Chapter 1 Who are you to me...? Who are you to me...?
"Generally speaking, what is the state of a baby after it hatches from its eggshell?"
"Sashimi naked body?"
Congratulations, you got it right.
"If you opened your eyes at this moment and there was a man's face right in front of you, what would you think?"
"He...want to kiss you?"
"Huh?! I have a feeling he wants to eat me. He really wants to eat me."
...
The first thing Lu Qing saw upon entering the world was a pair of eyes. So close, so clear and distinct, especially those pupils, which seemed bottomless, filling her with inexplicable fear.
She gasped, her eyes widening in shock. Then, instinctively, she kicked out.
Unfortunately... he kicked at nothing.
The owner of those eyes swiftly stepped back, stopping a few paces away. He was a man with a complex expression, his brows slightly furrowed, his eyes fixed intently on Lu Qing, showing no intention of looking away.
Lu Qing cautiously tried to grab something, but all she touched was a wet, cold surface. Looking down, she saw herself sitting on a white jade platform. Beside her was a large puddle of liquid reflecting a faint rainbow of colors, and several fragments of varying sizes, resembling delicate porcelain or white jade eggshells. She grabbed a piece and held it in front of her, managing to cover the shimmering white area.
"Who are you?" Lu Qing glared fiercely at the man in front of her.
The man frowned slightly, put his hands behind his back, and tilted his head slightly to look at her, not leaning forward.
Lu Qing was on guard, and also full of questions. The moment she opened her eyes, the man's gaze made her hair stand on end, and she had a bad feeling.
What does he want to do?
Observe her?
And then what? Kill her or eat her?
Lu Qing adopted a defensive posture, tilting her head to the side. Her long, wet hair fell from her neck to her chest, further obscuring her fair complexion.
The man suddenly smiled, as if the rising sun were spreading its morning glow.
His lips curved slightly upwards, forming a beautiful arc. His dark, deep eyes seemed to hold stars, sparkling with amusement, and his entire being brightened instantly. "I'm Wu Chen. Don't you remember me?"
Lu Qing didn't know what the two characters "Wu Chen" were, but the voice of the person in front of her was extremely pleasant, and his smile was genuinely beautiful. Based on these two points alone, although Lu Qing was extremely wary, she was still willing to answer him, "I don't remember you."
Wu Chen shook his head helplessly, took off a brocade pouch from his waist, turned it upside down and shook it, and several pieces of clothing fell into his hands. He carried the clothes over.
Lu Qing shrank back as fast as she could.
Wu Chen said helplessly, "You don't need to be afraid of me. You are my..." He suddenly stopped speaking, his eyes curving slightly, the smile in them like starlight twinkling in the mist, gentle and moving, "You should put on your clothes first."
This person is not straightforward!
If Lu Qing hadn't been completely naked, she would have pounced on him, grabbed his neck, and shaken him violently: "Explain yourself! Who am I to you?"
Wu Chen had already put down the clothes and turned around.
Lu Qing had no choice but to put on her clothes first.
The fabric was nice, but it was men's clothing. It was way too big for Lu Qing. The sleeves and trouser legs were way too long. Standing on the white jade platform, she inexplicably felt like a ginseng root.
She pouted, thinking sarcastically to herself: If they really had a close relationship, why wouldn't they even prepare a suitable outfit for her?
Wu Chen thought she was dressed. Without even asking, he turned around and naturally reached out to straighten her clothes, saying, "They're a bit too big. We'll go out and buy you a few more sets later. Just make do with these for now."
He bent down and rolled up Lu Qing's overly long trousers, revealing her fair feet.
Lu Qing stared at the top of his head, blinked, and mimicked him, grinning as she asked, "Who exactly are you? Are you my father and I your daughter?"
Wu Chen reached out and flicked her forehead. "What nonsense are you talking about?"
This doting tone made Lu Qing mutter a long string of "Wow!" in her mind. She tentatively asked, "What was that sentence you didn't finish saying just now? What am I to you?"
Wu Chen didn't rush to answer, but slowly rolled up her sleeves. Then, he put his large hands around her waist and carried her to the other side of the white jade platform. "Sit down."
Then, he began to collect the fragments and the fragrant liquid from the white jade platform.
This attitude... it's hard to tell friend from foe! If they're friends, that's fine, but if they're enemies with ulterior motives...
Lu Qing sat cross-legged, her eyes sparkling, her hands supporting her chin, quietly watching him work.
After Wu Chen finished tidying up the things on the white jade platform, he walked towards her again, spreading his arms wide. "I don't have any extra shoes. The mountain path is difficult to walk on, and you'll inevitably suffer if you walk barefoot. Do you want me to carry you or hold you?"
Lu Qing's clear black and white eyes swept over him.
The man was very handsome, but Lu Qing couldn't quite put her finger on why. Although he wore a loose robe, the wide and exquisite belt cinched his waist, making his broad shoulders, narrow waist, and tall, slender figure immediately apparent.
If I didn't take advantage of this, I'd probably get struck by lightning, but holding her in my arms felt a bit too intimate... Lu Qing decisively reached out, "I want to carry you."
Wu Chen turned around, but before he could even squat down properly, Lu Qing jumped onto his back like a little monkey.
Wu Chen smiled, carried her on his back, and steadily walked out of the cave.
Emerging from the cave, the sun shone brightly, and the green mountains stretched endlessly, with occasional white mist swirling among them.
Lu Qing clung to Wu Chen's shoulder, craning her neck to look around. Her muddled mind gradually cleared; she knew that mountains were mountains, water was water, and people were people, and that there were good people, bad people, and people with ulterior motives. But which kind of person was the one carrying her?
Wu Chen walked steadily, his steps unhurried, and he even had the mind to talk to her, "Lu Qing, you remember your own name, how could you not remember me?"
Lu Qing blinked, tilted her head, and admired his sharply defined profile. In an innocent tone, she said, "I don't know either. I only know my name is Lu Qing, but I can't remember anything else. Are we very familiar? What exactly is our relationship?"
Wu Chen's long eyelashes drooped slightly, and the corners of her lips turned up slightly. "It's okay if you can't remember. I'll wait for you to remember slowly."
Lu Qingyi bared her teeth and reached out to grab his neck. "You're so annoying! Are you going to tell me or not?"
Wu Chen showed no intention of resisting; instead, he chuckled softly, "I won't tell you. You'll have to figure it out yourself."
Lu Qing let go of his hand, finding this man rather interesting. She might not believe him if he told her, but his silence only fueled her suspicions.
The two walked in the mountains for a day and a night before finally arriving at a town outside the mountains.
The town was bustling, with all sorts of things for sale.
Wu Chen carried her to a clothing store. The shopkeeper quickly came forward, "Sir, what would you like to buy?"
Wu Chen said to him in a gentle tone, "Pick out a few clothes for her according to her size. Also, shoes and socks."
Upon seeing the fabric of their clothes, the shopkeeper quickly apologized, "Honorable guests, the fabric you two are wearing is only found in the immortal sects. Our shop doesn't carry such treasures. However, these few pieces are made of top-quality silk. Please take a look and see if they suit your taste?"
Wu Chen bent down to help her choose fabric.
Lu Qing sat on a chair to the side, and when she heard the words "Immortal Sect", she wondered: Immortal Sect? What kind of thing is the Immortal Sect?
When Wu Chen turned around, he saw her eyes, which were rolling around like two crystal balls in a plate, and he couldn't help but laugh. "Take a look and see if you like it."
Lu Qing glanced at the pink dress in his hand, then at the girls passing by on the street outside. Their delicate, youthful figures were adorned not only with elegant dresses, but also with elaborate hairstyles and hairpins.
Lu Qing shook her head vigorously, "I don't want this one, I want the same one as you."
Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper quickly pulled out two sets of men's clothing, saying, "Please take a look, esteemed guest."
In the marketplace, few people would dress as dignified and formally as Wu Chen. The shopkeeper gave Lu Qing a lively style befitting a wealthy young man.
Lu Qing liked the color and nodded.
Wu Chen picked out a pair of boots for her and placed them on the ground in front of her.
Lu Qing slipped on her boots and followed the shop's maid to try on clothes.
Wu Chen then asked the shopkeeper, "Are there any envoys from the Divine Palace here?"
The shopkeeper shook his head in alarm. “This town is in a remote area and there are no envoys from the Divine Palace. However, there is a place called Qingling Ferry a hundred miles to the south. There is a family of cultivators there, and the head of the family is surnamed Tan. If you have any questions, young master, you can ask them for help.”
Wu Chen nodded and said thank you.
Seeing his amiable attitude, so different from the arrogant and rude people who cultivated immortality, the shopkeeper felt a sense of goodwill towards him. "May I ask if you, sir, are a cultivator?"
Wu Chen nodded.
The shopkeeper, emboldened, said, “Our town has no special connection to the gods, but we built a temple to pray for their protection and offer incense. Before this temple was built, the area was peaceful. But ever since it was built, strange things have been happening there, and people who come to offer incense often disappear without a trace. It frightens the locals so much that they avoid the area during the day. If you have the time, young master, could you please take a look? I would be grateful on behalf of the local people.”
Wu Chen asked, somewhat puzzled, "Are you sure these strange occurrences only started after the temple was repaired?"
The shopkeeper smiled bitterly, “That’s right. Before the temple was built, it was an open space with people coming and going, and nothing strange ever happened. But after the temple was built, the statues of the gods were repeatedly knocked down, and every few days, someone who went to offer incense would disappear. They were never seen again, neither alive nor dead. Now, we are all worried, we dare not build it, nor dare we demolish it.”
Wu Chen nodded. "I understand."
At this moment, Lu Qing lifted the curtain and skipped out from behind.
Her long hair was all combed up by the maid and tied on top of her head with a hairband. Her round face and bright eyes made her look every bit the mischievous boy.
Wu Chen asked her, "Do you like it?"
Lu Qing nodded. "I like it."
Wu Chen said to the shopkeeper, "Take a few more sets. And a few more pairs of boots too."
He stood in front of the counter and bought a lot of things in one go. Then he took out a brocade pouch, put everything in it, and turned around to fasten it around Lu Qing's waist.
Lu Qing grinned at him, looking naive and clueless about the ways of the world.
Wu Chen patted her head and asked the shopkeeper, "How much?"
The shopkeeper waved his hands repeatedly, "Young master is a member of the immortal sect, these are just my humble offerings to you."
Wu Chen took out a large ingot of silver and placed it directly on the counter, saying, "There's no need for that."
The shopkeeper hurriedly said, "It doesn't need to be this much." He took out some loose change from the counter and was about to hand it to Wu Chen when a small, fair hand suddenly cut in front of him, blocking his way. "Give it to me, give it to me."
Seeing that Wu Chen was smiling and did not object, the shopkeeper handed the loose silver to Lu Qing.
Lu Qing examined the item carefully in her palm before tossing it into the brocade pouch. Mimicking Wu Chen's posture with his hands behind his back, she asked, "Where are we going?"
Wu Chen patted her head. "Let's find a place to stay first, and then go check out that little temple tonight."
A note from the author:
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Sashimi and fruit: a new type of homophone for "harmonious society".
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