Life Story (IV)
“No… no…”
He Shu was just about to put a piece of rapeseed into his mouth when he heard the words. He quickly raised his head and swallowed the food hastily.
"At dawn this morning, someone came to our house and said that the Bai family in the city had invited us. Qingshan must have been left there today, so he didn't go home."
He frowned, trying to recall the somewhat hasty scene that morning, and added:
"And that person's words and actions were very strange. From his words... it didn't sound like he was simply here to invite someone. Instead, he seemed to want to stop Qingshan from visiting the Bai Mansion."
"Bai Mansion?"
Xuan Tongzi repeated it softly, a complex look of understanding flashing in his eyes, as if he knew the inside story of the matter.
He Shu couldn't help but put down his chopsticks completely when he saw this. He took out a cloth and wiped the corners of his mouth. He leaned forward slightly and asked seriously:
"From the tone of your voice... do you know why the Bai family is looking for Qingshan?"
Xuan Tongzi did not answer immediately, but raised his eyes and looked at He Shu deeply, which made him feel uneasy. He looked away uncomfortably, and his eyes drifted to the empty dishes on the table, and his fingers curled up slightly.
Silence spread for a moment in the air filled with sandalwood fragrance, and then Xuan Tongzi slowly spoke:
"I don't know what exactly it is..."
"However, based on common sense, we can roughly guess a thing or two. The mortal body that Qingshan was reborn into in this life... is the child that the Bai family abandoned back then."
"What!"
As soon as he finished speaking, He Shu screamed in surprise and jumped up with a sudden movement. The stool behind him was knocked over with such force that the dishes and chopsticks clinked.
His eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief, shock and confusion.
"Then, then they suddenly came to Qingshan now... It can't be because... for..."
He spoke hurriedly, his breathing a little unstable, and the words seemed to be stuck in his throat. He didn't have the courage to say the last few words, such as "return to one's roots" and "bring back to the noble family".
It seemed that once he said it, something he cherished so much would be shattered immediately.
"Although that's what they say, the Bai family committed sins in the past, and their luck has declined. They were originally not destined to have offspring, but Qingshan's residual soul was reincarnated..."
He Shu completely ignored what Xuan Tongzi said.
This news was undoubtedly a bolt from the blue for him, a heavy blow that suddenly woke him up from his dream of living in the mountains and enjoying a peaceful life.
The days of living in seclusion in the mountains, where they lived like idle clouds and wild cranes and depended on each other, lasted too long and were too comfortable. He almost forgot, or deliberately ignored, the heavy and complicated blood ties that belonged to this mundane world.
Yes, Qingshan is not like him, who was born and raised by heaven and earth and has no worries.
In this life, he is not truly alone. He has his own origins and roots connected by blood.
Now it seems that his background is quite prominent. Back then, perhaps because he was influenced by me, he forcibly split his soul, resulting in a damaged soul and incomplete mind, and was abandoned by his family as an ominous sign or a burden. Now his soul is in good shape, his mind is clear, he is intelligent and rational, and his knowledge and character are all excellent. Then the Bai family...
There's no reason not to allow such an outstanding young man to return to his roots and the house that originally belonged to him...
But if Qingshan really went back, what should he do?
Such a wealthy family would definitely not accept that their most popular son would have a partner like me, whose origins were unknown and who was neither human nor immortal...
Unwilling to think any further, a cold panic gripped his heart. He Shu said goodbye to Xuan Tongzi in a hurry, and without even having time to collect himself, he ran out of Qingxiao Temple in a daze.
The gate of the courtyard was pushed open with a creak, and Jin Wu came up to him affectionately as usual, but he just stood in the middle of the courtyard in a daze, without any response, staring blankly at the peach tree standing quietly in the afternoon sun.
"Qingshan is the child abandoned by the Bai family... the child abandoned by the Bai family..."
Xuan Tongzi's words echoed in his mind over and over again, with a buzzing sound.
He Shu felt dizzy and the familiar scenery around him was distorted. He almost couldn't stand and fell straight to the ground.
He quickly reached out to hold onto the thick branch of the peach tree beside him. The cold and rough touch of his palms woke him up instantly and he regained some strength.
He staggered to the stone bench in the yard and sat down dejectedly.
Jin Wu seemed to notice that her master was in an unusual mood. She jumped lightly onto his legs, clung to him with her warm little body, tilted her head back, and stretched out her pink tongue with tiny barbs to lick his cold cheek again and again, trying to comfort him.
He Shu was still immersed in the chaotic thoughts about Qingshan and Bai Shi. He subconsciously held the kitten in his arms, folded his arms, and stroked the smooth fur on its back intermittently, but his eyes were cast unfocused into the distance.
He wants to wait for Qingshan to come back.
But the night was like an overturned inkstone, gradually staining the sky. He Shu sat on the stone bench, watching the last sunset glow in the sky being swallowed by the mountain peak, and the outline of the distant mountains faded from hazy indigo to dark and silent silhouettes.
The chirping of returning birds in the woods gradually faded until they could no longer be heard. Night completely enveloped Luzhu Mountain, and silence reigned. Outside the courtyard gate, there was no sign of Qingshan returning.
He Shu could no longer sit still, the uneasiness and anxiety in his heart grew like weeds.
He stood up suddenly, looked towards the direction of Chaisang City, and slowly clenched his fists.
——
"I wonder how long you will insist on keeping me here? Dinner has been served as you all wished, and all formalities have been fulfilled. I should at least be allowed to go home."
Qingshan's voice, tinged with anger, came from the house with closed doors and windows, breaking the tranquility of the night.
Then, there was an unfamiliar male voice with a flattering and comforting tone:
"Master Zixuan, why are you doing this? Master and Madam miss you too..."
“That’s enough!”
Qingshan's voice suddenly turned cold, with an unquestionable firmness.
"I'm not your Master Zixuan! My wife is still waiting for me to come home. I'm sure she's worried..."
His tone softened for a moment, then turned decisive:
"Everyone, if you insist on stopping me... then I will offend you greatly—"
There was a rapid sound of fabric rubbing against each other, accompanied by some muffled groans and the sound of objects falling to the ground. Several figures that were originally blocking him were reflected on the window paper, but they instantly swayed, dispersed, and disappeared, leaving only Qingshan's tall and solitary figure.
With a cracking sound, the carved wooden door that was locked from the outside was kicked open by him.
Amidst the flying wood chips, He Shu, who was crouching stealthily on the wall and preparing to eavesdrop, was caught off guard and met the eyes of someone who strode out of the house.
"nameless!"
The anger on Qingshan's face had not yet subsided, but the moment he saw the face of the person on the wall, it turned into pure surprise and worry.
He hurried forward, opened his arms, and steadily held the figure that staggered to the ground.
"I'm sorry, Wuming, for making you worry."
Qingshan held Heshu's hand and explained eagerly with an apologetic tone,
"I heard Master Bai say he went home to tell you this early in the morning, so I didn't go back to report it. I didn't expect them to keep me here until this hour..."
He paused, feeling the warmth of Heshu's palm due to his anxious running. His voice unconsciously became softer, but with a barely perceptible lowness and fatigue:
"Have you eaten? Are you hungry?"
He Shu lowered his head, his gaze falling on the dusty toe of his shoe, and answered honestly:
"I went to Xuan Tongzi's place for lunch at noon, but... not yet in the evening."
The palm of his hand was slightly cold, and Qingshan's distressed voice came from above his head:
"Didn't you just eat some bland vegetarian food that day? You must be hungry now, right? Let's go home now, I'll make you..."
"Not bad."
The familiar gentle words, like a warm current, slightly soothed the uneasiness in his heart.
However, a burst of hurried footsteps suddenly came from the corridor not far away. It sounded like there were quite a few people coming in this direction.
He Shu had excellent hearing, and even from a distance, he could hear the muffled conversation clearly:
"Master still refuses to give in?"
A slightly older female voice sounded anxious.
"Madam, no, Master Zixuan...his attitude is very firm..."
"Well, what's the use of you!"
The female voice suddenly rose in pitch, filled with exasperated anger.
"How could this child be so ignorant of the current situation! The Bai family has already regressed so much...wasn't it just that year..."
"M-Aunt!"
A familiar panting voice sounded, and He Shu recognized it as Bai Ziming. He heard him say anxiously:
"Since Mr. Qingshan is unwilling, why are you forcing him like this?"
"Shut up! It's not your turn to speak here! Take him away quickly! He won't be an eyesore here!"
The sounds of footsteps and arguing shocked He Shu, and he stood there in a daze for a moment.
At this moment, Qingshan's eyes flashed, and without hesitation, he pulled him into his arms. Taking advantage of the shadow of the night, he moved swiftly a few times, and then he climbed over the wall from a secluded corner at the back of the house and left the Bai Mansion quietly.
The two landed in a quiet alley outside the mansion and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Qingshan."
After walking a few steps, He Shu suddenly stopped, turned around and looked at the majestic mansion behind him.
The hustle and bustle of the long street and the dust of the market came to an abrupt end under the endless high walls.
He could barely make out a few eaves and brackets, stretching silently towards the night sky, over the several-foot-high wall. A glazed lantern hung from the eaves, swaying gently in the cool night breeze, casting circles of warm, solitary light, illuminating the distant, unreachable land below.
Inside, there is a world completely different from the secular world outside the wall, a splendid and prosperous place carefully built up with wealth and power.
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