Peaceful Jianghu

Chapter 109

Chonghua's face turned bright red, and Xiaoyue, feeling embarrassed, tugged at Xiaodao—"Stop fooling around!"

Seeing Shen Xinghai's slight embarrassment, Xiao Dao found it amusing. Shen Xinghai had always treated Xiaoyue as a servant, never revealing to anyone that she was his woman. Therefore, Chonghua's actions didn't constitute stealing his brother's woman. However, now that Chonghua had brought it up, it became clear that he had fallen for Xiaoyue first, and if Shen Xinghai refused to let go, then that would be considered disrespecting his brother and stealing his woman!

So sometimes, who is right and who is wrong depends entirely on who speaks faster and who speaks less!

Xiao Dao glanced smugly at Xue Beifan beside him, while Xue Beifan looked up helplessly at the sky—this was what it meant to be someone who feared nothing more than peace and quiet! He looked at Shen Xinghai with some sympathy, then at Chonghua, thinking that the usually gentle Chonghua probably wouldn't take the lead in saying anything, lest Xiaoyue be upset.

Xiao Dao's question was reasonable—Xiao Yue's identity was still uncertain, and Chong Hua was willing to hold a banquet immediately if Xiao Yue agreed to marry him, regardless of her background. Shen Xinghai, however, was in a dilemma, torn between Xiao Yue and Liu Ruyue. Which moon was the true moon in the sky, and which was its reflection in the water? Given his anxious and conflicted mind, he certainly wouldn't easily admit it.

After a brief standoff, Chonghua suddenly spoke, "I like Xiaoyue."

Xue Beifan looked at Chonghua in surprise, speechless. He only heard Chonghua say to Shen Xinghai, word by word, "I don't want her to continue being a servant. Let me redeem her."

Shen Xinghai frowned slightly, looked at Chonghua, and after a long while, smiled and said, "I didn't treat her like a servant either."

Chonghua reached out his hand, "What about the indenture? Tear it up."

Shen Xinghai reached out, took out Xiaoyue's indenture, and handed it to her.

Xiaoyue stared blankly at the crumpled piece of paper that would determine her fate.

Shen Xinghai laughed and said, "Take it. You've followed me for so many years, through thick and thin, this should be returned to you. Keep it."

Xiaoyue remained silent for a long time before asking, "Then does that mean I can never go back to Xinghai Garden again?"

Shen Xinghai was taken aback and immediately shook his head, "Of course not, there will always be a room for you in Xinghai Garden. You can stay there as long as you want. I also want you to stay by my side."

Xiaoyue looked up at Shen Xinghai and then at Chonghua.

Chonghua smiled, "From now on, you're free. You can go wherever you want."

Xiao Dao rested his chin on his hand, remaining silent. Chonghua was a good man; he could have told Shen Xinghai that he wanted Xiaoyue and asked him to give her to him, and Shen Xinghai wouldn't have had much of an excuse to refuse. However, he didn't. Before getting Xiaoyue, he felt that giving her freedom was more important. In other words, even if Xiaoyue had no choice, Chonghua hoped she would have the right to choose someone better. Shen Xinghai, on the other hand, refused to leave Xinghai Garden and was unwilling to admit his feelings for Xiaoyue. His anxieties ultimately only considered his own gains and losses, not Xiaoyue's. In this first instance, Shen Xinghai had already lost.

Xiao Dao sighed softly. In this day and age, some things don't necessarily have to be fought to the death to determine who is superior. For a woman who is as clear-headed as a mirror, it's already obvious who is better.

Xiaoyue held the contract of indenture with a gloomy expression, her heart filled with emptiness. Even if Shen Xinghai had declared confidently, "Xiaoyue is mine, I won't give her to anyone else," even if he didn't marry her, she could have stayed with him forever. But now? In the end, she was still just a dispensable servant...

Chonghua didn't say anything further, but changed the subject and talked about the Naihe Gate.

Shen Xinghai didn't bring up what Chonghua had just said about liking Xiaoyue again, as it would be difficult to end the conversation.

Xiao Dao silently reached out, took the indenture from Xiao Yue's hand, tore it up in a couple of quick tears, grabbed her and ran to the kitchen in the backyard, stuffing the scraps of paper into the stove.

The flames flickered briefly, and the bond between Xiaoyue and Shen Xinghai was gone.

Only then did Xiaoyue realize that she had always felt it was only natural to follow Shen Xinghai, to die for him, and even to watch him marry another woman. She felt it was all natural to silently stay by his side and endure some hardship. All these seemingly self-evident truths ultimately boiled down to a single piece of paper, thrown into the fire, reduced to nothing more than a tiny spark. And just like that, everything vanished into thin air.

Seeing Xiaoyue lost in thought, Xiaodao knew she was upset. "Xiaoyue, don't be angry with me. I made the decision on my own and talked too much. No one had the right to make decisions for you..."

Xiaoyue slowly turned her face and smiled bitterly, "Sooner or later, this will be the ending too."

Xiao Dao's nose tingled with tears. "No way! That guy isn't good enough for you!"

Xiaoyue smiled and patted Xiaodao's head, "Why are you crying? I haven't even cried yet."

Xiao Dao sniffed, "No way!"

“When you get anxious, you just say, ‘No way.’” Xiaoyue found a stool and sat down. “Actually…”

"Actually what?" Xiao Dao looked up.

“I’m so afraid that the young master will suddenly come and be nice to me.” Xiaoyue lowered her head. “In his whole life, he has never considered marrying me, not even once. Now that he’s starting to seriously consider it, it’s not because of me. No matter how good I am to him, it’s useless. It’s not as good as a fleeting identity.”

Xiao Dao lowered his head, looking at his toes.

"A knife."

"Hmm," Xiao Dao looked up.

"You're so annoying."

"Huh?" Xiao Dao covered his face.

"I was just fooling myself, but you insisted on exposing me to the truth."

Xiao Dao pouted and muttered under his breath, "Is this taking your anger out on the toilet because you can't poop..."

"Ha." Xiaoyue looked at her with red eyes, "Who's the shit and who's the latrine?"

Xiao Dao took out a handkerchief and wiped Xiao Yue's face, saying, "Shen Xinghai is shit, and Chonghua is a latrine."

Xiaoyue chuckled, "Chonghua is not a cesspool, he's a good person."

"Hey!" Xiao Dao pointed at her, "You admit that Shen Xinghai isn't as good as Chonghua, right?!"

Xiaoyue lowered her head and remained silent.

"Never mind them, men are either shit or latrines," Xiao Dao said, scoffing.

Why do you say that?

"Isn't that right? It'll definitely exist and then it'll definitely need to be eliminated! It's not very useful normally, and it gets in the way, but once it's gone, you have to search everywhere for it!" Xiao Dao curled his lips. "Where there's shit, there's a latrine, just like where there are good men, there are bound to be bad men! So, you have to choose the right latrine and the right way to poop!"

Xiaoyue's face scrunched up, forgetting all the heartbreak she had just felt. She glared at Xiaodao and said, "What kind of shit or latrine is this? Look at what you're saying!"

Xiao Dao smiled smugly, "A woman being unhappy because of a man is like being unable to poop because she can't find a toilet—it's only temporary! Don't take it to heart, it's no big deal!"

Xiaoyue stared at the small knife, seemingly enlightened. "That's right. Actually, I could choose neither of them and go off to roam the martial world or start a business. Anyway, I'm free now!"