After returning to the Ninth Heaven, Jiang Chuting stayed in the back mountain as before, practicing swordsmanship or studying sword techniques whenever he had free time, trying to calm himself down and not think about things he shouldn't think about.
Ji Chun came to see him twice and tried to get him to meet people again, emphasizing that this time the selection process was rigorous and the candidates were of excellent character and appearance, and that the situation would definitely not repeat itself.
Jiang Chuting directly refused, no matter how good the other person was, it was impossible, why waste their time and energy.
"Senior brother, you don't need to worry about making arrangements anymore. I'm fine as I am now."
Ji Chun was, after all, his senior brother. Even though Jiang Chuting didn't show any unusual behavior, he could still tell something was wrong with him at a glance and couldn't help but ask, "Chuting, do you already have someone in your heart?"
Jiang Chuting was taken aback. "Why do you say that, Senior Brother?"
Ji Chun chuckled with a smile, "Did I hit the nail on the head? Otherwise, why would I be your senior brother? Tell me, who are you?"
Jiang Chuting knew that his senior brothers disliked Zi Que, let alone Zi Que's son. Senior Brother Chonghua was furious when he found out that Lin Zhi had hurt him last time, and he would be enraged if he found out that he and Lin Zhi had developed feelings for each other.
Jiang Chuting subconsciously wanted to hide this matter, but she didn't deny it directly. She just whispered, "He and I are not meant to be."
Seeing the sadness in his expression, Ji Chun didn't press further and said, "It's too early to say. Perhaps it's not that we're not meant to be, but rather that our time hasn't come yet?"
Jiang Chuting knew he was comforting her, and smiled silently.
There are too many obstacles between him and Lin Zhi. Even if they finally meet, there will likely be endless troubles in the future.
As the weather gets colder, Wei Jia, who is afraid of the cold, always comes to sleep on Jiang Chuting's couch at night with a pillow in his arms.
Lying in the warm blankets, Wei Jia asked Jiang Chuting beside him, "Master, is it going to snow soon?"
"yes."
Wei Jia said, "Junior Brother seems to be very afraid of the cold. If it snows, will he cry from the cold?"
Upon suddenly hearing Wei Jia mention Xiao Jiu, Jiang Chuting felt as if she had been transported to another world and did not respond.
Wei Jia reached out and hugged Jiang Chuting, grinning foolishly, "Master, you smell so good and are so warm. I always sleep so soundly when I sleep with you. But there's only one Master. My junior brother can't hug you, and no one else can hug you. Only I can hug you. I'm so happy."
Jiang Chuting reached out and tucked the blanket around him. "Go to sleep."
Wei Jia mumbled a few more words beside him before falling asleep. Without his voice, the room immediately became quiet.
Jiang Chuting couldn't fall asleep and stared blankly at the love beans on her wrist.
More than half a month has passed since he and Lin Zhi parted ways. He can't help but think about the time he broke his promise and the image of Lin Zhi waiting for him at the entrance of the Lovesick Pavilion.
Will he wait in vain this time too?
It's very cold, it's about to snow.
It was windy outside that day, so Jiang Chuting didn't go out to practice his sword. Instead, he took a book and read it at his desk. Wei Jia, who was afraid of the cold, also didn't go out to play. He stayed next to Jiang Chuting, fiddling with his new toy: a crystal magnifying glass that could magnify objects considerably.
Wei Jia was in high spirits, holding the mirror and looking at the brush and the words in the book. Not satisfied, he held the mirror up to one of Jiang Chuting's eyes. He saw that the magnified eyes gently wink at him with a faint smile, and long eyelashes fluttered.
Wei Jia chuckled and looked at his mouth, and saw that the corners of his mouth also curved up.
"Is it fun?"
Wei Jia said, "This is fun!" Then he carefully examined all of Wei Jia's features, including his eyebrows, eyes, eyelashes, and hair, repeatedly exclaiming, "So beautiful!" But that wasn't enough. "Master, can I see your hand?"
Jiang Chuting has a good temper; she put down her book and handed it over to him to do whatever he wanted.
Wei Jia inadvertently noticed the string of love beans on his wrist and begged him, "Master, can I play with this for a bit?"
Jiang Chuting took off the bracelet and said, "Be careful not to break it."
Wei Jia assured him, "Don't worry, I won't."
Jiang Chuting stopped reading; the howling wind outside the window had already drawn his thoughts away.
Wei Jia stood to the side, examining the beans with a magnifying glass for a while. Suddenly, he exclaimed in surprise, as if he had discovered some earth-shattering secret. He excitedly tugged at Jiang Chuting's sleeve and cried out, "Master, Master, it seems there are words carved on these beans!"
Jiang Chuting was slightly taken aback upon hearing this. He took the bracelet and asked, "Engraved?" He had never noticed before.
After examining them with Wei Jia's magnifying glass, he discovered that there were indeed characters engraved on fourteen beans. The characters were very small, and he didn't know how they were engraved. If Wei Jia hadn't stumbled upon them by chance, he probably wouldn't have noticed them.
Those words, when put together, form a line of poetry.
A delicate die holds a red bean, a symbol of deep longing that penetrates to the bone.
Jiang Chuting felt a throbbing pain between her brows, slowly tightened her grip on the acacia bean bracelet, her chest heaving, and closed her eyes in silence.
"I wonder if, after I live here, I will also be affected by the previous owner and suffer the pain of unrequited love."
Jiang Chuting suddenly remembered that when Lin Zhi first took him to Xiangsi Xiaozhu, those words were probably meant for him.
Knowing that staying away was the wisest course of action, Jiang Chuting felt an uncontrollable force within her, and despite the biting cold wind, she still came to the vicinity of Xiangsi Xiaozhu.
Lin Zhi was sitting blankly on the steps by the door, his face even paler than before.
Jiang Chuting only intended to come and leave, but seeing him like this, it was as if she was being held tightly by a hook, unable to move her feet.
Has he been waiting like this every day all this time? I wonder if his injury has gotten any better.
Jiang Chuting lingered nearby for a long time, until late at night, but Lin Zhi still hadn't gotten up, tilting his head slightly, seemingly lost in thought.
Jiang Chuting felt her heart was being tormented. She suddenly turned around, steeling herself not to look again, intending to leave under the cover of night. But then she heard Lin Zhi suddenly shout, "Chu Ran!"
Jiang Chuting quickly dodged and hid in the dark alley.
"Chu Ran! Are you here? Come out quickly!" Lin Zhi suddenly rushed to the empty street and shouted, "I'm waiting for you. Don't you really want me anymore? Chu Ran, please see me!"
Only the howling wind answered him. Lin Zhi's nose was red from the wind, and his tearful eyes looked around. He said in a thick, nasal voice, "Chu Ran, I believe you love me, and you will come back to me. I will wait and wait until you come to see me, until you show up."
In the darkness, Jiang Chuting clutched her chest and took a deep breath.
Two days later was Chonghua's birthday. Jiang Chuting gave him the birthday gift she had prepared early in the morning and chatted with him for a while.
He seemed distracted. Chonghua stared at him intently for a while, then suddenly asked, "What's wrong? Did that brat from the Lin family cause you trouble again?"
When Jiang Chuting heard him mention Lin Zhi, she was secretly startled and quickly shook her head to deny it: "No."
Chonghua was skeptical. "Really?" she asked, then noticed the love bean bracelet on his wrist. Jiang Chuting had always dressed simply and lightly, and would not wear such cumbersome things unless necessary.
Unless, this thing has a different meaning to him.
Previously, Ji Chun had mentioned that his junior brother seemed to have someone he liked, so Chonghua couldn't help but guess that he was troubled by matters of the heart. He didn't want to interfere too much, but he couldn't help wanting to know a few things. He stared at him for a long time, then hesitated for a moment, just as he was about to ask, Yang Xia came in and bowed, saying, "Master, Junior Uncle, the birthday banquet is about to begin."
Chonghua had no choice but to give up and said to Jiang Chuting, "Come with me." Jiang Chuting put on a mask, got up, and went out with him.
Chonghua was a serious and rigid person, and even his rare birthday celebration wasn't very lively. He ate and drank in a proper manner and then everyone dispersed. Jiang Chuting drank some wine, and after returning to the wooden house, he fell into a drowsy sleep, still feeling tipsy.
When he woke up, it was already the next morning. Wei Jia rarely got up early. Wearing a thick cotton coat, his little face was flushed. He ran into the house holding a small snowman and said, "Master, it's snowing outside. It's so cold!"
Jiang Chuting's dark eyes rolled around for a moment, then she lay down for a while before getting dressed and getting up. She didn't have breakfast and picked up a book to read.
Then, I stared at a single page all morning.
Even the slow-witted Wei Jia noticed his absent-mindedness and asked, "Master, why have you been spacing out so much lately? What are you thinking about?"
Jiang Chuting put down her book, looked at her innocent-looking apprentice, and hesitated before saying, "I...I'm thinking about someone."
"Who are you thinking about?" Wei Jia suddenly became perceptive, a mischievous smile spreading across his face. "You're thinking about your master's wife?"
Jiang Chuting tapped his forehead with her finger, "Don't talk nonsense."
Wei Jia chuckled twice, her eyes sparkling, and said, "Master, if you miss someone, just go see them. It's like when I really want to eat something; if I can't eat it, I'll keep thinking about it, and in the end, I'll still go eat it. So why not just skip the thinking process altogether? Follow your heart, and you'll be happy."
Jiang Chuting was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled softly. Children's thoughts are the most direct, making him, as an adult, seem overly indecisive.
"What you said makes sense."
Ever since he realized his own feelings, Lin Zhi seemed to have taken deep root in his mind, impossible to shake off or erase, as if he were under a spell.
He tried to distract himself from thinking about that person, but the more he suppressed it, the more he missed him, and his original clarity and rationality were gradually eroded.
He really wanted to see Lin Zhi.
Even knowing it was absurd and wrong, he desperately wanted to see him.
As Wei Jia said, you can only be happy by following your heart.
I wonder what the outcome will be if he truly follows his own heart...
Braving the wind and snow, Jiang Chuting returned to Xiangsi Xiaozhu with her original appearance.
Lin Zhi, wearing a cloak, was staring at two small snowmen huddled together at his feet. He smiled as he looked at them and touched their heads with his fingers.
"Do you think he'll come today? Will he? Hmm, I have a feeling he'll definitely come, definitely." Lin Zhi coughed several times, his fist pressed against his lips. Sensing someone approaching, he looked up and vaguely saw a tall figure standing not far away. His eyes instantly brightened, and he jumped up and rushed over, his face filled with ecstatic joy: "Chu Ran! You've finally come..."
The joy on his face vanished almost instantly upon seeing the person's face: "It's you?!"
Jiang Chuting arrived without a mask, and upon seeing Lin Zhi, her expression instantly changed; she didn't even have the strength to force a bitter smile.
Lin Zhi was quite annoyed that he had mistaken this person for Chu Ran, feeling as if he had insulted something. His anger intensified, and he said coldly, "What are you doing here?"
Jiang Chuting looked at him and said in a low voice, "Lin Zhi, I came here because I have something to tell you."
Aside from their first meeting, Lin Zhi had hardly ever looked at him properly. But now, as he was stared at by his dark, lustrous eyes, she suddenly felt an inexplicable tingling sensation in her chest.
Lin Zhi felt strange, confused, and puzzled, but mostly anxious. He said impatiently, "What do I have to say to you?"
Jiang Chuting stared at his face, her grip on the sword tightening and loosening repeatedly, before finally making up her mind to tell him the truth.
That's the purpose of our visit today.
If he accepts, I will cast aside all my worries and be with him. If he doesn't, then we will part ways and never see each other again in this life.
"I……"
"Wait!" Jiang Chuting was abruptly interrupted before he could finish speaking.
Lin Zhi felt there was an indescribable tenderness in his gaze, and recalling how she had run into him even when she tripped and fell on a long trip before, she immediately became suspicious and looked back at him warily: "You haven't been following me, have you?"
Jiang Chuting's lips moved slightly. "I didn't."
"Then how did you know I was here? I always feel like I run into you everywhere I go. Are you doing this on purpose?" Lin Zhi stared intently at him, and after a series of questions, she asked directly, "Jiang Chuting, you wouldn't happen to have a crush on me, would you?"
Jiang Chuting's eyes widened slightly, but she did not deny it.
Lin Zhi was shocked to find this was true. A torrent of emotions surged within him, his mind nearly exploding. This man, the one who had seduced his father, had actually fallen for him again! So he had come all this way just to say these things?
She used to be surrounded by so many men, but now she likes him. How ridiculous!
Lin Zhi, panting, said viciously, "You're utterly shameless! Not only did you harm my father, but you even tried to harm me. Your thoughts are truly disgusting!"
Jiang Chuting shuddered, her heart aching as if being torn apart, the pain making it hard to breathe. She looked at him with sorrowful eyes and asked softly, "You mean, my feelings... are disgusting?"
"That's right, disgusting!" Lin Zhi grew increasingly agitated under the gaze of those eyes. Only today did he realize that this person bore an uncanny resemblance to Chu Ran. But what right did this person have to resemble Chu Ran? What made him worthy? Burning with rage, Lin Zhi only thought about how to humiliate and wound him, and almost blurted out, "Not only disgusting, but also cheap and worthless! Even if you put a sword to my throat, I would never accept it. Whoever wants you can have you; don't let you dirty my eyes!"
Even though she was mentally prepared, the excruciating pain was still unbearable. Jiang Chuting pressed her trembling lips together, took two steps back, and tears suddenly streamed down her reddened eyes.
Lin Zhi felt a sudden clench in her chest and was suddenly speechless.
His mood worsened because he had actually started to wonder if he had gone too far with him. He could never have been too harsh on this annoying person. Who told him to make a move on him? And if he didn't say things clearly, it would be bad if Chu Ran saw him bothering him and misunderstood. He deserved it all.
Lin Zhixin said irritably, "Can you stop crying? I haven't done anything wrong to you."
Snowflakes fell thick and fast, covering her head, and tears continued to stream silently down her pale face. Jiang Chuting shook her head, her voice almost softer than the sound of falling snow: "I'm sorry, I've disturbed you."
She withdrew her gaze, no longer looking at him, turned and walked away through the snow, her aloof figure quickly disappearing into the vast white snow mist.
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