Zhou Lue looked on incredulously: "Don't talk nonsense, you can't just say things like that!" As he spoke, Zhou Lue's face showed a look of lingering fear, as if he was afraid that someone would overhear him.
"What's wrong?" Chang Lili didn't know what she had said wrong.
Zhou Lue lowered his voice and said, "These books were collected by the Emperor from the small countries he annexed before. It's already quite good that they weren't destroyed. How can we expect him to let them circulate? What if the remnants of those small countries learn these books and start a rebellion? Wouldn't that be like lifting a brick to drop it on one's own foot?"
Chang Lili nodded as if she understood, and after sorting through her thoughts, she understood Zhou Lue's meaning, but she still felt that doing things this way was not appropriate.
“There’s something else I find strange,” she said, looking at Zhou Lue. “Senior, with your unparalleled martial arts skills, why did you insist on breaking through the traps and... crippling yourself? Wouldn’t it be better to just enjoy the life of a carefree wanderer?”
Zhou Lue sighed and said, "Do you know Dugu Qiubai? It's nice to live a carefree life in the martial world, but it's actually quite lonely if you can't find like-minded people and have no rivals. It's quite comfortable here."
Chang Lili couldn't fully understand that feeling, but she nodded. She mainly didn't understand what was so comfortable about being here. Someone like Zhou Lue shouldn't be so well-behaved, at least not for so long.
Lunch was delivered by a special person, and it was incredibly luxurious. Although there were only five people, the dishes filled the stone table, with a perfect balance of meat and vegetables, and everything was delicious and visually appealing. It was just as good as what the chefs at the General's Mansion could make.
After the meal, a small food box was left behind. The person who delivered the food said it was specially for Chang Lili.
Before Chang Lili even opened it, she could smell the sweet aroma. When she opened it, she found a plate of exquisite pastries: walnut shortbread.
When Jiang Yingxue saw this, she couldn't help but launch into another round of sarcastic remarks.
Chang Lili originally intended to share the pastries with everyone, but after she put them on the table and invited everyone to eat them, Jiang Yingxue snorted disdainfully and left. Zhang Ziqing glanced at them expressionlessly, then got up and returned to the long table.
The drunkard picked up his wine jar, as if to say that he had enough wine.
Finally, Zhou Lue sat at the table with Chang Lili, thoroughly enjoying the meal. They finished a plate of walnut pastries, and the two were still reluctant to stop eating.
Today, Chang Lili spent the entire day either talking to Zhou Lue or engrossed in reading.
As evening approached, Zhou Lue kindly led Chang Lili out of the woods and back to the wooden house where her mother-in-law lived.
Her mother-in-law had already prepared a meal and was waiting for her, but Chang Lili felt that her mother-in-law seemed to have something on her mind, always looking like she wanted to say something but couldn't.
"What's wrong, Mother-in-law? Are you not used to it here? Are you feeling too bored here?" Chang Lili asked with concern.
The mother-in-law quickly waved her hand, saying that she was still getting used to the new place, but would feel better soon.
Chang Lili still felt something was off, so she pretended to be unhappy and said that she had finally managed to get through the traps, but her mother-in-law didn't seem very happy.
The mother-in-law was amused by her appearance and quickly put some food on Chang Lili's plate, saying, "I'm happy, of course I'm happy. I told you, it's just that I'm a little unaccustomed to coming here suddenly, but I'll get used to it in a few days."
The two finished their lunch with laughter and jokes, and then went for a walk.
Looking at the warm glow of the setting sun, Chang Lili suddenly felt that her life was now complete.
The next day, Chang Lili arrived as promised, bringing something wrapped in a cloth and handing it to Zhou Lue.
Zhou Lue opened it with great anticipation, but was stunned for a long time when he saw the white leg bone. Just when Chang Lili thought he might be unhappy, Zhou Lue suddenly started wiping away tears.
He sobbed uncontrollably, "It's my leg... my leg..."
Seeing this, Chang Lili panicked and said helplessly, "Senior, don't cry!"
Suddenly, Zhou Lue used the hand that had gripped the skeleton to pat Chang Lili's shoulder with an air of heroic grandeur. Chang Lili's body trembled violently, and she opened her eyes wide to turn and look at Zhou Lue's hand.
"Don't call me senior. You don't need to be so polite to me in the future. You are my daughter, my own daughter!" Zhou Lue was moved to tears.
Chang Lili was at a loss for words, and awkwardly smiled, saying, "Don't cry... talk to me properly..."
"I lost this bone when I was navigating the traps and mazes. After that, I lost a leg, and I thought I was going to die a horrible death." Zhou Lue cried like a child as he spoke.
Jiang Yingxue looked at Chang Lili and the crying Zhou Lue with a curious expression.
Zhou Lue held the skeleton in his arms as if it were a treasure, and continued to cry, "The moment I saw this skeleton, I knew it was mine. Even if it turns to ashes, I will still recognize it!"
Chang Lili forced a smile and said, "Then... I'm really happy for you, senior..."
Zhou Lue cried for a long time, but he stopped abruptly. Wiping away his tears, he warmly pulled Chang Lili and said, "Lili, although we've only known each other for two days, we hit it off immediately. I see you as if you were my own daughter. Why don't you recognize me as your father..."
He spoke so casually, and as soon as he finished speaking, Chang Lili shook her head in terror, waving her hands repeatedly, saying, "No...no, no, don't..."
“Oh, it doesn’t seem quite right of me to say that. I meant godfather, from now on you will be my goddaughter!” Zhou said after a moment’s thought.
Chang Lili still waved her hand. Meng Yuxiu said that Zhou Lue would definitely take good care of her, but she didn't expect it to be in this way. This was really hard for her to bear.
"No need, senior, you..." She had no parents since she was a child, and she couldn't be so careless about such an important matter.
Zhou Lue looked disappointed, and Chang Lili felt helpless. But in the blink of an eye, Zhou Lue perked up and said, "It seems you don't like being a father. No problem, I can be your master!"
Chang Lili looked stunned.
"Look how great it is that I'm your master! This way, you and Meng Yuxiu will be even closer, and you'll be fellow disciples. You'll eventually get married and it will be a legendary tale!" Zhou Lue said with a face full of joy, and even a look of satisfaction appeared on his face.
Chang Lili blushed and said nervously, "What nonsense are you talking about!"
Zhou Lue spoke loudly, and his words were inevitably overheard by others. The drunkard uncle and Zhang Ziqing didn't react, but Jiang Yingxue couldn't help but roll her eyes.
Chang Lili gave Zhou Lue a reproachful look and said, "Senior, you're talking nonsense. This thing... I just happened to see it, so I brought it to you. It was no trouble at all."
After Chang Lili finished speaking, she turned and walked into the wooden house. Jiang Yingxue was angry and wanted to stop her, but as soon as she moved, she remembered what happened yesterday. She looked at Zhang Ziqing's calm face and returned to the long table.
Zhou Lue chased after her and saw Chang Lili enter the wooden house, pick up the book she hadn't finished reading yesterday and continue reading. He shook his head and went over to persuade her, "What's the point of reading these books? Why not follow me and learn martial arts? I'll teach you martial arts, and no trap or formation can harm you!"
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