When her mother was about to give birth to her, did she receive such a guarantee from Yan Zhao? But looking back to this day, she has suffered so much since she was a child that she can't even count it herself—who has ever protected her for a single day?
Thinking of this, she closed her eyes and feigned a yawn:
"I'm not going to talk about it anymore. I'm really sleepy today, I should get some rest."
I spent a sleepless night.
The next morning, before dawn, while Lan Wuxie was still asleep, Hua Chongyang had already sat up. Lan Wuxie was pressed close behind her, and somehow his arm was now resting on her waist. After staring at Lan Wuxie's face for a long time, she removed his arm from her waist, carefully got up, and changed out of her light blue and white clothes at the dressing table.
In the backlit mirror on the dressing table, the figure of Lan Wuxie on the couch was vaguely reflected.
Hua Chongyang slowly brushed his fingers across the mirror, leaving a cool sensation on his fingertips. He lowered his hand, looked down, and smiled bitterly.
The phrase "the moon in the water and the flower in the mirror" sung in the play, so that's what it meant.
She pushed open the door and stepped outside. The east was beginning to lighten, but the bright red lanterns along the long corridor were still lit, like wisps of red mist. In the chilly morning air, she strolled up, idly extinguishing each lantern one by one. Reaching the end of the corridor, she encountered Lan Cao, yawning and covering her mouth, walking towards her sleepily.
"Oh, you! Why are you up so early?"
Hua Chongyang smiled and grabbed her arm:
"Orchid, do me a favor."
Lan Cao rubbed her eyes, then yawned, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.
"Asking me for breakfast so early? Did the Pavilion Master exhaust you last night? No time, I need to go to the toilet--"
"No," Hua Chongyang interrupted her, "Go out and buy me something."
Lan Cao was taken aback:
"So early? What's not available at Banlianzui? Do you really need to go out and buy it?"
Hua Chongyang pulled her ear and whispered a sentence. Lan Cao was stunned, frozen for a long time, and looked down at her a few times before stammering out a question:
"You...you...does the Pavilion Master even know?"
"Just on guard."
"The Pavilion Master...did he give those orders?"
"Or should I ask you to buy it?"
"But--"
"Surely your sect leader can't personally give orders for something like this, can he?"
Lan Cao looked astonished and stood there stunned for a long time before finally stammering out a sentence:
"He...has given similar requests to others before, but those were others. I thought, I thought it was him with you..."
Hua Chongyang smiled and shook his head, patting her shoulder:
"There aren't that many differences. Don't overthink it; he and I have our own plans. Go quickly and come back soon, don't keep me waiting."
After sending Lan Cao away, Hua Chongyang returned to his room and happened to see Anping helping Lan Wuxie get dressed. She was still wearing yesterday's light gold robe, which shimmered in the morning light. Lan Wuxie's complexion seemed much better than usual, her skin as white as snow, a smile playing on her lips. She was half-raising her hand, letting Anping tie her silver-white jade belt. Seeing Hua Chongyang enter, she smiled and was about to speak, but then paused, noticing her old clothes. She lowered her hand, glancing at the neatly folded blue-white satin robe with cloud and dragon patterns on the dressing table, with the jade pendant still on it.
Hua Chongyang sat down at the table, poured himself a bowl of tea, and drank it all in one gulp.
After Lan Wuxie finished dressing, she waited for Anping to leave before walking up behind Hua Chongyang and patting her shoulder.
"Don't you like those clothes? Then I'll have Lan Cao make a few more—"
"No need," Hua Chongyang smiled, poured another bowl of tea, "I still find the old clothes more comfortable."
Her attitude and behavior were so strange that Lan Wuxie couldn't pretend to ignore it anymore. After a long silence, he gently stroked her hair down her shoulders with both hands, lowered his head to kiss the top of her head, and then reached out to cup her waist.
Hua Chongyang turned his head away and suddenly stood up.
Lan Wuxie's hand suddenly missed its target.
He remained silent for a long time, just about to speak, when he heard a knock on the door, followed by Lan Shu's cautious voice:
"Sect Master."
He paused, then spoke softly:
"how?"
"There's something... I'd like the Pavilion Master to decide for himself."
Hua Chongyang stood at the table, expressionless, casually sipping her tea. Lan Wuxie glanced at her, hesitated for a moment, then walked past her and went out.
As soon as the door closed, Hua Chongyang sat down slowly with an expressionless face. Just as he put down the teacup in his hand, the door behind him was pushed open with a "bang".
Hua Chongyang picked up the teapot and poured water.
Lan Wuxie strode to the table, tossed a paper package onto it, and his hand trembled slightly as he placed it on the package.
Why is that?
Hua Chongyang put down the teapot without even looking up:
"The orchid is indeed loyal. It wants you to know everything, big or small."
Lan Wuxie stood beside her, his chest heaving as he breathed heavily, seemingly on the verge of gasping for air, yet he held back, remaining silent for a long time. He calmed his voice and spoke slowly, his tone softening:
"I know you resent me for disguising myself as Zu Xian back then—you hate Lan Ying Palace; and you're angry that I was with other women before—but if we have a child, it will ultimately be us—"
Hua Chongyang continued to sip his tea slowly, without raising his head.
"I don't have children. I'm just being cautious."
Lan Wuxie was speechless. His thin lips trembled a few times. He picked up the medicine packet from the table and remained silent for a long time before speaking in a hoarse, soft voice:
"If you don't want it now, I won't touch you. Taking too much of this kind of medicine is bad for your health."
Hua Chongyang's hand holding the teacup trembled suddenly.
He clutched the medicine packet and was about to turn around when his clothes rustled softly. His slender waist flashed past her eyes, his footsteps as light as when she helped him walk out after he was seriously injured at Lake Moon Villa that night.
Involuntarily, Hua Chongyang's eyes stung.
She had been waiting for Lan Wuxie to lose her temper, but Lan Wuxie remained gentle from beginning to end, as if he knew he was in the wrong.
Before Lan Wuxie could leave, she put down her teacup, cleared her throat, and slowly said:
"I'm going back to the Flower Garden."
Lan Wuxie paused in her steps.
Hua Chongyang stood up, his eyes lowered:
"Having stayed here for so long, your injuries are almost healed."
Tears welled up in her eyes and fell uncontrollably; she didn't wipe them away, letting them stream down her cheeks and into the corner of her mouth. After a long silence, Lan Wuxie swayed slightly, and without turning her head, asked:
"Chongyang, have you heard something?"
"What's so interesting to hear?" Hua Chongyang raised the corners of his mouth, catching a tear in his mouth. "If we're compatible, we come together; if not, we part ways. That's just how life is in the martial world. No one is indispensable, and no one is irreplaceable. I think Pavilion Master Lan is more enlightened about this than I am."
After saying that, she smiled, wiped away her tears, turned around and walked away past Lan Wuxie, her steps so graceful that even she herself couldn't believe it.
38. Leafy Green Flower
As soon as she pushed open the door, she saw Lancao and Lanshu sneaking around the entrance. Startled by her appearance, they both took two steps back. Hua Chongyang smiled, said nothing, and started to walk out. Lancao reacted quickly, rushing forward and grabbing Hua Chongyang's arm to stop her.
"Hua Chongyang! What do you mean?"
Hua Chongyang stopped, pressing down on Lan Cao's hand with his right hand, his expression and tone calm, even smiling:
"Thank you so much for taking care of me these past few days."
Lan Cao glanced back at Lan Wuxie, who stood silently at the door, then turned back, unconsciously lowering her voice:
"Is it because of... what I said wrong that day? I just said it casually..."
Hua Chongyang curled his lips and interrupted her with a smile:
"A few words, what does it matter? It has nothing to do with you."
Lan Cao was completely confused and couldn't help but ask:
"Then give me a straight answer! You can't just dump us, the dignified Master of Zhaoyang Pavilion, like this, without any explanation, just with a simple 'let's part ways amicably'! What's your reason?!"
Hua Chongyang smiled bitterly, unable to utter a single word.
At Lake Moon Manor, Ji Chong questioned her so harshly, and the crowd threatened her with swords, yet she still ran away with him. Whether it was Zu Xian or Lan Wuxie, she genuinely felt their kindness towards her; therefore, she didn't care about right or wrong, good or evil, black or white. What she cared about was the person she liked and cherished, who also genuinely cared for her.
But now, no one is forcing or pressuring her; she is forging her own way to leave him far behind.
No matter how good she was, it couldn't compare to what she had witnessed on the pleasure boat. Hua Chongyang lacked people who treated her well and cared for her, but she was also a stubborn person who cared about her reputation and was not lacking in pride. It would be strange if she could still tolerate it.
The world is indeed ever-changing, and in this vast world, true sincerity is hard to come by.
She gently but firmly pried open the orchid's hand, her smiling expression like that of someone exchanging pleasantries with a close friend:
"Orchid, take care. Even though the deal didn't go through, we're still friends. Feel free to come visit me anytime."
She walked toward the gate without looking back.
Lan Cao turned around and looked at Lan Wuxie again.
Lan Wuxie stood at the doorway, her neat, long, jet-black hair cascading down to her chest, her face pale and her deep, long eyes lowered. She clutched the medicine packet tightly in her hand, remaining silent. Seeing Hua Chongyang ascend the corridor, Lan Cao stamped her foot anxiously, jumped to the door, and knocked on the doorframe.
"Sect Master! Are we just going to watch her leave like this?"
Lan Wuxie looked up at her, her eyes seemingly blank. Lan Cao pointed to the figure of Hua Chongyang hurrying along the corridor and called out again:
"Hua Chongyang is leaving, isn't the Pavilion Master going to chase after him?"
Lan Wuxie turned to look at the corridor, as if suddenly realizing something. She threw away the medicine bag in her hand, strode out the door, and chased after him, her clothes fluttering in the breeze.
He ran all the way to the entrance of Banlianzui, where he grabbed Hua Chongyang's arm from behind.
The bright early spring sunlight filtered through the yellowish-green bamboo curtain in front of the door, casting lines of light like shimmering white strings, and leaving thin shadows on Lan Wuxie's clothes. He gripped her wrist tightly, and Hua Chongyang couldn't shake him off. She stood under the curtain for a long time, listening to him repeat the same words:
"Have you heard something?"
Hua Chongyang turned his head and chuckled softly, then looked up at him:
What do you think? What did I hear?
Lan Wuxie stared at her intently, his pale, thin lips trembling slightly, but he couldn't utter a word. After a long while, he looked away, lowering his long, beautiful eyelashes.
The soft light fell on his face, casting a long, shallow shadow beneath his eyes that almost obscured the tiny, barely visible mole on his cheek. Hua Chongyang kept looking up at him, but for a long time, he never looked up.
Her one in ten thousand hopes were dashed. The fifteen minutes she waited for his explanation felt like ten thousand years, but all she got in return was his lowered eyes concealing his guilt.