A Record of Pleasure

Chapter 6

Tan Huan's eyes lit up, but the light gradually dimmed again. "I'm going to Lingfeng. I don't have time to be your bodyguard."

Du replied with a smile, "It's alright, I'm going to Lingfeng too, it's just on my way."

With a swift movement, Tan Huan pocketed the gold ingot. "That's too convenient. I'll protect you all the way." She smiled, "If I can't protect you, I can always escape." "My name is Wu Tan Huan, you can just call me Tan Huan."

Du Suizhi, who had been smiling like a handsome young man, suddenly froze, his lips trembling. Wu Tanhuan? No way? He had finally taken a fancy to a pretty girl and wanted to take her home, and it just so happened that she was the second young lady of the Wu family?

Du Suizhi had heard of Wu Tanhuan's name before. The first time he heard it, he laughed so hard he fell off his chair. Tanhuan, Tanhuan, Tanhuan... Hahaha, this name is so funny. When did my uncle become so humorous? His naming is so creative! Later, he heard it from his aunt and other members of the Du family.

Wu Tanhuan is a genius. Du Suizhi had once heard his arrogant cousin say this, albeit reluctantly. At that time, Qingfeng bit his lip and clenched his fists, "One day, one day, I will definitely defeat her!"

Du Suizhi rode his horse with a smug air, admiring Tan Huan's beauty. A beauty is meant to be cherished; why bother defeating her? If he could win a smile from her, he wouldn't care about losing every time. Only his clueless cousin would think about martial arts day and night—what a dull and tedious life!

Tan Huan followed him toward the town, constantly complaining and feeling resentful, thinking she should get paid more. "Du Suizhi, I may not be worth much, but is your life worth that little? Don't you think you should pay me more?"

Du patiently waited for her to finish speaking. A beauty is a beauty, even her voice is so beautiful. Tsk tsk, if such a voice were used in bed, I wonder what kind of intoxicating effect it would have. "Actually, it wouldn't hurt for me to give you all the money I have..."

Tan Huan's eyes were incredibly bright.

“However, if I give you all the money, you’ll leave me right away, won’t you?” Du Sui looked at her with a smile, then shook his head in refusal. “In order to keep you with me a little longer, I can’t.”

Greedy expression honestly reflected her changing mood; deflated, she continued on her way. "You think too much of me as shameless..."

That's certainly not shameless. If it were truly shameless, she should have used her martial arts skills to rob him directly. Du Sui glanced at her, feeling regretful and helpless. He couldn't take such an interesting little animal home to raise. Oh well, since he couldn't keep her, he'd let her stay with him for a while longer; maybe he could even use her for something.

"Speaking of which, why are you being chased?" Tan Huan finally thought of this question. "They seem to say that you crippled someone's leg? Am I aiding and abetting evil?" In her eyes, there was little difference between good and bad people. However, it is said that the Wu family has a good reputation in the martial arts world. If her father finds out that she is ruining the Wu family's reputation, will she be expelled from the family?

Du couldn't help but chuckle. "I'm a good person, a really good person." He waved his fan. "That was just a misunderstanding."

Since it was a misunderstanding, Tan Huan didn't ask any further questions. She didn't like meddling in other people's business anyway.

Before long, the two of them arrived in town. By the time they arrived, it was completely dark, and dinnertime had long passed. Du then pulled her along, intending to find a suitable inn to rest. As they walked along the road, they suddenly noticed a large crowd of people around them, especially women.

Tan Huan clicked his tongue in surprise, "I didn't realize there were so many people in this small town. Is it some kind of holiday today?"

Du Suizhi narrowed his eyes and smiled, "It really came so easily. I was thinking that I might not meet you so soon. Hehe, my luck is so good that even God is on my side."

Tan Huan turned to him and asked, "What happened?"

"Greedy Pleasure, have you ever heard of the name Pei Jin?"

Tan Huan hesitated, wanting to shake his head and nod at the same time, and said, "This name... sounds familiar..." just like the name Du Suizhi.

“From eight years old to eighty years old, every girl loves Pei Jin.” Du Suizhi smiled sinisterly, lifting Tan Huan’s curious face with a paper fan. “Good boy, I’ll take you to see the most handsome man in the martial arts world, broaden your horizons and feast your eyes.”

Pei Jin is simply not cut out for being "low-key." Wherever he goes, crowds gather, and the place is filled with women who covet him. If his father weren't Pei Gu Mo, the leader of the Pei Alliance, someone might have already gone to his house to snatch his bride!

Pei Jin, Pei Jin, Pei Jin… Tan Huan was still painfully recalling this name. She should have heard it before, but where had she heard it? She frowned as she thought, finally breaking into a smile, “I remember!”

"Oh?" Du raised an eyebrow. He had been thinking, what woman wouldn't recognize Pei Jin?

Tan Huan said smugly, "This name sounds familiar. Actually, what's familiar to me isn't the name, but the surname. Isn't Pei the surname of Pei Gu Mo, the leader of the martial arts alliance? Am I right?"

Du stumbled, good heavens, only someone with such thick skin could survive in the Wu family like her. He chuckled, "So, don't you find my surname familiar?"

Tan Huan nodded. Hmm, that sounded familiar, but unfortunately she couldn't remember.

“My surname is Du, and your mother’s surname is also Du. Don’t you think that’s a huge coincidence?” Du blinked.

Du Suizhi, Du Shuizhen… Tan Huan paused, then asked, “Are you relatives?”

Du replied with a smile, "You can call me cousin."

Tan Huan glanced at him, her expression unchanged, but the emotion in her eyes had faded considerably. She didn't refute him, but said softly, "Cousin."

Du Sui was taken aback, then laughed and said, "You hate your aunt?" He added, "I mean Du Shuizhen."

Tan Huan shook her head. "I quite like her." The smile at the corner of her mouth was faint, fleeting. "She's a good person."

Du Sui raised an eyebrow. Was that the look of affection? Little liar! But then he thought about her life in the Wu family and felt relieved. He simply changed the subject, grinning and pointing to his own nose, "You've never heard Auntie mention me?"

Tan Huan shook her head, then nodded. "They haven't mentioned you to me, but they occasionally talk about you in conversation." However, she wouldn't listen. Unless they were talking to her, she usually wouldn't waste her time standing nearby. Her mother didn't like her; although she didn't show it, she could still sense it. Constantly clinging to her mother was just annoying, wasn't it?

Du then waved his paper fan and teased, "Since we're relatives, we should help each other even more. How dare you accept my money?"

Tan Huan didn't even lift an eyelid. Want the money back? No way! "Even close brothers should keep clear accounts. We're not brothers, so we should be even clearer about our accounts."

Du laughed heartily, grabbed Tan Huan's hand, and walked forward. "Come, let me take you to see the person who shares the same surname as the leader of the martial arts alliance." He paused, then kindly explained, "Pei Jin is the leader's only son, seventeen years old, and unmarried."

Tan Huan blinked, her first thought being, "How's his martial arts?"

“He can now last two hundred moves against Pei Gumo.” Du Suizhi praised without reservation, “With such a huge difference in internal strength, it is quite remarkable that he can last two hundred moves without being defeated.” He turned around and smiled at Tan Huan, “Pei Jin is the most eligible bachelor of all. If you can rely on him, you will never have to worry for the rest of your life.”

A rich and powerful husband? Tan Huan tilted her head and thought about the question carefully. Yes, that makes sense. If she married a good man, she might never have to worry for the rest of her life. However, it's better to rely on yourself than on others. "If I marry him, will he give me his money and martial arts skills?" Tan Huan smiled, her face full of happiness. "If that's the case, getting married is really a good choice."

Du Suizhi's face darkened. "You might as well just take that man's life."

Tan Huan was puzzled. "What's the point of risking your life? What good is it?" She analyzed, "Father often says that he loves Mother very much, cherishes her as his own life, and would do anything for her."

Du nodded in agreement, “Uncle does love Aunt very much. They are a famous couple in the martial arts world.”

A hint of disdain flickered in Tan Huan's eyes. "He says he loves me, but didn't he still have me outside of marriage?" A living proof. "However, I've never heard of any prince consort daring to take a concubine. It proves that money and power are more valuable than love, doesn't it?"

Du Suizhi couldn't find a rebuttal. He looked at her hesitantly, and finally, he could only nod with a wry smile, "There's some truth to that."

As they talked, they had already walked quite a distance. The further they went, the denser the crowd became. All eyes were focused in the same direction. Tan Huan followed slowly behind Du Suizhi, initially appearing uninterested, but suddenly, her eyes lit up, her pupils dilated, and she fell silent.

Even though it was night, the man's face illuminated the entire street.

Quietly, with heavy shadows, and a hazy moon.

With a towering, unyielding physique and extraordinary bone structure, Pei Jin's features were like an inexhaustible string of a zither, captivating all who beheld him. Even a slight furrow of his brow was like a thousand silver waves surging across the sky, mesmerizing and enchanting.

Du Sui looked at Tan Huan's expression and laughed, "How about it, it lives up to its reputation, doesn't it?"

"He looks..." Tan Huan couldn't find a precise word to describe him; any word would be a desecration. "He's so handsome that you can't take your eyes off him."

Du chuckled softly, feigning a pitiful expression, "Tsk tsk, if I had his looks, wouldn't I have all the women in the world at my fingertips?"

Tan Huan had already come to her senses and smiled slightly, "If you have his looks but don't have enough ability to protect yourself, then you'll be helpless, crying out to heaven and earth." You'll be devoured until there's nothing left but bones.

Du Suizhi was speechless for a moment, glanced at her thoughtfully, and then quickly smiled and pulled her forward, "Come on, let's get closer so we can see it more clearly."

Tan Huan wanted to pull her hand back, but looking at Pei Jin's appearance again, well, it wouldn't be bad to get a closer look... Before she could finish her hesitation, Du Suizhi had already pulled her forward, and she could only brazenly walk towards Pei Jin.

Pei Jin was completely alone within two meters of anyone, so he didn't pay any attention when someone suddenly approached. He walked quite a distance, taking one step at a time, his footsteps landing silently, but the two people behind him were still following closely, and one of them even made no attempt to conceal his footsteps.

Pei Jin smiled slightly. Follow him? How many years has it been since anyone dared to follow him? He tilted his head slightly, glanced back, his eyes flashed suddenly, and then quickened his pace to walk forward.

Pei Jin walked faster, and Du Suizhi followed quickly behind. Tan Huan felt increasingly uneasy. Why were they following that person? And why were they going to such a secluded place? Look, even the crowds of onlookers were thinning out. She quietly tugged at Du Suizhi's sleeve, "Hey, what are you trying to do?"

"It's so you can see Pei Jin's beauty up close," Du replied shamelessly.

The voice wasn't loud, but Pei Jin's skill was profound, so these words naturally didn't escape his ears. Beauty? Admiration? He gritted his teeth inwardly. What did they take him for? On the surface, Pei Jin remained calm and walked towards a more secluded direction.

Du Suizhi continued his pursuit with an indifferent expression. Tan Huan had no choice but to bite the bullet and follow behind.

The sky was like a black curtain, the stars twinkling brightly. Pei Jin finally stopped, turned around, and looked at him with a proud, ambiguous smile that made people afraid to look directly at him. "You actually dared to follow us?"

Tan Huan's first reaction was to shake his head and point at the person next to him, "It's not that I want to go, it's that he wants to go. I'm innocent."

Du then laughed and said, "Why wouldn't I dare?"

Pei Jin raised an eyebrow. "Do you know who I am?"

Du, undeterred by the danger, replied, "Is there anyone else in the world with this face?"

Pei Jin nodded, relieved to understand. He was a man of his word; this person had repeatedly mentioned his appearance. If it were a compliment, it would be one thing, but the tone was always mocking. This was intolerable. Besides, what in this world required Pei Jin to tolerate? "Why are you following me?"

The two men continued talking to themselves. Since they were ignoring her, did that mean she could leave? Tan Huan quietly broke free from Du Suizhi's grasp, but was pulled back as soon as she took a step. Du Suizhi looked at her amusedly, "You think you can just run away after taking the money? You're my bodyguard, aren't you?"

Tan Huan looked aggrieved. "But you brought this trouble upon yourself, and now you expect me to protect you?" This unnecessary increase in her workload was a huge loss for her business. "If you needed my protection, you shouldn't have asked for trouble in the first place!"

Du retorted shamelessly, "It's precisely because you're by my side that I dare to cause trouble. Don't you even understand this basic principle?"

Pei Jin was slightly surprised. This little girl was a bodyguard? How old was she? This prodigy glanced at Tan Huan, then turned his gaze back to Du Suizhi's face, and said indifferently, "State your name."

Du Suizhi unfolded his fan, smiling broadly, "Du Suizhi."

Pei Jin nodded and smiled, but there was no emotion in her eyes. "I've heard of your name." She paused, "I thought you would have to avoid the Pei family from now on, but I didn't expect you to have the guts to come looking for me."

Du replied, "Why wouldn't I dare? Have I done something wrong?"

"You crippled Liao Liang's leg, but you haven't given me any explanation. Isn't that wrong?"

"It was just a slip-up."

Pei Jin didn't bother arguing with him. Although he didn't like his uncle either, he was still his mother's brother. "Whether it was intentional or accidental, you ruined Liao Liang's leg, so you'll give him back his leg." Pei Jin's starry eyes narrowed slightly, his right hand already on the hilt of his sword. "Will you do it yourself, or shall I?"

Tan Huan had a very bad feeling and took a step back, then another step back.

Du then placed his hand on her shoulder and said with a grin, "Beautiful bodyguard, it's your turn to make a move. You should feel it's a great honor to have the opportunity to challenge Lone Dust Sword Pei Jin."

Tan Huan looked at Pei Jin, then at Du Suizhi, and said honestly, "I probably can't beat him."

Du Sui took a step back and pushed Tan Huan forward. "We have to fight even if we can't win. You can't really expect me to cut off one of his legs, can you?" He wagged his finger. "You didn't get that gold ingot for nothing, did you?"

Tan Huan pouted and said with dissatisfaction, "You want me to fight such a master for just one ingot of gold? You're too good at business."

"Thank you for the compliment," Du Suizhi said lazily. "How about I give you another ingot of gold?"

Tan Huan thought for a moment, "If I don't want it, can we not fight this war?"

“No.” Du refused decisively, then smiled and said, “However, if Young Master Pei agrees not to fight, then we can avoid it.”

Tan Huan gazed at Pei Jin with hopeful eyes and expectant eyes.

Pei Jin remained expressionless and shook his head. "Du Suizhi, you should have guessed this outcome when you were following me. Since you're here, leave one leg behind. No need to say more."

Du Sui smiled at Tan Huan and spread his hands, saying, "See? It's Young Master Pei who doesn't want to let you go. It has nothing to do with me."

With a long face, Tan Huan reluctantly drew his sword and looked at Pei Jin, asking, "Are you really going to fight?" His expression was seven parts childish and three parts pitiful.

Faced with a little girl's plea, Pei Jin seemed a little awkward. He said, "I don't like to lay a hand on children, and I especially don't like to lay a hand on girls. You can choose to leave. My only target is Du Suizhi."

Tan Huan said helplessly, "I promised to be Du Suizhi's bodyguard, and I can't go back on my word." To her, going back on her word was no big deal, just a minor matter. She was just worried that if her father found out, he would say that she had disgraced the Wu family, and if her mother found out, she would stare at her with those resentful eyes.

Pei Jin nodded; this girl still had some backbone. "Don't worry, I'll go easy on you. I'll stop when I've hit you, and I won't make things difficult for you. Don't be afraid."

Du Sui leaned against a large tree, his eyes smiling, his gaze fixed on Pei Jin's Lonely Dust Sword, without uttering a word.

Tan Huan let out a long sigh, weakly raising her longsword. At first, her steps were unsteady, then the tip of her sword swayed slightly with her movements. When she raised her eyes, the previous nonchalance was gone, replaced by indifference and sharpness. Her body shot towards Pei Jin like an arrow released from a bow.

Pei Jin didn't take her seriously at first, and didn't do much preparation, only thinking about not hurting the little girl in front of him.

As a result, a dark shadow appeared before his eyes, and before he could react, a flash of silver light pierced his chest.

Pei Jin was startled. He quickly rose to his feet, his body rising half a zhang (approximately 3.3 meters) to narrowly avoid the sword. He had underestimated his opponent! He immediately regained his composure and began to seriously parry the attacks.