It was the street thug's emphasis, not a question but an explanation; but Lan Wuxie looked at her, smiled and nodded earnestly:
"good."
This startled Hua Chongyang.
The next day, he deliberately arrived early, and Hua Chongyang, seeing him, indeed came over to share a table with him. The fourth time they met, when they parted, he paid her bill and even took out a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe the cilantro off her chin. Hua Chongyang sincerely praised him:
"You may seem like a mute, but you're really not annoying."
The two went to Hangzhou together to stroll around and enjoy the scenery. He was having so much fun that he forgot all about home—of course, Lan Wuxie paid for everything the whole way.
If Anping hadn't been urging him on, he would have almost forgotten why he came to Hangzhou. As it turned out, Yan Zhao happened to be in Hangzhou at that time, tracking Lan Wuxie's whereabouts. He didn't know what he had discovered, but that very day he gave Lan Wuxie the eighth form of the Yellow Spring Martial Arts Manual, along with the mental cultivation method.
Lan Wuxie believed that Yan Zhao did this to make her stop investigating the whereabouts of the Biluo Heart Sutra, so she believed him and tried to practice the eighth form of the Heart Sutra that day.
He only realized the technique was fake when he finally finished practicing it.
He was freezing cold in the training room, almost unable to stand, when Yan Zhao suddenly walked in and clapped his hands:
"Someone come here."
Someone entered, carrying pills, followed by two heavily made-up women. Yan Zhao nodded. Lan Wuxie was powerless to resist, letting the person feed her the pills, only able to manage a weak sound:
"What's this?"
"You don't recognize the medicine Zu Xian prescribed for you?"
Lan Wuxie's expression changed on the spot.
The reason he insisted on refusing to take Zu Xian's antidote was because the drug's side effect was causing irrational estrus.
To everyone's surprise, Yan Zhao's face remained indifferent:
"Having slept with other women, how dare you even try to touch Hua Chongyang?"
Lan Wuxie was stunned.
Two women behind Yan Zhao came over and started to undress him. He wanted to kill them, but he didn't even have the strength to resist.
Before Yan Zhao turned to leave, he coldly left behind only one sentence:
"How could someone like you possibly make her happy?"
Lan Wuxie spoke calmly and composedly, but her face was terribly pale. Hua Chongyang, on the other hand, was somewhat numb by the end of the conversation.
She still remembered their first time in bed. Lan Wuxie cradled her body, and before penetrating her, he whispered in her ear, "I am somewhat dirty."
At that time, both of them reeked of alcohol, and she thought it was his obsessive-compulsive disorder, meaning that the two of them hadn't showered.
During the time they stayed at Banlianzui, he often returned from the pleasure boat after taking a bath. She even noticed that his fingers were so dry and shriveled from being soaked in water. She assumed it was just his obsession with cleanliness and laughed at him for bathing like that, saying it was like peeling off a layer of skin. Whenever he returned from the pleasure boat after taking a bath, he would definitely want her that night, and it was always exceptionally intense, almost all night long.
The two remained silent for a very long time.
The candle on the table was half-burnt, its flame almost gone. Hua Chongyang moved his somewhat numb legs, and with faltering steps, sat down in the recliner, as if to ask him:
"Why didn't you ask me for the Flower Sword Technique?"
She felt that even without asking, the answer was clear.
Because he likes her.
Given Lan Wuxie's personality, in order to avoid her misunderstanding that he was looking for her because of the cultivation technique, he decided not to mention a single word.
Seeing Lan Wuxie's cough getting worse, she felt a pang of sadness, stood up, and walked outside:
"Forget it, don't say anymore. I'll get Zu Xian to take a look at you again."
"No need."
"What?"
"No need to call him." Lan Wuxie stood up, supporting himself on the edge of the table, sat down on the edge of the couch, and crossed his legs. "After taking the medicine, I'll rest for one night."
"...Well," Hua Chongyang glanced at him, noticing him closing his eyes to rest and folding his hands as if trying to circulate his energy, "I'll go out first."
She went out and asked Lancao to find her a guest room. She sat there in a daze until midnight.
He refused to ask her for the cultivation technique.
Two years ago, she didn't know him; two years later, given Lan Wuxie's personality, she wouldn't say such a thing. Back then, under those circumstances, no matter what reason Lan Wuxie gave for asking her for the Flower Sword Technique, she would probably have immediately turned against him.
Even with his deep affection, the trust she once placed in him was nothing more than a thin sheet of paper, easily torn apart with the slightest touch; no matter how one thinks about it, it always makes one feel somewhat heartbroken.
84. Azure Sky Heart Method
Hua Chongyang spent the entire afternoon hunched over a stack of papers on the guest room table.
Outside, candlelight blazed brightly, while inside, the light and shadows were dim. With a creak, Lan Cao pushed open the door and entered.
"Did you argue with the Pavilion Master again?"
Hua Chongyang put down his pen, raised his hand to rub his eyes:
"What's wrong?"
"How would I know what's wrong with you?" Lan Cao looked utterly defeated. She found a chair, sat down lazily, and sighed. "The way he looks at me is exactly the same as it was a year ago. Did Zu Xian say something to you that upset you again?"
Hua Chongyang sat down as well, unable to suppress his frown:
"You mean I'm prone to throwing tantrums?"
The orchid raised its eyebrow:
"I'm not afraid of offending anyone anymore. Hua Chongyang, have you always thought you had a good temper?"
"……"
"It's not that you have a bad temper, it's just your personality. Black is black, white is white, and you never see a third color." Lan Cao sighed again, stood up, and said, "Never mind what he's done. Don't you know how he treats you? Why do you insist that he give you his heart? Why torture yourself like this—"
Before Lan Cao could finish speaking, Hua Chongyang looked completely bewildered:
"...What did you say?"
Even the orchid looked bewildered:
"...You don't know? Then why is the Pavilion Master wearing that expression again?"
Straightening his clothes, Hua Chongyang was about to push open the door to enter the room when he heard voices inside, two voices, and he stopped in his tracks.
The first sentence, she thought for a moment before realizing it was Zu Xian's voice:
Why must we kill him?
"Killing him would be too lenient. I want him to experience unbearable pain."
"How are you any different from Situ Yebai back then? He was also doing it for the woman he loved. I treated his illness once before, and he was practically obsessed with Princess Guoyue—well, I'm rambling on. But you should at least value your own life. I have to warn you. If you continue like this, you'll die from this sooner or later."
"I know how my body is."
"Don't blame me for not warning you. So many people lose their focus and mind while practicing martial arts. They feel perfectly fine until they die, then suddenly perish in an instant, without even a chance to regret it."
Lan Wuxie remained silent.
Hua Chongyang stood outside, her heart clenching. After standing there for a while, Lancao approached carrying a bowl of medicine. She took it, gave her a wink, knocked on the door, and then pushed it open to go inside.
As soon as Zu Xian saw her, he smiled and stood up from the couch:
"I'll go out first."
Hua Chongyang stopped him:
"The miracle doctor seems afraid of me."
"I'm not afraid of you, I'm afraid of him." Zu Xian glanced at Lan Wuxie jokingly, "I'm afraid he's still holding a grudge. When you fell for him, you only had my face in your eyes."
Hua Chongyang was too embarrassed to say anything more. She closed the door and placed the medicine in front of Lan Wuxie.
"Take your medicine first."
Lan Wuxie silently lowered her head, held the medicine bowl, and drank the medicine.
Hua Chongyang put down the bowl, reached into his robes, pulled out a stack of messy, scattered papers, and placed them on the couch:
"for you."
Lan Wuxie glanced at it.
The paper was covered with writing of various sizes, some neat and some messy, making it difficult to discern what was written at first glance. Hua Chongyang added:
"The Flower Swordplay. Part Two."
Lan Wuxie was slightly taken aback, then reached out and grasped her hand:
"What do you mean?"
"What did I mean by that?"
He gritted his teeth:
"You gave me the sword technique, then secretly ran away sometime later, leaving me unable to find it? If I wanted it, I would have gotten it five years ago. Why would you give it to me? I don't want it."
"Back then, my mother was expelled from the family, apparently because she showed the secret manual to Yan Zhao." Hua Chongyang laughed self-deprecatingly. "The Hua family's ancestral rule is to pass it on only to family members, not outsiders; only to relatives, not strangers. So many people fight tooth and nail for it, yet still can't even catch a glimpse. It's just unfortunate that our family has produced two spendthrift daughters who gave it away for free without asking for a single penny."
"I said I wouldn't watch it."
"If you won't look, I'll recite it for you. Aren't you supposed to have an unforgettable memory?" Hua Chongyang said, starting to recite word by word. After reciting two lines, Lan Wuxie reached out and pulled her to his side.
"Stop."
Hua Chongyang looked at Lan Wuxie and smiled:
"What do you suggest we do? This secret, passed down only within the family and not to outsiders, is now being given to you—why don't you marry me?"
Lan Wuxie let go in surprise, turned her face, and her eyes widened instantly.
The room was brightly lit.
Lan Wuxie's habit was to always light candles before going to sleep, no matter what he was doing at night. This was no different. Not far behind the door, there was a candlestick with five candles lit on five lotus petal-shaped branches. There were also five candles on the table directly opposite the door. The lights were as bright as day, illuminating his long, slender eyes, which were clear and bright like water, and as translucent as jade.
At first, Hua Chongyang could still smile and look at him, but later the smile on his face could no longer be maintained:
"What do you mean? I'm not good enough for you? Well, you are, after all, the former crown prince chosen by Princess Guoyue, your status is so noble--"
"...Double Ninth Festival."
Lan Wuxie's expression was as if he had been struck by lightning; he seemed overjoyed. Seeing that expression, Hua Chongyang didn't find it funny but rather felt even more heartbroken, and reached out to hug his waist.
"It's just a lousy book, who would even glance at it? Do you think it's something special, that I value it more than you!"