As they were chatting and laughing, the group didn't see Luo Yun carrying a soup tray as she walked through the courtyard. Her figure quickly disappeared around the corner and headed towards the pharmacy.
As soon as she entered the room, she felt a familiar presence. She looked up at the bed and saw that Zhuge Changdeng had already woken up and was resting with his eyes closed, leaning against the headboard.
Perhaps drawn by the aroma of the sweet soup, he opened his eyes. His gaze lingered on Luo Yun's face for a moment before sliding to the bowl of soup she was holding. He grinned broadly and said carefree, "Waking up to delicious food is such a joy! Thank you, Junior Sister!"
Luo Yun put down the soup plate and handed the sweet soup to him, watching as he wolfed it down, his earlobes turning crimson without warning.
"Slow down, no one's going to take it from you."
Zhuge Changdeng seemed to have no ears, and devoured the soup without a care in the world. In no time, the large bowl of sweet soup was empty.
He put down his chopsticks, his mouth still a little grime from eating too fast. Luo Yun's eyelashes fluttered, and she took out a handkerchief from her sleeve and handed it to him. Zhuge Changdeng didn't take it, but casually wiped it with his sleeve as if he didn't mind the dirt.
Luo Yun withdrew her hand, her expression showing no embarrassment, as if she were already used to it. As she cleared away the bowls, she asked, "You just woke up, how are you feeling?"
Zhuge Changdeng stood up, stretched, walked to the door, took a breath of fresh air, and said, "I feel refreshed, without pain or injury, I'm doing great."
Luo Yun: "That's good."
"By the way," Changdeng asked her, "How is Li Jiang? He wasn't injured in the martial arts competition that day, was he?"
Luo Yun shook her head: "No, but the situation was indeed dangerous at the time." After that, she told him everything that happened that day.
After saying that, she added, "In the future, if you are not absolutely certain, it is best not to summon the Sparrow Spirit. If you are attacked by it, it's no joke."
Changdeng's expression turned somewhat strange upon hearing this, and he muttered to himself, "This shouldn't be the case. I summoned the Sparrow Spirit once before, and nothing happened. How come this time..."
Luo Yun didn't hear clearly and asked, "What did you say?"
"Ah, it's nothing." Changdeng waved his hand. "Don't nag me. I'll be more careful in the future." After saying that, he walked outside.
Where are you going?
Changdeng said from afar, "After lying here for so long, of course I need to go out for a walk!"
Luo Yun watched his departing figure and sighed softly.
Old friends are everywhere, and when they reached the courtyard gate, they happened to run into Luo Fan and "a family of four".
Before they could say a word, they saw Li Jiang and Liu Yuntai walking side by side in the distance, and everyone gathered at the gate.
"What's going on today? Everyone has coincidentally met together, it's quite lively."
It was Li Jiang who spoke. After he finished speaking, he looked at the energetic Zhuge Changdeng and said coldly, "Brother Zhuge has finally woken up. I thought I would have to wait a few more days until Dean Zhuge came out of seclusion and we left this place before you slowly woke up."
Zhuge Changdeng knew that he was still angry about the duel that day, so he touched the tip of his nose and chuckled, "Brother Li, are you still angry? I didn't mean to that day. It's just that once the sword was drawn, my consciousness became one with the sword. I only thought about killing and couldn't care about anything else."
Li Jiang snorted, "With such a murderous intent, being your friend would be incredibly unlucky. One wrong move and you'd die by your sword. I dare not call you brother anymore."
Seeing that he was still angry, Zhuge Changdeng, who was a bit dim-witted, didn't know what to say and looked to Qinghe for help.
Qinghe's eyes darted around, and she smiled faintly, "No matter how big the problem is, there's nothing that can't be solved with a meal."
Zhuge Changdeng immediately understood and said, "Yes, yes, I'll treat you to a meal as an apology, okay?"
Li Jiang had only been teasing him, and seeing that she had achieved her goal, she simply laughed and said, "Since you're so sincere, let's go." Then she turned to Liu Yuntai and said, "Brother Liu, shall we go together?"
Liu Yuntai smiled gently and said, "Okay."
The three men went to the tavern together, while the family of four returned to their residence, leaving Luo Fan alone once again.
As night fell, the streets became deserted. Zhuge Changdeng led the two to a tavern he used to frequent. The tavern owner greeted them immediately upon seeing them and chatted for a while before leading the three to a private room on the second floor.
The private room was exquisite and quiet. Soon, the dishes and drinks were served one by one. The three of them sat down and began to chat about this and that.
Liu Yuntai doesn't drink alcohol. His family taught him from a young age that alcohol is poison that can corrupt the body and should not be consumed. But now, seeing the two people in front of him drinking one cup after another with great enjoyment, he began to doubt those words.
Seeing that he wasn't drinking, Zhuge Changdeng assumed he was being reserved, so he poured him a cup himself.
Liu Yuntai looked at the sake in the cup, hesitated for a moment, then picked it up and took a small sip.
"Ouch, so spicy!"
Upon seeing this, Zhuge Changdeng asked in surprise, "You can't drink?"
Liu Yuntai nodded.
"Among all the people I know, I've never met one who doesn't drink," he laughed heartily. "You're quite an oddball."
Liu Yuntai said gently, "It's probably because of our different upbringing. I grew up in a family where I was strict with myself and followed strict rules and regulations, so I'm used to it."
Zhuge Changdeng scoffed, "You're not a monk, what rules and regulations do you have to follow? If you really say that, will you never get married in the future?"
Liu Yuntai sighed, "I still need to marry a wife, but I'm afraid she'll be chosen for me by my family, not someone I truly like."
Upon hearing this, Zhuge Changdeng felt a pang of sympathy for him: "Then you are far too pitiful, much more pitiful than me."
Li Jiang spoke up: "If that's the case, haven't you ever thought about getting rid of these constraints?"
Liu Yuntai shook his head: "I am the only son in nine generations. The heavy burden of the family will fall on my shoulders from now on. I'm afraid I will never be able to get rid of it in this lifetime."
Li Jiang had little experience with family and didn't fully empathize with Liu Yuntai's suffering, but she still comforted him, saying, "It's alright. As long as you are free in your heart, you are free wherever you are."
Liu Yuntai murmured these words and said gently, "Thank you, Brother Li."
After several rounds of drinks, Liu Yuntai said, "I wonder when Senior Zhuge will emerge from seclusion. After this matter is settled, would you two be interested in visiting the Liu family?"
Li Jiang said the same thing as Qing He: "Don't your reclusive families always dislike outsiders?"
Liu Yuntai said again, "My guests won't stop me."
Li Jiang: "I don't care, but Qing and Qi Rong..."
Liu Yuntai interrupted him: "Don't worry about that. I already asked Qinghe, and she agreed."
Li Jiang paused for a moment as she put down her wine glass. "You've already contacted them?"
Liu Yuntai answered frankly, "Yes."
Li Jiang's thoughts shifted slightly, and after a moment she said, "Alright, since they've agreed, there's no harm in going."
The three then drank together at the table and didn't sleep a wink all night.
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