Chapter 72 Monologue "Asshole! Shut up! You shut up!"...
The crowd hissed in unison when they heard the series of loud ear scraping sounds, and even the cough that was choking on blood stopped for a moment.
Even before Shen Changfeng and Chuqi began fighting, Luo Shanchang sensed something was amiss. By the time he tried to intervene, it was too late. He could only stand outside with his men to disperse the crowd to prevent accidental injuries. But the crowd was too engrossed in watching to listen. Only after Luo Shanchang finally displayed his authority and drew his sword did the people reluctantly retreat to the riverbanks to continue watching the battle.
Several fingerprints, half red and half white, quickly appeared on Shen Changfeng's right cheek, which then swelled up at a visible rate. The long scar on his face also began to ooze black blood, dripping like a water curtain cave, a truly shocking sight. Luo Shanchang, who had wanted to intervene, decided to play it safe. Shen Changfeng was known for his fiery temper within the garrison, and no one worried about offending him, as he would settle a grudge on the spot, starting a fight at the slightest disagreement. Luo Shanchang was even thankful that Shen Changfeng hadn't joined the bandits; otherwise, they would have wiped out the garrison in less than two weeks.
Shen Changfeng felt a burning sensation on his face, a slight itch. He nuzzled his numb cheek with his tongue, a mixture of emotions welling up in his chest. He really wanted to know why Lin Meizhu had hit him. If it was just because she wanted to, that was fine. But if it was because she had injured Chuqi, he would be furious!
He glanced at the hand that Lin Meiju was hitting him, and was not surprised to see that her palm was red due to congestion, and her fingertips were still trembling uncontrollably. He gave up the idea of questioning her.
Seeing her fury, Shen Changfeng wanted to ask her to hit him on the left cheek as well, but he was afraid that if he didn't do it right, she would think he was being playful and unrepentant. So he had to forcefully swallow the swell of anger in his neck, comforting himself with a positive outlook: Oh, she hit me, twice. There was physical contact today, and that wasn't progress, it was a leap!
Lin Meizhu didn't even give Shen Changfeng a chance to speak. After withdrawing her hand, she turned around and wiped the blood from Chuqi's lips with a handkerchief, and asked, "How are you? Where does it hurt? Can you still walk?"
Chuqi shook his head, "It's okay, I can walk..."
Lin Meizhu nodded, "Then let's go back."
She seemed worried, reached out to hold his hand, and asked again: "Are you really okay?"
Chuqi coughed again and said, "Nothing... serious!" The tone of the last two words suddenly became higher. He felt a sudden tightening in his shoulder, and then heard a soft "click". Lin Meizhu had already reconnected his dislocated arm bone. Her eyes were no longer as gentle and carefree as before. She let go of his hand and said calmly, "Okay, then, walk slowly on your own."
Chuqi's lips moved, and seeing the unexpected look on her face, he knew that some of her anger was caused by him. Knowing that he was in the wrong, he had to follow her pace hesitantly.
When Shen Changfeng first saw Chu Qi's frail, helpless appearance, he felt immense contempt. He was afraid of crippling her and backfiring, so he'd clearly been holding back when he attacked, only to find himself feigning his power after a few blows. But then he saw Lin Meizhu's caring expression, and he realized the man's sinister and treacherous intentions. Seeing Lin Meizhu's cold demeanor, he felt a sense of inexplicable pleasure, but soon his smile faded.
Lin Meizhu walked on her own, but the faint black shadow following closely behind her was like her little tail, following her everywhere. When the little tail couldn't keep up, she would slow down her pace and wait until she saw the blurry silhouette close to her feet or kiss the hem of her skirt before continuing. What else could this be! If this wasn't hard on the outside but soft on the inside, then what was it? I guess that villain must have noticed it too, and he must be secretly happy, the corners of his mouth never lowered!
Shen Changfeng was so angry that he bared his teeth: Why didn’t I break this guy’s legs? He could just ask Lin Meiju to carry him back!
Lin Meizhu and her companion were walking one in front and the other behind when they suddenly heard a few "whoosh" sounds, and several huge fireworks suddenly bloomed in the dark sky. The crowds on both sides of the river bank looked up at the night sky and exclaimed in amazement.
Lin Meiju caught a glimpse of the colorful fireworks from the corner of her eye. Her feet were on the uneven brick surface of the bridge. The memories that had been sealed deep in her heart overlapped with the scene before her, and she couldn't help but lose her mind for a moment.
That night, at the palace banquet, there were also crowds of people, the sky was filled with iron trees and silver flowers, there was also flowing water and winding bridges, and there were also people walking behind them like this.
But this time, Lin Meiju did not stop, even though she heard the person behind her talking.
"That night, I saw you first."
She clenched her fist under her sleeve and quickened her pace.
Shen Changfeng seemed to have expected this, and he also followed her closely, continuing, "I can't remember who was around me, I can't remember what the fireworks looked like that night, and I can't even remember what my expression was at the time."
"Because I only have eyes for you."
Shen Changfeng did not lower his voice deliberately. People with good hearing on both sides of the river heard it and immediately exclaimed "Wow". Then more and more "Wows" were heard. The quacking sounds like waves rose and fell, overlapping and amplified, and even the bridge surface felt a little shaking.
Lin Meizhu listened to the frogs' croaking and felt as if her face was being pricked by needles. An uncontrollable heat rushed to the tips of her ears. She wanted to run away quickly, but then she heard Shen Changfeng continue to nag, and his voice gradually increased: "I was so focused on watching you that I didn't even notice a child passed by me. Qin Moyun was walking in a different direction than me, and she tripped over my foot... Then you came and helped her up."
"Actually, they were all wrong. You didn't walk over to me on purpose. I saw you first and walked over to you."
"I remember clearly what dress you were wearing, what hairpin you had on, and I still remember the expression on your face..." Shen Changfeng spoke with a faint smile, his eyes showing nostalgia, and his voice became softer and more affectionate. "I even remember the incense on your body... I will never forget it in my life."
Lin Meizhu had only one thought: How could this man be so shameless! If she dared to leave like this, he would probably spread rumors even more recklessly. Within a night, this affair would spread throughout Jingzhou City! She would also become the target of everyone's ridicule. How could she even hold her head up in front of others?
There was the sound of water coming from both sides of the river, as if someone had broken through the patrol's obstruction and was swimming over to hear the excitement firsthand.
"You wore a dress that night..."
Lin Meizhu couldn't stand it anymore, so she turned around and whispered, "Asshole! Shut up! You shut up!"
Seeing that his goal had been achieved, Shen Changfeng felt a little relieved. Although he did not stop talking, he lowered his voice. Outsiders could not hear what he said, but it was enough for Chu Qi to hear clearly.
"I'm not trying to exaggerate, I'm telling the truth. You were truly beautiful that night. Staying by your side has crossed my boundaries. And then there's the imperial decree granting marriage after the palace banquet. It's all too coincidental. I suspect this is a scheme by my political enemies. I suspect they're so cunning they sent you to disrupt my mind."
"Looking back now, I was being too clever. My random guesses made me suspicious of you, which is why I avoided you. If I had spoken to you earlier and made things clear..." Shen Changfeng lowered his head slowly, looking at the tip of Lin Meizhu's shoes, and his voice became even lower. "It's my fault."
Lin Meizhu listened to his story, secretly adjusting her breathing. When she spoke again, her voice had returned to a steady state: "I think you may have some misunderstandings."
Shen Changfeng raised his head and met Lin Meizhu's clear and cold eyes. He only heard her say, "Actually, I don't like you that much."
"Maybe I was moved, but you should probably thank my father, my aunt, and the many, many fans who once followed you. It was their repeated admiration and persuasion that made me, without knowing when, firmly believe that you are the chosen one of heaven, that you are my destiny. As long as I marry you and devote myself to you, my life will be better."
"But when I really married you, my life didn't get better. I suddenly realized that they might be wrong. It's not true that hard work alone can always be rewarded. So I started to wonder if some of the other things they said were wrong, too. For example, my panic when I saw you wasn't because I was shy, but because I was afraid and uncertain. My longing for you wasn't because I was attracted to you, but simply because I wanted to escape from my old home."
"That night, whether it was you or anyone else, I would have had the same reaction. I was so lonely and anxious at the time, I treated you as a lifeline. I didn't love you, but the illusion of love that you could give me."
The light in Shen Changfeng's eyes shattered bit by bit, and he said anxiously: "But we also had happy times when we were together, and those rabbits..."
Lin Meizhu interrupted him, her tone becoming more resolute: "This is also the reason why I can resolutely leave you. I have never truly fallen in love with you."
Shen Changfeng's chest was heaving. He wanted to straighten Lin Meizhu's face and ask her to look at him. "I don't believe your nonsense! You're angry and you're deliberately provoking me! You just want me to let go!"
Lin Meizhu took two steps back, avoiding his hand, and snorted with a laugh: "You don't want to hear the truth, so believe it or not. I have made everything clear today, and I won't bother to talk anymore. From now on, we will go our separate ways and have nothing to do with each other!" After that, she didn't look at him again, walked towards Chuqi who was waiting at the side of the bridge railing, and said: "Let's go."
Chuqi obviously didn't lose much blood, but his face was pale and even his steps were much lighter than when he was first injured. Lin Meiju couldn't bear to see this, so she finally reached out to support him.
After walking a few steps, he heard Shen Changfeng say again: "I have been looking for you these days... I just want to see you and talk to you. Say an apology and send you a birthday wish."
Chuqi felt the hand holding him tighten. In this summer night when the heat was clearly felt, her fingertips were cold. He could clearly feel that she was suppressing some emotions. When he thought that such intense and rich emotions were caused by another person, Chuqi suddenly felt inexplicably lost.
Lin Meizhu closed her eyes tightly, and when she spoke again, her tone was not without sarcasm, "Do you really think you know me well?"
Shen Changfeng was confused for a moment. Seeing Chuqi's perplexed look, and then seeing Chen Huisheng and the others with anxious faces, he suddenly remembered Lin Meizhu's nickname, Eleven. It wasn't her generational ranking in the family, but the day she first arrived in Lingnan—December 11th. A sudden thought struck him: since she had little affection for the Lin family, perhaps she had been celebrating her birthday in December for so many years.
And today is the seventh day of the first lunar month - she came to Xiangyang specially to celebrate the seventh day's birthday!
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