On his first day aboard Yuan Suiyun's ship, Chu Liuxiang unexpectedly encountered Yan Liang.
Before that, he had been thinking about how to meet Yan Liang. The other party was obviously trying to hint at something, but based on those clues alone, Chu Liuxiang could only deduce that the other party's current situation was not good, so Yan Liang could only hint at it to him in a roundabout way.
The ship's owner is Yuan Suiyun, yet Yan Liang is somewhat constrained on board. Does this indicate that Yuan Suiyun is somewhat eccentric?
Chu Liuxiang's thoughts were churning, but he showed no emotion on his face.
He started to wander around the ship.
Hu Tiehua was nowhere to be seen early in the morning. Judging from the noise Chu Liuxiang heard that morning, he must have gone to the boat for a stroll... As for why he wasn't taken along, it was probably because he had a beautiful woman by his side and didn't want to call him.
The sailors on the ship all smiled gently when they saw Chu Liuxiang, and Chu Liuxiang smiled and nodded in return.
He had to admit that the sailors on the ship, like the ship's owners, possessed a gentle and refined demeanor.
The ship was very large. It took Chu Liuxiang a long time to walk from the bow to the stern, and this was only the first floor; there was a second floor above it.
Chu Liuxiang saw the steps and was about to step up when he saw someone coming down from them.
The two people, one tall and one short, stood facing each other on the wooden steps.
Chu Liuxiang withdrew his foot and bowed: "Young Master Tian."
The young man was Tian Shi, who had helped the drunken Yan Liang back to his house the previous night. He was of ordinary appearance, but his manners were polite and his speech gentle. He also bowed and smiled at Chu Liuxiang, saying, "Handsome Chu."
The two chatted casually, as if it were nothing new. Judging from Tian Shi's attitude last night, Chu Liuxiang had assumed he was an extremely cold person, but during their conversation, Tian Shi seemed quite patient.
When Chu Liuxiang suggested visiting Yan Liang, Tian Shi readily agreed with a smile and led Chu Liuxiang up to the second floor.
Chu Liuxiang walked alongside him.
The second-floor room had two sides, with Yan Liang's room at the far end. They walked through the long, empty corridor and arrived at the door.
Tian Shi knocked on the door and said gently, "Young Master Yan, Xiang Shuai has come to see you."
There was no response from inside.
Tian Shi frowned in confusion and reached out to tap again.
Chu Liuxiang stared at the tightly closed door, imagining what might be inside, when he caught Tian Shi glancing at him out of the corner of his eye.
"Young Master Yan—"
Tian Shi called out again.
"Hey—it's here—"
The boy's voice responded loudly and clearly, right next to him.
...right behind them.
Chu Liuxiang turned around, and Tian Shi turned around as well.
Yan Liang leaned against the railing, smiling broadly at the two of them.
"What have you been doing?"
When Tian Shi asked the question, Chu Liuxiang noticed a hint of unbearable frustration in his voice.
"I'm hungry." Yan Liang said confidently, nimbly vaulting over the railing and stepping onto the ground, still holding two pieces of fruit in his hand.
Tian Shi: "Then why did you appear from—this place?" He glanced at the railing that Yan Liang had climbed over, his meaning clear.
Yan Liang: "I'm so hungry, tired and in pain, I'm too lazy to walk through the corridor and steps and then through half the corridor to the kitchen."
Chu Liuxiang watched their conversation with a smile.
Tian Shi: "So you'd rather climb over the hill than walk this short stretch of road?"
Yan Liang: "Yes."
Tian Shi: "..."
Seeing that the conversation was getting awkward, Chu Liuxiang kindly stepped in to save the day, smiling and saying, "You look great today."
Yan Liang smiled at Chu Liuxiang.
Tian Shi looked at Yan Liang, and he knew very well what Chu Liuxiang was planning. He wisely took his leave: "Young Master Yan and Chu Liuxiang have not seen each other for a long time. I'm sure you have something to say to each other today. I'll take my leave now."
Yan Liang tossed him a fruit and waved to him with a smile: "Here's a fruit for you. Goodbye."
Tian Shi reached out and took the fruit, glanced down at the red fruit in his hand, gave Yan Liang a fake smile, and walked away without looking back.
Chu Liuxiang and Yan Liang watched his retreating figure for a while before tacitly turning their gaze away.
The two gazed at each other intently.
Yan Liang sighed, "You've come."
Chu Liuxiang readily agreed: "I'm here."
Yan Liang sighed again, "You've finally arrived."
Chu Liuxiang also sighed, "I'm late."
Yan Liang said, "It's good that you know."
Chu Liuxiang chuckled and said, "You seem to be in a good mood."
Yan Liang laughed: "Because you came."
They were talking in the corridor, their voices not deliberately lowered, and Tian Shi, who hadn't gone far, could hear them clearly.
One floor below Chu Liuxiang and Yan Liang, Yuan Suiyun appeared out of nowhere. Wuhua descended the wooden steps, glanced to the left, and saw Yuan Suiyun standing below them with a leisurely smile on his lips.
...Are you worried?
Wu Hua stopped and looked at the other person from a distance. He turned to leave, but Yuan Suiyun had already noticed and looked in his direction.
Yuan Suiyun smiled in his direction.
Wu Hua walked over and stood beside him.
Bending down from the second floor, one could see the people below. Yan Liang and Chu Liuxiang noticed the commotion but didn't greet them. Their first collaboration was remarkably smooth; they then chatted about everything from the seascape to the desert wonders, marveling at the vastness and wonder of the world. They talked about the drinks they'd had the day before and the headache they'd had that morning, but also how enjoyable it was to be tipsy, no wonder Hu Tiehua loved alcohol so much. Finally, mentioning Hu Tiehua, they asked about their experiences after leaving the desert—
Chu Liuxiang told them everything and explained why they had ended up there.
Upon hearing the names "Purple Whale Gang" and "Ding Feng," Yan Liang looked down thoughtfully.
His topics were very broad; he might be discussing one topic one moment and then immediately switch to another. Chu Liuxiang handled them with ease, and Yan Liang couldn't help but admire how well Chu Liuxiang's thinking could keep up with his own.
"What about Yidianhong and Qu Wurong?"
Although Yan Liang didn't exchange more than a few words with the two of them, he witnessed their romantic relationship the whole time and was fed a mouthful of dog food (a Chinese slang term for witnessing public displays of affection).
Chu Liuxiang smiled and said, "I don't know where the two of them are right now. But since they are traveling together, they should be touring this beautiful land."
Yan Liang looked up at the azure sky and felt happy for them: "When we return to land, I want to go too."
Chu Liuxiang's heart stirred, recalling what Yuan Suiyun had said to him last night, and he realized it was time to bring up this topic.
"Last night, Young Master Yuan told me that you were not feeling well because of the matter of Wuhua," Chu Liuxiang asked casually. "Still can't figure it out?"
Yan Liang thought for a moment and replied, "I don't understand."
Chu Liuxiang asked, "What is it that you can't figure out?"
Yan Liang asked, "What is your opinion on the fact that your friend committed murder?"
Chu Liuxiang paused, seemingly surprised that he would ask such a question: "I myself would not kill people... but I cannot change the minds of my friends or other people."
Yan Liang said, "I've thought about that too. But if that friend is an utterly wicked villain, even if he has killed many people, what would Xiang Shuai do?"
Chu Liuxiang thought of Wuhua and said seriously, "Even if he is my friend, he should be dealt with according to the law."
The person he was thinking of was standing below, silently sneering.
Yan Liang said, "What if your friend is someone who hates evil as if it were his enemy, but never hesitates to kill only the wicked? Even so, would you still bring him to justice?"
He seemed genuinely puzzled by this.
Chu Liuxiang looked at him.
"To be honest, I am unwilling to hand my second friend over to the law," Yan Liang added. "Even though both are murders, I still have selfish motives."
"Xiang Shuai, you once told me that evil will be punished and good will be rewarded." Yan Liang lowered his eyes and looked down. Yuan Suiyun's clothes were fluttering slightly in the sea breeze. "What if retribution is delayed?"
Just as Chu Liuxiang was about to speak, Wuhua interrupted from below, saying loudly, "Then you will become his retribution."
The two people above bent down and made eye contact with the two people below.
Wu Hua felt that Yan Liang and Chu Liuxiang's discussion was completely meaningless. Besides, the reason he interrupted their conversation was that the two of them were talking too much.
Yuan Suiyun didn't care what they said, but Wuhua did.
Based on his understanding of Yan Liang, the other party was clearly not someone who would easily admit defeat. After saying so much, he must have revealed some information that Yan Liang had not heard.
Wu Hua didn't want Chu Liuxiang to reveal his identity on this vast sea, leaving him nowhere to escape.
Yan Liang bent down to look at him and smiled, "As expected of Brother Tian—you've thought things through."
Wu Hua smiled back. He noticed that Chu Liuxiang was looking at Yan Liang thoughtfully, and then at him and Yuan Suiyun.
Chu Liuxiang straightened up and smiled, "Cause and effect are cyclical, and retribution is inevitable. One should not force things. Does Young Master Tian understand this principle?"
Wu Hua said, "Of course I know, but I don't believe it."
Yan Liang thought to himself, "I'm afraid all those years of reciting Buddhist scriptures have been for nothing."
It's a shame this person is the eccentric monk Wuhua.
Chu Liuxiang then asked, "What does Young Master Yuan think?"
Yuan Suiyun, who had been wearing a gentle smile and dutifully serving as a thoughtful decoration, thought for a moment after being asked the question and then smiled and said, "I don't believe it either."
Yan Liang added, "Me too."
Chu Liuxiang stared at him intently for a moment and said, "I see you understand this point quite well, so what is it that you don't understand?"
Yan Liang said, "After parting ways with Xiang Shuai, I thought about your words day and night. I felt that they were somewhat clear, but I still didn't quite understand them. But now that I've seen you, I finally understand one thing."
Chu Liuxiang asked, "What is it?"
Yan Liang said seriously, "I won't kill anyone, but I will vent my frustrations appropriately." He paused, "Before handing it over to the authorities, I will definitely give him a beating."
For example, beating someone until they are paralyzed on one side.
Yan Liang thought coldly.
Chu Liuxiang remained silent. He had assumed that when Yan Liang expressed his disbelief in karma and retribution, he had agreed with Tian Shi's answer and resolved to kill. But... Yan Liang's answer was truly unexpected, even somewhat dangerous.
Could this be what Yuan Suiyun told him last night, the thing that Yan Liang couldn't understand?
However, from the conversation just now until now, Yan Liang has already drawn his own conclusion and thought it through very thoroughly.
Chu Liuxiang's mind was in turmoil, but he wore a smile on his face.
Yan Liang thanked him gratefully, handed him a fruit, and said, "It is fate that we have met again. Please accept this."
Chu Liuxiang accepted the gift with a smile and thanked him, but did not eat it immediately; instead, he held it in his hand.
Wu Hua narrowed his eyes.
Yan Liang looked down at him, then tossed two more down, saying lazily, "Why are you staring at me? One isn't enough, do you have to have more?"
Wu Hua smiled and said, "After all, it was given to me by Brother Yan, so naturally the more the better."
Yan Liang said, "Don't overthink it. I gave you one before. Of the two I'm giving you now, one is Yuan Suiyun's."
Yuan Suiyun smiled and said, "Thank you, Brother Yan."
Wuhua weighed the fruit in her hand and handed one to Yuan Suiyun.
The conversation ended there. Chu Liuxiang had realized that Yan Liang hadn't finished speaking, but he couldn't say anything more.
Author's Note: Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2020-02-08 21:19:23 and 2020-02-09 23:55:52!
Thank you to the little angel who watered the nutrient solution: Xianya (5 bottles);
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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