Zhuang Su saw a young man standing in the open space not far away, with delicate features; it was him practicing his singing. From a distance, the man sensed someone approaching and happened to look in her direction. Their eyes met briefly, but Zhuang Su felt as if she were looking into a fog, a place of unfathomable depth.
"That's the second young master, Liusu, who's learning opera from the master," the official leading the way said casually when he noticed Zhuang Su paying attention.
Learning opera? Zhuang Su found it rather intriguing. Judging from the grandeur of this garden, there was no need to become a performer to make a living. Thinking this, she had unknowingly been led a little deeper into the garden. Ahead was a bamboo grove, and nestled among the bamboo was an elegant pavilion. Inside, someone seemed to be standing, gazing in their direction.
The official gestured for them to wait there while he went up alone to report. Ahead was a winding covered walkway. Zhuang Su glanced down and saw clear blue water beneath, with colorful fish swimming about, which she found quite interesting. Just as she was engrossed in watching, she suddenly felt a warm breath on her ear, tickling it: "How is it? Pretty, isn't it?"
Startled, Zhuang Su involuntarily took a few steps back, only to bump into the railing of the covered walkway. She stumbled and was about to fall into the water when someone suddenly pulled her away. When she came to her senses, she was already in someone's arms.
A handsome young man amidst a turbid world. This is the only word to describe him at first glance.
Because he held her close, her gaze was level, meeting his directly. He had a pointed chin, slender willow-like features, a nose with a perfectly curved tip, slightly thin lips, delicate skin that was fair with a hint of translucence, and long, alluring peach blossom eyes that were looking at her with a faint smile.
A man had a pair of alluring peach blossom eyes, yet nothing about them seemed out of place.
He wasn't annoyed by Zhuang Su's unwavering gaze; instead, he smiled slightly and said, "Nice to meet you. My name is Qingchen, but you need to call me Father." He acted as if he had found a stray kitten, thus "obeying Zhuang Su's teachings."
Zhuang Su's brow furrowed slightly. Although she was indeed only seven years old, no one had ever carried her like a pet before. She was about to say something when she suddenly understood the meaning behind the man's words, and her dark eyes widened: "Father? What father?"
“From now on, I will be your father…” Qingchen’s beautiful face moved slightly closer, a hint of a smile in his peach blossom eyes, as he rubbed his face against hers (a monk’s narration: I’m reporting him, he’s seriously groping her, my poor little Susu…), “You’ve been entrusted to me, from now on I will be your adoptive father.”
"Adopt...adopt...adoptive father?" Zhuang Su was momentarily stunned, her face itchy, and she impatiently pushed away Qing Chen, who kept getting closer to her. "How is this possible?"
"Why is it impossible?" Qingchen was not angry at all, and looked at her with a smile.
Zhuang Su fell silent. It wasn't impossible, but... she had grown up with Aunt Liu since childhood, and had mostly heard about her mother, never about her biological father. The word "father" seemed both very close to her and too unfamiliar, almost like a stranger.
"Put me down," Zhuang Su said calmly.
Qingchen was surprisingly obedient, carefully placing her on the ground with a hint of expectation in his eyes: "Your name is Susu, right? Call me Father, okay?"
Zhuang Su wanted to compare him to some kind of wagging-tailed lapdog… After being kidnapped by human traffickers for several days, she simply couldn’t connect the person in front of her with that serious and reserved organization. Looking at the butler next to her, he was obviously used to the master’s behavior. He stood aside with a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth, wanting to laugh but forcing himself not to.
Zhuang Su had a bit of a headache.
She frowned under that expectant gaze, and after a long while, her lips twitched slightly, uttering two somewhat similar sounds—"Father."
"Good girl!" Qingchen suddenly seemed very happy, almost rushing forward to hug Zhuangsu again, but she dodged away with a few steps back. This person seemed to have a very good temper, and was not annoyed at all. He took Zhuangsu's hand and walked with a smile to the pavilion in the waterside pavilion. There was a banquet table in the pavilion, with various delicacies and a faint smell of wine.
Qingchen pulled Su Su down to sit, picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks, and said, "Su Su, come here, open your mouth, ah—"
Zhuang Su finally couldn't help but turn pale and angrily picked up her chopsticks to clear the way: "I'll open it myself." The originally oppressive atmosphere was completely disrupted by this person, and she could no longer be on guard... Zhuang Su rubbed her temples with a headache.
Later, Zhuang Su learned that the place he was in was called "Shengxiao Valley". And the organization that had initially captured them was called "Yiye Alliance". Whether it was the East and West Chambers, the South Courtyard, or the North Building, they all belonged to Yiye Alliance. But their power seemed to extend beyond that. Even Shengxiao Valley and the Silver Hall where Shen Jian was located were also their organizations, and there were countless other scattered branches.
Zhuang Su had actually heard of the One Leaf Alliance a long time ago. It was a huge organization, so large that even the royal family had to be wary of it. She remembered Aunt Liu telling her that if she ever encountered anyone from the One Leaf Alliance, she should run away as soon as possible. But now, wasn't she also a member of the One Leaf Alliance?
Unlike my first impression, the managers of those departments all seemed to be good people.
The steward of the east and west wing was named Jin Ruoyu, a fat man with large ears who managed all the expenses in various regions. There's a saying, "Great wisdom appears as foolishness," and although his eyes were small, they were shrewd; he often saw things accurately and had unique insights. Every time he came to Shengxiao Valley, he brought Qingchen fine wines from various regions—exquisite brews with a distinctive flavor. Qingchen loved to drink, and Zhuang Su gradually noticed that whenever she saw him, he always seemed to be leisurely reclining in a chair, occasionally glancing back with a captivating look, a smile that could charm a hundred hearts. From afar, one could hear his delicate and melodious voice, his casually chosen lyrics, sung with a unique charm.
His favorite song was "Peach Blossom Hermitage Song." Zhuang Su slowly memorized two lines: "Peach Blossom Hermitage in Peach Blossom Valley, Peach Blossom Immortal in Peach Blossom Hermitage. Peach Blossom Immortal plants peach trees, and picks peach blossoms to exchange for wine. Sober, he sits before the flowers; drunk, he sleeps beneath them. Drunk and sober, day after day; flowers fall and bloom, year after year..." Qingchen's posture when singing was easily etched in her memory, because only then did his smile not feel so cloying, faint and unapproachable, always making one feel a sense of loneliness, inexplicably afraid that approaching would disturb him.
Chapter Three: Light Dust Like a Fallen City (Part Two)
Qingchen said he didn't like Zhuangsu calling him "Dad," as it sounded too old; he always said he was still young. He preferred Zhuangsu to call him "Father," saying it sounded dignified.
Another surprising discovery was that Miss Murong from the South Courtyard and Yan Bei from the North Building had an unusually close relationship with Qing Chen.
Miss Murong's real name is Murong Shi, a very elegant name. Every time she comes to Shengxiao Valley, the eyes of the valley's servants immediately light up. If one day they walk through the valley and see not a single servant, it must be Murong Shi coming to find Qingchen for drinks again. And when Murong Shi comes, Yan Bei will always be there as well.
When they met, from afar, one was charming and the other taciturn—a perfect match of beauty and hero. But Zhuang Su sensed something amiss in Murong Shi's gaze at Qing Chen. Sometimes, when the woman danced gracefully, if one paid attention, one could see that her gaze was always fixed on the elegant man in white.
In Shengxiao Valley, there were two other apprentices: the second young master, Liusu, whom they had met on the first day, and the seemingly wealthy eldest young master, Mo Nian. Both of them had to be addressed as "senior brother" by Zhuang Su. Because of the luxurious and opulent Shengxiao Valley, no one could have imagined that it would fall into Qingchen's hands and become a traveling opera troupe constantly needing to perform. Qingchen called himself the troupe leader, and his pen name was "One Leaf Hermit."
Zhuang Su was very distressed about having to learn to sing opera. However, she was now the daughter of the "troupe leader".
Zhuang Su walked aimlessly, holding the sheet music. Her gaze lingered on the book, but she couldn't focus on the contents. She felt a pang of homesickness, a longing for Aunt Liu, but the One Leaf Alliance was so powerful that she feared she might implicate others if she escaped.
Zhuang Su kicked away a pebble with a "smack," looked up, and saw someone nearby looking in her direction, startled. Zhuang Su said somewhat embarrassedly, "Uncle Yan..."
Yan Bei, carrying a wine jug in one hand, sat by the lake and silently nodded to her. He had always been a quiet man; from his cold-blooded orders at their first meeting to their encounter in Shengxiao Valley, she always felt he lacked the emotional fluctuations of ordinary people. Zhuang Su was somewhat curious—did such a person even understand love…?
"Didn't Aunt Murong come today?" Zhuang Su asked with a playful smile. She was no longer as afraid of this person as she had been at the beginning. Seeing that Yan Bei's face was indeed slightly embarrassed, Zhuang Su felt a sense of satisfaction. Only at times like this did this blockhead show a bit of humanity.
Yanbei said, "Miss Murong has something to do and has already left the city."
“Oh…” Zhuang Su sat down by the lake, mimicking Yan Bei. Her gaze unconsciously swept over his arm, catching sight of a deep, somewhat menacing scar. She couldn't help but recall the burly man she'd been brought to the humble room; he too had a scar on his face, making him look ferocious. She was puzzled. Why were so many people in the One Leaf Alliance wounded…?
Zhuang Su saw Yan Bei turn to look at her and hurriedly looked away, but Yan Bei still caught her red-handed.
Yan Bei glanced at his arm and asked, "Are you scared?"
Zhuang Su glanced at him and saw that he wasn't angry, and secretly breathed a sigh of relief: "What's there to be afraid of?"
Hearing Yan Bei speak so casually, a hint of a smile appeared on his face, which had been like an ice sculpture for millennia: "It's a pity that you came to Qing Chen's place."
"Huh?" Zhuang Su didn't understand for a moment.
Yan Bei looked at her with a hint of admiration in his eyes: "I'm not saying Qingchen is bad, but you are very suitable to be trained by me."
Thinking of the horrifying sight of corpses scattered everywhere, Zhuang Su couldn't help but shudder: "No way? Me, suitable?"
Yan Bei glanced at her indifferently: "Of all the children who came out of the room that day, you were the only one who dared to truly look directly at that kind of bloodshed. It's inevitable that you'd feel uncomfortable the first time, but after you saw it, there wasn't a trace of fear in your eyes."
“Shen Jian is stronger than me.” Zhuang Su didn’t know how to answer for a moment. Thinking of those warm hands, she could only say this hesitantly.
"That person?" Yan Bei scoffed softly, his tone surprisingly mocking. "He should be used to this level by now..."
Zhuang Su felt a sudden, overwhelming buzzing in his head. He barely heard a word Yan Bei said, completely oblivious. What did he mean by this—this level of defiance? He should have been used to it by now…?
Zhuang Su recalled the day Shen Jian protected her, his warm hand covering her eyes, trembling slightly. Yet Yan Bei had said, "To this extent." Shen Jian didn't want to kill; after killing, he was truly terrified! She wanted to retort, but couldn't utter a word.
Because she truly knew nothing about Shen Jian's past. And now that he had entered the Silver Hall, she had no idea what he was doing there.
Seeing her silence, Yan Bei guessed what she was thinking. The girl was petite and somewhat delicate, but she had bright, clear eyes. He sighed softly. If it weren't for that boy's request that led to the girl being assigned to Qing Chen, he really should have considered taking her as a close disciple to succeed him in the North Tower…
Thinking of Qingchen, Yan Bei's eyes deepened almost imperceptibly: "Zhuang Su."
"Hmm?" Zhuang Su responded sullenly.
"Be careful in Shengxiao Valley." Although hesitant, Yan Bei still said this.
"Be careful?" Zhuang Su found it hard to associate this place with the word "danger." Just as she was about to ask something, she glanced at a small boat on the lake. The boat was exquisitely decorated, and a figure in flowing white robes was waving at them from afar. Zhuang Su choked on her saliva: "Cough... Father?"
A pavilion stood in the distance, a small boat bobbing in the distance. Qingchen picked them up, and as soon as they entered the dock, the first thing they were greeted by was the aroma of wine. Zhuang Su was momentarily dizzy: "Father, what are you doing here?"
"The scenery at dawn is beautiful, so a lake cruise is the perfect choice." Qingchen chuckled softly, poured a glass of wine, and handed it to Yanbei. "Old Yan, what brings you here today?"
Yan Bei took it and glanced at him: "They're training in the North Building, it's too noisy."
Qingchen let out a muffled groan, seemingly unintentionally: "What, you find it noisy too?" There was a hint of teasing in her voice. Yanbei was used to his way of speaking, downed his drink in one gulp, and turned to sit at the bow of the boat. Qingchen's gaze fell on his back, her faint smile fading slightly, her long, almond-shaped eyes narrowing slightly.
A brief silence fell. The wind ruffled his long hair, which fell casually over his shoulders, brushing against his fair skin. Zhuang Su watched from the side, somewhat mesmerized. She always felt that her father, when silent, possessed a certain ethereal quality. Just then, she noticed Qing Chen glancing in her direction.
Qingchen looked her up and down, her eyes narrowing slightly: "Susu."
"Yes, Father." Zhuang Su knew that Qing Chen liked to hear her call him that, so she was unusually docile at this moment. Qing Chen's hand then reached to her face, and she felt a warm breath brush against her. Zhuang Su's face felt inexplicably hot, and she was wondering whether to pull away when his slender fingers flicked a green leaf next to her.
"Look at you, always making such a mess," Qingchen said with a smile, a hint of indulgence in her tone. Zhuang Su was captivated by that beautiful smile, momentarily unable to tear herself away. Today, Qingchen's skin appeared exceptionally white, almost translucent, an eerie white. But still, she was beautiful.
"I love it when Susu looks at me like this." Before Zhuang Su could even register what he said, she suddenly felt light as she was pulled into a hug. Qing Chen held her as they sat down on a chair, casually picked up a grape, and fed it to Zhuang Su with great interest.
One bite and his mouth was filled with sweet juice, but Zhuang Su almost choked on the sweetness and coughed repeatedly.
Qingchen hurriedly patted her back a few times to help her catch her breath, and then scolded her, "How old are you? How can you choke on a grape?" Her tone was full of concern.
Zhuang Su had a strong urge to strangle that person... She barely managed to suppress it, jumped off Qing Chen's lap, took some fruit and put it on a separate tray: "I'll go get it for Uncle Yan."
Zhuang Su handed the tray to Yan Bei, who took it and gave a faint thank you. Zhuang Su vaguely sensed that Yan Bei seemed to have something on his mind today, and couldn't help but want to go closer and sit down with him, but then she heard someone behind her raise their voice slightly: "Hey Lao Yan, Su Su is my daughter, you better not get any funny ideas."
That's incredibly jealous.
Zhuang Su suddenly stumbled. This was the bow of the boat; looking straight ahead, the water was incredibly close. A chill ran through her body as water rushed in from all directions, engulfing her. Instinctively, she could only struggle wildly. She had never been a good swimmer.
Yan Bei reacted swiftly, about to jump into the water to save him, when he heard another splash. Turning around, he saw a figure in white on the water's surface, like ripples spreading outwards, rapidly approaching Zhuang Su's direction. "This person can actually..." Yan Bei's expression held a deeper meaning.
In the blink of an eye, Qingchen was beside Zhuangsu, holding her tightly in her arms. Zhuangsu felt a slight warmth and felt somewhat at ease. The overflowing water blurred her vision, and she could only vaguely see a touch of crimson lips, which stood out against the white and translucent skin beside her, making them exceptionally beautiful, almost eerily so.
It was a scent she had gradually become familiar with recently, and her heart immediately calmed down.
"Yanbei." Qingchen swam to the side of the boat with Zhuangsu and struggled to pull her onto the eaves. Yanbei hurriedly took her from the boat and turned to pull Qingchen up, but saw a frighteningly pale face. He was shocked and asked, "Qingchen, what's wrong?"
He was about to reach out to grab her when he saw Qingchen's lips curl into a slight smile, and she suddenly closed her eyes and leaned back. Instantly, there was another splash of water, but there was no sign of struggle.
Yan Bei's expression changed, and he suddenly leaped into the water again.
The man, dressed in white, appeared exceptionally serene in the water, gradually sinking into the depths.
Yan Bei swam to his side several times and led him towards the shore. He was too light, as light as a piece of duckweed. Yan Bei's expression was extremely unpleasant. If he had known this would happen, he would have just sent him to rescue Zhuang Su from the beginning. How long has it been since Qing Chen had a relapse...?
"What a troublesome guy!" Yan Bei couldn't help but curse, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. This person's breathing was too light, so light it seemed as if it might stop at any moment. He was frustrated and disappointed, but what could he do? In the end, he could only sigh deeply.
Chapter Four: The Wind of Last Night Leaning Against the Balcony (Part 1)
When Zhuang Su opened her eyes, she saw the look of relief on the face of the butler, Li Jiu. She was momentarily confused, but when she remembered what had happened, she felt a little embarrassed. If anyone was to blame, it was her father… She secretly despised him, but apologized repeatedly, looking very embarrassed: “Butler Li, I’m so sorry to have troubled you.”
Li Jiu smiled kindly at her: "I'm fine, I just brought over a bowl of medicinal soup. Here, drink it quickly once you're awake."
Zhuang Su stuck out her tongue and carefully took the medicine. She was still slightly damp and cool; the medicine had warmed her hands when she first held it, which felt very comforting. She sipped it slowly, about to thank him, when she glanced at Li Jiu, who was absentmindedly gazing outside. She asked curiously, "Steward Li, what's wrong?"
"It's nothing, it's nothing." Li Jiu quickly straightened his expression, and when he turned around and met Zhuang Su's pair of dark, bright eyes, he immediately smiled, "Su Su, how about I do you a favor for Steward Li?"
He smiled somewhat like a fox. Zhuang Su was annoyed to find that everyone in Shengxiao Valley seemed to have a fox-like quality. She finished her medicine and put it aside, her expression bitter: "What's wrong?"
Seeing her expression, Li Jiu couldn't help but glare at her with amusement: "Alright, it's not a difficult task. You just need to help me bring the medicine to the Valley Master."
The master of Shengxiao Valley is naturally Qingchen.
Upon hearing this, Zhuang Su felt a sudden tremor in her heart: "What's wrong with Father?" She vaguely remembered that it was Qing Chen who jumped into the water to save her.
Li Jiu shook his head helplessly: "Anyway, just take the medicine to him."
Seeing that there seemed to be something hidden in his expression, Zhuang Su obediently nodded.
The wind outside was a bit chilly. Only when she went out did Zhuang Su realize she had slept until evening. She carefully carried the medicine, its bitter aroma wafting through the air. She thought of what Li Jiu had said to her and drifted into a daze.
"The head of the family has always suffered from tuberculosis, but he refuses to take care of himself and stubbornly refuses to take medicine..."
Zhuang Su somewhat understood where Li Jiu's helpless expression came from. It was common knowledge that Qing Chen was happy to drink, and seeing him usually so energetic and carefree, who would associate him with that sickly man?