Hearing this, Lu Chengsha was momentarily stunned.
Hua Yan encouraged him further, “It’s okay, just take a guess.”
Lu Chengsha hadn’t expected the question to be turned back on him. So close at hand, the girl’s starry eyes sparkled, as if light was sinking within them. Initially, he felt unsettled just by looking into her eyes, causing his heartbeat to race. Now, he felt a bit better, but… not by much.
He tried to steady himself.
The word “告” means “to tell,” and “白” means “pure,” implying a pure declaration. This was easy to understand, but Lu Chengsha felt that Hua Yan’s explanation was more than just that.
He was always insensitive to others’ emotions, clueless about feelings, not knowing why people cried or laughed, just finding it noisy and therefore having little interest in understanding. He grasped sword scriptures quickly, and after seeing a sword technique once, he could remember it. But after reading that strange book, he realized that he indeed knew very little about many things.
He repeatedly studied many parts of the book, yet still couldn’t grasp its meaning.
Hua Yan didn’t let him ask others, so he had to figure it out on his own, which was quite difficult for him. Lu Chengsha had no choice but to observe how others acted, spoke, and reacted.
More importantly, he realized that once he understood, he could figure out why his odd behavior occurred and how to fix it.
He was now certain that he didn’t want to kill her, but had an inexplicable, uncontrollable urge towards her. The closer he got, the stronger the urge, like hunger. If he let it go, it might become dangerous.
Lu Chengsha initially thought he could endure it; hunger could be endured, so could instinct.
But he gradually discovered that sometimes it was harder to endure than hunger.
Moreover, along with the instinctual urge, there were other symptoms, such as feeling at ease when he saw her, wanting to see her smile, feeling extremely upset when she cried, and the most puzzling aspect: occasionally feeling unhappy when he saw her talking happily with others, especially other men, while ignoring him. Lu Chengsha still couldn’t figure this out.
The girl was still gazing at him with enthusiastic eyes.
Lu Chengsha pondered hard, hoping to give a perfect answer and not disappoint her. But… asking him to storm the headquarters of the Demonic Sect might be less difficult.
Hua Yan also wondered if she was being too hard on Great Hero Lu. He looked so troubled.
Though he looked cute like this… it was unnecessary to worry over such things!
She waved her hand and said, “Never mind, it’s okay if you don’t know. In the future… well, you’ll figure it out eventually!”
Hua Yan wanted to turn back, but realized Lu Chengsha was holding onto the hem of her clothes. His dark eyes were deep, and there was a trace of unwillingness as he looked at her, appearing awkward. Hua Yan had never seen such an expression on Lu Chengsha’s face and was very surprised.
Just how many sides of Great Hero Lu does she not know about yet!
Hua Yan felt an inexplicable softening of her heart. She thought to herself, “Alright, alright,” and began to speak, “A confession actually is…”
Before she could finish, Lu Chengsha interrupted, “Speak without reserve, leave nothing unsaid. Whatever I say, I will never deceive.” He looked at her intently, his gaze pure, his voice clear with a hint of nervousness.
He was seriously answering.
But when Hua Yan heard this, it meant something entirely different to her. Her heart skipped a beat, and she forgot what she was going to say.
Seeing her not respond, Lu Chengsha thought there was something wrong with his answer and softly asked, “Did I… say something wrong?”
Hua Yan’s face turned red.
“No, no…” she mumbled, “It’s not a big problem…”
It was a problem; that’s not how you say it!
But she liked it.
Lu Chengsha also breathed a sigh of relief. He let go of her, noticing her flushed face and feeling a bit confused.
Hua Yan couldn’t help but remind him, “This word shouldn’t be used carelessly either…”
Lu Chengsha understood, “Like ‘I want to marry you’?”
It would have been better if he hadn’t mentioned it. As soon as he did, Hua Yan’s face reddened even more. She regretted it a bit now; she should have just agreed back then without explaining—no, she couldn’t do that. She couldn’t deceive Great Hero Lu into marriage just because he didn’t understand!
Hua Yan said, “Great Hero Lu…”
Lu Chengsha responded, “Yes?”
Hua Yan whispered, “Can you… learn a bit faster?”
Lu Chengsha seemed momentarily surprised, then he nodded vigorously and said, “Alright.”
***
Hua Yan then wandered around the area. Actually, the best way to confirm things was to directly ask Yu Ye, but she really didn’t want to see him again, especially with Great Hero Lu by her side.
In the end, she decided to sneak back into Nian Yi’s Courtyard and take another look. He wasn’t there now, and the place was empty.
Although it wasn’t good to trespass into someone else’s room, Hua Yan comforted herself with the thought that she had already been there once. Besides, Nian Yi might be Lu Chengsha’s biological father. With this in mind, she carefully looked around.
Last time she was there looking for someone, so she only took a brief glance and didn’t examine the contents closely.
The drafts on the table were still scattered around, filled with bewildering names of herbs, along with several medical books.
On the shelf filled with medicinal books, Hua Yan skimmed through them one by one and found many rare, single-copy medical books she had never seen before. She felt a rush of excitement—if Lu Chengsha acknowledges his father, could she borrow a few books from Nian Yi to copy them?
As she scanned the shelves, one book caught her eye.
The other medical books, no matter how precious, were casually placed. However, this one was not only wrapped in a brocade cover but also carefully placed in a sandalwood box, making it appear very valuable.
Silently apologizing in her heart, she carefully opened the box.
It was an illustrated herbal manual drawn by the author. Although the paper had yellowed with age, the exquisite and detailed brushwork remained vibrant. The illustrations brought the plants to life, capturing even the way they swayed in the wind. Tiny annotations in delicate handwriting accompanied the drawings, likely written by a woman.
Having studied medicine and poisons from a young age, Hua Yan had seen many illustrated manuals by various physicians, most of which were very crude. Her mother often complained about their inaccuracy. This was the first time Hua Yan had seen such a vivid and lifelike manual.
But even so, it shouldn’t be treated with such reverence by Nian Yi.
She gently turned to the title page, curious about the author. There, in the same delicate handwriting, she saw the dedication: “Gifted to Jiang Nian,” signed “Huaiyi.”
Hua Yan was stunned. Who was who here?
Who was Jiang Nian, and who was Huaiyi?
Fortunately, she thought quickly. She tugged at Lu Chengsha’s sleeve and asked, “Have you seen your mother’s handwriting? Does this look like it?”
Lu Chengsha, also perplexed, glanced at it and said, “I don’t know… Why are you bringing up my mother?”
Hua Yan, equally puzzled, said, “Aren’t we suspecting that Nian Yi is your father?”
Lu Chengsha: “…???”
Hua Yan, more confused, said, “Why do you look so surprised? Didn’t we talk about this?”
Lu Chengsha, somewhat at a loss for words, said, “When?”
Hua Yan replied, “Just last night!”
Lu Chengsha assumed it was his understanding skills failing him again and quietly said, “…So, is he?”
“I’m investigating that. By the way, does your mother have a nickname or something…” Hua Yan pointed to the writing on the title page, “…or do you think this handwriting could be read as ‘Huaixian’ instead of ‘Huaiyi’?”
Lu Chengsha shook his head again, “I don’t know.”
Hua Yan felt disheartened.
She carefully replaced the herbal manual and continued searching, noticing something peculiar. Nian Yi’s books all had names or seals, usually just the character “念” (Nian). This made her suspect that Nian Yi’s original name might have been Jiang Nian, and the name “Yi” probably came from a woman named Huaiyi. Could Huaiyi have been his wife?
Using a name change to remember her must indicate deep affection, but why then…
Soon, Hua Yan’s suspicions were confirmed.
She saw Lu Chengsha intently reading something. When she got closer, she realized it was a letter. In the drawer beneath Nian Yi’s desk, there was a large number of correspondences, mostly business-related or requests for medical consultations from sect leaders.
But the letter in Lu Chengsha’s hand was different. The handwriting was delicate and casual. Hua Yan looked closer and saw it was signed “Huaiyi.”
Hua Yan immediately asked, “Where did you find that?”
Lu Chengsha pointed to the drawer.
Hua Yan then discovered there was a small hidden compartment in the drawer, not easily noticeable.
Great Hero Lu was quite clever!
As she thought this, she suddenly worried—what if they found letters related to Xie Yingxian?
But she quickly realized she was worrying needlessly. Xie Yingxian wouldn’t make such a simple mistake. The hidden compartment contained only a few letters, all from Huaiyi to Jiang Nian.
The writing was as gentle as flowing water, describing her daily observations during medical consultations, but always ending with a few affectionate lines.
“…The old woman’s health has slightly improved / I will return shortly / Though the town is small / The people are kind and hospitable / They treat me very well / I hoped to stay longer / But I miss you / I found a few new herbs / That might be worth trying / The weather is cooling / Please take care / I worry for you / I think of you often…”
Hua Yan read a few letters with Lu Chengsha, feeling a bit sad.
Lu Chengsha put the letter back, seemingly affected, and asked Hua Yan, “Is she…?”
Hua Yan replied, “I don’t know if she’s your mother, but… she was probably Nian Yi’s wife.”
Lu Chengsha asked, “…Is she dead?”
Hua Yan nodded, “It seems so…”
After she spoke, the atmosphere grew inexplicably heavy. From the letters, it was clear that Huaiyi deeply cared for Jiang Nian, or rather Nian Yi. But they were ultimately separated by death.
Would she and Great Hero Lu be separated too?
Hua Yan suddenly remembered what Xie Yingxian had told her: if you like someone, seize the time.
She took a deep breath, ready to say something, when she suddenly sensed someone approaching from outside the courtyard. Lu Chengsha noticed too and asked her, “Shall we go?”
Hua Yan thought for a moment and said, “No need…”
***
As soon as Nian Yi stepped into the room, he saw the two intruders.
Hua Yan clasped her hands together, apologetically saying, “Sorry for intruding without permission. I was really curious about some things. I’ll leave right after asking.”
Nian Yi’s gaze swept over them indifferently. He seemed very tired, his breath was low, his lips pale, and he looked lifeless. His long hair hung softly over his white clothes, making him almost look like a lonely spirit. Hearing Hua Yan’s words seemed to bring him back to the present world.
Seeing that he didn’t immediately ask them to leave, Hua Yan quickly continued, “Actually, I kind of suspected you might be his father…” She pointed at Lu Chengsha.
Nian Yi’s eyes lifted slightly. Previously emotionless, they now showed a faint ripple of emotion. He asked, “Why would you think that?”
Since this was about Lu Chengsha’s private matters, Hua Yan wasn’t sure if she should explain. She glanced at Lu Chengsha.
Unexpectedly, Lu Chengsha was also curiously looking at her.
Hua Yan scratched her head, a bit embarrassed, and braced herself to explain, “Because the age fits. His mother, as described, was a beautiful, gentle, and kind woman, and… she’s no longer here. His father also… I just felt his father must be someone quite remarkable, so…”
She suddenly felt very embarrassed!
Nian Yi smiled lightly, a faint smile like a small white flower blooming in a withering field. He softly said, “I also wish I could have a son as old as he is, but…” His smile faded, “But I am not worthy.” Fearing that Hua Yan might misunderstand, he shook his head and added, “My wife had no connection with the Lu family.”
Ah… so it wasn’t true.
Hua Yan felt a bit disappointed, yet somewhat unwilling to give up. She asked, “Neither of your two wives?”
Nian Yi’s expression suddenly changed slightly. He asked, “Who told you that?” After a pause, he continued, “Was it Xi Wu?”
Hua Yan nodded.
Nian Yi closed his eyes and had a severe coughing fit, took out some medicine, and swallowed it. After a while, he recovered, though the corners of his mouth still had a hint of blood. Hua Yan felt he was worse off than before. He wiped the blood clean, his face looking even more ashen.
Hua Yan initially thought he had tuberculosis, but then she caught a whiff of a strange yet familiar scent. She couldn’t help but ask, “Are you… poisoned?”
Nian Yi, hearing this, replied, “No.”
Suppressing her doubts, Hua Yan also felt she might be overthinking. How could the head of Cixin Valley be poisoned?
Finally, Nian Yi spoke again, “You will soon know about my wife.”
Huh???
How could it be so soon?
***
By evening, Hua Yan understood why. Nianyi announced that he would personally give everyone an explanation the next morning.
On their way back, she felt a bit disappointed, saying, “It’s a pity he’s not your father. It would be great if he were.”
Lu Chengsha didn’t quite understand her disappointment and asked, “So what if he were?”
Hua Yan replied, “Then you’d have someone else to care about you!”
Lu Chengsha thought for a moment and said, “But you care about me.”
Hua Yan’s face flushed again. “But it’s just me. Wouldn’t it be better if more people cared about you?”
Lu Chengsha was silent for a moment, then softly said, “Actually, there’s no need.”
Hua Yan was puzzled, “Hmm?”
Lu Chengsha said, “Having you is enough.”
Hua Yan was speechless.
Great Hero Lu is too much! How can he say such things so casually? Who taught him this? No… How much has he learned?
She really wanted to touch him again!
Before Hua Yan could think of how to respond, Lu Chengsha continued, “When you’re not around, I keep seeing your image in my mind. Is that what missing someone means?”
Why?
Hua Yan, her face still red, replied, “Yes…”
Lu Chengsha said, “I see.”
Why do you look so enlightened! You can’t be this cute!
I’m really going to touch you now!
Hua Yan glanced secretly at Lu Chengsha’s hand hanging by his side. Before she could make a move, he slightly raised his arm, and his clean, slender hand was already extended toward her. Lu Chengsha blinked, looking a bit nervous, and asked, “Do you… want to hold it?”