Chapter 108 Uncle's Persuasion
"Follow me? Okay." Xu Chuchu didn't know what Yan Nanan was up to, but she agreed anyway.
She was not worried that Yan Nanan would take the opportunity to escape, because he had no need to do so.
The two stood in the corner, and Xu Chuchu asked the guards to stay away.
These were originally officers and soldiers brought by County Magistrate Lin from Guzhu County, but they obeyed Xiao Yu's orders. They knew Xu Chuchu was Xiao Yu's master, so they did not disobey.
There was no one around, so Yan Nan'an whispered, "Xu girl, what uncle is about to say may not be pleasant to the ears. Please don't get angry first, and listen to what uncle has to say patiently."
"It's okay, go ahead." Xu Chuchu nodded.
"Uncle wants to say..." Yan Nanan paused, "I advise you not to be with that kid named Xiao in the future."
Seeing how serious he was, Xu Chuchu thought he was going to talk about something serious, but she didn't expect him to talk about love. She felt a little embarrassed for a moment.
"We are master and apprentice now, not yet..." she explained.
"Uncle knows you two haven't established a relationship yet." Yan Nan'an interrupted her, "But you don't have to deny it. I'm an experienced person and I can see it clearly. That boy is definitely interested in you."
Xu Chuchu was suddenly speechless.
Xiao Yu had feelings for her... Of course she could feel it, but he didn't say it, so she pretended not to know.
"As the saying goes, it's better to demolish ten temples than to ruin a marriage," Yan Nan'an said seriously, "but since you haven't gotten married yet, uncle hopes you can get out of this as soon as possible. That guy surnamed Xiao is very possessive and controlling. You should have noticed that as long as you talk to other men for a few more words or stay with them for a while, he will become irritable and angry, and his face will turn as black as the bottom of a pot."
He said this was not just speculation, but the result of his observations over the past few days.
He didn't feel anything at first, but from the day he climbed out of the well carrying Xu Chuchu on his back and Xiao Yu pointed a knife at his forehead, he began to vaguely realize that Xiao Yu had an abnormal possessiveness in his heart.
Later he discovered that no matter if it was the man in green by the Shuijing Lake or the fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy in the village... no matter if they were married or not, as long as they were of the opposite sex of the same age, each one was a target for Xiao Yu to be wary of.
His eyes always fell on Xu Chuchu. As long as she talked a few more words to someone of the opposite sex, he would calmly find a reason to send the two of them apart and keep Xu Chuchu within his safe range.
This has clearly crossed the line.
Even married couples should not have such strict control, not to mention that the two are still in an ambiguous period.
If they really get married, who knows how things will develop.
"Girl, you and that boy helped me a lot this time. I'm really grateful to you." Yan Nan'an said earnestly, "But I've seen too many similar cases. I really don't want to see a kind and lively girl like you get caught up in it."
"Perhaps you think his actions are 'jealousy', a sign that he 'cares about you' and is attracted to you. Indeed, jealousy is a normal reaction when a man has a woman in his heart. Uncle also doesn't like to see Lili chatting and laughing with other men."
"But uncle tells you that being 'jealous' and 'caring' both require 'your willingness'."
"Are you willing to never speak to anyone of the opposite sex for him? Are you willing to be locked up at home forever? Uncle doesn't think you are that kind of girl."
"I'm not exaggerating. I've seen too many men like this. If this continues, they'll become more and more excessive and unreasonable! You can tolerate it now and give in step by step, but you may not be able to tolerate it in the future."
After hearing so much, Xu Chuchu pursed her lips in embarrassment.
She admitted that what Yan Nanan said was very pertinent.
She has also seen similar cases on the Internet in modern times, such as men not allowing their girlfriends to attend class reunions with opposite-sex classmates, deleting all opposite-sex friends from her WeChat, and even not allowing their girlfriends to go to work, only allowing her to wait for them at home every day, etc.
Moreover, these behaviors often eventually turn into domestic violence and wife-killing.
But for Xiao Yu...
"Thank you, uncle, for telling me so much." She said softly, "I don't think... things are that serious yet. His behavior has been a little abnormal these days, but that's because he just absorbed the power of the silver pot. That power comes from refining wronged souls. After all, there is resentment in it, which will affect people's emotions."
This was the truth, but on the other hand, Xiao Yu had a pure yang body and a special physique, so she couldn't say for sure how much resentment could affect him.
It might even be gone in a moment.
Yan Nan'an wasn't surprised to hear this and sighed, "Uncle knows you won't hear much from me just saying this, and I don't expect to convince you. Just take it to heart and pay more attention in the future."
"But... there is still one thing that uncle hopes you will remember." He said slowly.
"Don't let him become stronger than you in the future."
"What?" Xu Chuchu was stunned.
"You're the one teaching him cultivation, aren't you? You also voluntarily gave him the power in the silver pot, right?" Yan Nan'an observed and heard all of this himself. "I'm not afraid that you'll starve to death by teaching your apprentice, but I'm telling you to be careful. If one day in the future he becomes stronger than you, you really won't be able to escape no matter what."
Xu Chuchu couldn't help but open her eyes wide.
Yan Nan'an said the last sentence in a tone of conviction rather than persuasion.
How sure is he that Xiao Yu will be able to control her once he gains power?
"We'll be separated from each other from now on, and we won't meet again. Uncle, there's no need to sow discord." Yan Nan'an said finally, his eyes falling behind Xu Chuchu. "It's just that when a girl goes out, she should be more careful and leave a way out for herself."
Xu Chuchu's heart tightened, and she immediately turned to follow his gaze.
She was shocked to find that Xiao Yu, who was far behind and talking to County Magistrate Lin, had stood behind her without her knowing when!
When did he come, and how much did he hear!
"Xiao Yu..." She was so distracted that she didn't even notice!
Needless to say, Xiao Yu's eyes were gloomy and his expression was extremely ugly. Xu Chuchu subconsciously stepped between the two of them, worried that Xiao Yu would suddenly start an argument with Yan Nanan.
We finally settled the case, and it would be troublesome if any internal unrest broke out again.
Fortunately, Yan Nan'an was very "aware of the current situation." He politely nodded to Xiao Yu and Xu Chuchu, then turned and quickly caught up with the officers and soldiers nearby.
"Go, hurry up!" he shouted, "Quickly lock me up again!"
Yan Nanan disappeared in a flash, leaving Xu Chuchu standing there awkwardly.
Although she was not the one who said anything bad about Xiao Yu, she began to feel uneasy.
She herself didn't know what she was worried about. Was she worried that Xiao Yu would be unhappy after hearing these words, or was she worried that the two of them might become estranged because of this, or... did she also think that Yan Nanan's words made some sense?
Neither of them spoke, and time seemed to have passed for a century.
"Sorry, I mean..." Xiao Yu actually spoke first.
His eyes drifted uneasily, and his hands hung in his sleeves, trembling slightly.
"I mean, I shouldn't, uh, not allow myself to talk to other men. I know I was wrong. From now on..." He couldn't form a complete sentence for a long time.
"Then why do you do this?" Xu Chuchu suddenly asked.
This question made Xiao Yu speechless. Why? Because he had a psychological trauma!
"Why don't you like seeing me talking to other men?" She added, "Have you thought clearly about the question I asked you when we left Tailing County?"
Xiao Yu never expected that she would ask this last question.
Before leaving Tailing County, Xiao Yu came to Xu Chuchu to become his disciple, and Xu Chuchu asked him a sudden and fatal question.
"Do you like me?"
At that time, Xiao Yu’s answer was, I don’t know.
This is the truth, he really didn't know it at that time.
As far as he could remember, he had never been moved by any woman. He kept his distance from women, feeling nothing but fear and rejection, and had no idea what it meant to be moved... until Xu Chuchu appeared.
The only woman who would not make him sick after contact.
Security easily breeds greed.
He began to crave her touch and intimacy, and even thought about making a deal with her, marrying her, and having her lifelong companionship.
He thought at that time that apart from love and children, he could give her everything he could.
He once thought that this was purely his perverted selfish desire, but later this "selfish desire" became more and more exaggerated.
He began to miss her every smile and frown, and his mood was always affected by her mood. He wanted to put all the treasures in the world in front of her just to make her smile, wanted her to have only him in her eyes, and even had some beautiful dreams about her.
If this isn't heart-throb, what is?
However, Xiao Yu laughed at himself and said, "It doesn't matter whether I have thought it through or not."
"Why?" Xu Chuchu looked at him, disappointment evident in her eyes.
"Why? Because I'm the kind of person Yan Nan'an described me to be." Xiao Yu said in self-abandonment, "Don't you know how twisted I am?"
"I have a disease and a quirk, but I have nothing else!"
"I couldn't pass the imperial examinations like other men, or fight in battle and achieve great things. From childhood to adulthood, I've just been wasting my days, minding this and that... I don't know where tomorrow will be after today."
"I'm incredibly selfish. I know that my presence around you will easily lead to misunderstandings about our relationship and will hinder your chances of finding a good marriage, but I still shamelessly want to follow you around and drive away all the men who treat you well."
"Does it matter whether someone like me thinks clearly or not?"
Xiao Yu felt that it was natural for him to ask back.
He had known that this day would come, but he didn't expect it to come so suddenly and quickly because of Yan Nanan's appearance.
Maybe by the end of today, Xu Chuchu will leave him and go their separate ways.
Yan Nanan was right. Any good girl should stay away from people like him.
...But Xu Chuchu felt that she had never seen Xiao Yu like this before.
He was full of self-mockery, and his words were full of self-deprecation and contempt... He no longer looked like the arrogant, noble and elegant gentleman she had seen when they first met.
Perhaps he is the real him now, and all his previous pride was just a disguise for self-protection.
Xu Chuchu didn't like the "arrogant" Xiao Yu very much, but she didn't want him to look down on her from the bottom of his heart.
"Am I so unbearable in your eyes?" she asked softly.
"Isn't it in your eyes?" Xiao Yu asked back.
"No." Xu Chuchu answered firmly.
She looked at Xiao Yu deeply: "Xiao Yu, do you know what I like most about you?"
When Xiao Yu heard the word "like", he felt his body tighten, but he immediately forced himself to wake up.
She said she liked him “a little”, “a little”, not as a person.
"...Self-awareness?" He replied stiffly, "Or is my physique suitable for your cultivation?"
As soon as he finished speaking, he clearly saw Xu Chuchu's mouth twitching and his fists stiffened.
But she quickly unclenched her fist and told him clearly and distinctly: "It's a sense of justice."
"What?" Xiao Yu was stunned.
"I like your sense of justice." Xu Chuchu said, "Your justice, determination, and sense of responsibility."
"You are willing to stand up for the weak and help the vulnerable, even if it means nothing to you. You will solve cold cases and apprehend criminals, just to bring justice to the victims."
"You have your own persistence and bottom line, and you will not collude with evildoers."
"What you do is not just idle away your time; it's all meaningful, even more valuable than what many officials and generals do."
Xiao Yu looked at her with a puzzled expression: "What are you talking about? Isn't this the most basic thing in life?"
"Of course not!" Xu Chuchu exclaimed, "I've lived two lifetimes... and in this lifetime, I've only ever met one person like Xiao Yu, who is so righteous, responsible, and always reassuring! Stop belittling yourself!"
She didn't know what the customs of the people in the Xia Dynasty were like. She only knew that in modern times, where the concept of "If you don't work for yourself, you will be punished by heaven and earth" is implemented, there are too many evil people and everyone is protecting themselves. Even helping an elderly person who fell on the street has become a luxury.
Ever since her master left, it had been a very long time since she had seen someone who dared to stand up, punish the wicked, and help the weak.
Xiao Yu not only did a few good things, but also made her feel the kindness and support of this world.
"And you do have this ability. You are very smart and always notice details that others don't. You are good at analysis and are always the quickest to figure out the truth of things." She continued.
"You are both civil and military, you are a royal relative, you have a noble status, and you are very wealthy."
"Your illness is also congenital, it's not your problem."
"You really are already a...very good person."
Xu Chuchu looked at the stunned Xiao Yu in front of her, bit her lip, and mustered up the courage to ask, "Xiao Yu, I believe you won't become the kind of person Yan Nanan described. Now I'll give you another chance. Can you answer me, have you thought it through?"
Xiao Yu suddenly felt dazed, not knowing whether he was in a dream or reality.
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