Chapter 26
Jiang Mingyan was quite amused by Sui Sui's little eyes.
He reached out and untied the tufts of hair on the little fat boy's head, and with a smile on his face, he praised him enthusiastically, "How come our Sui Sui is so great? It's all thanks to Sui Sui at home, otherwise, what would his brother do?"
Every year holds its head high with pride.
Jiang Mingyan looked at the tuft of hair on Suisui's head that was no longer tied up with a soft string but was still stubbornly sticking up. He paused for a moment, as if he was a little hesitant, but in the end, he couldn't resist the urge to smooth out the stubborn hair for personal gain. Then, he naturally ruffled the little fat boy's soft black hair that had just become smoother.
"Sui Sui, how about we tie our hair into pigtails again tomorrow?" After petting the cub, Jiang Mingyan seriously asked for his opinion.
Sui Sui had a messy head of hair. He looked at his brother with his big black eyes full of tolerance, such as "You are so childish", "But you are my elder brother", and "I won't bother with you". He responded slowly.
Jiang Mingyan smiled and reached out to rub Suisui's hair again.
Sui Sui wasn't so obedient this time. Like a clever little kitten, he dodged his brother's hand with a flick of his head. Then, he loudly announced, "I want to take a nap!"
Jiang Mingyan watched the chubby little cat proudly wagging its big, fluffy tail before slithering into the quilt. He couldn't help but laugh, "Okay, then, let's go to bed."
Sui Sui whined, but was still very obedient and said to his brother: "Brother, it's almost time to sleep~"
"Okay." Jiang Mingyan responded gently.
Today, Sui Sui first looked forward to visiting the big black dog he missed so much, and then he was busy beating up bad guys with his brother and giving purple flowers to his brother. His small body shouldered big responsibilities, and he was really busy.
Therefore, when Sui Sui crawled into the soft bedding and lay on the small bed that her father had assembled and polished for her personally, she felt sleepy and her eyelids began to droop.
"Brother, I'm sleepy... I'm tired..." The little fat boy muttered, his voice gradually getting lower.
Jiang Mingyan looked at the small bulge on the bed with soft eyes, and his heart softened.
After a long time, he slowly shifted his gaze to look at the girl in yellow who was practicing with her eyes closed under the towering ancient tree.
The laughter and jokes he had had with Sui Sui earlier were like a clear stream, washing away all the confusion and absurdity in Jiang Mingyan's heart.
He stood beside Sui Sui's crib, looking at this sudden 'engagement' with a calmer and more rational attitude.
There must be some mistake.
Jiang Mingyan thought that if his parents had really arranged a marriage for him, it would be impossible that they had not mentioned a single word for more than ten years.
What's more, "it's just a joke engagement" and "my uncle said not to take it seriously" were the words Wu Chen just blurted out, and Changsun Lianwen did not refute them.
However, since it was just a joke, why would Changsun Lianwen travel thousands of miles across the dangerous Dusk Mountains to come to Wuzhou to find him?
Jiang Mingyan looked at the lush giant tree behind Changsun Lianwen, which seemed to be able to cover the sky and the sun. Watching the night wind blowing and the leaves swaying gently, his thoughts were like the swaying leaves, drifting in the night wind.
Although jokes should not be taken seriously and cannot be counted, since it can be said as a joke, I think one of my father or mother must have had a relationship with Changsun Lianwen's parents.
What did they say back then? Did they laugh heartily in the night? Did they warm up a pot of sake and not leave until they were drunk?
Jiang Mingyan was eager to learn more news. He wanted to peek into time in the cool night and find any traces left by his father and mother.
Moreover, Jiang Mingyan thought quietly, Changsun Lianwen was willing to cross mountains and rivers from Zhongzhou for a "marriage contract". Now that he knew the existence of the "marriage contract", why couldn't he stand up and ask for clarification?
Others have already taken ninety-nine steps. Doesn’t he have the courage to take even one more step?
Did he really have to watch Changsun Lianwen and her group walk all the way to Wu'an City, only to come back empty-handed after traveling thousands of miles?
Changsun Lianwen was willing to ask for invitations again and again for Sui Sui, just hoping that he and Sui Sui could go with them and get out of the Dusk Mountains safely.
Zhao Yongyu's word "fat baby" made Sui Sui angry, and he was always making various calculations in his mind. However, when he looked at Sui Sui, the smile in his eyes was real, and his sincere appreciation for him was also real.
Although the hostility in Wu Chen's eyes came out of nowhere and he looked at him with contempt and disdain, Jiang Mingyan never thought that he alone could wipe out the kindness of others.
He should give some trust and ask clearly.
...However, Jiang Mingyan lowered his eyes to hide the gloom in them.
He thought of the sparrow-headed beast that was powerless to resist the Third Elder's casual attack.
A third-grade demon beast was dealt with so easily.
The most important support for him and Sui Sui, Hypericum virginianum, is only a second-grade spiritual plant.
If he makes a wrong bet, can he afford the consequences?
Jiang Mingyan looked at the chubby little boy lying on the small bed with a rosy face in his sleep, his eyes gentle and solemn.
He is willing to gamble, but not willing to take risks with him every year.
"elder brother……"
Just when Jiang Mingyan was feeling worried and anxious, Sui Sui suddenly grumbled.
Jiang Mingyan was startled and immediately leaned over to look: "Sui Sui, what's wrong? Didn't you fall asleep just now? Are you not used to sleeping in the small bed?"
"Not like..." Suisui struggled to open his eyelids, his chubby little feet kicking in the quilt. After a struggle, he finally stretched out of the quilt.
He felt the coolness outside the quilt, happily swung his chubby feet, then tilted his head to look at his brother, and said in a confused voice: "Brother, are you unhappy?"
Jiang Mingyan didn't expect Sui Sui to ask this. After hesitating for a moment, he finally told the truth: "Brother is a little scared."
"Are you afraid of Senmo?" Sui Sui asked softly.
"I'm afraid of a lot." Jiang Mingyan whispered.
“Don’t be afraid…” Suisui pulled his chubby hand out of the quilt and reached out to hold Jiang Mingyan’s hand.
However, the little arm was still too short. It drew a few circles in the air but didn't catch anything.
Suddenly, Sui Sui puffed out his cheeks.
Jiang Mingyan smiled helplessly and quickly held the chubby little hand.
Sui Sui was finally satisfied. Even though she was still sleepy, she still instructed her brother in a baby voice: "Don't be afraid, brother, don't be afraid. Sui Sui is with you~"
He tried hard to turn his little head, and finally dug out a little vague memory, which was what his mother had said.
So, Sui Sui stumbled and repeated: "Sui Sui is my brother's light! Let my brother go home!"
"So, brother is the bravest!"
However, Sui Sui is still so sleepy...
Deng Deng also needs to sleep~
"Brother, please go to sleep..." Sui Sui muttered softly, "Brother is not obedient at all. He doesn't go to sleep at night, and he forces Sui Sui to go to sleep every day..."
Listening to the little guy's soft complaints, Jiang Mingyan laughed: "Okay, brother is wrong, brother will go to bed soon."
"That's right..." Sui Sui murmured softly, the last word gradually fading away, her black and curled eyelashes trembled, and then quietly drooped down, like a resting black butterfly.
Looking at the chubby little boy who fell into a deep sleep in just a moment, Jiang Mingyan gently raised his lips, his eyebrows and eyes as gentle as water.
"Thank you Sui Sui." After a long time, he said softly.
When he looked up again, all the hesitation in Jiang Mingyan's heart disappeared, leaving only clarity.
He looked at the bright and shining stars in the night sky, his eyes were sharp and his gaze was like a sword, cold and sharp. He seemed to be still the most outstanding young man in Wu'an City.
He was blinded by one thing.
The shattering of his spiritual roots, the passing of his parents, and the successive blows that followed trapped Jiang Mingyan in a shell that seemed to be forged by responsibility but was actually pieced together by weakness.
He became timid and hesitant.
His father once told him that as a swordsman, the thing he should never lose is a swordsman's heart that has no regrets.
When a swordsman no longer dares to take risks and no longer dares to fight for his life, his sword becomes dull.
"What about Mother? Father, you always say that you have no regrets when you strike a sword, but if you get hurt, Mother will be heartbroken."
"Of course your mother will feel bad." Jiang Qizhuo laughed and picked up the still young Jiang Mingyan: "Your mother loves me the most, how could she not feel bad for me?"
"But she would be even more proud of me."
"Ming Yan, you must remember that the person you love is never a shackle that traps you."
"She is the candle that never goes out on the shore, and the long road home."
"Because she is here, no matter how big the storm is, no matter how many scars you have on your body, you will never be lost."
“It is because you care about something that you learn to protect yourself and learn to cherish a blooming flower.”
He forgot his father's teachings.
He defined Sui Sui on his own, thinking that Sui Sui would be afraid and would hide away.
He was always afraid that if he insisted on his own way, he would take Sui Sui with him and fall into the abyss.
Therefore, in Wu'an City, he looked at the vast world outside with hesitation and did not dare to take a step forward.
Facing Gui Ziyue Lian who was hiding in the cave, he had made countless plans, but he always gave up before taking action, letting the opportunity slip away.
Even though the Jinyinyuan flower was so close to him, he hesitated again and again and still chose to give up.
If it weren't for the unexpected force that pushed him forward, he and Suisui would probably still be trapped in Wu'an City today, unable to escape.
It's his fault.
Jiang Mingyan gently pinched Sui Sui's little fleshy hand, and saw that Sui Sui seemed to feel something, and her nose wrinkled. She was about to retract her hand, and she sighed softly.
He let go of Sui Sui's little hand, leaned over and adjusted the quilt for the little guy. After making sure that the soft belly and little feet were covered, he tore the rest of the body open.
Sure enough, after the adjustment, the little guy's face relaxed and he slept even more soundly.
Seeing this, Jiang Mingyan smiled and gently poked Sui Sui's soft face. Then, without hesitation, he stood up and walked towards Changsun Lianwen.
Before Jiang Mingyan got close, Changsun Lianwen seemed to sense something and opened her eyes.
She looked at Jiang Mingyan with a questioning look.
"Miss Changsun, excuse me for interrupting you. I have something to ask you." Jiang Mingyan said softly, "Could you spare some time?"
Changsun Lianwen thought for a moment and nodded in agreement.
Because Wu Chen, Zhao Yongyu and the others were sitting under the giant tree to practice, Jiang Mingyan and Changsun Lianwen walked to the open grassy area not far from Suisui's bed.
Jiang Mingyan raised his eyes and looked at the small figure sleeping sprawled on the small bed, his expression slightly relaxed.
Chang Sun Lianwen noticed this, and the coldness on her face faded a little. She spoke slowly, "What do you want to ask?"
"I'm so sorry, Miss Changsun." Jiang Mingyan apologized, "I lied to you earlier."
"I'm Jiang Mingyan."
"Jiang family in Wu'an City, Jiang Mingyan?" Changsun Lianwen was slightly stunned, and her eyes looking at Jiang Mingyan could not hide her surprise.
"Yes. However, Sui Sui and I no longer have any relationship with the Jiang family." Jiang Mingyan apologized again: "I lied to you before."
"It's okay." Chang Sun Lianwen didn't mind this: "When you go out, you always have to be vigilant."
She didn't ask why Jiang Mingyan wanted to take Sui Sui away from the Jiang family, but just asked, "How can you prove it?"
"I wonder if this jade pendant can serve as evidence?" Jiang Mingyan took out a palm-sized piece of delicate white jade, on which was engraved a lifelike deer.
"Sure." Changsun Lianwen looked at Bai Yu with a nostalgic look in her eyes: "This is our 'engagement' token."
Jiang Mingyan was stunned.
"I found this when I was sorting through my father's belongings after he passed away." He whispered, "Miss Changsun, I'm not sure about our engagement..."
"It's just a joke after drinking." Changsun Lianwen smiled brightly.
She explained carefully, "When my father was young, he came to Wuzhou to gain experience and became close friends with Uncle Jiang. Once, while drunk, the two of them agreed to become in-laws in the future and even exchanged tokens."
"But when they sobered up the next day, they felt something was amiss. Wouldn't this arranged marriage deprive their children of their right to choose their own future? So they dismissed it as a drunken slip of the tongue and never mentioned it again."
"However, perhaps he still had some thoughts in his heart, so he didn't exchange the tokens he exchanged that night."
"Later, my father completed his training and returned to Zhongzhou. He gradually lost contact with Uncle Jiang, and these past events were buried in time."
Jiang Mingyan listened silently, imagining his father's appearance and tone at that time, his eyes were slightly dazed, quiet and nostalgic.
"I came here this time just to see you," Changsun Lianwen said. "When I was little, I loved pestering my father and listening to him talk about his childhood experiences. I know that's something 'Miss Changsun' can never have."
"One time, my father came home and saw me practicing. He smiled and hugged me. He told me some stories from the past and happened to mention this unfinished 'engagement'."
"Although my father finally told me it was just a joke, I still remember it in my heart." She looked at Jiang Mingyan with a distant gaze: "I want to meet you, the boy who almost became my fiancé."
"I understand that what I'm looking forward to, what I long for, isn't this fragile 'engagement,' but the memory of my father as a young and energetic man, riding a horse and singing wildly."
"I came to you out of selfish motives."
"Over the years, I've broken free from those shackles I once thought were unbreakable, entered Piaomiao Palace, and successfully gained the freedom I longed for as a child. My cultivation has been stuck in the middle stage of Foundation Establishment for a long time. I will soon be going into seclusion to strive for the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment and prepare for Core Formation."
"But before that, I think I should give my younger self an answer."
“So, I came to Wuzhou.”
Jiang Mingyan looked at Changsun Lianwen quietly, watching the bright and dazzling light in her eyes when she finished her story.
He couldn't help but feel a little dazed.
He seemed to be looking at Changsun Lianwen, and seemed to see another lively figure through Changsun Lianwen.
——He should be a young man who loves to laugh and make noise, dressed in fine clothes and riding a horse.
Those are the years, the little stars that are still shining brightly after more than ten years.
He is bright and lively, unrestrained and flamboyant.
"Changsun Lianwen, thank you." Jiang Mingyan spoke in a hoarse voice.
Changsun Lianwen turned her head to look at him with a bright smile.
"You're welcome. I'd be happy if I could be a role model for Suisui."
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