linfengchun

Capítulo 73

"She..." Qinglan was stunned for a long time. "Third Brother, you insisted on stopping her back then, were you afraid she wouldn't come back?" She couldn't understand why her third brother wouldn't back down even when facing death, it was actually...

"She's just temporarily confused; she won't really hurt me."

He wasn't sure what the consequences would be of letting Jia Ye leave; he was experiencing an unprecedented level of emotional turmoil. He couldn't take the risk—if someone was hurt, or if his identity and background were revealed…

Qinglan didn't know what to say. Perhaps she didn't intend to kill, but her aura was terrifying. In an instant, she was like a demon god who would take lives, her attacks ruthless and fierce, every flick of her finger a killing move that no one could even dream of. Just thinking about it now made her break out in a cold sweat. Probably only her third brother would dare to say that. If it were anyone else...

"How long am I going to stay here? How am I going to tell my father?" The thought of going back to face her furious father was extremely distressing.

He rubbed his temples, at a loss for what to do. "Please talk to Father for me and tell him not to let Mother know about this. I'll go and apologize to Father when I have time."

“Jia Ye…” After sending Qing Lan away, he returned to the room, where the little man curled up into a ball again, his back turned as if he had already fallen asleep.

He knew she wasn't, so he took off his boots, got into bed, embraced her delicate body, and forced her to turn around.

She struggled a couple of times, but then, afraid of hurting his wound, she stopped resisting and let him turn over and hold her in his arms.

"Don't blame yourself, it's just a minor injury. Compared to what you've done for me, it's nothing." Her warm breath brushed against her hair, but she refused to look up.

"In a few days, I'll take you away from Yangzhou, to find a quiet place to enjoy the scenery and live a life far from swords and spears, okay?" After much thought, he realized this was the only way to keep her. She was already exhausted, and he couldn't take any more risks. His family's tolerance and acceptance were out of the question for the time being, and it would be unfair to keep demanding things of Jia Ye. Considering Fei Qin's example, forcing her to enter the Xie family at this time would be tantamount to slowly killing her.

She moved slightly but remained silent.

"Which place do you like? Or shall we go up north? It's quite cold there in winter. How about we go south? Wherever we go, I'll definitely bring you a chef from Yangzhou. What do you think?" He muttered his plans to himself, occasionally asking for her opinion.

"Or go to Nanyue to see what your hometown is like. I've heard that the people there are simple and honest, and their clothing is unique. You must wear a set there so I can see it."

"Do you prefer the mountains or the waterside? I know you love peace and quiet, but you still need to interact with people occasionally, so it's best not to live too far away. Of course, I'll plant many of your favorite flowers and plants, but you must give up your habit of eating flowers..." As he spoke, he affectionately touched his forehead, "It wouldn't be good if you encountered something poisonous again."

“I…” She listened silently, finally looking up into his eyes. “I need a favor.”

“I have already arranged for Fei Qin’s funeral; a fine burial site will be found for him.” He paused, then smiled slightly. “But that child is not acceptable. Fei Qin entrusted you with this; it has nothing to do with me.”

"I don't know how to teach him. My kung fu isn't suitable for others to practice." She bit her lip, showing a weak and pleading expression for the first time.

His gaze was gentle, but his words were resolute. "I can teach him martial arts for you, but you have to take care of him."

She turned her head away, and he hugged her tighter.

"You think you can just leave him with me and run away? I won't let you go."

She remained silent for a long time. "Have you found out who killed her? I'll go and kill that man."

“The child refused to talk about it and insisted on taking revenge himself.”

"The crime of patricide is best avoided if possible." As if stung by something, she suddenly frowned, her long eyelashes trembling slightly. "There's always a way to find out."

"Okay." He didn't say much, his slender fingers gently stroking his black hair, one stroke after another.

"Why...why are you so good to me?" After a long silence, she asked softly.

"You don't know how good you are." He looked at Su Yan with a gentle expression, his gaze filled with unfathomable affection.

These words sounded almost sarcastic. She wanted to sneer, but she couldn't manage a laugh and buried her head even deeper in her arms.

“It’s really good, except that you’re too hard on yourself.” He sighed silently, his heart overflowing with pity. “You take other people’s resentment and hurt for granted, never hold a grudge, but you’re the only one who can’t let go of yourself. You always blame yourself for those regrets that you can’t change, feeling more guilty than anyone else… What did you do wrong? Who has the right to criticize you… How foolish.”

The tender words seeped into her heart, and she closed her eyes tightly. She had long forgotten how to cry, and was unwilling to let herself shed a single tear.

"Stay by my side, okay?" he coaxed gently. "Give me a chance to cherish you."

The words deep in her heart almost burst forth, but in the end, she forced them out: "I will destroy you."

"You saved me, don't you remember? You saved me so many times in the past seven years, you may have forgotten but I haven't." Recalling the past, those gray and oppressive days seemed much brighter. "You said my life was yours, and it still is."

“I never wanted you dead.” She looked up, her clear black and white eyes welling up with tears. “That was…”

“That was just to scare me.” He smiled and gently brushed a stray strand of hair away from her face. “Of course I understand. You never made things difficult for me from the beginning, even though you always had a cold expression…”

“I don’t want to get too close to you.” She lowered her long eyelashes, her expression lost and forlorn. “Everyone who ever got close to me is dead… You look so much like him…”

"You mean looks?" He teased, not wanting to upset her. "I think I'm a little better."

“No,” she argued earnestly. “You two are very similar in temperament; you are both upright, principled, and courageous in making decisions, which is why you stand out…”

"Is it really that good?" He couldn't help but chuckle. "I never realized you appreciated me so much."

She smiled too, a faint smile tinged with sadness. "I've always admired...like the finest jade, even if it falls into mud, it will still be priceless once it's washed clean..."

"the same as you."

"Me?" A hint of mockery crept into his smile. "I am paper. Even if I was originally white, I have long been stained with ink and am worthless."

"Look, you're always so critical of yourself." He pinched his pert nose, half reproachfully and half affectionately.

She gradually calmed down and leaned on his shoulder, lost in thought.

"Don't even think about leaving." He knew what she was planning. "Otherwise, I'll banish your martial arts and have Four Wings watch over you, never leaving your side."

Facing his glaring dark eyes, he had no choice but to confess. "You know how much I wanted to do this. Even if you hate me, I wouldn't let you go. But you're too stubborn. You're not a bird that can be caged. I really hope that one day you'll stay willingly."

"It's not worth it... I can't give you anything..." It's nothing but trouble.

He didn't answer, but lowered his head and kissed her cold lips, a touch as light as a butterfly. Their lips lingered, savoring the intoxicating sweetness. Her gentle teasing gradually found a response; she forgot everything, involuntarily returning the kiss, nestling submissively into his embrace, fragrant and soft.

She inadvertently pressed on the wound, and her body, which was pressed against hers, suddenly stiffened. She instantly came to her senses, and her passion immediately turned into sobriety.

"I'm fine." The pain was only momentary, and he let her pull open his clothes to check the bandages, feeling pleased by her unconscious concern. Seeing her frown again, he buried his head in his dark hair and chuckled.

"I don't mind the pain if I can be close to you."

She knelt on the bed, stunned, and then suddenly kissed him.

So deep, so intense, so intertwined, so passionate, it was like an unprecedented fire that set him ablaze. Just as he was about to roll over and pin her down, a sudden numbness shot through his waist, rendering him unable to move or even make a sound. His heart instantly turned to ice.

Her lips were crimson, but her face was deathly pale. Her cold fingers traced his handsome features with lingering affection.

"I'm sorry, I heard what you and he said."

Her voice was very soft, almost inaudible, and her slender neck drooped.

"I can't let you be abandoned by everyone because of me. In the future, either you or I will regret it..."

She took the jade pendant off her lapel and placed it in his palm. "This… there will be another woman who becomes your wife, and she will be envied by many…"

After this period of time, she realized that some things in this world are good... even though they will never belong to her. Encounters and experiences are already a kind of luck.

"Are you angry?" Gazing into those fiery eyes, she forced a smile, suppressing the bitterness in her heart. "I promise this is the last time."

She picked up the jade dagger, took a deep look at it, and walked out the window without looking back.

Her slender body disappeared from sight, leaving behind a cool, lingering fragrance on the pillow.

He clenched his teeth, his chest swelled with hatred, he had never been so angry.

Author's Note: Regarding Jia Ye becoming weaker in the Jiangnan arc, uh... I'd like to explain.

Jia Ye is very strong, but her strength comes from the suppression of her emotions. She is invincible because she has no desires, so she has no weaknesses when she is in Tianshan, which makes her suitable for survival, but she is also very ruthless.

Upon arriving in Jiangnan, the situation reversed. The emotional immersion made her hesitant. Considering the male protagonist's perspective, she could no longer act with the same ruthless decisiveness as on Mount Tian, becoming very passive. In such circumstances, emotions often become a fatal weakness. In fact, her situation was fundamentally unsuitable for emotional involvement; otherwise, she would easily die. Her greatest crisis not long ago stemmed from this very situation.

As for her emotional outburst... well, I think even Jia Ye's patience has its limits, especially after killing the Pope and losing her purpose in life. The tension in her heart was gone, and her vulnerable side began to show. After all, she had experienced too much, and recalling it was a painful thing.

Yangzhou is a very special place for her.

Dissolve

Qinglan emerged from her father's room, feeling dejected and humiliated after being scolded. Her heart ached. It was also her third brother's bad luck; his birthday coincided with a series of mishaps, each time narrowly escaping death, leaving even Qinglan on the edge of her seat. Her eldest brother was also furious. Now that their father was personally involved, there was no longer any room for perfunctory excuses.

For that woman… he really didn’t know if his third brother was worth it.

After thinking for a long time, he decided to go to his third brother's courtyard to avoid being dragged out and scolded by his father again. The place was quiet as he strolled along; the servants probably knew their master was in a rage and had discreetly hidden themselves away.

I froze as soon as I stepped inside.

The person standing by the desk is the root of all trouble.

"What...what are you doing here?" He almost choked on his own words, glancing nervously at the door. She had entered the Xie family alone at this critical moment; if she ran into his father, brothers, uncles, or other relatives, it would cause another huge uproar.

She glanced at him indifferently and ignored him. She turned her gaze back to the child kneeling in front of her. He had washed away the dirt and changed into clean clothes. You could vaguely see Fei Qin's shadow in them.

"I'm giving you a choice, listen carefully."

"Stay here, and you can live a peaceful and stable life, without too much hardship. Someone will teach you the right skills, and with effort, you can eventually achieve something and have the opportunity to become... a righteous person. But be smart when you seek revenge." A hint of sarcasm appeared on her face as she continued, "But if you come with me... I'm not a good person. You won't have an easy time. Not only will you be forced to wander, but you might also be implicated and die a violent death in the streets. No matter how much blood and sweat you shed, you might not have a good ending, not to mention your reputation."

"No matter which path you choose, it's up to you how you do it after you've learned it. Think it through carefully and give me an answer."

Qinglan was baffled by the cold words and it took her a while to react.

"You're leaving?" he shouted. "Where's Third Brother? Where is Third Brother?"

Perhaps the noise was too loud, because she frowned almost imperceptibly. "I've acupunctured her, and she's still lying in Xia Chu Yuan, so you can rest assured."

"Didn't you leave with Third Brother?" He realized what was happening and felt sorry for his brother. "He treated you so well, how could you be so heartless?"

"Isn't this exactly what you've been hoping for?" she said coldly and mockingly. "Once I disappear, all the problems will be solved."

"I..." He had indeed thought that in his heart, and was speechless for a moment. "But Third Brother... will be sad."

She paused for a moment, then turned her head away.

"He will naturally forget me after a while. I shouldn't have come to Jiangnan in the first place."

"You want to go back to the Western Regions? Haven't you already betrayed the Demonic Sect?"

"You're so long-winded."

Her impatient words caught him off guard, and as if sensing the unease in her breath, she softened her tone slightly. "It has nothing to do with you. Just pretend you've never seen me. That's better for... everyone."

Without giving him a chance to speak again, she looked directly into the boy's eyes.

"Tell me when you've thought it through, and remember, you have no room for regret."

The child is quite precocious, unlike a five-year-old.

"My mother told me to go with you."

"If you're smart, you should choose the smoother route."

"It doesn't matter, I don't care about the hardship if I can get revenge."

She gave a faint smile, her eyes showing both approval and a touch of admiration.

"Regardless of the cost, is that it? You've made up your mind?"