froze, and he instinctively tried to hide behind Meng Yingying. Meng Yingying didn't react either. Shang Mang's eyes suddenly turned deep and red, and he reached out and pulled him closer: "Have you forgotten?"

“This is mine, sister.”

"Getting close to my sister will kill you," he said with a smile, his crimson lips looking as if they were about to bleed.

Shou Changyue's eyes flickered as she looked at Meng Yingying.

As soon as Meng Yingying reached out her hand, Shang Mang pushed her out the door.

The door in front of Meng Yingying slammed shut with a loud "bang," and the person who closed the door squeezed into her line of sight.

“No need to pay attention to irrelevant people.” He patted the dust off his hands. Although Meng Yingying was a little annoyed by him, seeing that his expression was not good, she couldn’t help but wonder what he was doing every time he went out.