Chapter 39 Raindrops on Banana Leaves (Part 2) Answer my question. ...
"Why are you drinking?" Shen Zhou asked. "It's fruit wine, and I only had a little bit." Hua Deng gestured with her finger to indicate the distance of "a little bit." "See, I'm not drunk, am I?"
Shen Zhou looked at her; there was no sign of drunkenness on her face, but her tone of voice was noticeably less clear than usual, as if it were soaked in alcohol.
He said nonchalantly, "You dare to drink wine given to you by anyone? You've got some nerve, haven't you?"
Hua Deng said, "No, Senior Brother Pei is a very nice person. He is elegant, polite, and speaks very well."
"You really think highly of him," Shen Zhou said coldly. "A Nascent Soul cultivator wouldn't even know if he got trampled to death on his way out."
Hua Deng retorted, "But Senior Brother Pei is still young, and he's already very capable."
Senior Brother Pei, Senior Brother Pei.
"What's your relationship with him? Why do you call him senior brother?"
"We hit it off immediately," Hua Deng said, blinking. "Besides, you're leaving soon, so what's wrong with me making more reliable friends?"
"Is he reliable?" Shen Zhou scoffed.
Hua Deng scoffed, "They're more reliable than people who want to leave at the drop of a hat."
"..." Shen Zhou looked at her, raised his hand to pinch his brow, concealing his expression, "I do have something to do."
The alcohol Hua Deng had drunk had a strong aftereffect, and whether it was the alcohol or the provocation from his words, he blurted out without thinking, "But what if I insist that you stay?"
She looked up at him stubbornly, while he remained silent, his expression still calm.
Pei Duyun's words suddenly echoed in his mind: "Reincarnation often takes hundreds of years, and the reincarnated person carries the memories of the soul, with a lifespan of at most a few dozen years, and the cultivation level may not even reach the Golden Core stage."
What exactly did he go through? Why can't she know?
She turned her head away, kicked a pebble on the ground in a huff, and said, "Then go do your own thing, why are you bothering with me?"
Shen Zhou didn't answer, which made her feel even more uncomfortable, so she simply poured out everything at once.
"Anyway, you'll be leaving in a month. By then, you won't even know if I'm alive or dead!"
"I can't control you, and you can't control me. I'll drink tea if I want to drink tea, and I'll drink alcohol if I want to drink alcohol. It's none of your business who I'm with or what I'm doing!"
"Bright lights".
She turned her head instinctively when she was called, and saw Shen Zhou staring at her intently with a deep gaze.
She instinctively shrank her neck, but then felt that made her look weak, so she straightened her back and said defiantly, "What are you looking at? Are you going to yell at me? Be careful, or I'll... I'll dock your pay!"
Shen Zhou sighed softly and stepped aside to let her sit on the bed: "You're drunk."
The lanterns stood still.
Shen Zhou glanced at her and said, "I'm going out for a bit. I'll be back before midnight. Calm down first."
He walked very fast. Hua Deng stood there for a moment, stunned, before trudging heavily to the edge of the bed and sitting down.
The room was empty, and outside the wind howled, dark clouds filled the sky, and it looked like it was about to rain at any moment.
She suddenly raised her hand and covered her head in frustration.
She shouldn't have lost her temper.
He must have been in a difficult position when she said that.
No... perhaps he had already decided to leave, and there was no question of him making things difficult for him.
Hua Deng grabbed a pillow and slammed it against her head twice in frustration.
*
Tianhan Mountain, outside Duanyun Palace.
The scenery at the mountaintop was as usual. Chen Zhou appeared out of nowhere, which did not surprise Jin Ze, who had been waiting for a long time. He handed him the prepared medicine bottle: "The Sanqing Powder you wanted."
Shen Zhou reached out and took it, saying, "Is there anything else?"
Jinze nodded: "Yes, it is..."
Shen Zhou interrupted him: "We'll talk about it next time."
Jinze: "?" Then why are you asking me?
He gave a frustrated reply, and Shen Zhou, without saying another word, turned to leave. But before he could teleport, he suddenly let out a clear cough, and Jin Ze's eyes widened instantly.
Then they saw Shen Zhou raise his hand and wipe the corner of his lips, where bright red blood was flowing out.
"Are you injured?!" he asked anxiously.
“No,” Shen Zhou said calmly.
Jinze understood everything. He said angrily, "This body can't hold on much longer. Why did you postpone the plan?"
Shen Zhou said, "You don't need to concern yourself with this."
Enraged, Jin Ze mustered the courage to retort to Shen Zhou for the first time: "Where is your sword? Lie Tian! Give me Lie Tian, and I'll kill you right now!"
Shen Zhou didn't even lift his eyelids. With a casual wave of his hand, Lie Tian flew out from Jin Ze's chest, making a faint clanging sound.
Jinze grasped Lietian and aimed it at Chenzhou.
Shen Zhou stood there indifferently, motionless.
"If I ever lose control, you can use it to kill me." These were the words Shen Zhou once said to him.
But there's another sentence after that.
—When do you lose control?
—"Four years later, on the eighth day of the first month."
January 8th has long since passed.
Jinze's gaze fell on the blade. This sword, like its master, remained completely still even when held by someone else, about to kill its master.
This is the strongest sword in the world, and the only sword capable of killing Shen Zhou.
He was the executioner appointed by Shen Zhou.
The clouds and smoke drifted by silently, and Chen Zhou said, "Come on."
Jinze slowly raised his eyes, his hands began to tremble until he could no longer hold the sword.
Lie Tian flew away from his hand and returned to his chest.
Jinze retreated dejectedly; he could never be as cold-blooded as this man and his sword.
Shen Zhou calmly withdrew his gaze, said nothing, and went straight to sit down on the steps.
He took off his purse, pulled out a piece of candy, and quietly put it in his mouth.
Finally, Jinze thought, "Never mind."
Shen Zhou didn't want to die, and he didn't want to be killed either.
He silently sat down next to Shen Zhou. After a while, Shen Zhou spoke, saying calmly, "Why did I choose this path in the first place?"
Jinze looked at him with surprise.
Shen Zhou never talked to him about these things, and besides, would he really be confused by them?
Chen Zhou slowly nibbled on the candy.
He wasn't confused, much less regretful; he simply hadn't thought about the question in a long time.
What did my past self go through to make such a resolute and shocking choice?
After a long silence, he said, "I can't remember."
Part of his memories are still sealed within Lie Tian; only by breaking through the tribulation can he fully retrieve them.
He chewed the candy and swallowed it.
This candy should be sweet to anyone, but not to him.
But he still liked to eat it, and every time he ate it, he would inexplicably think of those eyes that often looked at him.
It is as black and shiny as obsidian, quiet yet dazzling.
That's strange.
Why do those who claim to love him always push him away and never look back?
"Ah Zhou, don't blame your father for being heartless."
"A-Zhou, it's your mother who's wronged you. Please let go."
"Brother, I've just realized that I'm just like Mom and Dad. So, leave me alone and let me die."
He has accepted this outcome.
But those clear, black and white eyes were filled with the desire for him to stay.
He used to always avoid her eyes, covering her eyelids and refusing to meet her gaze.
But now, he suddenly longs to see those eyes.
A gentle breeze carried away the clouds from the mountaintop, and a crane's silhouette pierced the sky, its cry sounding like a mournful wail.
Shen Zhou suddenly asked, "Have you ever eaten hot pot?"
Jinze was taken aback: "What is that?"
Shen Zhou smiled faintly: "It tastes good, you can try it next time."
After saying that, he stood up and said without turning his head, "The plan is postponed. I will come to find you in four months."
This time, Jinze did not stop him and stood up to watch him leave.
He thought he should perhaps meet that woman.
At least we know what kept Shen Zhou, this lonely ghost, alive.
*
In the quiet room, Chen Zhou returned after walking through the rain and turned on the lights.
"Why aren't the lights on?" He looked at the scattered bed curtains.
Hua Deng peeked out from behind the bed curtains and whispered, "What were you doing?"
Shen Zhou handed over the medicine bottle: "Here's some medicine for you."
Hua Deng took it and looked at it, puzzled: "What medicine? Wasn't the poison from the Immortal Slaughtering Powder neutralized?"
“This is the medicine to suppress your symptoms, Sanqing Powder,” Shen Zhou said. “Take it every month when you have an attack, and continue for four months, and you will never suffer from this problem again.”
Hua Deng gripped the medicine bottle tightly in shock: "Really? There's such a rare medicine in the world?"
“If you want it, you can have it,” Shen Zhou said. “One of the ingredients, Moon Essence Dew, took some effort to prepare, so I’m only giving it to you now.”
"How much should I pay?" Hua Deng asked in surprise.
Shen Zhou smiled slightly: "As I said, it's a return gift from the sword tassel."
Hua Deng pursed her lips and smiled, slowly loosening her grip on the bed curtains to make room for him.
She lowered her head and said softly, "I thought you were angry."
A soft chuckle fell from above, and Shen Zhou sat down next to her, his lazy tone as always: "I don't bother with drunkards."
Hua Deng puffed out his cheeks: "I didn't drink much... never mind."
She took a deep breath: "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have talked to you like that."
Shen Zhou looked down and saw slender fingers gripping his arm. He heard a girl's sweet voice in his ear: "Actually, if you want to leave, I don't necessarily have to stop you, but..."
She seemed to struggle to say it: "I'm just a little... you know."
Shen Zhou raised his eyes, suppressing the smile in them: "What?"
Hua Deng stammered, "Well, that thing."
He opened his palm, poured out a pill, and presented it to her. Staring into her moist eyes, he pressed closer, asking, "What is it?"
Hua Deng gritted her teeth, swallowed the pills in one go, and said with her eyes closed, "I'm a little reluctant to part with you, I don't want you to leave, okay!"
After saying this, she was so embarrassed that her ears turned bright red.
Hearing the laughter, she suddenly opened her eyes, annoyed and furious: "Hold it back! Don't laugh!"
But Chen Zhou still smiled. Hua Deng reached out and shoved him forcefully, but as expected, he couldn't push him away.
After Shen Zhou finished laughing, he said, "You can try to keep me."
He gazed into the expectant eyes under the streetlights: "The Sanqing Powder needs to be taken continuously for four months to take effect. I will stay until your symptoms completely disappear."
Hua Deng glanced at him quickly, nodded, and gave a nonchalant "Oh." Her mood brightened like the sun after a storm; a smile played on her lips. She hugged her knees, silently digesting the medicine she had just taken.
However, not long after, the heat hit her, and she suddenly realized something was wrong.
The feeling was so familiar, yet even stronger than before.
"Why this medicine..." She grabbed Shen Zhou's arm and asked with a frown.
Shen Zhou said, "There are some side effects, but you can bear with them."
Soon, Hua Deng began to tremble uncontrollably, and her grip on his arm turned into a tight embrace. Shen Zhou gently helped her lie down and fed her the second pill.
Hua Deng nestled in his arms, swallowed the pill through his fingers, and then lightly licked his fingers with her tongue.
Shen Zhou looked away. For some reason, he smelled a very faint fragrance, but he couldn't quite catch it when he tried to smell it carefully.
After a long pause, Hua Deng, her face flushed, said, "No, I can't take it! What kind of medicine is this... I..."
She found it difficult to speak and buried her face in the pillow.
Shen Zhou frowned: "Are you feeling that bad?"
A muffled voice came from Hua Deng: "Can you... think of something?"
Chen Zhou pondered, "What method? To make you faint?"
Hua Deng said angrily, "This isn't the kind of thing... Don't you have any experience at all?"
Shen Zhou seemed to understand and said, "No."
Hua Deng retorted angrily, "Even if you've never seen pork, you've at least seen pigs run!"
Shen Zhou still said, "I haven't seen it."
Hua Deng was stunned: "...You haven't even read the book?"
Shen Zhou: "I only look at sword manuals."
“…”
Hua Deng put down her pillow and started crawling out: "Forget it! I'll find someone else..."
Shen Zhou watched quietly, without stopping her. Just as she was about to climb to the edge of the bed, she suddenly felt a cold touch on her ankle, and a rough hand grabbed her and dragged her back!
The lamp suddenly slammed backward, crashing into his hard chest. His mind went blank for a few seconds, and he opened his mouth to curse.
But as if he had foreseen this, he gripped her chin to silence her, locked her waist with his other hand, and pressed her tightly into his arms, asking in a low voice, "Who are you looking for? Your Senior Brother Pei?"
The streetlights were silent. He nuzzled her head with his chin and said slowly, "Once he steps out of this door, he'll be dead."
Having said that, he loosened his grip, and the lantern was finally able to speak.
"How could you be such a jerk!" She was so angry her face turned bright red. "You said you couldn't do it? What's wrong with me finding someone else?"
“I really don’t know how,” Shen Zhou said with a slow, deliberate smile. “But your story is very interesting, and I’ve already finished learning it.”
Hua Deng was startled: "Wasn't my Qiankun Ring locked? How could you have been secretly reading my book?"
Shen Zhou showed no shame: "I'm telling you, it wasn't peeping."
The city lights were dim, but the physical discomfort was unbearable. She asked hesitantly, "So... what did you learn?"
"a lot of."
As Shen Zhou spoke, he lowered his eyes to look at her. He was as calm as ever, yet he gave her the feeling that she might be swallowed up at any moment.
"Do you want to try?" he asked, gripping her waist.
He did indeed have very beautiful eyes, which Hua Deng noticed from their first meeting.
As if bewitched by those eyes, she tilted her head slightly as if possessed: "Then... let's give it a try?"
She finished speaking, then seemed a little embarrassed and gently turned her head away. From Shen Zhou's angle, he could see her slender neck and her blushing earlobes. So delicate, so gentle, as if she could accept whatever he did.
Shen Zhou's grip on her waist tightened slowly, his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily. He seemed to smell that fragrance again.
But when I got closer to smell it, there was nothing there; it wasn't her perfume.
On the other hand, seeing that he hadn't moved for a long time, Hua Deng opened his eyes and asked in confusion, "Did you not learn it at all?"
Very good, now you've even learned to use reverse psychology.
Shen Zhou lowered his eyes, his fingertips slowly moving down her clothes.
Hua Deng froze, then her mind went blank for a moment, and she uncontrollably retreated.
Shen Zhou pressed down on her shoulder and said, "It's okay, I won't make you feel bad."
The lantern's head touched his chest, but he couldn't.
Shen Zhou said, "Be obedient."
He never repeated himself a third time, and seeing that she didn't answer, he stopped asking her.
Rain pattered against the window, and he pushed it open to catch the water dripping from the banana leaves.
Rainwater soaked his fingertips, which he gently pinched.
"Stop!" Hua Deng trembled violently and struggled abruptly. "I...I don't want it anymore..."
However, his other hand was on her back, and when she stood up, he effortlessly pulled her into his arms, leaving her no room to refuse or back down.
He said in a hoarse voice, "Hua Deng, why do you always want to run away?"
Hua Deng whispered, "You look too scary."
Shen Zhou glanced at her, then sighed helplessly. He raised his hand, pulled off the red ribbon from his hair, and turned to her, saying, "Help me tie it back on."
Hua Deng tied his hairband as instructed. He turned his face, his sharp eyes completely hidden, and his high nose bridge, topped with red silk, had a unique and bewitching charm.
She was so captivated by the streetlights that she suddenly felt a warmth on her neck. His fingers had somehow found their way to her and were pressing on her pulse.
The hand, which had been cold, was now warmer than usual. Hua Deng knew her heart was racing and quietly stepped back a little.
Fortunately, Shen Zhou didn't pursue the matter, but simply asked her, "Are you still nervous?"
The streetlights suddenly illuminated why he had covered his eyes, and his heartbeat did indeed calm down considerably.
She nodded subconsciously, then remembered that he couldn't see, and said, "I wasn't nervous at all. You...you can start."
"Um."
A single byte can stir the heart of Hua Deng.
She tried to speak in a panic: "I... um."
The lips were covered by a finger, and the owner of the finger seemed to be smiling.
"Shh," he said, "You just need to answer my question."
Hua Deng's body tensed up instantly.
"Do you like it like this? Or like this?" he asked. "Why don't you answer? Don't you like me touching it like this, or don't you like it being close to me?"
"You're not allowed to speak...you're not allowed to ask...ha...you're not allowed to do that!"
He lightly scratched with his fingernail, slowly and deliberately tracing patterns.
The lights were dim and flickering.
Two shadows overlapped on the bed curtains, and faint sounds flowed in the quiet night.
"What's not allowed?" Shen Zhou said calmly, his tone steady as he continued, "This won't do?"
Hua Deng: "No..."
Shen Zhou: "How about this?"
The person picking bananas is full of pity, but can hardly be called gentle.
Rainwater streamed down his fingertips, his fingers completely enveloped by banana leaves, a strange sensation that momentarily stunned even him.
How can it be so soft, so—
"No... Shen Zhou..."
The girl turned into a ball of cotton.
She seemed to dislike his disturbing of the banana leaves, and was crying with sweat on her cheeks.
"You don't have to call me by my name at this time," he sighed almost imperceptibly.
"Hmm?" He moved his head, which was resting on his chin, and knew that Hua Deng was looking up at him, but he did not answer.
She thought that calling out his name would be her lifeline. But in reality, he just wanted to bully her even more, to torment her even more.
A wicked thought was stirring in his mind, but he remained calm and patted her back to reassure her: "Don't worry, I'll make you comfortable."
The lanterns seemed to sob softly.
Shen Zhou felt a sense of pleasure as he listened to her reaction.
He wanted to know how to make her happier, how to make her cry more.
But it seems that no matter how he teases her, she can obediently endure it, even when she is about to reach her limit and becomes a complete mess.
Shen Zhou chuckled softly, "It seems to really like my hand."
Like a newborn kitten, when it encounters a human's finger, it will only lick and rub against it in a daze, begging for more nourishment.
So cute.
He deliberately teased the cat, making it run around in circles, while the cat remained completely unaware.
The wind still hasn't stopped blowing.
With the streetlights half-closed, she no longer bothered to wipe away the tears welling up in her eyes.
A corner of the bed curtains fluttered in the wind, vaguely revealing the shape within. Yet Chen Zhou remained silent, and Hua Deng could only suppress the urge to speak.
But this silence only makes other senses clearer.
She could no longer describe her current state; she couldn't tell whether she wanted it to end quickly or to sink deeper into despair.
Outside the courtyard, a fierce wind and torrential rain rose and fell intermittently.
The man reached out and plucked a banana leaf. The rough, calloused skin rubbed against the leaves, and the banana leaf curled up, shivering in the rain.
She couldn't help but sob twice.
A hand reached up from behind and stroked her face. Shen Zhou asked, "Why didn't you call out?"
Hua Deng gritted his teeth and remained silent.
Shen Zhou said, "I've set up a barrier, no one will hear me."
Hua Deng shook his head, not caring whether he could see it or not.
Shen Zhou sensed it, but the hand didn't withdraw. Instead, it pried open her mouth and commanded her, "Scream it out. Don't hold it in."
His jaw was forced open, and Hua Deng couldn't help but cry out.
Shen Zhou seemed satisfied, and gently rubbed her face with the back of his hand, praising her, "Yes, just like that, let me know you're happy."
A thin mist clouded her dazed eyes as she vaguely saw Shen Zhou's appearance and suddenly realized that she hadn't really known him that well before.
His overwhelming power taught him to restrain himself, making him seem indifferent to everything.
At this moment, she finally understood just how aggressive the aura emanating from Shen Zhou was. It was all-pervasive, all-encompassing, binding her tightly without leaving a single gap.
So terrifying, yet so alluring to her.
She blinked, and two tears fell, allowing her to see his face more clearly.
The red silk veiled his dark eyes, and she couldn't guess his emotions.
She suddenly regretted covering her eyes.
What will he be like now? Will there be a few more fluctuations in those usually calm eyes?
Will he also watch her and gradually become like her?
Curiosity overcame her shyness, and she followed her heart to tug at the knot tied behind Shen Zhou's head, but this action was quickly stopped.
"You're being disobedient again." The man grabbed her hand, kneading her soft fingertips, his tone unreadable.
A cold wind swept past the window, while the spring water murmured incessantly.
Water seeped through the window frames and door cracks, trickling down the floor and even wetting the bed, its liquid trickling down the pink clothes.
The girl's helpless sobs and the man's suppressed panting echoed one after another in this enclosed room.
Suddenly, the sound stopped.
The streetlights, dimly lit, tilted their heads back, as if urging, "Hmm?"
Why did you stop?
The man's lips curled into a smile, and he turned his head slightly as if looking at her: "I'm tired, you can do it yourself."
"..."
The streetlights were stunned.
At this point, why are you still making her do it herself?
She didn't want to move at all, but she felt so uncomfortable.
It felt like being stuck at the very top of a roller coaster. She bit her lip, finally giving in, and shakily lifted the hand that Chen Zhou had placed in front of her.
These were hands she knew all too well—long, slender fingers, neatly trimmed nails, and clearly defined, strong bones. The only difference was that the entire hand was tinged with a faint red, the moisture still lingering, alluring and seductive.
Hua Deng's breath froze, and she could barely grasp his hand.
She imagined using this hand to complete today's task, just like Chen Zhou had done, to finally free her. But as she reached out to touch her hand, she suddenly let go.
"I..." Her eyes were red, and her whole body trembled with shame.
"You're bullying me, I hate you, Shen Zhou." A tear fell from her eye, and she repeated, feeling wronged, "I really hate you, Shen Zhou!"
Shen Zhou remained silent for a moment, then sighed: "You called my name again."
Hua Deng was stunned for a moment, not understanding what he meant, but it didn't matter anymore. She watched as the hand started moving again, returning to its favorite place with practiced ease.
He seemed to only then abandon his pretense, using every means to torment her, yet he deliberately refused to let her go.
Hua Deng cried out, "No, don't do this... don't pinch me..."
The rain poured down relentlessly, unstoppable. He refused to stop.
Hua Deng couldn't take it anymore, tears streaming down her face. She retaliated by biting Chen Zhou's shoulder.
She used all her strength, her teeth digging deep into her muscles. Instead of being annoyed, Shen Zhou chuckled and playfully flicked his finger, saying, "It's biting me too."
Hua Deng blushed furiously, biting and hitting him as she yelled, "You bastard, how can you be so annoying!"
Shen Zhou's chest trembled, and he laughed as he said, "Let go, or I'll bite back."
Hua Deng didn't let go, biting even harder. Chen Zhou let her finish biting, then pulled her off his body, placed his fingers on her neck, and slowly slid them down.
He was looking for that mole.
Using his memory, he found the spot below her collarbone.
"Is this the place?" He touched it lightly with his fingertip, but couldn't feel it.
Hua Deng had no idea what he was talking about; still reeling from the terrifying afterglow, he shook his head haphazardly: "No..."
Shen Zhou smiled slightly: "Oh, so this is the place."
Without giving Hua Deng any room to argue, he simply lowered his head, opened his mouth, and bit down.
A tingling sensation came over him, and Hua Deng's mind exploded like fireworks.
How could he bite her, her...
"Ugh."
But before she could push him away, she was horrified to discover something else—his fingers were coming at her again.
The rain was drizzling, and the doors and windows rattled.
The wind rises and falls, and the banana leaves in front of the door are scattered all over the ground, pitifully beaten by the raindrops and forced to melt into the night.
This night was destined to be longer than ever before.
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