Hibiscus as a Painting

Chapter 181

Zi Jin kept staring at the peach tree, then raised her hand and plucked a string on her zither: "We can't rest now, Master is coming back today and will be checking."

Xiao Bai pulled Zi Jin's hand and let her lean against his chest, gently smoothing her messy hair with his fingers: "Not bad, just for now."

Zi Jin closed her eyes and obediently leaned against Xiao Bai. For some reason, Zi Jin always felt a strange sense of security against this thin chest, and the faint scent of mint and herbs on his body always calmed people down.

Zi Jin slowly opened her eyes, looked at the peach trees in the distance and smiled slyly. She raised her hand and played the zither: "In Peach Blossom Valley is Peach Blossom Hermitage, in Peach Blossom Hermitage is Peach Blossom Immortal. The Peach Blossom Immortal plants peach trees, and picks peach blossoms to exchange for wine."

Zi Jin glanced sideways at the stunned Xiao Bai, smiled faintly, and continued playing the zither: "Golden armor is also a commoner's robe. Let's wander the world and let the world go. If there are three thousand rivers, it's better to have one person by my side. Others laugh at my madness, but I laugh at their blindness. Do you not see the tombs of the heroes of Wuling? No flowers, no wine, only fields to be tilled."

Xiao Bai held his breath, his lips trembling slightly. He slowly closed his eyes, wrapped his arms around Zi Jin's waist from behind, and leaned deeply into the crook of Zi Jin's neck: "Xiao Zi..." His voice trembled and choked with suppressed sobs, as if he had been waiting here for thousands of years, through the ages, forgetting the vicissitudes of life.

Zi Jin placed her hands on Xiao Bai's arms, which were wrapped around her, and leaned against him with her eyes closed. A slight, almost imperceptible tremor emanated from Xiao Bai, causing Zi Jin's heart to ache. Even though I'm with you every day, are you still so insecure? In this life, I don't want the world, and I won't let it cause you even the slightest worry. What about you? Are you willing to let go of that world? Are you?

"My dear disciple! Come here?!" Cheng Qingsong's voice suddenly broke the sweet silence outside the bamboo grove...

"Huh? Master is back!" Zi Jin hurriedly got up, but was grabbed by a hand.

Xiao Bai carefully tidied up Zi Jin's disheveled robes, lowered her eyes, took out a bamboo comb from her bosom, and began to tidy up Zi Jin's messy hair.

Zi Jin was slightly taken aback, only then remembering that she had gotten up to practice the zither in the middle of the night, and had only casually washed her face, leaving her hair and clothes unkempt. Looking at the figures moving around the edge of the bamboo grove, Zi Jin desperately urged Xiao Bai behind her with her eyes.

Xiao Bai didn't look up, as if she was deliberately going against Zi Jin. Her expression became more and more careful, and her hands slowed down more and more.

What should have been a simple matter of one incense stick's time took Xiaobai two, before she reluctantly put her hand down. Then, she tightly gripped Zi Jin's clothes and they walked together out of the bamboo forest.

Knowing that the two had deliberately dawdled for a long time, Cheng Qingsong wasn't angry this time. He said calmly, "Let's go."

"Where to?" Zi Jin asked blankly.

Cheng Qingsong's face darkened immediately: "More than half a year ago, I ordered a divine weapon for you from Lao Gui. It should be forged today. Come with me to pick it up."

"Master, you should know that it's inconvenient for me to go out, but you can easily fetch that weapon..."

Cheng Qingsong gave Zi Jin a sharp rap on the head: "What do you know, little girl? Five years ago, Old Ghost accidentally obtained a piece of celestial iron, and half a year ago, I ordered this divine iron for you. Yesterday, Old Ghost sent me by carrier pigeon to pick it up, so it should be ready today. However... as for what kind of weapon that celestial iron has been forged into, I have no idea."

Xiao Bai reached out and rubbed the spot where Zi Jin had been hit, giving Cheng Qingsong a disgruntled look.

Zi Jin bared her teeth and shrank back: "If he forges a golden-threaded broadsword, does that mean I have to take it too? Master can handle the weapon-related matters; why must I, your disciple, do it..."

"You brat! How did you become so lazy! More than thirty years ago, the old ghost spent three years forging a pair of male and female king iron swords using divine iron. When the swords came out of the furnace, half the sky was reddened. These swords are as sharp as water and as transparent as ice. They can cut a hair with a breath and slice iron like mud. ...To this day, no one has been able to take them away!"

"Why? Wouldn't those martial arts practitioners fight tooth and nail for such a divine weapon?" Zi Jin asked, her eyes wide with confusion.

“Any artifact that can be considered a divine artifact possesses a spirit and cannot be controlled by ordinary people. You are only going there to try your luck. Don’t be too sad if you can’t take it. Your master has plenty of good things for you.”

"Master, such a fine weapon took someone five years to forge, how could you just give it to your disciple with a single word? Could it be that you..."

"Nonsense! It's only right that she gives herself to me, given that I am hers!" Cheng Qingsong was about to give Zi Jin another flick on the forehead when Xiao Bai pulled her into his arms at just the right moment. Cheng Qingsong glared at her and sheepishly withdrew his hand.

“Since Master has good things, why bother taking other people’s? Wouldn’t it be more convenient to use our own?” Zi Jin poked half her head out from Xiao Bai’s arms and said fearlessly.

"You! You idiot! You think it's just about weapons!" Cheng Qingsong pointed at Zi Jin, jumped up and shouted.

Zi Jin was taken aback: "Is there anything else? Is it important?"

"You! You! You! You brat! How could I have taken in such a stupid disciple like you! You've been feeding him for months! Don't you have any intention of getting married? He's a man, so it's fine, but you're a girl. If I hadn't put that drug in your medicine every day... you might already be... you idiot! You're making me so angry! This fool looks innocent but is full of bad intentions! He doesn't even want to take responsibility! You're making me so angry! How could I have taken in such a stupid disciple like you!" Cheng Qingsong's eyes were bloodshot, and he was panting heavily, clearly very angry.

Xiao Bai, who was holding Zi Jin, stiffened slightly. He frowned slightly, glanced at Cheng Qingsong's flushed face, and then returned to his usual demeanor.

"Get married?..." Zi Jin was momentarily stunned.

"It has to work out!" Cheng Qingsong shouted as he dragged Zi Jin's arm outwards.

Xiao Bai gripped Zi Jin's clothes tightly as he followed the two into the car. His long, feathery eyelashes concealed the emotions in his gentle eyes. Slowly, he raised his eyes, a smile and joy appearing at the corners of his eyes.

Zi Jin sat blankly in the carriage for a long time before she came to her senses. She pulled open the curtain and looked at Cheng Qingsong, who was driving the carriage, and asked, "Didn't Master say we were getting married?... Where are we going now?"

"You idiot! Doesn't a wedding dress need to be worn? I can prepare everything else for you, but the wedding dress must be custom-made. Do you think I want to deal with that fool? ... And another thing! If you don't let that old ghost's weapon take you down, don't call me master from now on! I'll pretend I don't have a stupid disciple like you!" Cheng Qingsong turned around and shouted loudly.

Zi Jin touched her nose listlessly, returned to the car, and sat there blankly, her thoughts a complex mix of emotions.

In the eyes of the ancients, unmarried men and women who consummated their marriage were considered unacceptable to society. Nearly three months had passed since their first time together, and he had been following Xiaobai without any formal status or recognition. Although his master didn't say anything, he must have been distressed for him. He probably thought he cared about Xiaobai's wife and didn't want to put Xiaobai in a difficult position. Perhaps his master was waiting for Xiaobai to propose, but Xiaobai wouldn't understand or comprehend such worldly matters as marriage. He himself had never cared, and had never even considered marrying Xiaobai. His master must have been truly anxious seeing them living like this day after day, which was why he resorted to this drastic measure.

Getting married seems like a distant dream to me, and it feels strangely unsettling. Am I going to get married? Am I going to marry Xiaobai? Even though we've already consummated our marriage, the thought of getting married still feels so sudden and uncomfortable.

Seeing Zi Jin's hesitant and distressed expression, Xiao Bai gripped the hem of her clothes tightly and twisted her fingers violently. After a long while, she whispered, "Xiao Zi... doesn't want to..." a statement of absolute certainty.

"Yes, why are you suddenly getting married?" Zi Jin was still in a daze and continued the conversation.

"Little Purple, you don't want to be with me... is that right?" Little White opened her eyes and stared intently at the lost in thought, Zi Jin.

"I never thought of this. It's too sudden. Why do we have to get married?"

Xiao Bai suddenly stood up, lifted the carriage curtain, sat down next to Cheng Qingsong, grabbed the reins from his hand, and snatched the long whip from his hand.

Xiao Bai's series of clean and efficient movements stunned Cheng Qingsong. He stood there dumbfounded for a long time before he came to his senses and asked, "What are you doing?"

"You're too slow!"

Cheng Qingsong was stunned again. Was this still the same idiot? Why was that idiot so loud? That idiot always spoke softly and gently, without the slightest temper. What happened to him today? Judging from his ashen face, he was obviously very angry. Sure enough, his precious apprentice was amazing, able to make a blockhead so angry.

Cheng Qingsong glanced at Xiaobai, who was intently driving the carriage, for a moment. When Xiaobai took the reins and whip from Cheng Qingsong, his movements were clumsy, clearly indicating he had never driven before. Yet, in such a short time, he had become so skilled. Cheng Qingsong was right; this seemingly simple-minded boy was anything but dull or stupid. He was truly a rare talent. He wondered if his foolish apprentice was blessed or cursed to have met such a man.

Cheng Qingsong turned and entered the carriage. Looking at his apprentice who was still in a daze, he raised his hand and nudged her: "Girl."

"Huh? Master?...Where's Xiaobai?" Zi Jin suddenly came to her senses and realized that the person sitting opposite her had changed at some point.

"Catching a train..."