Chapter 106: On the Road Again
Shen Lang had no objection to the cooperation; in fact, he was more than happy to accept it. Investigating the "King of Happiness" alone would be far too difficult. The Lou family was large and powerful, and Xie Huailing was incredibly intelligent. With Xie Huailing's assistance, it would be like adding wings to a tiger. Furthermore, they weren't complete strangers; there was no better helper than this.
He paused for a moment, or rather, pondered. His thoughts swayed in his mind, and soon his words overflowed: "Miss Xie, what are your plans for this? If it is to go to the border, I'm afraid we should set off immediately."
“Of course we must set off immediately, but not to the border.” Xie Huailing pressed her slender fingers against her face, again and again, each time casually. “He is no longer at the border. Going there would only be picking up what he left behind, which would be of no use.”
Looking up again, her sharp gaze pierced through the heavy curtains, as if she, not Shen Lang, was the one who had spent fifteen days searching the border. Xie Huailing said firmly and slowly, "But he didn't head straight for the Central Plains. The fact that 'Wonderful Gentleman' is still searching for beauties for him in the border area is enough to prove two things: first, he's not too far from the border; second, he'll stay where he is for a long time."
“The ‘King of Pleasure’ loves fame and beautiful women, and spends gold and silver like dirt. He must also love extravagance. No matter how much money he has when he first enters the pass, his savings will not be enough for him to establish a new place. Therefore, the place where he will stay for a long time will definitely not be a poor and remote place. At the very least, it must be a rich and prosperous place.”
She paused briefly, leaving it at that.
Without needing to be explicitly stated, Shen Lang was very clear about everything he had seen and heard along the way. As an unknown traveler in the martial world, he also remembered the map of the area near the border, and the names of the cities had already appeared in his mind.
Shen Lang stood up and said decisively, "I'll go make arrangements for Qi Qi. Miss Xie, the sooner we set off, the better."
He was swift and decisive; as soon as he finished speaking, he turned to go and do it. Xie Huailing, seeing him come and go like the wind, immediately called out to him, "Wait!"
He stopped moving and turned back around. He paused in place, his deep gaze carried on the wind, a gaze as clear as the moon in broad daylight, watching over everyone's thoughts and feelings. Therefore, under the moonlight, there was no need to lie, nor were there any lies.
Xie Huailing gazed at him intently and said, "Young Master Shen knows that you eliminated 'Wonderful Gentleman' for Qiqi's sake, and 'King of Joy' will inevitably investigate his death. Finding out about you is within your expectations. But have you truly completely absolved Qiqi of all responsibility? I know you're worried about her, but no matter where you place her, she may not be safe. How about this—"
She lifted her chin with her fingertips, creating a beautiful arc: "We'll split up and head to the city separately. I'll take Qiqi with me."
“It is good that Miss Xie is willing, but…” Shen Lang understood that he had not thought things through, but he was still worried. He did not want to say anything bad about Zhu Qiqi, but there were some things he had to admit. “It’s just that Qiqi is impulsive and straightforward by nature, and she likes to find things to do for herself. If something unexpected happens, it will be bad.”
"Young Master Shen, just trust me." Xie Huailing remained unmoved, clearly having made up his mind.
She needed Zhu Qiqi as a "stepping stone" to avoid any unforeseen complications, which was crucial to her success. At this point, Xie Huailing greatly appreciated Zhu Qiqi's ability to create trouble. Furthermore, she was no longer the helpless woman she had been a few days ago; she now had a way to deal with Zhu Qiqi.
After weighing the pros and cons, Shen Lang's recognition of Xie Huailing's abilities prevailed. He finally nodded and said, "Then I'll trouble Miss Xie. I'll take my leave now."
Xie Huailing called out to him again: "Young Master Shen."
Looking at Shen Lang's retreating figure, she said. This sentence didn't quite fit her plan, but Zhu Qiqi's face suddenly came to mind, and the genuine affection and tears seemed to be right before her eyes. She suddenly felt that she should say this: "I should go and say goodbye to Qiqi."
"She's not as immature as you think sometimes. She needs you to talk to her properly about everything. Rather than doing a lot for her, she wants you to tell her directly that you're doing it for her own good. When she gets into trouble or argues, it's just because she wants you to see her more clearly and acknowledge her better."
"What Qiqi least wants is for you to annoy her, not to trust her, and to look down on her."
Even the toughest man would melt into a lake of autumn water at this moment. Shen Lang's concern about the journey softened inch by inch, so much so that he seemed unlike a swordsman, or a wandering, carefree, nameless traveler. But this was how it should be; humans are not plants or trees, how could they be without feelings?
Xie Huailing continued, "Her heart has long belonged to you. And you also have feelings for her. If these feelings can be called love, then don't miss out on her."
Life is but a few decades long, and how much of our youth can we afford to waste?
.
The verdant peaks remain as they were then, but the departing traveler has already followed the river's flow.
The water has receded, the building is empty, but the flowers remain; alas, it's all but a fleeting autumn.
To say that Lu Xiaofeng didn't know Xie Huailing would leave soon would be a lie. He was a man who had experienced the ups and downs of the martial world, and he knew very well that Xie Huailing was different from him and Hua Manlou. They had nothing to pursue; what they sought was a life of contentment and freedom. Xie Huailing was completely different.
Some paths, once embarked upon, offer no turning back; they either lead to the destruction of others or utter ruin for oneself. She rose to fame instantly amidst power and profit, her every move causing unease among half the martial arts world. Behind their unseen eyes, perhaps her ambition and desire would seep into her very being. This two-week stay with the Beggars' Sect felt more like a satisfying feast; even the tallest buildings crumble, and the feast must end.
Life is unpredictable; who knows when or what circumstances we'll meet again?
So when Xie Huailing returned to the card table after meeting Shen Lang, and suddenly said "I'm leaving tomorrow" while playing cards, he wasn't surprised.
However, one should not feel regret or sorrow over parting. As the saying goes, "live each day to the fullest," and his life was a continuous accumulation of "days," in which he met one friend after another and experienced one farewell after another. In his moments of drinking and revelry, he understood the inescapable nature of separation, and thus also understood that he could not be bound by it. What should be valued between people is always the encounter itself.
Hearing a casual greeting, Lu Xiaofeng replied casually, "Finally going back? I thought you second-in-commands were all in a hurry to go back."
"Who are you calling a 'second-in-command'?" Xie Huailing didn't approve of the title "second-in-command," which sounded like a title similar to "deputy head of the building." It sounded like she was destined to suffer a miserable fate, as if Su Mengzhen had accidentally died of illness and she was still going to inherit the great cause. Wasn't she just rushing to the guillotine?
Thinking about what it would be like for her to be the owner of the Golden Wind and Drizzle Pavilion, she realized that she couldn't even praise herself. The future of the entire Golden Wind and Drizzle Pavilion looked bleak.
But this also reminded her that as long as the position was vacant, she was not safe.
Xie Huailing then corrected him, "I'm not the second-in-command. Remember that. The second-in-command position is still vacant. I'll find someone to fill it sooner or later."
"Keep searching." Hua Manlou, who understood her quite well, smiled knowingly. "Don't end up not being able to find anyone and having Su Louzhu capture you."
Xie Huailing said, "No, he's not that desperate."
After hearing this, Lu Xiaofeng smirked and said, "Should I say you're very confident, or too self-aware..."
He played another card, and with just a few words, they casually brushed off the parting. After all, what's so important about sorrow? Is there no chance of meeting again in this world? If all else fails, finishing today's game is definitely more important.
Each of the three had their own strategy, and they were still betting on Truth or Dare. But to say that Xie Huailing's departure had no impact at all wouldn't be entirely true; at least Lu Xiaofeng was determined to make her lose this time.
He'd been playing cards for days on end, and she hadn't lost a single day, which infuriated him. Could a person's intelligence really be transferred to card games? That makes no sense.
What a coincidence, Hua Manlou isn't making things difficult for him today either. Hua Manlou is thinking the same thing today.
The two cunning individuals, though seemingly at odds, were perfectly in sync, everything understood without a word. Their extraordinary understanding was so remarkable that even the astute Xie Huailing only realized something was amiss mid-game. She remembered the subtle markings on every card, allowing her to discern who held what—her secret to victory. But now, she sensed something was wrong. Lu Xiaofeng's cards seemed to have been switched.
There was nothing she could do; what could she do if they wanted to bully her because she didn't know martial arts? Xie Huailing pretended not to know, giving them a resentful look when she lost, but ultimately didn't say anything.
Lu Xiaofeng smiled contentedly, stroked his mustache triumphantly, and said, "Come on, truth or dare."
Xie Huailing remained calm and asked him, "Could you tell me what the dare is first?"
Lu Xiaofeng and Hua Manlou exchanged a glance. Hua Manlou, unable to come up with any ideas, raised an eyebrow, signaling Lu Xiaofeng to offer his suggestions. Lu Xiaofeng, feeling smug, said, "Go tell Master Su that you want to be the vice master."
“Actually, even if I told him, he would only believe that I had come up with a new way to torment him.” Xie Huailing shrugged, seemingly indifferent. “But I choose truth.”
"Good!" Lu Xiaofeng could no longer suppress his laughter, and he brazenly raised the corners of his mouth. "Miss Xie, what is your opinion of your own handwriting?"
"..."
This is what a one-hit kill looks like.
Xie Huailing had underestimated her opponent. She took a deep breath, surprised that Lu Xiaofeng was so cunning, and then calmly replied, "Get lost."
Lu Xiaofeng didn't force her to answer; rather, he wanted that word. In an instant, he transformed into a goose, stretching his neck and laughing loudly. Finally, he and Hua Manlou, whose shoulders were already trembling, laughed together, thus avenging several days' worth of grudges.
Xie Huailing really wanted to give them the middle finger. She had a lot to say, but after a moment of hesitation, she swallowed it back down.
Then came a few more rounds, playing until sunset, when the day came to an end.
Like a casual farewell where they would meet again tomorrow, the three said goodbye with smiles after finishing their last game of cards. Xie Huailing disappeared around the corner of the setting sun, and no one waved to her. It was as if, at the moment when the smoke and clouds were renewed, she would come back from the light of day to greet Lu Xiaofeng and Hua Manlou again.
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