Chapter 56 Drinking Under the Moon "All beautiful moments are for..."
When the four reunited in the night market, the moonlight was bright, and the night was as deep as the sea. The hustle and bustle of the streets had subsided considerably, and some shopkeepers who had left early were already packing up.
"So, fellow Daoist, why did you choose such a useless item from among so many treasures?"
"I didn't see you choosing just now. Since the opportunity was given to my senior sister, she can choose whatever she wants."
The two restless individuals continued their usual bickering. Shen Lixia was being led by the hand by Qiao Yanshen, who was walking ahead. He told her to keep glancing ahead while replying to Simmons, so as not to take big steps and accidentally bump into the person in front of her.
They followed the spiritual energy fluctuations on the bracelet and returned to the pancake stall. They saw the boy standing there, helping the old woman pack up her things, and they breathed a sigh of relief.
Qin Shiying heard them approaching, glanced up briefly, and then continued working until she had helped them put away their belongings before coming over.
"Let's go back to the inn." She clapped her hands. "I'm a little tired."
When they returned to the inn, some of the lights were off, and the lobby was very quiet. The innkeeper was leaning back in his chair, resting with his eyes closed. Qin Shiying asked the innkeeper for hot water and was about to head towards the stairs.
"My lord, please make sure you wear your bracelet properly," Simmons suddenly reminded him, then lowered her voice, "We won't be going back to our rooms for now, but we'll still be in the inn. If anything happens, just crush the jade on your bracelet."
After saying that, she had no intention of resting. Instead, she walked with Shen Lixia and the others towards the small door on the right side of the lobby. Qin Shiying was feeling quite sleepy, so she didn't follow and took the hot water back to her room to wash herself.
But after feeling refreshed, the sleepiness disappeared.
She lay in bed, eyes closed, waiting for a while. The drowsiness that had almost overwhelmed her just moments before had vanished without a trace. Tossing and turning, her mind filled with secrets, she suddenly wondered if she was under too much pressure.
There was something else she wanted to tell the three of them, but they didn't go back to their rooms, as if it were something important. Although this was her homeland, she hadn't been back for more than ten years, and everything had changed drastically. Apart from her determination, she had nothing to rely on or anything to comfort her.
Just then, she heard voices coming from outside the window, very low, so low that only someone with keen senses could hear them. Her insomnia made her extremely sensitive to the sounds around her, and she immediately recognized the voices as belonging to the three immortal masters. Her suppressed curiosity instantly resurfaced.
"Our first meeting also started with a campfire like this..."
A few minutes later, Qin Shiying sighed resignedly, got out of bed, opened the window and looked down.
The window led to the backyard of the inn, where firewood was piled up and several water vats were placed. The three women lit a bonfire and sat in a circle around it. They talked and laughed in hushed tones, and as they spoke, they magically produced cups and wine in their hands, as if inviting Mu Yue to drink with them.
Qin Shiying leaned against the window, muttering to himself, "They didn't even take me!" Little did he know that a woman in white below had overheard him and looked up. The young man, caught off guard, nearly lost his balance when their eyes met.
"My lord, why aren't you asleep yet?"
She heard the man ask.
Qin Shiying raised her hand to cover her face, thinking that since they were at least a bit of height apart, the slight redness on her face from the heat would probably go unnoticed. She couldn't quite describe her feelings for Qiao Yanshen; it wasn't particularly close, yet it was different from the other two. Her temperament was like water, drawing people in effortlessly and making them want to get closer.
Having been separated from her mother at a young age and living among people older than herself for many years, she always finds it easier to trust and feel affection for the elderly. Simmons seems too elusive, while Qiao Yanshen is like a cold yet solid piece of ground beneath a pool of water, able to firmly bear weight.
Seeing that she didn't answer, Qiao Yanshen asked again, "Would you like to come down and talk with us?"
Qin Shiying nodded quickly, put on her coat, ran downstairs, and hurried to their side. The others squeezed to the side to make room for her.
Qiao Yan poured a glass of wine and handed it to the other side of the campfire. Qin Shiying was about to take it when another hand snatched it away almost without him noticing, pressing down on his wrist.
She paused, turned her head, and saw that Shen Lixia was also looking at her. The wine in her hand spilled, and a few drops fell into the fire, causing the flames to rise a few millimeters.
The wine tasted strange, not mellow at all. Shen Lixia brought the cup to her lips and took a sip, then realized that the carefree drinking scenes depicted in the novels she had read were probably all pretense.
It's sour, so sour it's almost bitter.
Just now, as the campfire hissed and burned, a strange fire also burned within her. It wasn't the scorching heat of divine fire, but rather a slow, irritating lukewarm heat that made her chest feel tight, as if something was blocking it. Along the way, Shen Lixia hadn't been unaware of the princess's gaze that had suddenly appeared—the faint, lingering affection in her eyes when she looked at Qiao Yanshen.
Is the eldest sister really that charming?
Shen Lixia looked up at Qiao Yanshen and saw that she was about to pour more wine. She quickly reached out to stop her and called out to Xi Mengsi, "I brought the wine, and the cup was provided by my senior sister. You can't drink it for free. Pour the wine quickly."
After hearing this, Simmons shook his head and smiled, saying okay. He took the cups from Qiao Yanshen's hands and filled them for everyone.
Shen Lixia's gaze returned to Qiao Yanshen, and for some reason she felt guilty, afraid that she would discover her inexplicable feelings.
When she looked over, their eyes suddenly met, and she froze, her lips moving but unable to speak.
Then Qiao Yanshen smiled first. The night pressed down on her eyes, and the firelight illuminated her gentle face, but it only flickered cautiously around her eyes, like a few fireflies hovering, making the cold color appear bewitching and beautiful. The deep, tranquil blue is usually a serene color, but at this moment it was like a blooming bouquet, sparkling brightly.
Shen Lixia was mesmerized. She had never imagined that those eyes could be described as alluring, even for just a moment.
It is truly captivating.
If only she would look at me like that.
Trying to conceal her lapse in composure, Shen Lixia subconsciously took a sip of wine. But the sour and bitter taste couldn't stop her. She couldn't look away, gazing intently at Qiao Yanshen, seeing the smile in her eyes. Countless thoughts popped up, like bubbles bursting together, and she murmured softly—How could there be such a beautiful person in the world? Could Senior Sister please only smile at her?
At this moment, Qiao Yanshen raised his glass, and the two people next to him clinked glasses as well. Shen Lixia raised her glass and joined in. At this moment, the world seemed to be separated from her by a barrier; the words of others were all blurred, and only Qiao Yanshen's words could reach her ears:
"All beautiful moments are born to be remembered."
Yes. The girl thought to herself, if this moment could be frozen in time, if she could drown in the sea reflected in the eyes of the person opposite her, she would not feel any regret.
But simply staying at this moment wasn't enough. She still didn't understand the source of her previous feelings, but she knew that what she wanted was to get closer to Qiao Yanshen, closer than anyone else.
Only in this way can we avoid being preoccupied with gains and losses.
Then Shen Lixia laughed. She heard the clear sound of cups clinking together, the fire was warm, and the last remaining coolness of the summer night was driven away.
"Memories are endless, but the future is uncertain, so let's seize the day."
The barrier shattered, and as she looked into Qiao Yanshen's eyes, she unconsciously uttered her thoughts. She held back the last half of her sentence, keeping it to herself: "Every moment is beautiful, and there will be countless more in the future. Memories become the present, and beauty has no end."
Simmons downed his drink in one gulp and laughed, "Once you enter the River Styx, everything else becomes a forgotten past! Fellow Daoist, there's no need to be so sorrowful. Let's enjoy ourselves to the fullest under the moon. Whatever happens tomorrow, we'll face it tomorrow. If we think about the regret after the end from the very beginning, how much fun will we lose!"
Qiao Yanshen lowered his eyes and listened to them silently. After they finished speaking, he chuckled softly, "That's true."
In that instant, Shen Lixia keenly sensed that she had once again trapped herself in an invisible cage, distancing herself from them. Xi Mengsi and Qin Shiying were drinking happily; the latter, finding the cup too small, directly picked up the jar and drank from it, quickly becoming quite drunk.
She silently refilled the glass.
When will you finally be able to experience happiness without reservation?
As if sensing Shen Lixia's intense gaze, Qiao Yanshen spoke so softly that it seemed only the two of them could hear him.
"Focusing on the present moment is a valuable kind of courage."
She smiled, pursed her lips, and gently touched Chen Lixia's glass to hers again.
"I hope you can always have it and never lose it."
Late at night, the streets were deserted, and only a few lights remained in the night market.
A person stepped into the old antique shop, looked around, and went straight to the counter.
She reached out and easily took the ancient book from the woman behind the counter, then put it into her blue robe.
"You're not allowed to look anymore."
The woman looked up and chuckled, "Are you a child?"
Yue Qifeng put his hands behind his back and said calmly, "Yes, I'm still a child who gets jealous easily. Please don't spend too much attention on other things, Xiao."
"You're already the senior sister of the Wuji Sword Sect, and you still say such things? Aren't you ashamed?" Yun Zhixiao stood up. "Alright, let's get down to business. Have you seen that exiled princess?"
Yue Qifeng nodded, "I've met him. He's quite young, but very perceptive and capable."
After the letter was delivered, she took Qin Shiying to the stronghold of the rebels stationed in the city. Throughout the process, he remained calm and composed, and was very composed in front of a group of soldiers. His speech was no less than that of any of the powerful people she had ever met.
"Although some people still don't believe it, she has convinced quite a few others, and she has brought her own army with her. With this inside and outside cooperation, her chances of overthrowing the current royal family have increased even further."
After listening, Yun Zhixiao fell into deep thought. Yue Qifeng didn't urge her any further, but simply raised his hand and closed the open door.
After a while, Yun Zhixiao suddenly asked, "Qi Feng, do you really want to do this with me?"
Yue Qifeng blinked and felt her hands being covered by warmth; it was the other person holding her hands tightly.
“You’ve been looking forward to this covenant ceremony for a long time… We’ve all been looking forward to it for a long time. I never imagined the Southern Kingdom would be in this state; I only came to understand after observing it these past few days.”
She lowered her voice, unconsciously revealing a hint of unease.
“But we’re going to take the risk… If you’re not willing, we can find another opportunity. Master and the other nuns will be there then, and I guarantee the covenant ceremony will go smoothly.”
As soon as Yun Zhixiao finished speaking, she felt a force on her hand. Yue Qifeng gripped her hand in return and said gently, "It's alright. As A-Xiao said, adaptability is the best approach, often catching the other party off guard. Besides, that's the meaning behind forming a bond."
Death is nothing, but heaven and earth must bear witness. It is as if we are bound together in life and death. If you love me, I will go with you into the River Styx.
The young man in blue bent down and kissed the corner of the eye of the woman in red in front of him.
"Knowing you are by my side, I am not afraid of anything, and I have no regrets. Whatever you want to do, I will do it with you... Even if death comes next, I will be willing to accept it, Xiao."
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