spring
With spring in full bloom and the sun warm, it's indeed a great day for getting some fresh air.
If we ignore the buzzing sound, comparable to the fluttering of bees, that still faintly echoes in Ji Wang's ears.
He and Bu Jiu were already extremely careful, avoiding the main gate and the main passage through the valley, and deliberately chose a secluded path that was almost completely covered by weeds.
Who would have thought that the two of them had only taken three steps on the path when they stepped into the heart of the formation.
Almost the next second, two figures appeared at either end of the path, blocking their way.
Huaiqing was also holding a stone mortar and pestle for pounding medicine, which was obviously brought directly from the pharmacy, with bits of herb still stuck in her hair.
He put one hand on his hip and pointed at the two people frozen in place with the other: "You two! I knew it! I knew you wouldn't behave yourselves! You dared to run away even when you were injured like this?"
He was heartbroken, his finger almost poking Ji Wang's nose: "Xiao Bao! Did you think Ling Gu's claws were a joke? Was the Yin poison completely cleared? Were the meridians straightened? How dare you run outside? What if you catch a cold and your wounds fester and you get a fever?"
On the other side, Xun Jing was dressed neatly and breathing steadily, but his eyes were full of disapproval as he looked at the two of them.
Unlike Huai Qing, he didn't speak in the same way, but when he did, his unquestionable voice was even more imposing: "Sect Leader Ji, Lord Bujiong. This action is inappropriate. Although things seem calm outside, the enemy's whereabouts are unknown and their movements are unpredictable. Both of you are still injured and your combat strength is greatly reduced. Leaving the valley's protection at this time is too risky. A wise man does not stand under a dangerous wall. We should prioritize safety and wait until your injuries have healed before making further plans."
His words were clear and logical, full of allusions, and sounded even more old-fashioned than Liu Yang, who was traveling around. He analyzed the risks and responsibilities of going out on his own in a very logical way, leaving Ji Wang with no suitable point of rebuttal.
He and Bu Jiu were caught in the middle, one bombarding him with a barrage of questions about his injuries and health, while the other offered a rational and earnest analysis from a safety and overall perspective. They were like two naughty children who had made a mistake and were being lectured by their husbands and parents.
Ji Wang tried to explain, "We're just going for a walk around here, we won't go far, we'll come back as soon as we get some fresh air..." His voice trailed off under Huai Qing's wide eyes and Xun Jing's disapproving gaze.
Bu Jiu remained silent throughout.
But when Huaiqing tried to pull Ji Wang back, he slightly turned his body and subtly blocked Ji Wang half a step behind him.
When Xun Jing finished speaking and looked at him questioningly, he simply raised his eyes and met Xun Jing's gaze for a moment.
There were no explanations, no promises, and not even much emotion. It was just that his body language conveyed his intention to "take him out."
Ultimately, the standoff barely ended after Ji Wang repeatedly swore to the heavens that he would "absolutely only operate within the valley's protective perimeter," "never act recklessly," and "will definitely return within half an hour."
Huaiqing muttered, "If you get a fever when you come back, I'll make sure you don't need needles," as Xun Jing half-persuaded and half-dragged her away. Before leaving, she glared at Ji Wang and stuffed a small warm jade bottle into Bu Jiu's hand: "Keep it in your mouth. It's good for strengthening your body. Take one if you feel short of breath or have heart palpitations."
And so, here we are now—the two of them are finally walking beside the mountain stream, with soft grass under their feet, the sound of babbling water in their ears, and the fragrance of flowers in their noses. If you ignore the farce of being caught before achieving their goal and the buzzing echo that Ji Wang can't shake off, it is indeed a good start.
Ji Wang rubbed his ears and let out a long sigh of relief: "When did Huai Qing set up this formation? It's too cunning..."
Bu Jiu did not answer immediately, but simply took Ji Wang's hand into his own palm and led him to continue walking slowly along the stream.
After walking a short distance, Bu Jiu finally spoke: "He has indeed changed a lot over the past few hundred years. When you took us in, he didn't dare to speak."
"Ah...you mean back then." Ji Wang also remembered something, his eyes glazed over for a moment, "That's right, when we first brought him back to the temple, he would stay in the cracks between the rocks every day. He would shrink back whenever a stranger approached, and his tongue would tremble. If you asked him ten questions, he would be lucky if he could even say 'uh-huh' once."
He deliberately used an exaggerated tone to describe it: "Unlike now, when they start nagging, they can talk me up until my ears are calloused, and they have a whole set of plans and methods for stratagems."
“You should have just brought me back then,” Bu Jiu joked.
"You two were so locked in a fierce struggle back then, neither of you willing to give in, how could I possibly choose?" Ji Wang said matter-of-factly. "But then again, Huaiqing might have been quiet and reserved then, but he had a sharp eye. When I applied the medicine to him, my technique was so rough that even I couldn't bear to watch it. He was clearly in so much pain that he was just gasping for breath, but he stubbornly refused to utter a sound, just staring at me with those dark, deep eyes..."
"Later, after we got to know each other better, I realized that he was silently remembering everything. My rudimentary treatment methods had probably been criticized eight hundred times in his mind, just waiting to be repaid with interest in the future."
“He did indeed return with his report.” Bu Jiu stated the fact, then his fox ears twitched, as if he too had recalled some troublesome concerns.
“That’s right.” Ji Wang smiled and sighed, “But it’s good this way. With him around, we can all feel more at ease.”
Bu Jiu appeared casual, but her fox tail unconsciously wrapped halfway around Ji Wang's wrist: "And what about me? What did you think of me at first?"
"You?" Ji Wang turned his head to meet his gaze, the smile in his eyes settling into a gentler reminiscence. "At first, I really thought you were just an ordinary little fox with a bit more spirit. So later I found out that you could not only understand human speech, but also curl up in my arms while I was reading, staring intently at the pages. I was so amazed at that time, I thought this fox might be becoming a spirit."
He stroked the tip of Bujiu's tail: "As for later, even the tips of your ears were trembling, yet you still stammered something about 'having your heart set on me'... To be honest, my first reaction was that you had gone astray in your cultivation and were talking nonsense. Little did I know, you were pouring out all the truths you had accumulated over countless years, stumbling and stammering, to me."
Ji Wang looked at the wandering gaze of the person in front of him and understood that Bu Jiu was a little embarrassed, but still said, "But I only realized later when I thought about it... that it was not a joke, nor was it foolishness. This feeling had been there for a long time, but I only caught it so late."
Just then, a gentle breeze swept across the branches, and a few pink and white petals fluttered down.
Ji Wang looked up and saw a mountain cherry tree blooming quietly not far away. The flowers were small and exquisite, clustered on the branches, and the petals were as thin as silk gauze.
"Wait." Ji Wang released his hand, took a few steps toward the cherry tree, and deftly broke off the best-blooming branch. He turned around, caught up with Bu Jiu in a few steps, and blocked his way.
Bu Jiu stopped and looked at him with a hint of doubt, her gaze falling on the overly vibrant cherry blossom branch in his hand, her eyes questioning.
Ji Wang didn't explain, but simply moved closer and tucked the cherry blossom into Bu Jiu's hair. His movements were very careful, his fingertips brushing against the cool, smooth strands of hair.
The pink and white flowers nestled among his black hair suddenly brightened Bu Jiu's aloof expression.
"Alright." He took a half step back to examine it, a smile spreading from the corner of his eyes. "My true feelings, and the first flower I gave you this spring, are all here."
Bu Jiu tried to touch it, but before he could, Ji Wang grabbed his wrist.
"Don't touch it, wear it." Ji Wang smiled, gently rubbing the inside of Bu Jiu's wrist with his fingertip as if to comfort him. "Our Bu Jiu wearing flowers looks better than all the flowers on this mountain combined."
Bu Jiu's usual "nonsense" lingered on his lips, but he couldn't find the strength to utter it.
"Is it really good?" he finally asked in a low voice, his gaze lowered to avoid Ji Wang's burning eyes. His voice was filled with helplessness and a hint of expectation.
Ji Wang's knuckles naturally intertwined with the other's, their ten fingers naturally and tightly clasped together, as if it were meant to be. Then he pulled Bu Jiu along and continued walking along the path adorned with fallen petals.
"Really." Ji Wang looked straight ahead. "Beautiful is beautiful. How could my choice be wrong?"
"Shall we plant one under the window?" Bu Jiu asked. "It will bloom next year, and I'll show you then."
Ji Wang tightened his grip on Bu Jiu's hand, and the familiar throbbing in his chest transformed into an even more surging warm current, almost bursting through his body.
“Okay,” Ji Wang replied. “We’ll plant it right under our window. Let it grow close to the window frame, and when the wind blows, the shadow of the tender shoots will fall on your pillow first. The flowers will bloom, and you will be there. I’ve remembered these words, and I’m certain of them.”
Bu Jiu let him lead her, her gaze falling and settling on their tightly intertwined fingers.
He didn't touch the flower again, as if he tacitly approved of the decoration and accepted the straightforward sentiment behind it.
Just then, the spring breeze passed by, lifting Bu Jiu's sleeves and a few strands of his loosely tied black hair, causing the small flower pinned to his temple to sway gently. The petals, as thin as gauze, shone in the light, casting shadows on his cheeks, like butterflies folding their wings.
Occasionally, passing disciples would spot them and be drawn to the color in Bu Jiu's hair. They would be startled at first, then show surprise.
However, when they caught sight of Ji Wang's undisguised, almost triumphant gaze, their surprise turned into a knowing smile. They quietly looked away or took a detour, leaving this corner of spring sunshine entirely to the two of them side by side.
When Ji Wang actually dragged the vigorous mountain cherry sapling back, Huai Qing saw it from afar and felt a sudden darkness before her eyes.
He pressed his throbbing temples and almost immediately summoned several disciples on duty nearby. Pointing to Ji Wang, who was excitedly looking for a place to dig a hole, and Bu Jiu, who was standing with his arms crossed under the corridor, still wearing the pink hairpin in his hair, his voice was filled with deep helplessness:
"You all saw it? They're still seriously injured and their spiritual power is depleted, yet they're so unrestrained, wasting their energy on trivial matters. This is a grave taboo! You must never imitate their foolish behavior!"
However, the disciples he summoned looked at the two of them, exchanged glances, and couldn't help but smile.
An older disciple coughed lightly and gently advised, "Mr. Huaiqing, please calm down. Look at Sect Leader Ji's rosy complexion, and Senior Bujiu's aura is also stable and peaceful. They are in good spirits, and their wounds have not recurred, so they must know what's going on."
“Yes.” Another female disciple smiled and said, “The atmosphere in the valley has been so dull these days, it’s rare to see the two of them in such a leisurely mood. Mr. Huaiqing, let them be. I think being happier might be more beneficial to their recovery.”
Everyone chimed in with their own words, offering words of comfort tinged with good-natured banter.
At this moment, Sui'an also came over upon hearing the noise and tugged at Huaiqing's sleeve: "Mr. Huaiqing, don't be too angry. My senior brother used to have too many things on his mind. Seeing him smile like this now, I think it's better than anything else for him to be happy."
Hearing the cacophony of pleas for mercy from those around him, Huaiqing could no longer maintain his deliberately stern expression and helplessly looked in that direction.
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