Yulang
Wind and Rain Pavilion——
When Master Gumutian saw Zi Ling, his eyes glared like bells, and he cursed, "You still remember to come and see me? You left that time and came back half-dead, and now you're back like this again—how willful..." Zi Ling's tears fell on the stone table. She was always like this, able to turn even the most pointed criticism into heartache. I rubbed the gold thread on my hand through her sleeve, remembering how when she lost her memory, she had to hide in her room to cry silently, but now she has learned to cry in public. When Gumutian recounted the past of the three of them, Shangguan Yan, the ice-cold mountain, pouted and said coquettishly that the master always favored his younger sister. It turned out that Zi Ling's innate rebelliousness was inherited from her master. When Gumutian mentioned his childhood sweetheart, the sadness and regret in his eyes were unconcealable. I suddenly understood some of the past—it turns out that rain is something that many people in this world cannot obtain, and I, Ouyang Mingri, am not the only one.
When Zi Ling said, "Master and I are too much alike. Two identical people might not necessarily get along. It's always my sister who mediates," Shangguan Yan's eyes flashed. She could always untangle the most complex knots with a few words, like the way Shangguan Yan's brows suddenly relaxed at that moment, or like Gu Mutian stroking his beard as he accepted the cup of tea I offered him. Did I think of Zi Ling's phrase "harmony of yin and yang" from ten years ago?
As night fell over the pavilion, I asked Zi Ling about her healing methods. She described herself the same way she had back in Tianshan when she'd confessed her possessed state. But the moment Gu Mutian shook his head, the golden thread in my sleeve nearly sliced my fingertips. Those days when she lay alone at the cliffside, chewing wild grass, those nights when her meridians were shattered yet she forced a smile and said, "It's okay."
It wasn't until she calmly mentioned the method of "renewing the pulse with poison" that I realized with a start that my palms had been pierced by her nails, leaving blood marks. She was always like this, speaking of narrow escapes with such nonchalance, which only made my hesitant behavior look ridiculous and pathetic.
The moonlight outlined her picturesque features, and I suddenly remembered Master's advice: "Tomorrow, after you come down the mountain, don't be too competitive. Everything is destined." Perhaps from the moment she squatted down to talk to me that year, our relationship was already destined.
The atmosphere inside Fengyu Pavilion was tense and delicate. Master Gumu Tianbo's undisguised disdain pierced me like needles. He believed I was a fickle, sentimental person who had given everything for Shangguan Yan only to pursue Zi Ling. Zi Ling desperately defended me, but struggled to articulate the truth. I felt bitter, but could only remain silent. The truth, like a red-hot iron, lay hidden deep within my heart. Once revealed, it would scorch everything I had worked so hard to gain.
As for that secret—the truth behind Master's murder... Ouyang Mingri's gaze grew deep and complex. Zi Ling and I have decided to take this truth to our graves. Master has already endured the pain of losing his sister. To learn that his sister was killed by the very disciple he taught so much would be a devastating blow. It would be far better for him to accept that his sister brought this upon herself than for his disciple to have killed her.
This secret is a cross I must bear alone. My love doesn't seek self-liberation through confession, but rather bears all sin through silence, providing them with a relatively peaceful sky. Unless absolutely necessary, and I cross the aforementioned line, the incident of "Ouyang Mingri murdering his nun" will, with my death, be forever lost in the passage of time. This is the final, most silent act of protection I can offer to the one I love.
Uncle Gu brought us to see my master. In the hallway of the villa, my master stood with his hands behind his back. He looked at our family of three with a look of both regret and relief. I pushed the wheelchair closer and handed the child over. My master's hands were shaking.
"Call him Master." I whispered to the child. Master suddenly turned his back, and the snow light illuminated the corners of his trembling mouth. "Master," the child said in a baby voice. Master finally couldn't help but look at our child and took the child from my hands. "This child has not been named yet. I beg Master to give a name for my grandson. This child's birth date is Ji Mao year, Ren Shen month, Ren Chen day, Xin Hai hour." This child is a gift from God. I want to make up for all my past shortcomings in him: health, name, fatherly love... Master's mouth curled up, and blurted out: "Gold is cold and water is cold, so although this child has a noble destiny, his fate is full of misfortunes. Let's call him Ouyang Yulang!" Zi Ling and I said in unison: "Thank you Master/Uncle for the name!" We smiled at each other. Zi Ling quietly hooked my little finger, and her fingertips were warm. I didn't have to look down to know that she was smiling at the moment.
Bai Tong, the new disciple introduced by the old frontier master, looked at Zi Ling with a mixture of surprise and old admiration. It turned out that before she lost her memory, she had been a kindly knight, saving Bai Tong's adoptive father, teaching him swordsmanship, and even arranging escape routes for others. Listening to Bai Tong's story, I looked at her beside me, feeling an indescribable surge of pride and sorrow. My Zi Ling, once so radiant, had resolutely given up everything to follow me into seclusion. Bai Tong's feud with Sima Lingfeng was on the verge of boiling over. It turned out that Sima Lingfeng, out of admiration for Zi Ling, had saved Zi Ling's former followers. Bai Tong, driven by his relentless nature, followed Sima Lingfeng into the Moon Worship Cult. However, some time ago, Bai Tong betrayed the Moon Worship Cult and secretly saved Stinky Tofu's adoptive father, the Jade-Faced Zhuge Chenyao, and his daughter, Shen Bingxin. Sima Lingfeng, unaware of the truth at the time, retaliated by severing his hamstrings. Fortunately, the master encountered him, healed him, and accepted him as his new disciple. At this moment, Zi Ling once again demonstrated her wisdom in defusing conflict. She didn't take sides, but calmly pointed out the true mastermind behind the situation—Ban Tianyue. She understood Sima Lingfeng was also a victim being exploited, and she appeased Bai Tong's vengeful spirit, uniting their forces against the outside world. "If there's an internal conflict, it will be Ban Tianyue's wish." Her words, like a clear spring, doused the flames of a raging conflict. Sima Lingfeng's immediate apology, Bai Tong's temporary resignation, all stemmed from his trust in her.
Inside the Wind and Rain Pavilion, the night had deepened to an impenetrable depth. The last glimmer of moonlight from the stars had been swallowed by thick fog. Only an old lantern hung in the corner of the pavilion swayed gently in the evening breeze, casting a dim, warm glow. Master Gu, Shangguan Yan, and the others had long since retired. All around was hushed, save for the rustling of the mountain breeze through the bamboo forest and... her gentle, near breathing. As the night deepened, she lay on my lap, the child asleep in bed. I brushed her hair gently, listening to her faint murmurs, "Tomorrow... our family of three will finally be reunited." She leaned in my arms, the child sleeping soundly between us, her little fist unconsciously clutching a lock of my hair. The day's bustle, the plotting, the joys and sorrows of reuniting with old friends, all receded like the tide. Now, in this small world, only the three of us remained.
I lowered my head and looked at Zi Ling. The light cast a soft shadow under her long eyelashes. She looked at the dark night outside the pavilion with a distant gaze, wondering what she was thinking. Perhaps it was because the master's words today brought back too many memories, or perhaps it was because she felt a little hesitant about the uncertainty of the future. "Are you cold?" I asked in a low voice, and my arms unconsciously hugged her and the child tighter. The night in the mountains is always refreshingly cool. She shook her head gently, but put her slightly cool hand on my hand holding hers, and her fingertips had her unique, reassuring warmth. "With you here, it's not cold."
This sentence was like a feather, gently scratching the tip of my heart. I held her hand, her fingers were slender, but contained a kind of tenacious strength. I carefully stroked her knuckles, as if I could feel through the touch of skin, the traces of her writing and wielding a sword in the past years, and also the traces of her sewing swaddling clothes for me. The child turned over, smacked his lips, and continued to sleep soundly. Zi Ling chuckled softly, lowered his head and rubbed the child's soft forehead with his cheek, the action was full of maternal love. When she raised her head, her eyes moved, and met my eyes that were staring at her. In the dim light, those eyes were like obsidian dipped in mercury, clear and deep, reflecting my expression that might be too focused at the moment. Something in the air quietly changed, and those heavy thoughts about the past and the future that were lingering in my heart gradually blurred and faded under her gaze.
I raised my hand, my fingertips gently brushing away a strand of unruly hair from her cheek, my movements slow and delicate. Her skin was slightly cool, delicate to the touch like the finest warm jade. My fingertips traced the contours of her cheek, carefully sliding to her jawline, as if touching a unique, fragile treasure. She flinched slightly, a blush creeping across her face, a hazy glint filling her eyes. "We're husband and wife. You can do whatever you want with me, but can we not have another child for now? I don't want Lang'er's love to be taken away from me." "Ziling... I understand. I'll prepare the contraceptive soup tomorrow. Tonight, let's..." I called her, my voice low and raspy, unlike my own. All words seemed pale and powerless at that moment. I leaned in, slowly approaching. My nose brushed against hers, feeling her breath hitch slightly. Then, my lips finally pressed against hers. At first, it was a gentle touch, tentative and filled with endless tenderness. Her lips were soft and slightly cool, like newly opened petals. I could feel her tremble slightly, and then she closed her eyes, and her free hand quietly climbed up my collar and tightened slightly.
This subtle response, like a spark falling into a dry heart, instantly ignited all those long-suppressed emotions. No longer content with a brief taste, I tightened my arms, pulling her deeper into my embrace, deepening the kiss. Our lips met, our breaths blended, carrying with them a sense of ecstasy, a sense of recovery, and a deep-seated attachment. The aroma of the medicine mingled with her unique, delicate scent, like a lotus after rain, forming a comforting aroma that belonged only to us.
The child in my arms seemed to sense something and murmured vaguely. We both froze at the same time, then separated a little, both breathing unsteadily. Looking at the child, he was still sleeping soundly. We glanced at each other, and we both saw the same tension and a hint of embarrassment after being disturbed. Then, two blushes flew across Zi Ling's face. She buried her face in the crook of my neck and laughed softly. Her warm breath sprayed on my skin, bringing a shudder. I smiled silently too, lowered my head and kissed the top of her head, hugging her and the child tightly.
Outside the pavilion, the mountain breeze still rustles, the forest waves rolling, as if playing a gentle night song to celebrate our companionship. At this moment, all the grudges and blood feuds seem to have faded away. In the Fengyu Pavilion, I have a wife and a child, and I have the most solid and fulfilling destination in the world.
For several days here, I watched Shangguan Yan and Sima Changfeng practice their combined swordplay, Bai Tong diligently practice the Wuwo Sword, and Zi Ling discuss strategies with Sima Lingfeng... I felt like a bystander, yet I was deeply immersed in the action. I watched her plan and strategize, and the child I held in my arms was a lifelong bond between us. The plan we ultimately settled on was truly audacious. The five of us would return to the treacherous Sifang City. Sima Lingfeng would first stabilize Bantianyue, while Zi Ling and I would investigate the movements of my father, Ouyang Feiying, to prevent him from joining forces with Bantianyue. Zi Ling had originally wanted her mother-in-law, Ding Xuelian, to stay at Fengyu Pavilion, but Ding Xuelian insisted on staying with her two daughters. As a mother herself, Zi Ling understood her mother-in-law's wishes and finally agreed. The morning light penetrated the mist of Fengyu Pavilion, illuminating our faces. I held Zi Ling's hand, and we exchanged glances. There was no longer any hesitation or fear in their eyes, only a resolute calm and the trust of fighting side by side. Our journey is no longer a fate leading to tragedy, but a new journey towards the future, full of hope.
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