It was an illicit book, the kind that wouldn’t be openly sold.
Hua Yan felt distressed. Although it was Great Hero Lu’s freedom to read whatever he wanted, she had a subtle feeling that someone was trying to corrupt him.
Yet Lu Chengsha, completely oblivious, asked her, “What’s wrong with this book?”
Hua Yan put the cover back on, feeling her palm heat up as she held the booklet. She hesitated and asked, “How much have you… read? And… any thoughts?”
Lu Chengsha replied honestly, “About ten pages.” As for the latter question, he obviously found it difficult to answer. After a long pause, he said, “It’s very strange.”
Hua Yan exclaimed, “Why do you describe everything as strange!”
Lu Chengsha was taken aback. He opened his mouth, and for some reason, Hua Yan felt that he seemed a bit aggrieved.
However, Lu Chengsha quickly became more direct, “There are parts I don’t understand.”
Hua Yan asked, “Which parts?”
Lu Chengsha took the book from her hand, flipped through it, and pointed them out.
Hua Yan leaned in to look. All the parts he pointed out were emotional scenes, those intricate thoughts of a young woman, hesitant to express her feelings, full of twists and turns. The author of this illicit book had written these scenes with great delicacy. Just as Hua Yan was marveling at this, she followed Lu Chengsha’s finger and was instantly blinded.
… How did the author transition from an emotional scene to a bedroom scene without any warning!
At least give people some mental preparation!
Hua Yan’s face instantly turned red.
Lu Chengsha, still beside her, said, “I… don’t understand.”
He didn’t understand. The author’s language was both erotic and ambiguous, with all the bedroom scenes described in jargon. Phrases like “winding paths lead to secluded places” and “moving slowly” from the woman’s perspective, with everything feeling soft here and numb there.
It would be surprising if Lu Chengsha could understand.
Blushing, Hua Yan snapped the book shut with a “bang” and moved aside, “Who gave this to you anyway?”
Lu Chengsha replied, “The doctor.”
Hua Yan was stunned, “You went to see a doctor? What kind of doctor?” What kind of barefoot doctor would give someone this kind of thing!
Lu Chengsha said, “He looked a bit familiar.”
Hua Yan said, “Are you talking about Ming Qi?”
Lu Chengsha wasn’t too sure, “I think that’s the name?”
…So you didn’t even remember his name!
But it wasn’t important. She would confront Ming Qi about this tomorrow!
While she was thinking, Hua Yan noticed that Lu Chengsha had taken the book from her hand and continued reading.
Hua Yan exclaimed, “…??? Why are you still reading it!”
Upon hearing this, Lu Chengsha paused and asked, “Can’t I read it?”
Not exactly, Hua Yan felt conflicted. After struggling internally for a while, she finally said, “…You should read this kind of book in private, in your room, secretly. Oh, and…” She suddenly remembered, “You’re not allowed to ask anyone else about it, and don’t mention it to anyone, no one at all!”
Lu Chengsha nodded thoughtfully, then pulled out another booklet. “What about this one?”
There was actually another one.
Hua Yan took it and tore open the cover, revealing the title “Romance in the Embroidered Pavilion.” She skimmed through it and found it even more shocking than the previous one. At least the previous book depicted consensual romance between a man and a woman. This one described lonely ladies engaging in clandestine affairs and chaotic, multi-person relationships. The bold and explicit language left Hua Yan in awe—Ming Qi was doomed for giving such things to Great Hero Lu!
“This one is not okay,” Hua Yan said sternly, then confiscated it.
But she pondered for a moment and asked, “Why did he give you these? Do you… find them interesting?”
Lu Chengsha nodded, then shook his head. This time, he held the book tightly and, after thinking for a long time, said to Hua Yan, “I don’t understand… I want to know.”
He spoke slowly, with a serious tone. Seeing Lu Chengsha’s clear eyes, reflecting her own image, Hua Yan felt a sudden stir in her heart. She initially wanted to ask more, but suddenly decided not to.
She rubbed her cheeks and said, “If you don’t understand, just take your time.”
***
In the evening, Cixin Valley had prepared meals and delivered them to the disciples’ rooms. When Hua Yan returned to her room, she saw the food on the table, which included both meat and vegetables in just the right portions. Most of the dishes were steamed or boiled, free from grease, but they were delicious and refreshing.
Outside, disciples were returning gradually, chatting in small groups. It was clear that the first day had yielded no results.
Cixin Valley had instructed them not to disturb the patients at night, so they could only search the desolate areas. However, the poor lighting, even with lanterns, made it hard to see clearly, leaving many of them frustrated.
“What should we do tonight? Keep searching?”
“If we don’t, the sect master will be furious. Let’s see if there are any hidden paths or caves nearby.”
“We searched several times during the day. We’re exhausted.”
Hua Yan eavesdropped, feeling inexplicably reassured.
So it was just Yu Ye spouting nonsense!
At this moment, Yu Ye was still very busy, surrounded by several people constantly asking about Xie Yingxian’s whereabouts. He frowned, his expression a mix of three parts melancholy, three parts confusion, and four parts perfect helplessness—truly impressive.
“He is indeed in this valley, but I can’t pinpoint his exact location.”
The others buzzed around him, all talking at once.
Hua Yan felt like she was witnessing him as he was back in Zhengyi Sect. She couldn’t help but feel a bit of admiration for him, and then she deftly avoided Yu Ye from a distance.
Cixin Valley had arranged very tranquil accommodations for the disciples of each sect, seemingly originally intended for the recuperation of esteemed guests. The environment was excellent. Beside the residence was a lush bamboo grove, with verdant leaves that reached the sky and exuded a fresh bamboo fragrance. At the entrance, there was a stone bridge that blended seamlessly with the scenery. Surrounded by water, with gentle ripples, just standing on the bridge was enough to feel refreshed and delighted.
Hua Yan immediately dragged Lu Chengsha over to admire the view, asking expectantly, “Isn’t it beautiful?”
Lu Chengsha nodded, “Mm.”
Hua Yan felt his response was not very heartfelt.
“Did you explore during the day?”
Lu Chengsha suspiciously remained silent for a moment, and finally said, “…I looked for you and wandered a bit.”
Alright then…
Hua Yan fetched a lantern, leading Lu Chengsha, and said grandly, “Come on, I’ll show you around!”
During the day, she had wandered around enough to memorize the paths, so she began to explain everything to Lu Chengsha with enthusiasm, while also stuffing two flower cakes into her pocket. As they walked, they unknowingly arrived near Nian Yi’s courtyard. Hua Yan saw him chatting with someone in the courtyard.
As they approached, the person he was talking to was just leaving. Hua Yan then noticed that it was a young monk from Fanyin Temple.
Curious, she approached and asked, “Little monk, what were you discussing just now?”
The young monk was slightly surprised to see her and Lu Chengsha but then put his hands together in a prayer gesture and said, “Benefactor Nian Yi made a significant donation for the repair of Fanyin Temple’s main hall. I came specifically to thank him on behalf of my master.”
Hua Yan remarked, “He seems to be a really good person, but unfortunately…”
Unfortunately, he didn’t seem to have much longer to live.
The young monk also sighed and said, “Benefactor Nian Yi has a strong affinity with Buddhism. My master once discussed Buddhist scriptures with him through the night. He had intended to help him attain enlightenment, but Benefactor Nian Yi is too entangled in worldly affairs and cannot free himself.”
Huh?
Hua Yan wanted to ask more, but the young monk was unwilling to continue and walked away.
Suddenly, in the quiet night, the sound of a flute echoed.
The flute’s melody was haunting and distant, piercing the silent night, making one irresistibly drawn to listen. However, beneath its lingering beauty was an indescribable sorrow and loneliness, filled with pain and suppression, gradually turning into a plaintive cry. It felt as if several strings in one’s heart were being snapped, filling the chest with an overwhelming emotion.
Hua Yan had heard flute music before, but never had it affected her so deeply.
She stood still, listening quietly, and memories flooded back. She remembered her father’s eyes, calm yet tinged with a trace of regret before he passed away, and her mother drinking herself into a stupor every night after his death, her old injuries acting up, coughing blood in the middle of the night yet still forcing a smile for her. She recalled the moment she buried her parents, realizing she no longer had them, and there would never be anyone who loved her that much again.
At the time, she didn’t cry, just felt a heavy weight in her chest, and couldn’t muster any interest in anything. But now, those long-buried pains seemed to surface all at once.
When the flute music ended, Hua Yan wiped her eyes and suddenly realized her cheeks were wet with tears. She wiped them, but the tears kept flowing uncontrollably.
Before she could move, Lu Chengsha beside her moved.
He lifted his hand and used his sleeve to wipe her eyes, softly asking, “What’s wrong?” His voice unconsciously tinged with urgency, which even he did not notice. He just realized that no matter how much he wiped, Hua Yan’s tears kept flowing.
Hua Yan felt a bit embarrassed; she hadn’t expected to cry so suddenly.
But once the emotions surfaced, they were hard to control.
She could only push away Lu Chengsha’s hand, saying, “I’m fine,” but her words were choked with sobs, making them sound muddled, which had the opposite effect.
Lu Chengsha, feeling helpless, didn’t dare to touch her again. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down, and he was almost breaking into a sweat as he realized how clumsy he was with words.
“Please don’t cry, okay?” he asked cautiously, as if negotiating with her.
Hua Yan, who was almost hiccuping from crying, couldn’t help but laugh a little at his words. Crying and laughing at the same time, she herself felt it was strange. She wiped her eyes forcefully, finally calming down the intense emotions. She managed a smile through her tears and said, “I’m really fine… I just remembered some sad things.”
“Sad things?” Lu Chengsha asked.
Hua Yan explained, “Just some unhappy memories that make me feel really bad when I think about them, like there’s a heavy weight on my chest, and it hurts here.” She pointed to her chest.
Lu Chengsha nodded.
To reassure him, Hua Yan smiled again, though her eyes were still red, making her smile look rather pitiful.
Lu Chengsha didn’t say anything. When Hua Yan had been crying, he had felt a tight pain in his own chest, as if it was being squeezed. He wanted to tell Hua Yan, but he was afraid he might not use the right words.
Hua Yan’s emotions subsided quickly. After a while, she felt ready to see Nian Yi again.
Nian Yi had put down his flute and was still standing in the courtyard.
It was his flute music that had played just now.
With no one else around, Hua Yan couldn’t resist her curiosity and walked over. Nian Yi saw her, his gaze indifferent, but he did not send her away.
Hua Yan, emboldened, said, “Valley Master, may I ask you something?”
Closer now, she could see that his complexion was poor, as if he were on the verge of death.
Nian Yi replied slowly, “What do you want to ask?” Surprisingly, he was quite approachable.
Hua Yan had thought that since he ignored even Ling Tianxiao, he would be aloof and unapproachable.
Pointing to the flute in Nian Yi’s hand, Hua Yan said, “The flute you played just now sounded so sorrowful. Can I hear your story?” Her question was bold, and she felt a bit anxious, ready to be refused.
Nian Yi gently stroked the flute. His pale fingers against the faded bamboo flute looked stark and desolate. He said, “I once had a lover.”
Hua Yan immediately perked up. “And then?”
“She left me alone,” Nian Yi said.
“And then?” Hua Yan pressed on.
“I did many wrong things and was no longer the person she loved.” Nian Yi tightened his grip on the flute, then slowly relaxed it, glancing down at his palm. “So I have no face to see her again… But I am dying, and I will have to see her eventually.”
Hua Yan was stunned for a moment. “What kind of wrong things?”
Nian Yi said, “Many, many things.”
“Can they be fixed?”
“No.”
Hua Yan felt a bit frustrated. Nian Yi’s story was sad, but it felt like he wasn’t saying much. So she asked, “Can you tell me what kind of person your lover was?”
Nian Yi paused, seemingly not expecting such a question. After a while, he continued, but his expression suddenly softened, showing a tender longing that was almost heartbreaking. “She was very gentle, very kind, always smiling, and had a great temperament. She never got angry, even when others were unreasonable and lashed out at her. From the first time I saw her, I wondered how such a person could exist in this world…” His voice trembled slightly. “I have never met anyone as wonderful as she was in my entire life.”
Though he hadn’t said much, Hua Yan suddenly felt a wave of sadness.
Then, a strange thought popped into her mind.
She looked at Nian Yi, then turned to look at the silent and thoughtful Lu Chengsha, thinking to herself, could he possibly be Lu Chengsha’s father?
That couldn’t be, right? Such a coincidence seemed unlikely!
However, at that moment, Lu Chengsha suddenly spoke, “What does that mean?”