Es gibt einen Xiao Chan im Jianghu

Kapitel 25

Yun Ran was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, and replied, "By the Zhendong River?"

Before she could finish speaking, she saw Qi Mo turn his head to look in the direction of the town, his eyes gradually turning gloomy. Following his gaze, she saw a person dressed in white, moving swiftly, flying towards where the two of them were.

Qi Mo slowly said, "Sima Liuyun? What brings him here?"

Yun Ran reached out and pushed him in the chest, whispering, "Let me go."

Qi Mo snorted and instead hugged her even tighter.

Sima Liuyun rushed to the two in an instant. Seeing Qi Mo holding a sword in one hand and Yun Ran's pulse point with the other, holding her tightly in his arms, his gaze immediately turned cold and sharp. He said in a deep voice, "Despicable scoundrel, let her go!"

Qi Mo raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Young Master Sima, what did you say to me?"

Sima Liuyun's face was gloomy, and he said in a low voice, "Although Sect Leader Qi saved my life, you took advantage of my vulnerability and forced Ran to submit to you. Such a despicable act is not the behavior of a true man."

Qi Mo glanced at Yun Ran and smiled, "Oh? It seems that Young Master Sima has misunderstood me. I truly admire Miss Yun, and my feelings for her are not as unworthy as you think."

Before he could finish speaking, Sima Liuyun had already leaped forward and struck him with a palm strike with a stern face.

Although Sima Liuyun had just recovered from serious injuries, his palm strike was exquisite and contained all his strength. Qi Mo felt his cheek being hit by the strong wind, and it was already burning and throbbing. He dared not underestimate it, so he released Yun Ran, inhaled and gathered his strength, and swung his palm to meet the attack.

The two men's palms collided, and both felt a jolt throughout their bodies. Qi Mo took two steps back, while Sima Liuyun also felt a wave of nausea in his chest.

Seeing the two fighting, Yun Ran became extremely anxious, fearing that their injuries would be aggravated and all her careful recuperation over the past few days would be in vain. She shouted urgently, "Stop!"

Seeing Yun Ran speak up to stop him, Sima Liuyun stopped attacking. His gaze fell on her face, softening as he said, "Ranmei, you've suffered these past few days. I came to see you tonight to tell you that no matter what happens, my heart remains unchanged, and I will definitely marry you." As he spoke, he stepped forward and reached out to take Yun Ran's hand.

A cold glint flashed in Qi Mo's eyes as he said indifferently, "Young Master Sima is being a bit too wishful." Several iron caltrops flew swiftly from his sleeve toward Sima Liuyun.

Sima Liuyun reached out and grabbed several iron caltrops in the air, then swung them back, sending them hurtling back at Qi Mo like a rain of flowers.

Qi Mo knew that Sima Liuyun's palms were protected by the Black Silk Gauntlets, making him impervious to hidden weapons. A cold smile played on his lips as he brandished the Broken Scale Sword, slicing all the returning iron caltrops in two. He laughed, "Young Master Sima's Black Silk Gauntlets are ranked third in the weapon rankings. I'll use this Broken Scale Sword, ranked first, to see if I can sever your palms." With that, he leaped into the air like a large bird, sword in hand, and pounced towards Sima Liuyun.

Knowing that Sima Liuyun's power had not fully recovered and being well aware of the sharpness of the Broken Lin Sword, Yun Ran saw Qi Mo's murderous intent and knew something was wrong. She leaped out and struck him with a palm, shouting, "Wait!"

Seeing Yun Ran make a move, Qi Mo quickly withdrew his Broken Scale Sword, gently turned in mid-air, and landed on the ground. He frowned and said, "Are you going to fight me for this kid again?"

Yun Ran had made up her mind. She lowered her eyelashes and whispered, "Chief Qi, you have helped me many times before, and I am extremely grateful. However, I have no...no other intentions towards you. I hope Chief Qi will stop bothering me."

☆、39. Parting Ways (Part Two)

Qi Mo narrowed his eyes slightly, smiling instead of getting angry, and slowly said, "No other intention? Then what was the meaning behind Miss Yun's previous care and concern for me?"

Yun Ran's expression darkened, and she said in a low voice, "Chief Qi was injured while saving me, so it is only right that I take care of you. Now that you have recovered, let's..." She paused slightly, looked up and met Qi Mo's deep, unfathomable gaze, and felt a pang of sorrow in her heart. She still softly uttered the last two words: "...Farewell."

Qi Mo shook his head at her, seemingly helpless. Suddenly, a sharp whistle came from the night. The three of them turned to look and saw two figures rapidly approaching from a distance. A woman's voice called out urgently, "Boss?"

Qi Mo recognized A Luo's voice and was quite surprised. Not long after, the two people rushed over, and it was indeed A Luo and Xie Feng.

Xie Feng turned to A Luo and smiled, "What did I tell you? The hidden injuries those people from the Kongtong Sect suffered were clearly inflicted by the Boss. Now that you see the Boss here unharmed, you don't have to worry so much that you can't sleep at night anymore, right?"

Seeing that Qi Mo was unharmed, A Luo's face lit up with joy. But when she saw Yun Ran with him, her eyes dimmed, and she stood aside with her head down, saying nothing.

Seeing the questioning look in Qi Mo's eyes, Xie Feng said, "After we got separated that day, I originally intended to go to Qiannan as agreed, but I met A Luo on the way. A few days ago, I saw a group of people from the Kongtong Sect looking for a doctor to treat their injuries. I grabbed one of them and questioned him, and that's when I learned that the leader was here."

His gaze suddenly turned solemn, and he said, "Boss, we also received some news on the way..." He glanced at Sima Liuyun, paused, and whispered a few words to Qi Mo.

Qi Mo's expression darkened slightly. He hummed in agreement, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Let's go back and take a look first."

He held the Broken Scale Sword in his palm, smiled slightly at Yun Ran, and said, "Qi Mo has important matters to attend to, so it seems he can only bid farewell to Miss Yun for the time being. Since Xie Feng has found this place, Wen Huaifeng may also come looking for you. It would be best if you left as soon as possible."

Yun Ran remained silent, took two steps forward and took the Broken Scale Sword, but heard Qi Mo lean down and whisper in her ear: "Even if you have no other intentions, I will still pursue you to the end."

Yun Ran was taken aback. Qi Mo had already turned around and said calmly, "Let's go." He moved swiftly, leaping forward several feet. Xie Feng and A Luo followed, and in the blink of an eye, the three of them were far away.

Seeing Yun Ran's distraught appearance, Sima Liuyun understood what was going on and said softly, "It's getting late, let's go back to the inn first."

Yun Ran nodded, and the two walked back to the town in silence.

Wanwan was holding Xiaodouzi's hand and looking around in front of the inn when she saw the two of them return together. She was very happy and smiled, saying, "Young Master Sima and Miss Yun went out one after the other and still managed to run into each other outside. It seems that fate is predetermined and there is no way to avoid it."

Yun Ran gave her a cold glance. When Wanwan saw that both she and Sima Liuyun looked gloomy, she knew that things were not going well, so she immediately stopped talking.

Little Bean stood to the side, her eyes darting around. She tugged at Wanwan's sleeve and whispered, "Why hasn't Brother Hao come back yet? Should we go to the river to look for him?"

Wanwan glared at him and made a shushing gesture, but Yunran whispered, "No need to look anymore, he's already gone."

Little Bean asked blankly, "When will he come back? I want to hear him tell a story again tonight."

Yun Ran shook her head slightly and hurried back to her room.

Little Bean frowned, stared blankly for a moment, then suddenly shouted angrily, "You vixen, you're lying! You clearly said my good brother wouldn't be angry!" He threw the dough figurine at Wanwan forcefully, crying, "I don't want the dough figurine anymore! Find my good brother back!"

Wanwan caught the dough figurine, spat, and said, "You brat, don't cause me any trouble." She pushed it toward Sima Liuyun and said, "Keep an eye on him." Then she hurriedly turned to look for Yunran.

She arrived at Yun Ran's room, hesitated for a moment, and gently knocked on the door. Seeing no one answer, she pushed it open. Fortunately, the door wasn't bolted. Yun Ran sat on the edge of the bed, lost in thought. Wanwan stepped into the room and asked softly, "When you met with Young Master Sima, were you caught by Chief Qi?"

Yun Ran was troubled and turned her head away, not wanting to pay attention to her.

Wanwan's eyes flickered as she advised, "That's fine too. Although Chief Qi is handsome and charming, he is cunning and not a good man to entrust one's life to. Young Master Sima is devoted to you and you are already engaged. The two of you are a match made in heaven."

Anger flashed in Yun Ran's eyes, and she said coldly, "So you used Xiao Douzi to trick me into meeting Sima Liuyun under the tree in the west of the town, and you even told him about me... about my affair with Qi Mo?"

Wanwan looked smug and said with a smile, "If I hadn't told him about this, how could Sima Liuyun, being a gentleman who upholds propriety, have confessed his feelings to you so quickly? Now that you know his feelings, when do you plan to marry him?"

Yun Ran, unable to bear it any longer, turned around and angrily said, "Whether I marry him or not is none of your business! What exactly is your intention in trying so hard to match me with Sima Liuyun!"

Wanwan pouted and said, "Of course it's all for your own good. Young Master Sima is gentle and kind, and sincere to others. In terms of martial arts and appearance, how is he inferior to Sect Leader Qi? Besides..." Her voice lowered, and a gentle smile unconsciously appeared on her lips. She sighed softly, "He is loyal and righteous, and he doesn't care whether you are a virgin or not. If you marry him, he will wholeheartedly cherish you for the rest of your life. Such a man is rare in this world, so how can you not cherish him?"

Yun Ran stared at her for a long time, her eyes gradually understanding, and suddenly said, "Since you think Sima Liuyun is so rare, why don't you marry him yourself?"

Wanwan was stunned for a moment, then spat out, "We were talking about you and Sima Liuyun, how did this get dragged into me!"

Yun Ran said slowly, "During the days that Sima Liuyun has been recuperating, you have taken care of everything for him, from preparing medicine and feeding him to handling all matters big and small. You care about him more than anyone else."

Wanwan blushed slightly and mumbled, "That's because you've been taking care of Chief Qi. If I don't take care of him, when will his injuries ever heal?"

Yun Ran shook her head and said, "Sima Liuyun was so badly injured, yet you, with your cowardly and fearful nature, didn't abandon him and run away alone."

Wanwan's expression changed, and she snorted, "If I save Sima Liuyun, the Sima family will give me ten thousand taels of gold as a reward. I'm doing this for the reward, do you think I... I..."

Yun Ran said coldly, "If you don't like him, why do you blush whenever he's mentioned? You're testing him with my situation just to see if he would mind your background in a brothel if he loved you."

Wanwan bit her lip and remained silent, no longer arguing.

Yun Ran was annoyed and said in a low voice, "Let's not talk about this matter for now. It's just that you like Sima Liuyun and think that all women in the world should love him like you do. It's really ridiculous. You took it upon yourself to put him and me together, thinking that you were doing it for my own good. How could you know what I really think?"

Wanwan couldn't help but ask, "Then... what do you think?"

Yun Ran lowered her gaze but did not answer.

The two remained silent for a long time. Wanwan sighed and said softly, "So you have no feelings for him, but Young Master Sima has already fallen deeply in love with you. Even if you want to reject him, you should find an opportunity to tell him slowly so as not to make him sad. Also, you must never let him know that I like him."

Seeing Yun Ran looking at her in astonishment, she blushed slightly and whispered, "It's enough for me to know this myself. He doesn't care about my lowly status and treats me as a friend. I'm already content. Of course... of course I wouldn't have any improper thoughts." She was lost in thought for a while, then gave a bitter smile and sighed softly, "To be liked by someone like me is already a desecration to him."

Yun Ran frowned, as if about to speak, but Wan Wan had already turned and walked out.

Her heart ached, and tears welled in her eyes. She hurriedly opened the door, wanting to go back to her room, but when she saw the door open, Sima Liuyun was standing quietly outside, holding Xiaodouzi in one hand and kneading a dough figurine in the other, his expression thoughtful.

Wanwan cried out in surprise and turned to look at Yunran. Both of them knew that Sima Liuyun had heard everything they had just said, and their faces turned red. They didn't know what to do.

Sima Liuyun lowered his eyes and handed the dough figurine to Wanwan, saying softly, "He's stopped making a fuss and wants to sleep here." With that, he led Xiaodouzi into the room, turned around, and silently left.

The next morning, Yun Ran got up and saw that Xiao Douzi was still asleep with tear stains on her cheeks. Thinking that Qi Mo had left and that the two would have no further connection, she couldn't help but feel a little bitter. Remembering Qi Mo's words before he left, she decided that she had to leave the town that day to avoid being found by the Dragon Guard.

After she finished washing up, she was about to wake Xiaodouzi when she heard a gentle knock on the door. Sima Liuyun asked from outside, "Ranmei, are you up yet?"

Yun Ran still felt extremely embarrassed when she thought about what happened last night. After hesitating for a moment, she still went forward and opened the door.

Sima Liuyun looked worried and said in a deep voice, "When I got up this morning, the shopkeeper came to tell me that Wanwan had already left last night."

Yun Ran let out an "Ah," but didn't know how to respond.

The two stared at each other, stunned for a long while, before Sima Liuyun said, "Shall we leave this place today?"

Yun Ran nodded. Sima Liuyun said, "Then I'll wait for you outside."

He turned and took two steps away, when he heard Yun Ran call out from behind, "Young Master Sima." He stopped and turned around.

Yun Ran bit her lip and said, "It was wrong of me to hide my identity from you before. As for our engagement..."

She paused, pondering how to politely refuse, when she heard Sima Liuyun say in a low voice, "I understand, I won't force you to get married, but..." He looked at Yun Ran with gentle yet firm eyes and continued, "As long as you haven't made up your mind, I still have a chance, right?"

Yun Ran looked up in surprise, not expecting that Sima Liuyun, who was always gentle and easy-going, would be so insistent. He stared at her for a moment, as if he had made up his mind, and slowly said, "Give me six months. If you still have no feelings for me, I will break off the engagement with you."

Author's Note: All the kids are so resentful of me tonight! [Qiqi, Sima, Wanwan, and Ranran's venomous little eyes...]

☆, Chapter 40 (Latest)

Sima Liuyun, with Xiaodouzi by his side, waited at the crossroads outside the town, watching Yun Ran lead two horses towards them from afar. From a distance, they could see her clothes and hair fluttering in the wind, her steps light and graceful, her expression always calm and serene, revealing nothing about her.

He had just proposed a six-month plan, and Yun Ran hesitated, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. She only told him and Xiao Douzi to wait outside the town before leaving the inn alone to buy horses. When he saw her approaching, even Sima Liuyun, who was usually calm and composed, couldn't help but clench his hands tightly. He felt uneasy for the first time in his life, experiencing the meaning of "unease" that others had spoken of.

At this moment, Yun Ran was thinking about how she had sent a letter to Sima Liuyun refusing the marriage years ago. Back then, she was deeply spoiled by her father and brothers; no one in Yun Family Fortress had ever disobeyed her, so she had never considered the opinions of others. But since meeting Sima Liuyun, the two had traveled together, shared drinks and conversations by the lake, and fought side-by-side at the Zhu Mansion. Unconsciously, they had come to regard each other as lifelong confidants, willing to risk their lives for one another. This bond had become even more precious to Yun Ran after she lost all her family.

Thinking of this, she looked up and saw Sima Liuyun's gentle and clear gaze, filled with expectation and a hint of trepidation, staring intently at her. She smiled slightly at him, handed him the reins, and asked softly, "Young Master Sima, where are we going now?"

Sima Liuyun was overjoyed. Hearing Yun Ran's voice, he realized that she was willing to travel with him. He also indicated that she had agreed to the six-month agreement. He then said to her gently, "Our two families have been friends for generations, and your elder brother Yun Yi is also my sworn brother. From now on, you can call me Brother Sima, just like him."

Yun Ran called out as instructed, "Brother Sima."

Sima Liuyun smiled and agreed. The two looked at each other and smiled, both feeling a sense of relief.

Suddenly, a cold laugh came from the woods beside the road. Yun Ran's expression changed drastically. Sima Liuyun had already leaped out, shielding her and Xiao Douzi behind him, and whispered, "Is that Lord Wen?"

The man replied calmly, "I have been thinking of Young Master Sima since he left without saying goodbye. I would be grateful if Young Master Sima would do me the honor of coming to the capital for a chat." As soon as he finished speaking, Wen Huaifeng walked out of the forest, followed by dozens of Dragon Guards who surrounded Yun Ran and the other two.

Wen Huaifeng's gaze lingered on Yun Ran's face for a moment, and he sighed softly, "So you are actually Yun Jiutian's daughter."

Hearing him mention her father's name, Yun Ran was deeply grieved. A cold glint flashed in her eyes as she coldly said, "Lord Wen has already taken the lives of my father and two brothers. Now that you know Yun Ran's identity, do you intend to take my life as well?"

Wen Huaifeng frowned slightly, but did not answer. He ordered in a deep voice, "Capture these two alive."

Yun Ran's heart sank. The Dragon Guards had already responded and rushed forward, their weapons falling on Xiao Douzi first.

Yun Ran cursed under her breath, "Despicable!" But she knew that these people didn't care about Xiao Douzi's life or death. If there was any mishap, Xiao Douzi would inevitably lose his life under the sword. She dared not be negligent and hurriedly swung the Broken Scale Sword to protect Xiao Douzi. Meanwhile, Sima Liuyun had already started fighting with Wen Huaifeng.