Chapter 123 A Little Aftereffect
"Hey, do you recognize these?"
Song Jin left in a flurry and returned just as quickly, her footsteps pounding. Without knocking, she darted to the side, pushed open the window, and poked her head in, waving a booklet with an air of self-righteousness.
Inside the room, Qu Maoze stood before the bed. He slowly and methodically re-tied the belt he had only half-undone, then straightened his open collar. Ignoring the head by the window, he walked straight to the door, opened it, stood there sideways, a smile playing on his lips, and beckoned with his hand.
Song Jin leaned halfway against the window, turned her head to look at him like this, and rolled her eyes: "Are you calling the dog?"
Qu Maoze smiled without saying a word, just leaning against the door watching her.
Although everyone could see that he had ill intentions and that his relationship with Niu Tielan was unusual, they still maintained a certain level of decorum on the surface.
After returning from Andong County, or rather, after Niu Tielan began his treatment, he spent most of his time in this courtyard. Of course, the main reason was that Song Jin lived next door to Niu Tielan; even if he wanted to do something, he couldn't choose to do it at night.
Song Jin lay on the other side, her phoenix eyes, similar to his, staring at him without saying a word.
The father and daughter remained locked in this stalemate.
If it were a contest of physical strength, and the father and daughter were to really fight, it's not certain who would be stronger. But as for a contest of endurance...
Song Jin lost completely.
She clutched the booklet in her hand, looking at the densely packed names, torn between giving up now and asking another person or a few more.
Although they may not know as much as this person, three cobblers are as good as one Zhuge Liang; if they spend more time...
Seeing her conflicted expression, Qu Maoze's smile widened. He gently knocked on the door frame and said softly, "Is there anything else you want to ask me?"
Qu Maoze stood there, his features refined and handsome, his eyes smiling, exuding a refined and elegant air. He stood before the dimly lit doorway, wearing only a single layer of clothing, the collar slightly open, revealing a prominent red line along his collarbone. At first glance, it appeared painted on, but upon closer inspection, one could see the red line constantly twisting, as if it were alive.
A light snow began to fall at night, the snowflakes swirling around him like mosquitoes in the flickering light. A chilling night wind blew, and the light behind him danced and distorted like a black hole, making him appear exceptionally eerie and dangerous, deterring anyone from approaching.
Song Jin scoffed. She was least afraid of danger. Chin held high, she strode towards him and slammed the booklet in her hand into his chest: "You'd better know all of this."
Qu Maoze smiled softly, opened the booklet, looked at the densely packed familiar names, ran his hand over the names, and finally stopped at three consecutive names, his voice tinged with a sigh.
Sun Ren, Wan Bin, Yu Shengrong
Song Jin had already pulled up a stool and sat down, legs crossed, pouring herself tea, looking completely at ease as the hostess. Hearing a few names, she glanced over: "Your friend?" Qu Maoze strolled over leisurely, and while she sipped her tea, whispered, "I killed him."
Song Jin nearly choked. Just as she was about to glare at him, he pointed to the names on the booklet and began to read them aloud one by one: "The Bi family, Bi Shaoming of the third branch, embezzled and bribed, forced women into prostitution, executed. The Liao family, the eldest son of the first branch, failed in his duties, exiled to Lingnan. The Ni family, the only granddaughter, harmed others out of jealousy, and died a mutilated body after exile. The Jiang family's only grandson, occupied land, rode wildly, and loved hunting, dismembered..."
That's because Juanjuan has acquaintances, and Juanjuan has his name.
Song Jin finished her tea to calm herself down, and said with a heavy heart, "You cleaned all of this up?"
Qu Maoze read most of it, then smiled somewhat mockingly: "What, scared?"
Song Jin rolled her eyes.
It's no surprise that so many people hate this person; he's very capricious in both public and private matters.
But are you afraid?
She scoffed, "What's there to be afraid of? A life for a life, if you deserve to die, then die."
Qu Maoze sat down next to her with a smirk, resting his chin on his hand and watching her. His phoenix eyes, so similar to hers, shone with light.
Song Jinji got goosebumps and asked warily, "What are you doing?"
Qu Maoze remained silent, gently running his hand through her flowing hair.
Song Jin slapped his hand, narrowed her eyes, and threatened, "If you touch me again, I'll break your hand."
Qu Maoze acted as if he hadn't heard, twirling a strand of hair in his hand and chuckling, "Let Dad comb your hair."
Song Jin felt a chill and got up: "Something's wrong with me."
Qu Maoze continued to smile, his gaze full of affection, as if looking at a child, but his words carried a different meaning: "It's truly heartbreaking. Jinjin is so biased. She's so affectionate towards your mother, but she doesn't say a single kind word to me."
Song Jin was speechless: "You compare yourself to my mother?"
Qu Maoze sighed softly, "Speaking of which, the three of us haven't really talked about the past properly yet. Why don't we call your mother over and reminisce together?"
Song Jin glared at him fiercely: "You dare!"
Qu Maoze smiled without saying a word, placed the book face down on the table, picked up a wooden comb from the side, gently pressed it against her shoulder, feeling her stiffness, and gently squeezed it.
Song Jin gritted her teeth and reluctantly sat down, annoyed: "Just comb my hair, don't touch me."
As she spoke, she tried to comfort herself.
The barber, the barber, this person doesn't mind working, so why should she mind?
She tried to comfort herself, but still instinctively struck out when his hand reached the back of her neck. Qu Maoze calmly caught her hand, pressed it down, and continued untying her hair, then repeated the process again.
A simple hair combing session turned into a chaotic mess, like a battle.
Just as Qu Maoze breathed a sigh of relief after finishing combing her hair, her foot kicked out from under the stool again. She was just like a wildcat, scratching and biting people all she did, never staying still.
Qu Maoze couldn't help but sigh.
Song Jin squinted and tilted her head: "What do you mean?"
Qu Maoze couldn't help but pinch her cheek.
That's terrible! Song Jin was shocked for a moment, then kicked over the table and punched the man in the face.
Qu Maoze sighed deeply, caught her move, then used the surrounding tables and chairs to help her pull herself down to the ground. He slammed her to the ground in his arms, rubbed her head, and chuckled softly.
"I wish you were a little smaller."
It would be so much fun when they were two or three years old!
"..."
He's so annoying!
Her mother must have suffered so much, having to deal with such a scoundrel every day.
Song Jin gritted her teeth: "Let me go!"
Qu Maoze didn't let go, continuing to hold her from behind, his chin resting on her head. His left arm loosely wrapped around her shoulder, the knife scar on his hand clearly visible. He sighed silently; his daughter was all grown up now.
Qu Maoze sighed, "Your mother raised you so well."
Song Jin immediately lost her temper, but was still aggrieved: "Don't go too far, you scheming man. I'm not my mother, I don't fall for that."
Qu Maoze chuckled: "Yeah, you don't fall for that, it's only because your mother's stupid."
Song Jin exploded: "Who are you calling stupid? Don't be so arrogant. My mother is now the daughter of a marquis; she can dump you in a heartbeat."
Qu Maoze raised an eyebrow: "Is that so? Your mother really dumped me. Then our Jinjin is going to be pitiful. With a stepfather comes a stepmother."
Song Jin chuckled coldly: "I've only ever heard of stepmothers and stepfathers."
Qu Maoze chuckled softly: "You're still young, you haven't seen much of the world, it's normal that you haven't seen it before."
Song Jin gritted her teeth, finally unable to bear it any longer. She grabbed his hand and slipped out of his embrace, plopping down opposite him. She blocked his chest with one foot, her ears perked up, warning him menacingly: "If you do that again, I'll really get angry!"
Qu Maoze, knowing when to stop, also plopped down on the ground like her.
After a bit of playful fighting, his hair was a little disheveled, his smile deepened, and the casually tied belt around his waist loosened, revealing a white undergarment. He simply ripped it off and, in front of Song Jin's wide eyes, took off his clothes, revealing his upper body, as white as jade, exquisite and delicate, yet with sharp angles.
If it were anyone else, Song Jin would whistle for them, but with this person, she slightly pouted, her gaze falling on his patch of red marks. At first glance, it looked like a patch, but upon closer inspection, it was all individual lines, still undulating.
She pursed her lips, unsure of what to say.
It's easy to understand why he did this.
Snow was still falling outside, and the temperature was very low, but Qu Maoze didn't care. He was more afraid of the heat than the cold. He pointed to the blood lines on his body, and this was the first time in a long time that he had told her about Niu Tielan's condition.
"In the hundreds of years since the Red Thread Gu appeared, the longest survival time after being implanted is only one year. Your mother's survival over the past ten years is unheard of, so the old man and I can only take it one step at a time. The Red Thread Gu has a strong backlash, and it's always a mother-child Gu combination, so I transferred a portion of it to myself to better soothe it, and your mother's need for Gu training can be reduced."
Song Jin pursed her lips tightly, her gaze towards him extremely complicated.
Qu Maoze found it amusing: "Surprised? I'm not a bad person, but your mother is my only woman, and I also have you. Logically and emotionally, I should do this. Besides, it won't affect me much, and it might even be beneficial."
Song Jin pursed her lips, drooped her head, and looked noticeably more listless.
Qu Maoze smiled and said, "Your mother's condition is pretty good right now. She should be stable in about six months. I'll take her back to the Gu Clan then, and once she's fully recovered, you won't have to worry anymore."
Song Jin clutched her clothes and muttered, "Didn't Old Man Chong say he was gone?"
Qu Maoze: "What he said isn't important; I'll have him lead the way."
He spoke of it so casually, as if it were just an insect.
From the very beginning, Elder Chong showed great fear of Qu Maoze. He was so afraid that when he first met Song Jin, a person who resembled him, he trembled and worked tirelessly without complaint.
She tilted her head, curious: "What leverage do you have over him?"
Qu Maoze chuckled: "It's nothing, his son's life is in my hands."
Song Jin: ...
He added, "And his grandson, and his..."
Song Jin is a complicated story.
Seeing her expression, Qu Maoze laughed, reached out and ruffled her hair, chuckling, "That old man is no good. He was partly responsible for the disaster in Lingnan. Just listen to him for fun, don't take it seriously. He's really annoying, just kill him."
Song Jin was speechless.
What kind of demon is this? No wonder so many people curse it.
Seeing this, Qu Maoze reached out to pat her head again.
Song Jin finally realized what was happening, slapped his hand away, and warned, "That's enough! If you do that again, I'm really leaving."
They're hugging and cuddling all like that; they're adults, they don't know any manners.
Qu Maoze chuckled: "Alright then, shall we come again next time?"
Song Jin remained expressionless.
Will this person die if he doesn't pay his debts for a while?
She glared at him fiercely, stood up from the ground, patted her cold bottom, sat back down on the stool, and patted her notebook: "Seriously, quickly sort this out for me, whose child could that brat possibly be? If it's plausible, we can go take a look; if not, just pretend it never happened."
Large families have many complexities. While those people might be somewhat hesitant due to the Song family's influence, the distance makes things unpredictable. Furthermore, Qu Maoze's earlier list likely included patriarchs, but familial ties are not always acceptable.
Qu Maoze found it amusing. He shook his head, got up, and straightened his clothes, adjusting his undergarments, his outer coat, and his belt. His movements were light and deliberate, clearly those of a meticulous person.
Song Jin curled her lip: "Nonsense."
Qu Maoze chuckled softly and said, "I forgot to mention something earlier. Because the Red Thread Gu is a mother-child Gu, it still has some aftereffects."
Song Jin looked him over suspiciously, judging by his lively and energetic appearance: "What kind of aftereffects?"
Qu Maoze tugged at his collar and smoothed his hair, then said softly, "The mother Gu can sense the condition of her offspring Gu, so..."
Song Jin jumped to the doorway in a flash.
The door opened, and Niu Tielan stood outside. She was thin and frail, wrapped in a thick cloak, with only her head peeking out. In the dim candlelight, she looked exceptionally pale.
Song Jin quickly pulled her inside, patted the snow off her head, and complained, "It's so cold outside, why are you bothering him? How could something happen to a grown man like him in the mansion?"
Niu Tielan frowned and reached out to touch Song Jin's collar: "Where did this blood come from?"
Song Jin touched her nose: "Losing the fight is no big deal."
Upon hearing this, Niu Tielan knew things weren't that simple, and reached out to tear off her clothes.
If it were just this little bit of blood, she certainly wouldn't have admitted it so quickly.
Sure enough, without even digging deeper, one could see bruises all over her shoulder. Niu Tielan wanted to slap her in annoyance, but looking at the wounds, she couldn't bring herself to do it. She could only glare at her fiercely.
"You better behave yourself, every single day."
Song Jin muttered, "It'll be fine in a few days."
Qu Maoze stood by the table, holding the registration book in his hand, looking at it with a deep gaze: "Was that old codger Gong Gan dead or injured?"
Song Jin's eyes lit up, making no attempt to hide her admiration: "Master Gong's martial arts are superb, very impressive. I'll go find him to spar with later."
Qu Maoze, suddenly overcome with jealousy, scoffed, "That old geezer is all pretense."
Having known each other for decades, how could he not know Gong Gan's capabilities? "Let's spar next time"? He won't be able to find him tomorrow.
Song Jin was eager to try: "Why don't you have a competition with me someday?"
"Ouch"
Niu Tielan slapped her on the head, grabbed her ear, and said coldly, "Didn't you hear me? What did you just say?"
Feeling aggrieved, Song Jin changed her tune: "I said, let him identify the person and try to find Ningning."
Niu Tielan then put her down, giving her a warning look to behave herself. She walked to Qu Maoze's side, frowning as she looked at the names, pointing to a few with her slender finger, her expression worried and tactful.
"These few might not be suitable."
Qu Maoze smiled, lowered his head and whispered, "No, which family didn't have a dead child that year?"
Niu Tielan breathed a sigh of relief, then asked a few more people, somewhat uncertainly, "Is this the Li family you once recommended and saved my life from? Or is it this particular Li family?"
Qu Maoze: "The first one, we had a bit of a connection, but it wasn't deep, not worth mentioning. This family, on the other hand, owes me several lives. If I ever see them again, I wouldn't care if I stepped on their heads."
Niu Tielan had a hard time explaining herself, so she pinched him and continued talking about other things.
Although she didn't remember everything clearly, she could at least recall some details, indicating that she had specifically taken notes.
In contrast, Song Jin knew nothing at all.
She stood to the side, listening to the two of them snuggling together, exchanging words in perfect harmony. She pouted and joined them, placing her head between them. She shook her head subtly to separate them, then pretended to nod along.
Niu Tielan and Qu Maoze paused, subconsciously looking at each other, but between them was a dark head, round on the forehead, with thick, black hair sticking up like a lump of coal, looking strangely funny.
With a slight smile, they continued reading the booklet and talking quietly.
From top to bottom, for each family, how many houses and people are there, how many children, are there any capable people, are there any troublemakers, what is their position in the family, and what is the general trend of their future development?
Qu Maoze could explain everything clearly, and Niu Tielan listened attentively, occasionally interjecting with a question that interested her.
The two of them went into too much detail, so progress was slow.
Song Jin listened and then dozed off, resting her head on Niu Tielan's shoulder, squinting her eyes for a nap, until a familiar name appeared.
"The Xuanping Marquis's mansion is all bark and no bite. The old Xuanping Marquis had some ability, but he was foolish when it came to women and died because of them. The new one is no good at anything else, but he's got a whole repertoire of ways to serve and fool women."
Song Jin raised her head, her ears perked up.
Qu Maoze chuckled softly, closed the booklet, and tapped her nose: "In a couple of days, Song Xingzhi is inviting Minister Yang as a guest, and he happens to be short of some wine. Let those young rascals bring it over."
Song Jin was unsure whether to bite back or ask more questions.
That unlucky fellow from the Yang family not only has poor judgment, but how could he be so stupid?
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