Chapter 12 Uninvited Guests
Along a somewhat desolate official road, dusk approached. The Lotus Tower slowly stopped beside a stream. Li Lianhua was squatting on the shaft of her cart, leisurely washing a few freshly gathered herbs. A vixen splashed happily nearby.
At this moment, a rapid and somewhat chaotic sound of horse hooves came from the other end of the official road, mixed with the young man's clear but anxious shout: "Gee! Gee! Hurry up! Oh, you stupid horse!"
Li Lianhua looked up and saw a young man, about seventeen or eighteen, dressed in brocade clothes, frantically riding a horse that was clearly not very compliant. The young man had handsome features and clear eyes, and exuded a brightness and vitality that had never experienced the vicissitudes of life. However, he looked a little disheveled, and his hair was a little loose.
As they were almost at the stream, the horse seemed thirsty and suddenly disobeyed commands. It suddenly lowered its head and rushed towards the stream, and inertia threw the boy on its back out!
“Wow—!”
The boy cried out in surprise, somersaulted in the air, and was about to fall face down into the muddy ground beside the stream!
Li Lianhua frowned slightly, and almost subconsciously, he shook his wrist, and the slender wooden stick in his hand that was used to stir the herbs shot out, accurately supporting and guiding the young man's waist.
The young man felt a sudden surge of force, and his falling momentum suddenly eased. He staggered two steps, and finally managed to escape danger... and sat down on the drier grass by the stream. Although the posture was not elegant, it was better than chewing a mouthful of mud.
The culprit horse was drinking by the stream.
"Ouch...it hurts so much..." The young man rubbed his sore butt and grimaced. When he looked up, he saw the Lotus Tower and the pale, gentle man in green clothes on the shaft of the carriage.
His eyes lit up, and he ignored the pain. He quickly got up, brushed off the grass debris on his body, and politely clasped his fists. "Thank you very much... uh, sir for your help! I'm feeling very ill down there, so may I know your name?"
Li Lianhua looked at his energetic yet somewhat reckless appearance and found it somewhat amusing. However, she only smiled gently and said slowly, "It's just a small favor, nothing to worry about. My name is Li Lianhua."
"Li Lianhua?" Fang Duobing blinked, thinking the name quite meaningful. He looked at the peculiar Lotus Building and asked curiously, "Mr. Li, this building is really unique! Are you a traveling doctor?"
"I guess so, just to make a living." Li Lianhua nodded and continued to wash the herbs with a flat tone.
Fang Duobing, however, was a very outgoing person. He moved closer, looked at the herbs in Li Lianhua's hand, and began to talk nonstop again: "Hey, Mr. Li, this is Chinese milk vetch, right? It's warm in nature, sweet in taste, and enters the liver and stomach meridians. It can clear away heat and detoxify, and relieve dampness and jaundice... Eh? This thing next to it is... Ding Gong Teng? This thing is poisonous! You need to be extremely careful with the dosage!"
Li Lianhua glanced at him in surprise: "Young man, do you know pharmacology?"
Fang Duobing puffed out his chest, quite proudly: "I know a thing or two! My mother... uh, someone in my family is a doctor, so I've been exposed to some of the basics since I was a child!" He seemed not to want to talk about his family background and quickly changed the subject, sighing: "To be honest, Mr. Li, I ran away this time! My family insisted that I take those stupid imperial examinations, which is so boring! I yearn for the joyful world of revenge! To fight against the strong and help the weak! To explore the secrets of the martial arts world! Like the truth of the East China Sea War ten years ago, the whereabouts of Li Xiangyi, the leader of the Sigu Sect..."
Hearing the name "Li Xiangyi," Li Lianhua's fingers, which were washing the herbs, paused slightly, almost imperceptibly. Then, she regained her composure, her tone remaining calm. "The Jianghu is a treacherous place, not as fun as it's portrayed in storybooks. It's best for Master Fang to return home soon."
"I won't!" Fang Duobing stiffened his neck. "I finally escaped, how can I go back so easily! Mr. Li, I see you're practicing medicine alone, and the journey must be lonely. How about... I help you? I can help you pick herbs, dry them, and drive! I also know some martial arts, so I can protect you! I don't want wages, just food!"
Li Lianhua: "..." He looked at the young man in front of him, his eyes sparkling and full of anticipation, as if he were looking at a large, overly enthusiastic dog with a wagging tail. He was about to decline when, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a few figures in the distance on the official road, looking around, as if searching for something. Then, seeing Fang Duobing's slightly guilty expression, he understood about half of what was going on.
I'm afraid the pursuers from home are coming.
Li Lianhua sighed. He hadn't wanted to get involved, but the boy's simple mind, clear eyes, and a talent for medicine inexplicably gave him a feeling of helplessness and a subtle softness...similar to the feeling he gets when he sees a vixen causing trouble.
"Can you make a fire and cook?" Li Lianhua suddenly asked.
Fang Duobing was stunned for a moment, then ecstatically said, "Yes! Of course I can! Although it may not be particularly delicious, I can learn it!"
Li Lianhua looked again at the figure getting closer and closer in the distance, and at Fang Duobing's pleading eyes. Finally, she slowly stood up and patted her clothes. "It's getting late, and the town ahead is still far away. If Mr. Fang doesn't mind, you can stay in my house for the night. As for helping me... we'll discuss it tomorrow."
Fang Duobing was overjoyed and quickly thanked him: "Don't mind, don't mind! Thank you, Mr. Li, for taking me in!"
So, Li Lianhua "picked up" a rich young man named Fang Duobing, who dreamed of making a living in the martial arts world and was extremely enthusiastic about matters related to "Li Xiangyi".
He asked Fang Duobing to tie up the horse and took him to the Lotus Tower. The space inside the tower was small, the furnishings were simple but neat, and there was a faint aroma of medicine in the air.
Fang Duobing looked around curiously, finding everything new to him.
Li Lianhua walked to the window, looked at the figures in the distance who had searched in vain and finally left helplessly, and shook her head slightly.
He had no idea how much excitement and changes this young man, whom he "picked up" out of weakness, would bring to his life, and he never imagined how strongly Di Feisheng, the amnesiac in the building, would reject this new "roommate".
The vixen sniffed around the newcomer Fang Duobing and wagged its tail.
The peaceful days in Lotus Tower seemed to be coming to an end.
That day, Di Feisheng was sent by Li Lianhua to the nearby market town to buy some rice, grain, meat, and vegetables. He took this task very seriously. Despite his amnesia, his warrior instincts made him exceptionally attentive to the needs of his people. He carefully selected the freshest ingredients and, relying on a vague intuition, even bought a few pastries that Li Lianhua would usually give a second glance. He wrapped them in oil paper and carefully placed them in a basket.
He carried his full basket of vegetables and walked a little faster than usual back to the stream where the Lotus Tower had docked. The setting sun cast a warm hue on his black robe, and his stern features softened even a little when he thought of the man in the tower.
However, before he got close, he stopped abruptly.
The scene in front of the Lotus Tower was no longer as quiet as before with only Li Lianhua and the vixen.
There is one more person.
A young, brightly dressed teenager with a bright smile was circling around his girlfriend, Li Lianhua! They sat on small stools, spread out before them several sheets of paper that looked like maps or Jianghu newsletters. Li Lianhua was pointing at them and saying something, while the teenager nodded frequently, his eyes sparkling, and occasionally gestured excitedly. The two seemed to be having a very good chat!
An extremely strange and strong emotion, like a red-hot iron, instantly burned through Di Feisheng's empty cognition!
What is that?
uncomfortable.
Very uncomfortable.
I want to throw that noisy, annoying boy away!
I want Li Lianhua to only look at me and talk to me!
The vegetable basket slipped from his hands, the eggs broke on the ground, and the cakes and rice were scattered all over the floor, but he was completely unaware.
The air pressure around him suddenly dropped, his eyes were so cold that they could freeze people to death, and he strode over like a moving iceberg, with a terrifying low pressure, and directly inserted himself between Li Lianhua and Fang Duobing, completely blocking their line of sight with his tall body.
Fang Duobing, who was speaking excitedly, was startled by the sudden appearance of the black shadow. He looked up and met Di Feisheng's eyes, which were cold and cold without any warmth. He shuddered and subconsciously took a half step back. "Di...Di Alliance Leader? You're back?"
Li Lianhua was also taken aback. Looking at Di Feisheng's tense face and the scattered ingredients, he secretly thought something was wrong. He tried to lighten the mood: "A Fei, you're back? This is Mr. Fang Duobing, staying with us for the time being..."
"No."
The sound of a flute interrupted him, its voice cold and hard, as if quenched by ice. He turned his head sharply and stared at Li Lianhua, his eyes filled with the rage of having his territory invaded and a nearly aggrieved accusation: "Let him go!"
Fang Duobing was young and hot-tempered. Although he was a little scared, he couldn't help but retort: "Hey! Are you reasonable? Mr. Li agreed to let me stay temporarily!"
Di Feisheng ignored him, as if Li Lianhua was the only one in the world. He grabbed Li Lianhua's wrist with such force that it almost broke the bone, and stubbornly repeated, "Let him go! Now!"
Li Lianhua's grip hurt. Seeing his eyes, which seemed to be spitting fire yet held a subtle hint of vulnerability, he felt helpless and overwhelmed. He knew there was no point in reasoning with Di Feisheng, so he could only offer reassurance: "A Fei, please let go... Young Master Fang is only staying for a few days. He'll leave after clarifying some matters."
"Not even for a few days!" Di Feisheng's voice was like a ignited dynamite. He suddenly pulled Li Lianhua towards him, further away from Fang Duobing. Then, with an attitude of absolute possession, he half-protected and half-trapped Li Lianhua behind him, glaring at Fang Duobing with hostility, "You! Leave!"
Fang Duobing was irritated by his undisguised hostility: "Why?! Mr. Li didn't even kick me out!"
"He is mine!" Di Fei roared this sentence with confidence, as if this was the only truth in the universe.
Li Lianhua: "..." He almost wanted to faint on the spot.
In the end, Fang Duobing shamelessly stayed (mainly because Li Lianhua couldn't bear to drive away this young man with bright eyes), but the atmosphere in the Lotus Building dropped to freezing point.
During the day, Di Feisheng became a virtual "human pendant" for Li Lianhua, never leaving her side. He would stare coldly at every word Li Lianhua and Fang Duobing exchanged, as if calculating the time. If Fang Duobing tried to walk side by side with Li Lianhua, he would immediately squeeze in between them. If Fang Duobing offered Li Lianhua a glass of water, he would grab it first, take a sip himself, and then pass it back to Li Lianhua (euphemistically calling it a poison test).
Fang Duobing felt uncomfortable with the ubiquitous exclusion and hostility, but he also felt that this leader of the Di Alliance, who had lost his memory... was a bit childish and ridiculous?
At night, Di Feisheng's "insecurity" and "possessiveness" reached their peak.
Fang Duobing slept on the floor downstairs. Although they were separated by wooden boards, they were still in the same small space. This made Di Feisheng extremely anxious.
He hugged Li Lianhua tighter than ever, as if trying to squeeze him into his body. His breathing was hot and rapid, with obvious anxiety.
"Lotus..." His voice was hoarse, filled with an urgent desire, and his body reacted quickly and violently, "...let him go...you are mine..."
He grabbed Li Lianhua's hand without saying anything, and asked for relief more eagerly and domineeringly than ever before, as if he wanted to confirm ownership and dispel all the uneasiness brought by the outsider in this most primitive way.
Li Lianhua was so ashamed and angry that she wanted to die. However, she was afraid that the noise would alarm Fang Duobing downstairs, so she could only lower her voice and beg: "A Fei...you...you be gentle...don't..."
But to Di Feisheng, his resistance and repression sounded more like he was distancing himself from him because of the young man downstairs, which instead stimulated him even more.
Thus, the process of relief became longer and more intense. The sound of the flute flew in Li Lianhua's ear, like an insatiable beast, repeating stubbornly in his breath, "Mine... only mine..." Only when she was completely satisfied would she fall asleep exhausted, her arms still tightly around her.
Li Lianhua lay in the darkness, listening to the sickly and even breathing of the person downstairs, feeling the overbearing embrace of the person behind her and the sticky feeling on her palm. She was exhausted both physically and mentally, and felt like she was on the brink of social death and collapse every day.
He stared at the moonlight outside the window, thinking desperately: Is this even possible?! Fang Duobing, hurry up and finish your investigation and leave! If you don't leave now, I'll definitely be the first to go crazy!
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