Lu Chengsha felt a bit better only after making sure that Hua Yan was still unconscious.
He remembered nothing after getting drunk last night; his mind was a blur.
The young girl rested her head on his shoulder. Through the fabric of their clothes, he could feel her soft body, emitting a delicate fragrance, lightly pressing against him as if pressing on his heart, making it difficult for Lu Chengsha to breathe.
He wanted to move her aside, but his hands and feet seemed out of his control, as if they were no longer his own.
He was afraid she would shatter with a single touch.
Slowly, he opened his arms, moving as gently as possible. Hua Yan slept soundly against him, a slight smile at the corners of her mouth, seemingly dreaming a sweet dream.
Lu Chengsha watched her for a moment, his Adam’s apple nervously bobbing. He felt stiff and cautious, like a guilty thief. Tentatively, he gently hugged the girl in his arms.
She still did not wake.
She did not even seem to feel his movement, continuing to sleep peacefully. Her face, so close to his, was strikingly beautiful, like morning petals scattered on a radiant pearl, every part of her exquisite and lovely. Her fair cheeks were flushed with warmth, as if dusted with rouge, and her lips were the color of cherries, appearing sweet and inviting.
Lu Chengsha suddenly snapped back to reality. He closed his eyes for a moment, startled by the thoughts that had just crossed his mind.
He remained stiff for a while longer before raising his arm to gently pat her shoulder.
Hua Yan woke up from the patting, groggily lifting her head. Her lips brushed past Lu Chengsha’s chin, and before she was fully awake, she saw his face suddenly turn red, all the way to his ears.
She tilted her head, gradually realizing what had happened.
“Ah…” Hua Yan let out a short sound, blinking in speechless surprise.
The charcoal brazier had long burned out, and the surroundings were so quiet that a pin drop could be heard.
She clung to Lu Chengsha’s shoulder and suddenly froze too.
Hua Yan wanted to get up, but after sleeping in the same awkward position all night, her arm and leg were numb and cold, her body stiff and immobile.
She braced herself against Lu Chengsha’s chest to sit up, but before she could exert any force, her face turned red as well.
Hua Yan felt she should say something to ease the awkwardness, perhaps a greeting.
She lifted her head to speak, only to see that Lu Chengsha seemed about to say something too. Their eyes met again, adding to the embarrassment.
Hua Yan decided she needed to get up first. She tried to push herself up again but accidentally pressed on Lu Chengsha’s thigh.
Lu Chengsha: “…”
Hua Yan, with a forlorn expression, said, “Sorry… I can’t get up.”
Lu Chengsha finally spoke softly, “Press on my shoulder.”
Hua Yan replied, “Oh, okay.”
She pressed down on Lu Chengsha’s shoulder, slowly getting off him bit by bit, while Lu Chengsha kept his eyes lowered, not looking at her at all.
She hadn’t felt it earlier, but now that she was apart from him, she felt a bit cold—Great Hero Lu’s embrace was really warm.
Hua Yan vaguely felt that this thought of hers seemed a bit off.
However, before she could think it over, Lu Chengsha was already walking outside.
Hua Yan moved her limbs and shoulders to shake off the stiffness, and then she saw Lu Chengsha suddenly stop, his back tense as he looked cautiously outside, as if someone was standing there.
Could it be Lu Zhenxing again?
They had agreed on half a month later!
Hua Yan immediately became alert, thinking of hiding inside, but then she heard the person outside speak, sounding young and somewhat nonchalant.
“Relax, I’m not as strict as the old man.” He laughed, “Can the young lady inside come out and let me have a look?”
Hua Yan looked at Lu Chengsha.
Lu Chengsha remained cautious but not particularly tense, he asked, “What do you want?”
His tone was different from when he dealt with Lu Zhenxing.
Hua Yan didn’t feel any oppressive aura, it seemed like the person outside was just there for a casual chat. Gaining some courage, she walked out a bit. Since Lu Chengsha didn’t stop her, she walked outside to take a look.
Not far away, someone was sitting high up in a pine tree.
He was wearing a long robe of bamboo green, his hands supporting the back of his head as he leaned against the tree trunk. One leg was perched on a branch while the other dangled leisurely. His hair was loose, tied into a bundle with a green ribbon, hanging over one shoulder.
Judging by his attire, he seemed to be a disciple of Tingjian Manor, but Hua Yan had never seen this green color before.
“Who are you?” Hua Yan couldn’t help but ask.
The man smiled, looking around twenty-eight or twenty-nine years old, quite handsome. His eyes curved into crescents, naturally carrying a smile, making his face very likable. His fresh-colored long robe added a sense of agility and cleverness, yet he didn’t appear slick.
“Hello, young lady. I’m Lu Zhusheng”
Hua Yan realized who he was.
He was actually over forty years old!
He was Lu Chengsha’s nominal… well, little uncle.
While wandering around the rooftops of Tingjian Manor, she had overheard some servants talking.
“I wonder when the Second Master will return from his travels?”
“Judging by the time, it should be soon. He’s been gone for half a year again…”
“Without the Second Master, the manor feels so quiet.”
At that time, a young servant had curiously asked, “Who is the Second Master?”
“The Second Master is Lu Zhusheng. You haven’t met him since you’re new here, but you’ll recognize him as soon as he returns.”
The young servant was still puzzled, “Does the old manor lord have a second son?”
Someone else had quietly explained, “He’s the orphan of the old manor lord’s deceased brother. His relatives didn’t want to offend the demonic sect, so the old manor lord took him in.”
“What does he look like? Is he special?”
The others had then described him in various ways.
In summary, this Second Master Lu had a style quite different from the rest of Tingjian Manor. However, since Lu Zhenxing didn’t mind, no one else dared to comment. Despite having great talent in martial arts, he showed little interest in it, practicing sporadically and wasting his potential. He spent his days joking, eating, drinking, and having fun. Even in his thirties, he remained unmarried, with no one to control him.
Because he was kind to the servants and had a good temperament, everyone in the manor liked him.
Hua Yan had made a mental note at the time, not expecting to meet him in person so soon.
Since he was, after all, a relative of Lu Chengsha, Hua Yan politely said, “Hello!”
Lu Zhusheng smiled and said, “The young lady is quite courteous, much better than this cold and aloof boy here.” Sensing the tense atmosphere, he added, “Don’t worry, I’m not here to break you two up. The manor is usually so dull and doesn’t understand young people’s feelings…” He sighed wistfully, “Being young is truly wonderful…”
Hua Yan didn’t understand why he was here.
Lu Chengsha seemed equally puzzled and asked again, “What are you here for?”
Lu Zhusheng put on a wounded expression and said, “Wow, so cold. I just wanted to see if you’ve made any progress, following Father’s orders, but I ended up witnessing something quite significant… I even waited all night to avoid disturbing you two. Shouldn’t you be grateful to me?”
Hua Yan blushed a little, remembering last night.
Lu Chengsha fell silent as well.
Lu Zhusheng couldn’t help but laugh, “But you two staying here in the mountains, oblivious to the passage of time, while there’s so much going on outside, I really envy you…”
Hua Yan was a bit curious, “What’s happening outside?”
Lu Zhusheng replied, “You two came from the Sword-seeking Tournament, so you must know about the trial of the demonic sect’s leader.”
Hua Yan felt a bit guilty. She hadn’t paid much attention to it, always thinking that since he could confidently send Qi Xiusi to rescue her, there shouldn’t be any major problems.
Lu Zhusheng continued, “Originally, the matter was settled. But unexpectedly, things went awry at the end. On the day of the trial, the demonic sect’s leader was hung on the scaffold, head down and silent. As people listed his crimes, he didn’t argue. Amidst the fervor, they were about to execute him on the spot…” He smiled wryly, “But just as they were about to carry out the sentence, the demonic sect’s leader suddenly struggled. The demonic sect’s defector immediately sensed something was wrong. Only then did people realize that the disheveled, dirty person was actually a disciple of Dangshan Sect who had been drugged and disguised.”
Hua Yan thought to herself, as expected of him.
“This caused an uproar. The person was captured by Dangshan Sect and also lost by them. It seemed as if they were being toyed with by the demonic sect’s leader, which is quite amusing.” Lu Zhusheng said with another laugh, as if he genuinely found the situation funny. “But fortunately, they had previously drugged the demonic sect’s leader and left a tracking mark. Now, they are sealing the cities along the route, determined to kill him before he returns to his lair.”
Hua Yan was startled.
She finally understood why Yu Ye had come personally. No one but him could have drugged and marked Xie Yingxian, and now that the demonic sect’s base was within his control, Xie Yingxian had nowhere to run, facing enemies on all sides.
He came only to ensure his death.
“Isn’t this news quite sensational? The demonic sect has been frequently appearing to protect their leader, and all righteous warriors have gathered together, not just from the Sword-seeking Tournament but from all directions. It’s truly a great opportunity to annihilate the demonic sect.” Lu Zhusheng said, swinging his leg, “Although I don’t want to disturb you two, I have to tell you something: your carefree days might be coming to a brief end.”
Hua Yan asked, “Hmm?”
Lu Zhusheng pointed his chin at Lu Chengsha, “This kid will soon have a chance to leave the mountain.”
Hua Yan was stunned for a moment and said, “But isn’t he supposed to be in confinement for a year…”
Lu Zhusheng explained, “Even in confinement, one can make amends through meritorious deeds. Who else is more suitable to hunt down the demonic sect’s leader than him? We can’t let the old man go himself; it would be inappropriate and reflect poorly on his disciples.”
Hua Yan suddenly remembered that if Lu Zhusheng was the descendant of Lu Zhenxing’s brother who was tragically killed by the demonic sect, he should also harbor deep hatred for them.
She couldn’t help but ask, “Then are you going?”
Lu Zhusheng laughed, “Young lady, you really think too highly of me. How could I possibly beat him?” His tone was lazy and casual, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. “When I introduced myself just now, you seemed to recognize my name, so you must know my background. But I have no intention of seeking revenge. Isn’t living well enough? Why bother with all that effort? Someone will always avenge our grievances; if not me, then someone else will kill the demonic sect. It doesn’t have to be me…”
Hua Yan thought he made a lot of sense.
But…
Why did it have to be Lu Chengsha who hunted down Xie Yingxian?
Lu Chengsha, however, remained silent about the matter, showing neither interest nor emotion.
He simply said, “Got it.”
Lu Zhusheng then leaped down from the tree.
“Ouch…” Upon landing, he clutched his waist, groaning, “I think I twisted something. Ouch, it hurts…” His handsome face scrunched up in pain, “You two youngsters are just going to watch and not help me up?”
Lu Chengsha didn’t move.
Hua Yan didn’t move either.
Lu Zhusheng whined, “Wow, I ran all the way here to bring you news, and you won’t even help your brother up! So heartless! My heart hurts too.”
Hua Yan glanced at Lu Chengsha.
Lu Chengsha said, “Ignore him.”
Hua Yan replied, “Oh, okay.”
Lu Zhusheng was so angry he laughed, “You’re something else! Just because I teased you a couple of times when you were little, you hold a grudge like this? Fine, I have another piece of news: that young lady from the Qin family is here, the one called Muyan from your sister-in-law’s family. Guess what she’s here for?”
Lu Chengsha: “…”
Hua Yan: “…”
Lu Zhusheng: “Hey, you two should at least ask!”
Hua Yan actually wanted to ask, but seeing that Lu Chengsha didn’t seem to like this person, she decided to follow his lead.
Lu Zhusheng sighed, “Alright, I’ll tell you myself. She’s here to discuss a marriage proposal.”
Hua Yan couldn’t help but ask, “A marriage proposal? For whom?”
Lu Zhusheng gave a cunning smile and said, “Who else could it be?”
Hua Yan was stunned.
No way! Great Hero Lu couldn’t really be marrying that Qin Muyan, could he?
But she’s not very bright! A bit slow-witted!
Lu Zhusheng seemed pleased with her expression and said, “Alright, I’ve delivered my message, so it’s time for me to go. Boy, you better get ready, it could be in the next couple of days… If you manage to kill the demonic sect leader, maybe the old man will be so happy that you won’t need to stay in confinement anymore.”
With that, he held his waist and slowly walked down the mountain, humming a nonsensical tune.
This left a bewildered Hua Yan and a seemingly indifferent Lu Chengsha.
Hua Yan felt she needed to go down and check things out.
Given the Lu family’s domineering ways, they might just settle everything and then inform Lu Chengsha, who didn’t seem likely to refuse.
Thinking this, Hua Yan hesitated for a moment and asked Lu Chengsha, “If they want you to marry Qin Muyan, will you do it?”
Lu Chengsha replied, “What do you mean by marry?”
Hua Yan was taken aback, “Haven’t you seen others getting married? Surely there have been weddings in your manor? There would be red lanterns, red clothes, firecrackers, everyone would be happy, decorations everywhere, and people coming to pay respects…”
Lu Chengsha thought for a moment and said, “New Year?”
Hua Yan slapped her thigh, “That’s for New Year’s! No, I mean there would be a red bridal sedan chair, a ceremony!”
“No,” Lu Chengsha said after thinking again, “I haven’t noticed.”
Hua Yan then realized that Great Hero Lu truly lacked common sense. It seemed he knew nothing outside of sword practice, as if someone had deliberately avoided teaching him unrelated things.
She tried a different approach, “Marrying means you would go through an important ceremony with a woman, and from then on, you two would be together for life.”
Lu Chengsha thoughtfully nodded, “Hmm.”
Hua Yan said, “Now that you understand, you can answer my earlier question!”
Lu Chengsha said, “I won’t marry.”
Hua Yan felt relieved.
Great Hero Lu wasn’t controlled by Tingjian Manor to that extent after all!
Feeling a bit comforted, she patted Lu Chengsha’s shoulder and decided to go down and check the situation. If Tingjian Manor really intended to go ahead regardless of personal wishes, she would set Tingjian Manor on fire if necessary!
Hua Yan mumbled to herself and was just about to head down the mountain when she heard Lu Chengsha behind her say, “Can I… marry you?”
Upon hearing this, Hua Yan stumbled and nearly fell.