Chapter 269 Favor
The shop owner was a thin, middle-aged man. Seeing that he was alone but ordered two bowls of hot tea, he poked his head out in surprise.
"Young man, why do you need two bowls of tea by yourself? Don't worry, refilling your tea here is free! If you're thirsty, I'll just pour you another one when you're done!"
Xuanyuanze cupped his hands in thanks and said with a smile, "Thank you, but there are indeed two of us. My brother will be here soon."
The shopkeeper then looked away, grabbed two clean teacups, and poured boiling water over them to make tea.
The hot tea was served, still steaming, but Xuan Yuanze didn't touch it.
A quarter of an hour, a quarter of an hour...
The owner finally couldn't resist any longer when the teacup was no longer steaming.
"Hey buddy, is your brother coming? Did something happen and keep him from getting here? I've been watching you sit here for ages. Why don't you get up and stand up? Otherwise, the chair under that raincoat won't be able to dry..."
Xuan Yuanze kept his gaze fixed on the distance, and only when he saw the familiar figure did he say to the enthusiastic shopkeeper, "He's already here."
Ren Shun, with a sour face, slammed down on the chair.
"Why didn't you take me with you when you came back? You still think I'm a burden, don't you?!"
The other person was wearing a mask, so Ren Shun couldn't see his expression, but that didn't diminish his resentment towards him at all.
"It was the same last year. I could have gone with you, but you insisted I stay and even made me eat that..."
He suddenly fell silent, and the tea drinkers and the owner who had been watching the commotion immediately looked away, trying to cover it up as if nothing had happened.
Ren Shun snorted and gulped down a bowl of tea in one go, even chewing up the tea leaves he accidentally swallowed, looking quite fierce.
Xuanyuan Ze watched him quietly until he finished drinking before saying, "Aren't you worried that I might have tampered with this tea?"
"you?!"
Ren Shun was shocked and furious. He tried to stand up, but Xuan Yuanze smiled and pressed his shoulder down.
"Just kidding."
He casually patted the boy's shoulder, which was noticeably thicker than last year, and praised him:
"There are many benefits to keeping you here. Look at your physique, you're much stronger than before. The food at the Princess's residence must be quite good."
"...Let it be."
Mentioning this, Ren Shun could picture the arrogant and conceited expression on Qi Yuxuan's face when she first ordered him around.
He had never felt so frustrated before, so angry that he wanted to strangle her on the spot. But later, he didn't know when it started, he was willing to be driven by others, and even took it upon himself to do more for her.
Ren Shun took some time to ask many people and read a lot of folk tales, and finally confirmed that he probably, possibly, had some feelings for Qi Yuxuan...
He slapped himself repeatedly throughout the night, until he saw stars, and ordered himself not to think about anything else.
But those eyes and that heart seemed to have their own thoughts, always uncontrollably flying towards Qi Yuxuan, making him want to pierce through her eyes and rip out her heart!
"I came here intending to take you with me, but it's inconvenient in the city, so I had to come out and wait for you. Have you thought it through? After today's farewell, you will never be able to return here again."
"Are you going to say goodbye to the princess?"
As soon as Xuan Yuanze finished speaking, the young man opposite him slumped down and fell silent.
Ren Shun's father was the younger brother of Xuan Yuanze's adoptive father, so the two were actually cousins with no blood relation. Although they seemed close, Xuan Yuanze had no obligation to take care of him.
Eleven years ago, Ren Shun was beaten half to death by his poor and alcoholic parents and sold to a human trafficker who charged by weight. This was because some wealthy merchants in the State of Qi had a particular fetish for eating young boys and girls and would often pay high prices to buy them.
Before his death, he was treated like a piglet, with his hands and feet being held and praised for his long arms and legs. It would be a pity for him to die like that. So he was transferred to Tianji Tower and trained as a death warrior. Later, Xuan Yuanze took over Tianji Tower from the old master of Nan Yue, and that's when he discovered Ren Shun's existence.
Now, Ren Shun is eighteen years old. He has hands and feet and the martial arts skills he has honed through his experiences at Tianji Tower. He is fully capable of supporting himself and no longer needs to depend on anyone.
His parents, who were nominally Xuan Yuanze's second uncle and aunt, had been killed by Ren Shunxue himself when he killed his first person.
A patricide and matricide—such heinous crimes are intolerable to anyone. If discovered in the State of Qi, he would face immense difficulties, which is why he has never dared to reveal his past to anyone.
He killed his parents, who had sold him out, with his own hands.
Ren Shun stared intently at a splinter protruding from the wooden table for a long time before slowly saying, "No, let's go."
Xuanyuan Ze didn't move: "You can't bear to part with it."
It's not a question, it's a firm conviction.
"It seems we really are brothers, even liking the same people."
Ren Shun looked up in shock and immediately denied it: "How could that be?! I don't like her at all!"
"No, you..."
Xuan Yuanze remained calm. He had foreseen this day long ago, when she began to explore a world far more expansive than the original Miss Xiao. That's why he tirelessly worked to reclaim his power and gather renowned doctors from across the land to treat her scars, all so that one day he could become the person most qualified to be with her.
He shook his head, quite disappointed: "I haven't even said who she is, and you're already so eager to distance yourself."
"It seems that in the past year, you've only improved your physique while being around her, but haven't learned much about how to be cunning. You're still the same as before."
Ren Shun clenched his fist on the table and said nothing more.
Whether he has it or not, he'll never get what he wants in this lifetime, right?
The boy fell into an unprecedented state of depression and despondency.
He heard the other person say softly, "You stay here and continue to protect her."
Ren Shun pursed his lips and did not agree.
Now that the two brothers had already spoken frankly, he had no reason to hide anything. Staying would allow him to be by Qi Yuxuan's side every day, but it would also mean watching her be with someone else in the future, which he was unwilling to do.
Seeing his unmoved expression, Xuanyuan Ze continued:
"It will take at least six months, or as little as three months, before I personally lead troops to pick you up."
"..."
Ren Shun sat motionless in the semi-open-air foot shop for a long time, so long that the owner took down the lantern and said he was going home to rest, but he still sat there without moving.
"What is this young man thinking about so intently?"
The boss waved his hand in front of the boy's eyes, but seeing that the boy didn't even blink, he gave up completely.
"Then I'm leaving. If you want to stay, you can stay here."
The boss grumbled as he carried his lantern home.
Ren Shun slowly stood up, feeling the warm summer breeze brushing against his fingertips. Xuan Yuanze's words still echoed in his ears:
"Good Ah Shun, now that this matter is over, when I return, let's each try to win her favor with our true hearts, shall we?"
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