El mundo de las artes marciales es un pozo - Capítulo 94
Yang Nianqing glared at him.
After a while.
Just as she was about to speak, Li You's expression suddenly changed.
"wrong!"
He abruptly put her down, and without saying a word, pulled her quickly to a very conspicuous upscale teahouse next door, and chose a very prominent seat by the window.
“Just sit here.”
Yang Nianqing asked, puzzled, "What's wrong?"
Li You muttered to himself for a moment, then suddenly looked down at her, his expression somewhat tense: "There are many people here and nothing will happen. Just wait for me here, and don't wander off."
She asked curiously, "Where are you going?"
“It’s too late. I’m not sure I can make it now. I’m afraid…” Li You hesitated for a moment, then his expression turned serious. “I need to get to a place. You wait for me here. Don’t wander off, understand?”
Seeing his expression, Yang Nianqing knew that he really had something urgent to attend to.
So she nodded: "Come back soon."
Li You turned around and walked to the counter. He took out some money and said a few words to the shopkeeper. Immediately, the shopkeeper took the money with a big smile and nodded at Yang Nianqing.
What happened? Yang Nianqing wondered to herself.
After giving his instructions, Li You walked back and said, "There are a lot of people here, remember not to wander around."
Seeing that Yang Nianqing agreed, he nodded with relief, then seemed to remember something: "Also, if anyone comes looking for you, don't leave, not even if it's Lao He or Lao Qiu."
Yang Nianqing chuckled, "Okay, go ahead."
It was past noon, and the teahouse was bustling with activity, filled with lively conversation. People in the Song Dynasty loved tea; a pot of fine tea and two plates of dried fruit were all they needed to enjoy on such a fine day. Moreover, this place attracted people from all over the country—famous and unknown, acquaintances and strangers—and it was easy to strike up a conversation.
Her seat was by the window, where sunlight streamed in at an angle, and the intermittent singing drifted in from time to time. However, Yang Nianqing no longer felt so comfortable at this moment.
"Don't leave, don't go with anyone else?" Li You said these things for no reason, and why was he so nervous? Had he discovered some secret again?
Isn't it all over already?
Thinking of those sorrowful eyes, my heart, which had finally calmed down, began to ache again.
Someone was talking at the next table.
"I never imagined that Young Master Nangong, who appears so kind and benevolent, would be such a person. Sigh, I really can't tell."
"hypocrisy!"
"To take a life just for business?" someone asked, seemingly incredulous. "Isn't Nangong Villa already the wealthiest family in the world?"
"Humans are just so hard to please, sigh!"
"..."
With a "smack," someone slammed their hand on the table.
"You're spouting nonsense!" came the angry voice. "I, Wang Cheng, don't believe it. That year, when the shipment was lost, if it weren't for Young Master Nangong's generous help, I'd probably be a hanged ghost by now, and my whole family would be in dire straits! All these years, he hasn't asked me for a single penny in return. Where's the hypocrisy in that?"
He paused, then said indignantly, "I saw him with my own eyes back then. There's absolutely no way that such a person could be the murderer. He must have been framed!"
"A frame-up?" someone sneered. "It was He Bi and Li You who found out; how could it be false?"
Wang Cheng immediately choked.
Someone jeered, "Oh, so you figured out the murderer, haha..."
Everyone burst into laughter.
Wang Cheng was furious and stood up, shouting, "In my eyes, Young Master Nangong will always be a benefactor of the Wang family. No matter what you say, I don't believe it!"
After saying that, he ignored everyone and strode downstairs.
Does he feel gratified that someone trusts him so much?
Yang Nianqing silently lowered her head.
For the sake of the living, he chose to bury the truth and willingly bear the infamy. Such a kind person, even if he heard these words, would surely not mind.
He made a mistake, but it was entirely the court's disregard for human life that led to the injustice done to the Tao family and caused everything that is happening now. However, the power behind this justice is too strong, so strong that no one can resist it, no one can stand up for the Tao family. In this era, she truly understands what it means to be powerless.
Thinking of the hand that gently held hers as he left, and the pure, relieved look in his eyes—she had seen that look once before, on the way back to the Nangong Villa. At that time, he really wanted to turn back.
However, he couldn't forgive himself.
While enduring the immense pain of the bone-corroding poison, he held her tightly and told her "don't go back." His expression was so sincere. Was he feeling extremely conflicted at that moment?
The pain was so intense that no tears came.
He was a murderer, but he was ultimately a kind-hearted murderer.
He had many opportunities to harm Li You and He Bi back then. With their deaths, the secret would not have been revealed so soon, or it might never have been revealed at all.
He didn't do that; they were his friends.
He poisoned her and lied to her; he must feel very guilty, right?
She didn't blame him.
Yang Nianqing let out a long breath and turned to look out the window.
Outside the building, the sunlight was blindingly bright.
Everything was laid bare under the sunlight, people came and went on the streets, new faces constantly flashing by, like background scenes in a movie, with a touch of artificial realism.
As if guided by some mysterious force, she was led to a corner.
An inconspicuous corner —
Thank you lqscut, gyyy, yu, and Jianhan for the long reviews :)
Volume 4: The Changes of Handsome Men in the Martial Arts World
A big tree.
The tree has a large canopy, and the old leaves on the branches have not all fallen off, while tender new leaves have grown, making it appear particularly lush and casting a considerable shadow in the sunlight.
The area under the tree was empty.
Why would such an inconspicuous corner attract her attention? Yang Nianqing wondered to herself. After looking at it more carefully for a moment and confirming that there was nothing special about it, she was about to look away—
His gaze suddenly froze.
In an instant, she saw a pair of eyes. Like a ghost, they appeared under the tree the moment she blinked.
A pair of familiar phoenix eyes.
How could it be him?!
No, I must be dreaming, or am I seeing things? Yang Nianqing finally realized what was happening, quickly rubbed her eyes hard, and looked in that direction again.
People come and go like flowing water.
On the other side of the river, an elegant figure stood with his hands behind his back, shrouded in an aura of solitude. He stood quietly under the shade of a tree, gazing at her upstairs through the passing crowds.
Yang Nianqing stared straight into those eyes, her heart filled with ecstasy.
It really is him!
But wasn't he already...? How could he be here?
Before she could think it through, the man stopped looking at her, turned around, and walked away slowly.
It was him, there was no mistake! Yang Nianqing stood up and rushed downstairs, but she was stopped by the anxious shopkeeper as soon as she reached the top of the stairs: "Miss, that young master Li instructed you to wait for him here."
Yang Nianqing was taken aback, and indeed remembered Li You's words: "...If anyone comes looking for you, don't leave, not even if it's Lao He or Lao Qiu, understand?"
But it wasn't He Bi and Qiu Bailu, it was him!
When will Li You come back? She stamped her foot and anxiously looked out the window. She watched as the familiar figure disappeared around the corner. If he left, would she never see him again?
She was extremely conflicted.
It's easy for someone to make an excuse if they really want to.
She did start to think: Li You only said not to follow others when they came to find her, but he didn't come to find her. This can only be considered as her going to find him, not as following him, right?
finally--
“It’s alright. If he comes back, please tell him that I saw… a friend, and I’m going to visit him. I’ll be back soon.”
After saying that, she ignored all attempts to stop her and quickly went downstairs.
Standing on the street, the bright sunlight was so dazzling that she could hardly open her eyes. Many unfamiliar faces flashed by like a revolving lantern, and unfamiliar eyes kept looking at her, but she never saw those bright and familiar eyes again.
Perhaps it was because the sunlight was too warm, but my mind started to feel hazy.
Yang Nianqing almost doubted if she was dreaming, yet a voice in her heart clearly told her that it was all real, that he wasn't dead! Where did he go? Why wouldn't he see her? Was it because of He Bi and the others? Yes, he was already a "dead" person, and he certainly didn't want any more trouble, and didn't want Li You and the others to see him again.
Although he had done something wrong, Yang Nianqing still sincerely hoped that he would live a good life. Looking around, she sighed in disappointment and prepared to turn around and go back to the teahouse.
An elegant figure swayed through the crowd.
Without a second thought, Yang Nianqing immediately pushed through the crowd and chased after him.
No matter how fast she quickened her pace, that familiar figure always walked slowly about twenty or thirty meters away from her, leisurely and elegant, with a hint of majesty, and his steps remained so composed.
She wanted to call out, but realized it was inappropriate, so she could only follow him closely.
Finally, the two turned into a deep alley.
The sun was already setting, and the two high walls blocked the sunlight, making the alley very dark. Compared to the bright street outside, it was like two different worlds. There was no one in the alley, it was cold and deserted, and it exuded a chilling atmosphere. As soon as Yang Nianqing entered, she couldn't help but shiver, her whole body felt cold, and she almost suspected that this was the entrance to hell.
That person has disappeared!
There is no exit at the other end of the alley.
I clearly saw him walk in!
Standing in the empty alley, Yang Nianqing trembled. She had witnessed him commit suicide with her own eyes, and he was now truly resting in the bamboo forest in the Nanshan Formation. They had stayed there for more than ten days before leaving. She was not superstitious, but how could a dead person appear in this world?
More importantly, he did walk into this alley, that's a fact, so how come he's suddenly disappeared? Is there really something strange about this place?
Whether he is alive or dead, he will never harm her.
Yang Nianqing calmed herself down and tentatively called out, "Brother Nangong?"