Su Qiao introduced casually, "Do you know the Four Envoys of Wine, Women, Wealth, and Temper? My young lady is the Envoy of Women, in charge of the South Courtyard. The East and West Wings are the Envoys of Wealth. Yan Bei of the North Building is the Envoy of Temper. And the head of the Four Envoys is the head of the Silver Hall. Unfortunately, I don't know his identity yet."
Zhuang Su listened to her introduction without interrupting. Su Qiao took a sip of tea and continued in a melodious voice, "You should know what the East and West Wings and the South Courtyard do, right? As for the North Building, it trains assassins, tools that can be thrown out as pawns at any time. The Silver Hall is different; it houses real assassins." As she spoke, the corners of her mouth lifted slightly, revealing a hint of coquettishness despite her young age.
Su Qiao has changed a lot. Zhuang Su noticed this and pursed her lips slightly: "Then why do we need you to go?"
Upon hearing this, Su Qiao couldn't help but tease, "The Silver Hall is the foundation of the One Leaf Alliance, so naturally each manager has to select and train people before sending them in. Countless people in the South Courtyard are looking forward to this, but this time they just chose me."
"So..." Zhuang Su didn't know what to say for a moment, nor whether she should be happy for Su Qiao. "Are you afraid to go to Yintang?"
Su Qiao shook her head: "What's there to be afraid of? What's wrong with killing for survival? I've learned a lot from your teachings lately. Actually, if we're talking about being outstanding, there's no place in the One Leaf Alliance that can compare to Yintang."
Zhuang Su smiled wryly: "You really have changed."
"I'm afraid it's not up to me whether I change or not..." Su Qiao's words were tinged with bitterness. Recalling the events of the past few days, her long eyelashes fluttered slightly. "But it's good that I've changed. You don't know, before I was brought here, although my family was wealthy, we didn't live a good life. My mother died early, and my father later took a second wife. After she became his wife, she made things difficult for me and my wet nurse in every way, and my father just let her make a fuss and never cared about me. If I can stop being bullied in the One Leaf Alliance, what's wrong with that..."
Zhuang Su recalled how Su Qiao had been so sweet and clingy when they first met, a stark contrast to the resolute woman before her. Her eyes were filled with complex emotions; she hadn't imagined Su Qiao had such a past. All her words finally culminated in a sigh: "Fine, as long as you're doing well."
Su Qiao replied earnestly, "Zhuang Su, I will definitely live a good life. Once I join the Silver Hall, if anyone bullies you, just come to me." As she spoke, she patted her chest, appearing very serious.
Zhuang Su was amused by her and couldn't help but smile gently: "Okay, if I'm ever bullied in the future, I'll come to you. When you become successful, please don't turn your back on me."
"Pah, I wouldn't be that heartless." Su Qiao stuck out her tongue at her and pulled her into the house. "Come on, I'll play the piano for you. I've learned a lot of pieces recently, and I can play some of them quite well."
Zhuang Suxiang glared at her angrily: "Shameless! How can you praise yourself for playing so well?" Su Qiao was amused and immediately burst into laughter.
Su Qiao's playing was truly exquisite, captivating Zhuang Su's heart as if it wanted to drift away on the wind. She couldn't help but praise her, and wanted to stay a little longer, but it was getting late, and Murong Shi sent someone to find her, so Zhuang Su had to reluctantly say goodbye to Su Qiao.
“I’ll definitely come to see my little Qiao again another day…” Zhuang Su joked with a smile. Suddenly, she remembered a poem she had recently written. She turned around, found some paper and pen, and wrote it down in a leisurely manner, handing it over. “Here, this is what I wrote recently. If you are interested, you can compose a melody for it and sing it for me when you have time.”
Su Qiao took it and looked at it, then smiled and said, "Okay, next time you come, I'll definitely make sure you're satisfied."
Murong Shi had already arranged a carriage outside. Seeing that Zhuang Su's expression had turned slightly somber as she walked, she guessed what was going on. Since Su Qiao hadn't disappointed her and had indeed told Zhuang Su about some things, she saw Zhuang Su off to the carriage, only telling her to come back in a few days. Zhuang Su, preoccupied with her own thoughts, gently agreed. The carriage then drove back to Shengxiao Valley.
Zhuang Su was in a daze the whole way. She got out of the car unconsciously and walked quietly towards her house. As she passed through the yard, she vaguely smelled the aroma of wine. She suddenly came to her senses, her brows furrowing. After looking around, she saw a man drunk under a tree, with a few empty wine jugs scattered around him.
She'd only been gone a short while, and Qingchen, in her weakened state, was still out drinking? Zhuang Su was instantly furious, forgetting all about Yintang, and rushed over.
"Father!" A roar suddenly exploded in Qingchen's ears. He looked up at the sound and saw a pair of misty eyes in Zhuang Su's eyes. The words she was about to say were immediately cut off.
The person before him seemed somewhat delirious, her peach blossom eyes slightly narrowed, her expression subtly alluring and enigmatic. He remained silent for a moment, his eyes narrowed as he pondered for a long while before a slight smile appeared on his lips: "It's you..." This smile carried a hint of mockery.
Qingchen had never spoken to her in such a tone before. Normally, he would have cheerfully pulled her into his arms, nuzzling her and saying, "Our Susu is back—"
At this moment... Zhuang Su felt inexplicably uneasy. She stepped forward and tried to drag him up from the ground, gritting her teeth and saying, "Father, you're behaving so badly! Drunk and lying here in broad daylight, doesn't Steward Li care about you? Your injuries haven't even healed yet, when will you ever take yourself seriously!" As she pulled, she felt a burning sensation through his tightly pressed clothes, which startled her—he had a fever?
At this moment, Qingchen pursed her lips slightly and, following the pull of the pillar, suddenly leaned against it. It was the body of an adult man, who flipped her over and pressed her directly beneath him. She was met with his slightly hot breath, which brushed against her face and instantly burned her.
Zhuang Su was in a great predicament. She was already weak, and now, with a flip, she was pinned down by Qing Chen. She pushed him several times, but he didn't budge an inch.
Qingchen's face was inches away from hers, very close. She saw his long, slender eyelashes flutter slightly, like a dying butterfly gently flapping its wings. His breath was hot, brushing against her nose, carrying a faint scent of alcohol. It was intoxicating. Qingchen's clothes were slightly open, and Zhuang Su's gaze fell upon him, vaguely revealing his smooth, alabaster skin, uniquely alluring.
Zhuang Su's face flushed hot, as if her own body temperature was even higher than that of the clearly ill person. Her heart pounded, she wished she could disappear into a hole, and felt utterly helpless. There was no one around; who would save her…?
At this moment, Qingchen sat up slightly, reached out, and gently stirred Zhuang Su's beautiful hair with her slender fingers. Her peach blossom eyes were filled with a hazy mist. She picked up a strand of hair and gently kissed it, a strange and wicked aura flashing across her lips.
“Yuan…” His breath was faint, his gaze fixed on Zhuang Su’s eyes. Suddenly, he smiled gently and leaned closer. Their noses touched lightly, their eyes met, and Zhuang Su saw her own reflection in Qing Chen’s slightly smiling eyes, but it was as if there was a layer of mist between them, and she always felt that she was not seeing her.
Qingchen's body was burning hot. Zhuang Su reached out to push her away, but he grabbed both her hands. He held her wrists, pressed his body against hers, and leaned up slightly, as if slowly lifting her. He moved closer to her cheek and gently sucked on her ear. As if it were a precious object, light and fragile, he nibbled on her earlobe and slowly kissed her cheek—a very gentle kiss.
Zhuang Su's pupils dilated unconsciously, and she was about to shout when she felt a moist touch on her lips. A soft, comfortable sensation, the scent of alcohol thickening, and her mouth was sealed shut. It was the first time she had felt a man's breath so close. Something was suppressed in Zhuang Su's throat, a churning discomfort, but the kiss was so intoxicating that she momentarily lost her sense of direction.
Her thoughts drifted slightly, and she only heard Qingchen whisper in her ear, "You are mine..." His kiss gently brushed past her, and in her daze, she only saw a hint of a smile in his eyes, somewhat indifferent, and a little devilish.
This was not the Qingchen she knew.
Chapter Seven: If Only We Could Meet Again (Part 1)
Zhuang Su really wanted to kick him, but Qing Chen was drunk and still had a fever.
He mistook her for someone else, a woman named "Yuan". It turns out that Qingchen had always rejected Murong Shi because of this woman.
Zhuang Su felt dizzy and hot all over, and it was somewhat unbearable.
After a light kiss, Qingchen gently released her, his slender fingers caressing her lips as if reliving the lingering sweetness of that kiss.
His eyes were always veiled in mist, and all he could see was loneliness. His lips still curved into a smile, but in that instant, the only smile that truly revealed his true nature was a forced one.
Zhuang Su vaguely felt that the man's smile was just out of habit and didn't mean anything more.
A breeze blew, causing Qingchen's loose robes to sway slightly, making his slender frame appear somewhat frail. Zhuang Su suddenly felt a pang of sadness and subconsciously reached out, wanting to embrace him. She had a vague feeling that, despite his burning body temperature, his skin always seemed icy cold, subtly revealing its coolness.
"Yuan." Qingchen's lips suddenly curved into a smile as she gently hugged him, his peach-blossom eyes brightening slightly, like a child who had just received praise. "You're willing to come to my side now...?" He reached out and pulled Zhuangsu into his arms as well, a hug that was deep and profound.
Zhuang Su felt a coolness at the corner of her eye, and only then did she realize with surprise that such light dust had unknowingly brought tears to her eyes.
For a moment, she didn't think of pushing him away again; in the quiet, she could only feel his breath brushing against her ear. He nestled against her, his breathing slow and long, and a slight tilt of his head revealed a delicate, contented smile. He simply held her, gently nestled against her, and the two lay quietly on the ground, the soft breeze filling their ears.
Everything fell silent for a moment. In a daze, the person next to me seemed to gradually fall asleep.
Zhuang Su stared blankly, still seemingly unable to process what had just happened. A lingering taste of alcohol still clung to her lips. Suddenly remembering, her face burned. The man who had first stolen her kiss was—this "father"?
Incredible.
But Qingchen, who prides himself on being able to drink a thousand cups without getting drunk, actually got drunk today.
Zhuang Su wanted to find someone to help her move this enormous thing, but as soon as she moved slightly, the person sleeping soundly beside her hugged her even tighter, their brow furrowing as if afraid she would leave. Zhuang Su was in great distress, her dark eyes wide open but she dared not move, only able to dart around to see if anyone was passing by.
I could vaguely hear someone sneer.
Zhuang Su suddenly looked towards the bamboo forest. It seemed as if a figure had flashed among the trees, but upon closer inspection, all that could be seen were a few birds startled and shivering. Clearly, there was nothing there.
Just as he was pondering this, a person emerged from the woods. The person was holding a book and was reading it intently. As if sensing the gaze, he inadvertently looked up and met Zhuang Su's gaze. He was slightly surprised to see this.
Zhuang Su desperately wanted to bang her head against the wall, but being held up prevented her from doing so. She gave a slight, awkward smile and said, "Second Senior Brother, Father's drunk, aren't you going to help..."
Liu Su put away the book and smiled gently, "What's going on here?" He stepped forward to help Zhuang Su pull him out of Qing Chen's arms. Because Qing Chen was holding him tightly, he had to use a little more force. When he saw Qing Chen, his brows furrowed slightly, but he was still not awake.
Zhuang Su was finally free and took a few deep breaths: "It's a good thing you passed by, Second Senior Brother. Otherwise, with Father so drunk, I'm afraid I would have had to stay with him for who knows how long."
Liu Su smiled and said, "Given Master's drinking capacity, this is the first time I've seen him so drunk. How did you manage to get him so drunk?"
Zhuang Subai retorted, "How could I dare to force him to drink? I'd be more than happy to make him quit drinking. I just came back from Miss Murong's place today and I already saw him drunk here all by himself. I don't know where Steward Li went. Wasn't he supposed to come back to take care of my father? Now he's disappeared without a trace."
"Master got drunk by himself?" Liu Su seemed thoughtful upon hearing this. She glanced at the scattered wine jars not far away, turned around and walked closer. She took some of the remaining wine from the bottom of the jar, licked it on her tongue, frowned slightly, and then fell silent.
Seeing his strange expression, Zhuang Su couldn't help but ask, "Second Senior Brother, what's wrong?"
Liu Su glanced at her indifferently and said gently, "Do you know what he drank?"
"Isn't it alcohol?"
Liu Su shook her head: "It is wine, but someone has added something to it."
Zhuang Su asked in slight surprise, "What is that?"
“There’s a drug called ‘Drunken Life, Dreamlike Death.’” Liu Su’s eyes were full of suspicion. “People who take this drug are like drunkards. It can make them feel good, but it is extremely harmful to their health.”
"How could this be..." Zhuang Su inexplicably recalled the fleeting figure in the bamboo forest just now, and couldn't help but ask, "Second Senior Brother, did you encounter anyone when you came out of the bamboo forest just now?"
"No one? There isn't anyone." Liu Su didn't know why she asked that, so she took a book and affectionately tapped her head. "I just saw that Master seemed to have a fever. Why don't you take him back to his room quickly?"
Zhuang Su only realized she had almost messed up "important things" after he reminded her, and secretly stuck out her tongue.
With Liu Su's help, the two finally managed to get Qing Chen back to her room. Zhuang Su hurriedly called Li Jiu, who was also surprised to see Qing Chen in this state. He then ordered the servants to make arrangements for her.
Zhuang Su suddenly felt a pang of sympathy for Li Jiu. With a master like Qing Chen, it seemed as if he was destined to never have a peaceful life.
After helping out, Liusu returned to his bamboo residence to continue studying opera. He always appeared as a drama fanatic, devoted only to studying the classics, as if nothing else mattered to him except learning opera.
Zhuang Su told him about giving her own poem to Su Qiao. Liu Su didn't say much, but tapped her head with the scroll and said calmly, "From now on, you can only give me your poems. When I travel the world, I will make you famous."
Zhuang Su waved his hand dismissively, indicating that it was nothing to worry about.
The group left Qingchen's room. Zhuang Suben, also exhausted, returned to his own room with a sense of weariness.
After a period of daytime bustle, Shengxiao Valley quiets down.
That night, all was silent. A solitary moon leaned against the railing, a few distant stars scattered about. At midnight, only the faint sound of the wind could be heard. The door was gently pushed open, and a figure in white vaguely emerged.
The effects of the alcohol hadn't completely worn off, and he felt a slight throbbing in his head. He gently rubbed his temples with his slender fingers, vaguely remembering something he had done, and couldn't help but feel genuinely troubled.
She is Su Su, not Qing Yuan...
He let out a soft sigh. The night was cool and still, and he coughed a few times, the slight tremors aggravating the wound on his chest, causing a sharp pain, but he seemed oblivious. He walked quietly into the courtyard. Everyone in the valley was asleep; no one was out. It was very quiet.
Qingchen walked to the tree from that afternoon, leaned against it gently, a faint smile playing on her lips: "Since you're here, why hide? Wasn't 'Drunken Life, Dreamy Death' the drink you invited me to?"
A gust of wind howled.
"You knew I drugged you, yet you still drank it?" A woman's voice drifted through the night, faint and ethereal, but no one could be seen.
Qingchen spread his hands: "I originally wanted to take the opportunity to throw a tantrum at you after taking the medicine, but who knew..." He smiled somewhat teasingly, as if to say that the woman had no luck with men and should not blame others.
"You're still the same, haven't changed a bit." The voice chuckled, and a slight rustling sound came from the bamboo forest as a figure emerged. Dressed in light, flowing robes, her figure was graceful, and a veil covered her face, revealing only a glimpse of her captivating eyes. She gazed intently at Qingchen, her eyes filled with a myriad of emotions: "Is your 'mask' only removed for Qingyuan?"
Qingchen smiled, raising an eyebrow slightly: "Let's not talk about the past. Just this afternoon, you actually made me lose my dignity as a father in front of Susu. How do you plan to settle this score? I knew you would show up after drinking, but who knew that in my confusion, Susu would actually come back. Oh dear, my dignity..."
“Even without this incident, you probably wouldn’t have much authority,” the woman couldn’t help but interject, seeing his nonchalant demeanor.
Qingchen leaned closer, wrapping his arm around her waist, his smile in his peach-blossom eyes surprisingly deep: "Even if you lack authority, there will always be someone who likes you..."
The woman stiffened slightly when he hugged her, but she didn't resist. Her tone was somewhat helpless: "It's a pity that no matter how many people like you, you can never let go of her."
"I'm so dashing and handsome, if I were to actually be with some woman, I wonder how many young girls' hearts I would break..." Qingchen seemed to think highly of himself.
The woman smiled upon hearing this: "You're still the same old you, a scourge on this world."
Qingchen pouted: "Forget about causing trouble. You came here today to drug me, so it can't be just to see me, right—Shu'er?"
Was this man passionate or heartless? The woman glanced at him; it was still that unforgettable face. As a man, he was always too beautiful. The woman sighed softly. Indeed, the reason she secretly drugged him today was because she couldn't let go, hoping for even a moment to be gently held by him, even if it was just as a substitute for someone else.
Liu Rushu gently removed the veil covering her face and looked at him intently: "That's right, I've come to see Susu."
Qingchen smiled casually: "But in the end, she became the one in my arms. Are you jealous?"
Liu Rushu's eyelashes trembled slightly, and her lips pursed, but she ignored his words: "I deliberately exposed our location back then so that you would know her whereabouts. You have indeed not disappointed me, sending people to bring her here."
Qingchen looked up at the sky, her expression unreadable: "Was it Susu's idea to come to the One Leaf Alliance?"
"Her?" Liu Rushu chuckled. "I'm afraid it went against her wishes. Sending Susu to Yiye Alliance was my own idea." At that moment, she felt the hand around her waist suddenly tighten, and she was pulled into the other person's embrace. Qingchen's eyes still held a hint of allure, but the surrounding atmosphere seemed to have changed, and she felt as if the blood in her body was gradually freezing in the cold air.
Chapter Seven: If Only We Could Meet Again (Part Two)