Chapter 30
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So the farce came to naught. Yu Wenhong brought the package inside and looked around. You Mengzhe asked him to sit by the couch and took a round stool to sit in front of him, saying, “You weren’t here during these times, so I went to the capital.”
You Mengzhe detailed everything that happened during that time to Yu Wenhong, who listened with his fingers pressed together. Afterward, Yu Wenhong said, “I’m sorry, Mengzhe, I came back late.”
You Mengzhe replied, “It’s okay. Hey, don’t dwell on it too much…”
Yu Wenhong said, “I’ll go kill You Gutian right now. Just wait for me.”
You Mengzhe quickly exclaimed, “No! You’ve finally come back, if you leave again, I’ll be all alone.”
Yu Wenhong sighed, his fingers trembling as he checked You Mengzhe’s pulse, saying, “It’s alright… it’s alright… The Transmuting Yang Heart Technique isn’t supposed to be practiced like this… I didn’t expect him to treat you like this… If I ever encounter him again, I’ll make sure to kill him to avenge you.”
You Mengzhe asked, “Then how should it be practiced?”
Yu Wenhong replied, “The Transmuting Yang Heart Technique and the Taiyin True Technique are complementary methods of dual cultivation. When the true qi of both sides is harmonized, it can achieve the effect of Yin and Yang returning to their origin. Now that he has taken away all your internal strength, let’s not dwell on it…”
You Mengzhe said, “I still have a bit left.”
Yu Wenhong nodded and said, “He didn’t take it all. It’s okay. Don’t worry about martial arts and such. I brought something back for you to see.”
You Mengzhe then remembered Yu Wenhong’s package, opened it, and found inside a stack of books, several small bottles, and another small package. Upon further inspection, You Mengzhe discovered that they were his own belongings!
“Where did these come from?” You Mengzhe asked, looking at the assorted items.
“I just got off the ship from the East Sea and came back to Ting County. I visited here, but didn’t find anyone. They said you went to the capital, so I went there too, but didn’t find you. They said you were taken back by your father, and Zhang Yuanshan wasn’t there either,” Yu Wenhong explained.
You Mengzhe said, “Oh, the package was left there by me.”
Yu Wenhong nodded and said, “I went to Mount Yuheng again. It’s all occupied by the orthodox sects, and You Gutian has escaped. I wanted to find your mother’s urn. The old master instructed me to bring it back to Canghai Sect, but I couldn’t find the urn. Some people said it was taken away by You Gutian, so I came back to find you.”
You Mengzhe responded, “No wonder we missed each other.”
Yu Wenhong said, “Check and see if everything’s there.”
You Mengzhe was deeply moved but could only smile at Yu Wenhong. Yu Wenhong seemed a bit puzzled and asked, “What’s wrong?”
You Mengzhe found it amusing that Yu Wenhong had traveled thousands of miles to see him and was still concerned about the contents of the package. He casually checked and said, “Nothing’s missing… Hmm, everything’s here.”
Yu Wenhong asked, “Are you practicing the King Kong Finger? Why do you have tiger claw guards?”
You Mengzhe replied, “I bought them for you in Jiangzhou. See if you like them?” as he handed the brass finger guards to Yu Wenhong to try on.
Yu Wenhong carefully put them on and said, “I like them, really like them.”
The finger guards were retractable, and when not in use, they could be pushed toward the base of the fingers, forming a thin brass ring. When needed, a simple flick would extend the brass pieces into finger guards on the index and middle fingers.
“I really like them,” Yu Wenhong repeated while playing with the finger guards.
You Mengzhe grinned and said, “Well, I missed you so much, Uncle,” then pounced on him, pressing Yu Wenhong down on the bed to kiss him.
Yu Wenhong blushed, and his desire stirred. He held onto You Mengzhe, and as they indulged in the moment, Yu Wenhong mentioned, “Oh, I haven’t bought anything for you…”
You Mengzhe quickly said, “It’s okay, don’t worry about it. By the way, did you bring anything else? I’m short on money. Did you bring any?”
Yu Wenhong replied, “No silver, but I have pearls.”
You Mengzhe immediately exclaimed, “That’s great! Can we exchange them for money?”
Yu Wenhong went to fetch the bundle and brought it over for You Mengzhe to see, saying, “Yes, we can. We’ll try later. This is a Life Creation Pill given by the master.”
“What’s a Life Creation Pill?” You Mengzhe asked curiously. Yu Wenhong opened a bottle and poured out a pill the size of a pinky finger, saying, “It’s for refining the body’s essence and vitality. Earlier, Zhao Feihong suggested you disperse your inner energy, so I thought maybe you could use it. Your inner energy is too chaotic and unbalanced; it’s not good to continue like this.”
Zhao Feihong, standing outside the window, said, “There’s such medicine? Quickly, make him take it.”
You Mengzhe noticed Zhao Feihong eavesdropping and suddenly became furious, shouting, “Old beast! What are you sneakily eavesdropping on?”
Zhao Feihong angrily retorted, “You little beast!”
Yu Wenhong quickly intervened, saying, “Don’t scold him, Zhao Feihong. You can’t beat me, and if you scold him again, be careful I’ll beat you.”
Zhao Feihong: “…..”
You Mengzhe immediately became more aggressive, taking advantage of Yu Wenhong’s support, taunting, “Come on, dare to scold me in front of my uncle!”
Now with someone backing him up, Zhao Feihong couldn’t even curse anymore, he almost spat out blood.
You Mengzhe said, “Ignore him, let’s continue. Where were we? Right, Medicine Mother.”
Yu Wenhong added, “Yes, Medicine Mother. She’s the lady in charge of the medicine sect. The Scripture Mother is in charge of the scripture tower, the Gu Mother is in charge of the Gu altar, the Sword Mother is in charge of the sword library. But they all ultimately answer to the old head of the sect.”
You Mengzhe nodded, saying, “Quite impressive, are they divided into four places?”
Yu Wenhong replied, “There’s also the Apex Pillar, overseen by Wind Lady, and there’s a place called Heaven’s Ladder Pavilion, as well as a mysterious place called the Abyssal Cave. These two places are very secretive, hardly anyone has ever entered, and they also have two overseers, one called the Celestial Lord, and the other called the Abyssal Lord. When we go back, I’ll take you to visit. The Abyssal Lord and the Celestial Lord are both good friends of mine.”
You Mengzhe was moved, saying, “Sounds quite impressive. Are there only this few people in the sect?”
Yu Wenhong said, “No, no, there are also many female disciples. Every thirty years, they send someone out to recruit talented children with good aptitude.”
You Mengzhe nodded, curious, “All females?”
Zhao Feihong chimed in from outside the window, “Almost all the disciples in the Canghai Sect are female.”
“Right,” affirmed Yu Wenhong.
“You’re still eavesdropping! Get lost!” You Mengzhe angrily shouted at Zhao Feihong.
Yu Wenhong urged, “You better leave, Zhao Feihong.”
Unable to tolerate it any longer, Zhao Feihong turned around and walked away.
You Mengzhe asked, “Then why are you male?”
Yu Wenhong explained, “The Mingzun and Tianzun are also male. There are male disciples too, just fewer in number.”
With a mind full of curiosity and confusion, the two fell silent for a moment. Their gaze returned to the Life Creation Pill. You Mengzhe asked, “Should I take this now?”
Yu Wenhong responded, “It’s up to you. Whether you take it or not, it doesn’t matter. If you don’t take it, I’ll keep it for you. I have several of them.”
You Mengzhe said, “But if I take it, all my martial arts will be lost.”
Yu Wenhong reassured, “It’s okay. I asked the Jingniang. She copied a lot of books for you. Look, these are all quick techniques. You are naturally talented, and with these, you’ll progress very quickly… I brought them all for you. They’re all techniques that can make you a peerless master in just three months of practice.”
You Mengzhe: “…..”
“The internal skills include the Canghai Shifting Technique, the Demon Heavenly Technique, the Divine Profound Scripture, the Dragon Emperor’s True Fire Technique, and the Star Control Technique; the light skills include the Lingbo Heavenly Steps, the Illusory Moon Body Technique, the Sword Scripture with the Sky-Cleaving Sword, the Dual-Principles Heavenly Radiance Sword, and the Hidden Weapon techniques with the Star Pursuing Sun Manual…”
You Mengzhe: “…..”
Yu Wenhong: “We should practice techniques that are quick to master and of the highest quality. Look, there’s also something called the Ancient Profound Five Techniques here. It consists of only five sword moves, but once mastered, it can adapt to countless situations without deviating from its essence. People in the past who only learned one or two moves became invincible throughout the land…”
You Mengzhe hiccupped as he listened.
Yu Wenhong said: “Last time, I noticed you quite liked swords. Without hesitation, Tianzun gave you his sword. Here, this one is called the Nine Rites Tianzun Sword. It’s only slightly inferior to our sect’s treasured Canghai Sword.”
You Mengzhe’s head spun as he took the sword from Yu Wenhong. The sword folded into three sections, and with a swing, the blade extended to two feet and eight inches. Yu Wenhong hurriedly said, “Don’t try it here…”
Before he could finish his sentence, the table in the room split in half with a loud crash.
Then, the window shattered into two pieces with a crash.
Following that, outside, a stone table banged as one piece fell down.
Next, a neat and smooth crack appeared in the outer wall of the courtyard.
Then, across the alley, a hen cackled before abruptly halting, spraying blood everywhere.
Immediately after, a whole house across the alley collapsed with a loud crash, accompanied by someone shouting, “There are ghosts in broad daylight!”
You Mengzhe: “…..”
“Next time, try it when facing an enemy,” said Yu Wenhong as he put away the sword.
You Mengzhe remarked, “Thankfully, no one got hurt. It would have been too dangerous if we accidentally injured our own people.”
Yu Wenhong agreed, “Yes, we need to be careful.”
You Mengzhe suggested, “I’ll learn your skills, and you can teach me hands-on.”
Yu Wenhong replied, “Sure, I’m very skilled. I guarantee you’ll become proficient.”
You Mengzhe fetched some tea and asked, “Won’t washing the marrow feel uncomfortable? Is there anything else I need to do?”
Yu Wenhong answered, “Just need to sweat a bit, not uncomfortable. I asked the Medicine Mother, it’s safe.”
Relieved, You Mengzhe then took a deep breath and swallowed the Life Creation Pill with the cold tea. Yu Wenhong tidied up the package and sat holding You Mengzhe, lost in thought.
You Mengzhe remarked, “Feeling a bit sleepy, but can’t fall asleep.”
Yu Wenhong gently rubbed You Mengzhe’s head and said, “You’re just tired, you’ll feel better soon.”
You Mengzhe kept sweating incessantly, feeling the true qi in his body gradually dissipating, disappearing bit by bit. After a while, his clothes were soaked through, as if they had been dipped in water. He said, “Let’s lie down for a while, my feet ache.”
You Mengzhe took off his clothes, and Yu Wenhong’s chest was also soaked with his sweat. You Mengzhe reached out to hug him, and Yu Wenhong lay down with him. The two of them took off their outer robes and lay down together under the blanket.
You Mengzhe asked, “Could this medicine cure the mute?”
Yu Wenhong replied, “I’m not sure… we can try. Is his tongue still there?”
You Mengzhe responded, “Yes, it’s there, quite soft.”
Yu Wenhong said, “Though the eyes may not see, the spirit resides in the liver; though the ears may not hear, the essence resides in the kidneys; though the tongue may not chant, the spirit resides in the heart; without fragrance in the nose, the intent lies in the lungs; if the limbs are motionless, the intent lies in the spleen. His congenital inability to speak should be due to damage to the heart channels. The Life Creation Pill can open the channels, and afterwards, he should be able to speak.”
You Mengzhe remarked, “But his martial arts skills might be gone as well, right?”
Yu Wenhong replied, “Let’s see how he feels himself, it’s hard to say.”
After a full hour, You Mengzhe felt a clarity in his mind, as if his heart was as pure as that of a child. He stretched lazily, and Yu Wenhong kissed his forehead, asking, “How do you feel?”
You Mengzhe sighed, feeling every inch of his blood vessels clear and transparent. His whole body felt cleansed, as if reborn. He said, “Quite comfortable.”
Yu Wenhong remarked, “Grains breed impurities, colors blind, and sounds deafen. When the Life Creation Pill washes the marrow, it removes the prenatal turbidity. Now that all the meridians in the body are open, you should feel quite comfortable. I had one when I was young.”
You Mengzhe exclaimed, “It’s truly a wonderful thing, this elixir.”
“Dinner’s ready,” Zhao Feihong called from outside. “Can you get up? Or do you need to rest a bit longer?”
Feeling in great spirits, You Mengzhe couldn’t care less about bothering Zhao Feihong. He grabbed Yu Wenhong’s hand and went out to have dinner. In the courtyard, a stone table was covered with a wooden board, and a few dishes were laid out along with three cups of wine.
“Yu Wenhong,” Zhao Feihong said, “Now that your martial arts skills have reached their peak, you must be the best in the world. I toast to you.”
Yu Wenhong hastily waved his hand, saying, “I, I… I don’t drink. Being the best in the world won’t fill my stomach; it’s of no use.”
Zhao Feihong persisted, “Just a small cup, it won’t hurt.”
Yu Wenhong replied, “I really don’t drink. I’ve made a vow.”
Zhao Feihong chuckled, “Was it Qing’er who forced you to make the vow again?”
“If he doesn’t drink, he doesn’t drink,” You Mengzhe said displeased. “I’ll drink for him, stop wasting words.”
Yu Wenhong sighed and said, “Hmm, last time I drank, I ended up getting beaten quite badly…”
You Mengzhe laughed and asked, “Why? Who beat you?”
Yu Wenhong also seemed a bit puzzled, shaking his head and saying, “I don’t know why…”
Zhao Feihong casually remarked, “With his skills, who could beat him? It must be your unreasonable and quarrelsome mother. He’s always been most afraid of her.”
You Mengzhe’s mouth twitched as he served Yu Wenhong some dishes. Yu Wenhong nodded in agreement, saying, “Yes, yes, Sister Qing’er is really fierce.”
You Mengzhe asked, “Are you afraid of me then?”
Yu Wenhong replied, “No, I’ve watched you grow up, cared for you more than I can express, how could I be afraid of you?”
Zhao Feihong said lightly, “Yu Wenhong, to be honest, were you also admiring Qing’er back then?”
You Mengzhe fell silent, but heard Yu Wenhong say, “Of course not, I only see her as a sister. I…I can’t say more. She forbade me from telling you.”
You Mengzhe’s curiosity was suddenly piqued, and he asked, “What can’t you say?”
Zhao Feihong also seemed puzzled, furrowing his brows. Yu Wenhong quickly waved his hand and smiled, saying, “It’s nothing important. Drinking is not good.”
You Mengzhe and Zhao Feihong were left feeling confused, sensing that Yu Wenhong seemed to be hiding something. You Mengzhe asked, “Then, do you like me?”
Yu Wenhong’s cheeks blushed slightly, and he nodded, saying, “Yes, I do. I like you the most.”
You Mengzhe’s heart was filled with joy as he said, “I also recognized a godfather. I’ll introduce you to him when he comes.”
“Ah, your name was given by Zhang Yuanshan,” Yu Wenhong said as he served You Mengzhe some dishes. Surprisingly, Zhao Feihong was no longer involved in the conversation at the dinner table.
Zhao Feihong nodded and said, “Back then, Yuanshan came up with two names. If it was a boy, he would be called Mengzhe, and if it was a girl, it would be Mengze(different character), which means ‘Cloud Dream.'”
You Mengzhe completely ignored Zhao Feihong.
After a while, Zhao Feihong sighed and said, “Let this meal be a farewell for you, Mengzhe. Now that you have a backer, I can’t control you anymore…”
You Mengzhe mumbled as he ate a chicken leg, “When did I say I was leaving?”
Zhao Feihong was taken aback, and You Mengzhe continued, “I’ve made up my mind. I’m staying here. This is my home, and you’re my father! My mother gave birth to me, and for sixteen years, you didn’t raise me for a single year. It was all my other father who raised your son for you, for which reason? I’m coming back to live here, and I won’t leave. I’ll be here to deal with you.”
Zhao Feihong said, “You…”
Yu Wenhong warned in advance, “Zhao Feihong, don’t scold him.”
Zhao Feihong: “…”
You Mengzhe chuckled, truly feeling that the happiest and most carefree moments of his life were happening right now.
Zhao Feihong didn’t say much more, wearing an expression that seemed to say, “Just eat, eat until you’re full, I give up.”
After dinner, You Mengzhe felt confident. He went into the study with a stack of handwritten copies of martial arts manuals and slammed them in front of Zhao Feihong, saying, “Here are your manuals back, no need to search anymore.”
Zhao Feihong: “…”
The stack of manuals consisted entirely of top-tier martial arts techniques. Many of the things recorded in them were not only unseen by Zhao Feihong but unheard of as well. Zhao Feihong flipped through them and then saw Yu Wenhong guiding You Mengzhe in martial arts practice in the courtyard.
You Mengzhe performed a move, and Yu Wenhong remarked, “That’s it, but it’s a bit off. Let me see… hmm, come a bit closer…”
Yu Wenhong focused on adjusting You Mengzhe’s hand position, saying, “That’s it, you’re really smart.”
You Mengzhe felt embarrassed and said, “I’ve been learning for half a day and still haven’t mastered this move, yet you’re praising me for being smart.”
Yu Wenhong reassured him, “It’s okay, learning takes time. It’s not about rushing things. Are you tired? Take a break, sit down for a while.”
You Mengzhe replied, “My father never let me rest when he taught me staff techniques…”
Zhao Feihong said displeasedly, “Throughout history, strict teachers produce outstanding students. Plum blossoms emit fragrance from bitter cold. Without tough training, how can you achieve anything?”
You Mengzhe replied, “What’s achievement? Can you eat it?”
Yu Wenhong interjected, “Achievement cannot be eaten. Take a break. Zhao Feihong, are you learning or not? Come and learn with us.”
Zhao Feihong was really out of temper and said, “Mengzhe, take it seriously. Don’t waste the excellent skills your uncle taught you.”
You Mengzhe angrily said, “The River-Taming Palm is too difficult!”
Yu Wenhong continued adjusting You Mengzhe’s posture and nodded, “Indeed, it takes some time. I’ve learned for a long time too. At the Canghai Sect, we learn martial arts without resorting to scolding or punishment. It’s all about interest and self-discipline. After all, there’s nothing else to do on the island, so we might as well have fun practicing.”
You Mengzhe agreed, “Exactly… Let’s take a break.”
You Mengzhe, like a crab, lost interest after a few casual movements. He then practiced the internal energy techniques Yu Wenhong taught, showing a bit more patience with them since he had practiced them since childhood. After completing the routine for today, he and Yu Wenhong held hands and went out to stroll around and have fun.
“I’ll take you to buy clothes,” You Mengzhe said, “Your robe is all torn.”
Zhao Feihong said, “I have some silver coins.”
You Mengzhe replied, “I can’t afford your generosity, Noble Warrior Zhao.”
Zhao Feihong’s temples bulged with veins. He couldn’t scold You Mengzhe, nor could he hit him. You Mengzhe kept coming up with new ways to tease him, making life truly unbearable.
You Mengzhe brought a box of pearls and corals and went to the pawnshop with Yu Wenhong. As they walked, he said, “My godfather in the capital is the one with real wealth. The decorations in his house…”
Yu Wenhong nodded as he listened. Despite wearing a plain gray robe, he was extremely handsome. His eyebrows were thick and black like sword blades, his eyes carried a chestnut hue, his lips were gentle, his nose bridge was as smooth as jade, and there was still a hint of childishness on his face, making him look like a little boy. Walking alongside You Mengzhe, they truly resembled brothers.
“You’re so handsome, Uncle,” You Mengzhe said.
Yu Wenhong replied, “You’re even more handsome, Mengzhe.”
You Mengzhe laughed and nudged him, and Yu Wenhong continued, “I’ve liked you since you were very young. I liked you a lot, but I couldn’t come out and talk to you, and it felt really uncomfortable.”
You Mengzhe was initially taken aback, stopping by the Lu River Bridge and looking at Yu Wenhong.
Yu Wenhong seemed a bit confused, looking at You Mengzhe and asking, “What’s wrong?”
In that moment, You Mengzhe understood something. He shook his head, smiled, and embraced Yu Wenhong’s neck. Yu Wenhong’s eyebrows moved, he lowered his head, and their lips gently met.
You Mengzhe said, “It’s this kind of liking.”
Yu Wenhong held his hand, nodding, “Yes, it’s this kind of liking.”
The lights from the Lu River Bridge reflected in You Mengzhe’s eyes, creating an indescribable sense of romance. For a moment, they didn’t feel like saying anything more. They simply walked hand in hand with Yu Wenhong, lost in their own world.
“Why didn’t you come out and talk to me before?” You Mengzhe asked.
Yu Wenhong replied, “Your mother wouldn’t allow it. Before she passed away…”
As Yu Wenhong spoke, he stole glances at You Mengzhe’s expression. Sensing his understanding, You Mengzhe quickly said, “It’s okay, I won’t cry.”
Yu Wenhong continued, “I saw you several times going to ask, after asking your father…” Yu Wenhong hadn’t quite gotten used to speaking openly yet, so he continued, “about your mother. When you came back and cried into your pillow, it broke my heart.”
You Mengzhe said, “It’s okay now. Tell me about her. I have so many things I want to ask you. Please continue.”
Yu Wenhong said, “Before she passed away, she said, ‘Yu Wenhong, you must take good care of him in the future, but you must not come out and let him see you.'”
You Mengzhe asked, “Why?”
Yu Wenhong replied, “I don’t know. She desperately squeezed my hand, and my arm swelled from it. She kept saying, ‘You promise me, don’t touch him, don’t talk to him… You have to protect him for the rest of your life, you can’t go anywhere… he… he…’.”
You Mengzhe asked, “He what?”
Yu Wenhong replied, “That’s it. Then she stopped breathing.”
You Mengzhe fell silent for a moment.
“You think my mother used to bully you?” You Mengzhe asked.
Yu Wenhong thought for a moment and said, “It’s nothing. Maybe she found me annoying for following her around.”
You Mengzhe asked, “Did you ask her to return to Canghai Sect?”
Yu Wenhong said, “At first… it was fine. But then, that time when we drank, she scolded me for being useless. I tried to persuade her several times to return to the Sect, saying that the Master wanted her to go back. But she got angry, started hitting and scolding me. She beat me badly…”
You Mengzhe felt as if he were listening to a story completely unrelated to himself. His own mother seemed strangely distant, as if he were hearing gossip about someone else. He almost blurted out “It’s a good thing she’s dead,” but he managed to catch himself just in time and said, “Let me apologize on her behalf.”
Yu Wenhong put his arm around You Mengzhe’s shoulder as they strolled through the marketplace, saying, “It’s okay, I can take a beating.”
You Mengzhe smiled, and they went to the pawnshop to exchange money. The shopkeeper said, “Oh, you’re here again today? And who’s this? Are you Zhao Feihong’s son too?”
Yu Wenhong replied, “Me? Of course not. I’m thirty-two.”
You Mengzhe said, “Stop talking nonsense, he is only twenty-three this year, Shopkeeper. Look, can this thing be exchanged for money or not.” The shopkeeper’s eyes widened as soon as he saw the night pearl. He immediately called the master in the shop to help take a look. You Mengzhe asked for a tray, and poured out a large handful. The oil lamp in the shop was dim and colorless, all filled with the colorful light of pearl night pearls.
“These are the divine pearls of the East Sea!” The shopkeeper’s blood almost boiled, muttering, “Where did so many come from? The one embedded on the Empress’s hairpin during her wedding was worth a thousand taels of gold… not even as big as this… Ha… your… family…”
Upon hearing this, You Mengzhe immediately collected all the night pearls, leaving one behind, and said, “I’ll take four thousand taels of silver from you. Ha, go to the Yintie Bank, exchange it into three hundred taels each for twenty notes, and the remaining one hundred taels for four taels each of silver bars for me. Leave thirty taels to be twisted into one-tael silver hairpins. Hurry up.”
With money in hand, You Mengzhe hurriedly stuffed the sea flowers and bought a bunch of food and interesting things at the market, taking Yu Wenhong to get tailor-made clothes, all with the finest fabrics.
Yu Wenhong used to live in Canghai Sect when he was young, he was simple-minded. After entering society, he first followed Yu Qing, then he almost never left You Mengzhe’s side while guarding Yuheng Mountain. The two were like brothers. You Mengzhe wasn’t very familiar with playing, so he explained everything to Yu Wenhong based on his simple knowledge. They could stop and look at anything, buying this and that at the market until they collected enough, then lazily carrying a large pile of things back home.
When You Mengzhe returned home, the door was already locked. He pointed to the wall and casually said, “Let’s go to Jiangzhou for a few days.”
Yu Wenhong hugged him and jumped over the wall, landing on the ground, replying, “Sure, wherever you want to go, we’ll go.”
Zhao Feihong sternly said, “You finally know how to come back! Lounging around all day, what kind of behavior is that!”
You Mengzhe replied, “This is my home. I come back whenever I want.”
Zhao Feihong: “…”
You Mengzhe let Yu Wenhong into the room, then leaned out and added, “Manage the living, not the upbringing. Manage the killing, not the burying. Heh heh,” before casually closing the door.
Zhao Feihong felt like if he continued to be angered like this, he would spit blood sooner or later.
For several days in a row, You Mengzhe didn’t rush to go out during the day. When Zhao Feihong came out to practice stick fighting, You Mengzhe placed a box on the desk and casually said, “Here’s your money back, no need to look for it.” Inside was a large stack of silver bills.
Zhao Feihong could only let him be. After breakfast, You Mengzhe would talk with Yu Wenhong in the courtyard. Their conversations were usually meaningless, revolving around topics like mountain spirits, water monsters, peach blossoms, willow trees, what’s tasty, what’s fun, and other trivial matters.
Yu Wenhong had plenty to say too, but his responses often veered off-topic. As they talked, they would also wander into unrelated matters thousands of miles away, just like two children chatting, saying whatever came to mind.
You Mengzhe stood in a horse stance, extending his finger, while Yu Wenhong held a rock to poke at it, saying, “Channel your inner energy. Poke a few times and see if you can make a hole.”
As You Mengzhe poked with two fingers, he said, “Back then, I even caught a golden turtle while fishing.”
Yu Wenhong said, “Oh, I know about that too, it’s small, yellow… it bites fish tails, quite ferocious…”
You Mengzhe replied, “Exactly.”
Yu Wenhong continued, “There’s also a type of giant turtle in the sea that eats strange fish. I saw it once. Those strange fish even spout water from their backs. The giant turtle is as big as an island, chasing after those strange fish…”
Zhao Feihong was completely engrossed in listening when You Mengzhe quickly gestured with his mouth to indicate they shouldn’t speak further as someone was eavesdropping. Yu Wenhong nodded and stopped talking.
Zhao Feihong, who had only heard half of it, waited for a while, but since neither of them spoke, he immediately lost interest. When they went inside, You Mengzhe finally asked, “Did it catch up in the end?”
Yu Wenhong continued, “That big fish was bitten to death right then and there, turned over completely, its belly white. Many people went to see…”
Just as they were speaking, there was a knock on the door, and the tailored clothes arrived.
You Mengzhe joyfully went to receive them, paid the silver, and separated out a set, saying, “Quickly put it on.”
Yu Wenhong changed into the clothes, made from the finest fabric You Mengzhe had chosen, tailored to fit him perfectly. He looked sharp in a pale white silk robe embroidered with a dark gold-threaded clouded leopard.
You Mengzhe wore a rabbit-patterned green robe. Zhao Feihong, hearing voices, came out to see both of them dressed so elegantly, contrasting sharply with his own dusty appearance, making him look like a villager.
“I’ve made a set for you too, try it on to see if it fits,” You Mengzhe said, glancing at Zhao Feihong and gesturing towards the robe on the table.
“Thank you,” Zhao Feihong replied.
You Mengzhe said, “No need to thank me. I should be thanking you…”
Zhao Feihong knew You Mengzhe was trying to get some verbal benefit again, so he interrupted, “That’s enough, are you done yet?”
Zhao Feihong changed into his new robe to buy groceries. These days, he had unexpectedly become someone who was being ordered around, unable to neglect his duties as a father.
When they returned, they saw a life-sized figure painted on the wall in the courtyard, with the words “Zhao Feihong” written on the face. The entire body was drawn with cinnabar and blue lines depicting the meridians and acupoints. While Yu Wenhong explained, You Mengzhe identified the acupoints and threw chess pieces at them.
Zhao Feihong: “…”
At dinner, Zhao Feihong said, “Zhao Mengzhe, the day after tomorrow is the Dragon Boat Festival. I’ll take you to Jiangzhou tomorrow to see the dragon boats.”
You Mengzhe glanced at Yu Wenhong and said, “Hey, say something.”
Yu Wenhong: “?”
You Mengzhe asked, “Are we going?”
Yu Wenhong replied, “Wherever you go, I’ll go.”
Zhao Feihong had intended to talk to You Mengzhe alone, but wherever You Mengzhe went, he took this bodyguard with him. The two seemed inseparable, like conjoined twins. With no other choice, Zhao Feihong said, “Then let’s go together.”
Huge shoutout to @_nyanmaru_ on Discord for commissioning this! The chapter will be posted regularly, show your support for Ciacia at Kofi.
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