Chapter 213
The carriage swayed, rain pounded on the roof, and the curtains on the side windows were not drawn, so splashes of water fell in and clung to Wen Chaoyu's hair, like a layer of damp mist.
As we descended the mountain path, the rain intensified again, turning the sky and earth a grayish-white expanse. Everywhere was slippery and muddy, and the horses moved slowly, not daring to hurry.
Wen Chaoyu used her inner energy to dry her soaked clothes. Nangong Min leaned against the carriage wall, sleeping peacefully. She had been asleep for a while. Wen Chaoyu noticed that water was still dripping from her temples, so she took off her own coat and draped it over her. She then took out a handkerchief and wiped the cold sweat from her face.
The handkerchief gently touched her face, wiping away the fine beads of sweat. Just as Wen Chaoyu was about to stop, Nangong Min's eyelashes suddenly trembled, and he abruptly opened his eyes and looked at her.
Their eyes met, and those eyes, usually so smiling and serene, were as deep as an unfathomable pool, carrying a hint of weariness and languor, along with a rare sense of confusion and bewilderment. Wen Chaoyu paused, straightened up, and asked, "You woke up so quickly?"
Nangong Min looked up at the window, coughed twice, and said, "Haven't we come down the mountain yet?"
“Soon,” Wen Chaoyu folded the handkerchief and put it in his pocket. “But Shangyuan City is probably still in chaos. Our group is too big to enter the city. We might be surrounded by the Yunhua disciples who don’t know the situation yet. Let’s take a detour along the mountain road and not go through the city.”
A warm sensation emanated from the coat on her shoulders. Nangong Min looked down and smelled a distinct odor of alcohol. She chuckled softly, her voice slightly weak, "You drank alcohol today?"
Wen Chaoyu turned her aching neck and casually replied, "I rushed back all the way from Jinhuai City. I was running so fast that I didn't get any sleep. If I hadn't drunk alcohol to keep me awake, I would have collapsed from exhaustion long ago."
Nangong Min knew, of course, that she had gone to Jinhuai City. Along the way, he had sent his followers to make things difficult for her and Ji Wanshu. Although he hadn't succeeded in delaying them, he had at least bought her some time, allowing her to arrive in Shangyuan City almost simultaneously with them. Nangong Min said, "It's been quite a few days since we last met. Have you bought a house in Shangyuan City yet?"
Wen Chaoyu said, “I bought a set,” she raised her eyebrows and gave a meaningful smile, “It was bought with the gold you gave me. It’s very elegant and the place is quiet.”
Nangong Min said, "Then why don't you invite me to have a look around?"
"Now?" Wen Chaoyu thought for a moment. "It's not impossible. You're injured, so you can rest at my place for a while before leaving. Shall I tell them to change their route into the city?"
Nangong Min agreed with a "okay," and Wen Chaoyu lifted the carriage curtain and instructed the cultist to head into the city. The others, upon hearing this, tacitly dispersed, concealing their movements and following behind. Instead of traveling with the carriage, they went to find inns to stay overnight.
As Wen Chaoyu had expected, the city was still in chaos, with officials and Yunhua disciples everywhere trying to settle the people. Wen Chaoyu walked up to the carriage and showed herself; most of the Yunhua disciples recognized her and didn't block her way. The carriage turned into the mansion along the street. The gatekeeper greeted her and announced her arrival. Xue Tan, limping, ran out to greet her, and upon seeing Nangong Min, he was so frightened that he stammered, "Sect... Sect Leader?! This... why have you suddenly come to Shangyuan City? Please come in quickly!"
Nangong Min stood at the front of the carriage and looked around. Supported by Wen Chaoyu, he entered the courtyard. Xue Tan was trembling with fear and followed behind like a quail, not daring to say a word. It wasn't until Nangong Min went to the bathhouse to bathe and change that Xue Tan, looking pale, said, "Why did you come back today? And what's going on with the sect leader? If you're going to bring someone, you should at least give me a heads-up beforehand. I was almost scared to death just now!"
Wen Chaoyu asked in surprise, "With all that commotion in the city today, how come you didn't even know I was back? What have you been doing at home?"
“I’m guarding the house,” Xue Tan scratched his head. “Didn’t you tell me not to leave the main gate or step out of the second gate? You told me not to pay attention to any noise I hear. I haven’t gone anywhere except to sleep at home these past few days.”
"Mingyue Tower and Jiuxian Hall have already reached the city gates!" Wen Chaoyu asked the heavens speechlessly, "No wonder you haven't come to meet me for so long. It turns out you've been holed up at home sleeping all day. What can I say to you!"
Xue Tan looked completely innocent: "Let them fight, why should I get involved? With my broken arms and legs, I wouldn't be of any use. If I were to get killed by someone, you wouldn't even have time to collect my body. I'm just following your advice."
Wen Chaoyu was speechless after hearing his words. After a long while, she said irritably, "How come everyone is so stupid? Alright, alright, go and tell someone to cook a good meal and warm two pots of wine for me. Hurry up."
Xue Tan said "Oh," and knowing that a great figure had come to his house, he didn't dare to dawdle at all, and his steps were much more brisk than usual. Wen Chaoyu returned to her room, washed her face with cold water, changed into clean clothes, and after tidying herself up, went to the hall to wait.
The sky had completely darkened, and night had fallen. The thunder during the day had been so loud that one might expect a downpour, but instead, it was just a light drizzle, negligible at all. Wen Chaoyu ate some snacks to fill her stomach, but was still extremely tired. So, she stood in the corridor with her wine jug, letting the cold wind blow on her to try and ward off sleep. After Xue Tan ordered the food to be set out and then withdrew, Nangong Min finally emerged from the corner of the corridor, surrounded by several maids.
Lanterns hung under the eaves, all covered with vermilion paper, casting a soft, rosy glow. Nangong Min, dressed in a simple lake-blue robe, her black hair damp, her figure graceful, walked over chatting and laughing with several maids. Bathed in the tender, romantic light, she was like a painting, breathtakingly beautiful.
This person has only ever loved red dresses since childhood. Wen Chaoyu has almost never seen her wear any other color. Now that she has seen her, she can't help but take a few more glances.
The two met at the door, and before either could speak, the maids excitedly began asking Wen Chaoyu questions, all curious about Nangong Min's identity. These were all girls Wen Chaoyu had hired after arriving in Shangyuan City; none of them recognized Nangong Min, assuming she was some kind of noble lady. Unlike Xue Tan, they weren't afraid of her and bombarded her with questions, making a ruckus. Nangong Min, however, responded politely and generously.
As Wen Chaoyu watched them chatting and laughing, a subtle feeling arose in her heart.
For a moment, she felt as if Nangong Min's arrival was a fall from a high place to the mortal world, making her suddenly feel somewhat uncomfortable.
It was as if Nangong Min was no longer the leader of the Ziwei Sect; she was just an ordinary person. The reputation she had carried for many years, whether good or bad, seemed to have quietly drifted away at this moment.
The night rain was incessant, and the cold wind lingered. The flowers blooming in the courtyard were blurred into indistinct shadows amidst the desolate wind and rain. Wen Chaoyu took a sip of wine and went into the inner hall by herself. The maids helped Nangong Min to sit down at the long table, serving her food and tea with exceptional attentiveness and warmth. Only after Wen Chaoyu spoke did the maids withdraw outside the door, giving the two of them a quiet atmosphere.
The hall was brightly lit, with many lamps illuminating it like daytime, making their faces clearly visible. Wen Chaoyu removed Nangong Min's teacup and poured her some wine. The two clinked glasses, and Wen Chaoyu drank it all in one gulp, while Nangong Min only took a small sip. She looked out at the courtyard, maintaining her usual upright posture, and said slowly, "The house is quite nice."
Wen Chaoyu didn't have her good manners. She never sat or stood properly. At this moment, she was also leaning back in her chair with her long legs propped up, saying casually, "Everyone who comes here says so, and I'm quite satisfied with it myself. After all, it cost a lot of money to buy, so of course it can't be bad."
Nangong Min hummed in agreement and asked, "Who have come here?"
Wen Chaoyu counted on her fingers: "Not many. The first one to arrive was naturally Wan Shu, then Man Jiangxue and Yin Qiu, and there were no others."
Nangong Min looked around at the furnishings in the hall and said, "Do you usually turn on so many lights?"
Wen Chaoyu said, "No," as she picked through the vegetables, her tone light, "but isn't it because you're here?"
Nangong Min looked at her but didn't say anything more.
Wen Chaoyu suddenly chuckled and continued, "Do you think everyone lights a hundred lamps at night like you do?"
Upon hearing this, Nangong Min paused for a moment: "When do I need to light a hundred lamps?"
Wen Chaoyu raised an eyebrow: "Don't tell me you forgot."
“I have indeed forgotten,” Nangong Min said. “When?”
Wen Chaoyu didn't answer that question, but instead asked, "Then what do you remember?"
Nangong Min took a dry handkerchief and wiped his wet hair, saying, "That depends on what you mean."
Wen Chaoyu held her wine glass, looking at the shimmering reflection in the water. After a moment of silence, she said, "I know you have a bad memory and have forgotten many things, but you should still remember the scene of our first formal meeting, right?"
Nangong Min lowered her eyes, a hint of reminiscence on her face. Wen Chaoyu glanced at her subtly for a moment, and Nangong Min slowly smiled under her silent gaze, saying, "Well," she looked directly into Wen Chaoyu's eyes and said softly, "it seems I've forgotten about that too."
·
Nangong Min lied.
She wasn't actually a person with a bad memory; in fact, her memory was better than Wen Chaoyu's. She remembered many things that even Wen Chaoyu couldn't remember.
As a child, Nangong Min only had one day off a month. Every morning she would study with her teacher in the study, and in the afternoon she would practice swordsmanship with her father in the training ground. Before the end of the day, except for an hour for meals and digestion, she spent the rest of her time dealing with pen, ink, and swords.
Her father only gave her one day off a month.
The weather was lovely that day, and the red lotuses in the garden were in bloom. Nangong Min never slept in late, and even on her day off, she got up early as usual. She smelled the fragrance of the flowers in her room, and after washing up and getting dressed, she went to the waterside pavilion to admire the flowers.
The lake water rippled gently, koi carp swam among the lotus leaves, and the red lotuses bloomed in vibrant colors, like mist and smoke. Nangong Min was delighted with the sight and summoned a maid to invite her father to admire the flowers with her. However, her father was busy and could not come. So, Nangong Min ordered a table of tea and snacks to be set out, took some trinkets to pass the time, and sat alone in the lakeside pavilion, enjoying this hard-won moment of leisure.
Where she is, there is usually no one else. Even her personal maids will not get very close to her. They will usually find a quiet corner where they can be heard when she calls out, unlike other people's maids who accompany their young ladies and are always hanging around Nangong Min.
Nangong Min herself didn't know where this rule came from. She herself had never given any instructions on it, and her father wouldn't be so bored as to interfere in such matters. In short, since Nangong Min could remember, she had never been accompanied by anyone, but she didn't find it strange and had long been used to being alone.
However, on this day of her vacation, a strange yet youthful voice suddenly rang out behind her. Someone asked, "Why are you here all alone?"
Nangong Min was facing away from the long corridor leading to the pavilion in the middle of the lake, intently pounding the balsam flowers in the mortar. When she heard this sudden sound, she couldn't help but be stunned for a moment.
Although she was young at the time, her martial arts skills were already quite good. Logically, she should have heard someone coming, but she didn't notice a sound at all. Perhaps she was too focused, or perhaps she subconsciously thought that no one would come near her, let alone talk to her, especially not with such words. So Nangong Min was secretly surprised and also a little curious.
She turned around and saw a sickly little girl.
The girl was dressed in a dark blue dress and looked unwell, her complexion was poor, and she seemed to be in low spirits. However, she was very beautiful, with distinct features and deep eyes. Unlike the delicate and demure girls of her age, she was bright and radiant, and apart from her pale complexion, she was truly striking.
Nangong Min sized up Wen Chaoyu, remaining outwardly calm, but inwardly he was thinking: Who is this person?
She didn't remember who the girl in front of her was.
She asked her father to bring Wen Chaoyu back to the Ziwei Sect, not because she intentionally ignored her, but because she was simply too busy to find the time to check on Wen Chaoyu. As time went on, she completely forgot that she had saved someone two months ago.
Besides, Wen Chaoyu was so sick two months ago that she was extremely thin, disheveled, and dressed in dirty clothes. Nangong Min didn't even see her face clearly at that time, so when she saw her now, she had no clue what she looked like.
But she couldn't directly ask Wen Chaoyu who she was. What if the other person was the daughter of one of her father's friends, and she couldn't even remember her name? That would be extremely impolite and would bring shame to her father.
So Nangong Min smiled and replied, "I have always been alone."
Wen Chaoyu stood in the corridor and looked around, then asked her, "This garden is so big, do you live alone?"
Nangong Min said, "Yes, otherwise who else would live here? My father only has one daughter, and I have no brothers or sisters."
When Wen Chaoyu was still living in the Ji family, their mansion was already quite large. At that time, although the Ji family wasn't the richest in Jincheng, they were still a wealthy and influential merchant family, and many people had coveted their mansion. When Wen Chaoyu was little, she often got lost while wandering around the house and had to shout for someone to come and take her back to her room. In comparison, Nangong Min's place was even bigger than the entire Ji family mansion, and she lived there all by herself.
"Aren't you scared?" Wen Chaoyu asked. "Big houses are more likely to be haunted."
Nangong Min found the girl quite interesting and said, "I'm not afraid, what's there to be afraid of?" But when Wen Chaoyu looked at her, she felt a little awkward for no apparent reason and quickly changed her mind, "Okay, actually I am a little scared. I have to light a hundred lamps in my room before I go to sleep at night, and it has to be as bright as day before I dare to sleep."
Wen Chaoyu said, "Then why don't you have someone sleep with you?"
Nangong Min said, "Who will sleep with me? I'm so old now, I can't keep having my dad with me. Besides, if he knew I was afraid of the dark, he would definitely call me a coward and I would get scolded."
Wen Chaoyu thought to herself, "You light a hundred lamps at night. Anyone with eyesight can tell you're afraid of the dark. Your father must have known that for a long time."
But Wen Chaoyu didn't voice her inner thoughts to Nangong Min. She entered the pavilion, sat down beside Nangong Min, and stared at her hands, asking, "What are you fiddling with?"
“It’s a balsam flower,” Nangong Min showed her the mortar and pestle. “It can be used to make rouge or nail polish. Isn’t it pretty?”
Wen Chaoyu has never liked dressing up since she was a child. She never wore the jewelry that Madam Ji bought for her. She glanced at it and said, "It's not pretty. The color is too gaudy."
“What do you mean by gaudy? You have no taste,” Nangong Min said with a smile as he stuck a balsam flower on his fingernail. “Of all the colors in the world, my favorite is red. The church is too dull. Those believers only wear black. Not a single one of them can dress brightly. Apart from here, there aren’t any pretty flowers anywhere else. You’ve come to the right place. My garden is the most fun place.”
Seeing that she was wearing a red dress, and that the lake was covered with countless red lotuses, and that she was playing with a bright red balsam flower in her hand, Wen Chaoyu couldn't help but grin and tease her, "Then you shouldn't be called Nangong Min, you should be called Nangong Hong."
Nangong Min was taken aback by these words.
Before this, no one had ever called her by her full name.
Wen Chaoyu suddenly barged in, entering her private space where she was all alone, and even called her by her name without any restraint. This was bound to surprise the then young Nangong Min.
Her father called her "Min'er," the followers and maids in the church called her "Miss," and outsiders would respectfully address her as "Little Master." This was the first time Nangong Min had heard her own name completely from someone else.
"Why don't you even have a maidservant by your side?" Seeing Nangong Min looking at her without speaking, Wen Chaoyu took a piece of pastry and ate it while saying, "That shouldn't be the case. Your family is so rich, you should have at least a hundred maidservants and servants serving you in your room."
"Why is it number one hundred?" Nangong Min asked.
"Just to make up the numbers," Wen Chaoyu said seriously. "One person lighting one lamp is just right."
Nangong Min was completely amused by her and said, "If I wanted a hundred, I could have them, but I don't need them." Then he added, "No one follows me because they are afraid of me. In this family, apart from my father and the four protectors, no one dares to speak to me first."
"Why?" This time it was Wen Chaoyu's turn to ask her "why".
“I don’t know either,” Nangong Min said. “I’m not scary-looking, and I don’t have a bad temper, but they just don’t dare to come near me.”
After Wen Chaoyu was rescued, she lived alone in a guest room in the outer courtyard for two months. She was served every day, with many people following her around. Sometimes she even thought this was her home. However, when she came to this place through the guidance of a maid and met the real young master of the house, she was all alone. Not only did she not have anyone to serve her, but no one dared to approach her.
That's strange.
"Are you from some noble family?" Wen Chaoyu said. "But that shouldn't be the case. The more noble a family is, the more polite they should be to their servants. Or have you done something wrong? Otherwise, why would they be afraid of you?"
Nangong Min scrutinized Wen Chaoyu, and suddenly became interested, asking curiously, "Don't you know who I am?"
Wen Chaoyu shook her head: "Who are you?"
Nangong Min asked, "Then who are you?"
"You don't even know who I am?" Wen Chaoyu asked incredulously. "You rescued me from the clinic, and you've already forgotten me after only two months?"
Nangong Min finally grasped a clue, then remembered that two months ago, she and her father had passed by a clinic and rescued a seriously ill girl who had been abandoned by her parents. Nangong Min's eyes lit up, and she smiled, "So it's you. I'm so sorry, I've been too busy and forgot about you. May I ask your name?"
Wen Chaoyu gave his name and asked in return, "And what about you? Although I know your name is Nangong Min, I still don't know who you are or where this place is."
Nangong Min said, "You've been here for two months, and you still haven't heard that this is the Ziwei Sect?"
“I’ve heard about it,” Wen Chaoyu said, finishing her pastries and pouring herself a cup of tea. “But all I know is that the Ziwei Sect is a martial arts sect, and I don’t know what you guys do. I don’t know much about these things. Now that we’ve met, why don’t you tell me about it?”
He noticed that although the girl was poised, unpretentious, and quite talkative, she knew very little about the affairs of the martial world, not even knowing what the Ziwei Sect was. Nangong Min rarely chatted with people like this, so he became playful and deliberately said in a mysterious tone, "Then you must have heard some stories? In the martial world, there have always been righteous paths and evil sects. Our Ziwei Sect is one of the top evil sects in the martial world today."
The Demonic Cult? Wen Chaoyu's expression changed: "So all the people here are bad people who want to do evil?"
“Yes,” Nangong Min teased her, saying in a serious tone, “They commit murder and arson, and all sorts of evil deeds. The mere mention of the name of the Ziwei Sect is enough to terrify everyone.”
"So wicked?" Wen Chaoyu suddenly realized. "No wonder your maids don't dare to approach you. Your father is the leader of the Ziwei Sect. He's a big devil, and you're a little devil."
Nangong Min laughed heartily, feeling extremely relaxed, and said with a smile, "That's right, it's the little devil. So, are you afraid of me?"
Wen Chaoyu carefully examined her from head to toe for a while, then pouted and said, "But you don't look like a little devil at all. Besides, you saved me, which is an act of kindness, something a bad person wouldn't do. And you're afraid of the dark and don't dare to sleep alone. What kind of devil would be so cowardly? I don't believe you. Are you lying to me?"
“I’m not lying to you,” Nangong Min said. “Everything I said is true.”
“Then I’m not afraid of you,” Wen Chaoyu said. “You can’t eat me.”
Nangong Min said, "You know that now? It's daytime now. I only eat people at night. If you're not in a hurry to go back, you can wait until it gets dark and I'll eat people for you to see."
Wen Chaoyu asked, "Really?"
“Really?” Nangong Min said. “Why would I lie to you?”
Wen Chaoyu wasn't a three-year-old child, so how could she believe her nonsense? But she still stayed that day, waiting to see how Nangong Min would put on a show of eating people. When night fell, Nangong Min took her to his room. For the first time, he didn't let anyone light a lamp. The two of them threw their bedding on the floor and made a makeshift bed. They talked a lot, but they didn't eat a single person.
Wen Chaoyu was convinced that Nangong Min was teasing her, thinking he was truly a dark-hearted person who enjoyed scaring people. So, she racked her brains and told Nangong Min a bunch of ghost stories. Nangong Min appeared calm on the surface, but subconsciously shrank into the covers. In the middle of the night, she fell asleep without knowing when. The next day, when Wen Chaoyu woke up, she found Nangong Min pressed tightly against her. As soon as she opened her eyes, she said to her, "You scared me last night. I had a lot of nightmares, and I'm not energetic today. If I don't study well in the study, the teacher will definitely scold me."
Wen Chaoyu said, "What should we do? You lied to me first, and you even squeezed me, so I didn't get any sleep either."
“Don’t go back, just stay here with me,” Nangong Min said with two huge dark circles under his eyes, looking somewhat aggrieved. “Lighting a thousand lamps won’t help this time. If you leave, I’ll be even more scared. You have to stay with me until you’ve forgotten all the stories you told me before you leave.”
Wen Chaoyu regretted it.
She was fearless and had always loved pestering her nanny to tell her ghost stories, only before bedtime. But she hadn't expected Nangong Min to be so timid. What kind of man-eating little devil was he? Wen Chaoyu sighed and asked, "That doesn't make sense. Aren't all the people in your Ziwei Sect bad? Why are you afraid of ghosts?"
“There’s a reason,” Nangong Min said. “My mother died when I was four years old. She was killed by my father’s enemies. They wanted to take my father’s holy sword, but my father refused to give it to them, so they killed my mother.”
Wen Chaoyu was taken aback, stunned by these sudden words and unsure what to say. After a long silence, she softened her tone and said, "...Then what does this have to do with your fear of the dark?"
Nangong Min said, "Of course it's related. When my mother died, I was hiding in the underground passage. I could see her eyes through the crack. She died with her eyes open. I wanted to see her, but I was also afraid to see her. So I stared at her for many days. Later, my father rescued me. Since then, I have never dared to sleep alone. I must keep all the lights in the room."
Wen Chaoyu regretted it even more.
She was immediately filled with remorse and quickly wrapped Nangong Min in the blanket, then asked, "You said 'many days'... exactly how many days?"
"Four days?" Nangong Min thought for a moment. "I can't remember exactly. In short, I was locked underground the whole time. If my father hadn't come to rescue me, I would have starved to death inside."
Hearing her recount her sorrows in such a calm tone, without showing much grief on her face, Wen Chaoyu felt as if she had been stabbed twice in the heart. Suddenly, Wen Chaoyu's eyes reddened, and tears streamed down her face as she said, "Although your mother is dead, your father still came to save you; at least he cared about you. But my parents, neither of them want me anymore..."
Nangong Min rarely saw anyone shed tears in front of her, and her nose also felt a little sore. She comforted her, "They don't want you, but my father and I do. You can stay here from now on. We're friends from today onwards. If you're willing, the Ziwei Sect will be your home. Please stop crying, okay?"
In the two months that Wen Chaoyu had been at the Ziwei Sect, she had never cried because of being abandoned by her parents, whether she was with others or alone. Looking at Nangong Min, she choked up and said, "Alright then, I'll stay and keep you company. Tonight I'll tell you jokes, and I won't tell you ghost stories anymore."
Nangong Min laughed again, her face beaming, and said, "Okay."
From then on, Wen Chaoyu stayed in the Ziwei Sect and lived in the same courtyard as Nangong Min. When the old sect leader learned that the two of them had become friends, he soon allowed Wen Chaoyu to study and practice martial arts with Nangong Min. In those years, Nangong Min had a close friend with whom she could talk about anything, and Wen Chaoyu had a new home. Those were the happiest years of their lives.
However, this period of good fortune was short-lived. A few years later, the old leader passed away due to illness, and Nangong Min hastily ascended to the position of leader, suffering oppression from all sides and even nearly losing his life several times. She was no longer afraid of the dark, nor did she need Wen Chaoyu to sleep with her anymore. She always stayed alone in Maple Tower or Magnolia Palace, without anyone accompanying her. It was as if she had suddenly become a different person.
After that, she kept many beauties as concubines, and the lights in her bedchamber were always burning all night. She could only fall asleep when she could hear the beauties playing and laughing. Her living quarters were always filled with strong incense, because light scents had no effect on her. Only excessive noise and strong fragrances could make her feel less lonely and allow her to sleep better.
In the end, Maple Tower and Magnolia Palace were gone, and the main altar in Hezhou City was burned to ruins. All the memories of my childhood were buried in that fire.
Now, even her only friend has left, and it was she who let her go.
In the end, the once vast Ziwei Sect was reduced to just her alone.
·
The night rain was misty, and the spring night wind brought back memories, only to take them away again. The lamp in the room flickered, pulling at the shadows of two people, sometimes together, sometimes apart, until the wind stopped and everything returned to calm, widening the distance between them.
Wen Chaoyu finished her wine, turned the glass upside down, and slammed the door shut with a flick of her palm, keeping all the chill out of the corridor. Wen Chaoyu said casually, "It would be good if you really forgot, but I'm afraid you'll remember it again."
Nangong Min smiled slightly, pulled his robe tighter, and said, "What will happen if you remember?"
Wen Chaoyu laughed and said, "I'm afraid you won't be able to sleep."
Nangong Min looked at her and smiled, "You're overthinking it. I'm sleeping very well now." After saying this, she tilted her head back and swallowed the wine that Wen Chaoyu poured for her, then turned the glass upside down on the table and stood up.
Seeing her actions, Wen Chaoyu immediately asked, "Are you tired? I'll take you to your room."
Nangong Min didn't say anything, pushed open the door and went to stand on the corridor. Wen Chaoyu carried a lantern and offered to lead the way for her, but Nangong Min stood still and said in a weak voice, "No need to trouble yourself, I'll be going now."
"Leave?" Wen Chaoyu frowned, looking at the rain curtain, and asked, "Where to?"
“Go back to where I belong,” Nangong Min turned around. “I came here just to see how you were doing, but seeing that this place is nice and I know you are doing well, I am relieved.”
Wen Chaoyu lowered her hand holding the lantern: "Are we leaving now?"
Nangong Min nodded.
“But you’re still injured,” Wen Chaoyu took two steps closer to her, “at least let your injuries heal a bit before you leave, why are you in such a hurry to set off?”
“You have a new home, and someone who can stay with you for a long time,” Nangong Min said softly with a gentle smile. “You no longer need me, and I no longer need you. We’ve both grown up. We are ultimately not on the same path. I still have my mission and responsibilities to bear. The Holy Sword has been retrieved, and I have no other attachments. My father left the Ziwei Sect to me hoping that I could carry it forward and rid it of its undeserved infamy. But I have turned it into a veritable demonic sect in my hands, even more despicable than when my father was alive. This is my mistake. So from now on, I will restore the sect’s reputation, reclaim the good name the Ziwei Sect once had, and fulfill my father’s dying wish.”
Wen Chaoyu was silent for a moment, then sighed and said, "These things cannot be accomplished overnight, but if the old sect leader knew that you had this intention, he would be very pleased." She placed the lantern by the door and took an umbrella from the hall. "If you insist on leaving now, then leave."
Nangong Min took the umbrella and slowly walked down the steps. She pushed Wen Chaoyu back and said, "I'll walk by myself. You stay here."
Wen Chaoyu said, "I'll go with you. I told you I'd take you back to Cang County."
“No need,” Nangong Min stood in the rain, her oil-paper umbrella blocking some of the light. She looked up at Wen Chaoyu, “There are people who need your company more than I do.”
"But I owe you my life, and I owe you so many debts of gratitude!" Wen Chaoyu stubbornly rushed to her side, her voice trembling as she said, "I never really considered myself to have left the Ziwei Sect. Just as I told you before, I will always be a member of the Ziwei Sect. Now that you have taken back the Holy Sword and will once again stand in the midst of strife and turmoil, what do you mean by pushing me away? Don't you really consider me a part of the Ziwei Sect anymore?"
Nangong Min said, "No," she took two steps back and said to Wen Chaoyu from a distance, "You don't owe me anything anymore. There shouldn't be any debt between us. Even if there was, you've already paid it back. The reason I let you go was so you could live the life you wanted. Now that you've got it, you don't need to come back."
Wen Chaoyu wiped the rain from her face. The rain made her feel aches all over her body, including her heart. Wen Chaoyu said, "You've made decisions for me for so many years, can't you let me take my own decision? I'm not going to cling to you like this, are you afraid I won't get rid of you? Once the situation in the sect stabilizes and your injuries heal, I'll naturally leave. I won't stay with you forever!"
"Don't you understand?" Nangong Min's smile faded, his gaze deep and somber. "That's precisely why I don't want you to come back."
Wen Chaoyu's mind went blank for a moment.
“I don’t want anyone to be a passerby in my life who comes and goes as they please,” Nangong Min turned around, giving Wen Chaoyu an indistinct profile. “If it weren’t for this, I wouldn’t have let you leave that day. Now that you’ve left, there’s no need for you to come back, especially since you’ve come back, stayed for a while, and then left again. This is what I can’t tolerate and cannot accept.”
Wen Chaoyu said, "But..."
“There are no buts,” Nangong Min said calmly. “You know what I’m thinking, and I know what you’re thinking. We are both people with our own opinions, so neither of us should try to persuade the other.”
After she finished speaking, she didn't give Wen Chaoyu a chance to reply. Holding her umbrella, she stepped into the cold rain and walked alone in the dark, indistinct direction.
"We owe each other nothing, and we're both doing well. That's the best outcome."
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