It was just an old friend reuniting
Chapter Thirty-Two
The silver bells rang through the night, the ship's fire still burning.
At the entrance of the alley and along the riverbank, a tall, slender figure stood.
He crouched down, his fingers brushing across the water of the Wei River, ripples spreading from his fingertips. "Young Master."
A soft call made the man frown. He straightened up, the charred sword tassel dangling from the sword, dappled light falling on Xuan Qingxian's cold face. His eyes looked at the other man coldly, full of vigilance. "I don't know you."
The person who came smiled, not angry at all. "Now I recognize you."
Zhou Yulin slept soundly without any dreams, and when she woke up, the sun was already high in the sky.
The woman supported her lower back, feeling aches all over her body. She thought about it and realized it was probably because she had been studying the subject late into the night the day before.
Zhou Yulin got out of bed, tidied her clothes, and quietly went out alone.
Following the route in her mind, she arrived at Xie Wuwang's house in no time. Unexpectedly, there were already other people there besides her.
The woman paused, her eyes flickering slightly as she recognized the figure. Her heart pounded in her chest. Zhou Yulin knew this person not just, but was intimately familiar with him.
Because she was so familiar with it, she hesitated in place.
I dare not take a step forward and shatter this dream that is too beautiful.
A person possessed by a demon wouldn't act like that.
It wasn't a dream; it was really my senior brother.
Staring blankly at the celestial being in the distance, Zhou Yulin clenched her hands at her sides.
"Hey, it's you, girl!" After taking a bath, Heitan's previous awkward appearance changed, and his handsome face after washing up gave Zhou Yulin a smile.
Hearing the sound, Xuan Qingxian turned his head and met the gaze that had been lingering on him for a long time.
The gentle sound of bells rang out, and the immortal lord, dressed in a silver-white cloud robe, stood under the eaves, sword in hand. Just as he was remembered, the upright and righteous young man stood tall and straight, like a lone pine tree on a mountain peak, unyielding to wind and snow. A white jade hairpin held up his hair, revealing his defined jawline and those captivating eyes. A slight smile played on his lips, though it didn't reach his eyes, it made him seem exceptionally approachable.
The moment his gaze fell upon the newcomer, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. "It's you?"
No one expected this reunion to come so unexpectedly.
The snow on the eaves melted, but a hailstorm raged in Zhou Yulin's heart.
She met the man's ordinary gaze, swallowed the words "Senior Brother" that were on the tip of her tongue, and said humbly, "Greetings, Immortal Lord Xuan."
"Immortal Lord Xuan, Brother Qingxian, are you cultivating immortality?" Xie Wuwang, an enthusiastic bystander, winked at Xuan Qingxian while pounding medicine. "This is the savior I told you about. Without her, I'd still be trapped in this formation for the rest of my life!"
"Oh right, I don't think I've asked your name yet." Xie Wuwang slapped his forehead and realized that he had troubled this person so much, but had never asked for his name.
"Second Miss Liu, my name is Liu Yuning."
"Yu Ning?" Xie Wuwang felt that the name sounded familiar, but he couldn't quite put his finger on where he had heard it before. After muttering it a couple of times, he realized that it was a bit impolite, so he clapped his hands and praised, "Good, good name! Yao Xian Zi Le Qian Kun Tai, Yu Qi Chang Huan Qu Yuning, isn't that Yu Ning!"
Xuan Qingxian merely glanced at Xie Wuwang, who was lying with a straight face, and nodded politely to him, recalling, "I met Miss Liu yesterday."
"Yesterday?" Now it was Zhou Yulin's turn to be confused.
With such a handsome and refined appearance, how could she not recognize him in a crowd?
unless……
"Yesterday I witnessed Miss Liu's swordsmanship, and I thought... it was excellent." This gentle and warm praise sent chills down Zhou Yulin's spine, especially when he met his senior brother's raised eyebrows, which made him even more apprehensive.
"May I ask, Miss Liu, which master taught you your swordsmanship?"
Zhou Yulin met the eyes that hid a knife behind a smile.
"He's a friend," Zhou Yulin said evasively. "I just didn't expect the Immortal Lord to be interested in such trivial skills."
"The art of swordsmanship has always been practiced by the capable. Young lady, there is no need to belittle yourself."
Xuan Qingxian looked at Zhou Yulin, and her distant attitude made her breathe a sigh of relief.
Xie Wuwang finished pounding the herbs and placed them on gauze, preparing to decoct them. "There are some pastries I bought yesterday in Qingxian's room. Could you give some to Miss Liu?"
Zhou Yulin originally wanted to leave, but after hearing these words, she had no choice but to accept her fate.
However, after Xie Wuwang, that simpleton, left, the atmosphere between her and Xuan Qingxian became a bit strange. Zhou Yulin's intuition told her that her senior brother still doubted her because of the withered tree reborn sword technique she used yesterday.
She sat down on the stool. The old courtyard was well-maintained, with clean and tidy firewood pushed aside. There was a pear tree in the courtyard. Zhou Yulin sat under the tree, watching Xie Wuwang busy himself and her senior brother holding pastries in the room. For some reason, her thoughts drifted away, and she didn't even notice when Xuan Qingxian brought the pastries.
"I don't like sweets." Upon seeing the pastries that Xuan Qingxian had brought out, Zhou Yulin declined them without the slightest hesitation.
“Four Seasons Cakes are not sweet.” Xuan Qingxian picked up a piece, put it in his mouth and chewed. Although they looked the same, he always seemed more distant when dealing with others. “Farewell to friends in Jinling, parting with guests in the four seasons, is inherently bitter. How could the cakes be sweet?”
Zhou Yulin instinctively wanted to refute.
The pastries he brought back that day were clearly sweet.
The sweetness was just right; even someone as picky as Zhou Yulin couldn't find a single fault with it. Suddenly, as if she had thought of something, she looked up at the person sitting opposite her.
After finishing the last bite of the seasonal cake, the man sipped his tea and asked, "Did you eat something made by your family, young lady?"
"If it's made by a family member, they'll know the girl likes sweets and will naturally put in more sugar."
His words exposed Zhou Yulin's pretense.
How did you figure that out?
Hearing the woman's questioning tone, Xuan Qingxian placed the teacup back on the table. "If you could tell me where you learned your swordsmanship, perhaps I could give you an answer."
Looking at the cunning in the other person's eyes, Zhou Yulin understood everything. Her senior brother always used retreat as a means of advancement. If she didn't reveal where she learned the sword technique today, he probably had a thousand ways to make her obediently speak up.
But Zhou Yulin wouldn't tell the other person the truth. "A friend taught me this, and this is the truth." After saying that, Zhou Yulin looked away.
A soft laugh came from the other end of the line, "I guessed it, Miss Liu, this is my answer."
Xuan Qingxian didn't intend to make things difficult for Zhou Yulin, so she accepted the answer.
"Have a piece of pastry before you go."
Zhou Yulin followed the hand, which was as white as cold jade, upwards. In the interplay of light and shadow, she was momentarily dazed. This was her senior brother who had raised her since childhood, and also the one who sent her to the Yellow Springs. The pain of blood loss made her always shy away from the memory.
Seeing that the other party's face was a little pale, Xuan Qingxian was about to speak when a hand snatched the Four Seasons Cake from his hand and swallowed it whole. However, Xie Wuwang choked so badly that he pounded his chest, afraid that he would die right there.
Unable to bear it any longer, Xuan Qingxian poured the man a cup of tea.
Xie Wuwang downed his tea in one gulp, slammed the teacup back onto the table with a clatter, took a deep breath, and spoke as if he had been struggling with his thoughts for a long time, "Miss Liu, I've thought about it, and you're right. With your family's wealth and power, it would be an insult to give you money in the future. How about I give you my life instead!"
"You're unlucky, why would you compensate me?" Zhou Yulin was blunt and outspoken, showing no mercy at all. Facing the stunned Xie Wuwang, she snorted coldly and didn't explain further. Xie Wuwang, who had been rebuffed, weakly said, "I told you, if you don't want it, then don't."
"I just feel that a drop of kindness should be repaid with a spring of gratitude. Let alone a life-saving favor, you will always need my help in the future."
Zhou Yulin glanced at the dazed young man, "Even if it costs you your life, you wouldn't hesitate?" Upon hearing this, Xuan Qingxian frowned and looked over.
Xie Wuwang, however, was rather clueless and didn't catch the hidden meaning in the words. He simply patted his chest and assured them, "Of course."
Zhou Yulin glanced at the pear tree in the courtyard, where the fragrance of medicine wafted through the air. "Now that your medicine is ready, I'll take my leave."
Xie Wuwang wanted to persuade her to stay, but seeing that the young lady was determined to leave, he reminded her, "I'm right here. If you want to find me..."
"I won't take your life."
His words were interrupted, and Xie Wuwang was also taken aback, looking at the naturally aloof young lady beside him.
"You saved your own life. No need to thank me, just thank yourself for not giving up." The woman's indifferent tone fell, and she came like a spring breeze, then quietly left, leaving Xie Wuwang frowning and full of confusion.
"Is my life bad?" Xie Wuwang glanced at Xuan Qingxian, who was calmly drinking tea, looking quite depressed. "Wang Xiucai from East Street just had his fortune told a few days ago, and he said I clearly have the fate of a wealthy and noble man."
"Give me my money back."
Xie Wuwang didn't hear clearly, "Huh?"
"Let Scholar Wang refund your money."
Xie Wuwang detected a hint of mockery in the cold voice.
*
Zhou Yulin naturally wouldn't know that much.
As soon as she got home, Madam Liu caught her, demanding, "What did you promise me last time?!"
"You must bring a guard with you when you go out. Where is the guard?"
"...got lost."
Madam Liu glared at Zhou Yulin with exasperation.
"You're not allowed to go anywhere these days. You're about to get married, so behave yourself." Good grief, Zhou Yulin was practically grounded.
Opening the window and admiring the mansion surrounded by layers upon layers of buildings, Zhou Yulin sighed deeply. It seemed she really wouldn't be able to go anywhere these days.
This is clearly because they're afraid I'll run away from the wedding.
Zhou Yulin tied her hair up with a ribbon, her long, cascading hair piled up. A cautious voice came from beside her ear, "Miss, Madam instructed you to stay in your room these few days. The embroiderer's wedding dress will be finished in a few days and will be sent to you."
"Understood." Tao Yao withdrew.
Zhou Yulin knew that what Madam Liu was worried about was nothing more than the fear that this marriage, which was a done deal, might encounter unexpected problems.
Little did they know that the marriage itself was an accident.
She rolled up her sleeves and examined the four windows facing east, west, south, and north. Since the three windows facing east, south, and west were all inside the Liu residence, they were heavily guarded. Only the north window, which led outside the residence and was too high, was left unguarded by Madam Liu, who knew her daughter best. This was the opportunity for Zhou Yulin to slip out.
Today I originally wanted to ask Xie Wuwang about his disappearance when he was fifteen, but now that I see him, after being trapped in the formation for several years, it's a miracle that he still remembers anything.
Therefore, Zhou Yulin decided to use the mute child as a starting point.
The martial arts school was about a carriage ride from the Liu residence. Zhou Yulin glanced at the IOU on the table, carefully folded it, and put it in her pocket.
To be honest, Liu Yuning got drunk that night and didn't remember what she said.
But the two never saw each other again after that night.
Not long after, Liu Yuning disappeared. After escaping death, she never went back to the martial arts school.
This IOU remained hidden in his clothes for years, until the paper yellowed and the ink dried.
Looking at the several-meter-high building, Zhou Yulin determined where she would land. After making her plans, she carried the unconscious Tao Yao onto the bed and exchanged their clothes. Tao Yao's clothes were not as flowing and elegant as Liu Yuning's, making it easier for her to move around later.
After thinking about everything that happened last night, Zhou Yulin picked up a brush and wrote a line on a piece of paper before preparing to leave.
She opened the window, and without blinking, jumped off the several-meter-high platform. A smaller shed caught her, and she slowly stood up, walking along the shed to the wall. Just as she regained her footing, she heard a startled cry, "Second Miss is trying to escape!"
He fell backward with one kick, that's it. Falling from that height, even if he doesn't limp, he'll be bedridden for at least half a month.
Liu Yuning's body was not as strong as Zhou Yulin's, who had grown up exposed to the elements. The daughter of an official had been pampered since childhood.
The fall was instantaneous, but even faster than the pain came the bitter taste of herbs soaking in her nose. Cold, soft hair fell onto her face. She opened her eyes and met a pair of extremely handsome eyes. The young man's arms seemed to have caught her without much effort. Realizing who she was in, Zhou Yulin's expression changed drastically, and she struggled to get down.
The young man simply stated a fact in a calm voice, "Second Miss, don't move, I can't hold you anymore."
"Who asked you to hug me!" Zhou Yulin almost cursed when she saw the person's face clearly. This person was in poor health and instead of staying at home, he came here to play the hero and save the beauty. He was simply "sick".
Fortunately, Zhou Yulin was quickly put down. She looked at the person opposite her with a forced smile and asked, "Why isn't my brother-in-law staying at home? What are you doing out here?"
Instead of answering, he asked, "Are you injured?"
"Don't bother with me. Even if I die, it has nothing to do with you."
Zhou Yulin's words came from the bottom of her heart. Although the script said that she had to fight for this person, it did not say that she could not argue with this person.
Seizing on this loophole, Zhou Yulin sneered and reminded him, "Between you and me, there is absolutely nothing but kinship. Brother-in-law, do you remember who said that?"
The sickly-looking young man glanced at her and said, "Let's get in the carriage and talk about it. The people from the Liu family will be chasing after us soon."
Even in this situation, this person seemed like a clay figure without any temper.
Zhou Yulin's punch felt like hitting cotton; it didn't hurt or itch at all.
The play was almost over, and Zhou Yulin didn't say anything more, afraid that this person might turn on her and leave.
What Zhou Yulin didn't realize was that she was worried about the other person getting angry, but she didn't doubt or trust them at all.
A few streets away, Xie Wuwang tucked his sleeping mother in with a quilt. As his gaze swept over the somewhat aged portrait on the wall, several fragments of memory suddenly flashed through his mind, as if his Ren and Du meridians had been opened.
He jumped up from the stool, suddenly remembering where this feeling of familiarity came from.
As he walked out, he happened to run into Xuan Qingxian, who was guarding outside the door. He excitedly said, "Brother Qingxian, I remember now! I know Liu Yuning! I used to know that Miss Liu."
"That happened when I was fifteen. I had almost forgotten that memory because of the torment of the formation."
The sound of the whip striking the ground was mixed with the strong, pungent smell of blood—a memory Xie Wuwang would absolutely never want to recall.
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