Chapter 30 Stealing Someone [New] Stealing tonight, right now! ...
This means that Wanmatang looks down on people.
The man in white opened his mouth, but was momentarily speechless, looking somewhat embarrassed.
You Mingjiang's smile remained unchanged, and his tone was unhurried, but his attitude was very clear: "I never care about joining in the fun, and I would never be happy to be used as a substitute."
The man in white clenched his fists, and the veins on the back of his hands bulged out.
He held back, trying his best to maintain a sincere tone: "Please don't misunderstand, esteemed guests are naturally the grand finale. Please give me face and don't put me in a difficult position."
"So, according to you, we deliberately made things difficult for you?" You Mingjiang shook his head slightly. "I've always hated joining in on these boring spectacles... I imagine Brother Fu feels the same way, right?"
Fu Hongxue lowered his eyelids, his long eyelashes casting a small shadow on his face, and responded with a low "Mmm" from his throat.
The man in white's face alternated between pale and red.
You Mingjiang didn't bother to look at him anymore. She casually waved her hand, as if brushing away an annoying insect, and walked forward without looking back. Fu Hongxue gripped the hilt of his knife tightly, silently turned around and followed.
Seeing this, the man in white hurriedly stepped forward to block their path, his brows furrowed tightly: "If you two are so disrespectful, I'm afraid..." His words already carried a threat.
You Mingjiang raised an eyebrow, bending and straightening his fingers one by one, and said slowly, "I'm afraid what?"
His aura changed abruptly, and a sharp sense of oppression swept over us.
Fu Hongxue took a step forward, staring directly at the man in white, and said succinctly, "Get out of the way."
The man in white turned deathly pale, staggered back half a step, and could no longer hide his panic. You Mingjiang and Fu Hongxue exchanged a glance, then walked past the man in white and left.
·
The yellow sand shimmered silver under the moonlight, like a sleeping sea.
Fu Hongxue dragged his inconvenient right leg, walking very slowly, step by step.
The group of white-clad knights behind him all had tense faces and gritted teeth, staring intently at his slowly receding figure.
They were all outstanding figures among the younger generation of Wanmatang, and they all carried an inherent arrogance. This time, their leader had suffered a setback at You Mingjiang's hands, so he took all his anger out on Fu Hongxue.
Earlier, Boss Xiao had sent word that You Mingjiang was no ordinary person. Those who had gathered information also reported that she had some unclear and ambiguous ties with the Azure Dragon Society.
To put it another way, arguing with someone who has all their limbs intact is inherently more difficult than arguing with someone who is lame, not to mention that her sharp tongue just now prevented anyone from getting the better of her.
When squeezing persimmons, you should always choose the soft ones.
"Look at his legs, they're completely ruined. He's panting for breath every few steps, hahaha!"
"Hmph, you cripple, you're a complete idiot with a broken leg, you're just a burden to me!"
Hearing the harsh laughter behind him, Fu Hongxue paused, the veins on his forehead throbbing. He gripped the knife tightly, the cold hilt slowly calming him down. He pursed his lips, ultimately not turning back, but simply dragging his unsteady leg forward, step by step.
.
Fu Hongxue could tolerate it, but You Mingjiang could not.
What she couldn't stand most was this kind of bullying the weak and fearing the strong.
Seeing that Fu Hongxue had already walked away, her eyes suddenly turned cold, and she turned around and walked towards the group of white-clad knights who were still laughing.
“Hey,” she said, her voice not loud, but clear enough to reach everyone’s ears, “If you have the guts, say what you just said again.”
The tiger-shaped brace swayed gently in her hand, its crisp "clattering" sound particularly jarring in the frozen air.
The knights were not expected to return, and instinctively tightened the reins and backed away, but they forced themselves to remain seated on their horses.
She scanned their pale faces one by one, her smile sending chills down one's spine: "Crippled bastard, toad with a broken leg, panting for breath... right?"
"What a foul mouth." You Mingjiang gave a thumbs up, her eyes filled with contempt as sharp as a whip dipped in salt water. "A foul mouth deserves a foul person."
"Misunderstanding, misunderstanding!" The man in white hurriedly dismounted to smooth things over, "The cripple they're talking about isn't Fu..."
Before he could finish speaking, You Mingjiang frowned and slapped him hard across the face with the tiger-shaped brace in his hand.
This man in white was none other than Hua Mantian, a capable lieutenant of Wanmatang, also known as Master Hua, whose martial arts skills were not weak.
Seeing her make her move, he immediately tried to defend himself, but unexpectedly, You Mingjiang, who looked thin, was surprisingly strong.
He felt a powerful force pressing down on him, as if he had been hit by a heavy hammer. He was sent flying and crashed to the ground. Blood immediately spilled from the corner of his mouth, and his vision went black before he fell silent.
·
The knights exclaimed in surprise, "The Flower Garden Owner!"
“…Trying to smooth things over.” You Mingjiang gently stroked the tiger-shaped brace. “Now you’re showing up here pretending to be all sympathetic. Where were you before?”
These words were like a fire, igniting the anger of the knights, who all glared angrily at You Mingjiang.
The white-clad knight, who had been laughing the loudest, spat viciously and roared, "You son of a bitch, you really think I'm afraid of you? A penniless traveling doctor dares to act wildly here!"
You Mingjiang smiled and leaped onto his horse, then kicked him hard in the side.
The white-clad knight was kicked into the air, arcing through the air before crashing heavily to the ground.
“If you’re tired of living, just say so,” she said, reining in her horse and urging it to the other riders with a smile on her face. “I don’t mind giving you a ride so you can get a good spot on the animal path.”
The knights were all pale-faced, nearly slipping off their saddles. They hurriedly pulled on the reins and tried to back away, gripping the saddles tightly. The horses, sensing their masters' fear, paced restlessly.
You Mingjiang scoffed lightly, her movements as swift as a swallow as she landed back on the ground. She walked slowly to the fallen knight, raising her gleaming tiger-shaped brace, aiming it at his shin—
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Three muffled thuds followed, the sound of bones cracking was chillingly clear.
Immediately afterwards, a piercing scream, so sharp it broke the silence, suddenly ripped through the sky.
The white-clad knight lay on the ground, his eyes wide open, almost bulging out of their sockets. He clutched his twisted, deformed leg and rolled around on the ground screaming in agony.
“Since you keep calling him ‘the cripple’ and say it’s not directed at Fu Hongxue, this nickname must have a proper name.” You Mingjiang said softly, raising the tiger-shaped brace in his hand high again. “I see you’re the one shouting the loudest, so you can keep it for yourself.”
"You Mingjiang!" Fu Hongxue grabbed her wrist, his face covered in sweat.
He had walked quite a distance, and when his anger subsided, he turned back but couldn't see her. He hurriedly turned back and stumbled upon this scene.
"...They insulted you first." You Mingjiang pursed her lips and gently pulled her hand away from his. "I will never let them get away with this. Do you think my friends, You Mingjiang's friends, will be bullied by anyone?"
Fu Hongxue paused, a strange, aching feeling rising in his heart.
Just then, a whooshing sound rang out! The remaining white-clad knights swarmed forward, their swords aimed directly at You Mingjiang!
"You've come at the perfect time."
She pushed Fu Hongxue behind her, lightly touched the ground with her toes and took a few steps back, narrowly avoiding the chilling blade. With a flick of her wrist, the tiger-shaped brace sliced through the air, the "whoosh" sound making one's eardrums vibrate.
Taking advantage of the moment when everyone's attack faltered, she pressed closer, her tiger-shaped brace transforming into numerous afterimages, aiming specifically at her joints and vital points.
Several cries of pain rang out in succession, and the longswords fell from their hands. The knights staggered back, clutching their wounds, and before they could regain their footing, they were struck forward by her swung tiger-shaped brace.
In a short while, a group of people lay on the ground, and no one could get up.
Without even glancing at the white-clad figures wailing on the ground, she dusted off her hands and approached Fu Hongxue with a smile.
"Don't be so serious. They're just a bunch of rabble. I'll treat you to some locust leaf cold noodles another day to calm your nerves."
Fu Hongxue remained silent, only quickening his pace. You Mingjiang wasn't annoyed, and followed with a smile.
After walking quite a distance, he said softly, "Thank you."
You Mingjiang turned her head and blinked: "What are you thanking me for? We don't talk about that between friends."
Fu Hongxue paused, his profile clearly visible in the moonlight. He glanced at her briefly, then immediately looked away, his lips moving, but ultimately said nothing.
He raised his right hand, paused in mid-air for a moment, and finally just nodded slightly.
When he took another step, although the step was still dragging, it was no longer so heavy.
You Mingjiang smiled and walked beside him.
The moonlight cast long shadows of the two people, which gradually merged into one.
·
After the two people had gone far away, the curtain of the carriage was lifted by a hand with distinct knuckles.
Ye Kai looked at the white-clad knights groaning on the ground, a playful smile playing on his lips.
He leaned casually against the car window, tapping his knees lightly with his fingers, thinking that this was much more interesting than the old-fashioned jokes in the teahouse.
"They set up a pretty impressive display, but they didn't even manage to touch the hem of someone's clothes," he muttered to himself, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "It's best to just sit back and watch this show."
As he spoke, he pulled out a handful of sunflower seeds from his sleeve, cracking them open while shaking his head: "A master is a master indeed, beating people up so cleanly."
His gaze swept over the unconscious flower farm owner and the groaning knights, and his smile deepened: "Wanmatang has really lost face this time. There's probably going to be a good show."
Thinking of this, Ye Kai gazed thoughtfully in the direction the two had gone. He had dealt with the young doctor before, and from their time in the desert, he had seen that she wasn't the type to resort to violence just because someone glared at him or said something. Just the fact that she insisted on giving him a ride showed her kind nature. The Wanmatang group was full of foul language; they deserved to be beaten.
But what he cared about most was that quiet, black-clad boy.
I've never seen him before, but he looked familiar from the first glance.
The boy limped along, dragging his ailing leg. His face was deathly pale, as if he hadn't seen the sun in years, and he exuded an aura that kept strangers at bay.
But strangely enough, the moment Ye Kai saw that stubborn back, his heart stirred slightly.
“Fu Hongxue…” He silently repeated the name to himself, his eyes darkening.
The jet-black knife was exactly the same as the one described by his master Li Xunhuan and his father Ye Ping.
It seems that this young man in black with a black knife is most likely the person he has traveled all the way to this city to find.
·
After walking for an unknown amount of time, a dilapidated Guandi Temple came into view.
It stood there all alone, its two large doors long gone, leaving only bare, mottled vermilion doorframes that creaked open.
The outside resembles an old person's mouth, weathered by time and missing teeth, while the inside reeks of a musty, damp, and decaying smell.
Beside the threshold of the Guandi Temple grew a dense thicket of shrubs, their branches adorned with clusters of small, indigo-blue berries. These berries were likely a specialty of the border town, and You Mingjiang had never seen them before. They had a sweet aroma when she brought them close; the skins were incredibly thin, and with the slightest pressure, rose-colored juice would burst forth. She hesitated, then picked one up and put it in her mouth. The next second, her features contorted in shock.
So sour! The sourness is mixed with astringency, and the astringency is mixed with bitterness; the sweetness is so faint that it's almost undetectable. No wonder the branches are laden with berries, yet no one comes to pick them.
“Those are goat milk fruits.” Fu Hongxue, carrying several palm-sized fish, limped over.
You Mingjiang looked up: "You've tried it?"
“Hmm, sour.” He stepped over the threshold and walked to the open space in front of the statue. “It needs to be mixed with molasses or soaked in alcohol.”
Seeing her staring longingly at the fruit but hesitant to try it again, Fu Hongxue added in a low voice, "Next time, if you have the chance, find some molasses to mix it with."
You Mingjiang's eyes crinkled into a smile: "It's settled."
Suddenly, a cunning glint flashed in her eyes, as if she had come up with a brilliant idea. Instead of spitting out the one in her mouth, she carefully picked out a few plump ears and put them into her bamboo medicine basket.
"Why are you picking this?" Fu Hongxue asked, puzzled. If it doesn't taste good, why pick it?
You Mingjiang winked at him, a mischievous smile playing on her lips: "How can I keep something this good to myself? Next time I run into someone who says something that makes me uncomfortable, I'll let them have a taste. One bite—" She deliberately made a face as if she'd been bitten by a sour taste, but before she could finish, she burst out laughing: "Hehe, there'll be a good show to watch then."
Fu Hongxue watched her eager expression, remained silent for a long while, and finally just silently turned her head away. Suddenly, she felt that the fate of someone who offended You Mingjiang was probably even more unpredictable than getting a beating from a tiger.
·
Fu Hongxue looked around. In this dilapidated temple, even the windows were rickety and could fall at any moment. The statue of Guan Yu was still intact, but the gold paint had been completely peeled off. The altar was covered with dust and cobwebs, probably because it hadn't received incense offerings in a long time. This solemn statue of Guan Yu, with a red face and long beard, stood quietly behind the altar, holding the Green Dragon Crescent Blade tightly in his hand, silently guarding justice in the human world.
If even the statues of gods can't protect themselves, how can they protect the common people?
Fu Hongxue couldn't help but smile bitterly. Where could he find justice on his path of revenge?
While he was distracted, You Mingjiang had already started tidying up.
She tied a bundle of dry grass to use as a broom, first brushing away the dust and cobwebs on the altar, then tore off a piece of gauze, soaked it, and stood before the statue. With a smiling face, she reached out to wipe the statue's face, finally gently grasping the Green Dragon Crescent Blade in the statue's hand and wiping it lightly, murmuring, "Lord Guan, I apologize for the inconvenience caused by staying in your esteemed place."
When Fu Hongxue came to her senses, she saw a completely new altar and statues. Looking down at the ground, she noticed that she had laid out two stacks of dry grass and lit a fire.
You Mingjiang deftly cleaned the small fish, neatly threaded them onto a long wooden stick, and handed them to Fu Hongxue with a smile.
Fu Hongxue was taken aback, feeling a mix of emotions, and handed the fish to the fire to roast.
He knew that You Mingjiang was silently taking care of his feelings.
She didn't take on everything herself, but deliberately entrusted him with the task of grilling the fish, because she didn't want him to feel idle or neglected.
Fu Hongxue held the wooden stick with the fish on it and slowly turned it over the leaping flames. The flames licked the fish's body, and the oil sizzled.
He lowered his eyes, staring at the fish that was gradually changing color, his thoughts drifting away. The firelight reflected on his face, flickering, and images of being mocked and isolated in the past kept resurfacing in his mind.
He secretly glanced at You Mingjiang, opened his mouth as if to say something, but swallowed the words back.
·
In the pitch-black night, the dilapidated Guandi Temple was illuminated by orange-red firelight.
As the fish was repeatedly turned over and roasted, it gradually emitted a fragrant aroma. You Mingjiang walked to the fire, rested her chin on her hands, and gazed at the roasted fish skewered on long wooden sticks.
Although she didn't say anything explicitly, her face was full of longing, practically screaming "Give me fish!"
Fu Hongxue: "..."
Even when grilling fish, Fu Hongxue never loosened his grip on the knife, turning the fish over with a blank expression.
Perhaps because he was too close to the fire, his face was flushed slightly, and the long wooden stick used for grilling fish almost slipped from his grasp several times.
Until the grilled fish was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, he silently split the fish skewer in two and handed one piece to her.
Fu Hongxue said calmly, "Eat."
You Mingjiang took the grilled fish, smelled the burnt aroma, and immediately understood what was going on.
She took a small, careful bite, and before she could even chew properly, she immediately gave a thumbs up, her eyes crinkling into crescents: "It's baked with exceptional care, and the flavor... is truly unique!"
She deliberately pronounced the word "specialty" lightly, quietly pressing the fish meat under her tongue, afraid of hurting his feelings.
"...Thank you." He wasn't good with words, and this was the first time in his life he had been praised, so he could only offer a dry thank you.
Inspired by her encouragement, he also began to eat the grilled fish with anticipation, savoring the taste.
But he only took one bite before frowning.
What a terrible taste. Grilled fish without salt, and the skin was burnt—what's so delicious about it?
Knowing that she was trying to cheer him up, Fu Hongxue hesitated before speaking, "...Don't eat anymore, be careful not to get an upset stomach."
You Mingjiang shook her head. "No, it's delicious."
"……real?"
"More real than pearls!"
Seeing her chewing with great effort, Fu Hongxue paused for a moment, then handed her his skewer as well, his tone carrying a hint of teasing that he himself didn't realize: "Since it's so delicious, you can have mine too."
You Mingjiang was intently picking fish bones when he was startled by his words and almost choked. He quickly patted his chest to catch his breath.
She looked up and caught a fleeting smile in his eyes, and immediately exclaimed as if she had discovered a new continent: "Wow! So you can joke too?"
Fu Hongxue's eyelashes trembled slightly. She turned her face away, her voice muffled: "...It clearly didn't taste good, why didn't you say so?"
You Mingjiang chuckled and leaned closer, poking his arm. "As long as it's edible! Everyone makes mistakes when cooking, right? Besides—"
She deliberately dragged out her words, her eyes sparkling, "The person who cooks is the most important! The person sitting and waiting to be eaten has no right to be picky!"
Fu Hongxue lowered his head and pretended to straighten his clothes, trying to suppress his laughter, but the corners of his eyes secretly curved up.
.
After finally finishing the charred fish, Fu Hongxue cleared his throat and his expression turned serious: "We must go to Wanmatang. Ma Kongqun... he won't give up until he gets what he wants."
“Of course we’ll go.” You Mingjiang nodded, casually fiddling with the grass stalks on the ground. “However, we’re not being forced to go by him; we’re going because we want to.”
She suddenly frowned. "But before I go, there's something I'm worried about."
"What is it?" Fu Hongxue asked.
You Mingjiang did not answer immediately.
She tilted her head slightly upwards.
My gaze shifted and landed on the beams of the dilapidated temple, where spiderwebs crisscrossed, one after another.
A moth struggled futilely on the spiderweb, the phosphorus powder on its wings fluttering down with each tremor. You Mingjiang watched as the moth moved slower and slower until it was finally swallowed up completely by the sticky spider silk.
"Cui Nong," she said softly, her gaze still fixed on the dead moth.
“Cui Nong?” Fu Hongxue repeated the name. He was new to the border town and not yet familiar with the people and things here.
Have you ever heard of the Nameless Residence?
Fu Hongxue frowned: "That place... is indeed very famous." His tone carried an indescribable complexity.
"What kind of place is that?" You Mingjiang asked knowingly.
"...What do you think?"
Who are the people inside?
Fu Hongxue was silent for a while, then said softly, "...It's the people who suffer and the people who seek pleasure."
You Mingjiang sighed softly: "Ha, the two words 'suffering' and 'finding amusement' have completely opposite meanings, yet they can be used in the same place... That place must be a demon's den of pleasure, where they devour human flesh and blood, right? Otherwise, how could anyone be so cruel as to take pleasure in the suffering of others?"
Fu Hongxue lowered his eyes and remained silent.
He couldn't understand why there were so many evil people in the world who did all sorts of bad things but still lived well.
The flames flickered gently in the wind. You Mingjiang suddenly raised her head, her tone resolute: "I will take all those who are suffering away."
The scabbard hit the ground with a "clatter." Fu Hongxue looked at her with surprise; her words sounded like the ravings of a madwoman.
The nameless residence is the most profitable business in the border town.
Not to mention Ma Kongqun wouldn't agree, even Boss Xiao himself would never allow anyone to touch his cash cow.
At least before Ma Kongqun fell from power, he controlled every brick and tile of this city, not to mention the living people in the nameless residence.
“You can’t take it with you.” He said calmly, “That place is easy to get in, but hard to get out.”
Many who tried to "save" others ended up worse off than those who were trapped.
You Mingjiang turned to look at him.
The firelight cast flickering shadows on her face, but Fu Hongxue turned her head to one side, her fingers unconsciously stroking the scabbard.
"Cui Nong is the girl from Wumingju."
You Mingjiang looked straight at him. "It was my fault. I shouldn't have left her there alone. I thought I was respecting her choice, but now I realize she had no choice at all. It's like pulling someone out of a deep pit and then pushing them back in."
Fu Hongxue's lips moved, but he ultimately remained silent. His face was expressionless, and although he didn't say anything explicitly, You Mingjiang could guess the meaning behind his silence.
Perhaps he felt it wasn't worth taking the risk for a woman of the night.
"Don't think like that." You Mingjiang poked at the fire, the sparks reflecting in her clear eyes. "She was there, definitely not willingly. Even if she was willing at one point, who knows how much she had to do against her will? In this world, it's already hard enough for women to live. Some people are wallowing in the mud, while those on the shore only complain about the mud on them."
She paused, her voice soft yet firm: "When I met Cui Nong, the light in her eyes hadn't been extinguished yet. That's enough."
Fu Hongxue tightened his grip on the knife.
He recalled his mother's life of suffering. Although their circumstances were different, he probably understood the feeling of being "forced" to endure hardship.
After a long silence, he finally spoke: "A place like Nameless Abode has too many entanglements behind it..."
“I know.” You Mingjiang stood up and brushed the grass clippings off his clothes. “It’s precisely because it’s not a good place that we can’t leave her there alone.”
The border town was like a spider web, cold and sticky; the more one struggled, the faster one died. Now that she had seen the moth that hadn't yet been eaten, she couldn't pretend she hadn't.
She suddenly curled her lips into a smile, a sly glint in her eyes: "So I've made up my mind, I'm going to Wumingju tonight."
"Going to do what?"
"Stealing someone's life."
Fu Hongxue was taken aback: "Stealing someone?"
“Yes, steal Cui Nong away.” She said it as if it were a matter of course. “Since we can’t take her out openly, we’ll take her out secretly. Do you want to come along?”
Fu Hongxue: "..." He really is going crazy.
His Adam's apple bobbed, but he didn't reply. Instead, he moved his hand closer to the scabbard. This gesture seemed both defensive and an attempt to suppress the restless urge within him using the cool scabbard.
"You're jumping into a fire pit." His voice deepened, and his gaze swept across the thick darkness outside the temple.
You Mingjiang remained unmoved: "I'm only asking you if you want to come with me to steal someone?"
“I won’t steal,” Fu Hongxue replied curtly, pausing for a moment before adding, “What I have to do is very important.”
But when he said those words, it didn't sound like he was trying to convince her; it sounded more like he was trying to convince himself.
Unexpectedly, You Mingjiang shrugged: "Alright, then you're in charge of keeping watch. I'll go steal it, you keep watch."
Before she could finish speaking, she had already picked up the lantern and walked out of the temple, turning back to smile at him, "You'd better concentrate when you're out for some fresh air!"
Fu Hongxue gritted his teeth, the scabbard almost embedded in his palm. He stared at You Mingjiang's receding figure and raised his voice: "I didn't agree."
Seeing that she didn't stop walking, a surge of anger rose within him: "Hey!"
I'm not angry at her, I'm angry at this absurd thing, and even more angry at myself for not being able to really stand idly by.
He knew all too well what a dangerous place Wumingju was. Although You Mingjiang was highly skilled in martial arts, there were too many variables involved in venturing into such a perilous place alone.
I remembered the way she stood in front of me, and I remembered that skewer of burnt fish...
He couldn't bear to watch her risk her life to save another "suffering person".
After hesitating for a long time, Fu Hongxue, who never swore, cursed inwardly.
That's insane.
But he still gripped the black knife tightly, took heavy steps, and followed.
Honestly, she's gone mad, and she's gone mad herself.
This madness is contagious.
Never mind, let's just consider it... repaying her favor.
He told himself this, deliberately ignoring the slight worry in his heart that went beyond "repaying a favor."
.
.
-----------------------
Author's Note: [Good Luck Lotus] Locust Leaf Cold Noodles: A traditional Chinese summer snack that originated in the Tang Dynasty, also known as Jade Noodles.
[Good Luck Lotus] Goat Milk Fruit: This refers to blue honeysuckle fruit, goat milk fruit, and mountain eggplant.
[Green Heart] 25.9.19 Modification Log: Added "stealing people" related plot.
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