Chapter 64 Year after year
Sheng Zhiyi didn't say much. Seeing Lin Wanshuang's panicked state, she took her to a nearby inn, set up a barrier inside and outside the room, and left behind a protective talisman.
"Don't worry, just get a good night's sleep here tonight, we'll take care of this."
She smiled at Lin Wanshuang and closed the door.
After all that fuss, it was nearly midnight.
Sheng Zhiyi pulled Ji Fuguang to the riverbank next to the inn.
The lantern festival was nearing its end, the streets were deserted, the night was quiet, a cool breeze was blowing, and the river was sparkling with twinkling stars.
The two figures, one tall and one short, were reflected in the water, rising and falling with the ripples.
Sheng Zhiyi looked up at Ji Fuguang, reached out and tugged at his sleeve, tentatively speaking:
"What's wrong……"
Throughout the entire night, except when Sheng Zhiyi forced him to talk, Ji Fuguang simply stood quietly to the side watching the two of them, expressionless and taciturn.
Are you... a little angry?
Sheng Zhiyi tilted her head slightly, looked up from the bottom, and lifted her eyelids to look over.
The clear moonlight shone on his forehead, casting a faint shadow over his eyes, making them difficult to see clearly, and giving his phoenix eyes an inexplicable depth.
Ji Fuguang said calmly, "That's a rather strange thing to say. What's so infuriating about it?"
It's over.
That means you're unhappy.
Sheng Zhiyi circled around him once, then reached out to tug at his other sleeve.
Ji Fuguang, however, put his hands behind his back, just in time to avoid her movements.
Oh no, looks like he's even angrier now.
After thinking for a long time, I still couldn't figure out what was wrong with the young master.
But now that I need his help, I can only try to keep coaxing him.
Sheng Zhiyi went to great lengths to find topics to talk about:
"By the way, what wish did you write on the river lantern just now?"
Come to think of it, they were so busy rescuing people that they hadn't even had a chance to release the river lanterns yet.
Sheng Zhiyi suddenly had an idea. She took out the lantern that she had casually put into her storage bag earlier, and quickly removed the excess parts, leaving only the lotus flower, and handed it to Ji Fuguang.
"It's not midnight yet, so the day isn't over. Quickly write down your wish; it still counts!"
The flickering candlelight illuminated the girl's smiling face, her almond-shaped eyes sparkling brightly.
Ji Fuguang glanced at her and sneered:
"These lotus lanterns are heavy; they'll probably sink if you put them in the water. How can you make a wish with them?"
Sheng Zhiyi casually took out a water-repelling and lightness-increasing talisman, stuck it on the bottom of the lantern, and said with a smile:
“I already thought of that. Hurry up and write it down; this is the only lantern we need.”
Ji Fuguang raised an eyebrow slightly, as if asking a question:
Aren't you going to write it?
Sheng Zhiyi shook her head, her clear voice ringing out distinctly in the night:
"I don't have any particularly urgent wishes, just write it quickly."
What she wrote down at the beginning was merely the inevitability of fate; how could it be called a wish?
Somehow, Ji Fuguang was persuaded. After a moment's thought, he took out a pen and wrote a few cursive characters on the lantern with great skill.
Sheng Zhiyi craned her neck to look, but couldn't figure it out even after a long time.
Just as he was about to ask a question, he saw Ji Fuguang pick up his pen again and write his name.
Sheng Zhiyi was greatly surprised: "How come my name is on it?"
She now has good reason to suspect that what Ji Fuguang wrote down was not a wish, but a threat to the river god, to make her take the blame.
She truly hadn't expected such a treacherous tactic.
Ji Fuguang wrote with lightning speed, without even looking up, and said, "I'll give you half."
He wrote a few more words, then raised his wrist and stopped writing.
On the lotus petals, the names of Ji Fuguang and Sheng Zhiyi stand side by side in vertical rows. The petals are already small, and with more than one name written on them, the strokes naturally intertwine and the ink marks connect with each other.
Sheng Zhiyi felt embarrassed.
Unexpectedly, Ji Fuguang's good intentions were misunderstood by her.
She diligently took out a talisman and stuck it to the bottom of the lantern.
Only when you get close can you barely make out that Ji Fuguang wrote four characters, the first of which is “岁” (year).
I imagine it's something like wishing for peace and safety year after year; it's simple, but it's certainly a nice wish.
Sheng Zhiyi carefully placed the lantern into the water.
Under the bright moonlight, lotus lanterns drifted slowly away with the flowing water.
This lamp, imbued with celestial magic, will likely float on the river for a long time until it sinks into the sea, delivering its wishes to a more vast and powerful deity.
After releasing the river lanterns, Sheng Zhiyi turned to look at Ji Fuguang and tentatively began to speak:
"Do you think this time the demons will be easy to deal with?"
Ji Fuguang put away his wolf-hair brush, sensing the hidden meaning in her words, but instead of directly pointing it out, he said:
"These demons are doing their best to conceal their tracks, so they are not to be feared."
Sheng Zhiyi looked up, waiting for him to continue.
Ji Fuguang said calmly, "These people have low cultivation levels, and as for their master, he's probably nothing special. Just kill him."
His voice carried a hint of detached indifference and detachment, as if he were talking about something trivial.
Is such a trivial matter really worth his trouble?
He looked down at Sheng Zhiyi, "What, have you softened your heart?"
"How could that be?" Sheng Zhiyi retorted instinctively.
What kind of image does she have in Ji Fuguang's eyes?
At other times, it's one thing to be sentimental and soft-hearted, but these people are cultivating with human lives at their disposal. If she keeps them around for even one more day, innocent people will die in vain. How could she not distinguish between good and bad?
But... she does have her own ideas.
Sheng Zhiyi hesitated for a moment before deciding to tell the whole story.
"Actually, I don't think it's a big deal if it's just the Chen family, or even that master."
For Lin Wanshuang, these people were a nightmare she could not escape, but for the two of them, or even just for Sheng Zhiyi, these people were insignificant.
"What I'm worried about is that the demons have some plans in Yingzhou City. Could they have already started developing their network among mortals, just like the Chen family?"
Ji Fuguang tugged at the corners of his lips, his smile somewhat cold.
It's obvious that many people would be tempted by something like this; there's no need to guess.
Humans live no more than a hundred years, yet they cannot see through greed, anger, ignorance, and delusion. They spend their lives scheming and engaging in petty and despicable acts, something he knew all too well.
If someone were to tell them that what they have wanted most in their lives is now within their grasp, requiring only a little moral and ethical condemnation, how many people could resist the temptation?
When faced with absolute self-interest, countless cases of brothers turning against each other and becoming enemies are commonplace.
Sheng Zhiyi continued:
“I’m worried that besides this master, there are other demons working at the same time. There might be some organization behind these people. If we kill them easily, we might lose our trail.”
Ji Fuguang could tell she had her own plans, and asked, "So—?"
Sheng Zhiyi looked at Ji Fuguang somewhat embarrassedly, "Tonight, I'd like you to stay next to Lin Wanshuang so you can protect her."
She continued explaining her plan: "I'll go to the Lin family now and disguise myself as Lin Wanshuang. Tomorrow, I'll marry into the Chen family in her place."
Ji Fuguang lowered his head and stared intently into Sheng Zhiyi's eyes, as if trying to see through her thoughts.
"If what you suspect is true, and these demons are part of a coordinated operation with a massive organization behind them, have you considered the immense risks involved in infiltrating them alone?"
His voice was deep and steady, devoid of emotion, yet it made one's heart tighten.
Sheng Zhiyi flinched slightly, but she had clearly considered these things. She nodded emphatically and looked directly into Ji Fuguang's eyes.
“I’ve thought it through! I know there are many dangers involved. Chen Jihui’s wedding is tomorrow, and his master is very likely to come, and perhaps even the head of this organization will be there in person…”
"However, this is a rare opportunity! Chen Jihui repeatedly emphasized that we must hide our tracks and not be discovered by others. If we hadn't encountered Lin Wanshuang by chance this time, we might not have discovered this clue at all. Alerting them will only make them hide even deeper, making them harder to find later. They might even infiltrate the entire Yingzhou City, and countless people will die tragically."
Sheng Zhiyi spoke with increasing conviction; her voice was not loud, but there was an obvious persistence in it.
"Therefore, I must go."
She looked up at Ji Fuguang, her expression unconsciously pleading, though she herself didn't know why.
Even though she was the one who put herself in danger, deep down she inexplicably longed for his approval, as if his nod could give her extra courage.
Ji Fuguang lowered his eyes, his long eyelashes casting thick shadows beneath them, completely concealing the turbulent undercurrents within. The shimmering light on the river's surface flickered on his sharply defined profile, adding to his enigmatic and serene demeanor.
In the silence, only the sound of flowing water grew louder.
Sheng Zhiyi's heart sank little by little. She was unsure of Ji Fuguang's thoughts and subconsciously tugged at his sleeve.
"Senior brother..."
As soon as she finished speaking, she bit her lip in annoyance. The address was so familiar that it came out instinctively.
Ji Fuguang stared at her.
Most mortals, and even cultivators, cannot resist the temptations of the demons. After all, everyone has desires, and with desires come attachments.
But there are always some people who seem out of place.
Both foolish and arrogant.
Not for themselves, but for others, they faced danger without seeking anything in return.
They still insist on their own way, thinking they can change the world.
The girl looked up at him with a mixture of anticipation and nervousness on her face.
Gradually, the anticipation and tension decreased, while the disappointment slowly increased.
Ji Fuguang finally spoke: "Never mind."
Never mind, it's just a small matter.
He didn't want to shatter her fervent hopes, after all...
It's still early in this game, and he doesn't mind watching this piece stray off course and take an extra, pointless step.
Sheng Zhiyi's almond-shaped eyes lit up instantly. She almost jumped up and grabbed Ji Fuguang's sleeve. "You agreed? I knew you would agree!"
Ji Fuguang chuckled, not pointing out her earlier anxiety.
Sheng Zhiyi pointed to the Lin family mansion in the distance, "Then... I'll go prepare now?"
Ji Fuguang nodded slightly, which was considered his agreement.
The inn had already booked a room, so Ji Fuguang could go back to stay there now, and she no longer needed to worry about Lin Wanshuang's safety.
Sheng Zhiyi breathed a sigh of relief and turned to walk forward along the road.
After walking a dozen meters, she turned around to look again.
Beneath the willows on the riverbank, the figure in white still stood in the same spot, watching her walk away.
Sheng Zhiyi waved vigorously at Ji Fuguang and continued striding forward.
The cool moonlight cast a long shadow over her, and the night breeze brought a slight chill, but she felt unusually at peace and without fear.
As she reached the back gate of the Lin family's house, she abruptly stopped, the four sharp, hastily written characters on the river lantern flashing through her mind like lightning—
The first one is "age".
The last one... that slightly elongated stroke of ink is not "安" (An), but... "今" (Jin).
Year after year.
May we share the moon's gentle light, and may the beauty of all four seasons always be as lovely as you.
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